Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-care: Embodiment, Personal Autonomy and the Shaping of Health Consciousness

1. Introduction. You are Your Own Saviour and Your Own Worst Enemy 2. Learning to Care for One's Self 3. Sending the Health Message 4. Natural Alternatives 5. Self-Care and Anti-Institutional Politics 6. The Nagging State 7. Narcissism and Self-Care: Theorising America's Obsession with Mundane Health Behaviour 8. Governing One's Self 9. Reflexivity, Rationalisation and Health Risks 10. Technological Salvation or More Human Solutions 11. Conclusions: Towards a Social-Ecological Approach to Self-Care Promotion
Impulse oscillometry provides an effective measure of lung dysfunction in 4-year-old children at risk for persistent asthma.

BACKGROUND Objective lung function measurements are routinely used to diagnose and manage asthma, but their utility for young children has not been defined. OBJECTIVE Bronchodilator responses were measured by means of impulse oscillometry (IOS) and compared with conventional spirometry to determine the value of lung function measures in 4-year-old asthma-prone children. METHODS The study participants were in the Childhood Asthma Prevention Study (National Institute of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) and at risk for asthma. At age 4 years, concurrent asthma was determined by using a previously validated modified American Thoracic Society questionnaire. Children performed IOS and spirometry before and after albuterol administration and underwent skin prick testing to 13 common allergens to assess atopy. IOS measures were as follows: airways resistance at 5 Hz and 10 Hz, airways reactance at 5 Hz and 10 Hz, and resonant frequency. RESULTS Asthmatic patients versus nonasthmatic patients significantly differed in their IOS-assessed bronchodilator responses through Delta resistance at 5 Hz (medians, 27% vs 17%; P =.02) and Delta resistance at 10 Hz (24% vs 16%; P =.03). Because atopic children who have frequent wheezing are at risk for persistent asthma, the data were analyzed in regard to atopic patients with or without asthma. IOS strongly distinguished atopic asthmatic children through Delta resistance at 5 Hz (36% vs 13%, P =.007), Delta resistance at 10 Hz (25% vs 11%, P =.02), and Delta reactance at 10 Hz (47% vs 12%, P =.03). Conventional spirometry did not establish similar statistically significant findings. CONCLUSION IOS bronchodilator responses are remarkably abnormal in 4-year-old children, who are most likely to have persistent asthma. IOS is a useful diagnostic tool in early asthma development and might be a helpful objective outcome measure of early interventions.
Preserving Syntactic Processing across the Adult Life Span: The Modulation of the Frontotemporal Language System in the Context of Age-Related Atrophy

Although widespread neural atrophy is an inevitable consequence of normal aging, not all cognitive abilities decline as we age. For example, spoken language comprehension tends to be preserved, despite atrophy in neural regions involved in language function. Here, we combined measures of behavior, functional activation, and gray matter (GM) change in a younger (19–34 years) and older group (49–86 years) of participants to identify the mechanisms leading to preserved language comprehension across the adult life span. We focussed primarily on syntactic functions because these are strongly left lateralized, providing the potential for contralateral recruitment. In an functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we used a word-monitoring task to minimize working memory demands, manipulating the availability of semantics and syntax to ask whether syntax is preserved in aging because of the functional recruitment of other brain regions, which successfully compensate for neural atrophy. Performance in the older group was preserved despite GM loss. This preservation was related to increased activity in right hemisphere frontotemporal regions, which was associated with age-related atrophy in the left hemisphere frontotemporal network activated in the young. We argue that preserved syntactic processing across the life span is due to the shift from a primarily left hemisphere frontotemporal system to a bilateral functional language network.
Critical impacts of global warming on land ecosystems

Abstract. Globally increasing temperatures are likely to have impacts on terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems that are difficult to manage. Quantifying impacts worldwide and systematically as a function of global warming is fundamental to substantiating the discussion on climate mitigation targets and adaptation planning. Here we present a macro-scale analysis of climate change impacts on terrestrial ecosystems based on newly developed sets of climate scenarios featuring a step-wise sampling of global mean temperature increase between 1.5 and 5 K by 2100. These are processed by a biogeochemical model (LPJmL) to derive an aggregated metric of simultaneous biogeochemical and structural shifts in land surface properties which we interpret as a proxy for the risk of shifts and possibly disruptions in ecosystems. Our results show a substantial risk of climate change to transform terrestrial ecosystems profoundly. Nearly no area of the world is free from such risk, unless strong mitigation limits global warming to around 2 degrees above preindustrial level. Even then, our simulations for most climate models agree that up to one-fifth of the land surface may experience at least moderate ecosystem change, primarily at high latitudes and high altitudes. If countries fulfil their current emissions reduction pledges, resulting in roughly 3.5 K of warming, this area expands to cover half the land surface, including the majority of tropical forests and savannas and the boreal zone. Due to differences in regional patterns of climate change, the area potentially at risk of major ecosystem change considering all climate models is up to 2.5 times as large as for a single model.
Photometric linear relation based ghost-free exposure fusion approach

