Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human Impact Assessment of Robot Implementation in Finnish Elderly Care

This paper is based on empirical research on an implementation process of the care robot “Zora”. Impacts of care robot implementation on users – care personnel and customers – are identified with the Human Impact Assessment (HuIA) approach. The applicability of this approach for robotics is also assessed. The data were collected in a field study in municipal elderly care services in Lahti, Finland. The data consist of ethnographic observation of using the robot for rehabilitation in two care homes; focus group interviews with care workers, and a group interview with customers. According to the preliminary findings, there are multiple impact types associated to robot use in elderly care. The different types often have both positive, negative and neutral dimensions. Reactions differ, and care personnel should know customers well to anticipate how they react. The role of ethics is a key issue. Impacts on the personnel were related especially to need for orientation and its coverage; time use; and pottering about the robot versus “true work”. The customers mainly welcomed the robot positively. For the care workers, the best of the customers was the driver of learning in robotics. The HuIA approach appears to provide a flexible way to assess impacts of care robotics, but additional dimensions need to be considered, as robots assume new tasks and roles.
Assessment of the theoretical limit in instrumental detectability of northern high-latitude methane sources using δ13CCH4 atmospheric signals

Abstract. Recent efforts have brought together bottom-up quantification approaches (inventories and process-based models) and top-down approaches using regional observations of methane atmospheric concentrations through inverse modelling to better estimate the northern high-latitude methane sources. Nevertheless, for both approaches, the relatively small number of available observations in northern high-latitude regions leaves gaps in our understanding of the drivers and distributions of the different types of regional methane sources. Observations of methane isotope ratios, performed with instruments that are becoming increasingly affordable and accurate, could bring new insights on the contributions of methane sources and sinks. Here, we present the source signal that could be observed from methane isotopic 13CH4 measurements if high-resolution observations were available and thus what requirements should be fulfilled in future instrument deployments in terms of accuracy in order to constrain different emission categories. This theoretical study uses the regional chemistry-transport model CHIMERE driven by different scenarios of isotopic signatures for each regional methane source mix. It is found that if the current network of methane monitoring sites were equipped with instruments measuring the isotopic signal continuously, only sites that are significantly influenced by emission sources could differentiate regional emissions with a reasonable level of confidence. For example, wetland emissions require daily accuracies lower than 0.2 ‰ for most of the sites. Detecting East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS) emissions requires accuracies lower than 0.05 ‰ at coastal Russian sites (even lower for other sites). Freshwater emissions would be detectable with an uncertainty lower than 0.1 ‰ for most continental sites. Except Yakutsk, Siberian sites require stringent uncertainty (lower than 0.05 ‰) to detect anthropogenic emissions from oil and gas or coal production. Remote sites such as Zeppelin, Summit, or Alert require a daily uncertainty below 0.05 ‰ to detect any regional sources. These limits vary with the hypothesis on isotopic signatures assigned to the different sources.
Lignocellulose-degrading microbial consortia

Here, we investigated how different plant biomass, and—for one substrate—pH, drive the composition of degrader microbial consortia. We bred such consortia from forest soil, incubated along nine aerobic sequential batch enrichments with wheat straw (WS1, pH 7.2; WS2, pH 9.0), switchgrass (SG, pH 7.2), and corn stover (CS, pH 7.2) as carbon sources. Lignocellulosic compounds (lignin, cellulose and xylan) were best degraded in treatment SG, followed by CS, WS1 and WS2. In terms of composition, the consortia became relatively stable after transfers 4 to 6, as evidenced by PCR-DGGE profiles obtained from each consortium DNA. The final consortia differed by ~40 % (bacteria) and ~60 % (fungi) across treatments. A ‘core’ community represented by 5/16 (bacteria) and 3/14 (fungi) bands was discerned, next to a variable part. The composition of the final microbial consortia was strongly driven by the substrate, as taxonomically diverse consortia appeared in the different substrate treatments, but not in the (WS) different pH one. Biodegradative strains affiliated to Sphingobacterium kitahiroshimense, Raoultella terrigena, Pseudomonas putida, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila (bacteria), Coniochaeta ligniaria and Acremonium sp. (fungi) were recovered in at least three treatments, whereas strains affiliated to Delftia tsuruhatensis, Paenibacillus xylanexedens, Sanguibacter inulus and Comamonas jiangduensis were treatment-specific.
The Effects of Increasing the Eligibility Age for Public Pension on Individual Labor Supply: Evidence from Japan

