Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Machine Learning Approach to Developing an Accurate Prediction of Maximal Heart Rate During Exercise Testing in Apparently Healthy Adults

In this report, using data from the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise: An International Database (FRIEND), a machine learning (ML) approach improved the accuracy of maximal heart rate (HRmax) prediction. The ML approach should be considered for use in clinical applications to refine estimations of HRmax. Purpose: Maximal heart rate (HRmax) continues to be an important measure of adequate effort during an exercise test. The aim of this study was to improve the accuracy of HRmax prediction using a machine learning (ML) approach. Methods: We used a sample from the Fitness Registry of the Importance of Exercise National Database, which included 17 325 apparently healthy individuals (81% males) who performed a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test. Two standard formulas for HRmax prediction were tested: Formula1 = 220 − age (yr), root-mean-squared error (RMSE) 21.9, relative root-mean-squared error (RRMSE) 1.1; and Formula2 = 209.3 − 0.72 × age (yr), RMSE 22.7 and RRMSE 1.1. For ML model prediction, we used age, weight, height, resting HR, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The following ML algorithms to predict HRmax were applied: lasso regression (LR), neural networks (NN), support vector machine (SVM) and random forests (RF). An evaluation was performed using cross-validation and by computing the RMSE and RRMSE, Pearson correlation, and Bland-Altman plots. The best predictive model was explained with Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP). Results: The HRmax for the cohort was 162 ± 20 bpm. All ML models improved HRmax prediction and reduced RMSE and RRMSE compared with Formula1 (LR: 20.2%, NN: 20.4%, SVM: 22.2%, and RF: 24.7%). The predictions of all algorithms significantly correlated with HRmax (r = 0.49, 0.51, 0.54, 0.57, respectively; P < .001). Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated lower bias and 95% CI for all ML models in comparison with standard equations. The SHAP explanation showed a high impact of all selected variables. Conclusions: Machine learning, particularly the RF model, improved prediction of HRmax using readily available measures. This approach should be considered for clinical application to refine HRmax prediction.
Enhancement of solar cell efficiency using two-dimensional photonic crystals

During the last years, much attention has been paid to photonic crystals (PC) for different applications, but only recently they have been proposed and showed useful for applications in solar cells. Little work has been done in the actual manufacture and characterization of a complete solar cell with a two-dimensional photonic crystal (2D-PC) on its front surface, conceived as a periodic distribution of the dielectric constant in the plane (the surface of the solar cell) and involving sub-wavelength motifs. In this case, the photonic crystal effect is different from the one happening in slabs or suspended membranes. Despite the partial vertical confinement, there may be some reasons that can justify the use of photonic crystal front surface with sub-wavelength motifs. Experimental results on actual devices with a photonic crystal nanopatterned layer will be shown, along with reflectivity studies on PC lattices with different symmetries and shapes.
An optical analysis of dust complexes in spiral galaxies

We present a method for quantitatively investigating properties of dust regions in external galaxies. The technique involves matching radiative transfer models (with absorption pluse scattering) to multicolor photographic and photographic and photometric observations. We find that it is possible to determine the intrinsic opacities in the clouds and in the nearby comparison regions, and that we can differentiate between high opacity low-lying clouds and low opacity clouds that are above the midplane.
Covariant Response Tensors for Spin Zero and Spin One Boson/Anti-Boson Plasmas

A fully covariant and general expression for the relation between the 4·current and the 4-potential for spin 0 and spin 1 particle/anti-particle plasmas is presented. The response tensors obtained are compared with the spin t case, and are shown to reproduce the classical expressions in the appropriate limit. The longitudinal and transverse parts of the linear response tensor are evaluated for an isotropic particle/anti-particle distribution, and explicit expressions are obtained for the completely degenerate limit.
Spectrum synthesis of the Type Ia supernovae SN 1992A and SN 1981B

We present non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) synthetic spectra for the Type Ia supernovae SN 1992A and SN 1981B, near maximum light. At this epoch both supernovae were observed from the UV through the optical. This wide spectral coverage is essential for determining the density structure of a SN Ia. Our fits are in good agreement with observation and provide some insight as to the differences between these supernovae. We also discuss the application of the expanding photosphere method to SNe Ia which gives a distance that is independent of those based on the decay of Ni-56 and Cepheid variable stars.
Reduced fire severity offers near-term buffer to climate-driven declines in conifer resilience across the western United States

