Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Culturally Appropriate Self-Management Program for Hispanic Adults With Type 2 Diabetes and Low Health Literacy Skills

Purpose: This study assessed the feasibility of adapting a patient-centered educational intervention for type 2 diabetes (T2D) self-management for a Hispanic population with low health literacy skills. Design: A descriptive qualitative study design and phenomenological analyses were used. Nine Hispanic adults with T2D recruited from a rural community health center participated in an educational program that instructed on low glycemic food choices, meaningful glucose self-monitoring, and physical activity to decrease blood glucose spikes. Participants’ feedback was recorded during four 2-hour focus group sessions. Findings/Results: Participants’ feedback clustered around four themes: information and knowledge, motivation and barriers to change, experiences with new behaviors, and personal responsibility. Discussion/Conclusions: Data support the feasibility of adapting an established health-enhancing approach for promoting self-management of T2D to a low health literacy Spanish-speaking population. Implications for Practice: The findings may help in further development of tools and strategies for improved T2D self-management in the study population.
Study on an Ultrasonic Bending Fatigue Testing Method for Thin Sheet

Based on the uniaxial ultrasonic testing technology,a novel testing methodology on ultrasonic bending fatigue test for thin metal plate was developed according to ultrasonic vibration theory.On the basis of vibration theory analysis,an ultrasonic vibration specimen for the bending fatigue test was proposed,the differential equation of flexural vibration was given,and the resonance length and the distribution functions of flexural displacement and stress along the specimen were obtained analytically.Finally,the methodology was applied to the study of ultrasonic bending vibration for the 316L stainless thin plate.
Multilingual Adaptation of RNN Based ASR Systems

In this work, we focus on multilingual systems based on recurrent neural networks (RNNs), trained using the Connectionist Temporal Classification (CTC) loss function. Using a multilingual set of acoustic units poses difficulties. To address this issue, we proposed Language Feature Vectors (LFV s) to train language adaptive multilingual systems. Language adaptation, in contrast to speaker adaptation, needs to be applied not only on the feature level, but also to deeper layers of the network. In this work, we therefore extended our previous approach by introducing a novel technique which we call “modulation”. Based on this method, we modulated the hidden layers of RNNs using LFVs. We evaluated this approach in both full and low resource conditions, as well as for grapheme and phone based systems. Lower error rates throughout the different conditions could be achieved by the use of the modulation.
A Neural Measure of Precision in Visual Working Memory

Recent studies suggest that the temporary storage of visual detail in working memory is mediated by sensory recruitment or sustained patterns of stimulus-specific activation within feature-selective regions of visual cortex. According to a strong version of this hypothesis, the relative “quality” of these patterns should determine the clarity of an individual's memory. Here, we provide a direct test of this claim. We used fMRI and a forward encoding model to characterize population-level orientation-selective responses in visual cortex while human participants held an oriented grating in memory. This analysis, which enables a precise quantitative description of multivoxel, population-level activity measured during working memory storage, revealed graded response profiles whose amplitudes were greatest for the remembered orientation and fell monotonically as the angular distance from this orientation increased. Moreover, interparticipant differences in the dispersion—but not the amplitude—of these response profiles were strongly correlated with performance on a concurrent memory recall task. These findings provide important new evidence linking the precision of sustained population-level responses in visual cortex and memory acuity.
Historical Development of the Newton-Raphson Method

This expository paper traces the development of the Newton-Raphson method for solving nonlinear algebraic equations through the extant notes, letters, and publications of Isaac Newton, Joseph Raphson, and Thomas Simpson. It is shown how Newton's formulation differed from the iterative process of Raphson, and that Simpson was the first to give a general formulation, in terms of fluxional calculus, applicable to nonpolynomial equations. Simpson's extension of the method to systems of equations is exhibited.
Proteome analysis of human colon cancer by two‐dimensional difference gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

Two‐dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2‐D DIGE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) was used to investigate tumor‐specific changes in the proteome of human colorectal cancers and adjacent normal mucosa. For each of six patients with different stages of colon cancer, Cy5‐labeled proteins isolated from tumor tissue were combined with Cy3‐labeled proteins isolated from neighboring normal mucosa and separated on the same 2‐D gel along with a Cy2‐labeled mixture of all 12 normal/tumor samples as an internal standard. Over 1500 protein spot‐features were analyzed in each paired normal/tumor comparison, and using DIGE technology with the mixed‐sample internal standard, statistically significant quantitative comparisons of each protein abundance change could be made across multiple samples simultaneously without interference due to gel‐to‐gel variation. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time of flight (MALDI‐TOF) and tandem (TOF/TOF) MS provided sensitive and accurate mass spectral data for database interrogation, resulting in the identification of 52 unique proteins (including redundancies due to proteolysis and post‐translationally modified isoforms) that were changing in abundance across the cohort. Without the benefit of the Cy2‐labeled 12 sample mixture internal standard, 42 of these proteins would have been overlooked due to the large degree of variation inherent between normal and tumor samples.
Worst-Case Energy Efficiency Maximization in a 5G Massive MIMO-NOMA System

