Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Describing and measuring the ‘switch-on’ effect in people with dementia who participate in cognitive stimulation therapy: A mixed methods study

Introduction Cognitive stimulation therapy is an evidence-based group intervention for promoting cognition and quality of life in people with dementia. This New Zealand study aimed to describe and measure the ‘switch-on’ effect, a recently reported benefit involving enhanced participation. Method A convergent parallel mixed methods design was implemented. Interviews guided by qualitative descriptive methodology were conducted with four community-dwelling men with mild dementia and their wives, before, during and after cognitive stimulation therapy. Concomitantly, participants with dementia were scored on the Volitional Questionnaire following a single-subject A–B design. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using NVivo-assisted thematic analysis and descriptive statistics respectively and conjointly. Findings ‘Switch-on’ was found to be multi-dimensional in nature, with increased engagement and expanded scope in Doing, Feeling, Relating, and Thinking and Reflecting. ‘Switch-on’ occurred with a noticeable onset within 3 weeks, which was sustained and consolidated towards completion of cognitive stimulation therapy in both group and home environments. Three men showed concurrent improvements on the achievement sub-scale of the Volitional Questionnaire. However, the measure did not effectively capture ‘switch-on’ due to its ceiling effect. Conclusion Findings about ‘switch-on’ suggest broader, under-researched benefits of cognitive stimulation therapy that merit further exploration from an occupational therapy perspective.
Psychological therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Background: Psychological therapies are the recommended first-line treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous systematic reviews have grouped theoretically similar interventions to determine differences between broadly distinct approaches. Consequently, we know little regarding the relative efficacy of the specific manualized therapies commonly applied to the treatment of PTSD. Objective: To determine the effect sizes of manualized therapies for PTSD. Methods: We undertook a systematic review following Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. A pre-determined definition of clinical importance was applied to the results and the quality of evidence was appraised using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. Results: 114 randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) of 8171 participants were included. There was robust evidence that the therapies broadly defined as CBT with a trauma focus (CBT-T), as well as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), had a clinically important effect. The manualized CBT-Ts with the strongest evidence of effect were Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT); Cognitive Therapy (CT); and Prolonged Exposure (PE). There was also some evidence supporting CBT without a trauma focus; group CBT with a trauma focus; guided internet-based CBT; and Present Centred Therapy (PCT). There was emerging evidence for a number of other therapies. Conclusions: A recent increase in RCTs of psychological therapies for PTSD, results in a more confident recommendation of CBT-T and EMDR as the first-line treatments. Among the CBT-Ts considered by the review CPT, CT and PE should be the treatments of choice. The findings should guide evidence informed shared decision-making between patient and clinician.
From Assessment to Action: Lessons from the Development of Theories of Change with the People's Action for Learning Network.

In recent years, much attention has been given to extremely poor levels of learning outcomes in low-and lower-middle income countries. Citizen-led assessments have played a vital role in highlighting this “learning crisis. ” Having developed these citizen-led assessments, members of the People’s Action for Learning (PAL) Network are now increasingly devising and implementing actions aimed at tackling the learning crisis in different country contexts. This article documents the process we undertook of developing theories of change with PAL Network members across 10 countries to inform their shift from assessment of children’s learning to action aimed at raising learning outcomes. The article highlights, in particular, the importance for theories of change to take account of context in identifying appropriate actions. Based on their country circumstances, the actions identified by PAL Network members vary, for example, from using assessment data to influence national government reform, to more localized activities associated with “teaching at the right level. ” For appropriate actions to tackle the learning crisis to be identified and successfully implemented, an important lesson from the PAL Network experience is the need to enable South-to-South learning and adaptation. As such, the article highlights a pressing need for flexible and iterative theories of change that reflect contextual realities.
Scaffolding Strategy Used in Teaching Speaking at SMK Harapan Kartasura in Academic Year 2019/2020

