Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characteristics and determinants of population acceptance of COVID-19 digital contact tracing: a systematic review

Background and aim: As recently outlined in the WHO-ECDC Indicator framework to evaluate the public health effectiveness of digital proximity tracing solutions, one of the main barriers to digital contact tracing (DCT) is population acceptance, which, in turns, is influenced by digital literacy, attitudes and practice. DCT came to public prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic but evidence on its population acceptance have not been comprehensively analyzed. Methods: We carried out a systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42021253668) following the PRISMA guidelines. Original studies reporting on different measures of population DCT acceptance were included. Results: The systematic review was based on 41 articles meeting our a priori defined inclusion criteria, comprising aa total of 186144 surveyed subjects, 50000 tweets, 5025 Reddit posts and 714 written comments. Data extraction and synthesis required qualitative outcome grouping, performed ex-post, in 14 different benchmarks components. They constitute a narrative analysis of actionable points for public health policy. Conclusion: Population acceptance is a key component of DCT effective adoption and, ultimately, infection control during infectious diseases outbreaks. Assessing DCT acceptance’s determinants in different settings, populations and cultural contexts it is of fundamental importance to inform the planning, implementation and monitoring of public health interventions. The results of our in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis should guide future research aimed at exploring how digitalization can serve people-centred care. (www.actabiomedica.it)
US Naval Academy Stores Separation Simulation Program

rd year, have previously completed a basic fluids or aerodynamics course and have limited exposure to programming in MATLAB. During the first half of the CFD course they are introduced to basic FORTRAN programming and solve comparatively simple flows (e.g. three-dimensional viscous duct flow) both numerically and analytically. During the second half of the course they are introduced to the NASA Tetrahedral Unstructured Software System (TetrUSS) and the use of parallel processing. Students complete demanding real world projects using TetrUSS such as modeling transonic airflow on an airfoil or determining the impact of different angle of attack on a strut mounted store. Significant and notable research completed by these students include impact on a released store of shock waves produced by modification to the aft end of an external targeting pod, comparison of shock waves produced by different external targeting pods and the impact of moving an air cooling intake scoop. Since a majority of the students who are involved with this research desire to become Naval Aviators, this program provides both valuable professional and research experience.
Normal aging, motor neurone disease, and Alzheimer’s disease are characterized by cortical changes in inflammatory cytokines

The role of increased brain inflammation in the development of neurodegenerative diseases is unclear. Here, we have compared cytokine changes in normal aging, motor neurone disease (MND), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). After an initial analysis, six candidate cytokines, interleukin (IL)‐ 4, 5, 6, 10, macrophage inhibitory protein (MIP)‐1α, and fibroblast growth factor (FGF)‐2, showing greatest changes were assayed in postmortem frozen human superior frontal gyri (n = 12) of AD patients, aging and young adult controls along with the precentral gyrus (n = 12) of MND patients. Healthy aging was associated with decreased anti‐inflammatory IL‐10 and FGF‐2 levels. AD prefrontal cortex was associated with increased levels of IL‐4, IL‐5, and FGF‐2, with the largest increase seen for FGF‐2. Notwithstanding differences in the specific frontal lobe gyrus sampled, MND patients’ primary motor cortex (precentral gyrus) was associated with increased levels of IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐10, and FGF‐2 compared to the aging prefrontal cortex (superior frontal gyrus). Immunocytochemistry showed that FGF‐2 is expressed in neurons, astrocytes, and microglia in normal aging prefrontal cortex, AD prefrontal cortex, and MND motor cortex. We report that healthy aging and age‐related neurodegenerative diseases have different cortical inflammatory signatures that are characterized by increased levels of anti‐inflammatory cytokines and call into question the view that increased inflammation underlies the development of age‐related neurodegenerative diseases.
Antecedent use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors is associated with reduced mortality in elderly hypertensive Covid-19 patients

