Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Utility of Cerebrospinal Fluid Aβ42 and Tau Measures in Diagnosing Mild Cognitive Impairment in Early Onset Dementia

Background: The differentiation of a preclinical or prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is challenging particularly in patients with early onset Alzheimer’s or related dementias (EOARD). We report our experience on diagnostic lumbar puncture to diagnose EOARD at a tertiary neurocognitive referral center in Nottingham, England from March 2018 to October 2020. Objective: To assess amyloid-β42 (Aβ42), total tau, and Thr181-phosphorylated tau (p-tau) measurements in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and in relation to their follow-up cognitive performance. Methods: Thirty participants aged 32–68 years old (mean 59 years; 57% female) were included. Clinical diagnosis was based on clinical presentation, neurocognitive profile, neuroradiological features (MRI, FDG-PET CT) and CSF Aβ42, total tau, and p-tau measurements. Results: Patients with MCI who progressed to AD (prodromal AD) had significantly higher CSF total (797.63 pg/ml) and p-tau (82.31 pg/ml), and lower Aβ42 levels (398.94 pg/ml) in comparison to their counterparts with stable MCI (total tau 303.67 pg/ml, p-tau 43.56 pg/ml, Aβ42 873.44 pg/ml) (p < 0.01 for CSF total and p-tau measures and p < 0.0001 for CSF Aβ42 measures). None of the CSF biomarkers correlated with any of the cognitive performance measures. Principal component analysis confirmed that the clinical diagnosis of MCI secondary to AD, namely prodromal AD (as per NIA-AA criteria) in younger adults, was associated with decreased CSF Aβ42. Conclusion: In early onset AD, low levels of CSF Aβ42 appear to be more sensitive than total and p-tau measures in differentiating AD MCI from other forms of dementia. Further work on larger samples of EOARD in clinical practice will address the cost effectiveness of making an earlier diagnosis.
Eating Competence, Food Consumption and Health Outcomes: An Overview

Eating Competence (EC) is one behavioral perspective of eating practices that has been associated with a healthy lifestyle. It emphasizes eating pleasure, self-regulation of eating, body weight satisfaction, and regular meal frequency that includes food variety without focusing on dietary guidelines. EC is composed of four components (Eating Attitude, Food Acceptance, Internal Regulation, and Contextual Skill), and its assessment is performed using the Eating Competence Satter Inventory (ecSI2.0™), developed and validated in English for an adult population. EC has been associated with diet quality and health indicators for various population groups and the development of skills that increase EC might be a strategy to improve nutritional health, and prevent obesity and other chronic diseases. In this sense, this study presents an overview of the background, concepts, features, and possible associations among EC, food consumption, and health outcomes. The high prevalence of diseases associated with food/nutrition draws attention to the necessity to broaden the view on food and its relationship with health and well-being, considering not only nutrients and food combinations but also the behavioral dimensions of eating practices. Healthy nutritional recommendations that take into account attitudes and behaviors are in accordance with the EC behavioral model. Studies on eating behavior emphasize the need to better understand attitudes towards food and eating in the general population using validated instruments. In this context, measuring EC and its association with health outcomes seems to be relevant to nutritional health. The complexity of food choices has been examined in social, behavioral, and biological sciences, representing a great challenge for applying unique and simple theoretical models. Multiple methods are required, as no single theory can fully explain food selection.
How to design good Tetris players

In this paper, we propose to use evolution- nary algorithms more specifically the covariance matrix adaptation evolution strategy to design artificial players for the game of Tetris. The learned strategies are among the best performing players at this time scoring several millions of lines. We also describe different mechanisms to reduce the evolution time which can be an important issue for this learning problem.
IMAGE SUPER RESOLUTION TECHNIQUE BASED ON WAVELET DECOMPOSITION IMPLEMENTED ON BEAGLE BOARD XM

