Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Band gap states in nanocrystalline WO3 thin films studied by soft x-ray spectroscopy and optical spectrophotometry

Nanocrystalline tungsten trioxide (WO3) thin films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering have been studied using soft x-ray spectroscopy and optical spectrophotometry. Resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) measurements reveal band gap states in sub-stoichiometric γ-WO3−x with x = 0.001–0.005. The energy positions of these states are in good agreement with recently reported density functional calculations. The results were compared with optical absorption measurements in the near infrared spectral region. An optical absorption peak at 0.74 eV is assigned to intervalence transfer of polarons between W sites. A less prominent peak at energies between 0.96 and 1.16 eV is assigned to electron excitation of oxygen vacancies. The latter results are supported by RIXS measurements, where an energy loss in this energy range was observed, and this suggests that electron transfer processes involving transitions from oxygen vacancy states can be observed in RIXS. Our results have implications for the interpretation of optical properties of WO3, and the optical transitions close to the band gap, which are important in photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical applications.
Oxygen saturation in premature neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in a hammock.

Premature neonates with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) frequently present borderline hypoxemia and the risk for oxygen desaturation may increase in relation to the posture. Our aim was to see if infants with BPD experience severe hypoxemia (SaO2 < 85%) in a hammock, a 'containing' posture considered advantageous to neuromotor and relational development of the preterm. Fifteen pulse oximetry recordings (Ohmeda B105 3760 Pulse Oximeter) were obtained in 15 subjects (range of gestational age and postnatal age 27-30 and 33-48 weeks, respectively; range of birth weight and body weight at entrance to the study 0.64-1.35 and 0.97-2.24 kg, respectively) before, during and after placement in a hammock; each testing period lasted 15 min, and each baby served as his or her own control. BPD preterm infants were receiving oxygen therapy by continuous flow standard nasal cannulas (FiO2 > 25%, < 40%). The analysis of the data, that have a rough gaussian distribution, indicates a worsening of SaO2 in the hammock position. In fact, mean +/- SEM, median and range of the SaO2 values in pre- and posthammock position are comparable, but are significantly different at 99.9% confidence level (CL) in prehammock vs. hammock posture and at 98% CL in posthammock vs. hammock posture. Moreover, the percent of time with SaO2 < 85% during the periods recorded increased about 10 +/- 5% in a hammock (24 +/- 4%), in comparison to pre- (14 +/- 3%) and posthammock position (15 +/- 3%). These results suggest that oxygen-dependent BPD preterm infants in the hammock posture may experience severe hypoxemia that in part limits the possible advantages of the 'containment'.
Assignment of the chicken orthologue of the human protooncogene EVI1 (Ectotropic viral integrationsite 1) to chromosome GGA 9qter. Conserved and compared synteny between avian, mouse and human

The protooncogene Evi1 was initially identified in the mouse (Mucenski et al., 1988a). It encodes a protein that has multiple 28 amino acid repeats containing the consensus sequence found in the zinc finger domains of many transcriptional regulatory proteins (Morishita et al., 1988). Activation of its expression is frequently found in murine myeloid leukemias due to murine ecotropic retrovirus integration in its 5) region. EVI1 is not normally expressed in hematopoietic cells. In humans, the gene can be activated in myeloid leukemias and myelodysplastic diseases by chromosome rearrangements implicating human chromosome HSA3q26 like inv(3)(q21q26) or t(3;3)(q21q26) (Ogawa et al., 1996; Suzukawa et al., 1997; van Waalwijk et al., 2002). Overexpression of EVI1 has also been detected in patients with “normal” karyotypes suggesting that this inappropriate activation occurs through other mechanisms (Morishita et al., 1990). A chicken EVI1 cDNA clone was identified by random sequencing of a cDNA chicken spleen library and used as probe to screen a chicken genomic BAC library (Zoorob et al., 1996). Two BAC clones were detected, isolated and checked for the presence of the EVI1 gene by Southern blot experiments. We report here the cytogenetic localization of the chicken orthologue of the human protooncogene EVI1 by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Nurse Coaching vs. Herbal Supplementation for Weight Reduction in Soldiers.

