Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of the IMB Model and an Evidence-Based Diabetes Self-management Mobile Application

Objectives This study developed a diabetes self-management mobile application based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model, evidence extracted from clinical practice guidelines, and requirements identified through focus group interviews (FGIs) with diabetes patients. Methods We developed a diabetes self-management (DSM) app in accordance with the following four stages of the system development life cycle. The functional and knowledge requirements of the users were extracted through FGIs with 19 diabetes patients. A system diagram, data models, a database, an algorithm, screens, and menus were designed. An Android app and server with an SSL protocol were developed. The DSM app algorithm and heuristics, as well as the usability of the DSM app were evaluated, and then the DSM app was modified based on heuristics and usability evaluation. Results A total of 11 requirement themes were identified through the FGIs. Sixteen functions and 49 knowledge rules were extracted. The system diagram consisted of a client part and server part, 78 data models, a database with 10 tables, an algorithm, and a menu structure with 6 main menus, and 40 user screens were developed. The DSM app was Android version 4.4 or higher for Bluetooth connectivity. The proficiency and efficiency scores of the algorithm were 90.96% and 92.39%, respectively. Fifteen issues were revealed through the heuristic evaluation, and the app was modified to address three of these issues. It was also modified to address five comments received by the researchers through the usability evaluation. Conclusions The DSM app was developed based on behavioral change theory through IMB models. It was designed to be evidence-based, user-centered, and effective. It remains necessary to fully evaluate the effect of the DSM app on the DSM behavior changes of diabetes patients.
Simultaneous Multi-Objective Optimisation for Low-Power Real-Time Networks-On-Chip

Simultaneous configuration of task mapping and network routing is a way to address the schedulability issues in the Networks-On-Chip embedded hard real-time systems. The approach provides alternative routes as a way to reduce interferences from high-priority messages, but without a guarantee that the network routes produced are low in power dissipation. This drawback is due to the lack of insight on the power dissipated by the Networks-On-Chip. We propose a multi-objective optimisation technique with a macromodel to minimise power dissipation while maintaining the schedulability of the systems. The results from the experimental work show that the proposed technique could find a good trade-off between the two objectives.
Identification and Characterization of the WOX Family Genes in Five Solanaceae Species Reveal Their Conserved Roles in Peptide Signaling

Members of the plant-specific WOX (WUSCHEL-related homeobox) transcription factor family have been reported to play important roles in peptide signaling that regulates stem cell maintenance and cell fate specification in various developmental processes. Even though remarkable advances have been made in studying WOX genes in Arabidopsis, little is known about this family in Solanaceae species. A total of 45 WOX members from five Solanaceae species were identified, including eight members from Solanum tuberosum, eight from Nicotiana tomentosiformis, 10 from Solanum lycopersicum, 10 from Nicotiana sylvestris and nine from Nicotiana tabacum. The newly identified WOX members were classified into three clades and nine subgroups based on phylogenetic analysis using three different methods. The patterns of exon-intron structure and motif organization of the WOX proteins agreed with the phylogenetic results. Gene duplication events and ongoing evolution were revealed by additional branches on the phylogenetic tree and the presence of a partial WUS-box in some non-WUS clade members. Gene expression with or without CLE (clavata3 (clv3)/embryo surrounding region-related) peptide treatments revealed that tobacco WOX genes showed similar or distinct expression patterns compared with their Arabidopsis homologues, suggesting either functional conservation or divergence. Expression of Nicotiana tabacum WUSCHEL (NtabWUS) in the organizing center could rescue the wus-1 mutant phenotypes in Arabidopsis, implying conserved roles of the Solanaceae WOX proteins in peptide-mediated regulation of plant development.
Effect of diabetic retinopathy and panretinal photocoagulation on retinal nerve fiber layer and optic nerve appearance.