The suggested formula uses bilinear interpolation to enlarge the reduced resolution image by two occasions. Then, the interpolated image continues to be decomposed by DWT into different sub bands. Our prime frequency sub bands acquired by SWT from the input low resolution image are now being incremented in to the DWT decomposed high frequency sub bands to be able to correct the believed coefficients. In parallel, the DWT decomposed low frequency sub band image can also be interpolated individually. Within the real life, there are a number of applications requiring high definition (HR) images in remote sensing, medicine, military information acquisition, multimedia, etc. Due to the expensive and physical limitations from the acquisition hardware, the reduced resolution (LR) images are utilized frequently. So, super resolution (SR) restoration is definitely an emerged solution permitting to create one or some HR images from the sequence of LR images. Quantitative and qualitative experiments for that introduced method demonstrated great brilliance in acquiring high definition images rich in PSNR far better visual quality. Within this paper, a singular SR restoration formula according to wavelet decomposition was suggested and lastly continues to be implemented on OMAP3530 platform, demonstrating the potency of the renovation of SR images.
Control Systems with Tomographic Sensors—A Review

Industrial process tomography offers two key advantages over conventional sensing systems. Firstly, process tomography systems provide information about 2D or 3D distributions of the variables of interest. Secondly, tomography looks inside the processes without penetrating them physically, i.e., sensing is possible despite harsh process conditions, and the operation of the process is not disturbed by intrusive sensors. These advantages open new perspectives for the field of process control, and the potential of closed-loop control applications is one of the main driving forces behind the development of industrial tomography. Despite these advantages and decades of development, closed-loop control applications of tomography are still not really common. This article provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art in the field of control systems with tomographic sensors. An attempt is made to classify the different control approaches, critically assess their strengths and weak points, and outline which directions may lead to increased future utilization of industrial tomography in the closed-loop feedback control.
Genome-Wide Identification of the B-Box Gene Family and Expression Analysis Suggests Their Potential Role in Photoperiod-Mediated β-Carotene Accumulation in the Endocarp of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Fruit

Carotenoids are indispensable to plants and essential for human nutrition and health. Carotenoid contents are strongly influenced by light through light-responsive genes such as B-Box (BBX) genes. BBX proteins, a class of zinc-finger transcription factors, mediate many light-signaling pathways, leading to the biosynthesis of important metabolites in plants. However, the identification of the BBX gene family and expression analysis in response to photoperiod-mediated carotenoid accumulation in cucumber remains unexplored. We performed a genome-wide study and determined the expression of cucumber BBX genes (hereafter referred to as CsaBBXs genes) in the endocarp of Xishuangbanna cucumber fruit (a special type of cucumber accumulating a high level of β-carotene in the endocarp) using an RNA-seq analysis of plants previously subjected to two photoperiodic conditions. Here, 26 BBX family genes were identified in the cucumber genome and named serially CsaBBX1 through CsaBBX26. We characterized CsaBBX genes in terms of their phylogenetic relationships, exon-intron structures, cis-acting elements, and syntenic relationships with Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. RNA-seq analysis revealed a varied expression of CsaBBX genes under photoperiod treatment. The analysis of CsaBBXs genes revealed a strong positive correlation between CsaBBX17 and carotenoid biosynthetic pathway genes (phytoene synthase, ζ-carotene desaturase, lycopene ε-cyclase, β-carotene hydroxylase-1), thus suggesting its involvement in β-carotene biosynthesis. Additionally, nine CsaBBX genes (CsaBBX 4,5,7,9,11, 13,15,17 and 22) showed a significant positive correlation with β-carotene content. The selected CsaBBX genes were verified by qRT-PCR and confirmed the validity of RNA-seq data. The results of this study established the genome-wide analysis of the cucumber BBX family and provide a framework for understanding their biological role in carotenoid accumulation and photoperiodic responses. Further investigations of CsaBBX genes are vital since they are promising candidate genes for the functional analysis of carotenoid biosynthesis and can provide genetic tools for the molecular breeding of carotenoids in plants.
Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios support trophic partitioning within a Silurian conodont community from Gotland, Sweden

