Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE ASSESSMENT USING SINGLE-INHALER DUAL VERSUS TRIPLE THERAPY IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE PATIENTS

Objectives: The study compared triple therapy (inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting beta2-agonists [LABA]/long-acting muscarinic antagonists [LAMA]) versus dual therapy [LABA/LAMA] in improving lung function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: This prospective and observational study compared 12 weeks of triple therapy (Formoterol – 6 mcg/Ciclesonide – 200 mcg/Tiotropium – 9 mcg) versus dual therapy (Formoterol – 6 mcg/Tiotropium – 9 mcg) in COPD patients. The primary objective included HRQoL as measured by improvement (decrease) from baseline in St. George respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) score and COPD assessment test (CAT) scores. Coprimary endpoint included the change from baseline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Results: After 12 weeks of treatment, triple therapy (n=30) and dual therapy (30), mean improvement (decrease) from baseline in SGRQ scores was −21.06 (95% CI, −24.92–−17.20) and −5.89571 (95% CI, −7.71–−4.07), respectively, and mean improvement (decrease) from baseline in CAT scores was −2.83 (95% CI, −3.73–−1.94] and −1.8 (95% CI, −2.25–−1.35), respectively. The mean change from baseline in FEV1% predicted was 3.09 (95% CI, 2.18–4.00) and 1.69 (95% CI, 1.43–1.97) for triple and dual therapy, respectively. For all the endpoints, the between-group mean differences were statistically significant (p<0.001). Conclusion: Triple therapy (Formoterol – 6 mcg/Ciclesonide – 200 mcg/Tiotropium – 9 mcg) can provide improvements in lung function and quality of life over dual therapy (Formoterol – 6 mcg/Tiotropium – 9 mcg) in patients with moderate to severe COPD. Future studies should focus on which drug combination of triple therapy is more effective and cost-effective than other possible triple therapy drug combinations.
An Unsupervised Approach for Knowledge Construction Applied to Personal Robots

The employment of personal robots or service robots has aroused much interest in recent years with an amazing growth of robotics in different domains. Although sophisticated humanoid robots have been developed, much more effort is needed for improving their cognitive capabilities. Interactions with humans and/or with other agents are still limited and not considered satisfactory. So, the way we store and represent knowledge in a cognitive architecture is fundamental in order to overcome these limitations and improve the human–machine and machine–machine interactions. In this article, we propose an unsupervised approach for knowledge construction based on the robot’s perception. Our approach makes use of Kohonen maps as an unsupervised machine learning technique and allows the definition of semantic clusters from visual features perceived by the robot. Besides, a multimedia graph knowledge base using a pure formalism is presented, which can be actively used by personal robots in their classic activities, such as environment exploration or information gathering, to represent and share the acquired knowledge, linking it to abstract concepts gifted with semantic relations.
A 67-86 GHz Spectrum-Efficient CMOS Transmitter Supporting 1024-QAM With a Process-Variation-Tolerant Design

This paper describes a direct-conversion <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${E}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-band transmitter (TX) in 65-nm CMOS. To demonstrate the feasibility of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${E}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-band 1024-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM), a 67 to 86 GHz direct-conversion CMOS transmitter with broadband image rejection is presented. The transmitter contains an I (in-phase) and Q (quadrature-phase) modulator and a five-stage power amplifier. To achieve a 40 dBc image-rejection ratio (IRR) of the I/Q modulator for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${E}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-band, a broadband half-quadrature generator (HQG), which contains a composite right/left-handed (CRLH) based divider, quadrature couplers, and baluns is proposed. For the purpose of minimizing the phase imbalance, phase balance lines are utilized in HQG to achieve a 1-degree phase accuracy under different tuning lines. Subsequently, the reflection can be mitigated by optimizing the impedance matching between the HQG and the mixer core. Meanwhile, because millimeter-wave (MMW) circuits are susceptible to process variations, a process-variation-tolerant design is introduced to mitigate IRR variation, especially under 40 dBc. The transmitter demonstrates a measured flat conversion gain (CG) of 23±2 dB from 56 to 86 GHz. The proposed TX achieves an IRR better than 40 dBc from 67 to 86 GHz (bandwidth of 19 GHz) with a peak IRR of 56.2 dBc at 70 GHz. Furthermore, the proposed TX has exhibited a 6 bit/s/Hz spectral efficiency with 1024-QAM under the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation format. The 1.129 mm<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$^{2}~{E}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-band TX achieves a measured output power of 6.5 dBm with a total dc power consumption of 164 mW from a 1.2 V supply voltage.
Reliability analysis of a tendon-driven actuation for soft robots

