Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A qualitative study of parental views of HPV vaccination in Ireland

Abstract Background Despite significant evidence supporting the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the prevention of cervical cancer, uptake of this vaccine is below target in many countries. HPV uptake in Ireland has declined from 87% in 2014–15 to 51% in 2016–17 and currently remains suboptimal at 64.1% in 2017–18. Objectives This study aimed to explore parental views of the HPV vaccine; elucidate specific concerns relating to this vaccine and to identify relevant influences on the decision to vaccinate against HPV to inform strategies to optimise uptake. Methods An in-depth qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews was conducted among parents of 11–13-year-old girls (n = 18) who had not yet been offered the HPV vaccine. Convenience sampling was used. Interviews, conducted in the Republic of Ireland over six-months in 2018, were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed by thematic analysis. Results Eighteen interviews were conducted (14 female and 4 male participants). Parents favoured HPV vaccination to protect their daughters and prevent disease. Barriers to vaccination included; the fear of long-term side effects, lack of knowledge and the risk versus benefit ratio. General practitioners (GPs) were identified as having a strong influence over parental vaccination decisions, as did media reports and the recent cervical screening programme controversy in Ireland. Conclusion This study suggests that significant parental concerns remain to the HPV vaccine. More comprehensive information on the research surrounding this vaccine’s safety profile is required. GP’s may play a pivotal role in HPV vaccination going forward.
Modeling the Growth Rate of Listeria Monocytogenes Using Absorbance Measurements and Calibration Curves

The influence of environmental conditions (temperature and pH) on the relationship between growth data expressed by absorbance (ABS) and data transformed to cell count (CC) measurements was studied, using calibration curves for predicting Listeria monocytogenes growth rate. With this aim, 19 calibration curves at different stress conditions were performed. A shift in the calibration curves was observed for the most stringent conditions, which affected cell viability. Subsequently, a Baranyi model was fitted to ABS and CC data to obtain growth rate (GRABS and GRCC) and a linear regression was performed. Absorbance was found to be a reliable technique for measuring microbial growth, as a strong relationship between GRABS and GRCC (R2= 0.9717) was observed. Furthermore, 2 different response surface models were developed to link GRABS and GRCC data with temperature, citric acid, and ascorbic acid. The goodness of fit of both ABS and CC models to the data was observed (RMSE = 0.0223 and 0.0221; SEP [%]= 29 and 25, respectively). Mathematical validation was carried out by calculating bias and accuracy factors, providing reasonably acceptable values for both absorbance and cell count models (Bf= 1.11 and 1.09, Af= 1.44 and 1.41, respectively). Predictions for GRCC were compared to data taken from Growth Predictor software at different temperatures and pH. Response surface model predictions showed that a suitable combination of preservative factors can inhibit L. monocytogenes growth. These results highlight accurate predictions of growth parameters of L. monocytogenes.
Satisfying and stable couple relationships: Attachment similarity across partners can partially buffer the negative effects of attachment insecurity

Abstract Insecure attachment in couples is negatively associated with relationship functioning. Similarity of partner attachment on the other hand might attenuate such relationship outcomes. We tested the opposing insecurity and similarity hypotheses by examining associations of attachment with relationship satisfaction and instability in a representative community sample of couples (N = 1,014). We expected: (a) negative effects of insecure attachment (main effects of actor and partner avoidance and anxiety, and interaction effects consistent with fearful‐avoidance and demand‐withdraw patterns); and (b) positive effects of similarity in avoidance and anxiety. Actor‐Partner‐Interdependence Models showed clear support for the insecurity hypothesis. Main effects of avoidance and anxiety, explained 46.2% of the variance of satisfaction, and 17.9% of instability. We conclude that reducing insecurity of attachment, in particular avoidance, must be a central target in couple therapy. Interestingly, similarity of attachment can partially buffer the negative effects of attachment insecurity. Clinical implications are discussed.
Therapeutic efficacy of α7 ligands after acute ischaemic stroke is linked to conductive states of α7 nicotinic ACh receptors

