Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PICO Linguist and BabelMeSH: Development and Partial Evaluation of Evidence-based Multilanguage Search Tools for MEDLINE/PubMed

PICO Linguist and BabelMeSH are multilanguage search tools intended for users whose native language is not English. A database of medical terms was created using concept identification equivalents of English terms to other languages. The primary sources of vocabularies were UMLS, MeSH, WHO EMRO and UMLF. The search interface changes according to the language selected which allows search terms to be entered in the native language. The user can limit the search output according to the language of publication but citations retrieved are in English only. Links may be provided to journals if published online. Evaluation of the French and Spanish versions using journal key words and a list of common diseases showed 77.5% and 86.5% accuracy respectively. User feedback was positive. PICO Linguist and BabelMeSH could be useful and convenient tools in finding current evidence sources in the medical literature especially for non-English medical terms that may be difficult to express in English.
A novel duplication of PRMD13 causes North Carolina macular dystrophy: overexpression of PRDM13 orthologue in drosophila eye reproduces the human phenotype

In this study, we report a novel duplication causing North Carolina macular dystrophy (NCMD) identified applying whole genome sequencing performed on eight affected members of two presumed unrelated families mapping to the MCDR1 locus. In our families, the NCMD phenotype was associated with a 98.4 kb tandem duplication encompassing the entire CCNC and PRDM13 genes and a common DNase 1 hypersensitivity site. To study the impact of PRDM13 or CCNC dysregulation, we used the Drosophila eye development as a model. Knock-down and overexpression of CycC and CG13296, Drosophila orthologues of CCNC and PRDM13, respectively, were induced separately during eye development. In flies, eye development was not affected, while knocking down either CycC or CG13296 mutant models. Overexpression of CycC also had no effect. Strikingly, overexpression of CG13296 in Drosophila leads to a severe loss of the imaginal eye-antennal disc. This study demonstrated for the first time in an animal model that overexpression of PRDM13 alone causes a severe abnormal retinal development. It is noteworthy that mutations associated with this autosomal dominant foveal developmental disorder are frequently duplications always including an entire copy of PRDM13, or variants in one DNase 1 hypersensitivity site at this locus.
Creation and validation of an in-vitro model of an edentulous mandibular ridge for testing mandibular complete denture retention

The missing teeth of edentulous adults are most commonly replaced with complete upper and lower dentures. The most prevalent problem regarding complete dentures is the retention of the mandibular one. The testing of most denture retention systems has usually employed in-vivo testing with no prior in-vitro tests being carried out. In addition, in-vitro tests that have been carried out did not replicate the natural real situation of the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to design and develop an artificial edentulous mandibular jaw model, with the associated soft-tissue structure (artificial mucosa and reflected tissue) based on real patient parameters, to facilitate testing the retention of mandibular complete dentures. This would enable us to optimise the design and manufacture of novel systems prior to testing on real patients in a clinical trial. The objectives for this study were to firstly conduct a clinical evaluation of patients’ satisfaction with complete denture and to correlate the effect of loose mandibular denture with patient satisfaction. The second objective was to evaluate and identify the most appropriate synthetic materials that would replicate the soft tissue properties. Twelve elastic materials were assessed. These are representative of the following categories of materials: Addition and condensation-reaction silicone, polysulphide, polyether, alginate, maxillofacial impression material, soft lining material and non dental materials-chair side artist materials. Suitable substitute materials to the oral mucosa were used to construct the model. Testing of the model was conducted using a series of protocols to measure and compare the retention of mandibular dentures of varying designs (well-fitting, over- and under-extended) with and without denture adhesives (PoliGrip®, GlaxoSmithKline; Fixodent®, Procter & Gamble; Super Wernets®, GlaxoSmithKline). In conclusion, an in-vitro model of a mandibular ridge can be created to approximate the biophysical characteristics of the covering mucosa, and can be used to assess differences in the retention of various denture designs and different denture adhesives.
e-Learning in Project Management Using Simulation Models: A Case Study Based on the Replication of an Experiment

Current e-learning systems are increasing their importance in higher education. However, the state of the art of e-learning applications, besides the state of the practice, does not achieve the level of interactivity that current learning theories advocate. In this paper, the possibility of enhancing e-learning systems to achieve deep learning has been studied by replicating an experiment in which students had to learn basic software engineering principles. One group learned these principles using a static approach, while the other group learned the same principles using a system-dynamics-based approach, which provided interactivity and feedback. The results show that, quantitatively, the latter group achieved a better understanding of the principles; furthermore, qualitatively, they enjoyed the learning experience
Heartbeat count estimation in safety critical systems

