Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Large Measurable Range Capacitance-to-Digital Converter for Smart Humidity Sensors

This study aims to propose a capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) based on a third-order cascade of integrators with a feed-forward (CIFF) incremental sigma-delta modulator for smart humidity sensor application. Disguised zoom-in technology was proposed to enlarge the measurable range of the CDC. The input range of the CDC was 0–388 pF. The proposed CDC was realized using 0.18 μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. Results show that the CDC performs a 13-bit capacitance-to-digital conversion in 0.8 ms. The analog system consumes 169.7 μA from a 1.8 V supply, which corresponds to a figure of merit (FOM) of 3.0 nJ/step. The proposed CDC was combined with a HS1101 humidity sensor to demonstrate its incorporation in an overall system design. The resolution was 0.7% relative humidity (RH) over a range of 30%–90% RH.
Adoption of Improved Fish Preservation Technologies in Northwestern Nigeria

A study was conducted to determine the status of awareness and adoption of disseminated improved post-harvest fisheries technologies among fish processors in the northwestern zone of Nigeria using structured questionnaire to obtain information from fish processors and secondary data collected from the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) and some Research Institutes in the selected states. A multistage sampling technique was adopted in the selection of four states in the zone (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Kebbi). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation. The variables were tested at 5% level of significance. Results of data analysis showed that about 66% of respondents were in the economically active age group of 21-40 years and the mean age was 32 years. About 89% were males; 83.7% had only koranic education, while 28.7% had between 6-10 years processing experience and equally 28.7% had over 20 years processing experience. The mean year of experience was 17.5 years. Only about 43.1% of respondents were aware of improved fish smoking kilns disseminated in the zone, with about 32% adopting one kiln or the other. Improved smoking kilns disseminated include Chokor, Altona, Burkinabe, and Watanabe. Major constraints to adoption of improved fish processing and preservation technologies in the zone include scarcity of improved kilns, high cost of kilns when available, difficult technical features of the kilns and insufficient awareness creation by the ADPs. Results of Pearson’s correlation analysis on socio-economic factors influencing adoption showed that year of experience (r, 0.02), extension contacts (r, 0.03), access to credit (r, 0.01) and “contact farmers status” (r, 0.00) were significant (P≠ 0.05) in positively influencing the adoption of Chokor oven. Burkinabe kiln’s adoption was significantly (P≠ 0.05) and positively influenced by age (r, 0.04), acquisition cost (r, 0.02) and access to credit (r, 0.02). Altona kiln’s adoption on the other hand was significantly (P≠ 0.05) and positively (r, 0.00) influenced by the educational achievement of processors. The study concluded that concerted policies by government geared towards post-harvest loss Adoption of Improved Fish Preservation Technologies in Northwestern Nigeria
ENHANCED ROTOR MODELING TAILORED FOR RUB DYNAMIC STABILITY ANALYSIS AND SIMULATION*

New methods are presented that allow straightforward application of complex nonlinearities to finite element based rotor dynamic analyses. The key features are 1) the methods can be implemented with existing finite element or dynamic simulation programs, 2) formulation is general for simple application to a wide range of problems, and 3) implementation is simplified because nonlinear aspects are separated from the linear part of the model. The new techniques are illustrated with examples of inertial nonlinearity and torquewhirl which can be important in rubbing turbomachinery. The sample analyses provide new understanding of these nonlinearities which are discussed.
Review and Comparison of Cancer Biomarker Trends in Urine as a Basis for New Diagnostic Pathways

Cancer is one of the major causes of mortality worldwide and its already large burden is projected to increase significantly in the near future with a predicted 22 million new cancer cases and 13 million cancer-related deaths occurring annually by 2030. Unfortunately, current procedures for diagnosis are characterized by low diagnostic accuracies. Given the proved correlation between cancer presence and alterations of biological fluid composition, many researchers suggested their characterization to improve cancer detection at early stages. This paper reviews the information that can be found in the scientific literature, regarding the correlation of different cancer forms with the presence of specific metabolites in human urine, in a schematic and easily interpretable form, because of the huge amount of relevant literature. The originality of this paper relies on the attempt to point out the odor properties of such metabolites, and thus to highlight the correlation between urine odor alterations and cancer presence, which is proven by recent literature suggesting the analysis of urine odor for diagnostic purposes. This investigation aims to evaluate the possibility to compare the results of studies based on different approaches to be able in the future to identify those compounds responsible for urine odor alteration.
Carbidopa Alters Tryptophan Metabolism in Breast Cancer and Melanoma Cells Leading to the Formation of Indole-3-Acetonitrile, a Pro-Proliferative Metabolite

