Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transbronchial cryobiopsy for diffuse parenchymal lung disease: 30- and 90-day mortality

Surgical lung biopsy (SLB) in diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD) has been associated with significant in-hospital mortality (16% for non-elective patients, 1.7% for elective patients, overall 6.4%) [1, 2]. Overall 30-day mortality from SLB is reported at 1.5–4.5% from case series and 2.4% from a large European database [3]. Transbronchial cryobiopsy (TBC) has been proposed as a safer alternative to SLB for diagnosis of DPLD [4]. Existing studies on TBC report immediate procedural complications, but data on mortality at 30 and 90 days is sparse [2]. This study suggests 30- and 90-day mortality after transbronchial cryobiopsy is higher than reported, confirming concerns raised about safety in advanced diffuse lung disease. Keen attention towards patient selection and procedural planning is warranted. http://bit.ly/2ySoZNq
Concordancers and dictionaries as problem-solving tools for ESL academic writing

Choongil Yoon, Ewha Womans University The present study investigated how 6 Korean ESL graduate students in Canada used a suite of freely available reference resources, consisting of Web-based corpus tools, Google search engines, and dictionaries, for solving linguistic problems while completing an authentic academic writing assignment in English. Using a mixed methods design, the study examined the processes and outcomes of combined use of concordancers and other reference resources by the participants and their perceptions of the reference suite as a means of writing assistance.
Anthropometric Profile of Soccer Players as a Determinant of Position Specificity and Methodological Issues of Body Composition Estimation

The aim of the present study was (a) to describe the anthropometric profile of a large group of soccer players based on different age groups and their playing positions on the field, and (b) to examine the variations of body composition among adult soccer players using diverse equations based on skinfold thickness. A total of 618 Greek soccer players who were grouped by age (i.e., 12–14, 14–16, 16–18, and 18–37 years) and playing position (i.e., goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward) were evaluated for weight, height, and skinfolds. The Pařízková formula was used to estimate the percentage of body fat. Furthermore, for players who were 18 years or older the Reilly and Evans formulas was used to estimate the percentage of body fat. Independent of the age, in this large sample, goalkeepers presented higher values for weight, height and the percentage of body fat estimation as compared with other field positions. An anthropometric pattern was observed in each tactical position, namely, across a specific age of increasing maturation process (14–16 years). With the Pařízková formula, we found a mean (SD) range of variation in the percentage of body fat estimation between 4.87 ± 1.46 and 5.51 ± 1.46 as compared with the Evans formula. The same pattern of differences was found when the Reilly equation was considered. In conclusion, we observed a position specificity of anthropometric characteristics across different age categories. Additionally, the same data supported different validated equations which resulted in large differences in the final outcome estimations.
Programming in Ada 2012: Object Oriented Programming

Ada is the language of choice for the majority of programmers involved in writing safety-critical and high-integrity software. Previous editions of John Barnes' books established themselves as the definitive references for earlier versions of Ada. With the release of the latest ISO standard, Ada 2012, this new book will become recognised as the go-to resource for those wishing to learn the language or to program in it.
A Combined Treatment Approach to Support Everyday Function and Promote Brain Health in Older Adults: A Pilot Study

ABSTRACT Objective: Subtle changes in functional abilities are an early indicator of cognitive impairment. Early intervention may be key to prolonging independence. This study describes the development and program evaluation of an intervention designed to (1) bolster the use of compensation strategies that support everyday executive and memory functioning and (2) utilize these strategies to promote engagement in brain health activities. Method: Older adults (n = 35) with subjective cognitive complaints completed an eight-week group program targeting compensation strategies (e.g., calendars) and brain health activities (e.g., physical exercise). Participants completed outcome measures at first, last, and 3 month follow-up sessions. Results: Compensation strategy use can be successfully taught to and implemented by older adults, and increasing engagement in brain health behaviors is possible, although particular lifestyle changes are challenging to implement. Conclusion: Findings support the use of interventions aimed at increased engagement in compensation strategies to aid everyday memory and executive functioning. Clinical Implications: Early intervention may help to promote prolonged functional independence.
Impacts of protected areas vary with the level of government: Comparing avoided deforestation across agencies in the Brazilian Amazon