OBJECTIVE To determine if panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) alters retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and optic nerve appearance. METHODS Patients with diabetes who did and did not undergo PRP and nondiabetic control subjects were enrolled in a prospective study. Participants underwent optical coherence tomography of the peripapillary retina and optic nerve. Stereoscopic optic nerve photographs were graded in a masked fashion. RESULTS Ninety-four eyes of 48 healthy individuals, 89 eyes of 55 diabetic patients who did not undergo PRP, and 37 eyes of 24 subjects with diabetes who underwent PRP were included in this study. Eyes that had been treated with PRP had thinner peripapillary RNFL compared with the other groups; this was statistically significantly different in the inferior (P = .004) and nasal (P = .003) regions. Optic nerve cupping did not increase with severity of disease classification, but the proportion of optic nerves graded as suspicious for glaucoma or as having nonglaucomatous optic neuropathy did (P = .008). These grading categories were associated with thinner RNFL measurements. CONCLUSIONS Diabetic eyes that have been treated with PRP have thinner RNFL than nondiabetic eyes. Optic nerves in eyes treated with PRP are more likely to be graded as abnormal, but their appearance is not necessarily glaucomatous and may be related to thinning of the RNFL.
Members of the Meloidogyne avirulence protein family contain multiple plant ligand-like motifs.

Sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes engage in complex interactions with their host plants by secreting effector proteins. Some effectors of both root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and cyst nematodes (Heterodera and Globodera spp.) mimic plant ligand proteins. Most prominently, cyst nematodes secrete effectors that mimic plant CLAVATA3/ESR-related (CLE) ligand proteins. However, only cyst nematodes have been shown to secrete such effectors and to utilize CLE ligand mimicry in their interactions with host plants. Here, we document the presence of ligand-like motifs in bona fide root-knot nematode effectors that are most similar to CLE peptides from plants and cyst nematodes. We have identified multiple tandem CLE-like motifs conserved within the previously identified Meloidogyne avirulence protein (MAP) family that are secreted from root-knot nematodes and have been shown to function in planta. By searching all 12 MAP family members from multiple Meloidogyne spp. , we identified 43 repetitive CLE-like motifs composing 14 unique variants. At least one CLE-like motif was conserved in each MAP family member. Furthermore, we documented the presence of other conserved sequences that resemble the variable domains described in Heterodera and Globodera CLE effectors. These findings document that root-knot nematodes appear to use CLE ligand mimicry and point toward a common host node targeted by two evolutionarily diverse groups of nematodes. As a consequence, it is likely that CLE signaling pathways are important in other phytonematode pathosystems as well.
Ginkgo biloba Extract Inhibits Astrocytic Lipocalin-2 Expression and Alleviates Neuroinflammatory Injury via the JAK2/STAT3 Pathway After Ischemic Brain Stroke

Background: Astrogliosis has the potential to lead to harmful effects, namely, neuroinflammation, and to interfere with synapse sprouting. Previous studies have suggested that Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) acts as a key target in regulating the reaction of astrocytes. However, the underlying molecular mechanism is not fully elucidated. In the present study, we examined the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGB), a well-known extract with potential immunoregulatory properties in the nervous system. Methods: Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, electron microscopy, and neurological assessments were performed in a microsphere-embolized rat model. Human astrocytes exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) were used for in vitro experiments. Inflammatory cytokines, multi-labeling immunofluorescence, and Western blotting were used to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the EGB-mediated anti-inflammatory effects in vivo and in vitro. Results: EGB markedly attenuated cerebral infarction and neuronal apoptosis, reduced the inflammatory cytokine level, and alleviated neurological deficiencies in cerebral ischemic rats. After surgery, EGB significantly inhibited astrocyte activation, reduced the phosphorylation of STAT3 and JAK2 and decreased LCN2 expression. In vitro, EGB blocked OGD-induced STAT3 activation and the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines in human astrocytes, and these effects were significantly enhanced by LCN2 overexpression. EGB downregulated these effects enhanced by LCN2 overexpression. Conclusion: EGB is demonstrated to mediate neuroinflammation, which protects against ischemic brain injury by inhibiting astrogliosis and suppresses neuroinflammation via the LCN2-JAK2/STAT3 pathway, providing insight into a promising therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke.
Reflectance confocal‐laser‐scanning microscopy in vivo assessments of cigarette‐induced dynamic alterations of cutaneous microcirculation on histomorphological level

