Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Integrating Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Depression Treatment Among African Americans

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine whether integrating depression treatment into care for type 2 diabetes mellitus among older African Americans improved medication adherence, glycemic control, and depression outcomes. Methods Older African Americans prescribed pharmacotherapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus and depression from physicians at a large primary care practice in west Philadelphia were randomly assigned to an integrated care intervention or usual care. Adherence was assessed at baseline, 2, 4, and 6 weeks using the Medication Event Monitoring System to assess adherence. Outcomes assessed at baseline and 12 weeks included standard laboratory tests to measure glycemic control and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) to assess depression. Results In all, 58 participants aged 50 to 80 years participated. The proportion of participants who had 80% or greater adherence to an oral hypoglycemic (intervention 62.1% vs usual care 24.1%) and an antidepressant (intervention 62.1% vs usual care 10.3%) was greater in the intervention group in comparison with the usual care group at 6 weeks. Participants in the integrated care intervention had lower levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (intervention 6.7% vs usual care 7.9%) and fewer depressive symptoms (CES-D mean scores: intervention 9.6 vs usual care 16.6) compared with participants in the usual care group at 12 weeks. Conclusion A pilot randomized controlled trial integrating type 2 diabetes mellitus treatment and depression was successful in improving outcomes among older African Americans. Integrated interventions may be more feasible and effective in real-world practices with competing demands for limited resources.
Application of Magnetic Barkhausen Noise Technique for Residual Stress Measuring to the Evaluation of Heat Treatment Process

Magnetic Barkhausen Noise(MBN) is a new technique used in non-destructively detecting residual stress.Combining with the virtual instrument technology,collection and real-time processing of MBN will be achieved,which has been applied to the detection of residual stress in the heat-treated ferromagnetic materials.As compared with the data of blind-hole method,the corresponding changes Backhausen signals and residual stress in SM570 plate weld zone was verified before and after being heat-treated.
A Novel Method for Direct Assessment of Everyday Competence Among Older Adults.

BACKGROUND Recent findings indicate that impairments in functional performance do occur among individuals diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Most assessment strategies for everyday competence are associated with challenges with reliability, are typically in paper and pencil format, or require in-person administration by a trained professional. OBJECTIVE This paper reports on a novel technology-based assessment battery of everyday competence that includes ecologically valid simulations of daily activities important to independence. METHODS The sample included 85 non-cognitively impaired older adults aged 65+ and 62 older adults diagnosed with amnestic MCI (aMCI). Participants completed standard measures of cognitive abilities and the computerized battery of everyday tasks, which included simulations of a doctor's visit; and medication and financial management tasks. RESULTS The older adults with aMCI performed significantly poorer on all three tasks in the everyday task battery. Performance on these measures were also moderately correlated with standard measures of cognitive abilities and showed good test-retest reliability. CONCLUSIONS The results show that it is feasible to use a technology-based assessment battery of everyday tasks with both non-cognitively impaired older adults and older adults with MCI. The use of this type of battery can overcome many of the logistic constraints associated with current functional assessment protocols.
How Blood Vessel Networks Are Made and Measured

Tissue and organ viability depends on the proper systemic distribution of cells, nutrients, and oxygen through blood vessel networks. These networks arise in part via angiogenic sprouting. Vessel sprouting involves the precise coordination of several endothelial cell processes including cell-cell communication, cell migration, and proliferation. In this review, we discuss zebrafish and mammalian models of blood vessel sprouting and the quantification methods used to assess vessel sprouting and network formation in these models. We also review the mechanisms involved in angiogenic sprouting, and we propose that the process consists of distinct stages. Sprout initiation involves endothelial cell interactions with neighboring cells and the environment to establish a specialized tip cell responsible for leading the emerging sprout. Furthermore, local sprout guidance cues that spatially regulate this outward migration are discussed. We also examine subsequent events, such as sprout fusion and lumenization, that lead to maturation of a nascent sprout into a patent blood vessel.
Ecotoxicology of manufactured graphene oxide nanomaterials and derivation of preliminary guideline values for freshwater environments

The unique physical and chemical properties of graphene‐based nanomaterials (GNMs) have inspired a diverse range of scientific and industrial applications. The market value of GNMs is predicted to reach $US 1.3 billion by 2023. Common to many nanomaterials, an important and unresolved question is the environmental consequences of the increases in GNMs use. The current deficiencies in studies reporting ecotoxicology data for GNMs include differences in analytical methodologies for quantification, no standardized test guidelines, differences in morphology of GNMs, the lack of Chemical Abstract Service numbers, and the quality of the reported data. The assessment of potential adverse effects on aquatic organisms typically relies on guideline values based on species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) of toxicity data. We present preliminary water quality guideline values for graphene oxide NMs in freshwaters. Data include 10 species from 7 phyla (bacteria and fungi were not included). The most sensitive organism was found to be the freshwater shrimp Palaemon pandaliformis. The derived guideline values for 99, 95, 90, and 80% species protection were 350, 600, 830, and 1300 μg/L, respectively. These results will contribute to the regulatory derivations of future water quality guideline values for graphene‐based NMs. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1340–1348. © 2018 SETAC
ID1 expression associates with other molecular markers and is not an independent prognostic factor in cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukaemia

In acute myeloid leukaemia with normal karyotype (CN‐AML), gene mutations (e.g. NPM1, FLT3, CEBPA) as well as deregulated gene expression affect outcome. High expression of ID1 was described as a negative prognostic factor. We have shown that CEBPA regulates ID1 expression. Therefore, we analysed the prognostic impact of ID1 expression in 269 patients (aged 16–60 years) with CN‐AML in the context of other molecular markers, particularly CEBPA mutations. ID1high status was an independent negative prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in multivariate analysis when analysed together with age, extramedullary disease, platelets, expression of BAALC and WT1, FLT3‐internal tandem duplication, NPM1, WT1 single nucleotide polymorphism rs16754 and IDH1. ID1 expression was higher in CEBPA wildtype patients than in patients with monoallelic CEBPA mutations and these patients showed higher ID1 expression compared to patients with biallelic CEBPA mutations. Thus, when CEBPA mutations were considered, ID1 expression lost its prognostic impact. Likewise, the negative impact of ID1high status on relapse‐free survival (RFS) was lost when CEBPA mutations were included in the analysis. In CEBPA wildtype patients, ID1 expression had no impact on complete remission‐rate, OS or RFS. In conclusion, CEBPA mutations seem to deregulate ID1 expression. Therefore, ID1 expression is not an independent prognostic factor in CN‐AML.
STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF COMPOSITE CONCRETE-STEEL BEAMS WITH SPATIAL TRUSS REINFORCEMENT ELEMENTS

This paper deals with an atypical class of reinforced concrete beams, whose reinforcement is a steel truss structures. This typology of beams is quite unknown within the engineering community. Moreover they have been used for three decades in Italy, principally for industrial or special structures. Differently from traditional reinforced concrete beams, the steel trusses can bear their own weight and the weight of slabs and fluid concrete without any provisional support during a first "dry" assembly stage; after that, when concrete develop its own mechanical characteristics, they can collaborate with the cast in place concrete. Nowadays, interest for this technology is growing up in Italy, mainly because of some advantages it provides with respect to the traditional reinforced concrete beams. Nonetheless, neither in the current Italian nor in the European codes there are specific regulation for this class of reinforced beams. In order to achieve this goal, the main aim of this work is to illustrate possible mechanical models and verification principles to be used in designing these particular reinforced concrete beams when subject to static loads. Finally some practical design examples, done by using a specifically developed computer code, are presented to illustrate complete design procedures.
A Description of Rock Fatigue Evolution Using Acoustic Emission Damage Variables

Numerous methods have been developed to describe the damage characteristics of brittle materials such as rock samples.Each method has its advantage and disadvantage.For rock samples under cyclic loading conditions,the plastic strain method is more popular compared with the acoustic emission method.This paper presents the results of using acoustic emission method to describe the damage evolution process of the sandstone rock samples under the cyclic loading conditions by taking the advantage of relationship between the acoustic emission and the rock damage.The results show that the damage evolution model based on AE variable is consistent with the experimental results.
Antinociceptive Effect of Intrathecal Injection of Genetically Engineered Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells Expressing the Human Proenkephalin Gene in a Rat Model of Bone Cancer Pain

Background. This study aimed to investigate the use of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) genetically engineered with the human proenkephalin (hPPE) gene to treat bone cancer pain (BCP) in a rat model. Methods. Primary cultured hBMSCs were passaged and modified with hPPE, and the cell suspensions (6 × 106) were then intrathecally injected into a rat model of BCP. Paw mechanical withdrawal threshold (PMWT) was measured before and after BCP. The effects of hPPE gene transfer on hBMSC bioactivity were analyzed in vitro and in vivo. Results. No changes were observed in the surface phenotypes and differentiation of hBMSCs after gene transfer. The hPPE-hBMSC group showed improved PMWT values on the ipsilateral side of rats with BCP from day 12 postoperatively, and the analgesic effect was reversed by naloxone. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-6 were ameliorated, and leucine-enkephalin (L-EK) secretion was augmented, in the hPPE-engineered hBMSC group. Conclusion. The intrathecal administration of BMSCs modified with the hPPE gene can effectively relieve pain caused by bone cancer in rats and might be a potentially therapeutic tool for cancer-related pain in humans.
Short‐range airborne transmission of expiratory droplets between two people