Exposure fusion is a high dynamic range (HDR) image generation method for directly fusing multi-exposure images of the same static scene. However, if the captured scene is dynamic with moving objects, serious ghost artefacts will appear in the moving regions of the generated HDR image. In this paper, we propose a novel ghost-free exposure fusion method based on photometric relation to detect moving regions in the dynamic scene. Our method makes full use of the linear relation between brightness and exposure time, instead of only using photometric order relation. Our method is easy to implement without camera response function estimate and complicated tone mapping operations. This method detects ghost regions better than the previous photometric order relation based method and generate the fused image with less artefacts. Many experimental results with different dynamic scenes show the effectiveness of our method.
Functional MRI, Drugs, and Poststroke Recovery

Stroke is the first cause of disability in industrialized countries. Thus, understanding the mechanisms of poststroke recovery appears to be crucial in improving motor performance and reducing disability in stroke patients. Strategies through which brain restores lost functions after ischemic lesions are numerous. The mechanisms underlying poststroke recovery, known as cerebral plasticity, are so far hypothetical. However, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies recently have provided new insights in to stroke recovery. This article sketches out the mechanisms that are thought to underly recovery and focuses on fMRI experimental studies that have investigated the influence of a number of drugs on functional recovery. Functional MRI is a valuable tool in understanding functional recovery and may help to disclose new therapeutical approaches.
Brand Equity, Perceived Value and Revisit Intention in the Us Mid-priced Hotel Segment

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It has been an interesting and sometimes difficult journey. I wish to express my gratitude to the many who encouraged, supported, and sometimes prodded me along this path. I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Woogon Kim for giving me the brilliant idea of this study. My sincere appreciation extends to my other committee members. I want to deeply thank Dr. Hailin Qu who guided me in my fundamental knowledge of research and Dr. Jerald Leong whose sincere and warm trust always encouraged me. I would like to give my special appreciation to my husband, BJ, for his endless encouragement during times of difficulty, love and understanding throughout this entire process. Thanks also go to my parents, parents-in-law and other family including my three elder sisters and sisters-in-law for their unchanged trust in my endeavor. Finally, I am grateful to all the faculty of the Hotel and Restaurant Department who taught me through my degree course.
An overview of DDoS attacks based on DNS

Botnet-based Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are considered as the main concerns and problems of today's Internet. The damage of these attacks are very serious since the number of computers involved in these attacks is huge and distributed worldwide. However, many protocols such as Domain Name System (DNS) have several security vulnerabilities nowadays that are utilized by botnet attackers. The amplification attacks are the most popular attacks in the Internet which require robust hardware and software for security assurance. In this paper, we provide an overview of botnet-based DDoS attacks that use DNS as a basic infrastructure to launch attacks. We aim to make a better understanding of the most noted attacks to extend the knowledge about DDoS attacks and to analyze the importance of DNS services.
Test of Practical Knowledge (TPK)

TheTPKis applicable to students between the agesof 12years, 11 months and 18 years, 8 months, or in grades 8 through 12. The testees should be able to read at or beyond ninth-grade levels. The TPK is not intended specifically for handicapped populations. Indeed, its reading requirements preclude its use with students who have significant cognitive impairments. A Spanish language version is not currently available.
Progress on the development of the MediWatch ambulatory blood pressure monitor and related devices

The MediWatch™ is a wrist-mounted noninvasive blood pressure monitor designed to capture the radial pulse waveform using arterial tonometry and yield blood pressure measurements when the waveform is calibrated. An early prototype of this monitor uses a pulse-sensing system with a cylindrical plunger to applanate the radial artery. This prototype was evaluated against simulated blood pressure generated by a pneumatic pressure-pulse generator. The simulation-based results show that the prototype gave accurate pressure measurements when the MediWatch waveforms were calibrated against the simulator's pressure, indicating that the pulse-sensing system was able to measure force accurately. The prototype was clinically evaluated against intra-arterial pressure on post-open heart surgery patients. The results show that, under stationary conditions, for short periods of time and when the MediWatch waveforms were calibrated against the intra-arterial pressure, the prototype gave measurements that satisfy some of the statistical criteria of the 1993 Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation standard, the 1993 British Hypertension Society protocol and the 2002 European Society of Hypertension protocol. These clinical results indicate that, under the stated test conditions, the prototype was able to accurately track changes in the patients' systolic and diastolic pressures. The MediWatch is being developed into an ambulatory device that provides a macroscopic view of the patient's blood pressure through measurement at preprogrammed intervals over 24 h, as well as a microscopic view of the patient's pressure through the pulse waveform captured during each measurement cycle. The design features of the MediWatch are being adapted for other applications that require the arterial pulse waveform, calibrated beat-to-beat blood pressure or both. An improved MediWatch prototype has been developed that provides memory storage for measurement data and functions as an integral part of a Web-based system that allows measurement data to be accessed over the Internet. A pulse-wave analyser has been developed that allows the radial pulse waveform to be captured, calibrated and viewed in real time on a personal computer. A continuous noninvasive blood pressure monitoring system based on arterial tonometry is being developed for use as an alternative to the arterial line in invasive blood pressure monitoring.
Uma cultura atrasada: The Luso-Baroque Manezinha, Hyper-Whiteness, and the Modern Middle Classes in Florianópolis, Brazil

