Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of breast self-examination nursing interventions for Taiwanese community target groups.

BACKGROUND Because of the increasing morbidity and mortality from breast cancer, the Health Department in Taiwan in 1992 has identified early detection of breast cancer as one of the national health objectives. The effectiveness of Breast Self-Examination (BSE) in detecting breast cancer depends not only on frequency, but also on accuracy. This study explored the effects of nursing intervention on the BSE intention, BSE frequency and BSE accuracy among beauticians as community target groups. DESIGN This study was comprised of two stages. In the first stage, 198 beauticians in Taipei County were surveyed. Those women with perceived barrier scores > or =15 points in the first stage were selected for the second stage with the quasi-experimental design. The experimental group was provided with BSE instruction for the enhancement of BSE competence, personalized strategies to reduce barriers to BSE and monthly telephone reminders after BSE instruction class for 3 months. The study instruments were Champion's BSE questionnaire, Lashley's 15 BSE steps and BSE items of social norm referenced Lierman et al. RESULTS The mean age of the 198 beauticians was 28 (+/-8.6), the mean year of education was 10 (+/-2.4) and 60% of participants were married. The results of the study indicate that the program significantly increased BSE frequency, BSE accuracy, perceived benefit of BSE, perceived competence in BSE and decreased perceived susceptibility to breast cancer and perceived barriers to practice BSE. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the perceived competency, susceptibility and social normative influence accounted for 25% of the variance in BSE intention. Perceived competency and social normative influence accounted for 15% of the variance in BSE frequency, while intention, social normative influence and perceived competency accounted for 21% of the variance in BSE accuracy.
Simulation and analysis of a combined mobility model with obstacles

The use of simulations has become increasingly frequent in the study and the performance evaluation of network systems. The simulation environment deeply influences the behaviour of results, so a model that simulates a realistic movement of the nodes is necessary for the study of wireless networks. Simple mobility models do not provide realistic scenarios. Often movements are completely random, uncorrelated and in open space, without the chance of considering the effects of obstacles or rules that limit and guide the movement. In this paper, we propose a more realistic mobility model, studied for indoor environments (but applicable to outdoor models as well). Given the map of the obstacles in the simulation area (e.g. a floor plan), the nodes have the possibility to move in random walk just avoiding to cross the obstacles (e.g. walls), or following a specified virtual path that connects all the simulation area, or a hybrid of the two. Our tool creates a file containing the movement of the nodes during the whole simulation time. Simulation results show that nodes are highly dependent on the different obstacles maps and pathways. Furthermore, a mathematical demonstration is given to validate the results obtained by simulation in a simple case.
Two stage quantization of noisy hyperspectral images

A two-stage quantization approach for compression of noisy hyperspectral images is proposed. In the first stage, a multilevel denoising process uses the minimum noiseless description length (MNDL) approach to not only denoise the data, but also provide quantization levels for the noise dominant wavelet coefficients. In the second stage, the remaining noiseless dominant coefficients are quantized with the conventional quantization methods such as the high bit rate uniform quantization approach. Our simulation results show the advantages of the proposed method over separate “denoising and compression” approaches in both improving the output SNR and providing much less number of quantization levels.
The unpredictable past of Plasmodium vivax revealed in its genome.

Until quite recently, very little information has been available about the genome content and structure of parasitic protozoa. This inadequacy has been rectified by the advent of high-throughput strategies that permit sequencing of whole genomes and enhanced computational capacities that render this information tractable. The current list of complete or near-complete genomes includes some of the greatest scourges of humans and their domesticated companions. Among these miscreants are several members of the genus Plasmodium , the agents of malaria. Scores of species of Plasmodium have been described and comprise pathogens of every major group of terrestrial vertebrates. At present, no less than seven of these species are subjects of major genome-sequencing projects, and it is anticipated that the comparison of these genomes will provide invaluable insights as to how genomic contents may mediate the interaction of the parasite with its host (1). Our understanding of genome structure and function has been facilitated by models of evolutionary biology, and these findings validate theoretical predictions about genome evolution that predate by several decades our ability to collate their contents (2). Coupled with these comparative approaches to understand how genomes have shaped different species are studies that use the new information about genome polymorphism to better under understand the population structure and evolutionary history of individual species. The article by Leclerc et al. (3) in a recent issue of PNAS exemplifies how “population genomics” provides a means of examining the evolutionary forces acting, in both the past and present, on a species. The authors assayed polymorphism at several genetic loci of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium vivax , and compared the extent of this polymorphism with that of other closely related primate malaria species. Like previous reports of a paucity of genetic polymorphism in the malignant malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum (4, 5 …
Distribution of Conjunctival HLA-DR Expression and the Pathogenesis of Damage in Early Dry Eyes

