Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Review of Food Allergy and Asthma

Asthma is a serious public health problem throughout the world, affecting people of all ages. It is a pulmonary disease characterized by reversible airway obstruction, airway inflammation and increased airway responsiveness to a variety of stimuli. Asthma and Allergy are usually associated with early age onset, but may also affect elderly subject. Allergic Bronchial Asthma is caused by exposure to environmental and dietary allergens. Approximately in every fifth asthmatic the possible role of food allergy should be taken into account. Both food allergy and asthma are atopic diseases and therefore frequently co-exist. In the diagnosis of food allergy in asthmatics only clinical history is not sufficient and to date there are no laboratory tests that will confirm or exclude food allergy with certainty. There is a perception amongst the general public that foods are frequently implicated in precipitating exacerbations of asthma. Asthma can trigger off due to various factors so it is important to take control of these factors that may influence a person adversely resulting in the manifestation of the symptoms. Diet is very important in controlling and even correcting certain symptoms. It is extremely important to take care of certain general characteristics and demographic profile of the normal person or patient before planning the diet. The general guidelines to be followed remain very straightforward. It is imperative and always recommended to asthma patients to avoid fried and spicy food and heavy meals especially at night as they may cause coughing, discomfort in breathing and lead to undue pressure on the respiratory system. Asthma patients are advised to concentrate more on eating vegetarian diets rather than non vegetarian diets, frequent and variety in meals, avoid consumption of food additives and excess sweets as it leads to exertion on the system which may cause trouble in breathing. Their diet needs to be balanced for vitamins and minerals so that no extra supplements are needed by the body, but degree of severity increases the requirement. As regular pattern of a healthy and wholesome breakfast, nutritious lunch and light dinner is very important to be followed, the effect of medication on diet (drug and diet interaction) should be regularly monitored so that they may not trigger off any other serious side effects. However, diet is a complex combination of foods from various groups and nutrients, and some nutrients are highly correlated. It would be challenging to separate the effect of a single nutrient or food group from that of others in free-living populations
The effect of the appearance of our self-representation in a virtual world on our behavior: a survey

Our self-representation in a virtual world can influence our behavior and actions there. This survey studies the existing literature in these aspects, and concludes on the impact of your virtual appearance on your behavior. The process applied involves the analyses of key points relevant to body ownership, virtual reality, embodiment, and human behavior. ACM Classification
Mobile Network Failure Event Detection and Forecasting With Multiple User Activity Data Sets

As the demand for mobile network services increases, immediate detection and forecasting of network failure events have become important problems for service providers. Several event detection approaches have been proposed to tackle these problems by utilizing social data. However, these approaches have not tried to solve event detection and forecasting problems from multiple data sets, such as web access logs and search queries. In this paper, we propose a machine learning approach that incorporates multiple user activity data into detecting and forecasting failure events. Our approach is based on a two-level procedure. First, we introduce a novel feature construction method that treats both the imbalanced label problem and the data sparsity problem of user activity data. Second, we propose a model ensemble method that combines outputs of supervised and unsupervised learning models for each data set and gives accurate predictions of network service outage. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed models by extensive experiments with real-world failure events occurred at a network service provider in Japan and three user activity data sets.
Systemic Inflammation, Blood Pressure, and Stroke Outcome

Hypertension is the most important modifiable risk factor for ischemic stroke, and antihypertensive treatment is of paramount importance to reduce the incidence of stroke mortality and morbidity. The significance and best management of hypertension during the first hours after stroke onset, however, are still matters of debate. Cerebral ischemia results in a complex inflammatory cascade; inflammatory mechanisms are also important participants in the pathophysiology of hypertension. There has been a convergence of evidence that is important to consider in managing systemic blood pressure after stroke to ensure an optimal outcome. The identification of useful markers will allow progress in our ability to treat blood pressure in the acute phase of a stroke. The determination of levels of C‐reactive protein, an acute‐phase inflammation marker, may help to guide our approach in the management of blood pressure in acute ischemic stroke. Whether this target will be useful in the development of risk prediction strategies or therapies for the treatment of stroke in humans is far from clear.
A Study on Electron Beam Melted Ti-6 Al-4 V

