Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transforming Dementia Care Through Pragmatic Clinical Trials Embedded in Learning Healthcare Systems

The current evidence base for testing nonpharmacological interventions for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers is limited, especially within care settings such as ambulatory care, assisted living communities, nursing homes, hospitals, and hospices. There has been even less attention to translation of effective interventions for PLWD into delivery of care. Thus, there is an urgent need for researchers to partner with these care settings, especially those that follow a learning healthcare systems (LHSs) model, and vice versa to conduct embedded pragmatic clinical trials (ePCTs). These trials are conducted within sites that offer routine care and are designed to answer important, relevant clinical questions and leverage existing electronic health and administrative data. ePCTs set in LHSs create a unique opportunity for researchers, healthcare providers, and PLWD and their families to work and learn together as potentially effective interventions are studied and stress tested in real‐world situations. Healthcare settings that embrace research or quality improvement as part of a culture of continuous learning are ideal settings for ePCTs. In this article, we summarize what we have learned from the National Institutes of Health's Health Care Systems Research Collaboratory–funded ePCTs, discuss challenges of ePCTs within settings that serve PLWD, and describe the work of the Health Care Systems Core within the National Institute on Aging's IMbedded Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Clinical Trials Collaboratory that will occur over the next 5 years. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:S43–S48, 2020.
A Clutter-Resistant SLAM Algorithm for Autonomous Guided Vehicles in Dynamic Industrial Environment

In dynamic and complicated industrial environments, feature-based SLAM based on laser scanner is a popular choice to achieve localization of autonomous guided vehicles. However, there are many clutters and dynamic objects degrading SLAM performance. This paper proposes a clutter-resistant SLAM solution where both point features generated from reflectors and line features are employed to improve SLAM robustness. First, a point feature recognition method based on geometrical characteristics of reflectors is developed to filter out clutters and identify true reflector landmarks; Then a dual-map based map management scheme is proposed for EKF-SLAM to further eliminate both types of fallacious landmarks and enhance its clutter resistance capability. The proposed methods eliminate adverse impact of clutters and thus improve SLAM performance in terms of accuracy, consistency and efficiency. The effectiveness of the proposed clutter-resistant SLAM solution is validated through real-time experiments. The absolute localization error is controlled within 19 mm and 31mm in X-axis and Y-axis respectively. The improved SLAM algorithm is proved to be accurate and efficient enough for practical application in dynamic and complicated industrial environments.
Rebamipide potentially mitigates methotrexate‐induced nephrotoxicity via inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation: A molecular and histochemical study

Methotrexate (MTX) is a widely used chemotherapeutic agent; nevertheless, the nephrotoxicity associated with its use has limited its clinical use. Rebamipide (REB) is a gastro‐protective agent with diverse promising biological activities. Here, we investigated the renoprotective effects of REB against MTX‐induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Male Wistar rats were allocated into four groups: the normal control group, the REB group (100 mg kg−1 day−1, PO, for 12 days), the MTX group (which received a single injection of 20 mg/kg, ip), and the REB + MTX group (which received 100 mg kg−1 day−1 REB for 7 days before and 5 days after being injected with 20 mg/kg MTX). Interestingly, MTX triggered kidney injury, characterized by renal dysfunction along with histopathological alterations. Moreover, increased reactive oxygen species level and inflammatory response were detected in the kidney of MTX‐treated rats. However, REB prevented MTX‐induced oxidative kidney injury and boosted an antioxidant balance. Mechanistically, REB markedly activated the NRF‐2 protein and upregulated the expression of both SIRT‐1 and FOXO‐3 genes. Additionally, REB administration strongly inhibited the inflammatory response by downregulating both NF‐κB‐p65 and TLR‐4. Finally, the coadministration of REB and MTX activated the mTOR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Simultaneously, REB treatment attenuated the reduction in glomerular size, the widening of the capsular spaces, and the tubular cell damage due to MTX administration. Taken together, these results indicate the potential of REB as adjuvant therapy to prevent nephrotoxicity in patients receiving MTX treatment.
Automated Designing of Single Stage Operational Amplifier and Its Teleportation Among Different Technology Nodes

Analog circuits play a vital role in advanced electronic systems and they cannot be replaced because of their need to provide an interface with the natural analog world. In this paper we have presented an analog design flow for Automated Designing and Teleportation (ADT) of analog circuits, Further ADT for a single-stage operational amplifier (single-stage op-Amp, i.e., differential amplifier) has been presented to demonstrate the complete process flow which provides accurate results in a shorter span of time using the trained machine learning models.
Malware Phylogeny Analysis using Data-Aware Declarative Process Mining

