Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The preregistration revolution

Progress in science relies in part on generating hypotheses with existing observations and testing hypotheses with new observations. This distinction between postdiction and prediction is appreciated conceptually but is not respected in practice. Mistaking generation of postdictions with testing of predictions reduces the credibility of research findings. However, ordinary biases in human reasoning, such as hindsight bias, make it hard to avoid this mistake. An effective solution is to define the research questions and analysis plan before observing the research outcomes—a process called preregistration. Preregistration distinguishes analyses and outcomes that result from predictions from those that result from postdictions. A variety of practical strategies are available to make the best possible use of preregistration in circumstances that fall short of the ideal application, such as when the data are preexisting. Services are now available for preregistration across all disciplines, facilitating a rapid increase in the practice. Widespread adoption of preregistration will increase distinctiveness between hypothesis generation and hypothesis testing and will improve the credibility of research findings.
A Kinect-based system to enable interaction by pointing in smart spaces

Pointing is a universal gesture that naturally expresses interest or attraction towards the pointed items. If some `magic' is added, the gesture may also make these items perform actions. In this paper, we describe a system that enables to interact by pointing with digital or physical controllable resources distributed in a smart space. The system facilitates building an interactive room using COTS devices, in particular a pair of Kinect sensors. The pointing direction is inferred from the user's elbow-wrist vector, which together with a secondary elbow-object vector serves to filter the controllable objects in the area of pointing. Experiments with 8 users in a real setting demonstrate the feasibility of the concept and show that the accuracy of the system is very dependent on the relative position user-resource and on the user behaviour itself.
Ecological Interactions Shape the Dynamics of Seed Predation in Acrocomia aculeata (Arecaceae)

Background The complex network of direct and indirect relationships determines not only the species abundances but also the community characteristics such as diversity and stability. In this context, seed predation is a direct interaction that affects the reproductive success of the plant. For Acrocomia aculeata, the seed predation by Pachymerus cardo and Speciomerus revoili in post-dispersal may destroy more than 70% of the propagules and is influenced by the herbivory of the fruits during pre-dispersal. Fruits of plants with a higher level of herbivory during pre-dispersal are less attacked by predators in post-dispersal. We proposed a hypothesis that describes this interaction as an indirect defense mediated by fungi in a multitrophic interaction. As explanations, we proposed the predictions: i) injuries caused by herbivores in the fruits of A. aculeata favor fungal colonization and ii) the colonization of A. acuelata fruit by decomposing fungi reduces the selection of the egg-laying site by predator. Methodology/Principal Findings For prediction (i), differences in the fungal colonization in fruits with an intact or damaged epicarp were evaluated in fruits exposed in the field. For prediction (ii), we performed fruit observations in the field to determine the number of eggs of P. cardo and/or S. revoili per fruit and the amount of fungal colonization in the fruits. In another experiment, in the laboratory, we use P. cardo females in a triple-choice protocol. Each insect to choose one of the three options: healthy fruits, fruits with fungus, or an empty pot. The proposed hypothesis was corroborated. Fruits with injuries in the epicarp had a higher fungal colonization, and fruits colonized by fungi were less attractive for egg-laying by seed predators. Conclusion/Significance This study emphasizes the importance of exploring the networks of interactions between multitrophic systems to understand the dynamics and maintenance of natural populations.
Retracted: S14G‐humanin inhibits Aβ1–42 fibril formation, disaggregates preformed fibrils, and protects against Aβ‐induced cytotoxicity in vitro