In this paper, we examine the robust beamforming design to tackle the energy efficiency (EE) maximization problem in a 5G massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO)-non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) downlink system with imperfect channel state information (CSI) at the base station. A novel joint user pairing and dynamic power allocation (JUPDPA) algorithm is proposed to minimize the inter user interference and also to enhance the fairness between the users. This work assumes imperfect CSI by adding uncertainties to channel matrices with worst-case model, i.e., ellipsoidal uncertainty model (EUM). A fractional non-convex optimization problem is formulated to maximize the EE subject to the transmit power constraints and the minimum rate requirement for the cell edge user. The designed problem is difficult to solve due to its nonlinear fractional objective function. We firstly employ the properties of fractional programming to transform the non-convex problem into its equivalent parametric form. Then, an efficient iterative algorithm is proposed established on the constrained concave-convex procedure (CCCP) that solves and achieves convergence to a stationary point of the above problem. Finally, Dinkelbach’s algorithm is employed to determine the maximum energy efficiency. Comprehensive numerical results illustrate that the proposed scheme attains higher worst-case energy efficiency as compared with the existing NOMA schemes and the conventional orthogonal multiple access (OMA) scheme.
Is There a Nonadditive Interaction Between Spontaneous and Evoked Activity? Phase‐Dependence and Its Relation to the Temporal Structure of Scale‐Free Brain Activity

Abstract The aim of our study was to use functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how spontaneous activity interacts with evoked activity, as well as how the temporal structure of spontaneous activity, that is, long‐range temporal correlations, relate to this interaction. Using an extremely sparse event‐related design (intertrial intervals: 52‐60 s), a novel blood oxygen level‐dependent signal correction approach (accounting for spontaneous fluctuations using pseudotrials) and phase analysis, we provided direct evidence for a nonadditive interaction between spontaneous and evoked activity. We demonstrated the discrepancy between the present and previous observations on why a linear superposition between spontaneous and evoked activity can be seen by using co‐occurring signals from homologous brain regions. Importantly, we further demonstrated that the nonadditive interaction can be characterized by phase‐dependent effects of spontaneous activity, which is closely related to the degree of long‐range temporal correlations in spontaneous activity as indexed by both power‐law exponent and phase‐amplitude coupling. Our findings not only contribute to the understanding of spontaneous brain activity and its scale‐free properties, but also bear important implications for our understanding of neural activity in general.
A high viscous polymer processed by conventional and unconventional techniques: evaluation of mechanical behaviour and physical characteristics

Abstract The physical and mechanical properties of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) processed by conventional and unconventional techniques are reported. Whereas, manufacturing PTFE is problematic due to its high melt viscosity, a new process namely Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) is performed to elaborate PTFE samples from the particles powder. Thanks to this new sintering process the series of PTFE samples are easily obtained in a remarkably short time. The properties of PTFE-SPS samples are compared to those measured in commercial samples processed by two classical methods: the extrusion and moulding. The tensile mechanical properties carried out at room temperature are found to be superior for the first set of samples (PTFE-SPS). The difference in these macro-behaviours including stiffness, toughness is related to some physical properties of the three series of samples such as their density or crystallinity. The stress–strain curves are then confronted to the Mooney–Rivlin model in order to capture the physics of the large deformations observed in these materials. It is concluded that the SPS technique appears to be a promising way to elaborate the PTFE for various reasons: (i) resolving the high molecular weight problem, (ii) reducing the processing time and cost and (iii) without compromising their mechanical or physical properties.
Thermoelectric micro modules for spot cooling of high density heat sources

The paper represents further progress in the development of short-legged thermoelectric (TE) micro modules for cooling high power density electronic components. Theoretical analysis and experimental study are conducted to define an available temperature lowering and maximum heat flux densities for short-legged coolers with different kinds of substrates. Temperature differences exceeding 70 K are obtained with TE leg lengths down to 0.2 mm. A new series of micro modules with TE legs 0.2 and 0.3 mm long is developed with an aluminum nitride ceramic.
Human Bertielliasis in Amazonia: Case Report and Challenging Diagnosis