Purpose: To examine the expression of HLA-DR, a marker of inflammation, in the early stages of dry eye disease and to locate the appearance of this marker on specific areas of the bulbar conjunctiva. Methods: Dry eye patients were identified and their condition classified as mild (n = 16) or moderate (n = 16) based on Schirmer testing, vital staining, tear break-up time, and symptom questionnaire scores. Brush cytology was used to collect epithelial cells from the nasal, temporal, and superior conjunctivae of patients and age-matched controls. HLA-DR positive cells were detected by immunohistochemical staining and quantified. Results: Patients with moderate dry eye had the highest rate of conjunctival HLA-DR-positive cells, with significantly higher rates than controls regardless of which region of the conjunctiva was sampled (P < 0.01). The mild dry eye group had similar rates of HLA-DR-positive cells in the superior conjunctival region compared with controls. However, in the nasal and temporal regions, they displayed a significantly higher rate of HLA-DR-positive cells than controls (P < 0.01) and the nasal region showed a significant difference (P < 0.01) when compared with the temporal one. Some of these mild dry eyes had no vital staining. Conclusions: The HLA-DR expression pattern in mild and moderate dry eyes appears to reflect disease progression. Overexpression of HLA-DR in mild dry eyes showing no vital staining suggests that inflammation may be a primary cause of ocular surface damage. These data support the use of immunomodulatory drugs in the treatment of dry eye disease.
Using conversation analysis to explore the recurrence of a topic in the talk of a boy with an autism spectrum disorder

Some higher functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are reported to produce perseverative talk, especially around ‘special interests’. Topic perseveration is a form of pragmatic impairment captured in Prizant and Rydell's (1993) continuum of unconventional verbal behaviour in autism. Although widely reported, there is little systematic empirical research into this phenomenon. This paper considers the utility of Conversation Analysis in developing knowledge in this area, drawing upon data involving a boy with an ASD interacting with a researcher and a mobile robot platform. Although a frequency analysis of the boy's talk on a single topic may suggest that it is perseverative in nature, in a sequential analysis of both talk and non‐spoken activities this study aims to show how these may be interactionally‐embedded. It is suggested that, in considering the interactional salience of apparently perseverative talk, it can be useful to explore the participation framework in which the topic is revisited.
A Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-associated R77H Substitution in the CD11b Chain of the Mac-1 Integrin Compromises Leukocyte Adhesion and Phagocytosis*

The Mac-1 integrin is expressed mainly on myeloid cells and binds several ligands, including members of the ICAM family and the complement factor iC3b. It is involved in essential immunological processes, such as leukocyte extravasation and phagocytosis. In addition, Mac-1 has been described to negatively regulate immune cell signaling. Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism conferring an amino acid change in the Mac-1 integrin extracellular domain, R77H, was shown to be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. Here, we demonstrate that the R77H-substituted Mac-1 can be expressed on the cell surface in transfected cells and can undergo conformational changes in response to integrin activation. The affinity of the integrin for ICAMs is only partially reduced, but cell adhesion to ICAM-1 and ICAM-2 is severely compromised, and Jβ2. 7 cells expressing R77H substituted integrins are deficient in adhesion to ICAM-1 under shear flow conditions. Importantly, cell adhesion to the complement factor iC3b is also diminished, and COS cells expressing R77H-substituted integrins display reduced iC3b-dependent phagocytosis. In addition, U937 cells expressing R77H-CD11b display increased IL-6 production as compared with WT-CD11b-expressing cells. These results suggest that the R77H substitution results in the deficiency of the mutated integrin to mediate cell adhesion to ligands such as ICAMs and iC3b. These deficiencies may ultimately lead to detrimental effects on the immune system and contribute to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus.
Detecting highlights and notes on printed text

The extensive use of digital cameras in creating an electronic database of document images, leads to a major problem in managing the vast amount of information. Many images include user-added marks, such as highlights and handwritten notes, which can be used in content based image retrieval. This paper presents a novel method for determining the existence of user-added marks in a given image and classification of existing marks. Two different approaches are integrated for the detection of marks: one based on color-spaces and the other on anomaly detection in text-dominant images. The proposed method achieved very successful results.
Property and Difference in Nature Conservation

