Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Types of Help-seeking situations for novice users of digital libraries: A preliminary study

The Help-seeking situation is characterized by a person, who is engaged in the process of information seeking with an IR system in order to achieve his/her tasks/goals, and finds him/herself needing some sort of help in that process. To date, there has been little empirical research investigating the specific types of Help-seeking situations that lead users to look for help. This paper reports the results of a preliminary study, derived from an ongoing large scale research project focusing on the identification of different types of Help-seeking situations, along with types of help features used and their related problems. Seventeen subjects representing the general public in Milwaukee and New York City sites were selected for this study. Based on the analysis of pre and post questionnaires, think aloud data and transaction logs, the results present 9 types of Help-seeking situations related to problems in the area of: domain knowledge, system knowledge, information retrieval knowledge, evaluation of results, and collections of digital libraries. Implications for the design of more effective interactive Help mechanisms are also discussed.
Synaptic entrainment of ectopic action potential generation in hippocampal pyramidal neurons

Ectopic action potentials (EAPs) arise at distal locations in axonal fibres and are often associated with neuronal pathologies such as epilepsy or nerve injury, but they also occur during physiological network conditions. This study investigates whether initiation of such EAPs is modulated by subthreshold synaptic activity. Somatic subthreshold potentials invade the axonal compartment to considerable distances (>350 μm), whereas spread of axonal subthreshold potentials to the soma is inefficient. Ectopic spike generation is entrained by conventional synaptic signalling mechanisms. Excitatory synaptic potentials promote EAPs, whereas inhibitory synaptic potentials block EAPs. The modulation of ectopic excitability depends on propagation of somatic voltage deflections to the axonal EAP initiation site. Synaptic modulation of EAP initiation challenges the view of the distal axon being independent of synaptic activity and may contribute to mechanisms underlying fast network oscillations and pathological network activity.
The Final Diagnosis: Colorectal Carcinoma, In the Context of Attenuated Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, Mimicking Pulmonary Carcinoma

Pulmonary carcinoma is one of the most common malignant conditions worldwide. The current case presents a patient with lung lesions clinically and radiologically diagnosed as lung cancer, which was not biopsied due to patient’s refusal. The patient was a heavy smoker and prior to the lung lesions, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Following recurrent hospitalizations, the patient died and he was referred for an autopsy. The autopsy established six lesions in the lung, one in the liver, one in the cerebrum and multiple polyps of the colon, two of which were with a visible invasive growth. The histological sections revealed that the lung, liver, and cerebral lesions were composed of the atypical gland with excessive mucus production. The colorectal specimens revealed benign polyps and colorectal adenocarcinoma. The diagnosis of advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma with multiple metastases in the context of attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP) was established due to the combined histological findings, the age of the patient, and the number of benign polyps in the colon.
Directional coupling of oligodendrocyte connexin‐47 and astrocyte connexin‐43 gap junctions

Intercellular communication via gap junction channels between oligodendrocytes and between astrocytes as well as between these cell types is essential to maintain the integrity of myelin in the central nervous system. Oligodendrocyte gap junction connexin‐47 (Cx47) is a key element in this crosstalk and indeed, mutations in human Cx47 cause severe myelin disorders. However, the permeation properties of channels of Cx47 alone and in heterotypic combination with astrocyte Cx43 remain unclear. We show here that Cx47 contains three extra residues at 5′ amino‐terminus that play a critical role in the channel pore structure and account for relative low ionic conductivity, cationic permselectivity and voltage‐gating properties of oligodendrocyte‐oligodendrocyte Cx47 channels. Regarding oligodendrocyte‐astrocyte coupling, heterotypic channels formed by Cx47 with Cx43 exhibit ionic and chemical rectification, which creates a directional diffusion barrier for the movement of ions and larger negatively charged molecules from cells expressing Cx47 to those with Cx43. The restrictive permeability of Cx47 channels and the diffusion barrier of Cx47‐Cx43 channels was abolished by a mutation associated with leukodystrophy, the Cx47P90S, suggesting a novel pathogenic mechanism underlying myelin disorders that involves alterations in the panglial permeation.
Hepatogenous Diabetes: An Underestimated Problem of Liver Cirrhosis