Heartbeats are signals periodically generated from remote sensors attached to a system whose status needs to be continuously monitored for safety. If consecutive n heartbeats are not transferred to a monitoring site, the target system is considered abnormal and might be shut down as in the case of monitoring nuclear power plants. In this paper, we propose a method to estimate the heartbeat count in the safety critical systems. Given a user-defined safety bound, the proposed method estimates the count n which satisfies the safety bound.
Line profile analysis at the Universities of Rennes and Birmingham: 1967 to 2000

From 1967 to 2000 Daniel Louër of the Department of Crystal Chemistry, University of Rennes, and J. Ian Langford of the Department of Physics, University of Birmingham, collaborated in studying structural imperfections by means of high-resolution X-ray powder diffractometry. They contributed to the theory and practice of line profile analysis and investigated the microstructure of a variety of nanocrystalline materials. Although many of the projects undertaken were part of the research programme at Rennes to investigate the mechanisms of solid-state reactions, the work is relevant in other fields of materials science.
Dynamic Improvement of Series–Series Compensated Wireless Power Transfer Systems Using Discrete Sliding Mode Control

This paper presents a discrete sliding mode control (DSMC) scheme for a series–series compensated wireless power transfer (WPT) system to achieve fast maximum energy efficiency (MEE) tracking and output voltage regulation. The power transmitter of the adopted WPT system comprises a dc/ac converter, which incorporates the hill-climbing-search-based phase angle control in achieving minimum input current injection from its dc source, thereby attaining minimum input power operation. The power receiver comprises a buck–boost converter that emulates an optimal load value, following the MEE point determined by the DSMC scheme. With this WPT system, no direct communication means is required between the transmitter and the receiver. Therefore, the implementation cost of this system is potentially lower and annoying communication delays, which deteriorate control performance, are absent. Both the simulation and experiment results show that this WPT system displays better dynamic regulation of the output voltage during MEE tracking when it is controlled by DSMC, as compared to that controlled by the conventional discrete proportional-integral (PI) control. Such an improvement prevents the load from sustaining undesirable overshoot/undershoot during transient states.
Molecular profiling of single circulating tumor cells from lung cancer patients

Significance There exists an urgent need for minimally invasive molecular analysis tools for cancer assessment and management, particularly in advanced-stage lung cancer, when tissue procurement is challenging and gene mutation profiling is crucial to identify molecularly targeted agents for treatment. High-throughput compartmentalization and multigene profiling of individual circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from whole-blood samples using modular gene panels may facilitate highly sensitive, yet minimally invasive characterization of lung cancer for therapy prediction and monitoring. We envision this nanoplatform as a compelling research tool to investigate the dynamics of cancer disease processes, as well as a viable clinical platform for minimally invasive yet comprehensive cancer assessment. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are established cancer biomarkers for the “liquid biopsy” of tumors. Molecular analysis of single CTCs, which recapitulate primary and metastatic tumor biology, remains challenging because current platforms have limited throughput, are expensive, and are not easily translatable to the clinic. Here, we report a massively parallel, multigene-profiling nanoplatform to compartmentalize and analyze hundreds of single CTCs. After high-efficiency magnetic collection of CTC from blood, a single-cell nanowell array performs CTC mutation profiling using modular gene panels. Using this approach, we demonstrated multigene expression profiling of individual CTCs from non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with remarkable sensitivity. Thus, we report a high-throughput, multiplexed strategy for single-cell mutation profiling of individual lung cancer CTCs toward minimally invasive cancer therapy prediction and disease monitoring.
The Pattern of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Expression Is an Independent Marker of Outcome in Multiple Myeloma

Purpose: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are an essential component of the bone marrow microenvironment and have shown to support cancer evolution in multiple myeloma. Despite the increasing evidence that multiple myeloma MSCs differ from their healthy counterparts, little knowledge exists as to whether MSCs independently influence disease outcome. The aim of this study was to determine the importance of MSCs in disease progression and outcome in multiple myeloma. Experimental Design: To determine the impact of MSCs on multiple myeloma outcome in an in vivo system, we first identified genes from cultured MSCs that were specific to MSC expression and were not or minimally expressed in plasma cells (PC) or other cells present in bone marrow aspirates. We then applied this MSC gene signature to whole bone marrow biopsies of multiple myeloma patients compared with healthy controls and determined MSC expression scores specific to multiple myeloma and predictive of outcome. Results: We show that multiple myeloma MSC gene expression signatures can differentiate multiple myeloma from monoclonal gammopathy and smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) as well as from healthy controls and treated multiple myeloma patients who have achieved a complete remission. We identified a prognostic gene score based on three MSC specific genes, COL4A1, NPR3 and ITGBL1, that was able to predict progression-free survival in multiple myeloma patients and progression into multiple myeloma from SMM. Conclusions: Our findings show that progression of multiple myeloma and of SMM into multiple myeloma does not rely solely on intrinsic PC factors, but is independently affected by the biology of the surrounding microenvironment. Clin Cancer Res; 24(12); 2913–9. ©2018 AACR.
Performance analysis of particle swarm optimization technique in classification of dementia using MRI images

