Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Latin Dance on Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Sedentary Behavior Among Latinos Attending an Adult Day Center

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether a Latin dance program with sedentary behavior information would have an impact on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and sedentary behavior among older Latinos attending an adult day center (ADC). Method: Participants (N = 21, 75.4 ± 6.3 years old, Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] score = 22.4 ± 2.8) were randomized into a dance or wait-list control group. Participants wore an accelerometer and inclinometer and completed a sedentary behavior questionnaire, and a nonexercise equation was used to calculate CRF. Results: Findings indicate small to medium effect sizes in the desired direction during midpoint of the intervention for physical activity, sedentary behavior–related outcomes, CRF, and self-reported sedentary behavior in the dance group; however; dance participants did not maintain that trajectory for the remaining 2 months of the intervention. Discussion: Future studies may consider implementing behavioral strategies during midpoint of the intervention to encourage participants attending an ADC to maintain physical activity and sedentary behavior changes.
Smart devices and applications for disaster prepared homes and environments

The recent decade has brought great progress in technologies for the prediction and detection of increasingly more types of natural disasters. Today, advanced weather radars and decision support systems enable accurate predictions of paths and severities of typhoons, days before their arrivals, and tornados, tens of minutes in advance. Broadband arrays of seismometers and strong seismic motion sensors networked with computers running analysis tools can deliver early warnings of strong earthquakes to people in affected areas a fraction of a second or more before shock waves arrive. Tsunamis, landslide, and debris flow sensors and detection systems are other examples of networks of things that can warn us when such calamities are imminent.
Health identity, participation and knowledge: A qualitative study of a computer game for health education among adolescents in Denmark

Objective: To analyse the interrelated processes of identity, participation and knowledge in the context of the health educational Lifecalculator computer game. The analysis focuses on if and how this school-based health promotion initiative communicated relevant health knowledge to adolescents. Further development of the concept of health identity was a secondary objective of the study. Setting: Danish public schools. Methods: A qualitative study based on 21 focus group interviews with a total of 103 adolescents and 10 individual interviews with their teachers. Results: The simplified description of health and health choices in Lifecalculator makes it hard for the adolescents to relate the game to their everyday lives. They know that everyday health choices are more complex and they consequently dismiss the information altogether and do not gain much knowledge. The adolescents’ identities and the way they interpret themselves and their health in relation to others decide if and how they acquire knowledge. Healthy adolescents, who consider themselves as healthy, find it easier to relate to the health knowledge than the unhealthy adolescents who are aware of their unhealthiness. Lifecalculator seems to confirm that healthy adolescents (who view themselves as healthy) are healthy and unhealthy adolescents (who view themselves as unhealthy) are unhealthy and, as such, this approach does very little in terms of motivating participation and presenting the adolescents with new health knowledge. Conclusions: The study of Lifecalculator and the theoretical advances disclose the multi-layered interrelatedness of health identity, knowledge and participation. This interrelatedness creates multiple perspectives for both practice and research.
STUDY OF THE NET LOSS OF POTASSIUM IONS FROM SARTORIUS MUSCLES UNDER POTASSIUM FREE CONDITION

In the previous paper (1), it has been reported that the continuous reduction of the net loss of K ions from muscles soaking in K free medium can be maintained only when the external Na ions are present. This fact indicates that the constant rate of the net loss of K ions is sustained by the constancy of K-Na interchange rate. Harris and Sjodin (2) have stated that K ion exchange has to be distinguished from net movement and the processes can be measured separately by choice of suitable conditions. It is possible to obtain information on membrane structure from the experimental data of the ionic behaviour across the cell membrane. Among the various kinds of movements of ions, the outward movement of K ions in K free medium has been studied in order to clarify whether the outward K ion movement is completely passive in nature; in other words, the purpose of this study is to discover the law governing the diffusion of K ions from an isolated sartorius muscle into K free bathing solution. This report is concerned with the results of studies of the mechanism of the net loss of K ions in K free medium.
Mechanisms and drivers of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents.