The aggregation of soluble amyloid‐beta (Aβ) peptide into oligomers/fibrils is one of the key pathological features in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The Aβ aggregates are considered to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD. Therefore, inhibiting Aβ aggregation and destabilizing preformed Aβ fibrils would be an attractive therapeutic target for prevention and treatment of AD. S14G‐humanin (HNG), a synthetic derivative of Humanin (HN), has been shown to be a strong neuroprotective agent against various AD‐related insults. Recent studies have shown that HNG can significantly improve cognitive deficits and reduce insoluble Aβ levels as well as amyloid plaque burden without affecting amyloid precursor protein processing and Aβ production in transgenic AD models. However, the potential mechanisms by which HNG reduces Aβ‐related pathology in vivo remain obscure. In the present study, we found that HNG could significantly inhibit monomeric Aβ1–42 aggregation into fibrils and destabilize preformed Aβ1–42 fibrils in a concentration‐dependent manner by Thioflavin T fluorescence assay. In transmission electron microscope study, we observed that HNG was effective in inhibiting Aβ1–42 fibril formation and disrupting preformed Aβ1–42 fibrils, exhibiting various types of amorphous aggregates without identifiable Aβ fibrils. Furthermore, HNG‐treated monomeric or fibrillar Aβ1–42 was found to significantly reduce Aβ1–42‐mediated cytotoxic effects on PC12 cells in a dose‐dependent manner by MTT assay. Collectively, our results demonstrate for the first time that HNG not only inhibits Aβ1–42 fibril formation but also disaggregates preformed Aβ1–42 fibrils, which provides the novel evidence that HNG may have anti‐Aβ aggregation and fibrillogenesis, and fibril‐destabilizing properties. Together with previous studies, we concluded that HNG may have promising therapeutic potential as a multitarget agent for the prevention and/or treatment of AD. Copyright © 2013 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Are Japanese Randomized Controlled Trials Up to the Task? A Systematic Review

Objectives Despite increasing numbers of RCTs done in Japan, existing international databases fail to capture them, and detailed information on the quality of Japanese RCTs is still missing. This study assessed the characteristics and quality of Japanese RCTs and analyzed factors related to their quality. Methods All RCTs conducted in Japan, and published as original articles that assessed the effect of healthcare interventions on humans in 2010, were included. We excluded study protocols, conference abstracts, and comments. In addition, quasi-RCTs were excluded. Data were independently abstracted and assessed by two of the authors and disagreements were resolved by consensus. The quality of Japanese RCTs randomly sampled was assessed using the method guidelines for systematic reviews from the Cochrane Back Review Group. The factors affecting RCT quality were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Results A total of 1013 RCTs conducted in Japan were published in 2010. The majority was small-scale (55% of RCTs with sample size less than 50). Eighty percent of RCTs had no information on the funding source and only 8% had been registered before their implementation. RCTs not indexed in international databases were a moderate number (118 RCTs: 37.7% of non-indexed RCTs were of high quality). Surgical intervention studies for external causes of morbidity and mortality with a large sample size, trial registration and a large number of arms were most likely to be of higher quality. Conclusion Despite a considerable number of RCTs conducted in Japan, their quality is not satisfactory in some domains. On the other hand, there are high-quality, non-indexed RCTs. The full disclosure of trial information and quality control of clinical trials are urgently needed in Japan.
Knowledge and attitudes of nurses toward pain management

Background: Pain control is a vitally important goal because untreated pain has detrimental impacts on the patients as hopelessness, impede their response to treatment, and negatively affect their quality of life. Limited knowledge and negative attitudes toward pain management were reported as one of the major obstacles to implement an effective pain management among nurses. The main purpose for this study was to explore Saudi nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward pain management. Methods: Cross-sectional survey was used. Three hundred knowledge and attitudes survey regarding pain were submitted to nurses who participated in this study. Data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS; version 17). Results: Two hundred and forty-seven questionnaires were returned response rate 82%. Half of the nurses reported no previous pain education in the last 5 years. The mean of the total correct answers was 18.5 standard deviation (SD 4.7) out of 40 (total score if all items answered correctly) with range of 3–37. A significant difference in the mean was observed in regard to gender (t = 2.55, P = 0.011) females had higher mean score (18.7, SD 5.4) than males (15.8, SD 4.4), but, no significant differences were identified for the exposure to previous pain education (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Saudi nurses showed a lower level of pain knowledge compared with nurses from other regional and worldwide nurses. It is recommended to considered pain management in continuous education and nursing undergraduate curricula.
Security considerations for FAN-Internet connections