Significance As protected areas (PAs) are a leading conservation strategy, understanding what conditions affect their impacts is critical. We expect different government agencies to vary in their PA locations and management. We offer a test of whether PA impacts vary across agencies. For the Brazilian Amazon, we compare deforestation impacts for 3 types of agencies: federal indigenous lands, federal PAs, and state PAs. Across states within the “arc of deforestation,” internal PA impacts are higher for indigenous lands and federal PAs than for state PAs. In Pará State, federal agencies also have spillover impacts: Indigenous lands raise deforestation nearby, and federal PAs lower deforestation nearby. Agencies’ objectives and capacities affect impacts, and thereby are important considerations for implementing international environmental agreements. Protected areas (PAs) are the leading tools to conserve forests. However, given their mixed effectiveness, we want to know when they have impacts internally and, if they do, when they have spillovers. Political economy posits roles for the level of government. One hypothesis is that federal PAs avoid more internal deforestation than state PAs since federal agencies consider gains for other jurisdictions. Such political differences as well as economic mechanisms can cause PA spillovers to vary greatly, even from “leakage,” more deforestation elsewhere, to “blockage,” less deforestation elsewhere. We examine internal impacts and local spillovers for Brazilian Amazon federal and state agencies. Outside the region’s “arc of deforestation,” we confirm little internal impact and show no spillovers. In the “arc,” we test impacts by state, as states are large and feature considerably different dynamics. For internal impacts, estimates for federal PAs and indigenous lands are higher than for state PAs. For local spillover impacts, estimates for most arc states either are not significant or are not robust; however, for Pará, federal PAs and indigenous lands feature both internal impacts and local spillovers. Yet, the spillovers in Pará go in opposite directions across agencies, leakage for indigenous lands but blockage for federal PAs, suggesting a stronger external signal from the environmental agency. Across all these tools, only federal PAs lower deforestation internally and nearby. Results suggest that agencies’ objectives and capacities are critical parts of the contexts for conservation strategies.
Comment on 'Naked mole-rat mortality rates defy Gompertzian laws by not increasing with age'

Ruby et al. recently analyzed historical lifespan data on more than 3200 naked mole-rats, collected over a total observation period of about 38 years (Ruby et al., 2018). They report that mortality hazards do not seem to increase across the full range of their so-far-observed lifespan, and conclude that this defiance of Gompertz's law ‘uniquely identifies the naked mole-rat as a non-aging mammal’. Here, we explain why we believe this conclusion is premature.
A Remote Control Strategy for an Autonomous Vehicle with Slow Sensor Using Kalman Filtering and Dual-Rate Control

This work presents a novel remote control solution for an Autonomous Vehicle (AV), where the system structure is split into two sides. Both sides are assumed to be synchronized and linked through a communication network, which introduces time-varying delays and packet disorder. An Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is used to cope with the non-linearities that appear in the global model of the AV. The EKF fuses the data provided by the sensing devices of the AV in order to estimate the AV state, reducing the noise effect. Additionally, the EKF includes an h-step-ahead state prediction stage, which, together with the consideration of a packet-based control strategy, enables facing the network-induced delays. Since the AV position is provided by a camera, which is a slow sensing device, a dual-rate controller is required to achieve certain desired (nominal) dynamic control performance. The use of a dual-rate control framework additionally enables saving network bandwidth and deals with packet disorder. As the path-tracking control algorithm, pure pursuit is used. Application results show that, despite existing communication problems and slow-rate measurements, the AV is able to track the desired path, keeping the nominal control performance.
Extra-phosphoric effects of super dosing phytase on growth performance of pigs is not solely due to release of myo-inositol.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of myo-inositol and phytase on growth performance, plasma metabolites and nutrient digestibility of growing pigs. In Exp. 1, 96 growing pigs with average initial body weight (BW) of 26.2 kg were used in a 25-d growth performance study. Pigs were assigned to four dietary treatments with 3 pigs per pen and 8 replicate pens per treatment in a randomized complete block design. The 4 treatments were control diet (CD); CD + 2 g/kg inositol; CD + 1,000 FYT/kg phytase and CD + 3,000 FYT/kg phytase. Pigs were weighed individually every week. On d 25, blood sample was collected from one pig per pen to measure plasma metabolites concentrations. In Exp. 2, sixteen barrows (initial BW 34.8 ± 8.2 kg) were surgically fitted with T-cannulas. Pigs were allotted to 4 blocks based on BW and assigned to a quadruplicate 4 × 2 incomplete Latin square design with same 4 dietary treatments and 2 periods. Ileal digesta samples were collected from each pig on d 6 and 7 of each period to determine apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients. Phytase supplementation increased final BW and average daily gain (ADG) compared to CD (P < 0.05) with no effects on average daily feed intake (ADFI) and gain to feed (G:F) was higher in 3,000 FYT/kg phytase (P < 0.05). Inositol supplementation had no effects on growth performance. Plasma myo-inositol concentration was increased by inositol supplementation, and 3,000 FYT/kg phytase increased myo-inositol in the plasma by 97.2% (P < 0.05). Plasma P concentration was increased by 1,000 or 3,000 FYT/kg phytase with no effects on alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glucose, triglycerides (TAG), calcium (Ca) and urea concentrations. Phytase supplementation reduced (P < 0.05) the phytate-P concentration in the ileal digesta and increased the digestibility of phytate-P and total P with no effects on the AID of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), nitrogen (N) and Ca. In conclusion, the beneficial effects of 3,000 FYT/kg phytase on feed efficiency may due to the increased release of both myo-inositol and phosphorus (P), and may not be solely due to myo-inositol release by this level of phytase.
Likelihood of Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines of Veterans Who Are Obese by Disability Status