Abstract Social science research on nature conservation ascribes enclosures and the consequent evictions and dispossession of local people to unequal power relations. It reveals that the monopoly of power by the state configures new relations between local people and their natural resources, and legitimizes land grabbing. In this paper we build on this literature by engaging two questions. The first question relates to how land tenure regimes enable green grabbing and also configure the participation of local people in nature conservation enterprises. Knowing how land tenure regimes structure the involvement of local people in nature conservation is a necessary step toward an inquiry into the relationship between local people and protected areas. In the second question we ask how historical land tenure allocations enable current configurations of power relations in conservation areas. We use the case study of Mapungubwe on the Botswana‐South Africa‐Zimbabwe borderlands to demonstrate that historical land tenure allocations facilitate land alienation and the marginalization of local people in s.
Service Chaining Implementation in Network Function Virtualization with Software Defined Networking

In this paper we are presenting Service Function Chaining for network services in a virtualised environment. This kind of problem does not still have a commonly used solution. We have tested our design; explained in detail the issues of the currently used technologies; discussed the current custom solutions and the ITEF in-the-works; and shown our Proof of Concept. For this, we have recreated in our lab a virtual environment that includes different Virtual Network Functions and a Service Classifier, and we have monitored the traffic on the virtual network and on the Virtual Network Functions to make sure that all packets followed the correct path. The results of the test show that the solution is working and functional.
Technik als zunehmend bedeutsame Umwelt für Ältere: Ein Überblick zu Konzepten, Befunden und Herausforderungen

Einführung A. 15 Technik, gutes Leben und gutes Altern B. 17 Einordnung der Gerontechnology in die allgemeine Alternsforschung C. 19 Ausgewählte Befunde der Gerontechnology-Forschung in Bezug auf nicht primär kognitiv beeinträchtigte ältere Menschen D. 21 Ausgewählte Befunde der Gerontechnology-Forschung in Bezug auf primär kognitiv beeinträchtigte ältere Menschen E. 23 Versuch einer Zusammenschau: Potentiale &Grenzen von Technologien für Ältere F. 26 Literatur G. 28
Measures of Attentional Bias and Relational Responding Are Associated with Behavioral Treatment Outcome for Cocaine Dependence

Background: Psychosocial interventions for substance dependence have demonstrated efficacy. However, the mechanisms by which specific intervention strategies exert their effect have not been clearly identified. Objective: This study investigated the prospective relationships between two psychological processes, an attentional bias toward cocaine stimuli and beliefs about the consequences of cocaine use, and treatment outcome. Method: Twenty-five cocaine-dependent participants enrolled in a 6-month outpatient treatment program that included voucher incentives for abstinence. All participants were asked to complete two implicit assessment procedures, a Drug Stroop protocol and an Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP), as well as explicit measures of cocaine craving and the consequences of cocaine use, prior to beginning treatment. Pearson’s correlation coefficients tested the prospective relationships between treatment outcome and the implicit and explicit assessments. Results: Stronger implicit beliefs about the positive effects of cocaine use prior to treatment were associated with poorer treatment outcome when an escalating voucher-incentive program was in place. Further, an attentional bias for cocaine-related stimuli was associated with better treatment outcome when an escalating voucher-incentive program was removed. No association between cocaine use beliefs and treatment outcome was found when beliefs were measured with self-report instruments. Conclusions and scientific significance: These findings highlight the potential utility of performance-based measures for delineating the psychological mechanisms associated with variation in response to treatment for drug dependence.
Collaborative Filtering using Denoising Auto-Encoders for Market Basket Data

Recommender systems (RS) help users navigate large sets of items in the search for "interesting" ones. One approach to RS is Collaborative Filtering (CF), which is based on the idea that similar users are interested in similar items. Most model-based approaches to CF seek to train a machine-learning/data-mining model based on sparse data; the model is then used to provide recommendations. While most of the proposed approaches are effective for small-size situations, the combinatorial nature of the problem makes it impractical for medium-to-large instances. In this work we present a novel approach to CF that works by training a Denoising Auto-Encoder (DAE) on corrupted baskets, i.e., baskets from which one or more items have been removed. The DAE is then forced to learn to reconstruct the original basket given its corrupted input. Due to recent advancements in optimization and other technologies for training neural-network models (such as DAE), the proposed method results in a scalable and practical approach to CF. The contribution of this work is twofold: (1) to identify missing items in observed baskets and, thus, directly providing a CF model; and, (2) to construct a generative model of baskets which may be used, for instance, in simulation analysis or as part of a more complex analytical method.
Cultivar Diversity of Grape Skin Polyphenol Composition and Changes in Response to Drought Investigated by LC-MS Based Metabolomics