The work presented in this dissertation is concerned with the microstructures and surface roughness of test slabs of Ti-6Al-4V produced by one of powder based Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique namely electron beam melting (EBM). The effects of process parameters of a EBM system and geometry factors of a EBM build such as slabs’ thickness and height etc. on the microstructure and the surface roughness of the EBM produced Ti-6Al-4V have been investigated. The processing parameters of the EBM system include beam current, scan speed, offset focus and scanning length. In this study three different batches of samples were prepared. Microstructures of EBM built Ti-6Al-4V were studied using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Confocal microscopy (CM) and image analysis codes ImageJ’s routine SurfCharJ were used to quantify the surface roughness of the test slabs. The microstructures of EBM built Ti6Al-4V in general consist of columnar grains of prior β phase. Inside the columnar grains there is a typical (+) microstructure of titanium alloys containing Widmanstätten  platelets and rodshaped β phase. Grain boundary (GB) layer has also been observed on the grain boundaries of prior β columnar grains. By using TEM, the β phase in EBM built Ti-6Al-4V has been identified as a rod-like structure located on the grain boundaries of the fine  grains and they often grow along the build direction. The size of the β rods is about 200 nm and the distance between the rods is ranged between 0.5-2 m. Chemical compositions for different phases have been measured by TEM/EDX and volume fraction of the β phase in the EBM Ti-6Al-4V has been determined to be 2.7%. The phase transformation sequence in EBM built Ti-6Al-4V has been discussed according to processing history and microstructures observed. It has been observed that, the size, number and geometry of prior β columnar grain depend on the sample thickness and other process parameters setting. The diameter of columnar grain varies between 2-70 m. The increase in size, number and regularity of columnar grains has been observed with increase in sample thickness, beam energy density and the scanning length. While with increase in height of the build it decreases. The length and smoothness of α platelets increases with increase in diameter of prior β columnar grain. The β phase rods are unaffected by sample thickness and process parameter settings. The sample thickness and beam energy density has a strong effect on the surface roughness of the test slabs. The value of surface roughness coefficient Ra for different test slabs varies between 1-20 m. It is observed that the surface roughness of the test slab increases with increase in thickness of the slab and beam energy density. Response surface methodology is applied to model the effect of process parameter on surface roughness of EBM parts. Phase field modelling approach has been successfully applied to study the microstructure development in EBM built Ti-6Al-4V.
AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF THE

This exploratory study is designed to answer “what happens when the clients complain that the delivered Information Systems (IS) don’t match their expectations? ” This discrepancy between client expectations and the client perceived system performance at the time of system delivery can be described as a “gap”. The “gap” phenomenon, the failing to match client expectations with the delivered system, will lead to client dissatisfaction, system rejection, and project failure. Since we know little about the “gap” phenomenon, and no literature has directly and systematically investigated this phenomenon before, an exploratory qualitative study was conducted to answer (1) what the gap is; and (2) how and why the gap is generated in the IS development process. Focus group interviews were conducted with project managers, developers and consultants from four leading IS developing organizations. This paper reports the findings of the first part of the exploratory study. In this study, two dimensions of the gap – the possible areas of the gap and the forms of the gap are identified and four types of the gaps are classified based on the two dimensions. We then adopt a process view to investigate how the gap is generated in the IS development process. To assist the discussion and investigation, we defined four sub-gaps – requirements definition gap, system design gap, construction gap, and system delivery gap. Propositions are proposed and a gap model is developed to explain the relationship between the four sub-gaps and the final gap.
EIP services versus a CMHT model for providing early intervention in psychosis October 18

Aim: To assess the impact of early intervention (EI) services on service costs for people with first-episode psychosis. Methods: A decision model was constructed to map the care pathways following input from EI services and from standard care. A Markov process was used to run the model over 18 2-month cycles. Probabilities and costs for the model of admissions, readmissions and use of community services were obtained from the literature, routine sources and expert opinion. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to address uncertainty around the parameter estimates. Results: The model estimated 1 year costs to be £9422 for EI and £14 394 for standard care. The respective figures over 3 years were £26 568 and £40 816. One-way sensitivity analyses revealed that the results were robust to changes in most parameters with the exception of the readmission rate. A relatively small decrease in the readmission rate for standard care patients would eliminate the cost saving. The probabilistic sensitivity analyses also showed that the results were robust to parameter changes. Conclusions: This study suggests cost savings associated with EI. However, caution is required as the model is relatively simple and relies on a number of assumptions. Br J Psychiatry. 2010 May;196(5):377-82. Cost-effectiveness of an early intervention service for people with psychosis. McCrone P, Craig TK, Power P, Garety PA. Centre for the Economics of Mental Health, PO 24, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London SE5 8AF, UK. p.mccrone@iop.kcl. ac.uk
Multicell converters: basic concepts and industry applications

Multicell power converters were introduced ten years ago. This paper summarizes the main results obtained through the research done on these converters over this period: topology and derivation of multicell choppers and voltage-source inverters; harmonics cancellation; open-loop modulation techniques; self-balancing understanding; and optimization. During this same period, industrial products using this technique have been developed and the corresponding know-how has contributed to the field in various ways, such as modular design, low inductance busbars, specific drivers, etc.
Absence of significant cellulase activity in microbial flora of the female genital tract