Medical images are widely now analyzed by using various soft computing techniques. Unbiased by variable radiological expertise, these techniques yield fully automated clinical decisions which help the diagnosis process. This research paper analyzes the performance of Particle Swarm Optimization to diagnose dementia from MRI images. OASIS cross sectional dataset with 235 subjects is used in this analysis. By tuning the proper weights for PSO, better results can be yielded. This technique classifies the MRI image in one of the three classes: Non-dementia, very mild dementia, Mild dementia and yield 77.4% Goodness Detection Ratio.
Collaborative management of HIV infection in the community: an effort to improve the quality of HIV care

Our hospital led a multidisciplinary community team to improve the quality of care delivered to HIV-infected clients utilizing a disease management approach in a US metropolitan community of 150,000 people. Community needs assessment and client and community surveys were used to define the problems. Patient care flowcharting and the creation of an electronic patient database facilitated patient tracking across the entire community. Clinical guidelines and a consultation and referral immunology clinic standardized care practices. Measurable improvements in the quality of care were noted in multiple areas. Flowchart completion rates rose from 44% to 100%; medication adherence assessment rose from 82% to 100%; immunization rates rose from a mean of 72% to a mean of 87%; PPD screening rose from a low of 35% to a high of 87%; perinatal transmission rates fell from 31% to 4%; and Emergency Department utilization decreased. Two essential components of the effort were the establishment of a full-time leadership position in the form of a clinical nurse practitioner and the creation of an electronic database with flowcharting to standardize the measurement, delivery and tracking of care. The programme has become an example of successful disease management through hospital–community collaboration.
Semisynthetic Ground Truth for Dirt Particle Counting and Classification Methods

In the evaluation of dirt inclusions in paper, the attention is paid not only to the quantity of dirt but also to the type of dirt particles. Automatic classification methods can be designed for the task, but there should also exist proper evaluation data to truthfully compare the methods. For such comprehensive evaluations, reliable ground truth is essential. To get suitable samples of paper with expert-annotated dirt particles in each can be considered as a too complicated, laborious, and time-consuming task. In the present work, laboratory personnel produced pulp and dirt particles for the samples as pure as possible. Consequently, the initial data was provided as a set of paper sheets with a single dirt type in each. In order to combine dirt particles of different types in one image of a paper sheet and to know the exact location and the type of the particles, a semisynthetic method for generating the ground truth was developed. This paper introduces the algorithm for the purpose. It is shown how the background for dirt particle images is generated, what is the principle of dirt particle placing over the background, and how the problem of color normalization is solved. Finally, the generated background is statistically evaluated, and segmentation result of the dirt particles is used to estimate the quality of the semisynthetic images.
Histogram-Based Method to Avoid Maloperation of Transformer Differential Protection Due to Current-Transformer Saturation Under External Faults

Current transformer (CT) saturation can cause the maloperation of transformer differential protection under external faults. To avoid this problem, a method based on the histogram of the normalized rotated current (NRC) is proposed. NRC is obtained by a symmetric waveform transformation of a part differential current. An index based on the histogram is defined to evaluate the NRC frequency distribution. The external faults with different degrees of CT saturation, internal faults, and transferring faults can be clearly distinguished by the proposed method. Moreover, the detection time is invariably less than a half cycle after the obvious increase of the differential current. Simulation results validated the proposed method.
Causal Discovery with Models: Behavior, Affect, and Learning in Cognitive Tutor Algebra

Non-cognitive and behavioral phenomena, including gaming the system, off-task behavior, and affect, have proven to be important for understanding student learning outcomes. The nature of these phenomena requires investigations into their causal structure. For example, given that gaming the system has been associated with poorer learning outcomes, would reducing such behavior improve outcomes? Answering this question requires an understanding of whether gaming the system is a cause of poor outcomes, rather than, for example, only sharing a common cause with factors influencing learning. Because controlled experiments to settle such causal questions are often costly or impractical, we employ algorithmic search for the structure of graphical causal models from non-experimental data. Using sensor-free, data-driven detectors of behavior and affect, this work extends Baker and Yacef’s notion of “discovery with models” to incorporate causal discovery and reasoning, resulting in an approach we call “causal discovery with models. ” We explore a case study of this approach using data from Carnegie Learning’s Cognitive Tutor for Algebra and raise questions for future research.
School Nutrition Programs and the Incidence of Childhood Obesity