The reliability of soft robotic devices will be the bottleneck that slows their commercialization. In particular, fatigue failure issues are a major concern. Thus, reliability should be taken into account from the earliest stages of development. However, to date, there have been no attempts to analyze the reliability of soft robotic devices in a systematic manner. When soft robots are employed to force transmission applications, reliability is typically a dominant issue, since soft robotic structures are constructed with soft material components; these materials have highly nonlinear properties that arise due to the large distribution in the material properties. Furthermore, reliability should be analyzed from the robot’s system down to the components using domain knowledge about the system; this requires a systematic approach. This study presents a framework for reliability analysis of soft robotic devices taking into account a probability distribution that has not been considered before and examines a case study of a tendon-driven soft robot. This study focuses specifically on the (a) concept design process, (b) lifetime analysis process, and (c) design and optimization process. A life model that considers distribution is proposed using accelerated life testing based on analysis of the failure mechanism of the tendon-driven system. The tensile stress of the wire was varied during the experiment with different bend angles and output tension. The result was validated with different stress levels using a testbed to simulate an actual application. The proposed reliability analysis methodology could be applied to other soft robotic systems, such as pneumatic actuators, to improve the reliability-related properties during the robot design stage, and the life model can be used to estimate the device lifetime under various stress conditions.
Effectiveness of Hydro-Galvanic Bath Therapy on Global Health Status, Quality of Life, Depression, and Pain in Individuals with Fibromyalgia – A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract Purpose Although a number of treatments are widely prescribed for fibromyalgia (FM), many are not fully effective. In clinical practice, the effectiveness of electrotherapy is limited in particular to hydro-galvanic bath therapy in the management of FM. This experiment aims to evaluate whether hydro-galvanic bath therapy can be beneficial in decreasing pain and increasing quality of life for individuals with FM. Material and Methods This quasi-experimental study recruited 92 individuals diagnosed with FM who were then divided equally either into a galvanic group or control group. The galvanic group received both hydro-galvanic bath therapy and a 12-week supervised aerobic exercise program, whereas the control group only received the exercise program. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), SF-36 Health Survey, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results and discussion Individuals in both groups showed excellent compliance with interventions by attending more than 85% of sessions. Both groups showed a significant change in all outcome measures evaluated (p<0.001), but the galvanic group showed greater improvements when compared with the control group (p<0.001). The galvanic group showed a 16.6% of FIQ score, 8.2% of SF-36 score, 25.0% of BDI score, and 53.2% of VAS score from baseline. In turn, the control group demonstrated a reduction of 6.8% of FIQ score, 11.8% of SF-36 score, 22.0% of BDI score, and 41.6% of VAS score. Conclusion The galvanic group who received galvanic bath therapy along with aerobic exercise for 12 weeks evoked greater change in FIQ, BDI, and SF-36 Health Survey scores compared with results of aerobic exercise alone in control group.
A self-supported 3D aerogel network lithium–sulfur battery cathode: sulfur spheres wrapped with phosphorus doped graphene and bridged with carbon nanofibers

Practical applications of lithium–sulfur batteries have been impeded by their poor cycling stability that results from the “shuttling” of polysulfides. Herein, we demonstrate a new strategy for developing a hierarchical phosphorus-doped graphene/carbon nanofiber/sulfur aerogel (PGCNF/S) with “network” morphologies, in which sulfur spheres are wrapped with graphene sheets and carbon nanofibers (PGCNFs) with “net” structures and this carbon matrix has greatly improved the electrochemical performances of sulfur spheres. PGCNF nets ensure a uniform loading of sulfur spheres that leads to a high sulfur mass loading of 85 wt%. Also, the good porous structures achieved with this PGCNF/S cathode can provide sufficient space for volume expansion of active sulfur spheres. Due to its structural advantages, this binder-free PGCNF/S cathode exhibits a specific capacity of 1360 mA h g−1 at 0.1C, and a high areal capacity of 21.5 mA h cm−2 based on a high sulfur mass loading of 15.8 mg cm−2. Furthermore, a long term cycling stability of 600 cycles has been achieved by this PGCNF/S cathode with an average coulombic efficiency of ∼99.8%. This work highlights a broadly adaptable strategy of “network” structures for developing scalable and high-energy density electrode materials for energy storage devices.
Caring for Self while Caring for Others: Impact of Wearable Health Monitoring Devices on Self-care of Family/Friend Caregivers of Individuals Living with a Dementia

Dementia is a leading cause of disability and dependency and directly impacts family caregivers. Caregivers often neglect their own health and well-being while caring for a loved one; thereby, placing themselves at risk for adverse health outcomes. Identifying ways to promote well-being among family caregivers is necessary so they can continue in their caregiver role while mitigating ill health effects. This study explored the impact of wearable health monitoring devices on caregivers’ engagement with their own self-care needs. Findings provide evidence for the use of a digital health platform in promoting health in caregivers of individuals living with dementia.
Divergence in the shell morphology of the land snail genus Aegista (Pulmonata: Bradybaenidae) under phylogenetic constraints