The rates of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in children and adolescents are rising globally, and this is closely linked to the obesity epidemic that is affecting millions of youth around the world. In this review, we examine the differences between type 1 diabetes and T2D, and highlight the mechanisms involved in T2D development including genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. We also highlight the role of inflammation in causing insulin resistance, one of the main drivers of T2D genesis.
Effects of a Mediterranean-Style Diet on the Need for Antihyperglycemic Drug Therapy in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Trial

Patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes are usually managed by pharmacotherapy as well as lifestyle changes. The latter are often ineffective and pharmacotherapy may fail over time or may increase cardiovascular and other risks. Specific diets recommended for weight loss in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes are low-carbohydrate and low-fat calorie-restricted diet. Mediterranean-style diets (MED) have been recommended because they increase insulin sensitivity and improve control of coronary risk factors and hyperglycemia. However, there have been few direct long-term comparisons with other diets in patients with diabetes. This single-center, randomized trial compared the long term effectiveness of a low-carbohydrate MED diet and a low-fat diet on the need for antihyperglycemic drug therapy in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Effects on glycemic control and coronary risk factors were also compared. The study subjects were 215 overweight individuals, 30 to 70 years of age with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, who had a hemoglobin Alc (HbA 1c ) level <11% and no history of treatment with antihyperglycemic drugs. Participants were randomly assigned to a low-carbohydrate (<50% of daily calories from carbohydrates) MED diet (n = 108) or to a low-fat (<30% of daily calories from fat) diet (n = 107) and were followed for 4 years. Assessors of study outcomes were blinded as to group assignments but participants and the investigators who initiated drug therapy were not. Dietary intake was self-reported. There was a statistically significant difference at the 4-year follow-up in the need for antihyperglycemic drug therapy between patients in the MED group and those in the low-fat group: 44% of patients in the MED diet group and 70% in the low-fat diet group required treatment; the absolute difference was -26.0 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], -31.1 to -20.1 percentage points); the hazard ratio was 0.63, with a 95% CI of 0.51 to 0.86. There were essentially no change in the data after adjustment for weight change (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.59-0.90; P < 0.001). Compared to the low-fat diet group, patients in the MED diet group lost more weight and had greater improvements in glycemic control and coronary risk measures. The investigators conclude from these findings that overweight patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes who use a low-carbohydrate MED diet have improved glycemic control and coronary risk factors, and are more likely to be able to delay the need for oral antihyperglycemic therapy compared to patients using a low-fat diet.
Hyperdictionary: a knowledge discovery tool to help information retrieval

We present a knowledge discovery tool to help the information retrieval process. This tool, which we define as Hyperdictionary, is capable of acquiring and holding relationships among words to describe the context of some information-the knowledge about some subject. This knowledge is then used to retrieve information by contextual search in a document collection. Our preliminary studies indicate that this structure can be used in conjunction with some information retrieval tool, to aid the user in the elaboration of his query. The user's query is automatically expanded with words strongly related to the information the user is wanting, facilitating the retrieval process.
Designing an information interface to support sharing of information in cancer care

This paper describes the design, implementation and testing of a functional prototype interface which enables primary healthcare teams to access the information system supporting clinical oncology specialists in South Wales, UK. A lack of information sharing has been recognized for some time as a barrier to improving the primary care of cancer patients. This extension to the existing ISCO information system will allow sharing of information about patient management at all levels of cancer patient support (general practitioners, hospital-based clinicians and palliative care teams). The application was designed to allow general practitioners to gain access to the existing system. This will give all healthcare professionals interested in a cancer patient's care the advantage of accessing detailed multiple providers' electronic casenotes in almost real time, thus improving communication of information within a care team. However, no attempt was made to include the much bigger issue of patients and their families or carers in the scope of the project at this stage, as this is an area requiring separate investigation. The pilot also enables general practitioners to determine the information they require and the information they need to be able to communicate with the cancer specialists.
Biomechanical effects of angular stable locking in intramedullary nails for the fixation of distal tibia fractures

Treatment of distal tibia shaft fractures using intramedullary nailing requires stable fixation of the distal fragment to prevent malunion. Angular stable locking for intramedullary nails pledge to provide increased mechanical stability. This study tested the hypothesis that intramedullary nails with angular stable interlocking screws would have increased construct stiffness, reduced fracture gap movement and enhanced fatigue failure compared to nails with conventional locking having the same diameter. Biomechanical experiments were performed on 24 human cadaveric tibiae which obtained a distal fracture and were fixed by three different techniques: conventional locking with 8- and 10-mm-diameter nails and angular stable locking with 8-mm nails. Stiffness of the implant–bone construct and movement of the fragments were tested under axial loading and torsion. The constructs were tested to failure under cyclic fatigue loading. Analysis of variance and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis were used for statistical assessment. Axial stiffness of the 10-mm nail was about 50% larger compared to both 8-mm nail constructs independent of the type of locking mode (p < 0.01). No differences were found in axial performance between angular stable and conventional locking neither under static nor under cyclic testing conditions (p > 0.5). Angular stability significantly decreased the clearance under torsional load by more than 50% compared to both conventionally locked constructs (p = 0.03). However, due to the larger nail diameter, the total interfragmentary motion was still smallest for the 10-mm nail construct (p < 0.01). Although the 10-mm nail constructs survived slightly longer, differences between groups were minor and not statistically significant (p = 0.4). Our hypothesis that angular stable interlocking of intramedullary nails would improve mechanical performance of distal tibia fracture fixation was not confirmed in a physiologically realistic loading scenario. Whether minor mechanical advantages provided by angular stability of the locking screws would improve biological tissue response cannot be concluded from this biomechanical study.
Collaborative discussion and decision-support in a manufacturing organization

