Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
At the Factory, at the Table: Dietary Beliefs and Practices of Thai Industrial Workers

The present article explores some of the ways Thai industrial workers view their diet and eating patterns in the context of their lives as industrial workers. Our purpose in the study was to understand the interaction between dietary practices, economic circumstances, and social conditions. We use a biocultural approach and draw on survey questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and narratives about health practices. Content analysis revealed information concerning the impact of factory life on eating practices, perceptions of the relationships among health and nutrition, and issues related to food insecurity and coping strategies.
Speech disorders encountered in routine ENT practice and the role of speech therapy in its effective management

Aim: To study speech disorders encountered in routine ENT practice and the role of speech therapy in its effective management. Material and Methods: The present study was carried out on 60 patients, who were presented to the out patient department of E.N. T. , M.P.SHAH MEDICAL COLEGE, JAMNAGAR (Gujarat),for speech disorders. The OPD and Indoor patients of the E.N. T. department, who had a speech defect prior to or following surgical interference for organic Otorhinolaryngologic disorders were also included in this study. Results: Speech disorders like Dyslalia, Dysglossia, Stuttering were prevalent in both the sexes and in every level of society, though the disorders were more prevalent in males as compared to females. Stuttering was the most common disorder encountered and speech therapy had encouraging results. All the ten patients of Dyslalia were subjected to appropriate articulation training, following which eight patients improved satisfactorily whereas two patients missed follow-up. All the eight Deaf-Mute patients were given auditory training and speech and language stimulation therapy, following which, two patients acquired satisfactory speech level. All seven patients of Dysglossia improved satisfactorily after tongue tie release surgery and appropriate speech therapy. Conclusion: With the advent of newer treatment modalities and improved coordination between ENT surgeons and speech-pathologists for correct diagnosis of speech disorders, speech therapy is suitably individualized according to the expectation of the patients and limitation of the speech pathologists. A fuller understanding of the effectiveness of speech therapy amongst the patients has developed and it has emerged as an acceptable modality of treatment of various speech disorders.
A functional RANKL polymorphism associated with younger age at onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE We previously observed the association of the co-occurrence of the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE) and RANKL single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with younger age at the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 182 rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive European American patients with early-onset RA. The aim of this study was to fine-map the 48-kb RANKL region in the extended cohort of 210 European American RF-positive patients with early RA, to seek replication of RA-associated SNPs in additional RA cohorts of 501 European Americans and 298 African Americans, and to explore the functional consequences of RA-associated SNPs. METHODS SNP genotyping was conducted using pyrosequencing or TaqMan polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. Associations of rs7984870 with RANKL expression in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and isolated T cells were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription-PCR. Site-directed mutagenesis of rs7984870 within the 2-kb RANKL promoter was performed to drive the luciferase reporter gene in osteoblast and stromal cell lines. Interaction of DNA and protein was determined by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. RESULTS A single promoter SNP, rs7984870, was consistently significantly associated with earlier age at the onset of RA in 3 independent seropositive (RF or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody) RA cohorts but not in seronegative RA patients. The C risk allele of rs7984870 conferred 2-fold higher plasma RANKL levels in RF-positive patients with RA, significantly elevated RANKL messenger RNA expression in activated normal T cells, and increased promoter activity after stimulation in vitro via differential binding to the transcription factor SOX5. CONCLUSION The RANKL promoter allele that increased transcription levels upon stimulation might promote interaction between activated T cells and dendritic cells, predisposing to a younger age at the onset of RA in seropositive European American and African American patients.
Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis: four distinct entities.

OBJECTIVE Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) may represent an early but clinically relevant phase in the spectrum of pulmonary vascular disease. There are limited data on the prevalence of exercise-induced PH determined by right heart catheterization in scleroderma spectrum disorders. We undertook this study to describe the hemodynamic response to exercise in a homogeneous population of patients with scleroderma spectrum disorders at risk of developing pulmonary vascular disease. METHODS Patients with normal resting hemodynamics underwent supine lower extremity exercise testing. A classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to assess combinations of variables collected during resting right heart catheterization that best predicted abnormal exercise physiology, applicable to each individual subject. RESULTS Fifty-seven patients who had normal resting hemodynamics underwent subsequent exercise right heart catheterization. Four distinct hemodynamic groups were identified during exercise: a normal group, an exercise-induced pulmonary venous hypertension (ePVH) group, an exercise out of proportion PH (eoPH) group, and an exercise-induced PH (ePH) group. The eoPH and ePVH groups had higher pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) than the ePH group (P < 0.05). The normal and ePH groups had exercise PCWP ≤18 mm Hg, which was lower than that in the ePVH and eoPH groups (P < 0.05). During submaximal exercise, the transpulmonary gradient and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were elevated in the ePH and eoPH groups as compared with the normal and ePVH groups (P < 0.05). CART analysis suggested that resting mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥14 mm Hg and PVR ≥160 dynes/seconds/cm(-5) were associated with eoPH and ePH (positive predictive value 89% for mPAP 14-20 mm Hg and 100% for mPAP >20 mm Hg). CONCLUSION We characterized the exercise hemodynamic response in at-risk patients with scleroderma spectrum disorders who did not have resting PH. Four distinct hemodynamic groups were identified during exercise. These groups may have potentially different prognoses and treatment options.
Treatment response, drug survival, and predictors thereof in 764 patients with psoriatic arthritis treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor α therapy: results from the nationwide Danish DANBIO registry.