Objectives: The effect of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASIs) on mortality in patients with coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is debated. From a cohort of 1352 consecutive patients admitted with Covid-19 to Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital in Bergamo, Italy, between February and April 2020, we selected and studied hypertensive patients to assess whether antecedent (prior to hospitalization) use of RASIs might affect mortality from Covid-19 according to age. Methods and results: Arterial hypertension was present in 688 patients. Overall mortality (in-hospital or shortly after discharge) was 35% (N = 240). After adjusting for 26 medical history variables via propensity score matching, antecedent use of RASIs (N = 459, 67%) was associated with a lower mortality in older hypertensive patients (age above the median of 68 years in the whole series), whereas no evidence of a significant effect was found in the younger group of the same population (P interaction = 0.001). In an analysis of the subgroup of 432 hypertensive patients older than 68 years, we considered two RASI drug subclasses, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs, N = 156) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs, N = 140), and assessed their respective effects by taking no-antecedent-use of RASIs as reference. This analysis showed that both antecedent use of ACEIs and antecedent use of ARBs were associated with a lower Covid-19 mortality (odds ratioACEI = 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.36--0.91, P = 0.018) (odds ratioARB = 0.49, 95% confidence interval 0.29--0.82, P = 0.006). Conclusion: In the population of over-68 hypertensive Covid-19 patients, antecedent use of ACEIs or ARBs was associated with a lower all-cause mortality, whether in-hospital or shortly after discharge, compared with no-antecedent-use of RASIs.
Myonuclear apoptosis via cleaved caspase‐3 upregulation is related to macrophage accumulation underlying immobilization‐induced muscle fibrosis

Although macrophage accumulation plays a key role in the development of immobilization‐induced muscle fibrosis, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, we focused on the alterations of myonuclear apoptosis via cleaved caspase‐3, and investigated whether these changes may be related to macrophage accumulation.
Adaptive beamforming: Spatial filter designed blocking matrix

Controlling the resolution in adaptive beamformers is often crucial. A simple method that works for both narrow-band and broad-band arrays is presented. This method is based on the normalized leaky LMS algorithm in conjunction with a generalized sidelobe canceller (GSC) structure, where the GSC is designed using a spatial filtering approach. In essence, the suppression of the spatial filters and the implicit noise of the leaky LMS algorithm together determine the adaptive beamformer. Analytical expressions are given for the Wiener filters and the output spectrum versus frequency and point source location. These expressions are employed in the design specification of the spatial filters and to obtain conditions for a controlled quiescent beamformer response. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the behavior of the array. >
Bacteriophage carriers localize in the brain of a rat model of neonatal hypoxic‐ischemic encephalopathy

Neonatal hypoxic‐ischemic encephalopathy arises from a reduction of oxygen and blood supply to the infant brain and can lead to severe brain damage and life‐long disability. The damage is greatest at the irreversibly injured necrotic core, whereas the penumbra is the surrounding, potentially salvageable tissue populated with a mix of alive and dying cells. To date, there exists no method for targeting drugs to the brain damage.
Immunotoxicity of Perfluorooctanoic Acid to the Marine Bivalve Species Ruditapes philippinarum

Polyfluorinated alkylated substances are recognized as an important class of pollutants in marine environments. Bivalves are good model organisms for evaluating the toxicity of pollutants and monitoring marine environments. In the present study, immunotoxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was investigated by measuring biomarkers of the immune profile of Ruditapes philippinarum. In bivalves, hemocytes are an important component of the immune system. Thus, hemocyte proliferation, phagocytosis, cell viability, and immune enzyme activities, which have been applied as marine pollution bioindicators, were identified and observed for changes after exposure to PFOA in R. philippinarum. Based on the integrated biomarker responses method, we selected five biomarkers to evaluate PFOA risk at the multibiomarker level. In addition, the histopathological alterations of hemocytes in bivalves were used as indexes of the response to environmental stress. The subcellular structure of the hemocytes in R. philippinarum changed significantly with PFOA exposure, including hemocyte and nucleus morphological changes, organelle dissolution, cytomembrane and karyotheca swelling, and cytoplasm vacuolization. The present study verifies PFOA immunotoxicity to R. philippinarum at different levels and the integrated assessment of stress levels caused by PFOA in marine environment. Our results will provide new insights into evaluating adverse effects of PFOA and monitoring marine ecosystem. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:426–436. © 2021 SETAC
Mitochondria play a key role in oxidative stress-induced pancreatic islet dysfunction after severe burns