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in cirrhotic patients is much higher than that in the general population. Two types of diabetes are usually seen in patients with cirrhosis: type 2 diabetes mellitus and hepatogenous diabetes (HD). The HD is an acquired condition which is believed to be caused by impaired insulin clearance and pancreatic β-cell dysfunction in cirrhotic patients. Increased levels of advanced glycation end products and hypoxia-inducible factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of HD. Patients with HD typically present with normal fasting glucose, but abnormal response to an oral glucose tolerance test, which is required for the diagnosis. Because the level of glycated hemoglobin is often falsely low in patients with cirrhosis, it does not help in the early diagnosis of HD. HD is associated with an increased rate of complications of cirrhosis, decreased 5-year survival rate, and increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. The major complications of cirrhosis associated with HD include hepatic encephalopathy (HE), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, sepsis, variceal hemorrhage, and renal dysfunction. Treatment of HD may be difficult as many antihyperglycemic therapies are associated with increased risk of complications in cirrhosis, particularly hypoglycemia. Biguanides, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and new medications such as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors appear to be safe in patients with cirrhosis. Though insulin therapy is currently advocated, requirement of insulin is variable and is difficult to predict. The liver transplantation usually results in reversal of HD. This review article provides an overview of magnitude, patients' characteristics, clinical implications, pathophysiological mechanisms, diagnosis, and management of HD.
Querying information systems or interacting with intermediaries? Towards understanding the informational capacity of online communities

Online communities have emerged as a topic of particular interest to information behavior researchers. When studying how information is shared and distributed in online communities we found that the informational capacity of online communities is not limited to providing specific information but may also include helping the information seeker understand (and often re-conceptualize) his or her information needs. Conceptualizing the interactive processes we often observed as “mediated interaction” suggests to investigate the specific characteristics of these processes as well as to explore ways to enable and support respective interactions in online communities.
Linking Aromatic Hydroxy Metabolic Functionalization of Drug Molecules to Structure and Pharmacologic Activity

Drug functionalization through the formation of hydrophilic groups is the norm in the phase I metabolism of drugs for the modification of drug action. The reactions involved are mainly oxidative, catalyzed mostly by cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes. The benzene ring, whether phenyl or fused with other rings, is the most common hydrophobic pharmacophoric moiety in drug molecules. On the other hand, the alkoxy group (mainly methoxy) bonded to the benzene ring assumes an important and sometimes essential pharmacophoric status in some drug classes. Upon metabolic oxidation, both moieties, i.e., the benzene ring and the alkoxy group, produce hydroxy groups; the products are arenolic in nature. Through a pharmacokinetic effect, the hydroxy group enhances the water solubility and elimination of the metabolite with the consequent termination of drug action. However, through hydrogen bonding, the hydroxy group may modify the pharmacodynamics of the interaction of the metabolite with the site of parent drug action (i.e., the receptor). Accordingly, the expected pharmacologic outcome will be enhancement, retention, attenuation, or loss of activity of the metabolite relative to the parent drug. All the above issues are presented and discussed in this review using selected members of different classes of drugs with inferences regarding mechanisms, drug design, and drug development.
The Relationship between Dissolution Behavior and the Toxicity of Silver Nanoparticles on Zebrafish Embryos in Different Ionic Environments

A silver nanoparticle is one of the representative engineered nanomaterials with excellent optical, electrical, antibacterial properties. Silver nanoparticles are being increasingly used for medical products, water filters, and cosmetics, etc. However, silver nanoparticles are known to cause adverse effects on the ecosystem and human health. To utilize silver nanoparticles with minimized negative effects, it is important to understand the behavior of silver nanoparticles released to the environment. In this study, we compared toxicity behaviors of citrate-stabilized silver nanoparticles with polyethylene glycol coated silver nanoparticles in two different ionic environments, which are aquatic environments for developing zebrafish embryo. Depending on the composition of the ionic environment, citrate-stabilized silver nanoparticles and polyethylene glycol coated silver nanoparticles exhibited different behaviors in dissolution, aggregation, or precipitation, which governed the toxicity of silver nanoparticles on zebrafish embryos.
The employment of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures to communicate the likely benefits of surgery

Decision aids as part of shared care are underutilized in surgery. Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) are rapidly gaining interest as useful tools for various purposes in all fields of surgery. In this article, the author describes how PROMS can be used as decision aids in shared care between patients and health care workers, including surgeons.
Elaboración y evaluación de un programa de mejora de la competencia en estrategias de autorregulación

