Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Objectively measured versus self-reported physical activity in children and adolescents with cancer

Objective Existing research recognizes low levels of physical activity in pediatric patients with cancer, but much uncertainty exists about their capability to self-reflect physical activity levels. The objective of this study was to compare results of subjective self-reports and objective accelerometers regarding levels of daily walking as well as moderate-to-vigorous physical activities. Methods Results of the objective assessment tool StepWatchTM Activity Monitor and self-reporting with a standardized questionnaire were compared in 28 children and adolescents during cancer treatment. Results The patients were 13.8±2.8 years of age and 3.4±2.0 months after cancer diagnosis. The Bland-Altman plots indicated a fairly symmetrical under- and over-estimation for daily minutes of walking with the limits of agreement ranging from -100.8 to 87.3 min (d = -6.7 min). Mean difference for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was almost zero but limits of agreement are ranging from -126.8 to 126.9 min. The comparison for the days with at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity showed a marked difference with 3.0±2.6 self-reported days versus only 0.1±0.4 measured days. Conclusions These findings suggest that physical activity in pediatric cancer patients should preferably be assessed with objective methods. Greater efforts are needed to implement supervised exercise interventions during treatment incorporating methods to improve self-reflection of physical activity.
Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Fistula Survival: Analysis of Medication Impact during the Maintenance Phase Using Data Mining

Arteriovenous fistula is a durable hemodialysis access option, but its survival is a concern due to potential complications. Influencing factors include patient attributes, comorbidities, surgical techniques, and postoperative care. Despite extensive research, the role of medication in arteriovenous fistula survival, especially during the maintenance phase, remains poorly understood. The study explores the relationship between common medications and arteriovenous fistula survival probabilities during maintenance. The study analyzed records of 119 hemodialysis patients with primary arteriovenous fistulas at the Hasheminejad Kidney Center. Survival probabilities during maintenance were calculated using K-Nearest Neighbors and Kaplan-Meier techniques. Random Forest models investigated the connection between medication usage and arteriovenous fistula survival. Medication importance was assessed using Mean Decrease in Accuracy, and Scatter Plots identified direct relationships. Random Forest models demonstrated strong predictive abilities: MAE 0.043, RMSE 0.057, R-squared 0.761. Noteworthy medications affecting arteriovenous fistula survival, identified through Mean Decrease in Accuracy, included Nephro-Vite, Insulin NPH, Aspirin, Erythropoietin, Losartan, and Furosemide. Scatter plots indicated dynamic associations over time, with shifts from positive to negative effects for Nephro-Vite, Losartan, and Erythropoietin. Insulin NPH, Aspirin, and Furosemide showed negative correlations with arteriovenous fistula survival. The study reveals the link between medication usage and arteriovenous fistula survival probability during maintenance, emphasizing the need to consider temporal dynamics in medication strategies. These findings hold promise for enhancing arteriovenous fistula survival and mitigating complications.
A Qualitative Analysis on the Role of Auditors in Preventing Financial Crises

This study investigates the pivotal role of auditors in mitigating risks associated with financial crises, focusing on risk assessment, internal control evaluation, and addressing complexities in financial instruments. Employing a qualitative research approach, data was gathered through comprehensive literature review and thematic analysis. Findings underscore auditors' significance as guardians of financial integrity, detecting errors, and fraud in financial statements, thus enhancing transparency and investor confidence. Moreover, auditors' assessment of internal controls aids in fraud prevention and compliance risk management, crucial for organizational resilience. Challenges in evaluating complex financial instruments highlight the need for specialized expertise and technological advancements. The study emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, continuous professional development, and adherence to ethical standards as essential strategies for auditors to navigate emerging risks effectively. Overall, the research contributes to understanding auditors' multifaceted role in preventing financial crises and underscores the importance of robust risk assessment practices in maintaining financial stability.
Receptors of Calciotropic Hormones

The recent cloning of receptors for calcitonin (CT) and parathyroid hormone (PTH)/parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) has enabled very rapid progress in understanding the molecular and cell biology of these receptors. In particular, much has been learnt about the tissue distribution of these receptors, as well as their mode of interaction with ligands, signal transduction and regulation of expression. The conventional view of these hormone-receptors systems as "calciotropic" has been broadened by recent work showing important developmental roles. Isoforms of the CT receptor (CTR), with interesting functional differences, have been identified and a new form of the PTH receptor, highly specific for PTH, has been cloned. Investigation of the homologous regulation of the CTR in osteoclasts by CT treatment of mouse marrow cultures, has shown that continuous exposure to CT results in formation of resorption competent, CTR-deficient osteoclasts. Treatment of mature osteoclasts causes a rapid and prolonged decrease in CTR mRNA levels, reflected in a loss of cell surface CTR. Since these cells regain resorption competence, the data support the concept that the clinical phenomenon of "escape" from the hypocalcemic action of CT results from a loss of CT sensitivity by osteoclasts to the hormone.
Aflatoxin B1 Risk Management in Parmigiano Reggiano Dairy Cow Feed

