Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A novel forehead temperature-regulating device for insomnia: a randomized clinical trial

Study Objectives Insomnia is one of the most common disorders in the general population. Hypnotic medications are efficacious, but their use is limited by adverse events (AEs). This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel forehead temperature-regulating device that delivers frontal cerebral thermal therapy (maintained at 14-16°C, equivalent to 57-61°F) for the treatment of insomnia. Methods This was a prospective, randomized controlled trial involving two nights of therapy in 106 adults diagnosed with insomnia. The main outcome measures included latency to persistent sleep and sleep efficiency derived from polysomnographic (PSG) recordings and frequency and severity of AEs. Results The safety profile was comparable to sham treatment. Statistically significant differences were not found in the two a priori co-primary endpoint measures absolute latency to persistent sleep (p = 0.092) or absolute sleep efficiency. Frontal cerebral thermal therapy produced improvements over sham in other convergent measures of sleep latency including relative changes from baseline in latency to persistent sleep (p = 0.013), the latency to stage 1 NREM sleep (p = 0.006), the latency to stage 2 NREM sleep (p = 0.002), a trend for the latency to stage 3 NREM sleep (p = 0.055), and an increase in the minutes of sleep during the first hour of the night (p = 0.024). Conclusions Two-night frontal cerebral thermal therapy produced improvements in PSG measures of insomnia patients' ability to fall asleep and had a benign safety profile. Further studies are warranted to determine the role of this therapy in the longer-term management of insomnia. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01966211.
Experimental evaluation of the UB Hand IV postural synergies

In this paper, the postural synergies configuration subspace given by the fundamental eigengrasps of the UB Hand IV (University of Bologna Hand, version IV) is derived through experiments. This study is based on the kinematic structure of the robotic hand and on the taxonomy of the grasps of common objects. Experimental results show that it is possible to obtain grasp synthesis for a large set of objects both in the case of precision and of power grasps by using only a very limited set of dominant eigengrasps. The tasks here presented are planned with an initial hold of the hand followed by reach and grasp phases, that are unique for each object/grasp combination, during which the robotic hand posture evolves continuously within a subset of the hand configuration space given by the two predominant eigenpostures. The paper reports the method adopted to define from experiments the postural synergies for the UB Hand IV and the results of the grasp tasks performed adopting the defined synergies.
Semantic Segmentation in Red Relief Image Map by UX-Net

This paper proposes a semantic segmentation method in Red Relief Image Map which a kind of aerial laser image. We modify the U-Net by adding the paths between convolutional layer and deconvolutional layer with different resolution. By using the feature maps obtained at different layers, the segmentation accuracy is improved. We compare the segmentation accuracy of the proposed UX-Net with the original U-net. Our proposed method improved class-average accuracy in comparison with the U-Net.
Independent Associations between Sedentary Time, Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cardio-Metabolic Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

We aimed to study the independent associations of sedentary time (ST), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and objectively measured cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with clustered cardio-metabolic risk and its individual components (waist circumference, fasting glucose, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure). We also investigated whether any associations between MVPA or ST and clustered cardio-metabolic risk were mediated by CRF. MVPA, ST, CRF and individual cardio-metabolic components were measured in a population-based sample of 341 adults (age 53.8 ± 8.9 years; 61% men) between 2012 and 2014. MVPA and ST were measured with the SenseWear pro 3 Armband and CRF was measured with a maximal exercise test. Multiple linear regression models and the product of coefficients method were used to examine independent associations and mediation effects, respectively. Results showed that low MVPA and low CRF were associated with a higher clustered cardio-metabolic risk (β = -0.26 and β = -0.43, both p<0.001, respectively). CRF explained 73% of the variance in the association between MVPA and clustered cardio-metabolic risk and attenuated this association to non-significance. After mutual adjustment for MVPA and ST, CRF was the most important risk factor for a higher clustered cardio-metabolic risk (β = -0.39, p<0.001). In conclusion, because of the mediating role of CRF, lifestyle-interventions need to be feasible yet challenging enough to lead to increases in CRF to improve someone’s cardio-metabolic health.
Evaluation of Groundwater Storage Variations Estimated from GRACE Data Assimilation and State-of-the-Art Land Surface Models in Australia and the North China Plain