The interconnection between field area networks and IP-based LANs, as well as the Internet as a whole, is becoming increasingly popular. Emerging security issues have been neglected or underrated in the past. However, traditional security concepts that work well for LANs and the Internet are hardly applicable to field bus systems. Based on an example from home automation, we review the problem and consider ways to prevent attacks both from the outside world and from within the field bus. Particular emphasis is given to firewalls, which are found to be only of limited value for securing field bus-Internet gateways. To tackle the security problem both on the field bus level and on the Internet, we propose the use of smart cards for authentication and encryption. We discuss modifications that are necessary to make field bus nodes secure, why smart cards are "different" and strategies to implement access control on the gateway.
Relationship between bending and tensile stress distribution in veneer plywood

This paper presents an optimization of plywood construction aimed at achieving the desired relationship between the bending and tensile properties of plywood. The optimization is based on the analysis of stress and strain distribution, the values of which were computed using the finite element method. The control panel was seven-ply okoume plywood. The control plywood had approximately the same bending properties parallel and perpendicular to the face grain direction, however, the tensile strength parallel to the face grain direction was substantially lower than that perpendicular to the face grain direction. Consequently, the objective of the research was to change the values of tensile stress without changing the values of bending stress, nominal plywood thickness or total number of layers. The research results show that by changing the thickness of only three layers located closest to the middle surface of the panel, full optimization of tensile stress was achieved, while retaining the three said parameters.
Review of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Korea, 2017 Revised Edition

This guidance is an updated version of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) guidelines based on evidence-based medicine. IBS is a common chronic gastrointestinal syndrome that occurs in approximately 10% of the population and causes chronic abdominal pain as well as bowel habit changes, such as stool frequency or consistency. The final diagnosis of IBS is based on the exclusion of organic diseases that would explain the symptoms and the absence of endoscopic abnormalities. IBS can reduce the quality of life and cause a major disease burden, such as repeated examinations and continuous drug use, by mistaking organic diseases including malignancy. The major changes are as follows: 1) when to perform a colonoscopy under the impression of IBS; 2) effect of a low-fer-mentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyol diet; 3) impact of probiotics in IBS; and 4) role of antibiotics in IBS. The Korean Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility recently updated these guidelines to support physicians for qualified medical services and reduce the socioeconomic burden of IBS. (Korean J Gastroenterol 2018;72:252-257)
Validation of a force platform clinical for the assessment of vertical jump height

Objective: the purpose of the present study was to analyze the concurrent validity and reliability of a force platform clinical COBS Feedback ® for the estimation of the height of vertical jumps. Design: a cross-sectional correlational and comparative study. Setting: University Human Movement and Physiotherapy Laboratory. Participants: healthy university students (14 female and 13 male) aged between 18 and 25 years old (mean = 20.074 ±1.542). Main Outcome Measures: vertical jump heights, technical error and grade of agreement between methods of measurement. Results: after the 27 subjects performed a total of 135 vertical jumps on COBS Feedback ® platform while simultaneously being recorded with a high-speed camera-based method, the intraclass correlation coefficient showed an almost perfect concordance between the two methods (ICC = 0.916, CI 95% = 0.882 to 0.940, p <0.001). The technical error of the COBS Feedback ® against HSC-Kinovea video analysis was at 0.310±0.223m, being higher in males than in females ( t = -2.822, CI 95% : -0.376 to -0.574, p =0.001). Conclusions: the COBS Feedback ® method provided a valid measurement of the flight times for estimate the vertical jump height as a number of well-known tests and devices.
A Comparison of Sensorimotor Adaptation in the Visual and in the Auditory Modality

