Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of music therapy on reducing agitation in patients with Alzheimer's disease, a pre‐post study

One of the important challenges in nowadays societies is the increasing number of people who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related problems. Common intrusive behaviors such as agitation place burden on patients, caregivers, and health care providing system. Many treatments, medical and non-medical, are suggested for coping with these behaviors. Among those interventions music therapy seems to be the most effective and the least harmful one. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of various methods of music therapy on reducing agitation in patients with AD. The sample consisted of 26 AD patients from Behzisti of city of Shahriar who lived in four nursing homes. They were selected according to DSM IV criteria and Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores. Ten patients were assigned to control group and 16 to experimental group. The experimental group was divided into four sub-groups: the group that was exposed to listening to preferred music individually, the group that was exposed to group listening to preferred music, the group that was exposed to group listening to nonpreferred music, and the group that was exposed to group singing of preferred music. Following sample selection, the study was described to the patients and their caregivers and then written informed consent was obtained. Preferred music were chosen by participants, their family, and their caregivers and non-preferred music which were chosen by experimenter were similar to Vivaldi’s four seasons (Thompson and Moulin, 2005) with minor scale and slow theme. The instruments used in this research were Cohen– Mansfield agitation inventory (CMAI) and MMSE. CMAI consists of 16 likert-form items from 1(never) and 7(many times in 1 h). The caregivers score this inventory according to patient’s behaviors in recent 2 weeks. The content validity of this inventory in Iran has been measured with good inter-rater consistency of three experts and the test–retest reliability of the scale in a sample of 100 AD patients and 100 normal elderly persons yielded a score of 0.98 within 1-week period. MMSE is standardized in Iran with reported test–retest reliability of 0.73 (Bohairayee, 2000). to suggest that intervening early in AD improves outcome, by delaying institutionalisation up to 9 months. Prospective studies of early intervention, and a quantitative analysis of which psychosocial interventions are most effective, are awaited.
EFFECT OF EYES DETECTION AND POSITION ESTIMATION METHODS ON THE ACCURACY OF COMPARATIVE TESTING OF FACE DETECTION ALGORITHMS

Many published comparisons of face detection algorithms used different evaluation procedures for each algorithm or even contain only a summary of the originally reported performance among several face detection algorithms on the pair of small datasets. Degtyarev et al. have proposed the FD algorithm evaluation procedure containing model of face representation conversion unifying the FD algorithms comparison procedures, which makes such evaluation more reliable. However, there is no evidence that such "conversion" does not diminish the localization accuracy. The aim of this work is to examined the effects of two different face representation conversion techniques eyes estimation model proposed by Degtyarev et al. and highly scored eyes detection method proposed by Bolme et al. and based on ASE filters via routine testing.
A randomized controlled trial of the effect of a photographic display with and without music on pre-operative anxiety.

AIMS To determine the effectiveness of photographic display at reducing pre-operative anxiety in an ear, nose and throat surgery unit; alone and in combination with music. BACKGROUND The waiting time prior to the surgery is often unpleasant and a time of anxiety for patients. Anxiety can affect physical recovery and psychological well-being; lengthening convalescence and hospital stay after the surgery. Improving pre-operative anxiety is a challenge with potential impacts on improving patients' satisfaction and well-being and decreasing the cost of care. DESIGN A clinical trial was conducted with two intervention groups and one control group. METHODS The sample consisted of 180 subjects from the otolaryngology major ambulatory surgery unit in a tertiary hospital in the province of Granada, with 60 subjects per group. The outcome variables measured were state anxiety, heart and respiratory rate and blood pressure. The data were collected from May-December 2013. RESULTS After the intervention, in the comparison between control group and photographic display group, all variables had lower means in the intervention group, although a significant P value was only obtained for respiratory rate using one-way anova test. When comparing control group and photographic display combined with music group, using one-way anova test, all mean values were lower in the intervention group and a significant P value were observed for all variables except diastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION Photographic display in combination with music is more effective at reducing pre-operative anxiety than the standard intervention and photographic display alone.
The Fracture Analysis of Ductile Iron Fracture Test under Complex Stress Condition

Through the macroscopic and microscopic analysis of LZQT400-15 ductile iron fracture damage test specimen fracture under complex stress states,the fracture forms of ductile iron are obtained under the different stress condition:the unidirectional stretch can produce the traction fracture;the uniaxial compression can yield the shear fracture affected by non-holes;the pure torsion can produce the shesr fracture affected by holes;and the combination of tension with torsion can give the mixed type of fracture.Also this paper discusses the intrinsic breakage mechanism of vatious forms of fractures and the formation and expansion process of the cracks.
Effect of temperature and food restriction on immune function in striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis)