Targeting α7 nicotinic ACh receptors (nAChRs) in neuroinflammatory disorders including acute ischaemic stroke holds significant therapeutic promise. However, therapeutically relevant signalling mechanisms remain unidentified. Activation of neuronal α7 nAChRs triggers ionotropic signalling, but there is limited evidence for it in immunoglial tissues. The α7 ligands which are effective in reducing acute ischaemic stroke damage promote α7 ionotropic activity, suggesting a link between their therapeutic effects for treating acute ischaemic stroke and activation of α7 conductive states.
Site-specific risk of colorectal neoplasms in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Many studies have shown that NAFLD is indeed closely related to the occurrence of colon tumors. The aim of this study was to further establish an assessment for the risk associated with NAFLD and the site-specificity of colon tumors. Methods We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Scopus databases published from January 1, 1981, to December 15, 2019, assessing the risk of colorectal neoplasms in patients with NAFLD. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of site-specific risk of colorectal neoplasms in patients with NAFLD reported as ORs which pooled under a random-effects model and calculated via Mantel-Haenszel weighting. The study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42020162118. Results 11 articles (12,081 participants) were included in this meta-analysis. After heterogeneity removed, the overall risk-value pooled for right colon tumors(OR = 1.60,95% CI 1.27–2.01,I2 = 58%,P = 0.02)was higher than the left(OR = 1.39,95% CI 1.11–1.73,I2 = 59%,P = 0.02). However, this outcome was unclear when considering gender differences (Male&Right:OR = 1.05; Male&Left:OR = 1.26; Female&Right: OR = 1.17; Female&Left:OR = 1.17). The incidence of right colon tumors(Asian&Right:OR = 1.56)was obviously higher in Asians with NAFLD than the left (Asian&Left:OR = 1.23),while the risk relevance was similar and moderately associated with an increased risk of incident double-sided colorectal tumors in Europeans (European&Right:OR = 1.47; European&Left:OR = 1.41). The outcome of pathological morphology includes: the advanced adenoma OR = 1.82;the tubular adenoma OR = 1.24;the serrated adenoma OR = 2.16. Conclusions NAFLD is associated with a high risk of colon tumors, especially in regard to tumors of the right colon, which are more prevalent in Asian populations.
Mediterranean diet and antihypertensive drug use: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To examine in older individuals at high cardiovascular risk whether following a Mediterranean diet decreased the necessity of antihypertensive drugs and modulated their associated cardiovascular risk. METHODS In the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea study, we assessed whether volunteers randomly allocated to an intervention with a Mediterranean diet enriched with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts (relative to a low-fat control diet) disclosed differences in the risk of: initiating antihypertensive medication in nonusers at baseline (n = 2188); and escalating therapy in participants using one, two, or three drugs at baseline (n = 2361, n = 1579, and n = 554, respectively). We also assessed whether allocation to Mediterranean diet modified the association between antihypertensive drug use and incident cardiovascular events. RESULTS Participants allocated to Mediterranean diet interventions were associated with lower risk of initiating antihypertensive therapy [5-year incidence rates: 47.1% in the control diet, 43.0% in MedDiets; hazard ratio = 0.84, 95% CI (0.74--0.97), in a model adjusted for age, sex, and recruitment site]. Volunteers using two drugs at baseline in the Mediterranean diet intervention enriched with extra-virgin olive oil decreased their risk of therapy escalation [5-year incidence rates: 22.9% in the control diet, 20.1% in the MedDiet; hazard ratio = 0.77, 95% CI (0.60--0.99)]. Allocation to Mediterranean diet interventions attenuated the association between antihypertensive therapy at baseline and incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (P interaction = 0.003). CONCLUSION In an older population at high cardiovascular risk, following a Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of initiating or escalating antihypertensive medication and attenuated cardiovascular risk in antihypertensive drug users.
Exploring the Environmental Photochemistry on the TiO2(110) Surface in Situ by Near Ambient Pressure X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Heterogeneous reactions of nitrogen oxides on metal oxide surfaces have been suggested to play a significant role in environmental chemistry, physics, and engineering. Many of the metal oxide compounds found among atmospheric mineral dust particles are inherently semiconducting substrates. Due to their low band gap, they are effective photoactive materials in the environmentally relevant ultraviolet (UVA) range of solar radiation. Here, we have studied nitrogen oxide species evolution and photochemistry on TiO2(110) surfaces in the context of atmospheric chemistry by means of near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) coupled with a 375 nm UV-laser module. In the presence of molecular O2 only, changes in TiO2 surface potential under UV irradiation were observed, attributed to band flattening. Under humid conditions, a significant increase in the BE range attributed to surface hydroxyl groups was observed, which may be the basis for the light-induced superhydrophilicity observed elsewh.
Origin of anomalous anharmonic lattice dynamics of lead telluride

The origin of the anomalous anharmonic lattice dynamics of lead telluride is investigated by molecular dynamics simulations with interatomic force constants (IFCs) obtained up to quartic terms from first principles. The calculations reproduce the asymmetry of the radial distribution function and the double peaks of transverse optical phonon previously observed with neutron diffraction and scattering experiments. They are identified to be due to the extremely large nearest-neighbor cubic IFCs in the [100] direction. The outstanding strength of the nearest-neighbor cubic IFCs, compared with the longer-range interactions, explains why the distortion in the radial distribution function is local.
Optimal experimental design for mathematical models of haematopoiesis

