Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of low-intensity versus high-intensity resistance training on the functioning of the institutionalized frail elderly

Frailty has emerged as an important risk factor for disability. Age-related declines in physical and physiological function lead to increased risk of loss of independence and poor quality of life. Recent evidence has shown the effectiveness of physical exercise programmes in preventing or reversing frailty. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the functioning of frail elderly individuals after undergoing resistance training for 3 days a week for 8 weeks. The effectiveness of exercise training was investigated in 48 frail elderly individuals who were randomly assigned to the following intervention groups: high-intensity (HI; n=16; age: 69–96 years) or low-intensity (LI; n=16; age: 77–93 years) strength training groups or a control group (n=16; age: 76–93 years) with no specific exercise programme. Participants were assessed for muscle strength, physical function, activities of daily living, depression and quality of life. The HI group had significantly better results (P<0.05) on the Short Physical Performance Test than the LI group; however, the LI group did show a significant improvement in those scores, whereas the scores of the control group worsened. Results for the other evaluations were similarly favourable in both exercise groups (P>0.05). The study showed that LI exercise was as effective as HI exercise for most parameters tested. Exercise training is useful for the prevention or treatment of frailty, as it improves functioning by contributing positively to muscle strength, gait, balance and quality of life.
Patterns of analgesic adherence predict health care utilization among outpatients with cancer pain

Background Studies in chronic noncancer pain settings have found that opioid use increases health care utilization. Despite the key role of analgesics, specifically opioids, in the setting of cancer pain, there is no literature to our knowledge about the relationship between adherence to prescribed around-the-clock (ATC) analgesics and acute health care utilization (hospitalization) among patients with cancer pain. Purpose To identify adherence patterns over time for cancer patients taking ATC analgesics for pain, cluster these patterns into adherence types, combine the types into an adherence risk factor for hospitalization, identify other risk factors for hospitalization, and identify risk factors for inconsistent analgesic adherence. Materials and methods Data from a 3-month prospective observational study of patients diagnosed with solid tumors or multiple myeloma, having cancer-related pain, and having at least one prescription of oral ATC analgesics were collected. Adherence data were collected electronically using the medication event-monitoring system. Analyses were conducted using adaptive modeling methods based on heuristic search through alternative models controlled by likelihood cross-validation scores. Results Six adherence types were identified and combined into the risk factor for hospitalization of inconsistent versus consistent adherence over time. Twenty other individually significant risk factors for hospitalization were identified, but inconsistent analgesic adherence was the strongest of these predictors (ie, generating the largest likelihood cross-validation score). These risk factors were adaptively combined into a model for hospitalization based on six pairwise interaction risk factors with exceptional discrimination (ie, area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve of 0.91). Patients had from zero to five of these risk factors, with an odds ratio of 5.44 (95% confidence interval 3.09–9.58) for hospitalization, with a unit increase in the number of such risk factors. Conclusion Inconsistent adherence to prescribed ATC analgesics, specifically the interaction of strong opioids and inconsistent adherence, is a strong risk factor for hospitalization among cancer outpatients with pain.
Ontology-Based Automatic Annotation of Learning Content

This paper presents an ontology-based approach to automatic annotation of learning objectsâ€™ (LOs) content units that we tested in TANGRAM, an integrated learning environment for the domain of Intelligent Information Systems. The approach does not primarily focus on automatic annotation of entire LOs, as other relevant solutions do. Instead, it provides a solution for automatic metadata generation for LOsâ€™ components (i.e., smaller, potentially reusable, content units). Here we mainly report on the content-mining algorithms and heuristics applied for determining values of certain metadata elements used to annotate content units. Specifically, the focus is on the following elements: title, description, unique identifier, subject (based on a domain ontology), and pedagogical role (based on an ontology of pedagogical roles). Additionally, as TANGRAM is grounded on an LO content structure ontology that drives the process of an LO decomposition into its constituent content units, each thus generated content unit is implicitly semantically annotated with its role/position in the LOâ€™s structure. Employing such semantic annotations, TANGRAM allows assembling content units into new LOs personalized to the usersâ€™ goals, preferences, and learning styles. In order to provide the evaluation of the proposed solution, we describe our experiences with automatic annotation of slide presentations, one of the most common LO types.
Betting Your Favorite to Win: Costly Reluctance to Hedge Desired Outcomes