This study investigated aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination in dairy cow feed and the risk management of AFB1 content in concentrates undertaken by feed industries in the Parmigiano Reggiano area. Data on aflatoxin contamination risk management applied in 29 feed industries were collected and the AFB1 content of 70 feed samples was analysed. Data were collected within the framework of a quality control programme promoted by the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium in 2013 and 2014. Audit results showed that the control procedures to prevent AFB1 contamination mainly focused on maize and its by-products. AFB1 concentration resulted lower than 5 ppb [legal European Union (EU) limit] in all samples; in one out of 70 samples, AFB1 content was 3.8 ppb and in all the other samples it was lower than 3 ppb. Results showed that AFB1 risk management applied by Italian feed industries effectively monitors AFB1 levels in feed below the EU legal limit.
Superresolution Polarimetric ISAR Imaging Based on 2D CP-GTD Model

This paper presented a new approach to superresolution ISAR imaging based on a scattering model called coherent polarized geometrical theory of diffraction (CP-GTD) which is better matched to the physical scattering mechanism. The algorithm is a joint processing between polarization and superresolution essentially. It can also estimate the number, position, frequency dependence, span, and normalized scattering matrix of scattering centers instantaneously for each channel rather than the one which extracts parameters from each channel separately, and its performance is better than the latter because the fully polarized information is used. The superiority of the CP-GTD is verified by experiment results based on simulated and real data.
Energy Efficiency Analysis of Novel Index Modulation-Based Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (IMNOMA) System for 5G Networks

The requirements for high data rates, spectrum efficiency, energy efficiency, and worldwide connectivity should be addressed by future generations of wireless communication networks. The orthogonal multiple access systems cannot meet these demands. Resources are allocated to each user orthogonally in OMA techniques, including TDMA, FDMA, CDMA, and OFDMA. In a NOMA system, all users can concurrently share resources that are available to them. NOMA is the novel multiple access technology as it satisfies the requirements for high data speeds, spectrum efficiency, widespread connectivity. Users are informed in Index modulation utilising both constellation symbols as well as index symbols. This work proposes IM-NOMA, a unique Index Modulation-based NOMA system. A detailed analysis of the proposed scheme's energy efficiency is performed. Energy efficiency of the proposed scheme is analyzed in detail for different parameters. When compared to the existing modulation schemes, the suggested 1M-NOMA performs significantly better.
O.O: Optimized One-die Placement for Face-to-face Bonded 3D ICs

The expansion of the IC dimension is ushering in a more-than-Moore era, necessitating corresponding EDA tools. Existing TSV-based 3D placers focus on minimizing cuts, while burgeoning F2F-bonded ICs features dense interconnection between two planar die. Towards this novel structure, we proposed an integrated adaptation methodology upon mature one-die-based placement strategies. First, we instructively utilized a one-die placer to provide a statistical looking-ahead net diagnosis. The netlist henceforth shall be coarsened topologically and geometrically with a multi-level framework. Level by level, the partition will be refined according to a multi-objective gain formulation, including cut expectation, heterogeneous row height, and balanced cell distribution. Given the partition, we synchronized the behavior of analytical planar placers by balancing the density and wirelength objective function among asymmetric layers. Finally, the result will be further improved by heuristic bonding terminals’ detail placement and a post-place partition adjustment. Compared to the top three winners of the 2022 CAD Contest at ICCAD, experiment results show that our fine-grained fusion upon partitioning and placement gets the best normalized average wirelength with a fairly reasonable runtime under all 3D architectural constraints.
Molecular dynamics Simulation approaches to K channels: conformational flexibility and physiological function

Molecular modeling and simulations enable extrapolation for the structure of bacterial potassium channels to the function of their mammalian homologues. Molecular dynamics simulations have revealed the concerted single-file motion of potassium ions and water molecules through the selectivity filter of K channels and the role of filter flexibility in ion permeation and in "fast gating. " Principal components analysis of extended K channel simulations suggests that hinge-bending of pore-lining M2 (or S6) helices plays a key role in K channel gating. Based on these and other simulations, a molecular model for gating of inward rectifier K channel gating is presented.
Student-Informed Technology Adoption in Higher Education of Developing Countries