The haematopoietic system has a highly regulated and complex structure in which cells are organized to successfully create and maintain new blood cells. It is known that feedback regulation is crucial to tightly control this system, but the specific mechanisms by which control is exerted are not completely understood. In this work, we aim to uncover the underlying mechanisms in haematopoiesis by conducting perturbation experiments, where animal subjects are exposed to an external agent in order to observe the system response and evolution. We have developed a novel Bayesian hierarchical framework for optimal design of perturbation experiments and proper analysis of the data collected. We use a deterministic model that accounts for feedback and feedforward regulation on cell division rates and self-renewal probabilities. A significant obstacle is that the experimental data are not longitudinal, rather each data point corresponds to a different animal. We overcome this difficulty by modelling the unobserved cellular levels as latent variables. We then use principles of Bayesian experimental design to optimally distribute time points at which the haematopoietic cells are quantified. We evaluate our approach using synthetic and real experimental data and show that an optimal design can lead to better estimates of model parameters.
Reduced ATP-dependent proteolysis of functional proteins during nutrient limitation speeds the return of microbes to a growth state

Protecting specific proteins from degradation enables Salmonella to rapidly recover from starvation. Protein preservation speeds growth recovery During nutrient deprivation, microbes cease to rapidly grow and enter stationary phase. Yeom and Groisman found that the decrease in intracellular ATP experienced by Salmonella in stationary phase inhibited the homeostatic degradation of critical proteins that are substrates of ATP-dependent proteases without affecting that of other protein substrates for those proteases. The selective preservation of protease substrates did not depend on the particular nutrient that was limiting, and it enabled Salmonella to rapidly resume exponential growth when the missing nutrient became available. A similar phenomenon was observed in yeast, suggesting that this may be a general mechanism for ensuring that microbes can rapidly recover from starvation. When cells run out of nutrients, the growth rate greatly decreases. Here, we report that microorganisms, such as the bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, speed up the return to a rapid growth state by preventing the proteolysis of functional proteins by ATP-dependent proteases while in the slow-growth state or stationary phase. This reduction in functional protein degradation resulted from a decrease in the intracellular concentration of ATP that was nonetheless sufficient to allow the continued degradation of nonfunctional proteins by the same proteases. Protein preservation occurred under limiting magnesium, carbon, or nitrogen conditions, indicating that this response was not specific to low availability of a particular nutrient. Nevertheless, the return to rapid growth required proteins that mediate responses to the specific nutrient limitation conditions, because the transcriptional regulator PhoP was necessary for rapid recovery only after magnesium starvation. Reductions in intracellular ATP and in ATP-dependent proteolysis also enabled the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to recover faster from stationary phase. Our findings suggest that protein preservation during a slow-growth state is a conserved microbial strategy that facilitates the return to a growth state once nutrients become available.
Template synthesis of nanoparticle arrays of gold, platinum and palladium in mesoporous silica films and powders

Mesoporous silica films were prepared on glass plates by a dip coating method, and the film/plate samples were used as a support for Au, Pt and Pd nanoparticles. By H2- or photo-reduction of metal precursors impregnated on the films, metal nanoparticles are formed with an ordered array structure in the mesopores. The nanoparticles are isolated by dissolving the silica film with a dilute HF solution, and the particles are stabilized with ligands such as 1-dodecanethiol and triphenylphosphine. The diameter of the separated nanoparticles is 2.5 nm with narrow distributions, showing that uniform particles are formed in the mesopores. Selective formation of metal nanoparticles rather than nanowires suggests that a 3D-hexagonal structure is involved in the 2D-hexagonal mesoporous silica films. To study the formation of nanoparticles in a 3D-hexagonal structure, HMM-2 powder was used as a support, and in fact Au and Pt nanoparticles are formed in the HMM-2 powders. The XRD study suggests that the Au nanoparticles in the film/plate have an anisotropic orientation in the mesoporous channels. The Au/film/plate sample gives a weak plasmon peak at 570–580 nm using diffuse-reflectance UV-visible spectroscopy, which is shifted to high wavelength by 50–60 nm compared with larger Au particles.
Climatic Niche Dynamics of Three Widespread Cardiospermum (Paullinieae, Sapindaceae) Species Revealed Possible Dispersal Pathways

