Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From health search to healthcare: explorations of intention and utilization via query logs and user surveys

OBJECTIVE To better understand the relationship between online health-seeking behaviors and in-world healthcare utilization (HU) by studies of online search and access activities before and after queries that pursue medical professionals and facilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed data collected from logs of online searches gathered from consenting users of a browser toolbar from Microsoft (N=9740). We employed a complementary survey (N=489) to seek a deeper understanding of information-gathering, reflection, and action on the pursuit of professional healthcare. RESULTS We provide insights about HU through the survey, breaking out its findings by different respondent marginalizations as appropriate. Observations made from search logs may be explained by trends observed in our survey responses, even though the user populations differ. DISCUSSION The results provide insights about how users decide if and when to utilize healthcare resources, and how online health information seeking transitions to in-world HU. The findings from both the survey and the logs reveal behavioral patterns and suggest a strong relationship between search behavior and HU. Although the diversity of our survey respondents is limited and we cannot be certain that users visited medical facilities, we demonstrate that it may be possible to infer HU from long-term search behavior by the apparent influence that health concerns and professional advice have on search activity. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight different phases of online activities around queries pursuing professional healthcare facilities and services. We also show that it may be possible to infer HU from logs without tracking people's physical location, based on the effect of HU on pre- and post-HU search behavior. This allows search providers and others to develop more robust models of interests and preferences by modeling utilization rather than simply the intention to utilize that is expressed in search queries.
Ecogenetics of mercury: From genetic polymorphisms and epigenetics to risk assessment and decision‐making

The risk assessment of mercury (Hg), in both humans and wildlife, is made challenging by great variability in exposure and health effects. Although disease risk arises following complex interactions between genetic (“nature”) and environmental (“nurture”) factors, most Hg studies thus far have focused solely on environmental factors. In recent years, ecogenetic‐based studies have emerged and have started to document genetic and epigenetic factors that may indeed influence the toxicokinetics or toxicodynamics of Hg. The present study reviews these studies and discusses their utility in terms of Hg risk assessment, management, and policy and offers perspectives on fruitful areas for future research. In brief, epidemiological studies on populations exposed to inorganic Hg (e.g., dentists and miners) or methylmercury (e.g., fish consumers) are showing that polymorphisms in a number of environmentally responsive genes can explain variations in Hg biomarker values and health outcomes. Studies on mammals (wildlife, humans, rodents) are showing Hg exposures to be related to epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation. Such findings are beginning to increase understanding of the mechanisms of action of Hg, and in doing so they may help identify candidate biomarkers and pinpoint susceptible groups or life stages. Furthermore, they may help refine uncertainty factors and thus lead to more accurate risk assessments and improved decision‐making. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:1248–1258. © 2013 SETAC
Confluent Preorder Parsing of Deterministic Grammars

In this paper, syntactic parsing is discussed in the context of connectionism, a new model, the confluent preorder parser (CPP), is proposed which exemplifies the holistic parsing paradigm. Holistic parsing has the advantage that little knowledge has to be assumed concerning the detailed parsing algorithm. This algorithm is often unkown or debatable, especially when human language understanding is concerned. In the CPP, syntactic parsing is achieved by transforming from the connectionist representation of the sentence to the connectionist representation of the preorder traversal of its parse tree, instead of to the representation of the parse tree itself. As revealed by the simulation experiments, generalization performance is excellent (as high as 90%). Also, the CPP is capable of parsing erroneous sentences and resolving lexical category ambiguities. A systematic study is conducted to explore the range of factors which can affect the effectiveness of the system. The error-recovery capability is especially useful in natural language processing when incomplete or even ungrammatical sentences must be dealt with.
WEAK REACHABILITY AND WEAK OBSERVABILITY OF LINEAR SYSTEM OVER MAX-PLUS ALGEBRA TRI