We compared sensorimotor adaptation in the visual and the auditory modality. Subjects pointed to visual targets while receiving direct spatial information about fingertip position in the visual modality, or they pointed to visual targets while receiving indirect information about fingertip position in the visual modality, or they pointed to auditory targets while receiving indirect information about fingertip position in the auditory modality. Feedback was laterally shifted to induce adaptation, and aftereffects were tested with both target modalities and both hands. We found that aftereffects of adaptation were smaller when tested with the non-adapted hand, i.e., intermanual transfer was incomplete. Furthermore, aftereffects were smaller when tested in the non-adapted target modality, i.e., intermodal transfer was incomplete. Aftereffects were smaller following adaptation with indirect rather than direct feedback, but they were not smaller following adaptation with auditory rather than visual targets. From this we conclude that the magnitude of adaptive recalibration rather depends on the method of feedback delivery (indirect versus direct) than on the modality of feedback (visual versus auditory).
Feeding by phototrophic red-tide dinoflagellates: five species newly revealed and six species previ- ously known to be mixotrophic

We report here for the first time that 5 red-tide dinoflagellates (Gymnodinium catenatum, G. impudicum, Lingulodinium polyedrum, Prorocentrum donghaiense, and P. triestinum) which had been previously thought to be exclusively autotrophic dinoflagellates are mixotrophic species. We in- vestigated the feeding behaviors, the kinds of prey species that 11 mixotrophic red-tide dinoflagellates (Akashiwo sanguinea, Alexandrium tamarense, G. catenatum, G. impudicum, Heterocapsa triquetra, L. polyedrum, P. donghaiense, P. micans, P. minimum, P. triestinum, and Scrippsiella trochoidea) fed on, and the effects of the prey concentration on the growth and ingestion rates of P. donghaiense, H. triquetra, P. micans, and L. polyedrum when feeding on algal prey. We have also calculated grazing coefficients by combining field data on abundances of P. donghaiense, H. triquetra, P. micans, and L. polyedrum and co-occurring prey species. All algal predators tested in the present study ingested small phytoplankton species that had equivalent spherical diameters (ESDs) < 12 μm. A. sanguinea and L. polyedrum were able to ingest large phytoplankton species such as H. triquetra, S. trochoidea, and A. tamarense. Prorocentrum spp. fed on prey by engulfing the prey cell through body sutures, while S. trochoidea engulfed prey through the apical horn as well as through the sulcus. Specific growth rates of P. donghaiense, H. triquetra, and P. micans on a cryptophyte and L. polyedrum on P. minimum and S. trochoidea increased with increasing mean prey concentration, with saturation occur- ring at mean prey concentrations of 110 to 480 ng C ml -1 . The maximum specific growth rates (mixotrophic growth) of P. donghaiense, H. triquetra, and P. micans on the cryptophyte were 0.510, 0.283, and 0.197 d -1 , respectively, under a 14:10 h light:dark cycle of 20 μE m -2 s -1 , while their growth rates (phototrophic growth) under the same light conditions without added prey were 0.375, 0.184, and 0.106 d -1 , respectively. The maximum specific growth rates of L. polyedrum on P. minimum and S. trochoidea were 0.254 and 0.303 d -1 , respectively, under a 14:10 h light:dark cycle of 50 μE m -2 s -1 , while their growth rates without added prey were 0.157 and 0.182 d -1 , respectively. Maximum ingestion rates of P. donghaiense, H. triquetra, and P. micans on the cryptophyte were much lower than those of L. polyedrum on S. trochoidea and P. minimum. The calculated grazing coefficients of P. donghaiense, H. triquetra, and P. micans on the cryptophyte were up to 2.67, 0.091, and 0.041 h -1 , respectively, while those of L. polyedrum on small Prorocentrum spp. and S. trochoidea were up to 0.026 and 0.011 h -1 , respectively. The results of the present study suggest that the algal predators sometimes have a potentially considerable grazing impact on populations of the algal prey.
Behavioural effect of standardized aqueous whole plant extract of Acanthospermum hispidum: Ethnopharmacological Justification for its use in folkloric management of malaria