Abstract The genus Cardiospermum comprises eight species distributed in the American continent, from central-eastern United States of America to central Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile; C. corindum, C. grandiflorum, and C. halicacabum are distributed worldwide. How these species spread to the African continent from the Americas and from Africa to the rest of the world remains to be understood. Two hypotheses were tested in this study: the species would have colonized the African continent either naturally, through extreme long-distance dispersal, or via human activities. Our work considers the niche conservatism principle, which states that a species tends to retain aspects of its fundamental niche over space and time; however, a deviation (i.e. niche shift) may be detected, indicating that the ecological and evolutionary traits of the species change in response to environmental modifications. We compared the niche of each of the three species based on their known occurrences, both in the Americas and in the rest of the world, and on climatic variables. We performed an environmental niche modelling analysis for three periods: Holocene, Last Glacial Maximum, and the present. In addition, a Principal Components Analysis of climatic variables associated with known occurrences was performed through the COUE scheme. Our results suggest an early migration of C. corindum and C. halicacabum from the Americas to Africa; therefore, these two species would be native to these ranges, as proposed in previous studies. In addition, a recent introduction event of C. grandiflorum to Africa, and from Africa to India, Asia, and Oceania, was detected, which confirms the invasive status of this species outside the Americas.
Integration of Knowledge and Task Management in an Evolving, Communication-intensive Environment

Digitalisation of knowledge work, especially in communication-intensive domains is one of the greatest challenges, but also one of the greatest opportunities to improve today's working environments. This demands for a flexible system that supports both knowledge intensive creative work and highly individual processes. Smooth integration is hindered by the lack of the task context in knowledge management systems so far. Furthermore, a model to define and handle mental concepts, which are typically evolving during daily work, is missing, to allow for targeted use of appropriate knowledge in process tasks. In this paper, we propose a bottom-up approach to model and store the static and dynamic aspects of knowledge in terms of data objects and tasks that are connected with each other. The proposed solution leverages the flexibility of a graph-based model to enable open and continuously evolving user-centred processes for knowledge work, but also predefined administrative processes. Besides our approach, we show results from testing a prototypical implementation in a real-life setting in the domain of intellectual property management applications.
Support software for Automatic Speech Recognition systems targeted for non-native speech

Nowadays automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems can achieve higher and higher accuracy rates depending on the methodology applied and datasets used. The rate decreases significantly when the ASR system is being used with a non-native speaker of the language to be recognized. The main reason for this is specific pronunciation and accent features related to the mother tongue of that speaker, which influence the pronunciation. At the same time, an extremely limited volume of labeled non-native speech datasets makes it difficult to train, from the ground up, sufficiently accurate ASR systems for non-native speakers. In this research we address the problem and its influence on the accuracy of ASR systems, using the style transfer methodology. We designed a pipeline for modifying the speech of a non-native speaker so that it more closely resembles the native speech. This paper covers experiments for accent modification using different setups and different approaches, including neural style transfer and autoencoder. The experiments were conducted on English language pronounced by Japanese speakers (UME-ERJ dataset). The results show that there is a significant relative improvement in terms of the speech recognition accuracy. Our methodology reduces the necessity of training new algorithms for non-native speech (thus overcoming the obstacle related to the data scarcity) and can be used as a wrapper for any existing ASR system. The modification can be performed in real time, before a sample is passed into the speech recognition system itself.
Web Scraping versus Twitter API: A Comparison for a Credibility Analysis

Twitter is one of the most popular information source available on the Web. Thus, there exist many studies focused on analyzing the credibility of the shared information. Most proposals use either Twitter API or web scraping to extract the data to perform such analysis. Both extraction techniques have advantages and disadvantages. In this work, we present a study to evaluate their performance and behavior. The motivation for this research comes from the necessity to know ways to extract online information in order to analyze in real-time the credibility of the content posted on the Web. To do so, we develop a framework which offers both alternatives of data extraction and implements a previously proposed credibility model. Our framework is implemented as a Google Chrome extension able to analyze tweets in real-time. Results report that both methods produce identical credibility values, when a robust normalization process is applied to the text (i.e., tweet). Moreover, concerning the time performance, web scraping is faster than Twitter API, and it is more flexible in terms of obtaining data; however, web scraping is very sensitive to website changes.
A Methodological Approach to Compare Ontologies: Proposal and Application for SLAM Ontologies

Representation of the knowledge related to any domain with flexible and well-defined models, such as ontologies, provides the base to develop efficient and interoperable solutions. Hence, a proliferation of ontologies in many domains is unleashed. It is necessary to define how to compare such ontologies to decide which one is the most suitable for specific needs of users/developers. Since the emerging developing of ontologies, several studies have proposed criteria to evaluate them. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of practical and reproducible guidelines to drive a comparative evaluation of ontologies as a systematic process. In this paper, we propose a methodological process to qualitatively and quantitatively compare ontologies at Lexical, Structural, and Domain Knowledge levels, considering Correctness and Quality perspectives. Since the evaluation methods of our proposal are based in a golden-standard, it can be customized to compare ontologies in any domain. To show the suitability of our proposal, we apply our methodological approach to conduct a comparative study of ontologies in the robotic domain, in particularly for the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) problem. With this study case, we demonstrate that with this methodological comparative process, we are able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of ontologies, as well as the gaps still needed to fill in the target domain (SLAM for our study case).