Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adherence to Head Computed Tomography Guidelines for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Introduction Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant health concern. While 70–90% of TBI cases are considered mild, decision-making regarding imaging can be difficult. This survey aimed to assess whether clinicians’ decision-making was consistent with the most recent American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) clinical recommendations regarding indications for a non-contrast head computed tomography (CT) in patients with mild TBI. Methods We surveyed 2 academic emergency medicine departments. Six realistic clinical vignettes were created. The survey software randomly varied 2 factors: age (30, 59, or 61 years old) and presence or absence of visible trauma above the clavicles. A single important question was asked: “Would you perform a non-contrast head CT on this patient? ” Results Physician decision-making was consistent with the guidelines in only 62.8% of total vignettes. By age group (30, 59, and 61), decision-making was consistent with the guidelines in 66.7%, 47.4%, and 72.7% of cases, respectively. This was a statistically-significant difference when comparing the 59- and 61-year-old age groups. In the setting of presence/absence of trauma above the clavicles, respondents were consistent with the guidelines in 57.1% of cases. Decision-making consistent with the guidelines was significantly better in the absence of trauma above the clavicles. Conclusion Respondents poorly differentiated the “older” patients from one another, suggesting that respondents either inappropriately apply the guidelines or are unaware of the recommendations in this setting. No particular cause for inconsistency could be determined, and respondents similarly under-scanned and over-scanned in incorrect vignettes. Improved dissemination of the ACEP clinical policy and recommendations is a potential solution to this problem.
Natural Host Genetic Resistance to Lentiviral CNS Disease: A Neuroprotective MHC Class I Allele in SIV-Infected Macaques

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection frequently causes neurologic disease even with anti-retroviral treatment. Although associations between MHC class I alleles and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been reported, the role MHC class I alleles play in restricting development of HIV-induced organ-specific diseases, including neurologic disease, has not been characterized. This study examined the relationship between expression of the MHC class I allele Mane-A*10 and development of lentiviral-induced central nervous system (CNS) disease using a well-characterized simian immunodeficiency (SIV)/pigtailed macaque model. The risk of developing CNS disease (SIV encephalitis) was 2.5 times higher for animals that did not express the MHC class I allele Mane-A*10 (P = 0.002; RR = 2.5). Animals expressing the Mane-A*10 allele had significantly lower amounts of activated macrophages, SIV RNA, and neuronal dysfunction in the CNS than Mane-A*10 negative animals (P<0.001). Mane-A*10 positive animals with the highest CNS viral burdens contained SIV gag escape mutants at the Mane-A*10-restricted KP9 epitope in the CNS whereas wild type KP9 sequences dominated in the brain of Mane-A*10 negative animals with comparable CNS viral burdens. These concordant findings demonstrate that particular MHC class I alleles play major neuroprotective roles in lentiviral-induced CNS disease.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus, physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and body satisfaction. An application of the transtheoretical model in older adults

Physical activity (PA) is a relevant component of the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, to prevent its related morbidities, PA requires an immediate and lasting change of lifestyle. Exercise self-efficacy and body satisfaction were used in a sample of older adults with T2DM, classified in different stages of change, to predict levels of PA. Results show that exercise self-efficacy increases linearly from precontemplation to maintenance stage, while body satisfaction shows an inverted U shape. However, only stages of change, other than exercise self-efficacy, add a significant and noticeable contribution to prediction of levels of PA. This evidence claims a tailored approach to PA in older adults with T2DM and advises behavioural health interventions based on exercise self-efficacy.
Perbandingan Metode Klasifikasi untuk Menentukan Tingkat Kenyamanan Suhu pada Kondisi Rileks Berbasis Sinyal EEG

Temperature control on air conditioner devices is still oriented to the target environment. This control mode ignores one's physiological condition. A person's thermal comfort varies when indoors. Thermal comfort is closely related to environmental thermal satisfaction conditions. EEG signal is a signal that can reflect brain activity. This research objective is provide classifier model for classifiying person’s thermal comfort based on eeg signal. This research used three conditions of room’s temperature. The features used by classfier are avarage frequency band, HFD, PFD, and MSE features. Classifier performance was assessed using ROC curve evaluation. The results of the classification of thermal comfort levels with EEG signals with the KNN classifier are obtained only by using the band frequency average feature, which is equal to 0.878 with a standard deviation of 0.022. While the SVM classifier gets the highest performance by using a combination of the average band + HFD frequency feature, which is 0.877 with a standard deviation of 0.013 in the linear kernel and RBF.
Evolution of age at primiparity in pinnipeds in the absence of the quality–quantity trade‐off in reproduction