As traditional information technology systems become more costlier and complex to maintain, they are also no longer able to meet current educational requirements, notwithstanding issues with the lack of scalability and flexibility. Many of these issues can be addressed by the concept of Student-Informed Technology and a newly-proposed comprehensive technology readiness adoption (CTRAM) model. The five central components of CTRAM were assessed at six different universities in Nigeria which comprises of three public/Government-funded universities and three private-owned universities. The result of the study confirmed that subjective norms of students evidence a statistically significant relationship with student perceptions of cloud technology adoption in higher educational institutions in the country. All five CTRAM components: perceived innovation, perceived usefulness, perceived easiness, attitude toward technology and perceived reliability are statistically significant as a technological factor in determining students’ perception of cloud technology adoption. Results from multiple regression also clearly indicate the potential joint effect among all five factors. These findings support the existing body of knowledge regarding technological adoption in the educational sector, especially in developing countries towards their future investment and improvement.
Rule-Based Information Extraction for Structured Data Acquisition using TextMarker

Information extraction is concerned with the location of specific items in (unstructured) textual documents, e.g., being applied for the acquisition of structured data. Then, the acquired data can be applied for mining methods requiring structured input data, in contrast to other text mining methods that utilize a bag-of-words approach. This paper presents a semi-automatic approach for structured data acquisition using a rule-based information extraction system. We propose a semi-automatic process model that includes the TEXTMARKER system for information extraction and data acquisition from textual documents. TEXTMARKER applies simple rules for extracting blocks from a given (semi-structured) document, which can be further analyzed using domain-specific rules. Thus, both low-level and higher-level information extraction is supported. We demonstrate the applicability and benefit of the approach with two case studies of two realworld applications.
Accelerated aging effects on surface hardness and roughness of lingual retainer adhesives.

OBJECTIVE To test the null hypothesis that accelerated aging has no effect on the surface microhardness and roughness of two light-cured lingual retainer adhesives. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten samples of light-cured materials, Transbond Lingual Retainer (3M Unitek) and Light Cure Retainer (Reliance) were cured with a halogen light for 40 seconds. Vickers hardness and surface roughness were measured before and after accelerated aging of 300 hours in a weathering tester. Differences between mean values were analyzed for statistical significance using a t-test. The level of statistical significance was set at P < . 05. RESULTS The mean Vickers hardness of Transbond Lingual Retainer was 62.8 +/- 3.5 and 79.6 +/- 4.9 before and after aging, respectively. The mean Vickers hardness of Light Cure Retainer was 40.3 +/- 2.6 and 58.3 +/- 4.3 before and after aging, respectively. Differences in both groups were statistically significant (P < .001). Following aging, mean surface roughness was changed from 0.039 microm to 0.121 microm and from 0.021 microm to 0.031 microm for Transbond Lingual Retainer and Light Cure Retainer, respectively. The roughening of Transbond Lingual Retainer with aging was statistically significant (P < .05), while the change in the surface roughness of Light Cure Retainer was not (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS Accelerated aging significantly increased the surface microhardness of both light-cured retainer adhesives tested. It also significantly increased the surface roughness of the Transbond Lingual Retainer.
Ligand‐independent signals from angiotensin II type 2 receptor induce apoptosis

Conventional models of ligand–receptor regulation predict that agonists enhance the tone of signals generated by the receptor in the absence of ligand. Contrary to this paradigm, stimulation of the type 2 (AT2) receptor by angiotensin II (Ang II) is not required for induction of apoptosis but the level of receptor protein expression is critical. We compared Ang II‐dependent and ‐independent AT2 receptor signals involved in regulating apoptosis of cultured fibroblasts, epithelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. We found that induction of apoptosis—blocked by pharmacological inhibition of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase and caspase 3—is a constitutive function of the AT2 receptor. Biochemical and genetic studies suggest that the level of AT2 receptor expression is critical for physiological ontogenesis and its expression is restricted postnatally, coinciding with cessation of developmental apoptosis. Re‐expression of the AT2 receptor in remodeling tissues in the adult is linked to control of tissue growth and regeneration. Therefore, we propose that overexpression of the AT2 receptor itself is a signal for apoptosis that does not require the renin–angiotensin system hormone Ang II.
Adapting Wikification to Cultural Heritage

