Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dietary Inflammatory Index and Sleep Quality in Southern Italian Adults

Background: Current evidence supports the central role of a subclinical, low-grade inflammation in a number of chronic illnesses and mental disorders; however, studies on sleep quality are scarce. The aim of this study was to test the association between the inflammatory potential of the diet and sleep quality in a cohort of Italian adults. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data of the Mediterranean healthy Eating, Aging, and Lifestyle (MEAL) study was conducted on 1936 individuals recruited in the urban area of Catania during 2014–2015 through random sampling. A food frequency questionnaire and other validated instruments were used to calculate the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) and assess sleep quality (Pittsburg sleep quality index). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between exposure and outcome. Results: Individuals in the highest quartile of the DII were less likely to have adequate sleep quality (odds ratio (OR) = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.31, 0.78). Among individual domains of sleep quality, an association with the highest exposure category was found only for sleep latency (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.93). Conclusions: The inflammatory potential of the diet appears to be associated with sleep quality in adults. Interventions to improve diet quality might consider including a dietary component that aims to lower chronic systemic inflammation to prevent cognitive decline and improve sleep quality.
Association between body mass index and 1-year outcome after acute myocardial infarction

Objectives Beneficial effects of overweight and obesity on mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have been described as “Body Mass Index (BMI) paradox”. However, the effects of BMI is still on debate. We analyzed the association between BMI and 1-year clinical outcomes after AMI. Methods Among 13,104 AMI patients registered in Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health (KAMIR-NIH) between November 2011 and December 2015, 10,568 patients who eligible for this study were classified into 3 groups according to BMI (Group 1; < 22 kg/m2, 22 ≤ Group 2 < 26 kg/m2, Group 3; ≥ 26 kg/m2). The primary end point was all cause death at 1 year. Results Over the median follow-up of 12 months, the event of primary end point occurred more frequently in the Group 1 patients than in the Group 3 patients (primary endpoint: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.537; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.177 to 2.007, p = 0.002). Especially, cardiac death played a major role in this effect (aHR, 1.548; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.128 to 2.124, p = 0.007). Conclusions Higher BMI appeared to be good prognostic factor on 1-year all cause death after AMI. This result suggests that higher BMI or obesity might confer a protective advantage over the life-quality after AMI.
EXCITON IN QUANTUM TUBE WITH HEXAGON CROSS

It is established the theory of exciton spectrum in semiconductor quantum nanotube with hexagon cross in the framework of the effective mass approximation and rectangular potentials model. The electron-hole interaction is taken into account within Bethe method together with the approximating potential providing the bound state of exciton at its internal movement along the axial axis of nanosystem. The dependences of exciton energy on the geometrical parameters of quantum nanotube are analyzed.
Looking for Visitor’s Effect in Sanctuaries: Implications of Guided Visitor Groups on the Behavior of the Chimpanzees at Fundació Mona

Simple Summary Organizations housing wildlife have a great potential to raise awareness and to contribute to conservation causes, along with a great responsibility towards the animals in their care. Displayed animals, taking on the role of ambassadors, are often exposed to the influence and actions of a great number of non-familiar humans. Studies trying to quantify the impact of visitors on captive housed animals have been very contradicting. In this study we report a neutral visitor impact on the behavior of chimpanzees, housed at a sanctuary with strict visitor protocols and supervision as well as animal management strategies, allowing animals a certain amount of choice and control over their visibility. By contrasting the mild visitor impact observed at the sanctuary to a great many studies, conducted at zoos with unsupervised free roaming visitors, often reporting undesirable effects, we wish to emphasise the importance to carefully managed visitor activities. We suggest that it is possible to mitigate potentially harmful visitor effects by restricting and supervising the visitor’s freedom of actions as well as providing animals on display with the means to evade or at least cope with the presence of visitors. Abstract The question of ‘if and how captive primates are affected by visitors’ has gained increasing attention over the last decades. Although the majority reported undesirable effects on behavior and wellbeing, many studies reported contradicting results. Most of these studies were conducted at zoos, typically with little or no control over visitors’ actions. Yet little is known about the impact under very controlled visitor conditions. In order to fill this gap, we conducted this study at a primate sanctuary which allows public access only via a guided visit under strict supervision. We observed 14 chimpanzees, recording their behavior during, after and in the absence of guided visits over a 10-month period. Furthermore, we categorized the visitors regarding group size and composition to see if certain group types would produce a stronger impact on the chimpanzees’ behavior. As expected, we found visitors at the sanctuary to produce only a neutral impact on the chimpanzees’ behavior, detecting a slight increase of locomotion and decrease of inactivity during visitor activities with chimpanzees demonstrating more interest towards larger sized groups. We argue that the impact has been greatly mitigated by the strict visitor restrictions and care strategies allowing chimpanzees a certain control regarding their visibility.
Functional diversity influence in forest wood stock: a study of the brazilian savanna = Influência da diversidade funcional no estoque florestal: um estudo do cerrado

