Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Most Personal Exposure to House Dust Mite Aeroallergen Occurs during the Day

Background The bed is commonly regarded as the main site of house dust mite exposure; however this has not been directly established by continuous measurements. The objective of this study was to determine the pattern of personal exposure to mite aeroallergen over 24 hours. Methods 12 adults each collected 9 sequential samples (8 during the day, mean 115 mins, and one overnight, mean 514 mins) over 24 hours using a portable air-pump (2L/min) connected to an IOM filter located on the shoulder during the day and on the bed head overnight. Samples were analysed for mite allergen Der p 1 by ELISA. Location and activity were recorded. A mixed model analysis was performed to determine exposure as a function of 14 categories of activity. Results Personal aeroallergen exposure differed widely over time, both within and between subjects. The highest average exposure (1117 pg/m3, 95% CI: 289-4314) occurred on public transport and the lowest overnight in bed (45 pg/m3, 95% CI: 17-17), which contributed only 9.8% (95% CI: 4.4%-15.1%) of total daily exposure. Aeroallergens were not related to bed reservoirs. Conclusion The study challenges the current paradigm that the bed is the main site of HDM exposure and instead suggests most exposure occurs in association with domestic activity and proximity to other people. Effective mite interventions, designed to improve asthma outcomes, need to first identify and then address the multiple sources of aeroallergen exposure.
High-accuracy differential thermal analysis: A tool for calorimetric investigations on small high-temperature-superconductor specimens.

We describe a technique for measuring small heat capacities below room temperature, which represents a simple but significant improvement of the conventional differential thermal-analysis (DTA) method by means of high-precision electronic components. It is thereby possible to measure the heat capacity {ital C}({ital T}) of milligram samples with a relative accuracy {delta}{ital C}/{ital C}{lt}0.02%. This simple and fast DTA method is suitable not only to detect the specific-heat discontinuity at {ital T}{sub {ital c}} of high-temperature superconductors, but also to study the thermodynamics at the irreversibility boundary {ital H}{sub irr}({ital T}) in the magnetic phase diagram of cuprate superconductors. From respective measurements on a YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} single crystal, we deduce an upper limit for a latent heat {ital L} associated with a hypothetical first-order transition at {ital H}{sub irr}({ital T}), namely {ital L}{lt}0.05{ital k}{sub {ital B}}{ital T} per vortex per layer for an external field {mu}{sub 0}{ital H}=7 T parallel to the {ital c} axis of the investigated specimen.
Optimal Partial Hedging of Options with Small Transaction Costs

This study uses asymptotic analysis to derive optimal hedging strategies for option portfolios hedged using an imperfectly correlated hedging asset with small fixed and/or proportional transaction costs, obtaining explicit formulae in special cases. This is of use when it is impractical to hedge using the underlying asset itself. The hedging strategy holds a position in the hedging asset whose value lies between two bounds, which are independent of the hedging asset's current value. For low absolute correlation between hedging and hedged assets, highly risk‐averse investors and large portfolios, hedging strategies and option values differ significantly from their perfect market equivalents. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 31:855–897, 2011
Direct G Protein Modulation of Cav2 Calcium Channels

The regulation of presynaptic, voltage-gated calcium channels by activation of heptahelical G protein-coupled receptors exerts a crucial influence on presynaptic calcium entry and hence on neurotransmitter release. Receptor activation subjects presynaptic N- and P/Q-type calcium channels to a rapid, membrane-delimited inhibition—mediated by direct, voltage-dependent interactions between G protein βγ subunits and the channels—and to a slower, voltage-independent modulation involving soluble second messenger molecules. In turn, the direct inhibition of the channels is regulated as a function of many factors, including channel subtype, ancillary calcium channel subunits, and the types of G proteins and G protein regulatory factors involved. Twenty-five years after this mode of physiological regulation was first described, we review the investigations that have led to our current understanding of its molecular mechanisms.
Comparison of the Efficacy of a Diabetes Education Programme for Type 1 Diabetes (PRIMAS) in a Randomised Controlled Trial Setting and the Effectiveness in a Routine Care Setting: Results of a Comparative Effectiveness Study