The goal of this research is to investigate the scaffolding strategy used by the English teacher in teaching speaking at SMK Harapan Kartasura and students’ response toward the scaffolding strategy used by the teacher in teaching speaking. This research was qualitative research. The participants of this research were the eleventh grades students of TKJ at SMK Harapan Kartasura and the English teacher of the eleventh grades students. The researcher collected the data by observation, interview, and documentation. The data were analyzed through several techniques, namely data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusion. The finding of this research indicated that the teacher used some types of scaffolding strategy in teaching speaking to the eleventh grades students of TKJ at SMK Harapan Kartasura, they were explaining, inviting student’s participation, questioning, reinforcing, instructing, and modeling. The students thought that the strategy applied by the teacher in teaching speaking was fun and interesting.
Versatile Layering Approach to Pneumatic Soft Actuator Manufacturing

This paper presents a layering approach for the manufacturing of pneumatic soft actuators as a coalesced solution to the diverse array of existing fabrication methods. While most research groups have developed their own (often tedious) fabrication strategies for soft actuators, these methods are usually based on available equipment and project-specific design requirements, making them impractical for use in other laboratories. In contrast, the layered substrate approach enables repeatable production of highly-capable pneumatic actuators that can be easily customized to suit a variety of applications. Here we propose layering fiber-reinforced silicone on both sides of a thin pneumatic chamber to directionally constrain expansion. Similar in concept to the Venus flytrap, pressurization of the chamber causes the module to deform and expand where unrestrained. Strategic orientation and patterning of the fiber reinforcement layers results in multiple unique shear and bending capabilities upon pressurization. Combinations of multiple reinforced pneumatic units in series or parallel could match the capabilities of most soft pneumatic actuators, while requiring only simple, universal fabrication methods that may be replicated by other research groups.
Plasma sFlt-1 Fluctuations in Response to Pulmonary ArterialHypertension Treatment

Background: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is characterized by vasoconstriction and remodeling of distal pulmonary arteries, which result in increased Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) and right ventricular overload. In the present study, we measured plasma fluctuations of nine proteins, involved in inflammation or tyrosine kinase signaling, in PAH patients, to assess their value as biomarkers of treatment response. Methods: Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor A and D, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), placenta growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 2, angiopoietin-1 receptor, interleukin (IL)-6 and -8 and tumor necrosis factor α were determined by multiplex immunoassays in 21 treatment-naive PAH patients at baseline and at first and second clinical checkups. Results: From baseline to first checkup, sFlt-1 (p<0.02) and IL-6 (p<0.005) decreased in PAH patients. sFlt-1 remained decreased (p<0.003) at the second checkup, compared to baseline. No significant changes were observed in the other measured biomarkers. Patients receiving initial combination therapy showed a more marked initial decrease (p<0.02) in plasma sFlt-1, compared to initial monotherapy. Plasma sFlt-1 changes correlated positively with changes in PVR and negatively with changes in left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI). Conclusion: Plasma sFlt-1 is significantly reduced after the initiation of PAH-specific treatment and its fluctuations are correlated to changes in PVR and LVSWI. Thus, plasma sFlt-1 is a new potential biomarker for evaluating treatment response in PAH
Redundant function of Ets1 and Ets2 in regulating M-phase progression in post-natal angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is a highly orchestrated process involving complex crosstalk between several endothelial cell processes including cell cycle, cell survival and migration. Transcription factors ETS1 and ETS2 are required for EC functions necessary for embryonic angiogenesis. Here, by utilizing endothelial cell-specific deletion of Ets1 and Ets2 on post-natal angiogenesis we demonstrate that ETS1 and ETS2 have a redundant regulatory role in controlling the expression of key G2/M regulators and anti-apoptotic gene modules by recruiting the transcriptional activator CBP/p300 to the enhancers of these genes. Further, cultured aortic ECs lacking both ETS1 and ETS2 demonstrated G2/M phase arrest and increased apoptosis. In vivo, EC infiltration and invasion was attenuated when matrigel admixed with mouse mammary tumor cells was injected into adult mice with EC-specific ablation of Ets1 and Ets2. These results demonstrate that deletion of Ets1 and Ets2 in endothelial cells inhibits angiogenesis by altering cell cycle progression and decreasing cell survival.
Monitoring behaviours with model divergence: emailing studies of users with cognitive impairments