Mobile phones are currently the main targets of continuous malware attacks. Usually, new malicious code is generated conveniently changing the existing one. According to this, it becomes very useful to identify new approaches for the analysis of malware phylogeny. This paper proposes a data-aware process mining approach performing a malware dynamic analysis. The process mining is performed by using a multiperspective declarative approach allowing to model a malware family as a set of constraints (within their data attributes) among the system call traces gathered from infected applications. The models are used to detect execution patterns or other relationships among families. The obtained models can be used to verify if a checked malware is a potential member of a known malware family and its difference with respect to other malware variants of the family. The approach is implemented and applied on a dataset composed of 5648 trusted and malicious applications across 39 malware families. The obtained results show great performance in malware phylogeny generation.
Drug Release from a Spherical Matrix: Theoretical Analysis for a Finite Dissolution Rate Affected by Geometric Shape of Dispersed Drugs

Amending the neglect of finite dissolution in traditional release models, this study proposed a more generalized drug release model considering the simultaneous dissolution and diffusion procedure from a drug-loaded spherical matrix. How the shape factor (n = 0, 1/2, and 2/3 for the planar, cylindrical, and spherical geometry, respectively) of dispersed drug particles affected the release from the matrix was examined for the first time. Numerical solutions of this generalized model were validated by consensus with a short-time analytical solution for planar drugs and by the approach of the diffusion-controlled limits with Higuchi’s model. The drug release rate increases with the ratio of dissolution/diffusion rate (G) and the ratio of solubility/drug loading (K) but decreases with the shape factor of drug particles. A zero-order release profile is identified for planar drugs before starting the surface depletion layer, and also found for cylindrical and spherical dispersed drugs when K and G are small, i.e. the loaded drug is mainly un-dissolved and the drug release rate is dissolution-controlled. It is also shown that for the case of a small G value, the variation of drug release profile, due to the drug particle geometry, becomes prominent. Detailed comparison with the results of the traditional Higuchi’s model indicates that Higuchi’s model can be applied only when G is large because of the assumption of an instantaneous dissolution. For K = 1/101–1/2, the present analysis suggests an error of 33–85% for drug release predicted by Higuchi’s model for G = 100, 14–44% error for G = 101, while a less than 5% error for G ≧ 103.
Structure–Properties Relationship of Electrospun PVDF Fibers

Electrospinning as a versatile technique producing nanofibers was employed to study the influence of the processing parameters and chemical and physical parameters of solutions on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) fibers’ morphology, crystallinity, phase composition and dielectric and piezoelectric characteristics. PVDF fibrous layers with nano- and micro-sized fiber diameters were prepared by a controlled and reliable electrospinning process. The fibers with diameters from 276 nm to 1392 nm were spun at a voltage of 25 kV–50 kV from the pure PVDF solutions or in the presence of a surfactant—Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Although the presence of the CTAB decreased the fibers’ diameter and increased the electroactive phase content, the piezoelectric performance of the PVDF material was evidently deteriorated. The maximum piezoelectric activity was achieved in the fibrous PVDF material without the use of the surfactant, when a piezoelectric charge of 33 pC N−1 was measured in the transversal direction on a mean fiber diameter of 649 nm. In this direction, the material showed a higher piezoelectric activity than in the longitudinal direction.
Rabbit model of Staphylococcus aureus implant-associated spinal infection

ABSTRACT Post-surgical implant-associated spinal infection is a devastating complication commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Biofilm formation is thought to reduce penetration of antibiotics and immune cells, contributing to chronic and difficult-to-treat infections. A rabbit model of a posterior-approach spinal surgery was created, in which bilateral titanium pedicle screws were interconnected by a plate at the level of lumbar vertebra L6 and inoculated with a methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bioluminescent strain. In vivo whole-animal bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and ex vivo bacterial cultures demonstrated a peak in bacterial burden by day 14, when wound dehiscence occurred. Structures suggestive of biofilm, visualized by scanning electron microscopy, were evident up to 56 days following infection. Infection-induced inflammation and bone remodeling were also monitored using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT). PET imaging signals were noted in the soft tissue and bone surrounding the implanted materials. CT imaging demonstrated marked bone remodeling and a decrease in dense bone at the infection sites. This rabbit model of implant-associated spinal infection provides a valuable preclinical in vivo approach to investigate the pathogenesis of implant-associated spinal infections and to evaluate novel therapeutics. Summary: A model of post-surgical methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus implant-associated spinal infection was created in rabbits, recapitulating acute infection as well as chronic low-burden infection, with structures suggestive of biofilm formation and bone remodeling.
Tinnitus-related distress and pain perceptions in patients with chronic tinnitus – Do psychological factors constitute a link?