Background The effectiveness of an intervention in clinical practice is often reduced compared to the efficacy demonstrated in a randomised controlled trial (RCT). In this comparative effectiveness study, the RCT-proven efficacy of a diabetes education programme for type 1 diabetic patients (PRIMAS) was compared to the effectiveness observed in an implementation trial (IT) under routine care conditions. Methods 75 patients with type 1 diabetes received PRIMAS through an RCT, whereas 179 patients were observed in an implementation trial. Baseline characteristics and treatment outcomes at the 6-month follow-up (improvement of HbA1c, hypoglycaemia problems, and diabetes-related distress) were compared. Results At baseline, the type 1 diabetic patients in the RCT had a significant longer diabetes duration (18.7±12.3 vs. 13.8±12.7 yrs., p = .005), lower self-efficacy scores (21.9±4.7 vs. 23.7±6.1, p = .02) and a greater number of diabetes complications (0.8±1.3 vs. 0.4±0.9, p = .02). After 6 months, PRIMAS achieved comparable effects under RCT and implementation trial conditions, as demonstrated by improvement in HbA1c (-0.36%±1.1 vs. -0.37±1.2; Δ -0.01, 95% CI -0.33 to 0.31) and hypoglycaemia unawareness (-0.5±1.4 vs. -0.3±1.4; Δ 0.18, 95% CI -0.21 to 0.57). The likelihood of clinical improvement did not depend on the trial setting (RCT vs. IT: OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.60 to 2.33). The participants with worse glycaemic control (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.92), hypoglycaemia problems (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.97) or elevated diabetes distress (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.89) had a better chance of clinical improvement. Conclusions The effectiveness of PRIMAS under routine care conditions was comparable to the efficacy demonstrated in the RCT. Clinical improvement was independent of the setting in which PRIMAS was evaluated. The PRIMAS education programme for type 1 diabetes can be delivered under conditions of routine care without a loss of effectiveness, compared to its original evaluation in an RCT.
Testing reliability of Mirtoolbox

In the present work, reliability of the software Mirtoolbox that was developed for music signal processing has been investigated into. Motivation for the work stems from the fact that performance report of the software is not available in the literature from sources other than the developers of the software. A few functions available in the software for extraction of some basic musical features have been experimented with. Results show that the performance of the software varies depending on the musical feature being extracted and the instrument being played.
Localization of intelligent ground vehicles in outdoor urban environments using stereovision and GPS integration

We propose an approach for vehicle localization in dense urban environments using a stereoscopic system and a GPS sensor. The stereoscopic system is used to capture stereo video flow, to recover the 3D environments and to estimate the vehicle motion on the basis of feature detection, matching and triangulation of stereo pairs. Then reliable GPS positions are used as measurements to update the vehicle motion predicted by stereovision. The proposed method is tested on real data acquired by the SeT laboratory experimental vehicle. The obtained results show that even if the only stereovision based approach is not sufficient to provide accurate localization in long term, the proposed method can efficiently support GPS in short term. The stereovision based method effectively permits to provide the localization service during GPS outages (e.g., GPS jumps, GPS mask) due to multi-path problem or other noises.
Fully Verified Java Card API Reference Implementation

We present a formally verified reference implementation of the JAVA CARD API. This case study has been developed with the KeY verification system. The KeY system allows us to symbolically execute the JAVA source code of the API in the KeY verification environment and, in turn, prove correctness of the implementation w.r. t. formal specification we developed along the way. The resulting formal API framework (the implementation and the specification) can be used to prove correctness of any JAVA CARD applet code. As a side effect, this case study also serves as a benchmark for the KeY system. It shows that a code base of such size can be feasibly verified, and that KeY indeed covers all of the JAVA CARD language specification.
A dual-polarized parasitic patch antenna for MIMO systems