BACKGROUND Severe burns are often complicated with hyperglycemia in part caused by pancreatic islet dysfunction. Previous studies have revealed that in diabetes mellitus, the pancreatic islet dysfunction is partly attributed to oxidative stress. However, the role and mechanism of oxidative stress in hyperglycemia after severe burns remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the level and mechanism of oxidative stress in pancreatic islets after severe burns and the antioxidant effect of sodium pyruvate. METHODS A 30% total body surface area full-thickness burn model was established using male C57BL/6 mice. Fasting blood glucose and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) 24 hours post severe burns were detected. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial ROS of islets were detected. The activities of complexes in the mitochondrial respiratory chain of islets were measured. The main antioxidant defense system, glutaredoxin system, and thioredoxin system-related indexes were detected, and the expression of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) was measured. In addition, the antioxidant activity of sodium pyruvate was evaluated post severe burns. RESULTS After severe burns, fasting blood glucose levels increased, while GSIS levels decreased, with significantly elevated ROS levels of pancreatic islets. The activity of complex III decreased and the level of mitochondrial ROS increased significantly post severe burns. For the detoxification of ROS, the expressions of thioredoxin 2, thioredoxin reductase 2, and Mn-SOD located in mitochondria decreased. Sodium pyruvate reduced the level of mitochondrial ROS in islet cells and improved the GSIS of islets after severe burns. CONCLUSION The high level of mitochondrial ROS of islets is caused by reducing the activity of complex III in mitochondrial respiratory chain, inhibiting mitochondrial thioredoxin system, and downregulating Mn-SOD post severe burns. Sodium pyruvate plays an antioxidant role post severe burns in mice islets and improves the islet function.
Effectiveness and Feasibility of Internet-Based Interventions for Grief After Bereavement: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background Although grief and its symptoms constitute a normal reaction to experiences of loss, some of those affected still report elevated levels of distress after an extended period, often termed complicated grief. Beneficial treatment effects of face-to-face therapies, for example, grief counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy against complicated grief, have been reported. Evaluations of internet- and mobile-based interventions targeting symptoms of grief in bereaved individuals with regard to objective quality criteria are currently lacking. Objective We aim to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness and feasibility of internet- and mobile-based interventions against symptoms of grief after bereavement. Methods We conducted systematic literature searches of randomized controlled trials or feasibility studies published before January 9, 2020, following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, in PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, and the Cochrane Library. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations system. We further assessed aspects of feasibility and rated quality of interventions using criteria suggested by an expert panel on mental health care (German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics). A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to assess between-group effect sizes. Results In total, 9 trials (N=1349) were included. Of these, 7 studies were analyzed meta-analytically. Significant effects were found for symptoms of grief (g=0.54, 95% CI 0.32-0.77), depression (g=0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.68), and posttraumatic stress (g=0.82, 95% CI 0.63-1.01). Heterogeneity was moderate for grief and depression (I2=48.75% and 55.19%, respectively) and low for posttraumatic stress symptoms (I2=0%). The overall quality of evidence was graded low (grief and depression) to moderate (posttraumatic stress). User satisfaction with the interventions was high, as was the quality of the interventions assessed using objective quality criteria. Conclusions Internet- or mobile-based interventions might constitute an effective treatment approach against symptoms of grief in bereaved adults. However, the small sample sizes and limited number of studies included in the review warrant further investigation. Trial Registration International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) CRD42012002100; https://www.crd. york.ac. uk/prospero/display_record. php? RecordID=131428
Autopilot Design for a Target Drone using Rate Gyros and GPS

Cost is an important aspect in designing a target drone, however the poor performance of low cost IMU, GPS, and microcontrollers prevents the use of complex algorithms, such as ARS, or INS/GPS to estimate attitude angles. We propose an autopilot which uses rate gyro and GPS only for a target drone to follow a prescribed path for anti-aircraft training. The autopilot consists of an altitude hold, roll hold, and path following controller. The altitude hold controller uses vertical speed output from a GPS to improve phugoid damping. The roll hold controller feeds back yaw rate after filtering the dutch roll oscillation to estimate the roll angle. The path following controller operates as an outer loop of the altitude and roll hold controllers. A 6-DOF simulation showed that the proposed autopilot guides the target drone to follow a prescribed path well from the view point of anti-aircraft gun training.
The global prevalence of sexual violence against pregnant women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT When committed against pregnant women, sexual violence may have adverse health consequences for both the mother and the unborn child. To date, no studies have systematically summarized the global prevalence of sexual violence against pregnant women. We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase and Web of Science from inception dates to January 2021 for studies reporting the prevalence of sexual violence against pregnant women. Prevalence was estimated using a random-effects meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 statistic. Differences by study level characteristics were estimated through subgroup analysis and meta-regression. A total of 10 cross-sectional studies (a total of 8,439 participants) were included. The pooled proportion of sexual violence was 0.31 (95% CI: 0.22–0.40). Subgroup analyses showed higher prevalence of sexual violence against pregnant women in the 2010–2019 period (0.35, 95% CI0.15–7.53) and developing countries (0.32, 95% CI0.19–0.45). Almost one in three (31%) pregnant women around the world has been a victim of sexual violence in their lifetime. Sexual violence against pregnant women continues to be a major public health challenge. The global prevalence of sexual violence against pregnant women warrants the collective attention of the entire society.
Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Middle School Students: Invariance Properties Related to Gender and Ethnicity