Objective: Until now, high resolution reflectance confocal‐laser‐scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used for observation of cutaneous morphology in vivo and in real time. We hypothesized that CLSM also allows observation of dynamic processes of cutaneous microcirculation. Methods: Reflectance CLSM (Vivascope1500; Lucid, Rochester, NY) was performed in 24 young male habitual smokers (23 years, range: 19–26, body mass index 23.9 ± 4.04) with relatively limited cigarette exposure (mean: 3.1 ± 2.4 pack‐years). Eight matched nonsmokers served as controls. The quantitative blood cell flow and the diameter of capillary loops were determined prior (baseline), during, as well as 5 and 10 min after smoking. Results: Baseline value for blood cell flow was 55.50 ± 2.33 cells/min, and decreased over 45% during smoking (30.43 ± 3.76/min; P = 0.02). They were still 22% lower (43.33 ± 2.45/min; P = 0.01) 5 min after smoking and exceeded baseline values 10 min after smoking by 13% (63.00 ± 3.10/min; P > 0.05). The baseline values for capillary loop diameter (9.03 ± 0.22 μm) decreased by 21% (7.18 ± 0.28 μm; P = 0.03) during smoking, remained about 9% (8.23 ± 0.18 μm; P = 0.01) lower 5 min after smoking and exceeded baseline values insignificantly by 4% (9.38 ± 0.28 μm; P > 0.05) 10 min after smoking. There were no significant differences to the controls. Conclusion: Reflectance CLSM enables qualitative and quantitative observation of dynamic processes of cutaneous microcirculation on histomorphological level. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
DEBATE OF WTO IN EDUCATION AND IRAN’S HIGHER EDUCATION COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES

This paper is addressing one of the controversial debates about World Trade Organization (WTO) in Iran ’ s higher education. Four main questions are discussed: the reasons of spreading trade in education, current critics of WTO in Education, the main barriers of free trade in education system and finally Iran’ s higher education comparative advantages in joining WTO. The results indicated that Iran’ s higher education has competitive advantages in four modes of education delivery which is announced by WTO.
Relationship between competitive strategies and performance of public secondary schools in the kenya certificate of secondary examination in the Nairobi city county

ix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 Background of the Study . 1 1.1.1 Competitive Strategies . 3 1.1.2 Organizational Performance . 4 1.1.3 Public Secondary Schools in Kenya . 5 1.2 Research Problem . 6 1.3 Research Objectives . 7 1.4 value of the Study . 8 1.5 Scope of the Study . 8 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW . 9 2.
mmpdb: An Open-Source Matched Molecular Pair Platform for Large Multiproperty Data Sets

Matched molecular pair analysis (MMPA) enables the automated and systematic compilation of medicinal chemistry rules from compound/property data sets. Here we present mmpdb, an open-source matched molecular pair (MMP) platform to create, compile, store, retrieve, and use MMP rules. mmpdb is suitable for the large data sets typically found in pharmaceutical and agrochemical companies and provides new algorithms for fragment canonicalization and stereochemistry handling. The platform is written in Python and based on the RDKit toolkit. It is freely available from https://github.com/rdkit/mmpdb .
News Sentiment, Factor Models and Abnormal Stock Returns