The role of natural selection in phenotypic evolution is central to evolutionary biology. Phenotypic evolution is affected by various factors other than adaptation, and recent focus has been placed on the effects of phylogenetic constraints and niche conservatism on phenotypic evolution. Here, we investigate the relationship between the shell morphology and habitat use of bradybaenid land snails of the genus Aegista and clarify the causes of the divergence in shell morphology among phylogenetically related species. The results of ancestral state reconstruction showed that arboreal species have evolved independently from ground-dwelling species at least four times. A significant association was found between shell shape and habitat use, despite the existence of a certain degree of phylogenetic constraint between these traits. A principal component analysis showed that arboreal species tend to have a relatively high-spired shell with a narrow umbilicus. By contrast, ground-dwelling species have a low-spired shell with a wide umbilicus. Although the latitude and elevation of the sampling locations showed no relationship with shell morphology, the geology of the sampling locations affected the shell size of arboreal species. The development of a well-balanced shell shape is one effective method for reducing the cost of locomotion under the force of gravity in each life habitat, resulting in the divergence in shell morphology and the independent evolution of morphologically similar species among different lineages. The present study suggests that ecological divergence is probably the cause of shell morphology divergence in land snails. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 114, 229–241.
Computation-Efficient Decoupled Multiparameter Estimation of PMSMs From Massive Redundant Measurements

Comprehensive parameters testing and analysis are critical to high-performance modeling and control of permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs). In this article, a novel decoupled approach for dual three-phase PMSM parameter estimation including winding resistance, machine inductances, and PM flux linkage is proposed for comprehensive parameter testing. An improved machine model considering magnetic saturation and inverter nonlinearity is proposed at first, in which a quadratic equation is employed to model the nonlinear variation of machine inductances and inverter voltage distortion is also modeled. Thereafter, a novel decoupled estimation model is proposed to decouple multiparameter estimation into four simplified estimations using least squares method. This decoupled model can effectively reduce the cross influences between parameters and improve the computation efficiency. Moreover, it is capable of dealing with massive redundant measurements for accurate and computation-efficient parameter estimations, which is especially suitable for obtaining machine parameters over a wide operation range during machine testing, such as inductance maps under different operating conditions.
Validation of Ash/Dust Detections from SEVIRI Data Using ACTRIS/EARLINET Ground-Based LIDAR Measurements

Two tailored configurations of the Robust Satellite Technique (RST) multi-temporal approach, for airborne volcanic ash and desert dust detection, have been tested in the framework of the European Natural Airborne Disaster Information and Coordination System for Aviation (EUNADICS-AV) project. The two algorithms, running on Spinning Enhanced Visible Infra-Red Imager (SEVIRI) data, were previously assessed over wide areas by comparison with independent satellite-based aerosol products. In this study, we present results of a first validation analysis of the above mentioned satellite-based ash/dust products using independent, ground-based observations coming from the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET). The aim is to assess the capabilities of RST-based ash/dust products in providing useful information even at local scale and to verify their applicability as a “trigger” to timely activate EARLINET measurements during airborne hazards. The intense Saharan dust event of May 18–23 2008—which affected both the Mediterranean Basin and Continental Europe—and the strong explosive eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull (Iceland) volcano of April–May 2010, were analyzed as test cases. Our results show that both RST-based algorithms were capable of providing reliable information about the investigated phenomena at specific sites of interest, successfully detecting airborne ash/dust in different geographic regions using both nighttime and daytime SEVIRI data. However, the validation analysis also demonstrates that ash/dust layers remain undetected by satellite in the presence of overlying meteorological clouds and when they are tenuous (i.e., with an integrated backscatter coefficient less than ~0.001 sr−1 and with aerosol backscatter coefficient less than ~1 × 10−6 m−1sr−1). This preliminary analysis confirms that the continuity of satellite-based observations can be used to timely “trigger” ground-based LIDAR measurements in case of airborne hazard events. Finally, this work confirms that advanced satellite-based detection schemes may provide a relevant contribution to the monitoring of ash/dust phenomena and that the synergistic use of (satellite-based) large scale, continuous and timely records with (ground-based) accurate and quantitative measurements may represent an added value, especially in operational scenarios.
Optimization of water-physical properties of sandy soils of natural-technogenic origin