This paper discusses about the properties of linear system in max plus algebra. These properties are weak reachability and weak observability. In this case, the asticity of the system plays big role in these properties as the necessary and sufficient conditions. Furthermore, we will also discuss the duality of those properties. Finally, to make the discuss simple, we will give an example.
Characteristics of Screen Media Use Associated With Higher BMI in Young Adolescents

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates how characteristics of young adolescents’ screen media use are associated with their BMI. By examining relationships between BMI and both time spent using each of 3 screen media and level of attention allocated to use, we sought to contribute to the understanding of mechanisms linking media use and obesity. METHODS: We measured heights and weights of 91 13- to 15-year-olds and calculated their BMIs. Over 1 week, participants completed a weekday and a Saturday 24-hour time-use diary in which they reported the amount of time they spent using TV, computers, and video games. Participants carried handheld computers and responded to 4 to 7 random signals per day by completing onscreen questionnaires reporting activities to which they were paying primary, secondary, and tertiary attention. RESULTS: Higher proportions of primary attention to TV were positively associated with higher BMI. The difference between 25th and 75th percentiles of attention to TV corresponded to an estimated +2.4 BMI points. Time spent watching television was unrelated to BMI. Neither duration of use nor extent of attention paid to video games or computers was associated with BMI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the notion that attention to TV is a key element of the increased obesity risk associated with TV viewing. Mechanisms may include the influence of TV commercials on preferences for energy-dense, nutritionally questionable foods and/or eating while distracted by TV. Interventions that interrupt these processes may be effective in decreasing obesity among screen media users.
The Digital Workplace Is Key to Digital Innovation

Employees’ working environments in traditional organizations are characterized by siloed technologies, segregated physical spaces and asynchronous email communications. Behaviors, technologies and physical constraints in these workplaces result in a fundamental disconnect between what employees can accomplish and what companies need them to do in the digital era. Success in the digital era depends on transforming how work is done to create digital workplaces and improve employee experience. This entails addressing two dimensions— employee connectedness and responsive leadership—with three design levers for each dimension. Based on the digital transformational journeys of three established companies, the full article describes how digital workplaces drive success and how IT leaders play a critical role in the transformation.
Calcium controls the assembly of the photosynthetic water-oxidizing complex: a cadmium(II) inorganic mutant of the Mn4Ca core

Perturbation of the catalytic inorganic core (Mn4Ca1OxCly) of the photosystem II-water-oxidizing complex (PSII-WOC) isolated from spinach is examined by substitution of Ca2+ with cadmium(II) during core assembly. Cd2+ inhibits the yield of reconstitution of O2-evolution activity, called photoactivation, starting from the free inorganic cofactors and the cofactor-depleted apo-WOC-PSII complex. Ca2+ affinity increases following photooxidation of the first Mn2+ to Mn3+ bound to the ‘high-affinity’ site. Ca2+ binding occurs in the dark and is the slowest overall step of photoactivation (IM1→IM1* step). Cd2+ competitively blocks the binding of Ca2+ to its functional site with 10- to 30-fold higher affinity, but does not influence the binding of Mn2+ to its high-affinity site. By contrast, even 10-fold higher concentrations of Cd2+ have no effect on O2-evolution activity in intact PSII-WOC. Paradoxically, Cd2+ both inhibits photoactivation yield, while accelerating the rate of photoassembly of active centres 10-fold relative to Ca2+. Cd2+ increases the kinetic stability of the photooxidized Mn3+ assembly intermediate(s) by twofold (mean lifetime for dark decay). The rate data provide evidence that Cd2+ binding following photooxidation of the first Mn3+, IM1→IM1*, causes three outcomes: (i) a longer intermediate lifetime that slows IM1 decay to IM0 by charge recombination, (ii) 10-fold higher probability of attaining the degrees of freedom (either or both cofactor and protein d.f.) needed to bind and photooxidize the remaining 3 Mn2+ that form the functional cluster, and (iii) increased lability of Cd2+ following Mn4 cluster assembly results in (re)exchange of Cd2+ by Ca2+ which restores active O2-evolving centres. Prior EPR spectroscopic data provide evidence for an oxo-bridged assembly intermediate, Mn3+(μ-O2−)Ca2+, for IM1*. We postulate an analogous inhibited intermediate with Cd2+ replacing Ca2+.
A study of the efficacy of endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation for the treatment of refractory glaucomas