The middle school version of the Washington Assessment of Risks and Needs of Students (msWARNS) is a self-report instrument designed for use by school personnel to identify barriers to school attendance and school success for sixth- to eighth-grade students. It measures six domains relevant to improving school outcomes that include aggression-defiance, depression-anxiety, substance use, peer deviance, home environment, and school engagement. In the present study, a bifactor S − 1 model, for which the aggression-defiance domain was the reference factor for the general factor and the other domains constituted the subfactors, had good fit and better fit than several other alternative models. Results of multigroup confirmatory factor analysis revealed invariance across different groups defined by gender and race/ethnicity (Native American, African American, Hispanic, and White), with a sample of referred middle school students (N = 2,356; ages 10–15 years). Reliability analyses support the use of the general factor to guide decision-making, the reliable use of the depression-anxiety factor for providing additional insights, and the remaining factors for guiding communication, as part of an assessment and intervention program for middle school students.
Underwater photogrammetric theoretical equations and technique

In order to have a high level of accuracy of measurement in underwater close-range photogrammetry, this article deals with a study of three varieties of model equations according to the way of imaging upon the water. First, the paper makes a careful analysis for the two varieties of theoretical equations and finds out that there are some serious limitations in practical application and has an in-depth study for the third model equation. Second, one special project for this measurement has designed correspondingly. Finally, one rigid antenna has been tested by underwater photogrammetry. The experimental results show that the precision of 3D coordinates measurement is 0.94mm, which validates the availability and operability in practical application with this third equation. It can satisfy the measurement requirements of refraction correction, improving levels of accuracy of underwater close-range photogrammetry, as well as strong antijamming and stabilization.
Burden and Heart Rate Variability in Bipolar Disorder Family Caregivers

Family caregivers of persons with bipolar disorder experience considerable stress. Yet, studies have not examined whether their stress differs by race and gender. This preliminary analysis of baseline data from 228 African American and White family caregivers of adults with bipolar disorder who were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial examined race and gender differences on two validated self-report measures of psychological stress (caregiver burden and caregiver reactions) and an electrocardiography device used to capture heart rate variability (HRV). No statistically significant differences were found by race or gender on either measure of psychological stress. African American caregivers had significantly lower scores on two indices of HRV compared to White caregivers. Women had significantly lower scores on one index of HRV compared to men. Low HRV indicates greater stress and mortality risk. Future research should include HRV to measure caregiver stress and implement relevant interventions.
Automated detection and reacquisition of motion‐degraded images in fetal HASTE imaging at 3 T

Fetal brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging suffers from unpredictable and unconstrained fetal motion that causes severe image artifacts even with half‐Fourier single‐shot fast spin echo (HASTE) readouts. This work presents the implementation of a closed‐loop pipeline that automatically detects and reacquires HASTE images that were degraded by fetal motion without any human interaction.
Experimental Validation of LiDAR Sensors Used in Vehicular Applications by Using a Mobile Platform for Distance and Speed Measurements

LiDAR sensors are needed for use in vehicular applications, particularly due to their good behavior in low-light environments, as they represent a possible solution for the safety systems of vehicles that have a long braking distance, such as trams. The testing of long-range LiDAR dynamic responses is very important for vehicle applications because of the presence of difficult operation conditions, such as different weather conditions or fake targets between the sensor and the tracked vehicle. The goal of the authors in this paper was to develop an experimental model for indoor testing, using a scaled vehicle that can measure the distances and the speeds relative to a fixed or a moving obstacle. This model, containing a LiDAR sensor, was developed to operate at variable speeds, at which the software functions were validated by repeated tests. Once the software procedures are validated, they can be applied on the full-scale model. The findings of this research include the validation of the frontal distance and relative speed measurement methodology, in addition to the validation of the independence of the measurements to the color of the obstacle and to the ambient light.