Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Novel Learning Algorithms for Efficient Mobile Sink Data Collection Using Reinforcement Learning in Wireless Sensor Network

Generally, wireless sensor network is a group of sensor nodes which is used to continuously monitor and record the various physical, environmental, and critical real time application data. Data traffic received by sink in WSN decreases the energy of nearby sensor nodes as compared to other sensor nodes. This problem is known as hot spot problem in wireless sensor network. In this research study, two novel algorithms are proposed based upon reinforcement learning to solve hot spot problem in wireless sensor network. The first proposed algorithm RLBCA, created cluster heads to reduce the energy consumption and save about 40% of battery power. In the second proposed algorithm ODMST, mobile sink is used to collect the data from cluster heads as per the demand/request generated from cluster heads. Here mobile sink is used to keep record of incoming request from cluster heads in a routing table and visits accordingly. These algorithms did not create the extra overhead on mobile sink and save the energy as well. Finally, the proposed algorithms are compared with existing algorithms like CLIQUE, TTDD, DBRkM, EPMS, RLLO, and RL-CRC to better prove this research study.
Pancreatitis-Associated Genes and Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the connection between pancreatic cancer (PC) and genetic variants associated with chronic pancreatitis via systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods The data search was performed in 3 major databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library). The selected studies have looked into the presence of the pancreatitis-associated genes in patients with PC and in control subjects, the outcome being the frequency of the mutations in the 2 groups. For the binary outcomes, pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Results Ten articles proved to be eligible for the qualitative synthesis, and 8 articles were suitable for statistical analysis. Six case-control studies, comprising 929 PC cases and 1890 control subjects for serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1 (SPINK1) mutations, and 5 case-control studies, comprising 1674 PC cases and 19,036 control subjects for CFTR mutations, were enrolled in our analysis. SPINK1 mutations showed no association with PC (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 0.67–3.45; P = 0.315), whereas mutations in CFTR modestly increased the risk of PC (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.07–1.84; P = 0.013). Conclusion Our meta-analysis showed that mutations in CFTR modestly increase the risk of PC, whereas no association was found between SPINK1 and PC.
Association of genetic variation of the six gene prognostic model for castration‐resistant prostate cancer with survival

We previously identified a blood RNA transcript‐based model consisting of six immune or inflammatory response genes (ABL2, SEMA4D, ITGAL, C1QA, TIMP1, and CDKN1A) that was prognostic for survival in cohorts of men with castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). We investigated whether inherited variation in these six genes was associated with overall survival (OS) in men with CRPC.
Linking stormwater Best Management Practices to social factors in two suburban watersheds

To reduce nutrient pollution in urban watersheds, residents need to voluntarily practice a range of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs). However, little is known about the underlying social factors that may act as barriers to BMP implementation. The overall goal of this study was to better understand barriers to BMP implementation by exploring the links among resident demographics, knowledge, and behaviors so that appropriate education can be more effectively developed and targeted. In 2014–2015, a detailed questionnaire was administered door-to-door to 299 randomly selected households in two sub-watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay basin to test relationships among resident demographics, knowledge and attitudes towards water resources and BMPs, and BMP implementation. Multifactor regression models showed that respondents who had greater knowledge of water resources and BMPs lived in households that implemented greater numbers of BMPs. In turn, resident BMP knowledge, or familiarity with BMPs, strongly varied with race and ownership status, with respondents who identified as Caucasian or within a collection of ‘Other’ races, and who were home owners, having greater BMP knowledge than respondents who identified as African American and who were home renters, respectively. Renters and members of homeowner’s associations were also less likely to implement BMPs independent of knowledge, possibly reflecting perceived or real bureaucratic or procedural barriers to good stormwater management. Overall, respondents preferred to receive educational materials on stormwater via pamphlets and YouTube videos. These results suggest that resident ownership status knowledge is important to determining the number of household BMPs, and that education outreach should probably target African American and renting households that have lower BMP knowledge and landlords and administrators of homeowner’s associations using well-planned print and video educational media.
Survey of Liver Transplantation Practices for Severe Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis

Liver transplantation (LT) has a demonstrated survival benefit in select patients with severe acute alcoholic hepatitis (SAH) who do not respond to steroids, but prior studies suggest low adoption among US LT centers. Our study explored current perceptions and practice patterns of LT for SAH in the United States. We administered a Web‐based survey to medical directors of US LT centers between May and October of 2017 to characterize practice patterns and perceptions of LT for SAH. We obtained responses from 45 (41.3%) of 109 surveyed centers, representing all 11 (100%) United Network for Organ Sharing regions. Half (n = 23; 51.1%) reported performing at least 1 LT for SAH, although most (n = 19; 82.6%) of those had performed ≤5 LTs for that indication. Centers expressed near consensus for selection criteria, requiring strong social support (100%), no prior presentations with SAH (91.3%), absence of a severe coexisting psychiatric disorder (91.3%), and official psychosocial evaluation (87.0%). Reported posttransplant survival of SAH patients was excellent, with 17 (73.9%) centers reporting 1‐year posttransplant survival exceeding 90%. Among centers that had not performed LT for SAH, the most commonly cited reason was perceived high risk of alcohol relapse. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that LT is increasingly adopted as a therapeutic intervention for patients with SAH and that careful selection allows for excellent 1‐year posttransplant survival. Despite this, nearly half of US centers do not perform LT for this indication due to perceived high risk of alcohol relapse. Our data support the use of LT for well‐selected patients with SAH.
Burnout among Lebanese Oncologists: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Background: Burnout syndrome (BOS) is defined as a work-related psychological state characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low sense of personal accomplishment. Despite the extensive data on physician burnout, studies assessing the prevalence of burnout among oncologists in the Middle East and especially Lebanon are lacking. Our main objective was to determine this prevalence as well as identify potential factors associated with the development of burnout. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among medical, surgical, and radiation oncologists attending several Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities in Lebanon over the course of a three month period. Participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire composed of socio-demographic and work characteristics, as well as the Maslach Burnout Inventory- Human Service Survey (MBI-HSS). Results: A total of 51 oncologists completed the survey. Medical oncologists constituted the majority (84.3%), followed by surgical oncologists (9.8%) and radiation oncologists (5.9%). Approximately 47.1% of our sample had a high burnout level in at least one of the domains. 33.3% of oncologists exhibited high emotional exhaustion (EE) scores, 19.6% demonstrated low personal accomplishment (PA) scores, and 13.7% displayed high depersonalization (DP) scores. There was no statistically significant association between overall burnout level and any of the demographic or work characteristics. However, age was significantly associated with EE (p=0.03), while DP scores were significantly associated with the number of patients seen daily (p=0.028). Conclusion: Burnout is common among cancer professionals in Lebanon. Future research is needed to explore the problem in depth and suggest effective preventive approaches.
2dSearch: A Visual Approach to Search Strategy Formulation

Knowledge workers (such as healthcare information professionals, patent agents and media monitoring professionals) need to create and execute search strategies that are accurate, repeatable and transparent. The traditional solution is to use lineby-line ‘query builders’ such as those offered by proprietary database vendors. However, these offer limited support for error checking or query optimization, and their output can often be compromised by errors and inefficiencies. In this paper, we present a new approach to query formulation in which concepts are expressed as objects on a two-dimensional canvas. Relationships between objects are articulated by manipulating them using drag and drop. Automated search term suggestions are provided using a combination of knowledge-based and statistical natural language processing techniques. This approach has the potential to eliminate many sources of inefficiency, make the query semantics more transparent, and offers further opportunities for query refinement and optimisation.
The Generativity of Social Media: Opportunities, Challenges, and Guidelines for Conducting Experimental Research

ABSTRACT Human–computer interaction research on online social media has mainly focused on the use of single platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. However, this context is not entirely representative of the ever-increasing number of ways that social media manifests. A rising number of online services combine features and data that originate from multiple sources and platforms, including social media. In this article, we present an expanded view of social media by examining hybrid social media networks, defined as the combinatorial arrangements that result from connecting social media to other non-social platforms. We explain why they are important and how to study them using an experimental approach. Our conclusions and recommendations are illustrated by two case studies.
Platform-based service innovation and system design: a literature review

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the platform literature and synthesize the various topics of research into a common framework to reveal the relations between platform-based service innovation, system design and other platform-related factors. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative descriptive analysis led to an overview of the distribution of research focuses of the 187 sample articles identified by a well-established search strategy. A qualitative in-depth review was then used to clarify the detailed research topics and generate an overall conceptual model to link them, with a focus on platform-based service innovation and system design. Findings In total, 11 research topics of three research perspectives were identified and linked by a framework that accounts for the relationships between platform-based service innovation and system design and their influences on platform evolution. A small panel of industry experts validated the accuracy and utility of the proposed framework. Originality/value This paper provides an integrated framework for separately developed research perspectives and the topics investigated in the platform literature. Through the proposed framework, this paper helps to improve the knowledge on platform study and management, and lays a foundation for exploring the research opportunities in platform-based service innovation and system design.
Exploring the Relationship Between Depression and Dementia.