Most work activities in organizations involve problem discussion, interpretation and decision-making. Literature has shown that an understanding of the nature of groups and their organizational work context is essential to the designs of systems to support these activities. Andon is a CSCW (Computer-Supported Cooperative Work) system, designed to support discussion during problem-solving processes in a manufacturing organization. This paper addresses the reuse of results from participatory techniques applied to the Andon interface design to propose an artificial agent structure aimed at improving decision-making in workgroups.
Quantitative mechanical assessment of the whole prostate gland ex vivo using dynamic instrumented palpation

An instrumented palpation sensor, designed for measuring the dynamic modulus of tissue in vivo, has been developed and trialled on ex vivo whole prostate glands. The sensor consists of a flexible membrane sensor/actuator with an embedded strain gauge and is actuated using a dynamically varying airflow at frequencies of 1 and 5 Hz. The device was calibrated using an indentation stiffness measurement rig and gelatine samples with a range of static modulus similar to that reported in the literature for prostate tissue. The glands were removed from patients with diagnosed prostate cancer scheduled for radical prostatectomy, and the stiffness was measured within 30 min of surgical removal. Each prostate was later examined histologically in a column immediately below each indentation point and graded into one of the four groups; normal, benign prostatic hyperplasia, cancerous and mixed cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. In total, 11 prostates were assessed using multiple point probing, and the complex modulus at 1 and 5 Hz was calculated on a point-by-point basis. The device yielded values of quasi-static modulus of 15 ± 0.5 kPa and dynamic modulus of 20 ± 0.5 kPa for whole prostates, and a sensitivity of up to 80% with slightly lower specificity was achieved on diagnosis of prostate cancer using a combination of mechanical measures. This assessment did not take into account some obvious factors such as edge effects, overlap and clinical significance of the cancer, all of which would improve performance. The device, as currently configured, is immediately deployable in vivo. A number of improvements are also identified which could improve the sensitivity and specificity in future embodiments of the probe.
Identification of Glycoproteins Isolated from Extracellular Polymeric Substances of Full-Scale Anammox Granular Sludge

ANaerobic AMMonium OXidation (anammox) is an established process for efficient nitrogen removal from wastewater, relying on anammox bacteria to form stable biofilms or granules. To understand the formation, structure, and stability of anammox granules, it is important to determine the composition of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The aim of this research was to elucidate the nature of the proteins, which are the major fraction of the EPS and were suspected to be glycosylated. EPS were extracted from full-scale anammox granular sludge, dominated by “Candidatus Brocadia”, and subjected to denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. By further analysis with mass spectrometry, a high abundant glycoprotein, carrying a heterogeneous O-glycan structure, was identified. The potential glycosylation sequence motif was identical to that proposed for the surface layer protein of “Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis”. The heavily glycosylated protein forms a large fraction of the EPS and was also located by lectin staining. Therefore, we hypothesize an important role of glycoproteins in the structuring of anammox granules, comparable to the importance of glycans in the extracellular matrix of multicellular organisms. Furthermore, different glycoconjugates may have distinct roles in the matrix of granular sludge, which requires more in-depth characterization of different glycoconjugates in future EPS studies.
Event-driven verification of switch-level correctness concerns

We propose a technique for the verification of MOS circuits, focusing on signal transitions (events) rather than signal levels. Diverse conditions, behaviors, and even delay assumptions are modeled as processes that can be coupled and compared to circuit specifications in a unified formalism. Verification is performed modularly and hierarchically by a BDD-based tool. We illustrate this technique on a self-timed RAM.
Using a model framework in developing and delivering a family of software engineering project courses

The University of Southern California (USC) teaches a two-semester real-client project course as a core course in USC's MSCS-SE (Master of Science in Computer Science and Software Engineering) degree program. The course has evolved rapidly, each year introducing many changes in order to satisfy the course stakeholder's win conditions. The course has also been our primary experimental testbed for evolving our MBASE (Model-Based Architecting and Software Engineering) model integration framework. In turn, this framework, along with the CRESST (Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing) cognitive demands analysis has served as an effective means of managing the course's rapid evolution. A further test of the framework has been its application to undergraduate software engineering project courses at other institutions. This paper provides a description and examples of USC's experience in constructing and evolving a family of software engineering project courses based on the MBASE software engineering model integration framework. A discussion of course needs, use of software engineering models, a description of MBASE, use of the CRESST model of learning objectives, course development and experiences are presented. The approach has been used successfully at Columbia University and to a lesser degree at other institutions. Much of the current and historical materials and resources described in this paper are freely available for educational use.
Two Sets of Cave Bear DNA Uncover the Bear Facts