Objective To investigate the co-occurrence of tinnitus-related distress and pain experiences alongside psychological factors that may underlie their association. Method Patients with chronic tinnitus (N = 1238) completed a questionnaire battery examining tinnitus-related distress and affective and sensory pain perceptions. A series of simple, parallel- and serial multiple mediator models examined indirect effects of psychological comorbidities as well as -process variables including depressivity, perceived stress and coping attitudes. Moderator and moderated mediation analyses examined differential relational patterns in patients with decompensated vs. compensated tinnitus. Results There were significant associations between tinnitus-related distress and pain perceptions. These were partially mediated by most specified variables. Psychological comorbidities appeared to influence tinnitus-pain associations through their impact on depressivity, perceived stress, and coping attitudes. Some specific differences in affective vs. sensory pain perception pathways emerged. Patients with decompensated tinnitus yielded significantly higher symptom burden across all measured indices. Tinnitus decompensation was associated with heightened associations between [1] tinnitus-related distress and pain perceptions, depressivity and negative coping attitudes; and [2] most psychological comorbidities and sensory, but not affective pain perception. Moderated mediation analyses revealed stronger indirect effects of depressivity and anxiety in mediating affective-, and anxiety in mediating sensory pain perception in patients with decompensated tinnitus. Conclusion Psychological constructs mediate the co-occurrence of tinnitus- and pain-related symptoms across different levels of tinnitus-related distress. Psychological treatment approaches should conceptualize and address individualised interactions of common cognitive-emotional processes in addressing psychosomatic symptom clusters across syndromatic patients with varying distress levels.
Transient metabolic improvement in obese mice treated with navitoclax or dasatinib/quercetin

Senescent cells accumulate with obesity in the white adipose tissue of mice and humans. These senescent cells enhance the pro-inflammatory environment that, with time, contributes to the onset of glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes. Glucose intolerance in mouse models of obesity has been successfully reversed by the elimination of senescent cells with the senolytic compounds navitoclax or the combination of dasatinib and quercetin (D/Q). In this work, we generated obese mice by high-fat diet feeding, and treated them with five consecutive cycles of navitoclax or D/Q during 16 weeks. We observed an efficient reduction in the white adipose tissue of the senescence markers senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, Cdkn2a-p16 and Cdkn2a-p19 at the end of the 5 cycles. Mice treated with both navitoclax and D/Q showed an improvement of their insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance during a short period of time (cycles 3 and 4), that disappeared at the fifth cycle. Also, these mice tended to increase the expression at their adipose tissue of the adipogenic genes Pparg and, Cebpa, as well as their plasma adiponectin levels. Together, our work shows that two different senolytic treatments, acting through independent pathways, are transiently effective in the treatment of obesity-induced metabolic disorders.
Promoting attachment between parents and neonates despite the COVID‐19 pandemic

Social distancing is the only option available during the COVID‐19 pandemic until a vaccine is developed. However, this is having a major impact on human relationships and bonding between parents and neonates is a major concern. Separation during this health emergency could have lifelong consequences for offspring, and there are even greater concerns if newborn infants are sick or vulnerable and need intensive care. We look at how bonding can be safely supported and maintained without risking infecting neonates, by comparing the international guidelines and proposing safe actions within those frameworks.
Normal autonomic neurophysiology of postural orthostatic tachycardia and recommended physiological assessments in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

The current surge of interest in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome commonly known as POTS requires good knowledge of the very complex physiology involved, but this is currently lacking. The often overlooked normal physiology of orthostasis is reviewed including the definition of normal postural orthostatic tachycardia. An illustrated functional anatomy that embeds orthostatic tachycardia within the learned and skilful motor functions in the human population is presented. The four physiological phases of orthostasis and the role of tachycardia are described in a laboratory‐controlled and progressive orthostatic stress in normal human volunteers. Standardized surrogate measures of autonomic control were used to quantify the trigger level for excessive tachycardia and the minimum autonomic control required to sustain viable arterial blood pressure during severe orthostatic stress in normal human volunteers. Tachycardia during orthostasis is part of a “democratic” contribution by four cardiovascular parameters of which the chronotropic function of the heart is just one of the parameters contributing toward cardiovascular compensation. It is adjusted during orthostasis in proportion to contributions from the other three parameters, namely inotropic function of the heart, windkessel vascular resistance and venous vascular capacitance. The physiological effects of the two stressors during orthostasis, gravity and isometric contraction of skeletal muscles are reviewed. A model of how the four cardiovascular parameters are regulated during orthostasis to achieve proportionate contributions is proposed emphasizing the necessity to quantify individual contributions from all these four parameters. Any one or more of these parameters may be compromised due to disease requiring disproportionate contribution of the prevailing magnitude of orthostatic tachycardia in an individual. It therefore requires neurophysiological assessment of the autonomic regulation of all the four cardiovascular parameters to assess the condition fully. We recommend here some current and novel neurophysiological methods that use modern medical technology to quantify laboratory standardized surrogate measures of some of these cardiovascular parameters including central parasympathetic regulation in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
The Impact of Structural Parameters of Split-Ring Resonators on the Terahertz Radiation Characteristics of Micro-Structured Photoconductive Antennas: A Simulation Study