Carbidopa is used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD) as an inhibitor of DOPA decarboxylase, and PD patients taking carbidopa have a lower incidence of various tumors, except for breast cancer and melanoma. Recently, it was shown that carbidopa inhibits tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) and kynureninase enzymes. In the present study, the effect of carbidopa on the viability and metabolic profile of breast cancer MCF-7 and melanoma A375 cells was investigated. Carbidopa was not effective in inhibiting MCF-7 and A375 proliferation. Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry revealed a new compound, identified as indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN), which promoted a concentration-dependent increase in the viability of both cell lines. The results suggest that treatment with carbidopa may alter tryptophan (Trp) metabolism in breast cancer and melanoma leading to the formation of a pro-proliferative Trp metabolite, which may contribute to its failure in reducing breast cancers and melanoma incidence in PD patients taking carbidopa.
Ultrasound Technical Aspects : How to Improve Needle

There are many advantages to the use of ultrasound in interventional pain medicine procedures. Ultrasound technology is currently growing exponentially due to its many advantages of improved and real-time high-resolution ultrasound imaging that results in successful pain management interventions. In addition, use of ultrasound for interventional pain management procedures avoids the many risks associated with radiation exposure to both the patient and practitioner [1]. With appropriate training and experience, reliable and compulsive tracking of an introduced needle shaft and tip, both critical for effective and safe pain medicine interventions, may be mastered. Failure to visualize the needle, especially the needle tip, during needle advancement is one of the most common errors in ultrasound-guided interventional procedures (UGIP) [2–4]. Manipulation of the needle positioning during a pain management intervention, injection of local anesthetics/steroids or other medications, radiofrequency or cryoablation procedures, and other interventions without adequate needle tip visualization can often result in unintentional vascular, neural, and visceral injury. As an example, the rate of unintentional vascular puncture injuries during peripheral nerve block placement was reduced from 40% in the conventional anatomical landmark techniques to 10% with introduction of real-time visualization of the advancing regional block needle under ultrasound. Trainees can often make repeated errors and exhibit potentially compromising technical and safety behaviors during ultrasound-guided interventional nerve block placement procedures which can be potentially remediated by techniques that can improve needle visualization [2–7]. A practitioner cannot assume that an interventional/procedural needle will always be clearly identified based on the variable properties and sizes of the several metallic needles. The variety of needle types used will often produce a distinct signal or “echo” under the ultrasound image. Effective visualization of the procedural needle, once introduced under the skin, is challenging for several reasons: variability in echogenicity of needles, varying ultrasound machine image processing technologies by the many ultrasound manufacturers, and transducer probe properties variability. These reasons along with other factors may be manipulated and modified to help improve needle visibility and will be discussed in this chapter.
On Uncertainty in Numerical Analysis of Parametric Roll

In this study, a systematic study is carried out for the parametric roll of two ships, particularly aiming the observation on the sensitivity of computational results to some parameters which can affect the analysis of parametric roll. The parameters to be considered are metacentric height(GM), simulaton time-window, and the descretization of wave spectrum. To this end, a series of numerical simulation based on impulse response function approach is carried out. Based on the statistical properties of parametric roll, numerical uncertainty in computational approche is discussed.
Knee-to-knee Bioimpedance Measurements to Monitor Changes in Extracellular Fluid in Haemodynamic-unstable Patients During Dialysis

Abstract The feasibility of bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) techniques for monitoring intradialytic changes in body fluids is advancing. The aim of this study was to compare the knee-to-knee (kkBIS) with the traditional whole-body (whBIS) with respect to continuous assessment of fluid volume status in hemodialysis patients. Twenty patients divided into two groups, hemodynamically stable and unstable, were recruited. Bioimpedance data from two different electrodes configurations (hand-to-foot and knee-to-knee) were collected and retrospectively analysed. A good correlation between the two methods with respect to changes in extracellular resistance (Re) and Re normalized for ultrafiltration volume (ΔRe/UFV) with p < 0.001 was observed. The relationship between relative change (%) in ΔRe and that in patient weight was most notable with kkBIS (4.82 ± 3.31 %/kg) in comparison to whBIS (3.69 ± 2.90 %/kg) in unstable patients. Furthermore, results based on kkBIS showed a reduced ability of the thigh compartments to keep up with the volume changes in the trunk for unstable patients. kkBIS provided a comparable sensitivity to whBIS even in patients at risk of intradialytic hypotension while avoiding the need for the complex implementation imposed by whBIS or other configurations.
Improvement of Lipoprotein Profile and Metabolic Endotoxemia by a Lifestyle Intervention That Modifies the Gut Microbiota in Subjects With Metabolic Syndrome