A paper published online this week helps untangle bear phylogeny by presenting the mitochondrial genome of the extinct cave bear, Ursus spelaeus. Another paper, published last July, also reported the complete mitochondrial DNA of the cave bear as well as that of the extinct American short-faced bear, Arctodus simus.
The Nazi Doctors and the Nuremberg Code: Human Rights in Human Experimentation

The Nazi Doctors and the Nuremberg Code , an excellent and well-organized reader edited by George Annas and Michael Grodin, is about the "Doctors' Trial," convened to examine the gross abuses in human experimentation in Nazi Germany. From this trial emerged the Nuremberg Code, intended to establish the boundaries of research ethics and to set the agenda for future discussions of the ethical and legal issues involved in the conduct of human experimentation. The essays in this volume, by historians, philosophers, lawyers, and medical researchers, address the meaning of the Code and its impact—on American and international law, on current medical research practices and policies, and on ethical perspectives. The authors vary in their interpretations, reflecting continued disagreement over the actual influence of this Code, the meaning of such principles as informed consent, and the relevance of its guidelines in the context of current medical research and the urgency of problems
Microscopy outperformed in a comparison of five methods for detecting Trichomonas vaginalis in symptomatic women

In the UK, despite its low sensitivity, wet mount microscopy is often the only method of detecting Trichomonas vaginalis infection. A study was conducted in symptomatic women to compare the performance of five methods for detecting T. vaginalis: an in-house polymerase chain reaction (PCR); Aptima T. vaginalis kit; OSOM ®Trichomonas Rapid Test; culture and microscopy. Symptomatic women underwent routine testing; microscopy and further swabs were taken for molecular testing, OSOM and culture. A true positive was defined as a sample that was positive for T. vaginalis by two or more different methods. Two hundred and forty-six women were recruited: 24 patients were positive for T. vaginalis by two or more different methods. Of these 24 patients, 21 patients were detected by real-time PCR (sensitivity 88%); 22 patients were detected by the Aptima T. vaginalis kit (sensitivity 92%); 22 patients were detected by OSOM (sensitivity 92%); nine were detected by wet mount microscopy (sensitivity 38%); and 21 were detected by culture (sensitivity 88%). Two patients were positive by just one method and were not considered true positives. All the other detection methods had a sensitivity to detect T. vaginalis that was significantly greater than wet mount microscopy, highlighting the number of cases that are routinely missed even in symptomatic women if microscopy is the only diagnostic method available.
Three different patterns of CD4 recovery in a cohort of Chinese HIV patients following antiretroviral therapy – a five-year observational study

To explore the heterogeneity of CD4 responses following highly active antiretroviral therapy, the patterns of CD4 recovery of HIV-1-infected Chinese patients who have been on their first antiretroviral regimen for ≥5 years were analysed. The CD4 trajectories were traced, smoothed and differentiated into three defined profiles. Half (56.3%) were ‘satisfactory responders’, with CD4 gain of >100 cells/μL and a peak of >350 cells/μL, plateauing before the end of Year 5. Thirty-three (24.4%) were ‘continuing responders’ whose CD4 rise persisted at Year 4–5. The remaining 26 (19.3%) were ‘poor responders’. Presentation with AIDS before therapy was common not just among ‘poor’ but also paradoxically the ‘continuing’ responders. While a majority had responded well to antiretroviral therapy, older patients and those with AIDS diagnosis before initiation of therapy may never achieve a satisfactory level even with effective treatment. Categorization of HIV patients by their CD4 trajectory may support the prediction of immunological outcome over time, and ultimately inform treatment choices.
A new ‘aging males’ symptoms' rating scale

Unlike in women, where instruments are available to measure the severity of symptoms, standardized instruments are lacking for aging males. However, a new ‘aging males’ symptoms' (AMS) rating scale has been developed in the present study, as well as reference values.A total of 116 medically well-characterized males (aged over 40 years) were recruited to complete a questionnaire of symptoms, the prevalence of which commonly changes with increasing age. Factor analysis was used to establish the raw scale and to identify the dimensions of the scale. This raw scale was applied to a large representative population sample of 992 German males, to establish reference values for the severity of symptoms in males over 40 years.Three dimensions of symptoms were identified in the patient group: a psychological, a somatovegetative and a sexual factor, that explained 51.6% of the total variance. Reference values of the three dimensions were defined to be used in daily practice. The severity of symptoms assessed using t.