Significance Wildfires in the western United States are concerning in part because conifer forests may not regenerate under increasingly warm, dry climate conditions and severe burning. This study compared the relative importance of differences in fire-caused tree mortality, which limits seeds available for tree regeneration, to the impacts of warm, dry climate conditions in determining postfire conifer regeneration. Using observations from over 10,000 sites, we found that warmer, drier conditions are leading to less tree regeneration after wildfires. We also found evidence that management interventions that reduce wildfire severity can partially offset these climate-related declines in tree regeneration. Our work highlights the next few decades as a window of opportunity over which management could minimize the likelihood of fire-caused forest loss.
Ab initio study of Ti0.5Al0.5N(001)—residual and environmental gas interactions

We have explored surface processes on Ti0.5Al0. 5N(001) interacting with residual and environmental gases, namely O2, H2O and CO2, using ab initio molecular dynamics. Dissociative adsorption of O2 occurs on Ti sites, which are unusual sites, as Al2O3 is more stable than TiO2. This may be understood based on the electronic structure. We suggest that an increased Ti–O bond strength relative to Al–O surface bond strength is the electronic origin for the early stages of TiO2 formation on Ti0.5Al0. 5N(001). Another unexpected atomic mechanism, identified as O covers the surface: Ti escapes from the Ti0.5Al0. 5N(001)/O interface layer, generating vacancies, and hence enabling mobility at the interface. In the case of H2O and CO2, the dominating physical mechanism is dissociative adsorption, where O–H and N–H as well as C–O and Ti–O dipoles are formed, respectively. These fundamental surface processes are relevant for initial stages of oxidation, surface diffusion and nucleation of reaction layers upon exposure to residual and environmental gases.
On the accuracy of the viscous form in simulations of incompressible flow problems

We present a numerical study of drag/lift and flux estimates using two forms of Navier‐Stokes equations (NSE) that are equivalent in the continuum formulation but not in the discrete finite element formulation. The two investigated forms of the NSE differ in the viscous term that is represented in one form by νΔu with ν being the viscosity and 2ν∇·∇Su in the other form where ∇S represents the deformation tensor. The study consists of numerical analysis of the two forms and computations of drag/lift, pressure drop on the cylinder problem and computations of flux for the Poiseuille flow. The main objective is to provide a clear comparison of the reference values for the maximal drag and lift coefficient at the cylinder and for the pressure difference between the front and the back of the cylinder at the final time for the two forms of NSEs. Our computational results of the reference values do not differ significantly between the two forms, but the differences are there. For the Poiseuille flow, the differences in the flux computations were much smaller, and this agreed with the computationally obtained results of the divergence of the velocity field. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 28: 523–541, 2012
Free-standing membrane incorporating single-atom catalysts for ultrafast electroreduction of low-concentration nitrate

Significance The release of nitrate-containing wastewaters leads to eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems and contamination of drinking water sources. Electrochemical methods for NO3− destruction are limited by expensive materials, by-product ammonia generation, and weak mass transport. Here, we employ an electrified membrane incorporating single-atom catalysts to modify the kinetics and pathways of NO3− reduction. We provide a method for trapping electrocatalysts with specific structure into a carbon nanotube interwoven framework for free-standing membrane fabrication. In addition to intensifying mass transport, electrofiltration enhances adsorption of the intermediate reduction species to the catalysts and improves their interactions with hydrogen species to promote N2 formation. These mechanisms enable orders-of-magnitude enhancement of NO3− reduction rate with superior N2 selectivity without requiring precious metals.
Neutron techniques for the observation of ferro‐ and antiferromagnetic domains

Neutrons are, because of their magnetic moment, a unique probe for the investigation of magnetic domains. They can be used to distinguish ferromagnetic domains through Larmor precession in simple transmission, and both ferro‐ and antiferromagnetic domains from Bragg diffraction experiments. This paper tries to review the neutron studies that were made on domains either in a statistical approach to get figures on the average size or population of domains, or in the more recent local approach in which maps or pictures of the domains are obtained. Neutron diffraction topography, in which the single‐crystal sample is imaged through Bragg diffraction, is the main local approach technique. It has been used till now to investigate domains in chromium, nickel oxide and silicon‐iron. New observations of antiferromagnetic domains in NiO and MnF2 are presented.
Modeling backward chemical rate processes in the direct simulation Monte Carlo method

The direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is a general particle based technique for computation of nonequilibrium gas flows. A number of chemistry models have been developed for DSMC that make it possible to analyze high-energy flows including the aerothermodynamics of planetary entry vehicles. In the present work, an important limitation of existing DSMC models for simulating the backward (exothermic) direction of chemical reactions is identified. A new model is proposed to address the problem. Results obtained with the new chemistry model demonstrate the ability to accurately predict backward rate coefficients and chemical composition under equilibrium conditions. Application of the new model to a high-velocity, nonequilibrium flow condition indicates differences in species concentrations in comparison to the existing, physically inaccurate approach for modeling the backward reaction steps.
Dynamics of Variable-Length Tethered Formations near libration points