The number of overweight and obese service members has tripled since the beginning of Overseas Contingency Operations.1 Overwhelming evidence suggesting links between obesity and increased risk for conditions such as musculoskeletal injuries, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease,2 poses a threat to the strength and performance of our current and future fighting force. OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to test nurse health coaching (NHC) and/or herbal supplementation for weight reduction in Soldiers during a 12-week intervention. METHODS Body composition, biomarkers, adherence, and motivation were measured at three time points. The NHC provided a weekly scripted interaction. Change scores were compared across study groups using general linear models. RESULTS Sample demographics (N = 435): mean age 30 ± 8.2 years, 73.4% men, predominantly white (70.1%) and non-Hispanic (80%), 71% married, and 91% enlisted. Results represent the 3 NHC groups compared to control group. Beneficial intervention effects were observed for heel bone mineral density (d = 0.3), 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (d = 0.43), and fasting blood sugar (d = -0.4), but were not significant following application of a 10% false discovery rate. There were no significant findings for any other comparisons. CONCLUSION Weight loss proved difficult for all groups; there was no advantage of NHC over an herbal supplement as adjuncts to Army MOVE! for weight reduction. Highly motivated Soldiers were unable to sustain weight loss or body composition changes.
Hierarchical analysis of RNA‐seq reads improves the accuracy of allele‐specific expression

Motivation Allele‐specific expression (ASE) refers to the differential abundance of the allelic copies of a transcript. RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) can provide quantitative estimates of ASE for genes with transcribed polymorphisms. When short‐read sequences are aligned to a diploid transcriptome, read‐mapping ambiguities confound our ability to directly count reads. Multi‐mapping reads aligning equally well to multiple genomic locations, isoforms or alleles can comprise the majority (>85%) of reads. Discarding them can result in biases and substantial loss of information. Methods have been developed that use weighted allocation of read counts but these methods treat the different types of multi‐reads equivalently. We propose a hierarchical approach to allocation of read counts that first resolves ambiguities among genes, then among isoforms, and lastly between alleles. We have implemented our model in EMASE software (Expectation‐Maximization for Allele Specific Expression) to estimate total gene expression, isoform usage and ASE based on this hierarchical allocation. Results Methods that align RNA‐seq reads to a diploid transcriptome incorporating known genetic variants improve estimates of ASE and total gene expression compared to methods that use reference genome alignments. Weighted allocation methods outperform methods that discard multi‐reads. Hierarchical allocation of reads improves estimation of ASE even when data are simulated from a non‐hierarchical model. Analysis of RNA‐seq data from F1 hybrid mice using EMASE reveals widespread ASE associated with cis‐acting polymorphisms and a small number of parent‐of‐origin effects. Availability and implementation EMASE software is available at https://github.com/churchill‐lab/emase.
Brief school‐based interventions to assist adolescents’ sleep‐onset latency: Comparing mindfulness and constructive worry versus controls

Difficulties falling asleep are common among adolescents, especially during times of stress. Adolescents may thus benefit from brief techniques (15 min) that decrease pre‐sleep cognitive‐emotional arousal and sleep‐onset latency. The present study used a 3 (intervention: mindfulness bodyscan mp3, constructive worry, control) by 3 (time: baseline, week 1, week 2) mixed‐model design on a school‐based sample of adolescents (N = 232; Mage = 15.9 ± 0.8 years, range = 14–18 years; 19% male), and a sub‐sample of adolescents with prolonged sleep‐onset latency (i.e. ≥30 min; N = 119; Mage = 16.9 ± 0.9 years; 21% male). It was expected that the 15‐min pre‐recorded breath‐based mindfulness bodyscan, and constructive worry, would decrease sleep‐onset latency and pre‐sleep arousal similarly over time, relative to the control condition. A significant interaction was observed among adolescents with prolonged sleep‐onset latency, who completed ≥3 days for at least 1 week (p = .001), where mindfulness decreased sleep‐onset latency relative to constructive worry and the control. Neither technique changed pre‐sleep worry or cognitive‐emotional arousal, or associated daytime functioning (both the whole sample and sub‐sample). A pre‐recorded mp3 breath‐based mindfulness bodyscan technique is a promising means by which adolescents with prolonged sleep‐onset latency can decrease sleep‐onset latency. This simple tool has potential for scalable dissemination by stakeholders (e.g. teachers), unqualified to treat adolescent sleep difficulties. Future studies are needed to determine whether benefits may extend to academic performance and mental health, if performed for a longer time period with increased compliance.
Learning curve and subxiphoid lung resections most common technical issues.

Background Subxiphoid uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (SVATS) for major lung resections is a new approach. Clinical evidence is lacking. The aim of this article is to describe the learning curve of the 200 selected patients who underwent uniportal subxiphoid lobectomy or segmentectomy by subxiphoid midline incision, and with the lessons learned from this early experience in SVATS and from the experience with transthoracic uniportal VATS we sought to compile "tips and tricks" for managing the multiple intraoperative technical difficulties that can arise during the SVATS and help to set the recommendations for a SVATS program. Methods We describe the learning curve of the first 200 selected patients who underwent uniportal subxiphoid lobectomy or segmentectomy by subxiphoid midline incision From September 2014 with early-stage non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and benign disease. We examine the rate of conversion and the operating time comparing group one (first 100 cases) with group two (subsequent 100 cases). Results Of the 200 consecutive selected cases (72 males, 128 females) with a mean age of 57.4±9 years, underwent either uniportal subxiphoid lobectomy or segmentectomy 136 were lobectomies and 64 were segmental resections The mean operating time was 170±45 mins; the average and after the case 86 the rate of the operating time appears to be similar. The conversion rate decrease from 13% in group one to 8% in group two. Conclusions There is a gradual reduction in the operating time and rate conversion with increasing experience. Lessons from our initial experience in the learning curve period in SVATS helps to create this trouble shooting guide that offers "tips and tricks" to both avoid and manage numerous intra-operative technical difficulties that commonly arise during the SVATS initial experience.
Inner Workings: Smart-sensor network keeps close eye on lake ecosystem