The accurate knowledge of the groundwater storage variation (ΔGWS) is essential for reliable water resource assessment, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments (e.g., Australia, the North China Plain (NCP)) where water storage is significantly affected by human activities and spatiotemporal climate variations. The large-scale ΔGWS can be simulated from a land surface model (LSM), but the high model uncertainty is a major drawback that reduces the reliability of the estimates. The evaluation of the model estimate is then very important to assess its accuracy. To improve the model performance, the terrestrial water storage variation derived from the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission is commonly assimilated into LSMs to enhance the accuracy of the ΔGWS estimate. This study assimilates GRACE data into the PCRaster Global Water Balance (PCR-GLOBWB) model. The GRACE data assimilation (DA) is developed based on the three-dimensional ensemble Kalman smoother (EnKS 3D), which considers the statistical correlation of all extents (spatial, temporal, vertical) in the DA process. The ΔGWS estimates from GRACE DA and four LSM simulations (PCR-GLOBWB, the Community Atmosphere Biosphere Land Exchange (CABLE), the Water Global Assessment and Prognosis Global Hydrology Model (WGHM), and World-Wide Water (W3)) are validated against the in situ groundwater data. The evaluation is conducted in terms of temporal correlation, seasonality, long-term trend, and detection of groundwater depletion. The GRACE DA estimate shows a significant improvement in all measures, notably the correlation coefficients (respect to the in situ data) are always higher than the values obtained from model simulations alone (e.g., ~0.15 greater in Australia, and ~0.1 greater in the NCP). GRACE DA also improves the estimation of groundwater depletion that the models cannot accurately capture due to the incorrect information of the groundwater demand (in, e.g., PCR-GLOBWB, WGHM) or the unavailability of a groundwater consumption routine (in, e.g., CABLE, W3). In addition, this study conducts the inter-comparison between four model simulations and reveals that PCR-GLOBWB and CABLE provide a more accurate ΔGWS estimate in Australia (subject to the calibrated parameter) while PCR-GLOBWB and WGHM are more accurate in the NCP (subject to the inclusion of anthropogenic factors). The analysis can be used to declare the status of the ΔGWS estimate, as well as itemize the possible improvements of the future model development.
PU-learning Disjunctive Concepts in ILP

PU learning is a variant of semi-supervised learning where labels of only one class are given. In his paper, we present an ILP method that PU-learns disjunctive concepts. The problem is motivated by some work on natural language learning, more specifically, learning the meaning of n-grams from (sentence, context)-pairs, where the context is described using first-order logic. An earlier solution for this task could learn only conjunctive concepts. We show experimentally that the novel method effectively learns disjunctive concepts from PU data. We also discuss challenges and limitations.
Association of obesity with healthcare resource utilization and costs in a commercial population

Abstract Objective: To examine the association of obesity with healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs among commercially insured individuals. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study used administrative claims from 1 January 2007 to 1 December 2013. The ICD-9-CM status codes (V85 hierarchy) from 2008 to 2012 classified body mass index (BMI) into the World Health Organizations’ BMI categories. The date of first observed BMI code was defined as the index date and continuous eligibility for one year pre- and post- index date was ensured. Post-index claims determined individuals’ HRU and costs. Sampling weights developed using the entropy balance method and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data ensured representation of the US adult commercially insured population. Baseline characteristics were described across BMI classes and associations between BMI categories, and outcomes were examined using multivariable regression. Results: The cohort included 9651 individuals with BMI V85 codes. After weighting, the BMI distribution was: normal (31.1%), overweight (33.4%), obese class I (22.0%), obese class II (8.1%) and obese class III (5.4%). Increasing BMI was associated with greater prevalence of cardiometabolic conditions, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The use of antihypertensives, antihyperlipidemics, antidiabetics, analgesics and antidepressants rose with increasing BMI. Greater BMI level was associated with increased inpatient, emergency department and outpatient utilization, and higher total healthcare, medical and pharmacy costs. Conclusions: Increasing BMI was associated with higher prevalence of cardiometabolic conditions and higher HRU and costs. There is an urgent need to address the epidemic of obesity and its clinical and economic impacts.
Stumbling across the same phage

Nineteen Vibrio anguillarum-specific temperate bacteriophages isolated across Europe and Chile from aquaculture and environmental sites were genome sequenced and analyzed for host range, morphology and life cycle characteristics. The phages were classified as Siphoviridae with genome sizes between 46,006 and 54,201 bp. All 19 phages showed high genetic similarity, and 13 phages were genetically identical. Apart from sporadically distributed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), genetic diversifications were located in three variable regions (VR1, VR2 and VR3) in six of the phage genomes. Identification of specific genes, such as N6-adenine methyltransferase and lambda like repressor, as well as the presence of a tRNAArg, suggested a both mutualistic and parasitic interaction between phages and hosts. During short term phage exposure experiments, 28% of a V. anguillarum host population was lysogenized by the temperate phages and a genomic analysis of a collection of 31 virulent V. anguillarum showed that the isolated phages were present as prophages in >50% of the strains covering large geographical distances. Further, phage sequences were widely distributed among CRISPR-Cas arrays of publicly available sequenced Vibrios. The observed distribution of these specific temperate Vibriophages across large geographical scales may be explained by efficient dispersal of phages and bacteria in the marine environment combined with a mutualistic interaction between temperate phages and their hosts which selects for co-existence rather than arms race dynamics.
Sero-biochemical Studies in Sheep Fed with Bt Cotton Plants