The dynamics of multitethered satellite formations near libration points are presented. The system consists of a parent satellite and subsatellites, connected together in a hub-spoke configuration via variable-length tethers. Based on Hill's approximation, a new dynamical formulation for nonrotating or rotating tethered formations is developed. The equilibrium positions are determined, and linearized analysis is performed for the nonrotating system with constant-length tethers. Numerical simulations using the full nonlinear and time-varying motion equations are carried out for the stationkeeping and reconfiguration stages. For nonrotating systems, the motion of the parent satellite is less stable for larger initial equilibrium positions during stationkeeping, and the tether librations during deployment are more stable than those during retrieval. For rotating systems, the orbital amplitude, orbital direction, and mass ratio have some impact on the stability of the system, and the retrieval is more conducive to keeping the system in its planar configuration when compared with the deployment.
Diminished prospective mental representations of reward mediate reward learning strategies among youth with internalizing symptoms

Abstract Background Adolescent internalizing symptoms and trauma exposure have been linked with altered reward learning processes and decreased ventral striatal responses to rewarding cues. Recent computational work on decision-making highlights an important role for prospective representations of the imagined outcomes of different choices. This study tested whether internalizing symptoms and trauma exposure among youth impact the generation of prospective reward representations during decision-making and potentially mediate altered behavioral strategies during reward learning. Methods Sixty-one adolescent females with varying exposure to interpersonal violence exposure (n = 31 with histories of physical or sexual assault) and severity of internalizing symptoms completed a social reward learning task during fMRI. Multivariate pattern analyses (MVPA) were used to decode neural reward representations at the time of choice. Results MVPA demonstrated that rewarding outcomes could accurately be decoded within several large-scale distributed networks (e.g. frontoparietal and striatum networks), that these reward representations were reactivated prospectively at the time of choice in proportion to the expected probability of receiving reward, and that youth with behavioral strategies that favored exploiting high reward options demonstrated greater prospective generation of reward representations. Youth internalizing symptoms, but not trauma exposure characteristics, were negatively associated with both the behavioral strategy of exploiting high reward options as well as the prospective generation of reward representations in the striatum. Conclusions These data suggest diminished prospective mental simulation of reward as a mechanism of altered reward learning strategies among youth with internalizing symptoms.
Exploiting all combinations of microphone sensors in overdetermined frequency domain blind separation of speech signals

A new approach to overdetermined frequency domain blind source separation (BSS) of speech signals which exploits all combinations of observations and hence varying inter microphone spacings is proposed. The observations are divided into subgroups so that conventional frequency domain BSS algorithms can be used. By evaluating the separation performance obtained from each group on the basis of approximately measuring the independence of separated signals, the output of the group that has the best performance among all groups on a frequency‐by‐frequency basis is chosen as the overall output. The separated signals of the overall system are then obtained by transforming their frequency domain representations into the time domain. Simulation results based on speech signals confirm that the proposed approach has better performance based on the performance index (PI) as compared with a conventional scheme using only one microphone group and an existing overdetermined frequency domain BSS algorithm. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Morphological Classification of the Local I- and K-Band Galaxy Sample

In this paper, we report on the morphologically segregated I- and K-band number counts at bright magnitudes from a wide-field deep survey. This survey has been carried out with the first large mosaic CCD camera (8192 × 8192) on the University of Hawaii 88 inch (2.24 m) telescope and the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT). This instrument allows us to take deep wide-field galaxy images efficiently. We have been able to obtain I-band number counts in a wide range from I = 12.5 to I = 22.5, and to classify the morphologies of galaxies down to I = 18.5. Morphologically segregated number counts for ellipticals, spirals, and irregulars are obtained for the first time with magnitudes brighter than I = 18.5. The morphological classifications correlate well with the galaxy colors. By modeling these number counts, we confirm that a no-evolution model can fit both K- and I-band number counts of ellipticals and spirals reasonably well, but the irregular/peculiar galaxies show a substantial excess at faint magnitudes over the no-evolution model. With the number counts at bright magnitudes, we further demonstrate that the rise in this excess begins by I = 20. This rise is consistent with a rapidly increasing star formation rate in low-luminosity galaxies at about z = 0.35.
Comparative efficacy and acceptability of interventions for insomnia in breast cancer patients: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background Symptoms of insomnia are highly prevalent in patients with breast cancer. There are a large number of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions that can be used for the management of insomnia in breast cancer patients; however, their comparative effectiveness and acceptability remain uncertain. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of different interventions for insomnia in breast cancer patients using a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods We will perform a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, and PsycINFO from inception to November 2022. We will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of different interventions on the management of insomnia in breast cancer patients. We will assess the risk of bias assessment using a modified Cochrane instrument. We will conduct a Bayesian random-effects framework NMA to estimate relative effects of interventional procedures. We will use Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation to rate the certainty of evidence. Discussion To our knowledge, this will be the first systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare the effectiveness and acceptability of all currently available interventions for insomnia in patients with breast cancer. The results of our review will help provide more evidence for the treatment of insomnia in breast cancer patients. Systematic review registration PROSPERO registration number CRD42021282211.
Three-Dimensional Assessment of Radiographic Changes after Indirect Pulp Capping Using Silver Diamine Fluoride with or without Potassium Iodide in Young Permanent Teeth (12-Month RCT)