New York’s Lake George may be the most high-tech lake in the world. By year’s end, a network of 41 sensor platforms will monitor the 32-mile long body of water. Its tributary stations and vertical profilers measure the chemical and physical properties of water at varying depths. Acoustic sensors measure the direction and speed of currents in three dimensions. What’s known as the Jefferson Project, named after US President Thomas Jefferson who once marveled at the lake during a visit, is run by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY. Started three years ago, the project is already collecting more data points in one week than Rensselaer researchers collected at the lake over the past three decades, says project leader Rick Relyea. Using an extensive array of sensors, the Jefferson Project aims to understand in fine detail the effects of pollution, invasive species, and environmental change on freshwater ecosystems. Image courtesy of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. For the past 38 years, researchers from RPI have gone out onto Lake George carrying multiple hand-held water meters to take stock of the state of the lake. Every fortnight or so—except in winter—they’d manually measure the water’s chemistry and physical properties, such as pH and dissolved oxygen, and bring back samples for analysis in the lab. One weather station and one tributary station provided the researchers with additional data, such as wind speed and the flow and depth of streams. Today, the researchers rarely venture out to take measurements by hand thanks to the Jefferson Project, which also includes industry and a nonprofit collaborator. With the project’s array of sensors and specially devised models, no other lake is under such a carefully tuned, high-powered research microscope, says Relyea. “The greatest value of the Jefferson Project is in assembling such a detailed dataset,” …
Altered lung structure and function in mid-childhood survivors of very preterm birth

Rationale Survivors of preterm birth are at risk of chronic and lifelong pulmonary disease. Follow-up data describing lung structure and function are scarce in children born preterm during the surfactant era. Objectives To obtain comprehensive data on lung structure and function in mid-childhood from survivors of preterm birth. We aimed to explore relationships between lung structure, lung function and respiratory morbidity as well as early life contributors to poorer childhood respiratory outcomes. Methods Lung function was tested at 9–11 years in children born at term (controls) and at ≤32 weeks gestation. Tests included spirometry, oscillatory mechanics, multiple breath nitrogen washout and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Preterm children had CT of the chest and completed a respiratory symptoms questionnaire. Main results 58 controls and 163 preterm children (99 with bronchopulmonary dysplasia) participated. Preterm children exhibited pulmonary obstruction and hyperinflation as well as abnormal peripheral lung mechanics compared with term controls. FEV1 was improved by 0.10 z-scores for every additional week of gestation (95% CI 0.028 to 0.182; p=0.008) and by 0.34 z-scores per z-score increase in birth weight (0.124 to 0.548; p=0.002). Structural lung changes were present in 92% of preterm children, with total CT score decreased by 0.64 (−0.99 to −0.29; p<0.001) for each additional week of gestation. Obstruction was associated with increased subpleural opacities, bronchial wall thickening and hypoattenuated lung areas on inspiratory chest CT scans (p<0.05). Conclusions Abnormal lung structure in mid-childhood resulting from preterm birth in the contemporary era has important functional consequences.
Repetitive vocalizations evoked by local electrical stimulation of avian brains. II. Anesthetized chickens (Gallus gallus).

The brains of 22 anesthetized chickens were systematically explored with stimulating electrodes for electrically-evoked vocalizations. Both active and inactive areas for evoked vocalizations as determined from 821 electrode penetrations were plotted. An apparently continuous system, active for vocalization, extends from the preoptic region rostrally to the most caudal portion of the medulla posteriorly. All portions of the striatum and spinal cord sampled were negative for vocalizations at the stimulus intensity used. Thresholds were lowest; calling was the most natural sounding and was elicited in the absence of other behavior in the area ventro-medial to the inferior colliculus. Most of the brain yielded only repetitive vocalizations ranging from brief ''cuk'' sounds to longer duration squawk sounds similar to those given by normal chickens. In the medulla both repetitive sounds in response to continuous stimulation and single protracted sounds per stimulation were evoked. Both types of vocalization could be elicited from the same site by varying the stimulus intensity. In portions of the midbrain, pons and medulla vocalization substrates corresponded to areas reported to yield respiratory responses in this and other species. Results are in agreement with those reported for chronically-implanted awake birds and are interpreted to suggest a single set of neural mechanisms controlling the production of vocalizations.
Benefits and Complications of Regular Blood Transfusion in Patients with Beta-Thalassaemia major