Diagnosing and treating depression in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or with dementia presents special challenges, but doing so can improve the quality of their lives as well as the lives of their caregivers and, in the case of MCI, might even delay progression to dementia. Researchers are still trying to tease out the relationship between depression and dementia. While depression does not appear to cause dementia, it likely is a risk factor, just as dementia is a risk factor for depression, said George Alexopoulos, MD, founder and director of the Weill-Cornell Institute of Geriatric Psychiatry. At least 20% of people with dementia develop a depressive syndrome, Alexopoulos said. Often, though, the depression comes first. Some studies suggest that depression in early life is a risk factor for dementia, while depression later in life can be a prodrome of dementia, Alexopoulos said. Although findings are mixed, a 2014 review of the literature concluded that there is convincing evidence to suggest that depression can be a risk factor and a prodromal symptom of dementia. In a more recent large longitudinal cohort study published in 2017 in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers followed the trajectory of depressive symptoms and dementia in 10 189 UK men and women over 28 years. Unlike some previous studies, this one found that depressive symptoms in midlife, even if chronic or recurring, were not associated with an increased risk of dementia. However, participants with depressive symptoms later in life had a higher risk of dementia. Depressive symptoms appear to be a prodromal feature of dementia or, perhaps, share common causes, such as neurodegeneration and inflammation, but they do not appear to increase the risk of dementia, according to the authors. In contrast, another longitudinal study involving 4992 older Australian men, published 2 months earlier, found that those who had a history of depression earlier in life did have a higher risk of dementia than those who did not. However, the association was greater in men who were depressed when they entered the study. Treatment with antidepressants did not decrease the risk of depression-associated dementia, leading the authors to conclude that late-life depression should be considered an early sign of dementia, not a modifiable risk factor. “Any time you have the first episode (of depression) at a later age, that’s always concerning for a neurodegenerative disorder,” said Anna Burke, MD, a geriatric psychiatrist and the director of neuropsychiatry at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, who was not involved with either study. Raj Shah, MD, an associate professor of family medicine with the Rush University Alzheimer Disease Center in Chicago, recommends that a first episode of depression in older individuals be considered a sentinel event, the same way a fall is. Both events should spur questions about whether patients need to have their medication adjusted or whether the fall or the mood change is a marker of other conditions, Shah said.
The Role of Assisted Living Capacity on Nursing Home Financial Performance

The rapid growth of the assisted living industry has coincided with decreased levels of nursing home occupancy and financial performance. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationships among assisted living capacity, nursing home occupancy, and nursing home financial performance. In addition, we explore whether the relationship between assisted living capacity and nursing home financial performance is mediated by nursing home occupancy. This research utilized publicly available secondary data, for the state of Florida from 2003 through 2015. General descriptive statistics were used to assess the relationships among financial performance, assisted living capacity, and occupancy. To explore the relationships among financial performance, assisted living capacity and occupancy, and test potential mediation of occupancy, we followed Baron and Kenny’s approach and estimated 3 models examining the relationships between (1) assisted living capacity and nursing home financial performance, (2) assisted living capacity and nursing home occupancy, and (3) nursing home occupancy and financial performance after assisted living capacity is included in the model. We used generalized estimating equations, to adjust for repeated measures and to model the above relationships. Year fixed effects control for time trend. The independent variable, assisted living beds, was lagged for 1 year to account for the potential influence on financial performance. The final analytic sample consisted of 7688 nursing home-year observations from 657 unique nursing homes. Our findings suggest that assisted living capacity does have a negative impact on nursing homes’ financial performance. Even though, assisted living capacity seems not to significantly decrease nursing home occupancy. The relationship between assisted living capacity and financial performance was not mediated through occupancy. These findings suggest that assisted living communities may not be able to significantly reduce nursing home occupancy; however, the presence of assisted living communities may create additional financial/competitive pressures that result in decreased nursing home financial performance.
Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanoparticles Based on Methoxy Poly(Ethylene Glycol)-B-Poly (ε-Caprolactone) Carboxylates and Chitosan for Delivery of Tolbutamide

Abstract In this study, a novel chitosan (CS)-modified nanoparticles (NPs) were developed to orally deliver tolbutamide (TOL). Methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)- b-poly(ε-caprolactone) carboxylates (mPEG2000-b-PCL4000) was synthesized via an esterification reaction. CS-modified mPEG2000-b-PCL4000-COOH NPs (CS@NPs) were fabricated by injecting mPEG2000-b-PCL4000-COOH NPs suspension (1.0 mg/mL) into CS solution (1.0 mg/mL, pH 5.0). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra were used to confirm the obtaining of mPEG2000-b-PCL4000-COOH. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) was carried out to observe morphology of all NPs. Nano ZS90 Malvern ParticleSizer were used to monitor the size distribution of obtained NPs. Thermogravimetry analysis (TGA) was performed to investigate the thermostability of CS@NPs. In vitro TOL release profiles were carried out in pH 1.2 and 7.4 buffers. FTIR spectra confirmed the obtaining of mPEG2000-b-PCL4000-COOH. TGA curves indicated that the protection of CS shells improved the thermostability of mPEG2000-b-PCL4000-COOH NPs. Cell tests indicated the CS@NPs had no obvious cytotoxicity, and they were easily taken up by 293T cells. In vitro release profiles showed that 91.0 ± 1.9% of encapsulated TOL were released from TOL-CS@NPs in pH 7.4 buffer. Therefore, the positive potential of CS@NPs could increase their combining capacity with intestinal mucosal cells. Finally, these NPs would improve the bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs.
Single photon emission photography/magnetic resonance imaging (SPECT/MRI) visualization for frontal-lobe-damaged regions