ABSTRACT Users with cognitive impairments use an assistive technology email system, CogLink, for socialisation and help in their activities of daily living. As users interact with the AT email client, the logged stream of events is monitored and analysed to aid decision-making. When caregivers receive monitor notifications, they know that the user has had a significant change in her emailing behaviour. Consequently, caregivers select adaptations to the email client that can challenge the user to gain still more emailing skills. The monitor in this emailing system analyzes user data to recognise when significant changes in user behaviour warrants caregiver attention. Moreover, the monitor can distinguish newly learned skills from new, but transient behaviours. This article summarises the CogLink assistive technology monitoring techniques, introduces the learning likelihood algorithm, which distinguishes transient from learned behaviour, and provides lessons learnt from a decade of monitoring CogLink users.
Transescleral cyclophotocoagulation treatment for painful eye with glaucoma
 neovascular

SC. Follow-up was performed on the first, thirtieth and ninetieth days. Results: Of the 26 patients included, 11 (42.3%) were male. The average age of the patients was 69 years. Of these, 16 patients underwent CTCTE treatment and 10 patients underwent CTCTE SC. Intraocular pressure (IOP) had a mean pre-treatment of 49 ± 23 mmHg in the CFCTE group and medians at the 1st, 30th and 90th postoperative days respectively: 32 ± 24 mmHg, 38 ± 18 mmHg, 43 ± 10 mmHg. In the group submitted to the CFCTE SC technique, the previous IOP was 54 ± 16 mmHg and averages on the 1st, 30th and 90th postoperative days respectively: 38 ± 22 mmHg, 39 ± 10 mmHg, 44 ± 09 mmHg. Pain reduction was effective in 88.4% patients. During the postoperative period, hyperemia, chemosis and hyphema were observed. No serious complications were observed. Conclusion: Painful blind eye treatment with low load transscleral cyclophotocoagulation was a safe and effective procedure for pain resolution, but presented a low level of intraocular pressure reduction in both techniques used.
A TREATMENT DILEMMA CONCERNING IMMUNOSUPPRESSANT USE: A CASE REPORT

Â Immunosuppressants including corticosteroids (prednisolone >15 mg/day) are responsible for an increased risk of susceptibility to infections (especially pneumonia, tuberculosis [TB] including extra pulmonary TB), an important safety concern when providing immunosuppressive therapy. Anti-TB treatment (ATT) is medicines used to treat tuberculosis, an infectious disease which can affect lungs and other organs. Isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide are known to cause ATT induced hepatitis. The prevalence of immunosuppressant induced TB and pyrazinamide induced hepatotoxicity during treatment for active TB ranges to about 0.6%-1% and <1%, respectively. Here, we illustrate a typical case report of a 61-year-old woman who is a known case of interstitial lung disease and developed TB arthritis following therapy with the long-term use of immunosuppressants (prednisolone, azathioprine, leflunomide, and sulfasalazine). ATT regimen was started for TB arthritis which was later modified along with addition of liver protectant due to the development of hepatotoxicity. The causality of both the adverse drug reactions was confirmed to be probable via NARANJO causality assessment scale. This case highlights the incidence of infectious complications like TB which may be expected to be encountered more frequently in the future due to the increasing use of immunosuppressants for the treatment of allergic and inflammatory disorders.
Phosphorylation controls RNA binding and transcription by the influenza virus polymerase