A preliminary analysis of a reconfigurable parasitic patch antenna for MIMO applications is presented. The proposed antenna is able to work on two different polarizations, providing a separate control of the antenna pattern of each of the two polarization. A number of numerical results, showing the adaptive capabilities of the antenna, is given.
Microscopy of thin polymer blend films of polystyrene and poly-n-butyl-methacrylate

The structure of thin polymer blend films of polystyrene (PS) and poly-n-butyl-methacrylate (PnBMA) was examined with Transmission X-ray Microscopy (TXM), Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM), X-Ray Photoemission Electron Microscopy (X-PEEM) and Optical Microscopy (OM). Thin films were prepared by spin casting of a toluene solution of the polymer mixture onto silicon wafers retaining the native oxide. Depending on blend composition and annealing conditions smooth films with and without holes or films with well pronounced surface features (ribbons or islands) were produced. By TXM measurements a high lateral resolution study of the as cast and the annealed polymer blend samples was performed. The contrast in TXM is due to different absorption of x-radiation of the used polymers and due to variation in thickness. With X-PEEM the lateral distribution of the two polymers near the surface was mapped by employing the characteristic Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (NEXAFS) spectra of the polymers. The TXM t.
Internet-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder in Romania: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background and Aims Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (iCBT) for social anxiety disorder has been found effective, as attested by independently conducted randomized controlled trials in four languages. The study aim is to test the efficacy of an iCBT program in a culture where it was not tested before (i.e. Romania). Methods Participants (n = 76) were recruited, screened and randomized to either a nine-week guided iCBT or a wait-list control group in April and May 2012. Self-report measures were collected before (April 2012) and after the intervention (July 2012), as well as six months later (January 2013). Although social anxiety was assessed with multiple measures, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale - Self Report version (LSAS-SR) and Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) were used as the primary outcome measures. Results A significant difference with a large between-group effect size in favor of iCBT was found (Cohen´s d = 1.19 for LSAS-SR and d = 1.27 for SPIN). Recovery rates show that 36.8% (n = 14) in the treatment group score below the SPIN clinical cut-off compared to only 2.6% (n = 1) in the wait-list control group. Post-intervention clinical interviews also revealed that 34.2% (n = 13) of the treatment group was completely recovered (full remission) while additionally 36.8% (n = 14) retained some social anxiety symptoms (partial remission). However, an important study limitation is that post-intervention interviewers were not blinded to the study conditions. The program also effectively reduced depression and dysfunctional thinking (between-group Cohen´s d = 0.84 for depression and d = 0.63 for dysfunctional thinking). Moreover, the iCBT intervention appears to have a long-term impact for participants’ functioning, as the treatment gains were maintained six months later. Conclusions Internet-delivered interventions display a high potential to quickly and widely disseminate effective evidence-based programs around the world. This study provides support for guided iCBT as a promising treatment approach in Romania. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01557894
Using Non-invertible Data Transformations to Build Adversary-Resistant Deep Neural Networks

Deep neural networks have proven to be quite effective in a wide variety of machine learning tasks, ranging from improved speech recognition systems to advancing the development of autonomous vehicles. However, despite their superior performance in many applications, these models have been recently shown to be susceptible to a particular type of attack possible through the generation of particular synthetic examples referred to as adversarial samples. These samples are constructed by manipulating real examples from the training data distribution in order to “fool” the original neural model, resulting in misclassification (with high confidence) of previously correctly classified samples. Addressing this weakness is of utmost importance if deep neural architectures are to be applied to critical applications, such as those in the domain of cybersecurity. In this paper, we present an analysis of this fundamental flaw lurking in all neural architectures to uncover limitations of previously proposed defense mechanisms. More importantly, we present a unifying framework for protecting deep neural models using a non-invertible data transformation–developing two adversary-resilient architectures utilizing both linear and nonlinear dimensionality reduction. Empirical results indicate that our framework provides better robustness compared to stateof-art solutions while having negligible degradation in accuracy.
High Temporal Resolution Measurements of Dopamine with Carbon Nanotube Yarn Microelectrodes

Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) can detect small changes in dopamine concentration; however, measurements are typically limited to scan repetition frequencies of 10 Hz. Dopamine oxidation at carbon-fiber microelectrodes (CFMEs) is dependent on dopamine adsorption, and increasing the frequency of FSCV scan repetitions decreases the oxidation current, because the time for adsorption is decreased. Using a commercially available carbon nanotube yarn, we characterized carbon nanotube yarn microelectrodes (CNTYMEs) for high-speed measurements with FSCV. For dopamine, CNTYMEs have a significantly lower ΔEp than CFMEs, a limit of detection of 10 ± 0.8 nM, and a linear response to 25 μM. Unlike CFMEs, the oxidation current of dopamine at CNTYMEs is independent of scan repetition frequency. At a scan rate of 2000 V/s, dopamine can be detected, without any loss in sensitivity, with scan frequencies up to 500 Hz, resulting in a temporal response that is four times faster than CFMEs. While the oxidation current is adsorption-controlled at both CFMEs and CNTYMEs, the adsorption and desorption kinetics differ. The desorption coefficient of dopamine-o-quinone (DOQ), the oxidation product of dopamine, is an order of magnitude larger than that of dopamine at CFMEs; thus, DOQ desorbs from the electrode and can diffuse away. At CNTYMEs, the rates of desorption for dopamine and dopamine-o-quinone are about equal, resulting in current that is independent of scan repetition frequency. Thus, there is no compromise with CNTYMEs: high sensitivity, high sampling frequency, and high temporal resolution can be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, CNTYMEs are attractive for high-speed applications.
Design considerations for a financial management system for rural, semi-literate users

In this paper, we describe the design process, results, and general observations obtained in designing a user interface for managing community-based micro-finance institutions in rural India. The primary users studied were semi-literate village women. We discuss our contextual study observations and conclude by presenting a grounded design approach that best leverages the existing learning patterns of the users.
Porous Silicon: From Luminescence to LEDs

Silicon is at the heart of the microelectronics revolution. Its dominance over other semiconductors is intimately tied to its superior materials and processing properties and to the tremendous base of technology that has developed around it. Another semiconductor is not likely to displace silicon as the material of choice in electronic applications. Silicon, however, is an extremely inefficient light emitter, and for this reason has not enjoyed the same level of dominance in optical applications.
Percutaneous Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty Revisited: Time for a Renaissance?

Case Presentation: A 92-year-old woman presented with progressive heart failure in the setting of known aortic valve stenosis. Despite aggressive medical therapy, she remained in New York Heart Association functional class IV. She lived in an assisted-care facility and wanted to engage in more vigorous daily activities. She did not wish to undergo surgical aortic valve replacement. An echocardiogram showed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 50%. The aortic valve was heavily calcified and severely stenotic, with a mean gradient of 64 mm Hg and an aortic valve area of 0.46 cm2. The patient was offered balloon aortic valvuloplasty, to which she and her family consented. A retrograde approach with a 23-mm balloon was used. A total of 3 inflations were carried out across the aortic valve during simultaneous rapid ventricular pacing at 220 bpm. The postvalvuloplasty mean gradient was reduced to 28 mm Hg, and the aortic valve area increased to 0.98 cm2. She was seen in the clinic 6 months later with stable functional class II symptoms and remained quite satisfied with her improved lifestyle. Calcific aortic stenosis (AS) is the most frequent expression of valvular heart disease in the Western world, with increasing prevalence expected as the population ages. Three percent of all adults ≥75 years of age have moderate or severe AS, and it is the leading indication for valve replacement in Europe and the United States. Surgical aortic valve replacement is the preferred treatment strategy for patients of all age groups, although it has limitations in the octogenarian and nonagenarian populations. Open heart approaches are limited by higher perioperative risk, prolonged recovery, and poor quality of life after surgery.1 The surgical 30-day mortality rate for the nonagenarian population is ≈17% in 1 contemporary series, with 40% mortality by 13 months. …
A web-based bayesian intelligent tutoring system for computer programming