This paper investigates the effects of increasing the eligibility age for public pension on workers’ retirement decisions, focusing on recent Japanese public pension reforms. In Japan, the pensionable age for Employees’ Pension Insurance benefits gradually increased from 60 to 65 for males over the course of a decade. Using individual-level restricted-use data and a regression discontinuity design, I find that raising the pensionable age for flat-rate benefits by one year increases male employment at the critical ages by about 7-8 percentage points. Individual labor supply responses are heterogeneous across closeness to the implementation date due to anticipatory responses. I also find some evidence of spillovers from an affected husband to his wife and children and effects on other labor market outcomes. ∗I would especially like to thank my advisor Julie Cullen and other committee members Itzik Fadlon, Roger Gordon, Seth Hill, and Ruixue Jia for their helpful suggestions and comments. I would also like to thank Kate Antonovics, Brendan Beare, Julian Betts, Prashant Bharadwaj, Judson Boomhower, Jeffrey Clemens, Gordon Dahl, Alexander Gelber, Amihai Glazer, Jonathan Leganza, Bruno Lopez-Videla, Giovanni Mastrobuoni, Marc Muendler, Paul Niehaus, Kazuki Onji, Takashi Oshio, Mauricio Romero, Hitoshi Shigeoka, Stefan Staubli, Tom Vogl, Xiaxin Wang, Michelle White, and participants at several universities and conferences for extensive feedback. Finally, I would like to thank the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for providing me the data needed. All errors are my own. †Department of Economics, University of California, San Diego. Email: nnakazaw@ucsd.edu
Noise Robust Speech Recognition based on Spectral Reduction Measure

It has been reported that spectral features of spontaneous speech shrink from those of read speech and that this spectral reduction causes degradation in speech recognition performance. This spectral reduction is expected to be observed with other factors than spontaneity, and cause degradation. In this study, we analyze spectral reduction in noisy speech and its correlation to speech recognition accuracies. Based on the analysis result, we propose a model adaptation method to noisy environment. In our evaluation using noisy speech data, our method increased the recognition accuracies by 2.6 points.
Supplementary Information for Visualizing geometric influences on proximity effects in heterogeneous superconductor thin films

Influence of Pb island geometry on proximity effects In addition to Fig. 1, we provide here more examples showing the geometric influence of Pb islands on proximity effects. Although Pb island shapes can be varied as found in Fig. S2(A,C), there is a universal rule on determining the strength and spatial dependence of induced superconducting gaps on the normal state SIC surfaces; i.e. lateral proximity effects. Whenever Pb islands form confined geometries with respect to SIC surfaces, the significant enhancement of proximity effects can be observed as shown in the marked areas of the ZBC images in Fig. S2(B,D).
Comparison of decision trees used in data mining

The purpose of this study is to compare decision trees obtained by data mining algorithms used in various areas in recent years according to different criteria. In the study, similar and different aspects of the decision trees obtained by different methods for classifying the students as successful and unsuccessful in terms of science literacy were revealed with the help of 12 independent variables included in the PISA 2015 student survey. Data collected across Turkey, from a total of 5895 students in the age group of 15, were analyzed in Java-based Weka software, which has an open source code. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the most successful algorithms in terms of correct classification rate were respectively Logistic Model, Hoeffding Tree, J.48, REPTree and Random Tree. In addition, regarding the decision trees obtained by different learning algorithms, variables that have been effective in the classification were found to be different. According to the results, it was concluded that independent variables found to be effective in the classification of the students for the decision trees obtained by different algorithms differed from each other and it was suggested to report the finding of more than one algorithm instead of those of only one algorithm.
Training Neural Networks with Balanced Mini-batch to Improve the Prediction of Pathogenic Genomic Variants in Mendelian Diseases

Known pathogenic variants associated with genetic Mendelian diseases represent a tiny minority of the overall genetic variation that characterizes the human genome. In this context classical imbalance-aware machine learning methods are unable to distinguish pathogenic from benign variants, since they are severely biased toward the majority (benign) class. Recent works based on ensemble and hyper-ensemble methods showed that by adopting sampling techniques we can significantly improve performance on this challenging task. Inspired by these findings and by recent successful applications of deep learning to Precision Medicine, we propose two learning techniques for neural networks designed to assure a certain balancing between pathogenic and benign variants during the training phase, or to assure that with high probability at least one pathogenic variant is included in the training mini-batch set of examples. The experimental prediction of non-coding mutations associated with Mendelian diseases show the effectiveness of these proposed neural network training approaches.
Low back pain induces disability of women in primary uncomplicated pregnancy