Background Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation (ECP) is a relatively new method of cyclodestruction which can be used in the management of refractory glaucomas. Aim To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ECP in the management of refractory glaucomas. Settings and Design Prospective interventional non-comparative study. Materials and Methods Fifty eyes of 50 patients with refractory glaucoma, whose intraocular pressures (IOP) were not under control with maximal medical therapy underwent ECP, by the anterior, or pars plana route. IOP, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and the number of anti-glaucoma medications, were compared postoperatively to preoperative values. Success was defined as IOP ≤ 22 mmhg, with or without use of medications. Statistical analysis used Student's t test and repeated measures ANOVA were used to evaluate change in IOP and Student's t test, for comparison of BCVA. Kaplan Meier survival curve was plotted. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to evaluate reduction in medications. Results Patients were followed for an average of 12.27 months (3-21months). IOP decreased significantly from 32.58 ± 9.16 mmHg to 13.96 ± 7.71 mmHg at last follow-up (P<0.001, student's t test). BCVA was significantly improved in the postoperative period (P<0.001, student's t test). The average number of antiglaucoma medications decreased from 2.51 ± 0.97 to 1.09 ± 1.16 (P<0.001, Wilcoxon signed rank test). ECP had a success rate of 82.2%. Conclusion Endoscopic cyclophotocoagulation is an effective procedure in this subset of refractory glaucomas.
Performance Evaluation of a Multi-User MIMO System With Prediction of Time-Varying Indoor Channels

In this paper, the performance of a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system in time-varying channels is evaluated using measurement data. We consider the multi-user MIMO system using a block diagonalization (BD) scheme and an eigenbeam-space division multiplexing (E-SDM) technique. In an ideal case, the BD scheme eliminates inter-user interference, and the E-SDM technique suppresses inter-stream interference. In actual radio environments, however, channels change over time. This causes interference in the multi-user MIMO system even though the BD scheme and the E-SDM technique are used. To overcome this problem, the authors have developed a simple channel prediction scheme on the basis of a linear extrapolation and have demonstrated its effectiveness by computer simulations assuming the Jakes' model. To verify the performance of the channel prediction scheme in actual environments, we conducted a measurement campaign in indoor environments and measured a large amount of channel data. Using these data, we examined the channel transition and channel tracking with the prediction method. Then we obtained the bit-error rate (BER) performance. The prediction technique was shown to track the channel and improve the BER performance almost to that in the ideal time invariant case.
Diffusion rates of cell surface antigens of mouse-human heterokaryons. III. Regulation of lateral diffusion rates by calcium ions

In mouse-human heterokaryons, the lateral diffusion of major histocompatibility (MHC) antigens in the plasma membrane is enhanced by treatment of parent cells with ouabain. Ouabain treatment is ineffective if the medium lacks calcium ion, or if Verapamil, a blocker of calcium channels, is present. The divalent ionophore A23187 also enhances lateral diffusion of MHC antigens, to the same extent as ouabain, A23187 is effective only if calcium is present in the medium. Thus it appears that increased levels of cell calcium release constraints to lateral diffusion of MHC antigens.
Socially motivated multimedia topic timeline summarization

As the amount of social media shared on the Internet grows increasingly, it becomes possible to explore a topic with a novel, people based viewpoint. Contrasting with traditional man-made topic summarization which provide the personal view of its author, we want to focus on public reaction to events. To this end, we propose an approach to automatically generate a timeline of popular events related to a given topic. Time segments of interest are extracted from Google Trends results using a simple statistical approach. Each event, relevant to the specified topic, is illustrated on a timeline by videos mined from social media sharing platforms that gives context to the events and offers an overview of what has caught people's attention. We report the results provided by our approach for automatically illustrating the popular moments of four celebrities.
Gastrointestinal problems in the old. I.