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a serious health problem over the world; thus, the aim of the present work was to develop a lifestyle intervention to decrease the dysbiosis of gut microbiota and reduce the biochemical abnormalities of MetS. Methods and Results The prevalence of MetS was evaluated in 1065 subjects of Mexico City, Mexico, and the gut microbiota in a subsample. Subjects with MetS were selected for a pragmatic study based on a lifestyle intervention with a low‐saturated‐fat diet, reduced‐energy intake, with functional foods and physical activity, and a second group was selected for a randomized control‐placebo study to assess the gut microbiota after the dietary intervention. Prevalence of MetS was 53%, and the higher the body mass index, the higher the gut microbiota dysbiosis. The higher the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance, the lower the high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration. The pragmatic study revealed that after 15 days on a low‐saturated‐fat diet, there was a 24% reduction in serum triglycerides; and after a 75‐day lifestyle intervention, MetS was reduced by 44.8%, with a reduction in low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, small low‐density lipoprotein particles, glucose intolerance, lipopolysaccharide, and branched‐chain amino acid. The randomized control‐placebo study showed that after the lifestyle intervention, there was a decrease in the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota associated with a reduction in the Prevotella/ Bacteroides ratio and an increase in the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Conclusions A lifestyle intervention significantly decreased MetS components, small low‐density lipoprotein particle concentration, gut microbiota dysbiosis, and metabolic endotoxemia, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT03611140.
Study of Association between Interleukin 20 Polymorphism ( Rs 1518108 ) and Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

1. Department of Viral Hepatitis and Liver Diseases, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 3. Department of Molecular Genetics and Cancer, Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 4. Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Comparison of Thermoresponsive Hydrogels Synthesized by Conventional Free Radical and RAFT Polymerization

We compared the influence of the polymerization mechanism onto the physical characteristics of thermoresponsive hydrogels. The Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogels were successfully synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) and free radical polymerization (FRP). The gels were prepared while using different crosslinker feed and monomer concentration. The swelling, dye release, and hydrolytic stability of the gels were investigated in water, or in representative komostrope and chaotrope salt solutions at room temperature and at 37 °C. It was found that the swelling ratio (SR) of the RAFT gels was significantly higher than that of the FRP gels; however, an increased crosslinking density resulted in a decrease of the SR of the RAFT gels as compared to the corresponding gels that are made by FRP, which indicates the limitation of the cross-linking efficiency that is attained in RAFT polymerization. Additionally, an increased monomer concentration decreased the SR of the RAFT gels, whereas a similar SR was observed for the FRP gels. However, the SR of both RAFT and FRP gels in NaSCN and Na2SO4 solutions were similar. Finally, the rate of dye release was significantly slower from the RAFT gels than the FRP gels and the hydrolytic stability of the RAFT gels was lower than that of FRP gels in water, but maintained similar stability in Na2SO4 and NaSCN solutions.
Models informed largely by sensor-supplied data can provide insights into the role of agriculture in carbon , energy , nutrient , and water cycles

Atmospheric Sciences; Keith Cherkauer is an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering; Melba Crawford is a professor of agronomy and civil engineering and associate dean of engineering for research; and Bernard Engel is a professor and head of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. All are at Purdue University. Models informed largely by sensor-supplied data can
Vacancy formation energy of simple metals using reliable model and ab initio pseudopotentials

We present a self-consistent calculation of the mono vacancy formation energy for seven simple metals Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs (all bcc), Al (fcc) and Mg (hcp) using both model and ab initio pseudopotential used in earlier unified studies. The local model pseudopotential calculations show small variations with respect to different exchange-correlation functions and the results are in fair agreement with other similar calculations and the available experimental data. The comparisons show that reliable model (pseudo) potential for simple metals can indeed be obtained for explaining a host of properties. Also, considering the importance of third order term in ab initio calculations, the results of our second order calculation appear fairly reasonable and are comparable with other first principle calculations. The perturbation series being an oscillating one, we hope to improve the calculational results using suitable series convergence acceleration method in the next part of our study.
Healthy Stadia Programme: innovative approach to health promotion