We examined whether people reduce the impact of negative outcomes through emotional hedging—betting against the occurrence of desired outcomes. We found substantial reluctance to bet against the success of preferred U.S. presidential candidates and Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball, and NCAA hockey teams. This reluctance was not attributable to optimism or a general aversion to hedging. Reluctance to hedge desired outcomes stemmed from identity signaling, a desire to preserve an important aspect of the bettor’s identity. Reluctance to hedge occurred when the diagnostic cost of the negative self-signal that hedging would produce outweighed the pecuniary rewards associated with hedging. Participants readily accepted hedges and pure gambles with no diagnostic costs. They also more readily accepted hedges with diagnostic costs when the pecuniary rewards associated with those hedges were greater. Reluctance to hedge identity-relevant out.
Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Antimicrobial Activity of Cu(II) and Fe(III) Complexes Incorporating Azo-Azomethine Ligand

We are reporting a novel azo-azomethine ligand, HL and its complexes with Cu(II) and Fe(III) ions. The ligand and its complexes are characterized by various physico-chemical techniques using C,H,N analyses, FT-IR, 1H-NMR, ESI-MS and UV-Vis studies. TGA analyses reveal complexes are sufficiently stable and undergo two-step degradation processes. The redox behavior of the complexes was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry. Furthermore, the ligand and its complexes were tested for antimicrobial activity against bacterial and fungal strains by determining inhibition zone, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). The complexes showed moderate antimicrobial activity when tested against Gram +ve and Gram −ve bacterial strains. To obtain insights into the structure of ligand, DFT studies are recorded. The results obtained are quite close to the experimental results. In addition, the energy gap, chemical hardness, softness, electronegativity, electrophilic index and chemical potential were calculated using HOMO, LUMO energy value of ligand.
Association between Internet Gaming Disorder or Pathological Video-Game Use and Comorbid Psychopathology: A Comprehensive Review

The addictive use of video games is recognized as a problem with clinical relevance and is included in international diagnostic manuals and classifications of diseases. The association between “Internet addiction” and mental health has been well documented across a range of investigations. However, a major drawback of these studies is that no controls have been placed on the type of Internet use investigated. The aim of this study is to review systematically the current literature in order to explore the association between Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and psychopathology. An electronic literature search was conducted using PubMed, PsychINFO, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and Google Scholar (r.n. CRD42018082398). The effect sizes for the observed correlations were identified or computed. Twenty-four articles met the eligibility criteria. The studies included comprised 21 cross-sectional and three prospective designs. Most of the research was conducted in Europe. The significant correlations reported comprised: 92% between IGD and anxiety, 89% with depression, 85% with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 75% with social phobia/anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Most of the studies reported higher rates of IGD in males. The lack of longitudinal studies and the contradictory results obtained prevent detection of the directionality of the associations and, furthermore, show the complex relationship between both phenomena.
Cooperative 3-D Map Generation Using Multiple UAVs

This report aims to demonstrate the feasibility of building a global 3-D map from multiple UAV robots in a GPS-denied, indoor environment. Presented are the design of each robot and the reasoning behind choosing its hardware and software components, the process in which a single robot obtains a individual 3-D map entirely onboard, and lastly how the mapping concept is extended to multiple robotic agents to form a global 3-D map using a centralized server. In the latter section, this report focuses on two algorithms, Online Mapping and Map Fusion, developed to facilitate the cooperative approach. A limited selection of experiments and test results are also presented to demonstrate application of these algorithms in a real-world setting. Acknowledgements I’d like to thank Prof. Shalabh Gupta, Prof. Ashwin Dani, and Prof. Robert McCartney for their advice and support in writing this report. I also really want to thank Kris Balisciano and Chung Yang for all their hard work on the senior design project this year. Finally, I want to thank Kehan Zhou for all his help in making this possible.
Determination of qPCR Reference Genes Suitable for Normalizing Gene Expression in a Canine Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

BACKGROUND Dogs with dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy are valuable models of the equivalent human disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD): unlike the mdx mouse, these animals present a disease severity and progression that closely matches that found in human patients. Canine models are however less thoroughly characterised than the established mdx mouse in many aspects, including gene expression. Analysis of expression in muscle plays a key role in the study of DMD, allowing monitoring and assessment of disease progression, evaluation of novel biomarkers and gauging of therapeutic intervention efficacy. Appropriate normalization of expression data via carefully selected reference genes is consequently essential for accurate quantitative assessment. Unlike the expression profile of healthy skeletal muscle, the dystrophic muscle environment is highly dynamic: transcriptional profiles of dystrophic muscle might alter with age, disease progression, disease severity, genetic background and between muscle groups. OBJECTIVES The aim of this work was to identify reference genes suitable for normalizing gene expression in healthy and dystrophic dogs under various comparative scenarios. METHODS Using the delta-E50 MD canine model of DMD, we assessed a panel of candidate reference genes for stability of expression across healthy and dystrophic animals, at different ages and in different muscle groups. RESULTS We show that the genes HPRT1, SDHA and RPL13a appear universally suitable for normalizing gene expression in healthy and dystrophic canine muscle, while other putative reference genes are exceptionally poor, and in the case of B2M, actively disease-correlated. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest consistent cross-sample normalization is possible even throughout the dynamic progression of dystrophic pathology, and furthermore highlight the importance of empirical determination of suitable reference genes for neuromuscular diseases.
Spotting working code examples