Gastrointestinal symptoms and diseases increase with ageing, and the commonest lesions are carcinoma (of the stomach or large bowel), peptic ulc? ration, intestinal obstruction (herniae or diverticular disease of the colon), hiatus hernia, and gallstones. The first three of these caused most of the 20% of deaths directly due to lesions of the digestive system in Mc Keown's series of 1,500 necropsies in patients aged 70 or over.1 This incidence was second only to diseases of the cardiovascular system as causes of death, and numerically only a little less. Carcinomas of the gastrointestinal system made up nearly half of the total of fatal malignant disease, and half of these were in the large bowel. Disease of the biliary tract has been said to be the commonest pathological finding requiring abdominal sur gery in the aged.2 In elderly patients with abdominal pain, Ponka et al. found that gallbladder disease was the cause in 27-5%. 3
Oral hypoglycemic agents

The pharmacology of the two general groups of oral anti-diabetic agents, namely the sulfonylureas and biguanides, are briefly discussed here. The sulfonylureas have a common hypoglycemic core. These sulfonylurea compounds can be divided into short, intermediate, and long-acting agents, with varying half-lives, and duration of action. Therapeutic doses of sulfonylureas have produced wide variations in serum levels depending upon the rates of absorption, rates of metabolism, renal clearance, and degree of protein-binding. Tolbutamide is a short-acting agent metabolized by the liver to inactive compounds which are excreted by the kidney; it has a half-life of four to five hours, a duration of action of approximately six to ten hours, and is given in divided daily dosage. Acetohexamide and tolazamide, the intermediate-acting compounds, are metabolized by the liver. Approximately 75% of acetohexamide is metabolized to another hypoglycemic compound, and tolazamide is metabolized to several hypoglycemic products. The duration of the action of these agents is approximately 10 to 16 hours; they are administered either once or twice daily . Chlorpropamide is only slightly altered, less than l % being metabolized, probably in the liver; it is firmly bound to protein, is dependent on renal excretion for clearance, and, as it has a duration of action varying from 35 to 72 hours, it is given only once daily. Sulfonylurea compounds appear to exert their primary action through direct stimulation of pancreatic insulin secretion. Peripheral insulin levels correlate with blood sugar levels during acute therapy,
Interfacial Strain : The Driving Force for Selective Orbital Occupancy in Manganite Thin Films

Complex oxides with perovskite structure are the ideal arena to study a plethora of physical properties including superconductivity, ferromagnetism, ferroelectricity, piezoelectricity and more. Among them, transition metal oxides are especially relevant since they present large electronic correlations leading to a strong competition between lattice, charge, spin, and orbital degrees of freedom. In particular, manganese perovskites oxides exhibit half-metallic character and colossal magnetoresistive response rendering them as the ideal materials to develop novel concepts of oxide-electronic devices and for the study of fundamental physical interactions. Due to the close similarity between kinetic energy of charge carriers and Coulomb repulsion, tiny perturbations caused by small changes in temperature, magnetic or electric fields, strain and so forth may drastically modify the magnetic and transport properties of these materials. In particular clarifying the role of interfacial strain in manganite thin films is interesting not only for device applications but also for basic understanding of physical interactions. A better comprehension of such strongly correlated systems might lead to control the different degrees of freedom in a near future contributing to the development of the so called orbitronics, i.e. controlling and modifying at will the orbital orientation of the 3d levels in transition metals. Here we reveal the importance of interfacial strain in high quality epitaxial thin films of La 2/3 Ca 1/3 MnO 3 (LCMO), grown on top of SrTiO 3 (STO) and NdGaO 3 (NGO) (001)-oriented substrates. We show that in such systems interfacial strain due to lattice mismatch lifts the degeneracy of the eg and t 2g orbitals close to the film/substrate interface inducing Jahn-Teller like distortions and promoting selective orbital occupancy and the appearance of an orbital glass insulating state in an otherwise ferromagnetic metallic material. These results highlight the role of strain and identify it as a key parameter in orbital control.
Biomimetic ratcheting motion of a soft, slender, sessile gel