In May, 2009, a 4-year-old girl from thetown of Oriximina´, Para´ state, Brazil,experienced 15 days of nocturnal abdom-inal pain, weight loss, abdominal disten-sion, and the presence of ‘‘white worms’’in the stool, but no diarrhea. At the localhospital, even though a conclusive diag-nosis was not available, albendazole wasprescribed for 5 days. Following thistreatment, worms were still found in thepatient’s faeces, so the child was taken tothe Tropical Medicine Nucleus of theFederal University of Para´ (UFPA), wherecestode infection was confirmed. Thisdiagnosis was followed by a single oraldose of praziquantel (10 mg/kg). During treatment, a further seven smallfragments and one large portion of theworm’s strobilus were expelled by thepatient. The largest fragments were fixedin 10% formalin and others stored insaline solution, which were sent to the CellBiology and Helmintology Laboratory atthe UFPA for taxonomic analysis.The smaller fragments were still movingwhen they arrived at the laboratory(Figure 1A), and were exuding a whitesubstance, which was analyzed under amiscroscope. A large number of sphericaleggs—0.042–0.047
The Presence of an Iron-Sulfur Cluster in Adenosine 5′-Phosphosulfate Reductase Separates Organisms Utilizing Adenosine 5′-Phosphosulfate and Phosphoadenosine 5′-Phosphosulfate for Sulfate Assimilation*

It was generally accepted that plants, algae, and phototrophic bacteria use adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate (APS) for assimilatory sulfate reduction, whereas bacteria and fungi use phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS). The corresponding enzymes, APS and PAPS reductase, share 25–30% identical amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis of APS and PAPS reductase amino acid sequences from different organisms, which were retrieved from the GenBankTM, revealed two clusters. The first cluster comprised known PAPS reductases from enteric bacteria, cyanobacteria, and yeast. On the other hand, plant APS reductase sequences were clustered together with many bacterial ones, including those fromPseudomonas and Rhizobium. The gene for APS reductase cloned from the APS-reducing cyanobacteriumPlectonema also clustered together with the plant sequences, confirming that the two classes of sequences represent PAPS and APS reductases, respectively. Compared with the PAPS reductase, all sequences of the APS reductase cluster contained two additional cysteine pairs homologous to the cysteine residues involved in binding an iron-sulfur cluster in plants. Mössbauer analysis revealed that the recombinant APS reductase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster with the same characteristics as the plant enzyme. We conclude, therefore, that the presence of an iron-sulfur cluster determines the APS specificity of the sulfate-reducing enzymes and thus separates the APS- and PAPS-dependent assimilatory sulfate reduction pathways.
The Numerical Solution of Linear Sixth Order Boundary Value Problems with Quartic B-Splines

A quartic B-spline method is proposed for solving the linear sixth order boundary value problems. The method converts the boundary problem to solve a system of linear equations and obtains coefficients of the corresponding B-spline functions. The method has the convergence of two order. It develops not only the quartic spline approximate solution but also the higher order approximate derivatives. Two numerical examples are presented to verify the theoretical analysis and show the validity and applicability of the method. Compared with other existing recent methods, the quartic B-spline method is a more efficient and effective tool.
Three-Dimensional Modeling of Creep Damage in Airfoils for Advanced Turbine Systems

Future oxy-fuel and hydrogen-fired turbines promise increased efficiency and low emissions. However, this comes at the expense of increased thermal load from higher inlet temperatures and a change in the working fluid in the gas path, leading to aero-thermal characteristics that are significantly different than those in traditional gas turbines. A computational methodology, based on three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) and damage mechanics is presented for predicting the evolution of creep in airfoils in these advanced turbine systems. Information revealed from three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of external heat transfer and thermal loading over a generic airfoil provides detailed local distributions of pressure, surface temperature, and heat flux penetrating through the thermal barrier coated layer. There is an additional mechanical loading due to the centrifugal acceleration of the airfoil. Finite element analysis is then used to predict temperature and stress fields over the domain of the airfoil. The damage mechanics-based creep model uses a scalar damage parameter. This creep model is coupled with finite element analysis to predict the evolution of stress and creep damage over the entire airfoil. Visualization of the creep damage evolution over the airfoil shows the regions that are most susceptible to failure by creep. © 2008 ASME
SbnI is a free serine kinase that generates O-phospho-l-serine for staphyloferrin B biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphyloferrin B (SB) is an iron-chelating siderophore produced by Staphylococcus aureus in invasive infections. Proteins for SB biosynthesis and export are encoded by the sbnABCDEFGHI gene cluster, in which SbnI, a member of the ParB/Srx superfamily, acts as a heme-dependent transcriptional regulator of the sbn locus. However, no structural or functional information about SbnI is available. Here, a crystal structure of SbnI revealed striking structural similarity to an ADP-dependent free serine kinase, SerK, from the archaea Thermococcus kodakarensis. We found that features of the active sites are conserved, and biochemical assays and 31P NMR and HPLC analyses indicated that SbnI is also a free serine kinase but uses ATP rather than ADP as phosphate donor to generate the SB precursor O-phospho-l-serine (OPS). SbnI consists of two domains, and elevated B-factors in domain II were consistent with the open–close reaction mechanism previously reported for SerK. Mutagenesis of Glu20 and Asp58 in SbnI disclosed that they are required for kinase activity. The only known OPS source in bacteria is through the phosphoserine aminotransferase activity of SerC within the serine biosynthesis pathway, and we demonstrate that an S. aureus serC mutant is a serine auxotroph, consistent with a function in l-serine biosynthesis. However, the serC mutant strain could produce SB when provided l-serine, suggesting that SbnI produces OPS for SB biosynthesis in vivo. These findings indicate that besides transcriptionally regulating the sbn locus, SbnI also has an enzymatic role in the SB biosynthetic pathway.
Self-Calibrated In-Process Photogrammetry for Large Raw Part Measurement and Alignment before Machining