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the likelihood of meeting the physical activity guidelines in veterans who are obese by disability status. Design: We used data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a cross-sectional telephone survey. The mean response rate was 44.9%. Setting: Respondents came from all 50 states, District of Columbia, and 3 US territories. Patients: Respondents included veterans self-reporting being obese (N = 13 798). Measures: We created a mutually exclusive disability variable: no disability, multiple disability, and limitations only with hearing, vision, cognitive, mobility, Activities of Daily Living, or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. Physical activity guidelines were defined as 150 minutes/week of aerobic activity and 2 days/week of strength activities. Analysis: Prevalence ratios (PRs) were calculated by performing separate log-binomial regression models for meeting strength and aerobic recommendations on veterans who were obese. Results: Obese veterans with mobility limitations only or multiple disabilities were significantly less likely to meet the aerobic (PR = 0.74, P = .002 and PR = .62, P = .021, respectively) or strength (PR = .76, P < .001 and PR = 0.74, P < .001, respectively) recommendations, compared to not having a disability (n = 7964). Conclusions: Inactivity could be explained by a lack of inclusive weight loss programs for veterans with disabilities and barriers to physical activity encountered by people with disabilities. Two primary limitations of this study are self-report of obesity and physical activity and exclusion of adults in institutional settings.
Search-based learning of latent tree models

A latent variable model is a statistical model that relates a set of observed variables (aka manifest variables) to a set of unobserved variables (aka latent variables). Examples of latent variable models include hidden Markov models (HMMs), latent class models, factor models, and so on. In this thesis we study a class of latent variable models known as latent tree (LT) models. LT models are tree-structured Bayesian networks where the leaf nodes represent manifest variables while internal nodes represent latent variables. We investigate the automatic induction of LT models from data, and the use of LT models in cluster analysis of categorical data. Several search-based algorithms for learning LT models have been developed. However there are important issues that remain poorly understood. In this thesis we study three such issues, namely operation granularity, efficient model evaluation and range of model adjustment. The investigation sheds new light on search-based learning of LT models and leads to a new algorithm that is conceptually simpler and more efficient than the state-of-the-art and yet finds better models. LT models can be used for latent structure discovery, density estimation and cluster analysis. In this thesis we address an issue that is critical to the application of LT models to cluster analysis, namely model interpretation, and we demonstrate using empirical results that LT analysis can discover interesting regularities from data that no other methods can.
Understanding the High Frequency Use of the Emergency Department for Patients With Chronic Pain: A Mixed-Methods Study.

INTRODUCTION Chronic pain (CP) is a common driver of emergency department (ED) visits despite the ED not being the ideal setting for CP because of increased risk of adverse events and high costs. PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to understand factors contributing to CP-related ED visits, patients' care experiences, and patients' perspectives on alternatives to the ED. METHODS We used a mixed-methods design combining semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with 12 patients with CP who had 12 or more ED visits over 1 year. We analyzed test scores using descriptive statistics and interviews using applied thematic analysis. RESULTS Four themes emerged. Factors contributing to ED visits included the following: fear (e.g., pain and its impact); inability to cope with pain; family suggestions to go to the ED; and access to other services and resources. Patients had validating and invalidating experiences in the ED: needs were met or not met; and feeling acknowledged or unacknowledged. Patients' experiences with their family physician included feeling supported or unsupported. Alternatives to the ED included working with an interdisciplinary team, developing personalized care plans, and increased community-based resources. CONCLUSIONS Patients with CP and frequent ED use present with complex pain and care experiences, requiring careful attention to management strategies and the patient-provider relationship.
Group versus population level demographics: An analysis of comparability using long term data on wild white‐faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus imitator)