Acanthospermum hispidum DC is a medicinal plant commonly used locally for the treatment of malaria, cough, diarrhoea, typhoid, inability to sleep well and vomiting. The aim of the study was to evaluate the behavioural effects of the aqueous whole extract of Acanthospermum hispidum in young chicks and mice. The oral acute toxicity of Acanthospermum hispidum was carried out in young chicks and mice using the acute toxic class method. The antiemetic effect of the extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight orally) and metoclopramide (5 mg/kg intramuscularly) was assessed using copper sulphate-induced retches in young chicks. The effect of the extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight orally) on apomorphine-induced pecking in chicks, pentobarbitone-induced sleep, exploratory behaviour on hole board apparatus and motor coordination on rota rod were evaluated. The oral median lethal (LD50) dose of the extract was greater than 2000 mg/kg in chicks and mice. Acanthospermum hispidum extract significantly (F4, 49=222, p<0.0001) inhibited copper sulphate-induced retching when compared to negative control while metoclopramide significantly inhibited copper –induced retches. The extract (at 50, 100 and 200) and chlorpromazine at 2 mg/kg body weight significantly reduced (F 4 , 49 =331, p<0.0001) apomorphine-induced pecking in young chicks. The extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) and diazepam (30 mg/kg) significantly (F4, 29=18, p<0.0001) shortened onset but prolonged (F 4, 29 =637, p<0.0001) duration of sleep in pentobarbitone –induced sleep. The extract significantly (F 4 , 29 =98, p<0.0001) reduced frequency of head dip in hole board apparatus but had no effect on motor coordination. The results suggested that Acanthospermum hispidum possesses potent anti-emetic and sedative effects but had no effect on motor function which explains its continued use for management of malaria symptoms in folk medicine. These effects may have been mediated by flavonoid and tannins present in the extract.
Determining Risk of Barrett's Esophagus and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Based on Epidemiologic Factors and Genetic Variants.

BACKGROUND & AIMS We developed comprehensive models to determine risk of Barrett's esophagus (BE) or esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) based on genetic and non-genetic factors. METHODS We used pooled data from 3288 patients with BE, 2511 patients with EAC, and 2177 individuals without either (controls) from participants in the international Barrett's and EAC consortium as well as the United Kingdom's BE gene study and stomach and esophageal cancer study. We collected data on 23 genetic variants associated with risk for BE or EAC, and constructed a polygenic risk score (PRS) for cases and controls by summing the risk allele counts for the variants weighted by their natural log-transformed effect estimates (odds ratios) extracted from genome-wide association studies. We also collected data on demographic and lifestyle factors (age, sex, smoking, body mass index, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Risk models with various combinations of non-genetic factors and the PRS were compared for their accuracy in identifying patients with BE or EAC using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis. RESULTS Individuals in the highest quartile of risk, based on genetic factors (PRS), had a 2-fold higher risk of BE (odds ratio, 2.22; 95% confidence interval, 1.89-2.60) or EAC (odds ratio, 2.46; 95% confidence interval, 2.07-2.92) than individual in the lowest quartile of risk based on PRS. Risk models developed based on only demographic or lifestyle factors or GERD symptoms identified patients with BE or EAC with AUC values ranging from 0.637 to 0.667. Combining data on demographic or lifestyle factors with data on GERD symptoms identified patients with BE with an AUC of 0.793 and patients with EAC with an AUC of 0.745. Including PRSs with these data only minimally increased the AUC values for BE (to 0.799) and EAC (to 0.754). Including the PRSs in the model developed based on non-genetic factors resulted in a net reclassification improvement for BE of 3.0% and for EAC of 5.6%. CONCLUSIONS We used data from 3 large databases of patients from studies of BE or EAC to develop a risk prediction model based on genetic, clinical, and demographic/lifestyle factors. We identified a PRS that increases discrimination and net reclassification of individuals with vs without BE and EAC. However, the absolute magnitude of improvement is not sufficient to justify its clinical use.