Abstract. Conodonts were a highly diverse and abundant vertebrate group whose fossils are found in marine Paleozoic and Triassic strata around the world. They inhabited environments ranging from lagoons to open oceans and are represented by a wide variety of dental morphologies. Conodonts may have filled many different ecological niches and represent a significant proportion of nekton before the Devonian. Despite this, very little is known about trophic ecology of conodonts. While morphological diversity suggests a complex trophic structure within conodont communities, there is little evidence to support dietary niche partitioning among conodonts. We tested the hypothesis that individual conodont taxa occupied different trophic niches, using Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios preserved in the dental elements of assemblages from Silurian strata of Gotland, Sweden. Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca have been shown to vary in vertebrate skeletal tissues depending on trophic positioning, although biological and environmental conditions can affect these ratios. Environmental influences were minimized by examining entire conodont communities from a tropical epeiric sea and by measuring strontium isotope ratios using thermal ionization mass spectrometry in the most metropolitan taxon (Ozarkodina confluens). Composition of white matter, a tissue unique to conodonts, was also analyzed using microprobe analysis, revealing significantly lower Sr concentrations than in surrounding lamellar tissue, suggesting taxon-specific histology should be considered when analyzing conodonts for geochemical data. Excluding taxa with highly variable quantities of white matter, the results show that each taxon preserves different Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios with limited overlap, indicating variation in trophic positioning.
Introducing root-cause analysis and orthogonal defect classification at lower CMMI maturity levels

This paper discusses and analyzes possible solutions for achieving an effective process improvement in one specific key process area: measurement, whatever the maturity level and without the constraints of a software process improvement model staged representation. It investigates in particular a Support Process Area, that is, Causal Analysis & Resolution (CAR), together with Orthogonal Defect Classification.
A new PWM controller with one cycle response

This paper proposes a new nonlinear control technique that has one cycle response, does not need a resettable integrator in the control path, and has nearly constant switching frequency. It obtains one cycle response by forcing the error between the switched-variable and the control reference to zero, each cycle. The on-pulse of the controller is adjusted each cycle by a simple circuit to ensure almost constant switching frequency. The small switching frequency variation due to variations in the reference signal and supply voltage and delays in the circuit are quantified. An additional improvement is achieved by using double edge modulation. An experimental 10 kHz bandwidth 100 Watt RMS power audio amplifier using the control method shows THD+N less than 0.62% and power supply ripple rejection (PSRR) of 56 dB demonstrating the applicability of this control technique for high fidelity audio applications.
Accuracy of Swan‒Ganz catheterization‐based assessment of right ventricular function: Validation study using high‐fidelity micromanometry‐derived values as reference

Abstract Right ventricular (RV) function critically affects the outcomes of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Pressure wave analysis using Swan‒Ganz catheterization (SG‐cath) allows for the calculation of indices of RV function. However, the accuracy of these indices has not been validated. In the present study, we calculated indices of systolic and diastolic RV functions using SG‐cath‐derived pressure recordings in patients with suspected or confirmed PH. We analyzed and validated the accuracies of three RV indices having proven prognostic values, that is, end‐systolic elastance (Ees)/arterial elastance (Ea), β (stiffness constant), and end‐diastolic elastance (Eed), using high‐fidelity micromanometry‐derived data as reference. We analyzed 73 participants who underwent SG‐cath for the diagnosis or evaluation of PH. In this study, Ees/Ea was calculated via the single‐beat pressure method using [1.65 × (mean pulmonary arterial pressure) − 7.79] as end‐systolic pressure. SG‐cath‐derived Ees/Ea, β, and Eed were 0.89 ± 0.69 (mean ± standard deviation), 0.027 ± 0.002, and 0.16 ± 0.02 mmHg/ml, respectively. The mean differences (limits of agreement) between SG‐cath and micromanometry‐derived data were 0.13 (0.99, −0.72), 0.002 (0.020, −0.013), and 0.04 (0.20, −0.12) for Ees/Ea, β, and Eed, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients of the indices derived from the two catheterizations were 0.76, 0.71, and 0.57 for Ees/Ea, β, and Eed, respectively. In patients with confirmed or suspected PH, SG‐cath‐derived RV indices, especially Ees/Ea and β, exhibited a good correlation with micromanometry‐derived reference values.
TRANSMITTING SPEED AND DISTANCE DATA OVER LONG-RANGE COMMUNICATION FOR CONNECTED VEHICLES

