Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Efficacy of Mobile Health Apps Using the Basic Principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Systematic Review

Background Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in its basic principle has developed itself as a stand-alone, substantial method of therapy. With effective application in therapy for a range of mental health issues, the spread of CBT methods to Web-based therapy sources is evident. The development of mobile phone apps using CBT principles is increasing within the research area. Despite the move to Web-based methods of therapy, it is argued that these methods lack the same efficacy of face-to-face therapy sessions. Objective The aim of this review was to assess extent research findings with regard to the effectiveness of CBT-related mobile health (mHealth) apps. By assessing only studies employing a randomized controlled trial design, the review aimed to determine app efficacy within the highly regarded method of investigation. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted across several databases. Search results were filtered, and results were subject to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria because of the nature of the review. Where possible, analysis of effect size was calculated and results reported. Results A total of 8 studies investigating the effectiveness of mHealth CBT-related apps across a range of mental health issues were reviewed. Three studies used the app against a control group, and 5 studies used the app intervention against another form of treatment or intervention. A range of effect sizes were seen across all included studies (d=−0.13 to 1.83; 0.03-1.44), with the largest effects often being seen when comparing the data from pre- to posttest for the app engaged group. Conclusions The studies reviewed support the use of mHealth apps containing CBT principles for a range of mental health issues. However, the effectiveness over longer time periods should be assessed. Researchers and professionals should seek to collaborate effectively when creating new apps to enhance their effectiveness as a treatment for the general public.
Convergence Speed and Throughput of Analog Decoders

This letter is concerned with the implementation of iterative decoding algorithms in analog integrated circuits. We study the convergence speed and the throughput of analog decoders for low-density parity-check codes, and show that they depend on the code, the decoding algorithm, the signal-to-noise ratio, and the average time constant of the analog circuit interconnections. However, they are not a function of the variance of the time constants. The analysis presented here can be used for selecting suitable codes and decoding algorithms for analog decoding. Furthermore, it can be used to estimate the throughput of an analog decoder, if the average time constant of the analog circuit is known
Effects of Ni content on the shape memory properties and microstructure of Ni-rich NiTi-20Hf alloys

Shape memory properties and microstructure of four Ni-rich NiTiHf alloys (Ni50.3Ti29.7Hf20, Ni50.7Ti29.3Hf20, Ni51.2Ti28.8Hf20, and Ni52Ti28Hf20 (at.%)) were systematically characterized in the furnace cooled condition. H-phase precipitates were formed during furnace cooling in compositions with greater than 50.3Ni and the driving force for nucleation increased with Ni content. Alloy strength increased while recoverable strain decreased with increasing Ni content due to changes in precipitate characteristics. When the precipitates were small (∼5–15 nm), they were readily absorbed by martensite plates, which resulted in maximum recoverable strain of 2% in Ni50.7Ti29. 3Hf20. With increasing Ni content, the size (>100 nm) and volume fraction of precipitates increased and the growth of martensite plates was constrained between the precipitates when the Ni concentration was greater than 50.7 at. %. Near perfect dimensional stability with negligible irrecoverable strain was observed at stress levels as high as 2 GPa in the Ni52Ti28Hf20 alloy, though the recoverable strain was rather small. In general, strong local stress fields were created at precipitate/matrix interphases, which lead to high stored elastic energy during the martensitic transformation.
On Undetected Redundancy in the Burrows-Wheeler Transform

The Burrows-Wheeler-Transform (BWT) is an invertible permutation of a text known to be highly compressible but also useful for sequence analysis, what makes the BWT highly attractive for lossless data compression. In this paper, we present a new technique to reduce the size of a BWT using its combinatorial properties, while keeping it invertible. The technique can be applied to any BWT-based compressor, and, as experiments show, is able to reduce the encoding size by 8-16 % on average and up to 33-57 % in the best cases (depending on the BWT-compressor used), making BWT-based compressors competitive or even superior to today's best lossless compressors.
City Research Online

Copyright & reuse City University London has developed City Research Online so that its users may access the research outputs of City University London's staff. Copyright © and Moral Rights for this paper are retained by the individual author(s) and/ or other copyright holders. All material in City Research Online is checked for eligibility for copyright before being made available in the live archive. URLs from City Research Online may be freely distributed and linked to from other web pages.
Cell lineage and cell cycling analyses of the 4d micromere using live imaging in the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii

Cell lineage, cell cycle, and cell fate are tightly associated in developmental processes, but in vivo studies at single-cell resolution showing the intricacies of these associations are rare due to technical limitations. In this study on the marine annelid Platynereis dumerilii, we investigated the lineage of the 4d micromere, using high-resolution long-term live imaging complemented with a live-cell cycle reporter. 4d is the origin of mesodermal lineages and the germline in many spiralians. We traced lineages at single-cell resolution within 4d and demonstrate that embryonic segmental mesoderm forms via teloblastic divisions, as in clitellate annelids. We also identified the precise cellular origins of the larval mesodermal posterior growth zone. We found that differentially-fated progeny of 4d (germline, segmental mesoderm, growth zone) display significantly different cell cycling. This work has evolutionary implications, sets up the foundation for functional studies in annelid stem cells, and presents newly established techniques for live imaging marine embryos.
The concept of stigma in mental illness as applied to Haitian Americans.