ABSTRACT Small mammals in temperate areas face seasonal fluctuations of temperature and food availability, both of which may influence their immune responses, which are critical to survival. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that low temperature and food restriction suppress immune function in striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis). Thirty-seven adult male hamsters were randomly assigned to warm (23±1°C) and cold (5±1°C) treatment groups, which were further divided into fed and food-restricted groups. Body mass was not affected by cold stress, food restriction or the interaction cold stress×food restriction. Cold stress decreased total body fat mass, haematological parameters including white blood cells, lymphocytes and neutrophilic granulocytes, and immunoglobin (Ig) M titres 5 days after injecting keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH). However, cold temperature increased bacterial killing capacity, indicative of innate immunity, and did not affect the mass of the thymus and spleen, intermediate granulocytes, the phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) response and the levels of blood glucose and serum leptin. Corticosterone concentration was affected significantly by the interaction cold stress×food restriction but not by cold stress or food restriction alone. Food restriction reduced thymus mass, but other immunological parameters including body fat mass, spleen mass, haematological parameters, innate immunity, PHA response, the titres of IgM and IgG, and the levels of blood glucose and serum leptin were all not affected by food restriction or the interaction cold stress×food restriction. Innate immunity was positively correlated with leptin levels, whereas no significant correlations were observed in the levels of blood glucose, serum leptin, corticosterone and all the detected immune parameters. Our results show that cold stress suppressed humoral immunity but enhanced innate immunity and did not affect cellular immunity in striped hamsters. Most immunological indices were not influenced by food restriction. Blood glucose, leptin and corticosterone could not explain the changes of innate, cellular and humoral immunity upon cold stress or food restriction in striped hamsters. Summary: Cold stress and food restriction have different effects on innate, cellular and humoral immunity in striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis).
Isolation and functional characterization of two rapeseed genes orthologous to Arabidopsis thaliana Phenylalanine Ammonia-lyase 2

Two rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) phenylalanine ammonia-lyase 2 genes (BnPAL2-1 and BnPAL2-2 )w ere isolated. The full-length cDNAs of BnPAL2-1 and BnPAL2-2 are 2422 bp and 2421 bp, with corresponding genomic sequences of 2735 bp and 2742 bp, respectively. Clues from NCBI BLAST, multi-alignment, the phylogenetic tree, conserved domains, preferential amino acids, and tertiary structures all indicated that they are orthologs of Arabidopsis thaliana PAL2 (AtPAL2). The purified His-tagged BnPAL2-1 and BnPAL2-2 proteins, expressed in Escherichia coli, were both active for PAL catabolism, but BnPAL2-2 was much more active than BnPAL2-1. Southern blot analysis showed that the BnPAL2 subfamily might contain 2-6 members. Transcripts of both BnPAL2-1 and BnPAL2-2 were detectable in all tested organs, but BnPAL2-2 was more organ-specific than BnPAL2-1. Transcription of BnPAL2-1 was most abundant in buds, with sequentially decreased abundance in stems, roots, flowers, seeds of all stages, silique pericarps and leaves, and was weak in hypocotyls and cotyledons. Expression of BnPAL2-2 was most intensive in roots, declining sequentially in buds, stems, flowers, and 30D seeds, and was weak in all other organs. Transcription of both genes in yellow-seeded rapeseed line L2's most reproductive organs, including developing seeds, was lower than that of black-seeded line L1. These results, combined with our previous investigations on BnPAL1 genes, demonstrate that most Brassicaceae species contain orthologs of all 4 AtPAL genes. Both PAL1 and PAL2 were most probably triplicated in Brassiceae ancestor and simultaneous down-regulation of all/most PAL paralogs contributes to the formation of the yellow seed trait in L2.
Simple Peptide-Tuned Self-Assembly of Photosensitizers towards Anticancer Photodynamic Therapy.

Peptide-tuned self-assembly of functional components offers a strategy towards improved properties and unique functions of materials, but the requirement of many different functions and a lack of understanding of complex structures present a high barrier for applications. Herein, we report a photosensitive drug delivery system for photodynamic therapy (PDT) by a simple dipeptide- or amphiphilic amino-acid-tuned self-assembly of photosensitizers (PSs). The assembled nanodrugs exhibit multiple favorable therapeutic features, including tunable size, high loading efficiency, and on-demand drug release responding to pH, surfactant, and enzyme stimuli, as well as preferable cellular uptake and biodistribution. These features result in greatly enhanced PDT efficacy in vitro and in vivo, leading to almost complete tumor eradication in mice receiving a single drug dose and a single exposure to light.
Development of LabVIEW platform for EEG signal analysis