Photogrammetry methods are being used more and more as a 3D technique for large scale metrology applications in industry. Optical targets are placed on an object and images are taken around it, where measuring traceability is provided by precise off-process pre-calibrated digital cameras and scale bars. According to the 2D target image coordinates, target 3D coordinates and camera views are jointly computed. One of the applications of photogrammetry is the measurement of raw part surfaces prior to its machining. For this application, post-process bundle adjustment has usually been adopted for computing the 3D scene. With that approach, a high computation time is observed, leading in practice to time consuming and user dependent iterative review and re-processing procedures until an adequate set of images is taken, limiting its potential for fast, easy-to-use, and precise measurements. In this paper, a new efficient procedure is presented for solving the bundle adjustment problem in portable photogrammetry. In-process bundle computing capability is demonstrated on a consumer grade desktop PC, enabling quasi real time 2D image and 3D scene computing. Additionally, a method for the self-calibration of camera and lens distortion has been integrated into the in-process approach due to its potential for highest precision when using low cost non-specialized digital cameras. Measurement traceability is set only by scale bars available in the measuring scene, avoiding the uncertainty contribution of off-process camera calibration procedures or the use of special purpose calibration artifacts. The developed self-calibrated in-process photogrammetry has been evaluated both in a pilot case scenario and in industrial scenarios for raw part measurement, showing a total in-process computing time typically below 1 s per image up to a maximum of 2 s during the last stages of the computed industrial scenes, along with a relative precision of 1/10,000 (e.g., 0.1 mm error in 1 m) with an error RMS below 0.2 pixels at image plane, ranging at the same performance reported for portable photogrammetry with precise off-process pre-calibrated cameras.
A Pilot Study Using Entropy as a Noninvasive Assessment of Running.

PURPOSE Running performance is influenced by the interaction of biomechanical and physiological factors. Miniaturized accelerometers worn by athletes can be used to quantify mechanical aspects of running and as a noninvasive tool to assess training status and progression. The aim of this study was to define and validate a method to assess running regularity and allow the estimation of an individual's oxygen uptake (V̇O2) and/or blood lactate-[La]b-based on data collected with accelerometers and heart rate. METHODS Male adolescent endurance athletes completed an incremental submaximal aerobic stage test where V̇O2 and [La]b were measured. The test was terminated when [La]b concentration at the end of the stage exceeded 4 mmol/L. Two wireless triaxial accelerometers were placed on participants' right shank and lower back throughout the test. The root mean square (RMS) and sample entropy (SampEn) were calculated for the vertical, mediolateral, and anteroposterior components of acceleration. RESULTS There were significant positive correlations of acceleration and entropy variables with [La]b and V̇O2, with moderate to high coefficients (r = .43-.87). RMS of the shank acceleration was the most highly related with both physiological variables. When the accelerometer was attached on the trunk, SampEn of the vertical acceleration had the strongest relationship with V̇O2 (r = .76, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS The described method analyzing running complexity may allow an assessment of gait variability, which noninvasively tracks V̇O2 and/or [La]b, allowing monitoring of fatigue or training readiness for trained adolescent individuals.
Iconic Gestures Facilitate Discourse Comprehension in Individuals With Superior Immediate Memory for Body Configurations

To understand a speaker’s gestures, people may draw on kinesthetic working memory (KWM)—a system for temporarily remembering body movements. The present study explored whether sensitivity to gesture meaning was related to differences in KWM capacity. KWM was evaluated through sequences of novel movements that participants viewed and reproduced with their own bodies. Gesture sensitivity was assessed through a priming paradigm. Participants judged whether multimodal utterances containing congruent, incongruent, or no gestures were related to subsequent picture probes depicting the referents of those utterances. Individuals with low KWM were primarily inhibited by incongruent speech-gesture primes, whereas those with high KWM showed facilitation—that is, they were able to identify picture probes more quickly when preceded by congruent speech and gestures than by speech alone. Group differences were most apparent for discourse with weakly congruent speech and gestures. Overall, speech-gesture congruency effects were positively correlated with KWM abilities, which may help listeners match spatial properties of gestures to concepts evoked by speech.