The occurrence of close proximity infection for many respiratory diseases is often cited as evidence of large droplet and/or close contact transmission. We explored interpersonal exposure of exhaled droplets and droplet nuclei of two standing thermal manikins as affected by distance, humidity, ventilation, and breathing mode. Under the specific set of conditions studied, we found a substantial increase in airborne exposure to droplet nuclei exhaled by the source manikin when a susceptible manikin is within about 1.5 m of the source manikin, referred to as the proximity effect. The threshold distance of about 1.5 m distinguishes the two basic transmission processes of droplets and droplet nuclei, that is, short-range modes and the long-range airborne route. The short-range modes include both the conventional large droplet route and the newly defined short-range airborne transmission. We thus reveal that transmission occurring in close proximity to the source patient includes both droplet-borne (large droplet) and short-range airborne routes, in addition to the direct deposition of large droplets on other body surfaces. The mechanisms of the droplet-borne and short-range airborne routes are different; their effective control methods also differ. Neither the current droplet precautions nor dilution ventilation prevents short-range airborne transmission, so new control methods are needed.
Combining Multi-Agent Systems and Wireless Sensor Networks for Monitoring Crop Irrigation

Monitoring mechanisms that ensure efficient crop growth are essential on many farms, especially in certain areas of the planet where water is scarce. Most farmers must assume the high cost of the required equipment in order to be able to streamline natural resources on their farms. Considering that many farmers cannot afford to install this equipment, it is necessary to look for more effective solutions that would be cheaper to implement. The objective of this study is to build virtual organizations of agents that can communicate between each other while monitoring crops. A low cost sensor architecture allows farmers to monitor and optimize the growth of their crops by streamlining the amount of resources the crops need at every moment. Since the hardware has limited processing and communication capabilities, our approach uses the PANGEA architecture to overcome this limitation. Specifically, we will design a system that is capable of collecting heterogeneous information from its environment, using sensors for temperature, solar radiation, humidity, pH, moisture and wind. A major outcome of our approach is that our solution is able to merge heterogeneous data from sensors and produce a response adapted to the context. In order to validate the proposed system, we present a case study in which farmers are provided with a tool that allows us to monitor the condition of crops on a TV screen using a low cost device.
Performance and Cost Efficiency of KRAS Mutation Testing for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer in Routine Diagnosis: The MOKAECM Study, a Nationwide Experience

Purpose Rapid advances in the understanding of cancer biology have transformed drug development thus leading to the approval of targeted therapies and to the development of molecular tests to select patients that will respond to treatments. KRAS status has emerged as a negative predictor of clinical benefit from anti-EGFR antibodies in colorectal cancer, and anti-EGFR antibodies use was limited to KRAS wild type tumors. In order to ensure wide access to tumor molecular profiling, the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) has set up a national network of 28 regional molecular genetics centers. Concurrently, a nationwide external quality assessment for KRAS testing (MOKAECM) was granted to analyze reproducibility and costs. Methods 96 cell-line DNAs and 24 DNA samples from paraffin embedded tumor tissues were sent to 40 French laboratories. A total of 5448 KRAS results were collected and analyzed and a micro-costing study was performed on sites for 5 common methods by an independent team of health economists. Results This work provided a baseline picture of the accuracy and reliability of KRAS analysis in routine testing conditions at a nationwide level. Inter-laboratory Kappa values were >0.8 for KRAS results despite differences detection methods and the use of in-house technologies. Specificity was excellent with only one false positive in 1128 FFPE data, and sensitivity was higher for targeted techniques as compared to Sanger sequencing based methods that were dependent upon local expertise. Estimated reagent costs per patient ranged from €5.5 to €19.0. Conclusion The INCa has set-up a network of public laboratories dedicated to molecular oncology tests. Our results showed almost perfect agreements in KRAS testing at a nationwide level despite different testing methods ensuring a cost-effective equal access to personalized colorectal cancer treatment.
Noninvasive Personalization of a Cardiac Electrophysiology Model From Body Surface Potential Mapping