Abstract Sports stadia play an important role in local communities, therefore they are seen as very suitable places for various health promotion programmes. Since 2005, the Healthy Stadia programme has become a new standard for establishing policies regarding health promotion in local communities and during big international tournaments. This programme is an example of an effective setting-based approach to health promotion. Being funded by the European Union Public Health Programme, it has gained popularity in many European countries and also in Canada and Australia. Key parts of the programme include policies on tobacco and alcohol control, healthy food options and physical activity promotion on stadium grounds. Healthy Stadia programme proved to be an effective tool for promoting healthy lifestyle at many sports stadia. The programme is constantly improving and developing new projects, like Football Fans in Training (FFIT) or European Fans in Training (EuroFIT). This article provides an introduction to the programme’s main parts as well as its origins and future projects. Poland is active member of the Healthy Stadia since 2007.
Education and Wage Dispersion : New Evidence for Europe 1

Academic research has a long tradition of calculating the returns to schooling. By characterizing the payoffs to the educational investment we can obtain useful information for both public and private decisions on how much to invest in education. Returns to schooling are a useful indicator of the economic benefits of education and an incentive for individuals to invest in their own human capital. However, these payoffs have been typically characterized in terms of averages and, somewhat surprising, little attention has been paid to the dispersion around the average. Recent empirical research has shown that returns to schooling are subject to an important amount of variation across individuals. This has two notable implications. First, the fact that individuals with the same educational level obtain different rewards in the labour market introduces a within-groups dispersion component in the relation between education and inequality. Aggregate wage inequality is due not only to differences between educational groups but arises from differences within these groups as well. Conventional wisdom asserts that policies aimed at increasing average schooling levels are expected to reduce earnings inequality by increasing the proportion of high-wage earners. A more equitable distribution of education, it is argued, will result in a more equitable distribution of earnings. Although such policies may reduce average differences between differently educated individuals, the final impact on overall inequality is not straightforward. If, as is the case, higher levels of education are associated with higher wage dispersion, educational expansion may result in more inequality within groups of similarly educated individuals. By increasing the weight of these high-variance groups, higher educational levels may instead add to overall wage inequality. Second, if individuals with the same observable characteristics obtain different returns from similar schooling, then their educational decision is
Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is e ff ective , acceptable and practical health care : An updated meta-analysis

Background: A 2010 meta-analysis of internet-delivered CBT (iCBT) RCTs argued ‘computer therapy for the anxiety and depressive disorders was effective, acceptable and practical health care’ without data on effectiveness or practicality in routine practice. Methods: Databases, reviews and meta-analyses were searched for randomised controlled trials of cCBT or iCBT versus a control group (care as usual, waitlist, information control, psychological placebo, pill placebo, etc.) in people who met diagnostic criteria for major depression, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder or generalised anxiety disorder. Number randomised, superiority of treatment versus control (Hedges’g) on primary outcome measure, length of follow-up, follow up outcome, patient adherence and satisfaction/harm were extracted; risk of bias was assessed. A search for studies on effectiveness of iCBT in clinical practice was conducted. Results: 64 trials were identified. The mean effect size (efficacy) was g= 0.80 (NNT 2.34), and benefit was evident across all four disorders. Improvement was maintained at follow-with good acceptability. Research probity was good, and bias risk low. In addition, nine studies comparing iCBT with traditional face-to-face CBT and three comparing iCBT with bibliotherapy were identified. All three modes of treatment delivery appeared equally beneficial. The results of effectiveness studies were congruent with the results of the efficacy trials. Limitations: Studies variably measured changes in quality of life and disability, and the lack of comparisons with medications weakens the field. Conclusions: The conclusions drawn in the original meta-analysis are now supported: iCBT for the anxiety and depressive disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care.
Automatic Indexing for Research Papers Using

An effective way to reveal the contents of research papers is assigning a group of terms against a controlled vocabulary. To the best of our knowledge, a variety of automatic indexing techniques have been studied to enhance the effectiveness and the efficiency. However, the current approaches depended on the content of a research paper, such as title, abstract, etc., which suffering from limitations on the automatic indexing performance. In this paper, we propose a new approach of automatic indexing for single research paper with its references based on Genetic Algorithm (GA). The extensive experiments on four subjects show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.