Working code examples are useful resources for pragmatic reuse in software development. A working code example provides a solution to a specific programming problem. Earlier studies have shown that existing code search engines are not successful in finding working code examples. They fail in ranking high quality code examples at the top of the result set. To address this shortcoming, a variety of pattern-based solutions are proposed in the literature. However, these solutions cannot be integrated seamlessly in Internet-scale source code engines due to their high time complexity or query language restrictions. In this paper, we propose an approach for spotting working code examples which can be adopted by Internet-scale source code search engines. The time complexity of our approach is as low as the complexity of existing code search engines on the Internet and considerably lower than the pattern-based approaches supporting free-form queries. We study the performance of our approach using a representative corpus of 25,000 open source Java projects. Our findings support the feasibility of our approach for Internet-scale code search. We also found that our approach outperforms Ohloh Code search engine, previously known as Koders, in spotting working code examples.
Internal tunneling resorption associated with invasive cervical resorption

Treating pathological defects that are caused by resorption in teeth can be challenging. The task is complicated further if the resorption extends beyond the restrains of the root. The aim of this report is to describe a case of extensive internal tunneling resorption (ITR) associated with invasive cervical resorption (ICR) in a maxillary right lateral incisor and its nonsurgical treatment. A 22-year-old male was referred to the department of endodontics with a chief complaint of discolored maxillary right lateral incisor or tooth 12 and a history of trauma. An extensive ITR associated with ICR accompanied by apical periodontitis was detected on a preoperative radiograph which was confirmed on a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan in a maxillary lateral incisor. After chemomechanical debridement and withdrawal of a separated file in the canal, calcium hydroxide was placed as an intracanal medicament for 2 weeks. Biodentine (BD) was used to obturate the defect as well as entire root canal system and to restore ICR. On a 5-year follow-up, the tooth was functional, and periapical healing was evident. Based on results of this case, successful repair of ITR associated with ICR with BD may lead to resolution of apical periodontitis. Trauma to teeth may lead to resorption which may be internal, external, and or a combination of both which may be asymptomatic in some patients. Preoperative assessment using CBCT imaging achieves visualization of location and extents of resorptive defects. Bioactive materials like BD may lead to favorable results in treating such extensive defects.
Recent Advances in Attention Bias Modification for Substance Addictions

Research on attentional bias modification has increased since 2014. A recent meta-analysis demonstrates evidence for bias modification for substance disorders, including alcohol and tobacco use disorders. Several pharmacological trials have shown that pharmacological agents can attenuate and modify such attentional bias. The pharmacological trials that have appeared to date have produced mixed results, which has clinical implications. Developments in Internet and mobile technologies have transformed how attention bias modification is currently being achieved. There remains great potential for further research that examines the efficacy of technology-aided attention bias interventions.
The contour spectrum

The authors introduce the contour spectrum, a user interface component that improves qualitative user interaction and provides real-time exact quantification in the visualization of isocontours. The contour spectrum is a signature consisting of a variety of scalar data and contour attributes, computed over the range of scalar values /spl omega//spl isin/R. They explore the use of surface, area, volume, and gradient integral of the contour that are shown to be univariate B-spline functions of the scalar value /spl omega/ for multi-dimensional unstructured triangular grids. These quantitative properties are calculated in real-time and presented to the user as a collection of signature graphs (plots of functions of /spl omega/) to assist in selecting relevant isovalues /spl omega//sub 0/ for informative visualization. For time-varying data, these quantitative properties can also be computed over time, and displayed using a 2D interface, giving the user an overview of the time-varying function, and allowing interaction in both isovalue and time step. The effectiveness of the current system and potential extensions are discussed.
The effect of visual and auditory enhancements on excitability of the primary motor cortex during motor imagery: a pilot study