It has been postulated that toxic shock syndrome may be mediated by the hydrolysis of certain tampon fibers by bacteria of the female genital tract, leading to the release of glucose that would in turn serve as a substrate for the multiplication of staphylococci producing the toxic shock marker protein (TSST-1). We sought cellulolytic organisms among microorganisms isolated from the female genital tract throughout the menstrual cycle. A total of 288 aerobic and facultative vaginal isolates from 13 healthy female volunteers, aged 18 to 25, and 57 anaerobes from the same sources were screened for cellulase activity. No evidence of production of glucose or degradation of cellulose was found; hence, none of the strains could be described as cellulolytic. A total of 44 organisms (12.7%) showed weak endoglucanase activity as evidenced by minimal changes in the viscosity of the cellulose substrate, but this activity was not reproducible in all of the strains and was inconstantly observed on repeated examination. Five strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cases of toxic shock syndrome also showed no cellulase activity. Cellulase activity does not appear to be a frequent or regular feature of the microflora of the human female genital tract.
From the Perspective of Positive Psychology: Happiness Education of University Students

Positive Psychology is a new psychological trend emerging in the late 20th century, which advocates positive research orientation and is dedicated to the study of human beings’ intrinsic or potential virtue and strength, aiming at improving people’s sense of well-being and thus creating a happier life for them. From the perspective of positive psychology, this thesis, proceeding from the status quo of mental health of college students and happiness education in schools of higher learning in China, purports to indicate the urgency of carrying out happiness education in colleges and universities. Then the paper proposes to present some strategies and suggestions concerning the happiness education in universities such as conducting happiness course as soon as possible or integrating it with other courses. Meanwhile, in order to establish a happy campus, great efforts also should be made to create a favorable environment for students.
Factors behind the Assimilation of Enterprise Resource Planning ( ERP ) Software by Mid-Sized and Large Firms in a Pre-Emerging Economy

The extant literature explored the reasons why many firms do not make a successful transition from adoption to assimilation of ERP software. However, there is lack of understanding in the psychological and decision-making mechanisms which compel individuals in organizations to be bias or prefer to remain in their current situation. In addition, most of the prior studies focused on large firms in developed nations. This study presents a theoretical model that explains the assimilation of ERP software by integrating the tall poppy syndrome, switching cost, and loss aversion literatures through the lens of the status quo bias theory. We tested the model using data gathered from large and mid-size firms in Ghana, a pre-emerging economy. We offer practical and theoretical implications from the findings.
Diagnosing University Student Subject Proficiency and Predicting Degree Completion in Vector Space

We investigate the issues of undergraduate on-time graduation with respect to subject proficiencies through the lens of representation learning, training a student vector embeddings from a dataset of 8 years of course enrollments. We compare the per-semester student representations of a cohort of undergraduate Integrative Biology majors to those of graduated students in subject areas involved in their degree requirements. The result is an embedding rich in information about the relationships between majors and pathways taken by students which encoded enough information to improve prediction accuracy of on-time graduation to 95%, up from a baseline of 87.3%. Challenges to preparation of the data for student vectorization and sourcing of validation sets for optimization are discussed.
COMMON PROMOTER POLYMORPHISM MMP 1282 A > G IN A POPULATION FROM CENTRAL BULGARIA

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are extracellular endopeptidases that cleave variety of proteins of the extracellular matrix (ECM), basal lamina, clotting factors, growth factor binding proteins, growth factor receptors. Some MMPs may hydrolyze zymogene forms of the members of the family, leading to their activation. MMP-12 (macrophage elastase) is a 22-kDa secretory proteinase that is predominantly expressed and secreted by activated macrophages. MMP-12 has a broad substrate specificity including elastin, fibronectin, laminin, vitronectin, type IV collagen, and heparan sulfate. Degradation of the basement membrane enables macrophages to penetrate injured tissues during inflammation. The genes encoding MMP12 is highly polymorphic. One of the functional polymorphisms is the A>G substitution at position -82 in the promoter region. This SNP influences the binding of the transcriptional factor AP-1 (Activator protein-1). AP-1 has greater binding affinity to the A allele which is associated with higher MMP-12 promoter activity in vitro. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the genotype and allele frequencies of the common promoter polymorphism -82 A>G in MMP12 in 119 (59 males and 60 females) individuals from central Bulgaria and to compare them with other Caucasian populations. We found that 63.9% of the individuals were carriers of homozygous AA genotype, 35.3% were heterozygous (AG) and 0.8% were homozygous with the variant allele (GG). The obtained genotype frequencies appeared to differ from those of some other Caucasian populations from Europe: Netherlands72.2/25/2.8%; UK77/21/2%, and was closer to other (Germany64/34/2%).
Application of DC/DC/AC dual voltage source inverter for current harmonics reduction in PMSM drive