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the toxicological effects, if any, due to feeding of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton plants to sheep. A total of 32 sheep of one year of age belonging to Deccani breed were randomly divided into four groups, consisting of eight sheep in each group. Group 1 was maintained on basal diet (concentrate feed at the rate of 300 g + green fodder at the rate of 3 kg/sheep/day), group 2 on non-Bt cotton plant at the rate of 1.5 kg + green fodder at the rate of 1.5 kg + concentrate feed at the rate of 300 g/sheep/day, group 3 on Bt cotton plants (50%) at the rate of 1.5 kg + green fodder at the rate of 1.5 + concentrate feed at the rate of 300 g/sheep/day, and group 4 on Bt cotton plants ad libitum + concentrate feed at the rate of 300 g/sheep/day. All the groups of sheep were maintained for three months and various hemato-biochemical parameters were studied at monthly intervals. The activity of aspartate transaminase, gamma glutamyltransferase, and creatine kinase in sera samples, and the concentration of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine did not differ significantly among different groups at different time intervals. The histological examination of liver and kidney did not reveal any significant changes in Bt and non-Bt cotton-fed groups. In conclusion, the results of the present investigation enunciated that feeding of genetically modified (Bt) cotton plants to sheep was without detrimental effects in the biological system of sheep.
Signal Space Diversity in Single and Multiuser Scenarios Employing Sphere Decoder Detector

The matrix structure of the received signals of a system employing signal space diversity and antenna array is obtained for both single and multiuser scenarios. With this structure, we are able to implement a sphere decoder detector at the receiver. Also, as a complement of the approach of Boutros and Viterbo, an exact closed-form expression to calculate the pairwise-error-probability between two symbol vectors for the single user scenario is obtained. Then, a highly accurate bit error rate upper bound is derived for this scenario. Finally, the asymptotic analysis of this upper bound expression is performed.
In–Vitro Cytotoxic Active Compounds Isolated from Isatis microcarpa J. Gay Ex Boiss

This is the first study on the cytotoxic activity of Isatis microcarpa J.Gay ex Boiss. a plant growing widely in north Sinai, Egypt. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of the total extract, petroleum ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol fractions were studied on hepatic (HEPG2) and breast carcinoma (T47D) cell lines. It could be concluded that, the most active fraction was the dichloromethane. Three compounds were isolated and identified from this fraction, two indigo dyes and one phenolic acid. They were identified as Tryptanthrin, Indirubin and gallic acid by using different spectroscopic methods.
Green Space and Stress: Evidence from Cortisol Measures in Deprived Urban Communities

Contact with green space in the environment has been associated with mental health benefits, but the mechanism underpinning this association is not clear. This study extends an earlier exploratory study showing that more green space in deprived urban neighbourhoods in Scotland is linked to lower levels of perceived stress and improved physiological stress as measured by diurnal patterns of cortisol secretion. Salivary cortisol concentrations were measured at 3, 6 and 9 h post awakening over two consecutive weekdays, together with measures of perceived stress. Participants (n = 106) were men and women not in work aged between 35–55 years, resident in socially disadvantaged districts from the same Scottish, UK, urban context as the earlier study. Results from linear regression analyses showed a significant and negative relationship between higher green space levels and stress levels, indicating living in areas with a higher percentage of green space is associated with lower stress, confirming the earlier study findings. This study further extends the findings by showing significant gender differences in stress patterns by levels of green space, with women in lower green space areas showing higher levels of stress. A significant interaction effect between gender and percentage green space on mean cortisol concentrations showed a positive effect of higher green space in relation to cortisol measures in women, but not in men. Higher levels of neighbourhood green space were associated with healthier mean cortisol levels in women whilst also attenuating higher cortisol levels in men. We conclude that higher levels of green space in residential neighbourhoods, for this deprived urban population of middle-aged men and women not in work, are linked with lower perceived stress and a steeper (healthier) diurnal cortisol decline. However, overall patterns and levels of cortisol secretion in men and women were differentially related to neighbourhood green space and warrant further investigation.
Management of non-behavioral tasks via auto reminder and notifier