Abstract Age at primiparity (AP) is a key life history trait which is crucial to the evolution of life history strategies. This trait is particularly interesting in pinnipeds (walrus, eared seals, and true seals), which are monotocous animals. Thus, the commonly observed trade‐off between offspring quality and quantity does not apply to this taxon. Therefore, comparative studies on the evolution of AP might shed light on other important evolutionary correlates when litter size is fixed. Using phylogenetic generalized least squares analyses, we found a strong negative and robust correlation between relative birth mass (mean pup birth mass as a proportion of mean adult female mass) and AP. Rather than trading‐off an early start of reproduction with light relative offspring mass, this result suggests that pinnipeds exhibit either faster (i.e., higher relative offspring mass leading to shorter lactation length, and thus shorter interbirth interval) or slower life histories and that an early AP and a heavy relative offspring mass co‐evolved into a comparatively fast life history strategy. On the other hand, AP was positively related to lactation length: A later start of reproduction was associated with a longer lactation length. Consequently, variation in AP in pinnipeds seems to be affected by an interplay between costs and benefits of early reproduction mediated by relative investment into the single offspring via relative birth mass and lactation length.
Explaining the Level of Credit Spreads: Option-Implied Jump Risk Premia in a Firm Value Model

Prices of equity index put options contain information on the price of systematic downward jump risk. We use a structural jump-diffusion firm value model to assess the level of credit spreads that is generated by option-implied jump risk premia. In our compound option pricing model, an equity index option is an option on a portfolio of call options on the underlying firm values. We calibrate the model parameters to historical information on default risk, the equity premium and equity return distribution, and S&P 500 index option prices. Our results show that a model without jumps fails to fit the equity return distribution and option prices, and generates a low out-of-sample prediction for credit spreads. Adding jumps and jump risk premia improves the fit of the model in terms of equity and option characteristics considerably and brings predicted credit spread levels much closer to observed levels.
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Aspects on Campylobacter jejuni Biofilms

Biofilm represents a way of life that allows greater survival of microorganisms in hostile habitats. Campylobacter jejuni is able to form biofilms in vitro and on surfaces at several points in the poultry production chain. Genetic determinants related to their formation are expressed differently between strains and external conditions are decisive in this respect. Our approach combines phylogenetic analysis and the presence of seven specific genes linked to biofilm formation in association with traditional microbiology techniques, using Mueller Hinton and chicken juice as substrates in order to quantify, classify, determine the composition and morphology of the biomass of simple and mixed biofilms of 30 C. jejuni strains. It also evaluates the inhibition of its formation by biocides commonly used in industry and also by zinc oxide nanoparticles. Genetic analysis showed high heterogeneity with the identification of 23 pulsotypes. Despite the diversity, the presence of flaA, cadF, luxS, dnaJ, htrA, cbrA, and sodB genes in all strains shows the high potential for biofilm formation. This ability was only expressed in chicken juice, where they presented phenotype of a strong biofilm producer, with a mean count of 7.37 log CFU/mL and an ultrastructure characteristic of mature biofilm. The composition of simple and mixed biofilms was predominantly composed by proteins. The exceptions were found in mixed biofilms with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which includes a carbohydrate-rich matrix, lower ability to sessile form in chicken juice and compact architecture of the biofilm, this aspects are intrinsic to this species. Hypochlorite, chlorhexidine, and peracetic acid were more effective in controlling viable cells of C. jejuni in biofilm, but the existence of tolerant strains indicates exposure to sublethal concentrations and development of adaptation mechanisms. This study shows that in chicken juice C. jejuni presents greater potential in producing mature biofilms.
Mobile computing to facilitate interaction in lectures and meetings

The Campus Mobile project explored how PDAs and innovative interfaces can improve interaction during lectures and in small meetings. These mobile computers (small PCs or PDAs) are nomad mediators that provide the link between the public space and the user's private space. A lecturer uses an augmented whiteboard to annotate her presentation, while the slides and annotations are broadcast in real time to the students' PDAs. The students can also annotate the presentation. They can then replay the lecture at their leisure. We developed and tested the user interfaces for the interactions on the whiteboard and on the PDAS, the data formats to store the annotations and temporal data, and the network protocol for reliable wireless broadcast transmission. Small meetings have a very different interaction pattern. Instead of a lecturer that transmits knowledge, the participants collaborate in modifying documents. We developed groupware services that encourage these interactions and show how the different interaction patterns imply different network usages.
Contribution by synaptic zinc to the gender-disparate plaque formation in human Swedish mutant APP transgenic mice