Given the recent rise in childhood obesity, the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) have received renewed attention. Using panel data on more than 13,500 primary school students, we assess the relationship between SBP and NSLP participation and (relatively) long-run measures of child weight. After documenting a positive association between participation and child weight, we find evidence of non-random selection into the SBP. Allowing for such selection is sufficient to alter the results, indicating that the SBP is a valuable tool in the current battle against childhood obesity, whereas the NSLP exacerbates the current epidemic.
Effects of Global Warming on Predatory Bugs Supported by Data Across Geographic and Seasonal Climatic Gradients

Global warming may affect species abundance and distribution, as well as temperature-dependent morphometric traits. In this study, we first used historical data to document changes in Orius (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) species assemblage and individual morphometric traits over the past seven decades in Israel. We then tested whether these changes could have been temperature driven by searching for similar patterns across seasonal and geographic climatic gradients in a present survey. The historical records indicated a shift in the relative abundance of dominant Orius species; the relative abundance of O. albidipennis, a desert-adapted species, increased while that of O. laevigatus decreased in recent decades by 6 and 10–15 folds, respectively. These shifts coincided with an overall increase of up to 2.1°C in mean daily temperatures over the last 25 years in Israel. Similar trends were found in contemporary data across two other climatic gradients, seasonal and geographic; O. albidipennis dominated Orius assemblages under warm conditions. Finally, specimens collected in the present survey were significantly smaller than those from the 1980’s, corresponding to significantly smaller individuals collected now during warmer than colder seasons. Taken together, results provide strong support to the hypothesis that temperature is the most likely driver of the observed shifts in species composition and body sizes because (1) historical changes in both species assemblage and body size were associated with rising temperatures in the study region over the last few decades; and (2) similar changes were observed as a result of contemporary drivers that are associated with temperature.
Translating Social Ecological Theory into Guidelines for Community Health Promotion

Health promotion programs often lack a clearly specified theoretical foundation or are based on narrowly conceived conceptual models. For example, lifestyle modification programs typically emphasize individually focused behavior change strategies, while neglecting the environmental underpinnings of health and illness. This article compares three distinct, yet complementary, theoretical perspectives on health promotion: behavioral change, environmental enhancement, and social ecological models. Key strengths and limitations of each perspective are examined, and core principles of social ecological theory are used to derive practical guidelines for designing and evaluating community health promotion programs. Directions for future health promotion research are discussed, including studies examining the role of intermediaries (e.g., corporate decision-makers, legislators) in promoting the well-being of others, and those evaluating the duration and scope of intervention outcomes.
Effect of Mixing Three Lignocellulosic Materials with Different Cement Ratios on the Properties of Cement Bonded Particleboard

This study investigated the effects of nine different mixtures of three lignocellulosic materials and four ratios of cement to lignocellulosic materials (LCM) (2.5:1, 3:1, 3.5:1 and 4:1) on the properties of cement bonded particleboard. The materials were (sunt) Acacia nilotica saw dust, bagasse and cotton stalks. They were collected from different locations in Sudan. Reasonable panel properties were obtained from the three lignocellulosic materials either pure or mixed using different cement/lignocellulosic materials (C/LCM) ratios (3:1, 3.5:1 and 4: 1). The mean values of water absorption percent (WA %) and the thickness swelling percent (TS %) for both the two hours and 24-hours soaking tests, conform favorably to figures reported in previous studies.The highest bending strength (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) were attained by100% sunt particles with all cement/lignocellulosic materials ratios.
A robust step-size control algorithm for frequency domain acoustic echo cancellation

The presence of near-end interferences and echo path changes make it essential for an adaptive filter to vary its learning rate according to corresponding conditions. In this paper, a robust step-size control algorithm which is based on the optimization of the square of the bin-wise a posteriori error is proposed. To prevent the adaptive filter from diverging in the presence of interferences, constraints on the filter update are applied. The learning rate expression is derived and then we extend the method to multidelay block frequency domain adaptive filter (MDF) so as to meet the demand of low delay in practical application. An updating strategy for the constraints is proposed as well. Experiments are carried out to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed approach, especially in double-talk and echo path change situations. Index Terms: Acoustic echo cancellation, step-size control, robust filtering.