The revolutionary advent of technology has seamlessly integrated usage of smart gadgets and social media in our existing workflow practices thereby making schedule of every other individual quite tiring and packed. As a result, we often fail to remember essential tasks, to-do list, important meetings and assignments. One way is to create manual reminders and getting notifications accordingly; but this needs human intervention. This work presents a more promising approach for design and development of a smart android app that will access SMS's consisting of useful information for creating reminders and notifications irrespective of any human involvement. It will be of paramount interest for users to get reminded and notified about expiry dates of availed mobile tariffs, upcoming meetings and significant activities. This app can parse messages sent by friends, family and co-workers and auto schedule reminders if arrived messages contain any useful schedulable information. In addition, this app can also process emails received through Gmail, and Messages received via Facebook and WhatsApp. This app is incredibly customizable according to user preferences and has option to decide when and if the user should get notified. As a part of user testing an initial version of this smart app was uploaded to Google Play store. End-user response was measured in terms of reviews, ratings and app downloads as discussed in results section.
Levels of anti-CMV antibodies are modulated by the frequency and intensity of virus reactivations in kidney transplant patients

Anti-CMV (cytomegalovirus) antibody titers are related to immune alterations and increased risk of mortality. To test whether they represent a marker of infection history, we analyzed the effect of viral reactivations on the production of specific antibodies in kidney transplant patients. We quantified CMV-DNAemia and antibody titers in 58 kidney transplant patients before transplantation and during a follow-up of 315 days (standard deviation, SD: 134.5 days). In order to calculate the intensity of the infection, we plotted the follow-up time of the infection on the x-axis and the number of DNA-CMV copies on the y-axis and calculated the area under the curve (CMV-AUC). The degree of T-lymphocyte differentiation was analyzed with flow cytometry, the cells were labelled with different monoclonal antibodies in order to distinguish their differentiation state, from naive T-cells to senescent T-cells. Peak viremia was significantly higher in patients experiencing a primary infection (VI) compared to patients experiencing viral reactivation (VR). Our data indicate that the overall CMV viral load over the course of a primary infection is significantly higher than in a reactivation of a previously established infection. Whereas patients who experienced an episode of CMV reactivation during the course of our observation showed increased levels of CMV-specific antibodies, patients who did not experience CMV reactivation (WVR) showed a drop in CMV antibody levels that corresponds to an overall drop in antibody levels, probably due to the continuing immunosuppression after the renal transplant. We found a positive correlation between the CMV viremia over the course of the infection or reactivation and the CMV-specific antibody titers in the examined patients. We also observed a positive correlation between anti-CMV titers and T-cell differentiation. In conclusion, our data show that anti-CMV antibody titers are related to the course of CMV infection in kidney transplant patients.
A Spacing Account of Negative Recency in Final Free Recall

The well-known recency effect in immediate free recall reverses when subjects attempt to recall items studied and tested on a series of prior lists, as in the final-free-recall procedure (Craik, 1970). In this case, the last few items on each list are actually remembered less well than are the midlist items. Because dual-store theories of recall naturally predict negative recency, this phenomenon has long been cited as evidence favoring these models. In a final-free-recall study, we replicate the negative-recency effect for the within-list serial position curve and the positive-recency effect for the between-list serial position curve. Whereas we find prominent negative recency for items recalled early in the initial recall period, this effect is markedly reduced for items recalled later in the recall period. When considering initial recall as a second presentation of studied items, we find that the probability of final free recall increases as the number of items between initial presentation and initial recall increases. These results suggest that negative recency may reflect the beneficial effects of spaced practice, in which end-of-list items recalled early constitute massed repetitions and end-of-list items recalled late are spaced repetitions. To help distinguish between the spacing account and the prevailing dual-store, rehearsal-based account, we examined negative recency in continual-distractor free recall. Contrary to the dual-store account, but in accord with the spacing account, we find robust negative recency in continual-distractor free recall, which is greater for those items recalled early in output.
A study of the deformation and fracture of single-crystal gold films of high strength inside an electron microscope

Single-crystal films of gold in (111) orientation, and 500 to 2000 Å in thickness, have been prepared by an evaporation technique. A device has been constructed to allow these films to be strained in a controlled manner while under observation inside the electron microscope (Siemens Elmiskop I). It is shown, by the absence of observable plastic deformation, that the films deform elastically up to abnormally high strain values. This is confirmed, in the case of 500 Å films, by precision electron diffraction measurements, which indicate elastic strains as high as 1 to 1·5%. This represents a tensile strength several times that of hard-drawn gold wire. The high tensile strength occurs despite the presence of a high density of dislocations. Failure occurs once the elastic limit is exceeded. Detailed examination of the fractured specimens reveals that highly localized plastic deformation occurs immediately before fracture. The nature of the fracture process has been deduced from the micrographs, and it is shown that the catastrophic failure occurs as a result of the high stress level which exists when plastic deformation occurs, coupled with the stress concentrations which occur as localized thinning takes place.