Research regarding biodiversity and ecosystem services has been demonstrating a positive correlation among the ecosystem processes, such as the carbon sink into plant biomass and the quantity of carbon in natural vegetation. Nonetheless, it is hard to understand the biodiversity measurements, because they involve gene, phenotypic, population, species, community and ecosystem diversity. The functional diversity refers to the species richness and variety, their characteristics and how that affects the functioning of an ecosystem. Primary productivity is a key factor that affects the functioning of a forest ecosystem. Thus, the aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence of functional diversity on the woody volume productivity (as a proxy for primary production) in the Brazilian savanna. We used six functional characteristics, and to verify the relation between forest production and functional diversity facets, we tested many models. Regarding wood volume, the best models were the exponential and logarithmic. None of the linear models showed significant regression parameters as there was no additive relationship among the multifaceted aspects of functional diversity and wood volume. We found a positive correlation between the functional diversity and primary productivity, which can be used to forecast the effects of diversity variation on ecosystem services.
CHANGE OF NUTRIENT AND BIOACTIVE COMPONENTS IN BOVINE COLOSTRUM AFTER SPRAY DRYING

Bovine colostrum powder (BCP) was obtained by using spray drying method with the inlet temperature at 120oC and the outlet temperature at 60oC. Nutrient and bioactive components such as protein, lipid, lactose, mineral, glycoprotein (e.g. lactoferrin) and the immunoglobulins IgG, IgA and IgM in BCP were analyzed before and after spray drying process. Experimental results showed that the average values for total protein, lipid, lactose, mineral, lactoferrin in BCP were 25.31 %, 26.63 %, 33.92 %, 7.23 %, 1.497 %; and the average values for IgG, IgA and IgM in BCP were 136.31 mg/g, 27.31 mg/g and 4.22 mg/g respectively. The obtained results also illustrated that these compositions in BCP samples were decreased from 0.87 to 62.67 % compared with those in pasteurized colostrums samples, depending on the nature of each component in the colostrums. For instance, lactoferrin and total protein were lost 43.3 % and 34.76 %; IgG, IgA and IgM were decreased 22.57 %, 15.48 % and 45.41 %; while lactose and minerals were just lost 3.66 % and 0.87 %.
New Frontiers in Tissue Engineering: Applications of Tissue Engineering in Cardiovascular Surgery

Objective: Tissue engineering (TE) is an approach by which cells are grown in vitro onto biodegradable polymers to construct tissues for implantation. Preliminary experimental applications of cardiovascular surgery in our laboratory for creating vascular grafts and valve leaflets through TE are presented and discussed. Material and Methods: Ovine artery and vein segments were harvested, separated into individual cells, expanded in tissue culture and seeded onto synthetic biodegradable tubular scaffolds in 20-day old lambs . After 7 days of in vitro culture, the autologous constructs were used to replace a 2 cm segment of pulmonary artery (N=8) and valve leaflet (N=6). One control animal received an acellular polymer structure in each study design. Animals were sacrificed at intervals of 11 to 24 weeks. Explanted TE conduits were assayed for collagen and calcium content, and a tissue deoxyribonucleic acid assay was used to estimate number of cell nuclei as an index of tissue maturity. Results: The acellular control constructs developed progressive obstruction and thrombosis. All TE constructs were patent and demonstrated a non-aneurysmall increase in diameter (18.3±1.3 mm, 95.3%of native pulmonary artery). Collagen content was 73.9±8% of adjacent pulmonary artery and showed a gradual increase. Elastic fibers were present in the media layer and deoxyribonucleic acid assay showed a progressive decrease in the number of cell nuclei, suggesting an ongoing tissue remodeling. Calcium content of TE grafts was elevated but no macroscopic calcification was found. Conclusion: Living vascular TE grafts and leaflets functioned well and demonstrated an increase in diameter, suggesting growth and development of endothelial lining and extracellular matrix. The TE approach may ultimately allow the development of viable autologous structures for clinical use.
Cerebral microbleeds are not associated with postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction in older individuals