Resumo O presente artigo investiga as opinoes da classe media branca em Florianopolis sobre seus vizinhos descendentes da diaspora acoreana, conhecidos em Florianopolis como “manezinhos”. Este ultimo grupo enfrenta preconceitos baseados na sua imagem de pessoas simples, atrasadas e presas na tradicao. Sao rotulados como Luso-Barrocos – sobras da epoca colonial, uma lembranca embaracosa da colonizacao portuguesa. Pessoas da classe media se auto-diferenciam dos “manezinhos”, pois estes sao vistos como um anacronismo que passou ignorado pela epoca da democracia racial, e eu sugero que sao visto como brancos e europeus demais para serem brasileiros. O artigo tambem apresenta uma analise de genero ao investigar a construcao das “manezinhas” pelas mulheres de classe media, uma construcao que confere as manezinhas o papel de vitimas de sua cultura tradicional. E contra as “manezinhas” que a classe media busca construir uma modernidade brasileira pos-colonial que melhora sua propria branquitude.
On the Lyapunov theorem for singular systems

In this paper, we revisit the Lyapunov theory for singular systems. There are basically two well-known generalized Lyapunov equations used to characterize stability for singular systems. We start with the Lyapunov theorem of the work by Lewis. We show that the Lyapunov equation of that theorem can lead to incorrect conclusion about stability. Some cases where that equation can be used are clarified. We also show that an attempt to correct that theorem with a generalized Lyapunov equation similar to the original one leads naturally to the generalized equation of Takaba et al.
A Nonlinear Model of the Neural Integrator Improves Detection of Deficits in the Human VOR

A nonlinear model has been proposed to describe the set-point-dependent characteristics of the neural integrator (NI) in the oculomotor system. It was shown to yield improved prediction of slow-phase eye position in the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) of normal subjects, when compared to the classical linear model of the NI. In this paper, we compare the parameters of this nonlinear NI model fitted to VOR data from: 1) compensated subjects diagnosed with vestibular deficiencies such as vestibular neuronitis and Meniere's disease and 2) normal (symptom-free) subjects. The identified models exhibit more severe nonlinearity in VOR patients than the normal controls. Several of the identified parameters in patients unmask asymmetries and more context dependence in the NI and in the VOR gain that are consistent with the lesioned side and could serve to support detection of lesions even after compensation.
A first close look at the Balmer-edge behaviour of the quasar big blue bump

We have found for the first time a Balmer-edge feature in the polarized flux spectrum of a quasar (Ton 202). The edge feature is seen as a discontinuity in the slope, rather than as a discontinuity in the absolute flux. As the polarized flux contains essentially no broad emission lines, it is considered to arise interior to the broad emission line region, showing the spectrum with all the emissions outside the nucleus scraped off and removed. Therefore, the polarized flux spectrum is likely to reveal features intrinsic to the big blue bump emission. In this case, the existence of the Balmer-edge feature, seen in absorption in the shorter wavelength side, indicates that the big blue bump is indeed thermal and optically thick.
Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging: Its principle and applications

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most rapidly evolving techniques in the MRI field. This method exploits the random diffusional motion of water molecules, which has intriguing properties depending on the physiological and anatomical environment of the organisms studied. We explain the principles of this emerging technique and subsequently introduce some of its present applications to neuroimaging, namely detection of ischemic stroke and reconstruction of axonal bundles and myelin fibers. Anat Rec (New Anat) 257:102–109, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A novel mechanism of actin filament processive capping by formin

The FH2 domains of formin family proteins act as processive cappers of actin filaments. Previously suggested stair-stepping mechanisms of processive capping imply that a formin cap rotates persistently in one direction with respect to the filament. This challenges the formin-mediated mechanism of intracellular cable formation. We suggest a novel scenario of processive capping that is driven by developing and relaxing torsion elastic stresses. Based on the recently discovered crystal structure of an FH2–actin complex, we propose a second mode of processive capping—the screw mode. Within the screw mode, the formin dimer rotates with respect to the actin filament in the direction opposite to that generated by the stair-stepping mode so that a combination of the two modes prevents persistent torsion strain accumulation. We determine an optimal regime of processive capping, whose essence is a periodic switch between the stair-stepping and screw modes. In this regime, elastic energy does not exceed feasible values, and supercoiling of actin filaments is prevented.
Efficacy of two cyclophosphamide regimens for the treatment of lupus nephritis in Puerto Ricans: low vs. standard dose.