Large numbers of cultural heritage items are now archived digitally along with accompanying metadata and are available to anyone with internet access. This information could be enriched by adding links to resources that provide background information about the items. Techniques have been developed for automatically adding links to Wikipedia to text but the methods are general and not designed for use with cultural heritage data. This paper explores a range of methods for adapting a system for adding links to Wikipedia to cultural heritage items. The approaches make use of the structure of Wikipedia, including the category hierarchy. It is found that an approach that makes use of Wikipedia's link structure can be used to improve the quality of the Wikipedia links that are added.
Feature Selection Methods on Biological Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining: A Survey

Feature selection is an important component of data mining and knowledge discovery process, due to the availability of data with hundreds of variables leading to data with very high dimension. It aims at reducing the number of features by removing irrelevant or redundant ones, while trying to reduce computation time, preserve or improve prediction performance, and to a better understanding of the data in machine learning or pattern recognition and specific in bioinformatics applications where the number of features is significantly larger than the number of samples. In this paper we provide an overview of some feature selection methods present in literature. We focus on Filter, Wrapper and hybrid methods. We also apply some of the feature selection techniques on standard databank to demonstrate their applicability.
Closed-loop control of ankle position using muscle afferent feedback with functional neuromuscular stimulation

Describes a closed-loop functional neuromuscular stimulation system that uses afferent neural activity from muscle spindle fibers as feedback for controlling position of the ankle joint. Ankle extension against a load was effected by neural stimulation through a dual channel intrafascicular electrode of a fascicle of the tibial nerve that innervated the gastrocnemius muscle. Ankle joint angle was estimated from recordings of tibialis anterior and lateral gastrocnemius spindle fiber activity made with dual channel intrafascicular electrodes. Experiments were conducted in neurally intact anesthetized cats and in unanesthetized decerebrate cats to demonstrate the feasibility of this system. The system was able to reach and maintain a fixed target ankle position in the presence of a varying external moment ranging in magnitude between 7.3 and 22 N-cm opposing the action of the ankle extensor, as well as track a sinusoidal target ankle position up to a frequency of 1 Hz in the presence of a constant magnitude 22- or 37-N-cm external moment.
Protein 3D structure prediction Using Homology Method

For decades, the prediction of protein three-dimensional structure from amino acid sequence has been a magnificent challenge problem in computational biophysics. This research topic has drawn scientists from a variety of areas of study, including biochemistry and medicine, due to its inherent scientific interest as well as the numerous potential applications for reliable protein structure prediction algorithms, ranging from genome comprehension to protein function prediction. In the past decade, there has been a significant improvement in methods for protein structure prediction and design. New data-intensive and computationally demanding approaches for structure prediction have been developed as a result of increases in computing power and the rapid growth of protein sequence and structure datasets. These approaches typically begin by assuming a probability distribution of protein structures given a target sequence and then finding the most likely structure; however, computer scientists formulate protein structure prediction as an optimization problem in finding the structural solution. Homology modeling, also known as Comparative modeling of the 3D structure of a protein by utilizing structural information from other known protein structures with good sequence similarity, is employed in our study. Homology models contain significant information about the spatial organization of key residues in the protein and are frequently employed in drug design for screening large libraries using molecular docking techniques. The generic structure prediction flowchart is followed by presentations and discussions of important concepts and techniques.
Multi-scale MAP despeckling of sonar images

The sonar images are perturbed by a multiplicative noise called speckle, due to the coherent nature of the scattering phenomenon. The use of speckle reduction filters is necessary to optimize the images exploitation procedures. This paper presents a new speckle reduction method in the wavelets domain using a novel Bayesian-based algorithm, which tends to reduce the speckle, preserving the structural features (like the discontinuities) and textural information of the scene. A blind speckle-suppression method that performs a nonlinear operation on the data, based on a new bishrink filter variant is obtained. Finally, some simulation examples prove the performances of the proposed denoising method. These performances are compared with the results obtained applying state-of-the-art speckle reduction techniques.
Calcium Cycling in Heart Failure: The Arrhythmia Connection

Calcium Cycling in Heart Failure. Ventricular tachycardia in nonischemic heart failure (HF) arises from a nonreentrant mechanism most likely due to delayed afterdepolarizations from activation of a transient inward current (Iti). We present data and a paradigm in which an up‐regulated Na/Ca exchanger, residual‐adrenergic responsiveness, and decreased inward rectifying K current (IK1) in HF all conspire to markedly increase the propensity for triggered arrhythmias. The up‐regulated Na/Ca exchanger plays an additional critical role in unloading the sarcoplasmic reticulum of Ca, thereby causing the mechanical dysfunction. It is imperative that therapeutic approaches for ventricular tachycardia in HF take into consideration cellular Ca handling and excitation‐contractile coupling, and their alteration in the failing heart.