The effect of visual and auditory enhancements of finger movement on corticospinal excitability during motor imagery (MI) was investigated using the transcranial magnetic stimulation technique. Motor-evoked potentials were elicited from the abductor digit minimi muscle during MI with auditory, visual and, auditory and visual information, and no information. Ten healthy participants were instructed to imagine repetitive abduction and adduction of the fifth finger. After each condition, the extent of vividness of MI was rated using a visual analogue scale. The results showed that the mean visual analogue scale score and motor-evoked potentials amplitude for the auditory and visual condition were higher than those of other conditions, indicating an enhanced excitability of the primary motor cortex with a clearer image of motor action during MI.
Current perspectives in fragment-based lead discovery (FBLD)

It is over 20 years since the first fragment-based discovery projects were disclosed. The methods are now mature for most ‘conventional’ targets in drug discovery such as enzymes (kinases and proteases) but there has also been growing success on more challenging targets, such as disruption of protein–protein interactions. The main application is to identify tractable chemical startpoints that non-covalently modulate the activity of a biological molecule. In this essay, we overview current practice in the methods and discuss how they have had an impact in lead discovery – generating a large number of fragment-derived compounds that are in clinical trials and two medicines treating patients. In addition, we discuss some of the more recent applications of the methods in chemical biology – providing chemical tools to investigate biological molecules, mechanisms and systems.
Testosterone Replacement, Muscle Strength, and Physical Function

Muscle strength and physical function decrease in older men, as do testosterone levels. Nonetheless, the effects of testosterone replacement therapy on muscle strength and physical function remain inconclusive and equivocal. We conducted a rapid systematic review, the results of which showed that testosterone replacement does not affect muscle strength (measured by hand grip strength and leg muscle strength), although it may increase physical function (measured by the 6-minute walk test, Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly score, and other physical performance tests). However, most of the studies were conducted in the United States or Europe and did not include participants from Asian or other ethnic backgrounds; therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate the effects of testosterone replacement in a broader population.
Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology Prognostic Value and Function of KLF 4 in Prostate Cancer : RNAa and Vector-Mediated Overexpression Identify KLF 4 as an Inhibitor of Tumor Cell Growth and Migration

KLF4/GLKF4 is a transcription factor that can have divergent functions in different malignancies. The role of KLF4 in prostate cancer etiology remains unclear. We have recently reported that small double-stranded RNA can induce gene expression by targeting promoter sequence in a phenomenon referred to as RNA activation (RNAa). In this study, we examine KLF4 levels in prostate cancer tissue and utilize RNAa as a tool for gene overexpression to investigate its function. Expression analysis indicated that KLF4 is significantly downregulated in prostate cancer cell lines compared with nontumorigenic prostate cells. Meta-analysis of existing cDNA microarray data also revealed that KLF4 is frequently depleted in prostate cancer tissue with more pronounced reduction in metastases. In support, tissue microarray analysis of tumors and patient-matched controls indicated downregulation of KLF4 in metastatic tumor samples. Logistic regression analysis found that tumors with a KLF4 staining score less than 5 had a 15-fold higher risk for developing metastatic prostate cancer (P 1⁄4 0.001; 95% confidence interval, 3.0–79.0). In vitro analysis indicated that RNAa-mediated overexpression of KLF4 inhibited prostate cancer cell proliferation and survival and altered the expression of several downstream cell-cycle–related genes. Ectopic expression of KLF4 via viral transduction recapitulated the RNAa results, validating its inhibitory effects on cancer growth. Reactivation of KLF4 also suppressed migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells. These results suggest that KLF4 functions as an inhibitor of tumor cell growth and migration in prostate cancer and decreased expression has prognostic value for predicting prostate cancer metastasis. Cancer Res; 70(24); 10182–91. 2010 AACR.
In Situ Thermal Transmittance of Case Studies in Dublin.

Thermal transmittance (U-values) of exterior walls represent a source of uncertainty when estimating the energy performance of dwellings. It has been noted in research that the standard calculation methodology for thermal transmittance should be improved. Subsequently, hygrothermal analysis has been used as an accurate building design tool due to its incorporation of climate specific effects on construction assemblies such as moisture retention and release. Insitu measurement of thermal transmittance could also be an effective tool for evaluating the material performance of assemblies of a building. This paper provides the context, research process and analysis of 3 case studies situated in Dublin, Ireland. The case studies offer an account of the in-situ thermal transmittance of exterior walls and link these to hygrothermally simulated comparisons along with more traditional design U-values. The findings of this paper identify discrepancies between in-situ and design U-values, using measurement, hygrothermal simulation and standard method U-value calculations. This study can form the basis for further research on retrofit of the Irish housing stock. Furthermore, the paper offers a source of information for researchers and designers exploring the performance of external walls to anticipate best practice detailing and in-situ thermal performance values.