Este trabajo de investigacion parte de la necesidad de dotar a los estudiantes universitarios de las competencias precisas para que puedan implicarse de forma autonoma en su propio aprendizaje a lo largo de toda su vida, tal y como se demanda en el proceso de convergencia del Espacio Europeo de Educacion Superior. Para ello, el objetivo de este trabajo se centra en el incremento de los proceos autorregulatorios del aprendizaje de los alumnos universitarios, creando un programa de intervencion que trata de capacitarles para que sean capaces de autorregular su propio aprendizaje a traves de la ensenanza de los procesos y estrategias necesarias, tomando como marco teorico una de las lineas de investigacion principales en la Psicologia de la Educacion actual: la autorregulacion del aprendizaje. A partir de un analisis de los estudios mas relevantes en torno a la intervencion en aprendizaje autorregulado en el contexto universitario y de los instrumentos mas utilizados para la valoracion de su eficacia, el objetivo general de la investigacion se escinde en dos, por un lado, la creacion y contrastacion de un instrumento de evaluacion en relacion con el aprendizaje autorregulado y, por otro lado, la creacion e implementacion de un programa de intervencion elaborado y basado en ayudar a los estudiantes universitarios a convertirse en aprendices autorregulados. Los resusltados mas relevantes destacan la mejora obtenida por los alumnos que han seguido el programa en su competencia percibida de autorregulacion y autonomia.
Meal and habitual dietary networks identified through Semiparametric Gaussian Copula Graphical Models in a German adult population

Gaussian graphical models (GGMs) are exploratory methods that can be applied to construct networks of food intake. Such networks were constructed for meal-structured data, elucidating how foods are consumed in relation to each other at meal level. Meal-specific networks were compared with habitual dietary networks using data from an EPIC-Potsdam sub-cohort study. Three 24-hour dietary recalls were collected cross-sectionally from 815 adults in 2010–2012. Food intake was averaged to obtain the habitual intake. GGMs were applied to four main meals and habitual intakes of 39 food groups to generate meal-specific and habitual dietary networks, respectively. Communities and centrality were detected in the dietary networks to facilitate interpretation. The breakfast network revealed five communities of food groups with other vegetables, sauces, bread, margarine, and sugar & confectionery as central food groups. The lunch and afternoon snacks networks showed higher variability in food consumption and six communities were detected in each of these meal networks. Among the central food groups detected in both of these meal networks were potatoes, red meat, other vegetables, and bread. Two dinner networks were identified with five communities and other vegetables as a central food group. Partial correlations at meals were stronger than on the habitual level. The meal-specific dietary networks were only partly reflected in the habitual dietary network with a decreasing percentage: 64.3% for dinner, 50.0% for breakfast, 36.2% for lunch, and 33.3% for afternoon snack. The method of GGM yielded dietary networks that describe combinations of foods at the respective meals. Analysing food consumption on the habitual level did not exactly reflect meal level intake. Therefore, interpretation of habitual networks should be done carefully. Meal networks can help understand dietary habits, however, GGMs warrant validation in other populations.
Normalisation design for delayed singular Markovian jump systems based on system transformation technique

ABSTRACT This paper deals with the problem of normalisation and stabilisation for time-varying delayed singular Markovian jump systems by virtue of proportional-derivative state feedback control. Based on the system transformation technique, the normalisation problem of singular systems is changed into the stabilisation problem of the augmented singular systems. Sufficient conditions are provided in terms of linear matrix inequalities by constructing mode-dependent and delay-dependent Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional. Simulation examples including an oil catalytic cracking process are utilised to verify the effectiveness and usefulness of the proposed method.
Safety and effectiveness of escitalopram in an 8-week open study in Chinese patients with depression and anxiety

Background Anxiety symptoms usually worsen depression and functional impairment. The present study was aimed to evaluate the impact of escitalopram on social function and quality of life in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with anxiety symptoms. Patients and methods Adult MDD patients with functional impairment (Sheehan Disability Scale [SDS] score ≥9) and anxiety symptoms (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [HAM-A] score ≥14) received escitalopram (10–20 mg/day) for 8 weeks. Symptom status was assessed by SDS, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), HAM-A, and Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self Report scales. Safety was evaluated by treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Results Overall, 208 (79.7%) of 261 enrolled patients completed the 8-week treatment. Mean (SD) SDS and Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form total scores were 17.4 (5.87) and 39.3 (14.43) at baseline, which improved to 7.6 (6.71) and 61.6 (15.80), respectively, at week 8. Totally, 59.2% of patients achieved functional remission (SDS≤6) and 61.7% of patients achieved depression remission (MADRS≤10) at week 8; 48.1% of patients achieved both functional and depression remission (SDS≤6 and MADRS≤10). The change in SDS total score was positively correlated with the change in MADRS and HAM-A total scores at each visit. Patient’s baseline SDS score was related with depression score (regression coefficient=0.40582, p=0.0005); remission of SDS was statistically related to a reduction of week 2 and week 6 HAM-A score (p<0.0001) and reduction of MADRS score (p<0.0001). Overall, 25.7% of patients reported ≥1 TEAEs. Most frequently reported TEAEs were nausea (5.8%), diarrhea (2.3%), and dizziness (2.7%). Most TEAEs were mild to moderate in severity. Four patients reported serious TEAEs, two patients reported suicide attempts, and one patient completed suicide. Conclusion Escitalopram (10–20 mg/day) treatment was efficacious in reducing depression, improving social function, and quality of life in MDD patients with anxiety symptoms. No new safety signals were identified.
The combined use of a nonabrasive, activator-containing toothpaste and a light emitting diode device improves the onset time of tooth whitening