Early and regular blood transfusion therapy in patients with homozygous β-thalassaemia decreases the complications of severe anaemia and prolongs survival. In the long term, however, the beneficial effects of transfusions are limited by the organ damage resulting from iron overload, a consequence of the body’s limited capacity to excrete iron, and by the complications of infection with blood-borne agents. Transfusion regimens for β-thalassaemia have changed substantially during the past four decades. In current protocols, pre-transfusion haemoglobin concentration should not exceed 95 g/l. This allows adequate control of anaemia, with a relatively low rate of iron accumulation. Although iron chelation therapy has successfully improved survival free from cardiac disease, thalassaemic patients continuously present new clinical challenges. In fact, the vast majority of them suffer from post-transfusion chronic hepatitis C, which is expected to significantly contribute to morbidity in the forthcoming years. Furthermore, recent studies demonstrated that thalassaemics are at high risk of acquiring several blood-borne viruses. The potential role of these multiple infections in inducing clinical disease is still uncertain, and needs to be thoroughly clarified in future surveys.
A Large-Scale Empirical Study on the Effects of Code Obfuscations on Android Apps and Anti-Malware Products

The Android platform has been the dominant mobile platform in recent years resulting in millions of apps and security threats against those apps. Anti-malware products aim to protect smartphone users from these threats, especially from malicious apps. However, malware authors use code obfuscation on their apps to evade detection by anti-malware products. To assess the effects of code obfuscation on Android apps and anti-malware products, we have conducted a large-scale empirical study that evaluates the effectiveness of the top anti-malware products against various obfuscation tools and strategies. To that end, we have obfuscated 3,000 benign apps and 3,000 malicious apps and generated 73,362 obfuscated apps using 29 obfuscation strategies from 7 open-source, academic, and commercial obfuscation tools. The findings of our study indicate that (1) code obfuscation significantly impacts Android anti-malware products; (2) the majority of anti-malware products are severely impacted by even trivial obfuscations; (3) in general, combined obfuscation strategies do not successfully evade anti-malware products more than individual strategies; (4) the detection of anti-malware products depend not only on the applied obfuscation strategy but also on the leveraged obfuscation tool; (5) anti-malware products are slow to adopt signatures of malicious apps; and (6) code obfuscation often results in changes to an app's semantic behaviors.
A 1-kW CLTCL Resonant DC-DC Converter With Restricted Switching Loss and Broadened Voltage Range

A CLTCL resonant dc-dc converter is proposed in this paper. Through the dual-transformer architecture, the resonant characteristic of the converter alters and contributes to a wide input voltage range and a greatly broadened output voltage range from zero to the nominal. The transformer leakage inductors also participate in the resonating process, which eliminates their side effects on the conversion performance. Moreover, a simple and effective design method for converters with multiple resonant components is used to guide the resonant parameter design with the assistance of the MATLAB program. Soft switching for both turn-on and turn-off processes of all the inverter and rectifier switches is acquired, and the proposed converter, therefore, achieves lower switching losses among a wide load scope. In the end, a 1-kW prototype with a peak efficiency of 97.3% is fabricated in the laboratory to verify the working principle and design effect of the CLTCL converter.
Positive behaviour changes through learn-practice-implement leadership behavioural standards

Productivity has been identified by the Singapore government as a key pillar to supports the economic growth. However, improving the labour productivity can prove to be challenging, especially when the local workforce is shrinking. To address this challenge, local companies have to embark on a lean manpower transformation journey. From our experience with more than 200 local companies, it is the company's productivity leadership and leaders behaviours that determine the fate of its lean transformation. In this paper, we present the Leadership Behavioural Standards (LBS), a practical method that focuses on people development to help companies to improve their productivity leadership through leaders' positive behaviour changes. This method is developed based on the lean management philosophy, behavioural science and scientific psychology.
Bounded semantics based correctness checking for extended ECTL∗ properties

Bounded model checking based on bounded semantics is an efficient method for finding errors in system designs. The basic idea of the bounded semantics for temporal logics (or fragments of such logics) is to consider bounded paths (possibly with loops) instead of all of the infinite ones. In this paper, we further study bounded semantics of extended ECTL∗ (eECTL∗) formulas which allows some sort of fairness that are not supported by some well known model checkers such as Spin and NuSMV. A QBF encoding of this logic is then developed from the definition of the bounded semantics. Finally, we propose a bounded correctness checking algorithm for eECTL∗ formulas and apply the bounded semantics of eECTL∗ to derive a QBF-based characterization of eECTL∗ properties.