Inspired by the locomotion of terrestrial limbless animals, we study the motion of a lubricated rod of a hydrogel on a soft substrate. We show that it is possible to mimic observed biological gaits by vibrating the substrate and by using a variety of mechanisms to break longitudinal and lateral symmetry. Our simple theory and experiments provide a unified view of the creeping, undulating, and inchworming gaits observed in limbless locomotion on land, all of which originate as symmetry-breaking bifurcations of a simple base state associated with periodic longitudinal oscillations of a slender gel. These ideas are therefore also applicable to technological situations that involve moving small, soft solids on substrates.
A commercial vaccine for ovine toxoplasmosis

Summary This paper describes the development of the first commercial vaccine for toxoplasmosis. The vaccine comprises live tachyzoites of the S48 ‘incomplete’ strain of Toxoplasma gondii and is deployed to control toxoplasma abortion in sheep. A discussion of protective immune mechanisms and recent studies on host responses to the vaccine is also included.
In-fiber integrated microfluidic sensor based on optical fiber with suspended core

We report an in-fiber integrated chemiluminiscence sensor based on a kind of hollow optical fiber with a suspended inner core. The path of mircofluid is realized by etching microholes for inlets and outlets on the surface of the optical fiber without damaging the inner core and then constructing a melted point beside the microhole of the outlet. By injecting samples into the fiber, the liquids can be fully mixed and form steady microflows. Simultaneously, the photon emitted from the chemiluminiscence reaction is efficiently coupled into the core and can be detected at the end of the optical fiber.
Effects of sleeve gastrectomy on insulin resistance

Background and aim Obesity is a major risk factor for the onset of insulin resistance (IR), hyperinsulinemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) Evidence data has proven that beyond important weight loss bariatric surgery especially Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and bilio-pancreatic diversion (BPD) leads to significant early reduction of insulinemia and of IR calculated through the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR), independently of fat mass decrease. Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is now used as a sole weight loss operation with good results. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the early changes of fasting blood glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR in a group of morbidly obese (MO) patients i.e. at 7, 30 and 90 days after SG. Methods The study included 20 MO patients (7 male and 13 female) submitted to SG. Anthropometrical (weight, body mass index –BMI, percent excess BMI loss -%EBMIL) and biochemical (plasma glucose, insulin and calculated HOMA-IR ) evaluation were performed before and at 7, 30 and 90 days after SG. In addition, a second group of 10 normal weight healthy subjects with a BMI ranging form 19 kg/m2 to 23.14 kg/m2, matched for age and gender was investigated. Results Plasma glucose (p=0.018), insulin (p=0.004) and HOMA-IR (p=0.006) values were statistically different between the studied groups. After surgery, at every follow-up point, there were statistically different weight and BMI mean values relative to the operation day (p<0.003). BMI, decreased at 7 days (estimated reduction=2.79; 95% CI:[2.12;3.45]), at 30 days (estimated reduction=5.65; 95% CI:[3.57;7.73]) and at 90 days (estimated reduction=10.88; 95% CI:[7.35;14.41]) respectively after SG. We noted a tendency toward statistical significant change of mean insulin values at 7 days after surgery (corrected p=0.075), no statistical change at 30 days (corrected p=0.327) and a significant change at 90 days (corrected p=0.027) after SG as compared to baseline. There was a significant change in mean values of HOMA-IR at 30 days (corrected p=0.009) and at 90 days (corrected p=0.021) after the operation day. Conclusions The present study showed important early changes consisting in reductions of mean values of plasma insulin and HOMA-IR after SG.