The aim of this study was to conduct a three-dimensional (3D) evaluation of radiographic changes after indirect pulp capping (IPC) with silver diamine fluoride (SDF) with or without potassium iodide (KI) and resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) in deep carious young permanent molars using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). 108 first permanent molars with deep occlusal cavitated caries lesions, in forty-nine 6- to 9-year-old children, were randomly allocated to one of 3 groups (n = 36) and treated with SDF+KI, SDF, and RMGIC as IPC materials. CBCT scans were taken at 0 and 12 months to assess tertiary dentin formation (volume and grey level intensity), increase in root length, and pathological changes such as secondary caries, periapical radiolucency, internal resorption, and obliteration of the pulp. The 3D image analysis procedures were performed using ITK-SNAP and 3D Slicer CMF. Comparisons were made using analysis of variance with a fixed effect for treatment and random effects for patient and patient-by-treatment to account for within-patient correlations. A two-sided 5% significance level was used. There were no significant differences among the three groups regarding tertiary dentin volume (p = 0.712) and grey level intensity (p = 0.660), increase in root length (p = 0.365), prevention of secondary caries (p = 0.63), and periapical radiolucency (p = 0.80) in the analysed 69 CBCT scans. The study did not find differences among the groups regarding quality and quantity of tertiary dentin formed, increase in root length, absence of secondary caries, and other signs of failure as shown by CBCT. Clinical Significance: The results show no significant differences in radiographic outcomes (quality and quantity of tertiary dentin formed, increase in root length, absence of secondary caries, and other signs of failure) when using SDF+KI, SDF, and RMGIC in IPC. The results of this study can help guide treatment decision-making regarding use of SDF and SDF+KI as IPC materials in deep cavitated lesions.
Factors influencing the adoption of HIV prevention measures in low socio-economic communities of inner-city Durban, South Africa

ABSTRACT South Africa is the epicentre of the HIV pandemic. Although there have been health promotion education campaigns to reduce HIV incidence, these have not achieved the desired outcomes. When exploring the effectiveness of these campaigns, it is useful not only to examine HIV knowledge, but also to explore the relationship between that knowledge and health-related behaviour. This study aimed to determine the (1) level of knowledge of HIV prevention, (2) relationship between the level of knowledge and the adoption of these behaviours and (3) barriers to sexual behaviour change of vulnerable women in Durban’s city centre, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A mixed methods approach was used to collect information from a marginalised population of women (n = 109) attending a non-governmental organisation, which provides for the needs of people from low socio-economic strata. Data were collected during September 2018 at a wellness day programme at the centre. A total of 109 women, over the age of 18 years answered the questionnaire. Knowledge of HIV transmission was high, with majority of participants correctly identifying modes of transmission. Almost all the participants (91.2%) had been tested for HIV, with 68.8% tested a minimum of three times. Despite this, sexual risk behaviour was high. Despite the high level of knowledge of HIV transmission, there was no relationship between HIV knowledge and adoption of behaviours for the prevention of HIV transmission (p = .457). However, bivariate analysis showed an association between transactional sex and living in informal housing (OR = 31.94, 95% CI: 5.65–180.63, p < .001). Living in informal housing was also associated with having multiple current sexual partners (OR = 6.30, 95% CI: 1.39–28.42, p = .02). Multivariate analysis, after adjusting for all other factors, indicated that the odds of having transactional sex was increased by 23 times in those who did not have formal housing (OR = 23.306, 95% CI: 3.97–144.59, p = .001). Qualitative responses showed that women perceived poverty as the overarching factor determining the lifestyle choices which impacted their health. They indicated a need for employment opportunities and provision of housing to alleviate both poverty as well as transactional sex. Although, participants from this study understood the benefits of the protective behaviours to prevent HIV transmission, economic and social factors do not afford this vulnerable group the opportunity nor the motivation to adopt such behaviours. In the current climate of increasing unemployment and escalating GBV, urgent interventions are needed in terms of employment opportunities and empowerment drives to prevent an increase in HIV transmission.