Purpose. To establish the changes in the water­physical properties of sandy soils under the influence of different content of forest­like loam, humus mass of sod­podzolic sandy loam and gray loamy soils and to show their influence on the phytomass pro­ duction of annual seedlings of Scotch pine and common oak. Methodology. Indicators of density, porosity, as well as absolute and relative humidity of sandy soils and their mixtures with different content of loam and humus mass of zonal soils were determined by conventional methods in soil science. The effect of the studied mixtures on the water­physical properties of the sands was evaluated by the parameters of accumulated absolutely dry phytomass of annual pine seedlings and seedlings of common oak. findings. It is established that with increasing the content of forest loam and humus mass in sandy and sod­podzolic sandy soils from 20 to 80 % in their mixtures there is observed decrease in density (by 3.4‒24.8 %), increase in porosity (by 1.1‒70.0 %) and humidity – absolute (at 5‒560 %) and relative (at 11‒442 %). The share of needles in the total phytomass of pine seedlings is in­ creasing (by 2‒8 %), and the share of roots is decreasing (by 2‒18 %). One­year­old pine seedlings accumulated the largest mass (2539 mg) on a mixture with 20 % of humus mass content and 80 % of loam content. With the increase in the sand content of forest loams and humus mass of gray forest loam soils from 20 to 80 % absolute humidity of the mixtures increases by 75.0‒870.0 %, and the relative humidity – by 61.0‒639.0 %. In the total phytomass of annual oak seedlings, the part of leaves increases (by 11.9‒15.8 %), and the proportion of roots decreases (by 13.0‒22.8 %). In annual oak seedlings, maximum values of the total mass (10.7 g) were observed on mixtures containing 40 % of humus mass of gray forest soils, 20 % of loess loam and 40 % sand, as well as 80 % of humus mass and 20 % of loam. originality. It is shown that 20‒80 % of admixture to the sands of loess loam and humus mass of sod­podzolic sandy soils significantly increases their porosity, their moisture content and has a positive effect on the accumulation of phytomass in annual pine seedlings. The same admixture to the sands of loess loams and humus mass of gray forest loamy soil provides a significant increase in absolute and relative humidity in the studied mixtures and causes oak seedlings to increase the mass of leaves and re­ duce the mass of roots in annual seedlings. Practical value. The proposed variants of formation of recultivation layer of three­component mixtures, which include sand, loess loam and humus mass of zonal soils allow optimizing the water­physical properties of sandy soils of natural­technogenic origin. The use of treated soil mixtures will ensure a more efficient use of man­made landscapes for economic purposes and at the same time reduce the manifestation of water erosion and deflation.
The antidiabetic effect of leaf and stem extract of Crossandra infundibuliformis in alloxan-induced diabetic rats and diabetic nephropathy in male rats

Background: The prevalence of diabetes is growing in the world’s population. The epidemic of disease is rising in the population of India and other countries. Many herbal plants are in use for the management of diabetes till today. They are being advantageous with the lesser side effects and high therapeutic potential than the standard antidiabetic drugs. Materials and Methods: The present research is to investigate the antidiabetic activity and antioxidant effect of ethanolic extract of Crossandra infundibuliformis leaves and stems (ECILS) in alloxaninduced diabetic rats. Diabetes is induced in the experimental animals by the administration of alloxan (150 mg/kg i.p) for a week. The total treatment period was about 30 days. Blood glucose levels were tested using standard blood glucometer. This activity also includes the estimation of biochemical parameters and in vivo antioxidant parameters such as lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, and catalase. Histopathological studies were performed on liver and kidney. Results: The diabetic + ECILS rats experienced a significant reduction in glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and increase in high-density lipoproteins compared to disease control. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that C. infundibuliformis possess antidiabetic activity, potent antioxidant activity, and can be used in future studies for the estimation of distinct phytochemicals with the antidiabetic activity.
Perfect Conditional 
 ε‐Equilibria of Multi‐Stage Games With Infinite Sets of Signals and Actions

We extend Kreps and Wilson's concept of sequential equilibrium to games with infinite sets of signals and actions. A strategy profile is a conditional ε‐equilibrium if, for any of a player's positive probability signal events, his conditional expected utility is within ε of the best that he can achieve by deviating. With topologies on action sets, a conditional ε‐equilibrium is full if strategies give every open set of actions positive probability. Such full conditional ε‐equilibria need not be subgame perfect, so we consider a non‐topological approach. Perfect conditional ε‐equilibria are defined by testing conditional ε‐rationality along nets of small perturbations of the players' strategies and of nature's probability function that, for any action and for almost any state, make this action and state eventually (in the net) always have positive probability. Every perfect conditional ε‐equilibrium is a subgame perfect ε‐equilibrium, and, in finite games, limits of perfect conditional ε‐equilibria as ε → 0 are sequential equilibrium strategy profiles. But limit strategies need not exist in infinite games so we consider instead the limit distributions over outcomes. We call such outcome distributions perfect conditional equilibrium distributions and establish their existence for a large class of regular projective games. Nature's perturbations can produce equilibria that seem unintuitive and so we augment the game with a net of permissible perturbations.