This paper investigates how stock-specific and market-wide news sentiments, obtained from Thomson Reuters News Analytics, affect abnormal returns of S&P 500 stocks. It is well-known that the relationships between the stock-specific news sentiment and raw stock returns are rather weak. This can be explained by the fact that stock returns are driven predominantly by the market factor as well as some other well-known fundamental factors, and in a lesser extent by the idiosyncratic stock-specific information. Using factor models of Fama and French and of Carhart, we remove the influence of the fundamental factors from S&P500 stock returns. This allows us to investigate the relationships between the news sentiment and abnormal, i.e., idiosyncratic component of returns. We use both stock-specific and constructed market-wide sentiments for this purpose.We find that abnormal returns show a strong relationship with the news sentiment, which is consistent across sectors. Moreover, we find that the market-wide news sentiment significantly amplifies the effect of stock-specific news. Furthermore, we investigate separately the effect of news on various sectors, on small, medium and large stocks (in terms of size and book-to-market) and on less and more volatile stocks, and find that there are significant deviations on how abnormal returns react to positive and negative sentiment in news. Since the factor models are fundamentally tradable, our findings can be used to create profitable trading strategies.
Optical Fiber Force Myography Sensor for Identification of Hand Postures

A low-cost optical fiber force myography sensor for noninvasive hand posture identification is proposed. The transducers are comprised of 10 mm periodicity silica multimode fiber microbending devices mounted in PVC plates, providing 0.05 N−1 sensitivity over ~20 N range. Next, the transducers were attached to the user forearm by means of straps in order to monitor the posterior proximal radial, the anterior medial ulnar, and the posterior distal radial muscles, and the acquired FMG optical signals were correlated to the performed gestures using a 5 hidden layers, 20-neuron artificial neural network classifier with backpropagation architecture, followed by a competitive layer. The overall results for 9 postures and 6 subjects indicated a 98.4% sensitivity and 99.7% average accuracy, being comparable to the electromyographic approaches. Moreover, in contrast to the current setups, the proposed methodology allows the identification of poses characterized by different configurations of fingers and wrist joint displacements with the utilization of only 3 transducers and a simple interrogation scheme, being suitable to further applications in human-computer interfaces.
The influence of contrary information and mitigating factors on audit opinion decisions on bankrupt companies

The research described in this paper tests the use of contrary information and mitigating factors for the going-concern modification decision for soon-to-be bankrupt companies. Contrary information (i.e., information which questions the client's continued existence) includes, for example, defaults on debt. Mitigating factors are those which partially offset contrary information. In particular, given previous research (e.g., McKeown, Mutchler, and Hopwood [1991]) which reports an inverse relation between client size and the going-concern modification after controlling
Comparative effectiveness of fragility fracture integrated rehabilitation management for elderly individuals after hip fracture surgery

Introduction: Although it is essential to provide comprehensive rehabilitation after hip fracture to restore the patient to preoperative physical functioning, feasibility issues remain. Here, we describe a protocol for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of fragility fracture integrated rehabilitation management (FIRM) for elderly individuals after hip fracture surgery. We also examine the feasibility of applying FIRM in a chronic-care hospital or community-based setting. Methods and analysis: Elderly patients will be randomly assigned to either the FIRM, conventional, or control group for a 2-week intervention period following hip fracture surgery. The primary outcome of this study is Koval walking ability. All functional outcomes will be measured 1 and 3 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months after the surgical intervention. Researchers will be blind to group allocation, and participants will be blind to outcome. A sample size of 282 participants will be necessary to demonstrate the effect of the FIRM program. After the RCT has been conducted in 3 core hospitals, FIRM will be applied in 6 community-based local hospitals to investigate the feasibility of the program. The data will be analyzed using the intention-to-treat principle. Trial registration number: NCT03430193.
Simultaneous Localization of Software Faults Based on Complex Network Theory