In this study, we have theoretically designed a micro-structured photoconductive antenna based on the combination of split-ring resonator (SRR) and dipole photoconductive antenna. Further, we have used numerical simulations to prove that the proposed antenna can enhance the terahertz radiation characteristics. According to the equivalent circuit model analysis, the terahertz radiation power and the resonance frequency of this antenna were found to be closely related with the structural parameters of the SRR. A numerical model was established to simulate the effect of the structural parameters of SRR on the terahertz radiation characteristics of the proposed antenna. The results indicated that an increase in the width and length of SRR caused an increase in the peak power intensity and a decrease in the resonance frequency. Moreover, as the gap width of SRR was increased, the peak power intensity was decreased and the resonance frequency was increased. Furthermore, the terahertz radiation power increased with increase in the gap width of antennas. Overall, we show that high-power terahertz radiation sources with specific frequency can be obtained by optimizing the structural parameters of SRR, and such sources are potentially useful in a variety of fields such as biomedicine, material analysis, and detection systems.
A Novel Sub-Multilevel Cell (SMC) with Increased Ratio of Number of Levels to Number of Sources and Switches

In this paper, a new 31-level Developed H-Bridge based Sub-Multilevel Cell (DHBSMC) is proposed that can be extended to create more steps. The suggested configuration has large number of steps per device count. The suggested DHBSMC has simple structure and can be well applied for any load type (resistive, inductive or resistive-inductive). The amplitude of DC supplies can be chosen freely. In this paper, 3 methodologies are suggested for deciding about amplitude of power supplies. The generalized multi-level topology, which is the expanded version of suggested DHBSMC, is introduced. The suggested DHBSMC is contrasted with similar topologies and simulated in PSCAD/EMTDC. The results verify appropriate performance of suggested configuration.
Effectiveness of Trimming and/or Washing on Microbiological Quality of Beef Carcasses.

Beef carcass sides (n = 48) were selected randomly on three different days in a commercial processing facility and microbiologically analyzed before being moved to the cooler. Four types of samples were obtained per side from the inside round area: no trim and no wash (NTNW); trim, but no wash (TNW); trim and wash (TW), and no trim but wash (NTW). A flame-sterilized knife, forceps, and scalpel were used for each trimming treatment and sampling. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in mean aerobic plate counts (APCs) between treatments. The greatest reduction in APC (log10 colony forming units [CFU] per cm2) was observed in TNW samples followed by TW and NTW, with the corresponding mean APC reductions relative to NTNW being 3.0, 0.9, and 0.3, respectively, indicating that trimming can be an effective control point in reducing bacterial contamination in the slaughter process. Although TNW samples, had the lowest counts, samples from the same location after wash (TW) had counts 2 log cycles higher than TNW samples. These results indicate that washing spreads contamination to adjacent carcass sites. However, washing of carcasses was effective in lowering microbial populations relative to the NTNW treatment. Escherichia coli and coliform counts in all samples were low (0.03 to 0.4 log10 CFU/cm2); however, the mean E. coli or coliform count in NTNW samples was higher (P < 0.05) than those in the rest of the treatments.
Diagnosing serious infections in older adults presenting to ambulatory care: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES to summarise all available evidence on the accuracy of clinical features and blood tests for diagnosing serious infections in older patients presenting to ambulatory care. METHODS systematic review, searching seven databases using a comprehensive search strategy. We included cross-sectional prospective diagnostic studies on (1) clinical features, (2) diagnostic prediction rules based on clinical features alone, (3) blood tests and (4) diagnostic prediction rules combining clinical features and blood tests. Study participants had to be community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years, in whom a physician suspected an infection. We used QUADAS-2 to assess risk of bias. We calculated measures of diagnostic accuracy and present descriptive statistics. RESULTS out of 13,757 unique articles, only six studies with a moderate to high risk of bias were included. There was substantial clinical heterogeneity across these studies. Clinical features had LR- ≥0.61 and LR+ ≤4.94. Twelve prediction rules using clinical features had LR- ≥0.30 and LR+ ≤2.78. There was evidence on four blood tests of which procalcitonin was the most often investigated: levels <0.37 ng/ml (LR- = 0.20; 95%CI 0.10-0.42) were suitable to rule out sepsis in moderately high prevalence situations. Two diagnostic prediction rules combining clinical features and procalcitonin had LR- of ≤0.12 (95%CI 0.05-0.33) and LR+ of maximum 1.39 (95%CI 1.30-1.49). CONCLUSIONS we found few studies on the diagnostic accuracy of clinical features and blood tests to detect serious infections in older people presenting to ambulatory care. The risk of bias was mostly moderate to high, leading to substantial uncertainty.