We present multi-modality visualization strategies to convey information contained in registered Single Photon Emission Photography (SPECT) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) images of the brain. Multi-modality visualization provides a means to retrieve valuable information from the data which might otherwise remain obscured. Here we use MRI as an anatomical framework for functional information acquired with SPECT. This is part of clinical research studying the change of functionality caused by a frontal lobe damaged region. A number of known and newly developed techniques for the integrated visualization of SPECT and MR images will be discussed.
Alleles Causing Resistance to Isoxaben and Flupoxam Highlight the Significance of Transmembrane Domains for CESA Protein Function

The cellulose synthase (CESA) proteins in Arabidopsis play an essential role in the production of cellulose in the cell walls. Herbicides such as isoxaben and flupoxam specifically target this production process and are prominent cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors (CBIs). Forward genetic screens in Arabidopsis revealed that mutations that can result in varying degrees of resistance to either isoxaben or flupoxam CBI can be attributed to single amino acid substitutions in primary wall CESAs. Missense mutations were almost exclusively present in the predicted transmembrane regions of CESA1, CESA3, and CESA6. Resistance to isoxaben was also conferred by modification to the catalytic residues of CESA3. This resulted in cellulose deficient phenotypes characterized by reduced crystallinity and dwarfism. However, mapping of mutations to the transmembrane regions also lead to growth phenotypes and altered cellulose crystallinity phenotypes. These results provide further genetic evidence supporting the involvement of CESA transmembrane regions in cellulose biosynthesis.
Trajectory of Affordances: Insights from a case of telemedicine in Nepal

Although Affordance Theory has become increasingly influential in the Information Systems (IS) literature, the exact process through which the affordances of IT are actualised is less studied. In this paper, we build on a realist ontology of affordance and an interpretive epistemology of how affordances are perceived and actualised to trace the process of actualisation. On the basis of insights drawn from a case study of a telemedicine project in a remote mountainous region of Nepal, we develop a concept, which we call the “Trajectory of Affordances. ” Trajectory of Affordances captures the complex relations between affordances of IT and the role of goal‐oriented actors who perceive and then play a vital role in actualising them, using capabilities that are enabled by facilitating conditions to take the necessary action. Trajectory of Affordances shows that the affordances of IT can travel from perception to actualisation through multiple paths, sometimes clustering together, and in the process, often lead to the emergence of new affordances.
Role of enterocyte stearoyl-Co-A desaturase-1 in LDLR-null mice

After crossing floxed stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (Scd1fl/fl) mice with LDL receptor-null (ldlr−/−) mice, and then Villin Cre (VilCre) mice, enterocyte Scd1 expression in Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/−/VilCre mice was reduced 70%. On Western diet (WD), Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/− mice gained more weight than Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/−/VilCre mice (P < 0.0023). On WD, jejunum levels of lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) 18:1 and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) 18:1 were significantly less in Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/−/VilCre compared with Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/− mice (P < 0.0004 and P < 0.026, respectively). On WD, Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/−/VilCre mice compared with Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/− mice had lower protein levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and myeloid differentiation factor-88 (MyD88) in enterocytes and plasma, and less dyslipidemia and systemic inflammation. Adding a concentrate of tomatoes transgenic for the apoA-I mimetic peptide 6F (Tg6F) to WD resulted in reduced enterocyte protein levels of LBP, CD14, TLR4, and MyD88 in Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/− mice similar to that seen in Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/−/VilCre mice. Adding LysoPC 18:1 to WD did not reverse the effects of enterocyte Scd1 knockdown. Adding LysoPC 18:1 (but not LysoPC 18:0) to chow induced jejunum Scd1 expression and increased dyslipidemia and plasma serum amyloid A and interleukin 6 levels in Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/− mice, but not in Scd1fl/fl/ldlr−/−/VilCre mice. We conclude that enterocyte Scd1 is partially responsible for LysoPC 18:1- and WD-induced dyslipidemia and inflammation in ldlr−/− mice.