OBJECTIVE To investigate disease activity, treatment response, and drug survival, and predictors thereof, among Danish patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) receiving their first treatment series with a tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) inhibitor. METHODS Patients with PsA were identified from a prospective nationwide rheumatologic database, the Danish biologics registry DANBIO, using data registered from 2000-2009. Information was obtained on the patients' clinical response to anti-TNFα treatment (defined as achievement of the American College of Rheumatology 20% [ACR20], ACR50, and ACR70 improvement criteria or a European League Against Rheumatism [EULAR] good response at least once during the first 6 months of treatment) and duration and rate of drug adherence (referred to as drug survival), as well as predictors thereof. RESULTS Of 764 patients with PsA, 320 received adalimumab, 260 infliximab, and 184 etanercept. Median drug survival was 2.9 years, and 1-year and 2-year drug survival rates were 70% and 57%, respectively. Clinical parameters that showed improvement over 6 months were the C-reactive protein (CRP) level, Health Assessment Questionnaire score, and 28-joint Disease Activity Score. Male sex, CRP level >10 mg/liter, concomitant methotrexate use, and low patient health visual analog scale score at baseline were associated with longer drug survival. Improvement was achieved by 59%, 45%, 24%, and 54% of patients according to the ACR20, ACR50, ACR70 response criteria and EULAR good response, respectively. A CRP level >10 mg/liter was predictive of the improvement responses (odds ratio [OR] 2.6 for ACR20, OR 3.0 for ACR50, OR 3.6 for ACR70, and OR 2.2 for EULAR good response). CONCLUSION In these patients with PsA treated with their first TNFα inhibitor in clinical practice, high drug adherence and responder rates were observed. Moreover, increased levels of CRP at baseline were associated with both good treatment responses and continued treatment, which may be of clinical value in selecting the patients most likely to benefit from treatment with TNFα inhibitors.
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor regulates neutrophil chemotactic responses in inflammatory arthritis in mice.

OBJECTIVE Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) facilitates multiple aspects of inflammatory arthritis, the pathogenesis of which has been significantly linked to the activity of neutrophils. The effects of MIF on neutrophil recruitment are unknown. This study was undertaken to investigate the contribution of MIF to the regulation of neutrophil chemotactic responses. METHODS K/BxN serum-transfer arthritis was induced in wild-type (WT), MIF(-/-) , and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1; CCL2)-deficient mice as well as in WT mice treated with monoclonal antibodies to cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (anti-KC). Leukocyte trafficking in vivo was examined using intravital microscopy, and neutrophil function in vitro was examined using migration chambers and assessment of MAP kinase activation. RESULTS K/BxN serum-transfer arthritis was markedly attenuated in MIF(-/-) mice, with reductions in the clinical and histologic severity of arthritis and the synovial expression of KC and interleukin-1. Arthritis was also reduced by anti-KC antibody treatment, but not in MCP-1-deficient mice. In vivo, neutrophil recruitment responses to KC were reduced in MIF(-/-) mice. Similarly, MIF(-/-) mouse neutrophils exhibited reduced chemotactic responses to KC in vitro, despite displaying unaltered chemokine receptor expression. Reduced chemotactic responses of MIF(-/-) mouse neutrophils were associated with reduced phosphorylation of p38 and ERK MAP kinases. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that MIF promotes neutrophil trafficking in inflammatory arthritis via facilitation of chemokine-induced migratory responses and MAP kinase activation. Therapeutic MIF inhibition could limit synovial neutrophil recruitment.
Non-parametric identification of dynamic non-linear systems by a Hermite Series Approach