AIM To report on the analysis of the concept of the stigma of mental illness within the Haitian American community. BACKGROUND Mental illness is a highly stigmatized condition within certain communities making it challenging for individuals to seek effective treatment. The consequences of such stigma can have lifelong corollaries for the individuals, the families and the communities. INTRODUCTION The concept of stigma is not fully developed in nursing; clarity of the concept of stigma of mental illness is still needed in the nursing literature. In order to assist patients in accessing mental health services, the concept of stigma must first be clarified. METHODS The method used for this concept analysis was that of Walker and Avant. FINDINGS Five attributes were identified, creating the following definition: labelling, stereotype, negative attitude, emotional response, and discrimination. The antecedents for stigma of mental illness are lack of knowledge about mental illness, emotional state and cultural beliefs and values. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY The origins of stigmatization of mental illness among Haitian Americans need to be understood. Mental health illnesses are stigmatized within the Haitian culture, which presents as a barrier to accessing help for many Haitian American women suffering from mental illness. The defining attributes can be used to develop tools to help clinicians identify patients being stigmatized. Once stigma is recognized, nurses can develop strategies and policies that can mitigate the effects of stigmatization of mental illness among this patient population. CONCLUSION Further research is essential to examine the ways in which this concept impacts the Haitian American community, as well as effective strategies to help minimize its effects.
Electroosmotic flow measurements in a freely suspended liquid film: Experimhents and numerical simulations

Fluid flow profiles in free liquid films stabilised by anionic and cationic surfactants under an external electric field were investigated. Depthwise velocity fields were measured at the mid region of the free liquid film by confocal micron‐resolution particle image velocimetry and corresponding numerical simulations were performed using Finite Element Method to model the system. Depthwise change in velocity profiles was observed with electroosmotic flow dominating in the vicinity of the gas–liquid and solid–liquid interfaces while backpressure drives fluid in the opposite direction at the core of the film. It was also found that the direction of the flow at various sections of the films depends on the type of surfactant used, but flow features remained the same. Numerical simulations predicted the flow profiles with reasonable accuracy; however, asymmetry of the actual film geometry caused deviations at the top half of the computational domain. Overall, electroosmotic flow profiles within a free liquid film are similar to that of the closed‐end solid microchannel. However, the flow direction and features of the velocity profiles can be changed by selecting various types of surfactants. The free liquid films thickness was selected to match dimensions of foam Plateau border. Hence, these findings will be useful in developing a separation system based on foam electrokinetics.
Probing cooperative force generation in collective cancer invasion

Collective cellular dynamics in the three-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a crucial role in many physiological processes such as cancer invasion. Both chemical and mechanical signaling support cell–cell communications on a variety of length scales, leading to collective migratory behaviors. Here we conduct experiments using 3D in vitro tumor models and develop a phenomenological model in order to probe the cooperativity of force generation in the collective invasion of breast cancer cells. In our model, cell–cell communication is characterized by a single parameter that quantifies the correlation length of cellular migration cycles. We devise a stochastic reconstruction method to generate realizations of cell colonies with specific contraction phase correlation functions and correlation length a. We find that as a increases, the characteristic size of regions containing cells with similar contraction phases grows. For small a values, the large fluctuations in individual cell contraction phases smooth out the temporal fluctuations in the time-dependent deformation field in the ECM. For large a values, the periodicity of an individual cell contraction cycle is clearly manifested in the temporal variation of the overall deformation field in the ECM. Through quantitative comparisons of the simulated and experimentally measured deformation fields, we find that the correlation length for collective force generation in the breast cancer diskoid in geometrically micropatterned ECM (DIGME) system is a≈25 μm, which is roughly twice the linear size of a single cell. One possible mechanism for this intermediate cell correlation length is the fiber-mediated stress propagation in the 3D ECM network in the DIGME system.
Simulating Intestinal Transporter and Enzyme Activity in a Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model for Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate

ABSTRACT Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), a prodrug of tenofovir, has oral bioavailability (25%) limited by intestinal transport (P-glycoprotein), and intestinal degradation (carboxylesterase). However, the influence of luminal pancreatic enzymes is not fully understood. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling has utility for estimating drug exposure from in vitro data. This study aimed to develop a PBPK model that included luminal enzyme activity to inform dose reduction strategies. TDF and tenofovir stability in porcine pancrelipase concentrations was assessed (0, 0.48, 4.8, 48, and 480 U/ml of lipase; 1 mM TDF; 37°C; 0 to 30 min). Samples were analyzed using mass spectrometry. TDF stability and permeation data allowed calculation of absorption rates within a human PBPK model to predict plasma exposure following 6 days of once-daily dosing with 300 mg of TDF. Regional absorption of drug was simulated across gut segments. TDF was degraded by pancrelipase (half-lives of 0.07 and 0.62 h using 480 and 48 U/ml, respectively). Previously reported maximum concentration (Cmax; 335 ng/ml), time to Cmax (Tmax; 2.4 h), area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC0–24; 3,045 ng · h/ml), and concentration at 24 h (C24; 48.3 ng/ml) were all within a 0.5-fold difference from the simulated Cmax (238 ng/ml), Tmax (3 h), AUC0–24 (3,036 ng · h/ml), and C24 (42.7 ng/ml). Simulated TDF absorption was higher in duodenum and jejunum than in ileum (p<0.05). These data support that TDF absorption is limited by the action of intestinal lipases. Our results suggest that bioavailability may be improved by protection of drug from intestinal transporters and enzymes, for example, by coadministration of enzyme-inhibiting agents or nanoformulation strategies.
How Does the Tobacco Industry Attempt to Influence Marketing Regulations? A Systematic Review

Background The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control makes a number of recommendations aimed at restricting the marketing of tobacco products. Tobacco industry political activity has been identified as an obstacle to Parties’ development and implementation of these provisions. This study systematically reviews the existing literature on tobacco industry efforts to influence marketing regulations and develops taxonomies of 1) industry strategies and tactics and 2) industry frames and arguments. Methods Searches were conducted between April-July 2011, and updated in March 2013. Articles were included if they made reference to tobacco industry efforts to influence marketing regulations; supported claims with verifiable evidence; were written in English; and concerned the period 1990–2013. 48 articles met the review criteria. Narrative synthesis was used to combine the evidence. Results 56% of articles focused on activity in North America, Europe or Australasia, the rest focusing on Asia (17%), South America, Africa or transnational activity. Six main political strategies and four main frames were identified. The tobacco industry frequently claims that the proposed policy will have negative unintended consequences, that there are legal barriers to regulation, and that the regulation is unnecessary because, for example, industry does not market to youth or adheres to a voluntary code. The industry primarily conveys these arguments through direct and indirect lobbying, the promotion of voluntary codes and alternative policies, and the formation of alliances with other industrial sectors. The majority of tactics and arguments were used in multiple jurisdictions. Conclusions Tobacco industry political activity is far more diverse than suggested by existing taxonomies of corporate political activity. Tactics and arguments are repeated across jurisdictions, suggesting that the taxonomies of industry tactics and arguments developed in this paper are generalisable to multiple jurisdictions and can be used to predict industry activity.
Oxidative decarboxylation of free and peptide-linked amino acids in phagocytizing guinea pig granulocytes.

The oxidative decarboxylation of amino acids by a system consisting of myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide-chloride has been demonstrated previously by others and the process has been considered to be part of the microbicidal armamentarium of some phagocytic leukocytes. We were able to translate these earlier observations, made on model systems, to intact guinea pig granulocytes. We could demonstrate differences in the cellular handling of peptide-linked amino acids as particles, compared with free amino acids. Specific inhibitors were used to explore two routes of oxidative decarboxylation: (a) the myeloperoxidase-catalyzed direct decarboxylation-deamination reaction, and (b) oxidation of alpha-keto acids after transamination of amino acids. These inhibitors were cyanide, azide, and tapazole for the former pathway, and amino-oxyacetate for the latter. Amino-oxyacetate profoundly inhibited the decarboxylation of free 14C-amino acids (alanine and aspartate) in both resting and stimulated cells, but had only a minimal effect on 14CO2 production from ingested insoluble 14C-protein. On the other hand, the peroxidase inhibitors cyanide, azide, and tapazole dramatically inhibited the production of 14CO2 from ingested particulate 14C-protein, but had only small effects on the decarboxylation of free amino acid. Soluble, uniformly labeled 14C-protein was not significantly converted to 14CO2 even in the presence of phagocytizable polystyrene beads. These observation suggest that the amino acids taken up by phagocytosis (e.g., as denatured protein particles) are oxidatively decarboxylated and deaminated in the phagosomes by the myeloperoxidase-hydrogen peroxide-chloride system; soluble free amino acids that enter the cytoplasm by diffusion or transport are oxidatively decarboxylated after transamination by the normal cellular amino acid oxidative pathway.
Hormone therapy in menopausal women with fibroids: is it safe?