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this randomized clinical study was to assess the onset time of the whitening effect of a combined use of a nonabrasive, activator-containing toothpaste and a light emitting diode (LED) device, compared to that of the toothpaste alone. Materials and Methods: A nonabrasive, activator-containing toothpaste was used twice daily alone or combined with an LED device for 15 days. The onset of the tooth whitening effect was evaluated through tooth color (a* b*, CIELAB) and tooth whiteness (WIO) by image analysis of standardized images. Local tolerance was assessed at days 1, 8, and 15. Results: On day 8, a significant (P = 0.003) tooth whitening effect compared to day 1 was observed with the toothpaste and the LED device, sustaining until the end of the study. Whitening using the toothpaste alone was significant compared to day 1 after 15 days, only. One subject reported mild redness, itching, and burning on day 1 on the gum of the lower jaw that was possibly related to with the toothpaste. The subject withdrew from the study. No adverse event was reported in the group using the LED device. Conclusion: Both tooth whitening methods had a significant whitening effect after 15 days of use. However, the onset of whitening was significantly faster when using the nonabrasive, activator-containing toothpaste combined with an LED device. The toothpaste and LED device were both safe.
Radar and Visual Odometry Integrated System Aided Navigation for UAVS in GNSS Denied Environment

Drones are becoming increasingly significant for vast applications, such as firefighting, and rescue. While flying in challenging environments, reliable Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements cannot be guaranteed all the time, and the Inertial Navigation System (INS) navigation solution will deteriorate dramatically. Although different aiding sensors, such as cameras, are proposed to reduce the effect of these drift errors, the positioning accuracy by using these techniques is still affected by some challenges, such as the lack of the observed features, inconsistent matches, illumination, and environmental conditions. This paper presents an integrated navigation system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in GNSS denied environments based on a Radar Odometry (RO) and an enhanced Visual Odometry (VO) to handle such challenges since the radar is immune against these issues. The estimated forward velocities of a vehicle from both the RO and the enhanced VO are fused with the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), barometer, and magnetometer measurements via an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) to enhance the navigation accuracy during GNSS signal outages. The RO and VO are integrated into one integrated system to help overcome their limitations, since the RO measurements are affected while flying over non-flat terrain. Therefore, the integration of the VO is important in such scenarios. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed system’s ability to significantly enhance the 3D positioning accuracy during the GNSS signal outage.
Tissue‐engineering approaches in pancreatic islet transplantation

Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising alternative to whole‐pancreas transplantation as a treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. This technique has been extensively developed during the past few years, with the main purpose of minimizing the complications arising from the standard protocols used in organ transplantation. By using a variety of strategies used in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, pancreatic islets have been successfully introduced in host patients with different outcomes in terms of islet survival and functionality, as well as the desired normoglycemic control. Here, we describe and discuss those strategies to transplant islets together with different scaffolds, in combination with various cell types and diffusible factors, and always with the aim of reducing host immune response and achieving islet survival, regardless of the site of transplantation.
Aggregating Crowdsourced Image Segmentations

Instance-level image segmentation provides rich information crucial for scene understanding in a variety of real-world applications. In this paper, we evaluate multiple crowdsourced algorithms for the image segmentation problem, including novel worker-aggregation-based methods and retrieval-based methods from prior work. We characterize the different types of worker errors observed in crowdsourced segmentation, and present a clustering algorithm as a preprocessing step that is able to capture and eliminate errors arising due to workers having different semantic perspectives. We demonstrate that aggregation-based algorithms attain higher accuracies than existing retrieval-based approaches, while scaling better with increasing numbers of worker segmentations.