Non-linear dynamic block-oriented systems of Hammerstein and Wiener type are identified. The Hammerstein system consists of a memoryless non-linearity followed by a dynamic, linear system, while the Wiener system is a cascade of a linear dynamic system followed by a memoryless non-linearity. The class of non-linearities considered here is large and non-parametric. Identification algorithms based on input‐output observations are proposed for both systems and their convergence and rates are investigated. The performance of identification algorithms is studied in simulation studies.
The importance placed on the monitoring of food safety and quality by Australian consumers

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) estimates that Australians experience 5.4 million incidents of food poisoning each year, making food safety a significant public health issue. This paper describes and analyses the importance placed by Australians on the role of the agencies and actors that regulate the safety and quality of food. A computer assisted telephone interviewing survey addressing aspect of food safety was administrated to a random sample of 1,109 participants across all Australian states (response rate 41.2%). Only 44.6% of participants viewed the monitoring of food safety and quality as ‘Very important’, with greatest significance placed upon personal monitoring (76.0%) and the role of the Federal government (51.1%). The media (22.5%) and local council (32.4%) were viewed as the least important agents. When data were combined to create an index of general monitoring, participants under 30; respondents in outer regional areas; and men identified food monitoring as less important; while respondents from households with 5 or more members viewed food monitoring as more important than respondents from smaller households.
A Method to Evaluate Patient Information Leaflets

The aim of this study was to develop a useful method for evaluating patient information leaflets by comparing the result of expert and patient evaluations. The hypothesis was that if there was a correlation between the results of these evaluations it would be acceptable to only do expert review for patient information leaflets currently in use. Experts and patients examined patient information leaflets from 30 common medicines, following European Union Directive 92/27 EEC, which outlined the legal requirements for patient information leaflets. The scoring system allowed a direct comparison between the outcomes of expert and patient examinations. We found a significant correlation between the expert and patient examinations of the content of the patient information leaflets. We conclude that patient information leaflets that score above average on the expert examination of content (ie, adherence to the directive) will also score above the average on the patient examination.
Using the optimization layer-by-layer learning algorithm on local-recurrent-global-feedforward networks in financial time series predictions

In the field of time series prediction, neural networks are widely used and they have been proven useful and practical. To improve the prediction ability and to reduce the time consumption of neural networks, neural networks are usually developed by researchers and practitioners from learning algorithms, network architectures, etc. A local-recurrent-global-feedforward (LRGF) network using a learning algorithm called the optimization layer-by-layer (OLL) method is proposed. In addition, two representative LRGF networks are introduced: the finite impulse response (FIR) network and the FGS network (proposed by Frasconi, Gori and Soda), and a comparative simulation predicting several financial time series using both methods is performed. According to the results of the simulation, the FGS-OLL method gives better predicting performance than the FIR-OLL method.
Adaptive kernel-based equalization for non-stationary digital communications channels

It is well known that the optimal symbol decision equalizer for noisy digital transmission channels is generally non-linear. A previous work demonstrated the performance of the so-called Kernel Adaline non-linear classifier in application to these channels, whilst pointing out that the Kernel Adaline is not an adaptive machine and thus would suffer in use on non-stationary channels. Here, we review Kernel-LMS, an adaptive extension of the Kernel Adaline, and introduce Fast Kernel-LMS, a low-complexity approximation to the same. The algorithm is augmented to implement decision feedback, and the performance of the fast algorithm in solving some synthetic non-stationary channel equalization problems is then investigated.
Extended Testing of the First Smartphone Application for Microsurgery Monitoring.

PURPOSE: Postoperative care of a microsurgical flap requires intensive monitoring. Despite the development of devices for this purpose, clinical judgment remains the gold standard for the detection of vascular compromise. Smartphone colorimetry is a developing method that involves the use of a smartphone application to accurately detect changes in flap color. The purpose of this study is to investigate the ability of a smartphone application to detect vascular insufficiency in the digits of light, medium, and dark skinned individuals. medium, to chromatic pressure to occlude vessels of the index finger. to standardize a of comparing the index and fingers, a by partial venous, complete venous, and complete occlusion. analyzed by to predict the and degree of occlusion present. Sensitivity, specificity, and by comparing the from the to the actual amount of occlusion present. Group were compared using multivariable logistic regression including interactions of group by occlusion BACKGROUND: Free flap monitoring is of paramount importance to ensure that the vascular supply is not compromised over a patient’s postoperative course. Early detection of arterial or venous failure facilitates salvage. The ideal monitoring system has been described as continuous, non-invasive, quantitative, easy to administer, highly sensitive, and highly specific. 1 A variety of currently used technologies provide proxies to assess flap perfusion, however are expensive and fall short of the ideals. Other attempts at using smartphones for microsurgical free flaps 2 do not provide real-time monitoring. METHODS: We have developed an Android-based smartphone application that utilizes the Eulerian Video Magnification (EVM) 3 algorithm to directly visualize skin perfusion of non-buried free flaps in real-time and provides immediate analysis of tissue. The EVM algorithm allows us
The wavelet-NARMAX representation: A hybrid model structure combining polynomial models with multiresolution wavelet decompositions