Long-range (LoRa) technology is vastly developing in a significant country that evolves around the Internet of Things (IoT) interest. Such IoT accomplishments include the development of smart cities, long-range monitoring systems, and M2M industries. LoRa technology is making its mark in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications, but it is yet to be fully explored. This study focused on developing and establishing communication between two LoRa powered devices and evaluating their performances upon deploying a prototype in an actual environment. The prototype is designed with bidirectional communication between two LoRa nodes that could exchange data for user references. Moreover, in the context of having V2V communication, speed and distance are involved in determining the exchange of data. The performance is evaluated in terms of data transmission consistency and reliability. The experimental results revealed that LoRa is applicable for V2V communication within a specific condition; however, there is a need for a more extensive experiment to be carried for a major rolled out of deployment.
Review of Procedures and Challenges Associated with an Epidemiological Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Wastewater

COVID-19 patients, including asymptomatic, pre-symptomatic and mild cases, were frequently seen to contain in feces and urine samples particles of SARS-CoV-2. Hence, studies to detect the new coronavirus in residual water, which gather and concentrate excrements, have been useful as a viral screening tool. This type of monitoring, in addition to have a great potential to serve as a non-invasive early warning tool of possible outbreaks of COVID-19, would provide better predictions about the propagation of SARS-CoV-2 and contribute to the maintenance of public health. From a literature review based on articles indexed in the main scientific databases, it was evident that, although current viral detection procedures in wastewater are considered as reliable and effective, they have been facing major challenges in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 monitoring. In this review article, it was described the procedures used to detect SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, usually through RT-qPCR methods, and the challenges associated with the epidemiological surveillance of the new coronavirus in this environment, especially in the stages of sampling, preservation, sample processing, interpretation and experimental validation, in addition to the management and dissemination of the monitoring data.
Clinical Outcomes of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Women with Coronary Artery Disease—Differences in Comparison with Men

This study evaluated the clinical outcomes of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in women with coronary artery disease (CAD) in comparison to men. Methods: Patients after acute coronary syndrome or after revascularization procedures (106 women, 180 men) were consecutively admitted to a comprehensive outpatient CR program, comprising of 45-min ergometer interval training three times a week for eight weeks. The training intensity was determined on the basis of training heart rate, calculated following an exercise test. Patients were divided into subgroups according to age (≤55, >55 years), BMI (<25, ≥25 kg/m2), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; ≤40%, 41–49%, ≥50%), and number of affected coronary vessels. Results: After eight weeks, exercise capacity increased significantly by 0.6 ± 0.77 MET (women) and by 1.0 ± 0.74 MET (men). The greatest benefit was observed in men, women under 55 years, women with LVEF 41–49%, and women with single-vessel CAD. An outpatient CR program appears less beneficial for women, especially those over 55 years, with two or three coronary vessels affected with atherosclerosis or with LVEF > 50%. In women with CAD, eight weeks of 45-min interval training, with sessions three times a week, is insufficient to improve exercise capacity to an extent that is considered a predictor of mortality risk reduction.
Applicable Metamorphic Testing for Erasable-Itemset Mining