Primates have long been used as indicator species for assessing overall ecosystem health. However, area‐wide census methods are time consuming, costly, and not always feasible under many field conditions. Therefore, it is important to establish whether monitoring a subset of a population accurately reflects demographic changes occurring in the population at large. Over the past 35 years, we have conducted 15 area‐wide censuses in Sector Santa Rosa, Costa Rica. These efforts have revealed important trends in population growth patterns of capuchin monkeys following the protection and subsequent regeneration of native forests. During this same period, we have also intensively studied a subset of the capuchin groups. Comparing these two datasets, we investigate whether the population structures of the closely monitored groups are reliable indicators of area‐wide demographic patterns. We compare the overall group size and the individual age/sex class compositions of study groups and nonstudy groups (i.e., those contacted during area‐wide censuses only). Our study groups contained more individuals overall with a larger proportion of infants, and there were indications that the proportion of adult and subadult males was lower. These differences can be ascribed either to sampling errors or real differences attributable to human presence and/or better habitat quality for the study groups. No other sex/age classes differed, and major demographic changes were simultaneously evident in both study and nonstudy groups. This study suggests that the Santa Rosa capuchin population is similarly impacted by large‐scale ecological patterns observable within our study groups.
Starvation-Induced Differential Virotherapy Using an Oncolytic Measles Vaccine Virus

Starvation sensitizes tumor cells to chemotherapy while protecting normal cells at the same time, a phenomenon defined as differential stress resistance. In this study, we analyzed if starvation would also increase the oncolytic potential of an oncolytic measles vaccine virus (MeV-GFP) while protecting normal cells against off-target lysis. Human colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cell lines as well as human normal colon cell lines were subjected to various starvation regimes and infected with MeV-GFP. The applied fasting regimes were either short-term (24 h pre-infection) or long-term (24 h pre- plus 96 h post-infection). Cell-killing features of (i) virotherapy, (ii) starvation, as well as (iii) the combination of both were analyzed by cell viability assays and virus growth curves. Remarkably, while long-term low-serum, standard glucose starvation potentiated the efficacy of MeV-mediated cell killing in CRC cells, it was found to be decreased in normal colon cells. Interestingly, viral replication of MeV-GFP in CRC cells was decreased in long-term-starved cells and increased after short-term low-glucose, low-serum starvation. In conclusion, starvation-based virotherapy has the potential to differentially enhance MeV-mediated oncolysis in the context of CRC cancer patients while protecting normal colon cells from unwanted off-target effects.
Effects of LC-PUFA Supplementation in Patients with Phenylketonuria: A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials

Evidence suggests a role of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), in which animal foods are especially rich, in optimal neural development. The LC-PUFAs docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid, found in high concentrations in the brain and retina, have potential beneficial effects on cognition, and motor and visual functions. Phenylketonuria (PKU) is the most common inborn error of amino acid metabolism. The treatment of PKU consists of a phenylalanine-free diet, which limits the intake of natural proteins of high biological value. In this systematic review, we summarize the available evidence supporting a role for LC-PUFA supplementation as an effective means of increasing LC-PUFA levels and improving visual and neurocognitive functions in PKU patients. Data from controlled trials of children and adults (up to 47 years of age) were obtained by searching the MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. For each selected study, the risk of bias was assessed applying the methodology of the Cochrane Collaboration. The findings indicate that DHA supplementation in PKU patients from 2 weeks to 47 years of age improves DHA status and decreases visual evoked potential P100 wave latency in PKU children from 1 to 11 years old. Neurocognitive data are inconclusive.
Well-Being and Romantic Relationships: A Systematic Review in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are both stages in which romantic relationships play a key role in development and can be a source of both well-being and negative outcomes. However, the limited number of studies prior to adulthood, along with the multiplicity of variables involved in the romantic context and the considerable ambiguity surrounding the construct of well-being, make it difficult to reach conclusions about the relationship between the two phenomena. This systematic review synthesizes the results produced into this topic over the last three decades. A total of 112 studies were included, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. On the one hand, these works revealed the terminological heterogeneity in research on well-being and the way the absence of symptoms of illness are commonly used to measure it, while on the other hand, they also showed that romantic relationships can be an important source of well-being for both adolescents and emerging adults. The findings underline the importance of providing a better definition of well-being, as well as to attribute greater value to the significance of romantic relationships. Devoting greater empirical, educational, and community efforts to romantic development in the stages leading up to adulthood are considered necessary actions in promoting the well-being of young people.