Study design: A consecutive case series study. Purpose: To investigate whether Low Back Pain (LBP) in women with primary singleton pregnancy induces disability. Background: LBP is reported to be increased in pregnants than in non-pregnant women. Different outcome measures have been used to search for correlations between pain and disability. Method: 167 pregnant women aged 30 ± 3.5 years participated. Two equal categorial age groups were constructed: Group A included women aged 23-29 years, and Group B women aged 30-39 years. Their weight was 76 ± 13 kg prepartum and the Body Mass index (BMI was 28 ± 4 prepartum. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used for LBP pain intensity and Oswestry Disability Scale (ODI) for disability estimation in the last three months prepartum and in the first three months postpartum. Results: The women weight was 67 ± 13 kg postpartum. The BMI was 24 ± 4 postpartum. There was no difference in VAS and ODI scores versus BMI, weight and height between the two age groups in both periods of observation: prepartum and postpartum. Prepartum, 81.4% of women claimed LBP that dropped to 55.5% postpartum. ODI score dropped from 19.5 ± 13.6% prepartum to 11 ± 12% postpartum. The ODI subscales that showed significant reduction postpartum were: Pain intensity (P=0.002); working (P=0.009); sitting (P=0.004); standing (P=0.003); sleeping (P=0.008); and traveling (P=0.006). VAS prepartum was increasing as the weight was increasing in both periods of observation (P=0.015 and P=0.051) respectively. VAS prepartum was significantly correlated with BMI prepartum (P=0.019) and postpartum (P=0.028). Discussion: Physical disability in pregnant women was low and reduced following delivery. Disability was linked with LBP intensity, weight, BMI and height, but not with age or educational level.
Library-Level Policy Enforcement

We propose a system that allows policy to be implemented at the library call level. Under our scheme, calls to libraries are monitored and their arguments examined to ensure that they comply with the security policy associated with the running program. Our system automatically creates wrappers for libraries so that calls to external functions in the library are vectored to a policy enforcement engine. In this paper, we describe our system, which screens calls to protected functions, while allowing the implementation of a high level form of control flow integrity based on library calls. It is a transparent approach that can protect applications in many different domains and reallife environments. Keywords—policies; library calls; argument examination; wrapper functions
Dynamic spatiotemporal patterns of brain connectivity reorganize across development

Abstract Late human development is characterized by the maturation of high-level functional processes, which rely on reshaping of white matter connections, as well as synaptic density. However, the relationship between the whole-brain dynamics and the underlying white matter networks in neurodevelopment is largely unknown. In this study, we focused on how the structural connectome shapes the emerging dynamics of cerebral development between the ages of 6 and 33 years, using functional and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging combined into a spatiotemporal connectivity framework. We defined two new measures of brain dynamics, namely the system diversity and the spatiotemporal diversity, which quantify the level of integration/segregation between functional systems and the level of temporal self-similarity of the functional patterns of brain dynamics, respectively. We observed a global increase in system diversity and a global decrease and local refinement in spatiotemporal diversity values with age. In support of these findings, we further found an increase in the usage of long-range and inter-system white matter connectivity and a decrease in the usage of short-range connectivity with age. These findings suggest that dynamic functional patterns in the brain progressively become more integrative and temporally self-similar with age. These functional changes are supported by a greater involvement of long-range and inter-system axonal pathways.
Assessment of salivary interleukin-1β (IL-1β), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels and pain intensity in children and adults during initial orthodontic treatment