In this paper a dual DC/DC/AC inverter with discrete non-stationary state feedback controller is presented. Neural network based control algorithm is proposed to optimal control of PMSM drive. The considered converter topology and designed control structure with discrete state feedback controllers significantly reduces the harmonics content in phase currents.
All‐night dynamics of the human sleep EEG

SUMMARY The dynamics of the sleep EEG were investigated by all‐night spectral analysis of 51 sleep records. Power density was calculated for 1‐Hz bins in the 0.25–25.0 Hz range. Values in non‐rapid‐eye‐movement sleep (NREMS) were higher than in REMS in the 0.25–16.0 Hz range, and lower in the 18.25–22.0 Hz range. Power density in the 0.25–12.0 Hz range showed a declining trend over the first four NREMS episodes, which, depending on the frequency bin, could be approximated by non‐linear or linear decay functions. In the frequency range of sleep spindles (12.25–15.0 Hz), power density in the 13.25–15.0 Hz band showed an increasing trend between NREMS episode 2 and NREMS episode 4. A correlation matrix of 25 1‐Hz bins revealed for NREMS a negative correlation between slow‐wave activity (SWA; 0.25–4.0 Hz) and activity in the spindle frequency range. This negative correlation was highest in the first NREMS episode and diminished progressively over the subsequent NREMS episodes. Within NREMS episodes, the values in the spindle frequency range showed a U‐shaped time course, the trough coinciding with a high level of SWA. By contrast, in both the early and late part of the episode the two types of activity changed in the same direction. The results are consistent with recent electrophysiological studies indicating that the establishment of NREMS is associated with a progressive hyperpolarization of thalamocortical neurons during which the membrane potential exhibits oscillations first in the spindle frequency range and then in the range of SWA.
A 6-Wafer Combustion System for a Silicon Micro Gas Turbine Engine

As part of a program to develop a micro gas turbine engine capable of producing 10-50 Watts of electrical power in a package less than one cubic centimeter in volume, we present the design, fabrication, packaging and experimental test results for the 6-wafer combustion system for a silicon microengine. Comprising the main non-rotating functional components of the engine, the device described herein measures 2.1 cm 2.1 cm 0.38 cm, and is largely fabricated by deep reactive ion etching through a total thickness of 3,800 m. Complete with a set of fuel plenums, pressure ports, fuel injectors, igniters, uidic interconnects, and compressor and turbine static airfoils, this structure is the rst demonstration of the complete hot ow path of a multi-level micro gas turbine engine. The 0.195 cm combustion chamber is shown to sustain a stable hydrogen ame over a range of operating mass ows and fuel-air mixture ratios, and to produce exit gas temperatures in excess of 1600K. It also serves as the rst experimental demonstration of stable hydrocarbon microcombustion within the structural constraints of silicon. Combined with longevity tests at elevated temperatures for tens of hours, these results demonstrate the viability of a silicon-based combustion system for micro heat engine applications. Amit Mehra, Ian Waitz and Christopher Spadaccini are with the Gas Turbine Laboratory, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Xin Zhang, Arturo Ay on and Martin Schmidt are with the Microsystems Technology Laboratories, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Portions of this work were presented at the International Conference on Solid-State Sensors and Actuators, Sendai, Japan, 1999.
Nonsurgical Rhinoplasty the

The goal of this chapter is to acquaint the experienced injector with the technique of Non‐ surgical Rhinoplasty (NSR). This is an advanced technique and I am assuming that read‐ ers will be thoroughly familiar with how to perform cosmetic injections. I am also assuming that readers are knowledgeable about the various fillers and injectables availa‐ ble today in the United States. NSR provides the first noninvasive alternative to surgical rhinoplasty, accomplishing the cosmetic goals of contour improvement without the risks and downtime of surgery. NSR is not a replacement for rhinoplasty and is appropriate in a specific subgroup of rhino‐ plasty candidates, which will be characterized. The procedure is currently being per‐ formed in a variety of ways, as described in the literature review. This chapter will detail the optimal methods of carrying out NSR based on a 10-year, 2500-patient experience with the technique. Discussion will also include critical safety concerns, tips on how to get the best results possible, and complication management. Being prepared for compli‐ cations is a particular concern with NSR because timely intervention is so critical in cases of ischemic events. Patient selection, knowledge of the anatomy, meticulous technique, and a focus on safety is the key to success with this procedure. Overall, NSR is safe, pre‐ cise, effective, and versatile. My patients are thrilled with their results, and I have made it the foundation of a thriving practice. They presented a 2-patient experience with NSR using small amounts of porcine collagen on one patient (0.35 cc) and hyaluronic acid (Voluma, Allergan, Irvine, Calif.) on the other (0.20 cc); follow-up was 4 months and 1 year, respectively. Areas injected included the nasofrontal angle, nasolabial angle, the dorsum, and the tip.