Background Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) occur in the context of cerebral small vessel disease. Other brain MRI markers of cerebral small vessel disease are associated with the occurrence of postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), but for CMB this is unknown. We aimed to study the association between CMB and the occurrence of POD and POCD in older individuals. Methods The current study consists of 65 patients (72±5 years) from the BIOCOG study, which is a prospective, observational study of patients who underwent an elective surgery of at least 60 minutes. Patients in the current study received a preoperative cerebral MRI scan including a 3D susceptibility-weighted imaging sequence to detect CMB. The occurrence of POD was screened for twice a day until postoperative day 7 by using the DSM-5, NuDesc, CAM, and CAM-ICU. The occurrence of POCD was determined by the reliable change index model at 7 days after surgery or discharge, respectively, and 3 months after surgery. Statistical analyses consisted of logistic regression adjusted for age and gender. Results A total of 39 CMB were detected in 17 patients (26%) prior to surgery. POD occurred in 14 out of 65 patients (22%). POCD at 7 days after surgery occurred in 11 out of 54 patients (20%) and in 3 out of 40 patients at the 3 month follow-up (8%). Preoperative CMB were not associated with the occurrence of POD (OR (95%-CI): 0.28 (0.05, 1.57); p = 0.147) or POCD at 7 days after surgery (0.76 (0.16, 3.54); p = 0.727) or at 3 months follow-up (0.61 (0.03, 11.64); p = 0.740). Conclusion We did not find an association between preoperative CMB and the occurrence of POD or POCD. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02265263) on 23 September 2014.
Biased or balanced? ----A study of British and Chinese newspaper coverage of climate change in the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference

Nowadays, climate science communication is an issue not only discussed within a country but more like a global urgent task that needs wide perspective. This study investigated the prevalence of news frames in Climate change news coverage from the Guardian and China Daily during the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Five news frames, attribution of responsibility, human interest, economic consequences, morality and conflict were applied to 59 Chinese news stories and 71 British news articles. By applying deductive framing analysis, the results showed that with slight variation, the proportion and pattern of reports on Copenhagen Climate Summit were similar across the two countries. This outcome extends the knowledge of developing and developed countries’ news coverage on climate change. Keywords: Climate change; UK; China; newspaper; Copenhagen
A Framework for Understanding Crew Performance Assessment Issues

The focus of this special issue is on training pilot instructors to assess crew performance. In this opening article we attempt to set the stage for the other articles in this issue by introducing a framework for understanding crew-performance assessment. We use this framework to outline issues that should be addressed when training pilot instructors, and we point to specific articles in the special issue that begin to answer these questions. We also look to literature from domains outside aviation psychology for guidance. Research on performance appraisal in the field of industrial psychology provides techniques and knowledge relevant to training instructors to evaluate crews reliably and validly. We conclude with a series of research questions that should be addressed.
Elevator‘s External Button Recognition and Detection for Vision-based System

Recently, autonomous transporter offers the assistance and delivery for user but they are only focusing on single floor environment. To widen up fields of robotic, they teach robot to use an elevator because elevator provides an essential means of faster movement across level. However, most of the mobile service robot failed to detect elevator’s position due to the complex background and reflection on the elevator door and button panel itself. This paper presents a new strategy for recognition method to detect elevator by detecting their external button efficiently. Sobel is use as edge detection operator to find the estimated absolute gradient magnitude at each point in an input grayscale image. Then, but we enhanced the technique by combining it with wiener filter to reduce the amount of noise present in a signal by comparing the signal with an estimation of the desired noiseless signal. This filter helps to eliminate the reflection image on elevator’s button panel before it can be converted to black and white image (binarization). The process followed by some morphological and structuring elements process. Tests have been done and the results shown that elevator’s external button can be recognized and detected by those entire framework.
Aviation Accidents: CRM to Maintaining the Share of Airlines Case Study on accidents Airlines in China

We present Aviation Cost Risk management (CRM) methodology designed for Airlines Company, who needs to run projects beyond their normal. These airlines are critical to the survival of these organizations, such as the development and performance. The Aviation crisis can have considerable impact upon the value of the firm. Risk managers must focus special attention to their prevention and risk neutralization. Recently, demonstrated that large losses can have a very negative impact on shareholder wealth in an efficient stock market. This crisis shows that on the day that a loss occurred, returns of a negative.The goal of cost risk management (CRM) is to maximize shareholder wealth and protected airlines company, since it has been recently demonstrated that shareholder wealth can be negatively impacted by losses, risk management must be viewed in its relationship to the overall wealth of the company. The loss exposures become a critical financial management function, mostly in firms with considerable exposures to such losses.
Strategic Rhetorical Balancing and the Tactics of Justification in Afghanistan, Libya and Beyond

The Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. This special volume opens up with a selection of nine of the most influential articles published in the journal. JISB's editorial team has asked the authors for their reflections on their original articles, telling us more about the writing process at that time, what they would do differently (with hindsight), or how they see their articles contributing to current debates on intervention and statebuilding. We have selected one article per volume, and we have ordered the contribution starting from volume 1 (2007) to volume 9 (2015). The articles will be made open access for the year, and we highly recommend (re-)reading the original articles along with the comments from the authors.
Soft Magnetic Powdery Sensor for Tactile Sensing

Soft resistive tactile sensors are versatile devices with applications in next-generation flexible electronics. We developed a novel type of soft resistive tactile sensor called a soft magnetic powdery sensor (soft-MPS) and evaluated its response characteristics. The soft-MPS comprises ferromagnetic powder that is immobilized in a liquid resin such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) after orienting in a magnetic field. On applying an external force to the sensor, the relative distance between particles changes, thereby affecting its resistance. Since the ferromagnetic powders are in contact from the initial state, they have the ability to detect small contact forces compared to conventional resistive sensors in which the conductive powder is dispersed in a flexible material. The sensor unit can be made in any shape by controlling the layout of the magnetic field. Soft-MPSs with different hardnesses that could detect small forces were fabricated. The soft-MPS could be applied to detect collisions in robot hands/arms or in ultra-sensitive touchscreen devices.
Improved quantitation of lipid classes using supercritical fluid chromatography with a charged aerosol detector[S]

Quantitatively and rapidly analyzing lipids is necessary to elucidate their biological functions. Herein, we developed a quantitative method for various lipid classes using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) coupled with a charged aerosol detector (CAD), providing high-throughput data analysis to detect a large number of molecules in each lipid class as one peak. Applying the CAD was useful for analyzing lipid molecules in the same lipid class with a constant response under the same mobile phase composition. First, we optimized the washing method for the diethylamine column, achieving baseline separation of lipid classes while maintaining good peak shapes. In addition, the CAD conditions (organic solvent evaporation and numerical correction of the CAD data) were optimized to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. We used an internal standard (ceramide phosphoethanolamine d17:1–12:0), which did not coelute with the lipid classes and showed high extraction efficiency. Based on a quantitative analysis of HepG2 cells, the concentration of lipid classes detected by CAD was adequate compared with that obtained by triple-quadrupole MS (QqQMS) in a previous study because the deviations of the concentrations were 0.6- to 2.3-fold. These results also supported the quantitative performance of SFC-QqQMS developed in our previous report.
Study & Analysis of various Protocols in popular Web Browsers

The web browsers are the application software that are used to access information from the World Wide Web. With the increasing popularity of the web browsers, the modern web browsers are designed to contain more features as compared to the existing web browsers. For the transferring of information through these browsers, various protocols have been implemented on these modern web browsers to make these browsers more efficient. Different protocols used in different layers have different functions and by increasing the efficiency of these protocols we can make the working of browsers more efficient.
Social environment versus cycling competency predicting risk-taking in 11- to 13-year-old cyclists in The Netherlands.

Objectives: From age 12 onwards, cycling injuries begin rising in The Netherlands. A known contributing factor is younger children's underdeveloped competency to deal with complex and hazardous traffic situations, and their exposure to such situations strongly increases after transitioning to secondary school. Little is known about intentional risk-taking as a contributing factor. In this developmental stage, children become increasingly vulnerable because of intentional risk-taking, affecting their safety and health. The incidence, predictors in the child's social environment, and trends of such risks are systematically monitored; for instance, for alcohol use, smoking, and cyber bullying. Such monitors do not include risky road behavior. This exploratory field study examined the frequency of intentional risky cycling, its relationship with the perceived social environment, and relative to cycling competency measured as the ability to detect emerging hazards quickly. Methods: Three hundred thirty-five students between 11 and 13 years of age (51% male) completed computerized tests of hazard perception skill and surveys on crashes, risk-taking, peer pressure, perceived risk-taking by parents or friends, and exposure to risky driving as passenger. Results: Frequent risk-taking was associated with higher crash frequency. Stepwise regression confirmed that children who more often took risks on the road were also more sensitive to peer pressure, had more often been passengers of risky drivers, had parents and friends who exhibited risky behaviors in traffic more often, and perceived hazards as less dangerous but, in contrast to expectations, did not do worse on the detection of hazards. The predictors explained 28% of the variance in total risk-taking but varied from 6 to 20% depending on the specific risk-taking behavior concerned. Conclusions: At least 20% of children sometimes or more often take risks in traffic. Children who feel peer pressure to behave in a risky manner, observe parents and friends behaving in a risky manner in traffic, and have been exposed as passengers to risky driving more often take risks in traffic themselves. These results provide support for including items on risky road behavior in health monitors and to design interventions that address the risk factors in the child's perceived social environment.