Goal: We use noninvasive data (body surface potential mapping, BSPM) to personalize the main parameters of a cardiac electrophysiological (EP) model for predicting the response to different pacing conditions. Methods: First, an efficient forward model is proposed, coupling the Mitchell–Schaeffer transmembrane potential model with a current dipole formulation. Then, we estimate the main parameters of the cardiac model: activation onset location and tissue conductivity. A large patient-specific database of simulated BSPM is generated, from which specific features are extracted to train a machine learning algorithm. The activation onset location is computed from a Kernel Ridge Regression and a second regression calibrates the global ventricular conductivity. Results: The evaluation of the results is done both on a benchmark dataset of a patient with premature ventricular contraction (PVC) and on five nonischaemic implanted cardiac resynchonization therapy (CRT) patients with a total of 21 different pacing conditions. Good personalization results were found in terms of the activation onset location for the PVC (mean distance error, MDE = 20.3 mm), for the pacing sites (MDE = 21.7 mm) and for the CRT patients (MDE = 24.6 mm). We tested the predictive power of the personalized model for biventricular pacing and showed that we could predict the new electrical activity patterns with a good accuracy in terms of BSPM signals. Conclusion: We have personalized the cardiac EP model and predicted new patient-specific pacing conditions. Significance: This is an encouraging first step towards a noninvasive preoperative prediction of the response to different pacing conditions to assist clinicians for CRT patient selection and therapy planning.
Generalized Brillouin diagrams for evanescent waves in metamaterials with interelement coupling

Received 6 October 2009; revised manuscript received 3 January 2010; published 5 March 2010 A graphical representation for two-dimensional periodic structures is introduced that provides the full information contained in the dispersion equation: not only for the pass band but for the neighboring stop bands as well. It is a seamless natural extension of Brillouin diagrams obtained by adding eight new zones which incorporate the properties of evanescent waves. The accuracy of the infinite lattice approximation is tested both by simulations and experiments using magnetoinductive waves. For waves propagating in one direction and evanescent in the other direction, the results of the three different methods are shown to be in good agreement. The versatility of the new representation and its applicability to the design of near-field manipulating metamaterials is discussed.
Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Pilot Health Promotion Program for Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an intense health promotion program in older adults with diabetes. The program combined individually prescribed and supervised exercise with nutrition and education programs on glycemic control and aerobic fitness. Methods Various recruitment and retention strategies were analyzed for effectiveness. Out of 28 potential subjects assessed for eligibility, 6 subjects with type 2 diabetes (2 male and 4 female; all white; age, 60.2 ± 4.7 years) participated in the 10-week intervention. Aerobic and resistance exercise was performed on alternate days (3-4 days per week), with individualized nutrition counseling and diabetes health education sessions once weekly. The primary outcome measures were aerobic fitness and glycemic control (A1C), and secondary outcome measures included body mass index (BMI), self-efficacy, and symptoms of neuropathy. Changes in outcomes were assessed using descriptive statistics and paired t test analysis (α = .05). Results Following the intervention, subjects had improvements that approached significance in A1C and pain, with significant improvements in self-efficacy. Conclusions A systematic approach to analysis of feasibility revealed issues with recruitment and retention that would need to be addressed for future studies or clinical implementation of this program. However, for the subset of subjects who did complete the intervention, adherence was excellent, and satisfaction with the program was confirmed by exit interview comments. Following participation in this pilot health promotion program, subjects had meaningful improvements in glycemic control, pain, and self-efficacy.
Exogenous Hormone Use and Endometrial Cancer in U.S. Black Women

Background: Although endometrial cancer risk differs among white and black women, few data on its associations with exogenous hormone use in the latter group are available. Studies have reported lower endometrial cancer risk among users of oral contraceptives (OCs), but higher risk among users of estrogen-only female menopausal hormones (FMHs). Evidence for the risk among estrogen plus progestin FMHs users is equivocal. Methods: We followed 47,555 Black Women's Health Study participants with an intact uterus from 1995 through 2013. Data on exogenous hormone use, covariates, and endometrial cancer were obtained biennially. Self-reported incident cases of endometrial cancer were confirmed by medical records or cancer registries whenever possible. We estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: We observed 300 endometrial cancer cases during 689,546 person-years of follow-up. Compared with never use, ≥10 years' duration of OC use was associated with lower risk (multivariable IRR = 0.45, 95% CI, 0.27–0.74), but risk was higher among current users of estrogen-only (IRR = 3.78, 95% CI, 1.69–8.43) and estrogen plus progestin FMH (IRR = 1.55, 95% CI, 0.78–3.11). Risk was not increased among former users of estrogen-only (IRR = 0.87, 95% CI, 0.44–1.72) or estrogen plus progestin FMH (IRR = 0.63, 95% CI, 0.36–1.09). Conclusions: Current use of estrogen-only and estrogen plus progestin FMH was associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer. Risk appeared lower among former users of estrogen plus progestin FMH. Long-term OC use was associated with reduced risk. Impact: Our results are generally consistent with those among white women. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(5); 558–65. ©2018 AACR.