Endogenous metals may contribute to the accumulation of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease. To specifically examine the role of synaptic zinc in the plaque accumulation, Tg2576 (also called APP2576) transgenic mice (hAPP+) expressing cerebral amyloid plaque pathology were crossed with mice lacking zinc transporter 3 (ZnT3−/−), which is required for zinc transport into synaptic vesicles. With aging, female hAPP+:ZnT3+/+ mice manifested higher levels of synaptic zinc, insoluble amyloid β, and plaques than males; these sex differences disappeared in hAPP+:ZnT3−/− mice. Both sexes of hAPP+:ZnT3−/− mice had markedly reduced plaque load and less insoluble amyloid β compared with hAPP+:ZnT3+/+ mice. Hence, of endogenous metals, synaptic zinc contributes predominantly to amyloid deposition in hAPP+ mice.
Fast discrete function evaluation using decision diagrams

An approach for fast discrete function evaluation based on multi-valued decision diagrams (MDD) is proposed. The MDD for a logic function is translated into a table on, which function evaluation is performed by a sequence of address lookups. The value of a function for a given input assignment is obtained with at most one lookup per input. The main application is to cycle-based logic simulation of digital circuits, where the principal difference from other logic simulators is that only values of the output and latch ports are computed. Theoretically, decision-diagram based function evaluation offers orders-of-magnitude potential speedup over traditional logic simulation methods. In practice, memory bandwidth becomes the dominant consideration on large designs. We describe techniques to optimize usage of the memory hierarchy.
Mobile Robot Path Planning using Q-Learning with Guided Distance

In path planning for mobile robot, classical Q-learning algorithm requires high iteration counts and longer time taken to achieve convergence. This is due to the beginning stage of classical Q-learning for path planning consists of mostly exploration, involving random direction decision making. This paper proposed the addition of distance aspect into direction decision making in Q-learning. This feature is used to reduce the time taken for the Q-learning to fully converge. In the meanwhile, random direction decision making is added and activated when mobile robot gets trapped in local optima. This strategy enables the mobile robot to escape from local optimal trap. The results show that the time taken for the improved Q-learning with distance guiding to converge is longer than the classical Q-learning. However, the total number of steps used is lower than the classical Q-learning.
Initial experiment of practical algorithm for precision motion control of human-like tendon-driven joint mechanism

This paper presents a new precision control algorithm for the antagonistic tendon-driven joint (TDJ) which has human-like structure. The antagonistic TDJ mechanism has the flexibility of joints by properties of the tendon and mechanical uncertainties by its complex structure, which renders it difficult to control the TDJ mechanism. In order to deal with this difficulty in control, we perform modeling of the TDJ and propose a new control method which enables high precision operation by compensating for mechanical uncertainties. We verify the effectiveness of the proposed control method by extensive experimental tests to our developed TDJ manipulator system.
Nuisance Ecology: Do Scavenging Condors Exact Foraging Costs on Pumas in Patagonia?

Predation risk describes the energetic cost an animal suffers when making a trade off between maximizing energy intake and minimizing threats to its survival. We tested whether Andean condors (Vultur gryphus) influenced the foraging behaviors of a top predator in Patagonia, the puma (Puma concolor), in ways comparable to direct risks of predation for prey to address three questions: 1) Do condors exact a foraging cost on pumas? ; 2) If so, do pumas exhibit behaviors indicative of these risks? ; and 3) Do pumas display predictable behaviors associated with prey species foraging in risky environments? Using GPS location data, we located 433 kill sites of 9 pumas and quantified their kill rates. Based upon time pumas spent at a carcass, we quantified handling time. Pumas abandoned >10% of edible meat at 133 of 266 large carcasses after a single night, and did so most often in open grasslands where their carcasses were easily detected by condors. Our data suggested that condors exacted foraging costs on pumas by significantly decreasing puma handling times at carcasses, and that pumas increased their kill rates by 50% relative to those reported for North America to compensate for these losses. Finally, we determined that the relative risks of detection and associated harassment by condors, rather than prey densities, explained puma “giving up times” (GUTs) across structurally variable risk classes in the study area, and that, like many prey species, pumas disproportionately hunted in high-risk, high-resource reward areas.
Data Auditing and Security in Cloud Computing: Issues, Challenges and Future Directions