INTRODUCTION The clinical outcome and therapeutic response to immunosuppressive agents vary among patients with lupus nephritis of different ethnic populations. Thus, we evaluated the efficacy of two established treatment protocols for lupus nephritis (low-dose versus standard-dose cyclophosphamide) in Puerto Ricans with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS A retrospective cohort of 49 adult patients with SLE treated with intravenous low or standard-dose cyclophosphamide for clinical or biopsy confirmed lupus nephritis was studied. Demographic parameters, clinical manifestations, autoantibodies and pharmacological treatments were determined prior to cyclophosphamide treatment. Renal parameters, disease activity, damage accrual and corticosteroid use were determined before and after treatment. Cyclophosphamide-associated adverse events were also examined. Univariable and bivariable analyses were used to evaluate group differences. RESULTS Thirty-nine SLE patients received the standard-dose treatment and ten patients the low-dose therapy. Prior to cyclophosphamide infusion, demographic parameters, clinical manifestations, autoantibodies profile, disease damage and pharmacologic treatments were similar in both groups. Disease activity was higher in the low-dose group. After cyclophosphamide therapy, significant improvement of renal parameters (increase in the glomerular filtration rate and decrease in hematuria, pyuria, urinary cellular casts, proteinuria and hypertension) were observed only for patients that received the standard-dose therapy. Disease activity and corticosteroids requirement decreased in both groups after treatment. No differences were observed for adverse events associated with cyclophosphamide. CONCLUSIONS The standard-dose cyclophosphamide therapy appears to be more effective, and similar in terms of drug safety, than the low-dose regime for lupus nephritis in Puerto Ricans with SLE.
Image denoising using Markov Random Field in Wavelet Domain

Removing noise from original image is still a challenging problem for researchers. There have been several published algorithm and each approach has its assumptions, advantages and disadvantages. Markov Random Field is ndimensional random process defined on a on a discrete lattice. Markov Random Field is a new branch of probability theory that promises to be important both in theory and application of probability. This paper is an attempt to present the basic idea of the subject and its application in image denoising to the wider audience. In this paper, a novel approach for image denoising is introduced using ICM (Iterated Conditional Modes) approach of Markov Random Fields model.
Streptococcus pneumoniae Eradicates Preformed Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms through a Mechanism Requiring Physical Contact

Staphylococcus aureus (Sau) strains are a main cause of disease, including nosocomial infections which have been linked to the production of biofilms and the propagation of antibiotic resistance strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A previous study found that Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) strains kill planktonic cultures of Sau strains. In this work, we have further evaluated in detail the eradication of Sau biofilms and investigated ultrastructural interactions of the biofilmicidal effect. Spn strain D39, which produces the competence stimulating peptide 1 (CSP1), reduced Sau biofilms within 8 h of inoculation, while TIGR4, producing CSP2, eradicated Sau biofilms and planktonic cells within 4 h. Differences were not attributed to pherotypes as other Spn strains producing different pheromones eradicated Sau within 4 h. Experiments using Transwell devices, which physically separated both species growing in the same well, demonstrated that direct contact between Spn and Sau was required to efficiently eradicate Sau biofilms and biofilm-released planktonic cells. Physical contact-mediated killing of Sau was not related to production of hydrogen peroxide as an isogenic TIGR4ΔspxB mutant eradicated Sau bacteria within 4 h. Confocal micrographs confirmed eradication of Sau biofilms by TIGR4 and allowed us to visualize ultrastructural point of contacts between Sau and Spn. A time-course study further demonstrated spatial colocalization of Spn chains and Sau tetrads as early as 30 min post-inoculation (Pearson's coefficient >0.72). Finally, precolonized biofilms produced by Sau strain Newman, or MRSA strain USA300, were eradicated by mid-log phase cultures of washed TIGR4 bacteria within 2 h post-inoculation. In conclusion, Spn strains rapidly eradicate pre-colonized Sau aureus biofilms, including those formed by MRSA strains, by a mechanism(s) requiring bacterium-bacterium contact, but independent from the production of hydrogen peroxide.