Phenolic compounds represent a large family of plant secondary metabolites, essential for the quality of grape and wine and playing a major role in plant defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. Phenolic composition is genetically driven and greatly affected by environmental factors, including water stress. A major challenge for breeding of grapevine cultivars adapted to climate change and with high potential for wine-making is to dissect the complex plant metabolic response involved in adaptation mechanisms. A targeted metabolomics approach based on ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS) analysis in the Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode has been developed for high throughput profiling of the phenolic composition of grape skins. This method enables rapid, selective, and sensitive quantification of 96 phenolic compounds (anthocyanins, phenolic acids, stilbenoids, flavonols, dihydroflavonols, flavan-3-ol monomers, and oligomers…), and of the constitutive units of proanthocyanidins (i.e., condensed tannins), giving access to detailed polyphenol composition. It was applied on the skins of mature grape berries from a core-collection of 279 Vitis vinifera cultivars grown with or without watering to assess the genetic variation for polyphenol composition and its modulation by irrigation, in two successive vintages (2014–2015). Distribution of berry weights and δ13C values showed that non irrigated vines were subjected to a marked water stress in 2014 and to a very limited one in 2015. Metabolomics analysis of the polyphenol composition and chemometrics analysis of this data demonstrated an influence of water stress on the biosynthesis of different polyphenol classes and cultivar differences in metabolic response to water deficit. Correlation networks gave insight on the relationships between the different polyphenol metabolites and related biosynthetic pathways. They also established patterns of polyphenol response to drought, with different molecular families affected either positively or negatively in the different cultivars, with potential impact on grape and wine quality.
In search of the ideal measure of high-density lipoprotein.

Measurement of any heterogeneous substance poses a challenge. HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) is no exception. Numerous methods, based on different principles, have been widely adopted and these different methods often give significantly different values for HDL-C. The paper of Okazaki et al. (1), in this issue, demonstrates the inadequacy of a phosphotungstate precipitation method for HDL-C and proposes the use of HPLC as a tool to compare analytical methods for HDL-C. Interest in developing and evaluating methods for the measurement of HDL-C has origins in two separate arenas—one clinical, reflecting increased attention to HDL-C as a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), and the other economic, reflecting increased emphasis on finding more-cost-effective ways to measure HDL-C. Although HDL-C has long been recognized as a factor in the development of CHD, it has not received nearly the attention given to LDL-cholesterol. Much of the primary and secondary prevention effort is based on risk as defined by LDL-cholesterol. Treatment is targeted at reducing LDL-cholesterol, and success of therapies is judged by their impact on LDL-cholesterol. Nevertheless, in many studies, HDL-C has been shown to be a stronger predictor of risk of CHD than LDL-cholesterol. For example, in the Framingham Heart Study, a 1% increase in LDL-cholesterol translated to a 2% increase in risk, whereas a 1% decrease in HDL-C translated into a 3–4% increase in risk (2). In the Helsinki Heart Study, in those subjects with high LDL-cholesterol (Frederickson Type IIa hyperlipidemia), the greatest predictive value for CHD was low HDL-C, not the severity of the LDL-cholesterol increase (3). In a review of nine different prospective studies in women, HDL cholesterol emerged as the single most important lipid risk factor in women (4). Recently, the National Cholesterol Education Panel released the Adult Treatment …
Inactivation mechanism of Penicillium digitatum using atmospheric pressure plasma

We discussed the inactivation mechanism of Penicillium digitatum treated by nonequiribrium atmospheric pressure plasma. We focused on the ozone, ultraviolet radiation, O radical, and OH radical as inactivation factor. The diagnostics of non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma was performed by optical emission spectroscopy and ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy. It is confirmed that the effects of ozone and ultraviolet radiation were not dominant for the inactivation of P. digitatum. Results from experiments on the O2 gas and water vapor addition showed that the contribution of the reactive oxygen species such as OH radical, O radical and their byproduct would be larger.
Learning continuous representation of text for phone duration modeling in statistical parametric speech synthesis

In this paper, we investigate the usage of a continuous representation based approach of the feature vector derived from input text to predict the phone durations in a Text to Speech(TTS) system. We pose the problem of predicting the duration as a data driven statistical transformation from the input text onto the feature space. First we present a method to map both the categorical and numeric features that are typically used into a continuous numeric representation and then model it as a form of Matrix Factorization to improve the representation. The proposed system is evaluated based on Root Mean Squared Error(RMSE) as the objective measure and Mean Opinion Score(MOS) as the subjective measure. We find that the system performs on par with the state of the art duration modeling systems both subjectively and objectively.