Cloud computing is one of the significant development that utilizes progressive computational power and upgrades data distribution and data storing facilities. With cloud information services, it is essential for information to be saved in the cloud and also distributed across numerous customers. Cloud information repository is involved with issues of information integrity, data security and information access by unapproved users. Hence, an autonomous reviewing and auditing facility is necessary to guarantee that the information is effectively accommodated and used in the cloud. In this paper, a comprehensive survey on the state-of-art techniques in data auditing and security are discussed. Challenging problems in information repository auditing and security are presented. Finally, directions for future research in data auditing and security have been discussed.
Occurrence and antibiogram of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from table eggs in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the leading causes of foodborne diseases worldwide and is associated with consumption of various foods of animal origin, including eggs and other poultry products. Eggs get contaminated with food poisoning pathogens when they make contact with dirty surfaces, litter materials as well as clothing and hands of poultry workers. This study aimed to reveal the presence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in table eggs in Enugu, Nigeria and to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibilities of the isolates. A total of 290 eggs comprising of 58 composite samples (5 eggs/composite) from either the eggshell or egg contents were analyzed for S. aureus . Each isolate was tested against 15 antimicrobial agents. Seventy-five (75) isolates of S. aureus were recovered from the 58 composite samples, 51 from eggshells and 24 from egg contents. Of the 75 isolates of S. aureus tested for antibiotic susceptibility, frequency of resistance was very high to penicillin (96%) and amoxicillin (96%) but low to ciprofloxacin (2.7%) and gentamicin (4%). A high number of multi-drug resistant isolates were observed, with as much as 60 (80%) of the isolates being resistant to 8 or more antibiotics. The study confirmed a high occurrence of multi-drug resistant S. aureus in table eggs, including MRSA. An improvement in hygienic practices in poultry farms and retail outlets and the control of the use of antibiotics in poultry production is recommended. Keywords : Antibiogram, Staphylococcus aureus , MRSA, Table eggs, Nigeria
Automatic Twitter Topic Summarization With Speech Acts

With the growth of the social media service of Twitter, automatic summarization of Twitter messages (tweets) is in urgent need for efficient processing of the massive tweeted information. Unlike multi-document summarization in general, Twitter topic summarization must handle the numerous, short, dissimilar, and noisy nature of tweets. To address this challenge, we propose a novel speech act-guided summarization approach in this work. Speech acts characterize tweeters' communicative behavior and provide an organized view of their messages. Speech act recognition is a multi-class classification problem, which we solve by using word-based and symbol-based features that capture both the linguistic features of speech acts and the particularities of Twitter text. The recognized speech acts in tweets are then used to direct the extraction of key words and phrases to fill in templates designed for speech acts. Leveraging high-ranking words and phrases as well as topic information for major speech acts, we propose a round-robin algorithm to generate template-based summaries. Different from the extractive method adopted in most previous works, our summarization method is abstractive. Evaluated on two 100-topic datasets, the summaries generated by our method outperform two kinds of representative extractive summaries and rival human-written summaries in terms of explanatoriness and informativeness.
Analysis the Components of SNOW 3G and ZUC Ciphers in Mobile Systems

The SNOW 3G and ZUC ciphers algorithms are classified as stream ciphers, used as confidentiality algorithms in third and fourth generations of Mobile Technologies (3G-UMTS and 4G- LTE). This research, focused on analyzing and evaluating randomness properties of various components of SNOW 3G and ZUC stream ciphers. Software programs of these ciphers and NIST (SP 800-22) tests adopted to assess the randomness properties. Many experiments conducted on output sequences of SNOW 3G and ZUC ciphers components. Practical experiments results confirmed that all SNOW 3G main components passed NIST tests. However, some components of ZUC Cipher passed NIST randomness tests, while significant components failed in NIST tests. Weaknesses pinpointed in randomness properties of ZUC cipher may be exploited by statistical cryptanalysis attacks, due to certain patterns appeared in the output sequences of failed ZUC Cipher components.
An inverted index for mass spectra similarity query and comparison with a metric-space method: case study

Query performance is a determining factor in the adoption of an indexing method for similarity query. Metric space indexing methods take great pride in their general applicability. However, it is usually hard for a general method to perform well for every domain. Therefore, it is of interest to investigate the performance of metric-space methods, comparing with domain specific methods, on a particular domain. This paper describes such an investigation for proteomic mass spectra. An inverted index method that exploits the sparsity of mass spectra binary format data and acts as a coarse filter before fine ranking is proposed and empirically compared with an existing metric-space indexing method. Results show that the inverted index method yields greater search efficiency and outperforms the metric-space method in query speed and index size.
Commentary: Clinical diagnostic use of cystatin C

Clinicians recognize and compensate for limitations in estimating the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using serum creatinine (sCr) measurements by the use of timed collections and mathematical manipulations of sCr. These limitations stem from that fact that sCr is affected by nonrenal influences, including muscle mass and disease state. In addition, sCr may not be sensitive enough to detect minimal declines in GFR in those patient populations in which it is important to recognize early decline. This brief review describes the limitations of sCr, and examines the contribution that sCysC may be able to make in the early recognition of declining renal function. The physiology of CysC is presented, as are the results of clinical investigations that suggest sCysC is in many instances superior to sCr in the recognition of early decline in renal function. Certain exceptions to this are noted. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 18:55–60, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.