The influenza virus polymerase transcribes and replicates the viral genome. The proper timing and balance of polymerase activity is important for successful replication. We previously showed that phosphorylation regulates genome replication by controlling assembly of the replication machinery (Mondal, et al. 2017). However, it remained unclear whether phosphorylation directly regulated polymerase activity. Here we identified polymerase phosphosites that control its function. Mutating phosphosites in the catalytic subunit PB1 altered polymerase activity and virus replication. Biochemical analyses revealed phosphorylation events that disrupted global polymerase function by blocking the NTP entry channel or preventing RNA binding. We also identified a regulatory site that split polymerase function by specifically suppressing transcription. These experiments show that host kinases phospho-regulate viral RNA synthesis directly by modulating polymerase activity and indirectly by controlling assembly of replication machinery. Further, they suggest polymerase phosphorylation may bias replication versus transcription at discrete times or locations during the infectious cycle.
Improvement of Stability in a PCM-Controlled Boost Converter with the Target Period Orbit-Tracking Method

Thee peak-current-mode (PCM) control strategy is widely adopted in pulse width-modulated (PWM) DC-DC converters. However, the converters always involve a sub-harmonic oscillating state or chaotic state if the active duty ratio is beyond a certain range. Hence, an extra slope signal in the inductor-current loop is used to stabilize the operation of the converter. This paper presents a new technique for enlarging the stable range of PCM-controlled DC-DC converters, in which the concept of utilizing unstable period-1 orbit (UPO-1) of DC-DC converters is proposed and an implementation scenario based on the parameter-perturbation method is presented. With the proposed technique, perturbations are introduced to the reference current of the control loop, and the converters operating in a chaotic state can be tracked, and thus be stabilized to the target UPO-1. Therefore, the stable operating range of the converters is extended. Based on an example of a PCM-controlled boost converter, simulations are presented as a guide to a detailed implementation process of the proposed technique, and comparisons between the proposed technique and techniques in terms of ramp compensation are provided to show the differentiation in the performance of the converter. Experimental results in the work confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
Model Predictive Control With Obstacle Avoidance for Inertia Actuated AFM Probes Inside a Scanning Electron Microscope

—The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is a reliable tool 6 for3Dimagingandmanipulationatthemicrometerandnanometer 7 scales. When used inside a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), 8 AFM probes can be localized and controlled with a nanometer res- 9 olution by visual feedback. However, achieving trajectory control 10 and obstacles avoidance is still a major concern for manipulation 11 tasks. We propose a Model Predictive Control (MPC) to address 12 these two issues while AFM probes are actuated by Piezoelectric 13 Inertia type Actuators (PIA). The novelty of this letter is that the 14 modelofourMPC-basedapproachreliesonavelocitymapofPIAs. 15 It enables path following and obstacle avoidance while preserving 16 safety margins. Control inputs are optimized by Quadratic Pro- 17 gramming, referring to their increment and distance constraints. 18 A cost function is deﬁned to navigate the AFM probe with a 19 speciﬁed velocity. Simulations and experiments are carried out to 20 demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is suitable to perform 21 path following with obstacle avoidance using map-based velocity 22 references. This is the ﬁrst time that MPC is implemented in 23 micro/nano-robotic systems for autonomous control inside SEM. 24
Barthel-Index

Zusammenfassung Um herauszufinden, ob der Barthel-Index ein geeignetes Assessment für die Erhebung des Pflegeaufwandes in einer ambulanten Hämodialysepraxis ist, haben wir uns seit Dezember 2015 mit diesem Thema beschäftigt. Begonnen haben wir mit einer Datenerhebung bei 105 Dialysepatienten in Bezug auf Pflegestufen bzw. -grade sowie mit der Erhebung des Barthel-Index. Im Anschluss ermittelten wir relevante Leistungsparameter für den tatsächlichen Pflegeaufwand in der Dialyse, ordneten ihnen jeweils einen Zeitfaktor zu und nutzten den Januar 2016, diese mithilfe unserer Kollegen zu protokollieren. Die Auswertung des Barthel-Index im Vergleich zur Auswertung der von uns erfassten Leistungsparameter ergab schnell, dass wir in der Dialysepraxis auf ganz andere pflegerische Maßnahmen stoßen, die im Barthel-Index gar nicht berücksichtigt sind. Daraus schließen wir, dass der Barthel-Index kein geeignetes Assessment für die ambulante Hämodialysepraxis ist.
On Gandhi and Sanitation