OBJECTIVES: To investigate pain intensity, interleukin-1β and prostaglandin E2 values in saliva during initial orthodontic treatment among varying age groups and their correlation between these mediators. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty healthy patients distributed equally in age and gender groups were chosen. Unstimulated saliva was collected before the placement of orthodontic fixed appliance (T0), 1 hour after the placement of the appliance with 0.014” nickel titanium archwire (T1), 1 month after the first visit (T2), and 1 hour after the placement of 0.016” nickel titanium archwire (T3). The saliva samples were then analyzed for prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1β using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pain intensity was measured using a numerical rating scale. RESULTS: Prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1β levels had increased at T1 followed by a drop at T2 and a subsequent increase at T3. The prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1β levels were higher in adults than children. There was an insignificant correlation between the interleukin-1β and prostaglandin E2 changes in all the patients. No significant differences were seen in pain scores between adults and children. Insignificant correlation was seen between pain scores and prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1β. CONCLUSION: Prostaglandin E2 and interleukin-1β can be detected in saliva and are increased in during the initial orthodontic treatment but are higher in adults than children. Pain intensity was not significantly different between adults and children.
The Worst Headache of Life: Evaluation of Nontraumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Abstract : While the "worst headache of life" has a differential diagnosis, acute subarachnoid hemorrhage must be the primary diagnostic consideration. Approximately l%-4% of patients presenting to the emergency department with severe headache have subarachnoid hemorrhage (1). Subarachnoid hemorrhage is the number one secondary cause of incapacitating abrupt onset headache, while migraine headache is the number one primary cause (2). There are approximately 30,000 cases of nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage in the United States each year (2, 3). The classic presentation of nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage is an acute onset, severe headache which reaches its maximum intensity within minutes, often referred to as the "thunder clap" headache (2). The headache is usual bilateral in nature and more often occipital than frontal. There may be associated neck stiffness, photophobia, nausea, vomiting and possibly obtundation or coma. Physical examination may show retinal hemorrhages, nuchal rigidity, or focal neurological signs. An altered level of consciousness is seen in approximately one third of patients while meningeal irritation signs are seen in up to 85% of patients and virtually all have nausea (4). Retrospectively, a sentinel headache caused by a small subarachnoid hemorrhage or warning leak has been reported in 15% to 59% of patients before a major rupture of a saccular aneurysm (5). Sentinel headaches usually persist for hours to days.
Effects of mini-implant facilitated micro-osteoperforations in alleviating mandibular anterior crowding: A randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effectiveness of mini-implant (MI)-facilitated micro-osteoperforations (MOPs) in accelerating mandibular anterior teeth alignment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty teenage patients with mandibular crowding (Little's irregularity index between 4 and 6 mm) were randomly allocated to either “experimental” group (micro-osteoperforation assisted alignment) or “control” group (conventional orthodontics). Blinding was done at the data analysis stages. Six MOPs were performed using MI on the labial aspect in the mandibular anterior region. The primary outcome was the overall treatment time needed to complete alignment of mandibular anterior teeth. The secondary outcomes were to compare the marginal bone height loss and volumetric root resorption around mandibular incisors along with subject's perception of pain, comfort and satisfaction. RESULTS: There was statistically significant difference in the total treatment duration for complete alignment of mandibular incisors. The completion of cases in experimental group was 43.93% times faster than the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in volumetric root resorption and marginal alveolar bone height loss around mandibular incisors as well as pain perception between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: MI-facilitated MOPs accelerated tooth movement significantly upto nine weeks without any significant pain and discomfort, with no increase in root resorption and marginal alveolar bone height loss.
Efficient photosynthesis in dynamic light environments: a chloroplast's perspective

In nature, light availability for photosynthesis can undergo massive changes on a very short timescale. Photosynthesis in such dynamic light environments requires that plants can respond swiftly. Expanding our knowledge of the rapid responses that underlie dynamic photosynthesis is an important endeavor: it provides insights into nature's design of a highly dynamic energy conversion system and hereby can open up new strategies for improving photosynthesis in the field. The present review focuses on three processes that have previously been identified as promising engineering targets for enhancing crop yield by accelerating dynamic photosynthesis, all three of them involving or being linked to processes in the chloroplast, i.e. relaxation of non-photochemical quenching, Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle enzyme activation/deactivation and dynamics of stomatal conductance. We dissect these three processes on the functional and molecular level to reveal gaps in our understanding and critically discuss current strategies to improve photosynthesis in the field.
Fatty Liver Due to Increased de novo Lipogenesis: Alterations in the Hepatic Peroxisomal Proteome

In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) caused by ectopic lipid accumulation, lipotoxicity is a crucial molecular risk factor. Mechanisms to eliminate lipid overflow can prevent the liver from functional complications. This may involve increased secretion of lipids or metabolic adaptation to ß-oxidation in lipid-degrading organelles such as mitochondria and peroxisomes. In addition to dietary factors, increased plasma fatty acid levels may be due to increased triglyceride synthesis, lipolysis, as well as de novo lipid synthesis (DNL) in the liver. In the present study, we investigated the impact of fatty liver caused by elevated DNL, in a transgenic mouse model with liver-specific overexpression of human sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (alb-SREBP-1c), on hepatic gene expression, on plasma lipids and especially on the proteome of peroxisomes by omics analyses, and we interpreted the results with knowledge-based analyses. In summary, the increased hepatic DNL is accompanied by marginal gene expression changes but massive changes in peroxisomal proteome. Furthermore, plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC) as well as lysoPC species were altered. Based on these observations, it can be speculated that the plasticity of organelles and their functionality may be directly affected by lipid overflow.