A new hybrid model structure combing polynomial models with multiresolution wavelet decompositions is introduced for nonlinear system identification. Polynomial models play an important role in approximation theory and have been extensively used in linear and nonlinear system identification. Wavelet decompositions, in which the basis functions have the property of localization in both time and frequency, outperform many other approximation schemes and offer a flexible solution for approximating arbitrary functions. Although wavelet representations can approximate even severe nonlinearities in a given signal very well, the advantage of these representations can be lost when wavelets are used to capture linear or low-order nonlinear behaviour in a signal. In order to sufficiently utilize the global property of polynomials and the local property of wavelet representations simultaneously, in this study polynomial models and wavelet decompositions are combined together in a parallel structure to represent nonlinear input–output systems. As a special form of the NARMAX model, this hybrid model structure will be referred to as the WAvelet-NARMAX model, or simply WANARMAX. Generally, such a WANARMAX representation for an input–output system might involve a large number of basis functions and therefore a great number of model terms. Experience reveals that only a small number of these model terms are significant to the system output. A new fast orthogonal least-squares algorithm, called the matching pursuit orthogonal least squares (MPOLS) algorithm, is also introduced in this study to determine which terms should be included in the final model.
Neuro-control of unmanned underwater vehicles

Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) typically operate in uncertain and changing environments. Since the dynamics of UUVs are highly nonlinear and their hydrodynamic coefficients vary with different operating conditions, a high-performance control system of a UUV is needed to have the capacities of learning and adaptation to the variations in the UUV's dynamics. This paper presents the utilization of an adaptive neuro-control scheme as a controller for controlling a UUV in six degrees of freedom. No prior offline training phase and no explicit knowledge of the structure of the vehicle are required, and the proposed scheme exploits the advantages of both neural network control and adaptive control. Asymptotic convergence of the UUV's tracking errors and stability of the presented control system is guaranteed on the basis of the Lyapunov theory. In this paper, neural network architectures based on radial basis functions and multilayer structures have been used to evaluate the performance of the adaptive controller via computer simulation.
NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated neutrophil recruitment and hypernociception depend on leukotriene B(4) in a murine model of gout.

OBJECTIVE Deposition of monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals in the joints promotes an intense inflammatory response and joint dysfunction. This study evaluated the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)-derived leukotriene B(4) (LTB(4) ) in driving tissue inflammation and hypernociception in a murine model of gout. METHODS Gout was induced by injecting MSU crystals into the joints of mice. Wild-type mice and mice deficient in NLRP3, ASC, caspase 1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI), IL-18R, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), or 5-LOX were used. Evaluations were performed to assess neutrophil influx, LTB(4) activity, cytokine (IL-1β, CXCL1) production (by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), synovial microvasculature cell adhesion (by intravital microscopy), and hypernociception. Cleaved caspase 1 and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed in macrophages by Western blotting and fluorometric assay, respectively. RESULTS Injection of MSU crystals into the knee joints of mice induced neutrophil influx and neutrophil-dependent hypernociception. MSU crystal-induced neutrophil influx was CXCR2-dependent and relied on the induction of CXCL1 in an NLRP3/ASC/caspase 1/IL-1β/MyD88-dependent manner. LTB(4) was produced rapidly after injection of MSU crystals, and this was necessary for caspase 1-dependent IL-1β production and consequent release of CXCR2-acting chemokines in vivo. In vitro, macrophages produced LTB(4) after MSU crystal injection, and LTB(4) was relevant in the MSU crystal-induced maturation of IL-1β. Mechanistically, LTB(4) drove MSU crystal-induced production of ROS and ROS-dependent activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. CONCLUSION These results reveal the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in mediating MSU crystal-induced inflammation and dysfunction of the joints, and highlight a previously unrecognized role of LTB(4) in driving NLRP3 inflammasome activation in response to MSU crystals, both in vitro and in vivo.