Erasable-itemset mining is often used in production planning to identify itemsets that, if removed, would make little effect on the production profits. Consequently, much recent attention has been focused on increasing the mining efficiency. Yet, in addition to mining efficiency, guaranteeing mining correctness is also an important issue. In real applications, wrong mining results might lead a company to make inappropriate decisions. Therefore, in this paper, we use the metamorphic testing, a lightweight software-testing strategy, to check the mining results via discovering proper metamorphic relations. The core idea contains five metamorphic relations oriented from two aspects. In the first aspect, we alter maximum thresholds without changing the input data, and in the second aspect, we modify product databases and material items with fixing maximum thresholds. In the experiments, 11 datasets and 76 mutants generated by μJava were used to discuss the effects of database parameters, including the average number of materials in products, the number of different material items, the number of products, and the maximum threshold, respectively. The experimental results show that the metamorphic relations deliver good assessment performances in terms of effectiveness and efficiency, especially the fourth metamorphic relation.
Transformation of the Transdisciplinary Vision in Education and Learning Practices in Islamic Higher Education

The purpose of this article was to describe how IAIN Kendari has transformed a transdisciplinary vision into learning practices. There were three main topics discussed: 1) how to design a transdisciplinary curriculum; 2) how to assess lecturers’ readiness to implement learning using a transdisciplinary approach; and 3) how to prepare the learning environment. The three problems were explored at the Faculty of Tarbiyah and the IAIN Kendari Teacher Training Center with qualitative research using descriptive methods. The findings were as follows: the applied curriculum was an old one that was not designed in a transdisciplinary fashion. Bureaucratic issues contributed to the slow pace of curriculum changes. Second, lecturers’ teaching methods in general have not yet resulted in transdisciplinarity; the learning perspective is still sectoral. Third, a learning environment that promotes a transdisciplinary mindset has yet to emerge. The study program’s atmosphere, class management, student management, infrastructure and education personnel have not demonstrated readiness for a transdisciplinary vision in the realm of education and learning. Keywords: transformation, transdisciplinary, learning practice, higher education
Multiphase Interleaved IPT Based Current-Source Converter for High-Current Application

This article proposes a multiphase interleaved inductive power transfer (IPT) based dc–dc converter for high-current applications. There are three main contributions. First, the proposed converter is designed based on a loosely coupled IPT system with series compensation capacitors, which permits large leakage inductance and avoids magnetic saturation. Second, series capacitors are used to compensate the magnetic coupler, which achieves load-independent output current, namely a current-source converter. Third, a scalable multiphase converter is achieved with an input-parallel output-parallel structure for high current. Meantime, an interleaved control strategy is implemented to an N-phase system with an angle shift of 360°/(2×N), reducing output current ripples. A 2-kW/100-A three-phase converter prototype is implemented with zero-voltage switching and harmonic loss suppression. Experimental results show a load-independent output current, which is linearly regulated by input dc voltage. With an input voltage of 480 V, the output current reaches 101.5 A with a small peak-peak ripple of 2.4 A. Output power reaches 2.07 kW with a 91.39% dc–dc efficiency. A steady-state test for a solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) is conducted using the proposed high-current converter, showing its application in evaluating the steady-state efficiency and thermal performance of SSCB.
Sorting Research of Ocean Engineering Enterprise Informatization Projects based on Risk Assessment

Due to limited time and resources, ocean enterprise usually give priority to low level of risk project to realize informatization. According to informatization projects content of ocean engineering project, constructing an index system of ocean engineering informatization project based on risk assessment of personnel, capital, organization and technology in total of four perspectives. Utilizing the advantage of Fuzzy TOPSIS of multiple attribute decision-making and limited amount of information decision advantage. The propose of the study is to develop a sorting model of ocean engineering informatization project based on risk level, then sorts the risk of four candidates ocean engineering informatization project ,and proceeding the empirical analysis. By observing the result, A1 has the minimum risk level of informatization, which is ocean enterprise informatization preferred.