In this paper, we present a Web-based intelligent tutoring system, called BITS. The decision making process conducted in our intelligent system is guided by a Bayesian network approach to support students in learning computer programming. Our system takes full advantage of Bayesian networks, which are a formal framework for uncertainty management in Artificial Intelligence based on probability theory. We discuss how to employ Bayesian networks as an inference engine to guide the students' learning processes. In addition, we describe the architecture of BITS and the role of each module in the system. Whereas many tutoring systems are static HTML Web pages of a class textbook or lecture notes, our intelligent system can help a student navigate through the online course materials, recommend learning goals, and generate appropriate reading sequences.
Scavenger Receptor Class B Type I as a Mediator of Cellular Cholesterol Efflux to Lipoproteins and Phospholipid Acceptors*

We recently reported that the rate of efflux of cholesterol from cells to high density lipoprotein (HDL) was related to the expression level of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI). Moreover, the expression of this receptor in atheromatous arteries raises the possibility that SR-BI mediates cholesterol efflux in the arterial wall (Ji, Y., Jian, B., Wang, N., Sun, Y., de la Llera Moya, M., Phillips, M. C., Rothblat, G. H., Swaney, J. B., and Tall, A. R. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 20982–20985). In this paper we describe studies that suggest that the presence of phospholipid on acceptor particles plays an important role in modulating interaction with the SR-BI. Specifically, enrichment of serum with phospholipid resulted in marked stimulation of cholesterol efflux from cells that had higher levels of SR-BI expression, like Fu5AH or Y1-BS1 cells, and little or no stimulation in cells with low SR-BI levels, such as Y-1 cells. Stimulation of efflux by phospholipid enrichment was also a function of SR-BI levels in Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with the SR-BI gene. Efflux to protein-free vesicles prepared with 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidyl-choline also correlated with SR-BI levels, suggesting that phospholipid, as well as protein, influences the interaction that results in cholesterol efflux. By contrast, cholesterol efflux from a non-cell donor showed no stimulation consequent to phospholipid enrichment of the serum acceptor. These results may help to explain observations in the literature that document an increased risk of atherosclerosis in patients with depressed levels of HDL phospholipid even in the face of normal HDL cholesterol levels.
Insects of French Guiana: a baseline for diversity and taxonomic effort

Abstract This paper analyzes the first checklist of insects from French Guiana. Compiled by a group of 70 experts based on published records, it comprises about 15 100 valid species names belonging to 20 orders and 322 families. Currently, about 17% of the species are only known from French Guiana or from the Guiana Shield region. Since Linné, the average rate of description has been 59 species per year, which has been increasing in the last 10 years. Based on a sample of recent taxonomic and faunistic papers covering 736 new species for French Guiana, 46% of the species came from new country records, the rest from new species descriptions. The rate of faunistic progress (new species or new records) is about 180 species per year over the last five years. Sixty-five percent of these faunal records came from non-professional entomologists and 74% of the holotypes of new species were collected by amateur entomologists. A rough extrapolation, using two different methods, provides a likely estimate of around 100 000 species, the most conservative estimate being 67 000 species and the highest 184 000. Therefore, an estimated 80% of the species remain to be recorded and, in a best-case scenario, at least 270 years would be needed to complete the biotic inventory, at the current rate of species descriptions and distribution records. Although no order is exhaustively inventoried, the most in need of study are Diptera, Hymenoptera, Hemiptera and Trichoptera; and in absolute numbers, Coleoptera. These results and the fundamental role of non-professional entomologists in collecting and describing new species are discussed.