Abstract Menopause is an important transition in the life of women. It has been estimated that by the year 2030, worldwide 1.2 billion women will be menopausal. The most bothersome symptoms of menopause are believed to be due to declines in estrogen levels in postmenopausal women. Thus, hormone therapy is an effective treatment option for menopausal women, although prolonged use of hormone therapy is associated with a slightly increased risk of breast cancer, thromboembolism, and stroke. A literature search for studies evaluating the effects of hormone therapy in menopausal women with asymptomatic fibroids demonstrated variable effects of hormone therapy on the volume and size of the fibroids. Some studies have demonstrated an increase in size of pre-existing asymptomatic fibroids and formation of new fibroids with higher doses of progestogen in combination therapy. The finding of low resistance index in uterine arteries of women with asymptomatic fibroids is associated with an increased risk of fibroid growth, and thus making the measurement of pulsatility index of uterine arteries a possible screening tool before initiating hormone therapy in menopausal women with fibroids. Although the effect of hormone treatment is variable and statistically insignificant in many cases, the newer selective estrogen receptor modulators having tissue-specific estrogen agonistic and antagonistic actions such as raloxifene have a favorable clinical profile and may be better alternatives in women with asymptomatic fibroids.
Clonality-Climate Relationships along Latitudinal Gradient across China: Adaptation of Clonality to Environments

Plant clonality, the ability of a plant species to reproduce itself vegetatively through ramets (shoot-root units), occurs in many plant species and is considered to be more frequent in cold or wet environments. However, a deeper understanding on the clonality-climate relationships along large geographic gradients is still scarce. In this study we revealed the clonality-climate relationships along latitudinal gradient of entire China spanning from tropics to temperate zones using clonality data for 4015 vascular plant species in 545 terrestrial communities. Structural equation modeling (SEM) showed that, in general, the preponderance of clonality increased along the latitudinal gradient towards cold, dry or very wet environments. However, the distribution of clonality in China was significantly but only weakly correlated with latitude and four climatic factors (mean annual temperature, temperature seasonality, mean annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality). Clonality of woody and herbaceous species had opposite responses to climatic variables. More precisely, woody clonality showed higher frequency in wet or climatically stable environments, while herbaceous clonality preferred cold, dry or climatically instable environments. Unexplained variation in clonality may be owed to the influences of other environmental conditions and to different clonal strategies and underlying traits adopted by different growth forms and phylogenetic lineages. Therefore, in-depth research in terms of more detailed clonal growth form, phylogeny and additional environmental variables are encouraged to further understand plant clonality response to climatic and/or edaphic conditions.
Childhood dietary patterns and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescence: results from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort

Abstract Objective To investigate the prospective associations between dietary patterns in childhood and CVD risk in adolescence. Design Prospective cohort study. Exposures were dietary patterns at age 7, 10 and 13 years derived by cluster analysis. Outcomes were physiological and biochemical cardiovascular risk markers. Setting Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), UK. Subjects Children (n 2311, 44.1 % male) with complete data available. Results After adjustment for known confounders, we observed an association between being in the ‘Processed’ and ‘Packed lunch’ dietary pattern clusters at age 7 and BMI at age 17. Compared with the ‘healthy’ cluster, the OR (95 % CI) for being in the top 10 % for BMI was 1·60 (1·01, 2·55; P=0·05) for the ‘Processed’ cluster and 1·96 (1·22, 3·13; P=0·005) for the ‘Packed lunch’ cluster. However, no association was observed between BMI and dietary patterns at age 10 and 13. Longitudinal analyses showed that being in either the ‘Processed’ or ‘Packed lunch’ cluster at age 7 was associated with increased risk of being in the top 10 % for BMI regardless of subsequent cluster membership. No associations between other cardiovascular risk measures and dietary patterns were robust to adjustment for confounders. Conclusions We did not find any consistent evidence to support an association between dietary patterns in childhood and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescence, with the exception of BMI and dietary pattern at age 7 only. However, the importance of dietary intake in childhood upon health later in life requires further investigation and we would encourage the adoption of a healthy diet as early in life as possible.
Modified SMOTE Using Mutual Information and Different Sorts of Entropies

SMOTE is one of the oversampling techniques for balancing the datasets and it is considered as a pre-processing step in learning algorithms. In this paper, four new enhanced SMOTE are proposed that include an improved version of KNN in which the attribute weights are defined by mutual information firstly and then they are replaced by maximum entropy, Renyi entropy and Tsallis entropy. These four pre-processing methods are combined with 1NN and J48 classifiers and their performance are compared with the previous methods on 11 imbalanced datasets from KEEL repository. The results show that these pre-processing methods improves the accuracy compared with the previous stablished works. In addition, as a case study, the first pre-processing method is applied on transportation data of Tehran-Bazargan Highway in Iran with IR equal to 36.