In this paper, the most popular technique in the field of medical and research known as EEG (Electroencephalogram) is used in the analysis purpose for brain related abnormalities. It is extremely important to achieve accurate readings for the signal classification and signal representation. The purpose of this project was to develop a platform using LabVIEW software to acquire and record live EEG signal and to evaluate it based on certain parameters. The EEG signal was bifurcated into band named as delta band, theta band, alpha band, beta band. Here emphasis was set on the low cost raw acquisition of EEG signal with the help of a Neurosky headset. Furthermore, we discuss about the signal conditioning and signal processing to provide a platform for detecting abnormalities in EEG signals and remote monitoring based on parameters such as mean, standard deviation and variance, through the Neurosky headset device using LabVIEW.
Effects of Extrinsic Mortality on the Evolution of Aging: A Stochastic Modeling Approach

The evolutionary theories of aging are useful for gaining insights into the complex mechanisms underlying senescence. Classical theories argue that high levels of extrinsic mortality should select for the evolution of shorter lifespans and earlier peak fertility. Non-classical theories, in contrast, posit that an increase in extrinsic mortality could select for the evolution of longer lifespans. Although numerous studies support the classical paradigm, recent data challenge classical predictions, finding that high extrinsic mortality can select for the evolution of longer lifespans. To further elucidate the role of extrinsic mortality in the evolution of aging, we implemented a stochastic, agent-based, computational model. We used a simulated annealing optimization approach to predict which model parameters predispose populations to evolve longer or shorter lifespans in response to increased levels of predation. We report that longer lifespans evolved in the presence of rising predation if the cost of mating is relatively high and if energy is available in excess. Conversely, we found that dramatically shorter lifespans evolved when mating costs were relatively low and food was relatively scarce. We also analyzed the effects of increased predation on various parameters related to density dependence and energy allocation. Longer and shorter lifespans were accompanied by increased and decreased investments of energy into somatic maintenance, respectively. Similarly, earlier and later maturation ages were accompanied by increased and decreased energetic investments into early fecundity, respectively. Higher predation significantly decreased the total population size, enlarged the shared resource pool, and redistributed energy reserves for mature individuals. These results both corroborate and refine classical predictions, demonstrating a population-level trade-off between longevity and fecundity and identifying conditions that produce both classical and non-classical lifespan effects.
SocialNews: Enhancing Online News Recommendations by Leveraging Social Network Information ; CU-CS-1084-11

SocialNews seeks to enhance the news results returned by online news services such as Google News or Bing News by leveraging social networking information to provide more relevant results to the user. For example, Facebook profiles contain a wealth of information about the user’s interests, hobbies, personal history, and friends. We describe a system that analyzes the content in a user’s social networking profile, and provides more targeted news recommendations based on Facebook information such as hometown, strength of social ties, user similarity, etc. Preliminary assessment of the system is presented.
Classification of Benign and Malignant Breast Tumors in Ultrasound Images Based on Multiple Sonographic and Textural Features

We establish a new set of features for differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions using ultrasound (US) images. Two types of features (sonographic and textural features) are considered. Among them, three sonographic features are novel. Sonograms of 321 pathologically proven breast cases are analyzed and classified into benign and malignant categories. The discrimination capability of the extracted features are evaluated using the support vector machines (SVM) in comparison with the results obtained from artificial neural networks (ANN) and K-nearest neighbor (KNN) classifier. The simulations demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can be an integral part to US computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems for breast cancer or an independent program to help accurately distinguish benign solid breast nodules from malignant nodules.
Evaluation of Reference Models

Reference models are a reification of a very attractive vision: They promise higher quality of information systems at less cost. This vision goes along with two pivotal claims. On the one hand, reference models are intended to provide appropriate descriptions of an application domain. On the other hand, reference models are aimed at delivering blueprints for a distinctively good design of information systems and related organizational settings. Thus, they are descriptive and prescriptive at the same time. While many conceptual models include descriptive and prescriptive elements, reference models should fit the specific needs of a whole range of organizations. Since the idea of reference modelling is emphasizing the improvement of quality, evaluating them is a core issue: From the perspective of prospective users it can hardly be taken for granted that a particular reference model is of superior quality. However, evaluating reference models is a major challenge. This is for various reasons. Not only that reference models inherit the problems well known from the evaluation of conceptual models in general. Furthermore, their claim for general (re-) usability implies to take into account the possible variety of requirements and specific constraints within the set of potential applications. Another source of complexity is the variety of objectives related to the use of reference models. They include economic goals, such as increase of productivity, or goals related to specific analysis, design or implementation tasks. In addition to that, testing the claim for excellence faces deep and subtle epistemological problems. Against this background, the paper proposes a method for evaluating reference models. It consists of a conceptual framework that serves to structure the overall evaluation problem, which is supplemented by a prototypical process model that demonstrates how to organize a specific evaluation project.
PREDICTION OF GROUND REACTION FORCES AND MOMENTS VIA SUPERVISED LEARNING IS INDEPENDENT OF PARTICIPANT SEX, HEIGHT AND MASS