Abstract It was Gandhi who gave centrality to the debate on sanitation from the perspective of bio-power. The category of sanitation for him was not something to be used as a form of control but an instrument for transforming the structural caste-based hierarchy. Gandhian idea on sanitation resonates well with the anthropological notion of holism. He has visualised sanitation across the domains of soma, polis and psyche. Sanitation for Gandhi is not limited by its technical definition requiring only technical solutions but in its expansion that assumes a metaphorical significance. For Gandhi, swaraj (self-rule) in political sphere can only be achieved if there is a collective sense of sanitation and hygiene. The field of sanitation, therefore, can be seen as a testing ground for the ability and preparedness to achieve political swaraj. Sanitation reforms for him are based on reforming the collective sense of social self. This kind of reformation leads sanitation into the domain of the ‘moral-political’ that invoke collective and municipal efforts from the state to address insanitation. It is within these contexts that the article tries to understand the Gandhian philosophy on sanitation that traverses through the conceptions of bio-power, caste hierarchies, colonialism, scientism, nationalism and morality.
Micro-continuous liquid interface production 3D printing of customized optical components in minutes

We have recently reported high-speed 3D printing of customized optical lenses using projection micro-stereolithography (PμSL) process. However, at the reported printing speed of 24.54 mm3 h-1, it still takes hours for 3D printing an optical lens with the size of millimeter. To further increase the printing speed, we focused on the micro Continuous Liquid Interface Production (μCLIP) process to completely eliminate the time-consuming resin recoating and dwelling steps in PμSL process. While the commonly used oxygen permeable Teflon AF2400 film is found to create rather rough surface of 3D printed structure, we report the use of the home-made Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane as the alternative oxygen permeable membrane to overcome this issue. In this study, we demonstrated the significant increased printing speed of 4.85×103 mm3 h-1, which corresponds to a 200-fold improvement in comparison with previously reported PμSL process. We further combined grayscale photopolymerization and meniscus coating steps in the μCLIP process to tackle the inherent speed-accuracy trade-off in 3D printing optical components. We demonstrated the fabrication of an aspherical lens with 1,6-Hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA) using μCLIP system in about 2 minutes. The printed aspherical lens shows impeccable surface finishing, with the surface roughness (RMS=13.7 nm) well below the wavelength of the visible light. It is capable of resolving Element 3 in Group 7 of 1951 USAF resolution test chart, which corresponds to the imaging resolution of 3.10 μm. With significantly improved printing speed, this work unleashes the unprecedented potential of further utilization of 3D printing techniques for rapid manufacturing of novel optical components, such as freeform optics and integrated photonic systems.
Simultaneous filter tuning and calibration of the camera and inertial measurement unit camera for a vision inertial navigation system

In this study, a novel approach based on multi-objective genetic algorithm (MO-GA) is used for simultaneous tuning the unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) parameters and camera and inertial measurement unit camera calibration in a vision inertial navigation system (VINS). This system consists of visual odometry and inertial navigation system (INS) which integrates with a UKF. In order to obtain simultaneous tuning and calibration of the parameters and variables, the MO-GA minimises the root mean square error of the position and velocity of the vehicle on a selected trajectory of the benchmark data set. Then, the tuned parameters and calibrated variables are placed in the VINS and an adjusted VINS (AVINS) is obtained. For investigating the AVINS, the mentioned system is compared with INS only, VINS based on calibration data of the benchmark data set, and GPS/INS as Real Data on the identical trajectory. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the results of the proposed approach, the AVINS is examined in the second trajectory. The results indicate the proper performance of the presented approach in the simultaneous tuning the filter parameters and calibrating the variables of sensors that are used in the uncalibrated VINS.