Effective debugging is necessary for producing high quality and reliable software. Fault localization plays a vital role in the debugging process. However, fault localization is the most tedious and expensive activity in program debugging, as such, effective fault localization techniques that can identify the exact location of faults is eminent. Despite various fault localization techniques proposed, their application in multiple-fault programs is limited. The presence of multiple faults in a program reduces the efficacy of the existing fault localization techniques to locate faults effectively due to fault interference. Moreover, most of these techniques are unable to localize faults simultaneously. This has led researchers to adopt alternative approaches, such as one-fault-at-a-time debugging and parallel debugging. In this paper, we propose a novel fault localization technique based on complex network theory (FLCN) to improve localization effectiveness in programs with single-fault and multiple-fault and to aid developers to localize multiple faults simultaneously in a single diagnosis rank list. The proposed technique ranks faulty statements based on their behavioral abnormalities and distance between faulty statements in both passed and failed test executions. Two graph-based centrality measures are adopted for fault diagnosis, namely, degree centrality and closeness centrality and a new ranking formula is proposed. FLCN is evaluated across 14 subjects with both single-fault and multiple-fault programs. Our experimental results show that FLCN is more effective at locating faults when compared with existing state-of-the-art fault localization techniques with improvement of fault localization effectiveness in both single-fault and multiple-fault programs.
White light polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography for sub-micron axial resolution and spectroscopic contrast in the murine retina

A white light polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography system has been developed, using a supercontinuum laser as the light source. By detecting backscattered light from 400 – 700 nm, an axial resolution of 1.0 µm in air was achieved. The system consists of a free-space interferometer and two homemade spectrometers that detect orthogonal polarization states. Following system specifications, images of a healthy murine retina as acquired by this non-contact system are presented, showing high resolution reflectivity images as well as spectroscopic and polarization sensitive contrast. Additional images of the very-low-density-lipoprotein-receptor (VLDLR) knockout mouse model were acquired. The high resolution allows the detection of small lesions in the retina.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Hypnotherapy and Skin Disorders

Mindfulness-based cognitive hypnotherapy integrates mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and hypnotherapy to improve physical, emotional, mental, and/or spiritual aspects of skin disorders. Meditation, including mindfulness meditation, and hypnosis both utilize trance phenomena to help produce focalization and specific improvements in skin disorders through psycho-neuro-endocrine-immunologic mechanisms. Hypnosis, cognitive hypnotherapy, focused meditation, and mindfulness meditation are discussed with respect to improving various skin disorders including acne, acne excoriée, alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma, dyshidrotic dermatitis, erythema nodosum, erythromelalgia, furuncles, glossodynia, herpes simplex, hyperhidrosis, ichthyosis vulgaris, lichen planus, neurodermatitis, nummular dermatitis, postherpetic neuralgia, prurigo nodularis, pruritus, psoriasis, rosacea, trichotillomania, urticaria, verruca vulgaris, and vitiligo. Their integration into mindfulness-based cognitive hypnotherapy is then discussed and illustrated with improvement in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Pathobiology of cardiac dyssynchrony and resynchronization therapy

Synchronous ventricular electrical activation is a prerequisite for adequate left ventricular (LV) systolic function. Conduction abnormalities such as left bundle branch block, and ventricular pacing lead to a dyssynchronous electrical activation sequence, which may have deleterious consequences. The present review attempts to connect the various processes involved in the development of 'dyssynchronopathy', and its correction by cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Abnormal electrical impulse conduction leads to abnormal contraction, characterized by regional differences in timing as well as shortening patterns and amount of external work performed. Early activated regions may show 'wasted work', which leads to inefficient action of the entire left ventricle. Moreover, both the development of heart failure (HF) in general and the regional differences in mechanical load lead to structural, electrical, and contractile remodelling processes. These have been demonstrated at the level of the myocardium (asymmetric hypertrophy, fibrosis, prolongation of activation and reduction in repolarization forces, decrease in LV ejection fraction), cell (gap junctional remodelling, derangement of the T-tubular structure), and molecule (under or overexpression of ion channels and contractile proteins subtypes and abnormal calcium handling). The myocardial adaptations to dyssynchrony are 'maladaptive'. This also explains why CRT, unlike most pharmacological treatments, continues to increase its therapeutic effect over time. Finally, better understanding of all processes involved in dyssynchrony and CRT may also lead to new pharmacological agents for treating HF and to novel pacing strategies.