Accurate multidimensional ground reaction forces and moments (GRF/Ms) can be predicted from marker-based motion capture using Partial Least Squares (PLS) supervised learning. In this study, the correlations between known and predicted GRF/Ms are compared depending on whether the PLS model is trained using the discrete inputs of sex, height and mass. All three variables were found to be accounted for in the marker trajectory data, which serves to simplify data capture requirements and importantly, indicates that prediction of GRF/Ms can be achieved without pre-existing knowledge of such participant specific inputs. This multidisciplinary research approach significantly advances machine representation of real-world physical attributes with direct application to sports biomechanics.
Explore and return: experimental validation of real-time concurrent mapping and localization

This paper describes a real-time implementation of feature-based concurrent mapping and localization (CML) running on a mobile robot in a dynamic indoor environment. Novel characteristics of this work include: (1) a hierarchical representation of uncertain geometric relationships that extends the SPMap framework, (2) use of robust statistics to perform extraction of line segments from laser data in real-time, and (3) the integration of CML with a "roadmap" path planning method for autonomous trajectory execution. These Innovations are combined to demonstrate the ability for a mobile robot to autonomously return back to its starting position within a few centimeters of precision, despite the presence of numerous people walking through the environment.
Ligand ‐ based methods : general aspects and perspective

Computational drug design tools have become indispensable in the quest for new drugs. There is hardly any drug discovery program where computational methods are not employed, be it structure‐based or ligand‐based methods. Numerous drug targets have been explored for discovery of new drugs using computational methods. In recent times, discovery of newer and selective phosphodiesterase as medications for inflammatory disorders, CNS disorders, and many other diseases has been the focus of many research groups worldwide. Most of these groups have employed computational methods of drug design and discovery at different stages of their research. This chapter reviews the reported application of computational methods used in the discovery and development of phosphodiesterase inhibitors.
Icing Process on the Surface of Insulators with Super-hydrophobic Coatings

Water droplets motion characteristics and freezing process are two critical factors affecting the anti-icing performance of super-hydrophobic coatings; hence they are fundamental for researches of applying super-hydrophobic coating on insulators. We conducted rolling tests and icing tests of water droplets, as well as icing tests of insulators coated with super-hydrophobic surface in a low-temperature and low-pressure chamber. Then we analyzed the dynamic process that started from droplets impacting super-hydrophobic surface and ended with the surface being completely covered by ice, from aspects including motion characters, freezing process, and influencing factors. The results reveal that the motion of water droplets on super-hydrophobic surface is affected by contact angle, contact angle hysteresis, and the defects of the surface. Better motion characteristics of water droplets extend the time required to get super-hydrophobic surface into a stable growth of icing. Super-hydrophobic coatings can delay insulators icing to a certain extent, and this delay gets longer with larger contact angle, smaller contact angle hysteresis, and better motion characteristics of water droplets.
Postmenopausal Iron Overload Exacerbated Bone Loss by Promoting the Degradation of Type I Collagen

117 postmenopausal women were divided into Normal, Bone loss (BL), and Osteoporosis group. Compared with Normal group (120.96 ± 43.18 μg/L), the serum ferritin (Fer) in BL (223.37 ± 130.27 μg/L) and Osteoporosis group (307.50 ± 161.48 μg/L) was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Fer level was negatively correlated with BMD (p < 0.01). TRACP levels in Osteoporosis group (4.37 ± 1.69 U/L) were significantly higher than Normal group (4.10 ± 1.60 U/L, p < 0.05). ALP levels in Osteoporosis group (112.06 ± 62.05 U/L) were significantly upregulated compared with Normal group (80.22 ± 14.94 U/L, p < 0.05). β-CTX and PINP were the degradation products of type I collagen. β-CTX levels in Osteoporosis group (667.90 ± 316.55 ng/L) were significantly increased compared with Normal group (406.06 ± 112.12 ng/L, p < 0.05). PINP levels in Osteoporosis group (78.03 ± 37.31 μg/L) were significantly higher than Normal group (37.60 ± 13.17 μg/L, p < 0.01). More importantly, there was a positive correlation between serum Fer and PINP (p < 0.01). Serum Fer showed a positive correlation of serum β-CTX (p < 0.01). The overloaded iron improved the degradation of type I collagen.
BRINGING UP ROBOT: FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS FOR CREATING A SELF-MOTIVATED, SELF-ORGANIZING ARCHITECTURE

We propose an intrinsic developmental algorithm that is designed to allow a mobile robot to incrementally progress through levels of increasingly sophisticated behavior. We believe that the core ingredients for such a developmental algorithm are abstractions, anticipations, and self-motivations. We describe a multilevel, cascaded discovery and control architecture that includes these core ingredients. As a first step toward implementing the proposed architecture, we explore two novel mechanisms: a governor for automatically regulating the training of a neural network and a path-planning neural network driven by patterns of “mental states” that represent protogoals.