Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and Evaluation of an Ethical Guideline for Decisions to Limit Life-Prolonging Treatment in Advanced Cancer: Protocol for a Monocentric Mixed-Method Interventional Study

Background Many patients with advanced cancer receive chemotherapy close to death and are referred too late to palliative or hospice care, and therefore die under therapy or in intensive care units. Oncologists still have difficulties in involving patients appropriately in decisions about limiting tumor-specific or life-prolonging treatment. Objective The aim of this Ethics Policy for Advanced Care Planning and Limiting Treatment Study is to develop an ethical guideline for end-of-life decisions and to evaluate the impact of this guideline on clinical practice regarding the following target goals: reduction of decisional conflicts, improvement of documentation transparency and traceability, reduction of distress of the caregiver team, and better knowledge and consideration of patients’ preferences. Methods This is a protocol for a pre-post interventional study that analyzes the clinical practice on treatment limitation before and after the guideline implementation. An embedded researcher design with a mixed-method approach encompassing both qualitative and quantitative methods is used. The study consists of three stages: (1) the preinterventional phase, (2) the intervention (development and implementation of the guideline), and 3) the postinterventional phase (evaluation of the guideline’s impact on clinical practice). We evaluate the process of decision-making related to limiting treatment from different perspectives of oncologists, nurses, and patients; comparing them to each other will allow us to develop the guideline based on the interests of all parties. Results The first preintervention data of the project have already been published, which detailed a qualitative study with oncologists and oncology nurses (n=29), where different approaches to initiation of end-of-life discussions were ethically weighted. A framework for oncologists was elaborated, and the study favored an anticipatory approach of preparing patients for forgoing therapy throughout the course of disease. Another preimplementational study of current decision-making practice (n=567 patients documented) demonstrated that decisions to limit treatment preceded the death of many cancer patients (62/76, 82% of deceased patients). However, such decisions were usually made in the last week of life, which was relatively late. Conclusions The intervention will be evaluated with respect to the following endpoints: better knowledge and consideration of patients’ treatment wishes; reduction of decisional conflicts; improvement of documentation transparency and traceability; and reduction of the psychological and moral distress of a caregiver team. Registered Report Identifier RR1-10.2196/9698
The Effectiveness of Entomopatogen Fungi of Beauveria Bassiana Ferr . for Handling the Spodoptera Litura F . Caterpillar on Soybean Plant ( Glycine max L . Merr )

Soybean is a source of vegetable protein, fats, minerals, and vitamins, currently its position as a very important raw material industry. Indonesia's soybean need reaches 2.20 million tons/year; its domestic production is sufficient 35-40%, so the shortage (60-65%) is met from import (Ministry of Agriculture 2008). The domestic need continues to increase to 9.55% per year. The entire body of S. litura is almost obscured by the white-colored mycelia. With a 109/mL density to shut down up to 50% of the population takes 5 days and 95% of death takes 10 days. B. bassiana infects the insects through the cuticle and multiplies in the body of the insect, while producing beauverisin toxins which can damage the structure of the insect cell membrane to death.
Three-Dimensional Printing of Personalized Nasal Stents for Patients With Cleft Lip

Objective: This report describes the design and printing of personalized nasal stents for cleft lip using 3-dimensional (3D) technology. Materials and Methods: We used silicone rubber to make the impressions, a 3D laser scanner to obtain 3D data, and Dental SG resin cartridges as printing material. We printed the personalized nasal stents using a photosensitive resin printer. Results: We placed the stents in patients after cleft lip surgery. They enabled personalized adjustment and good anastomosis, with a low probability of slipping from the nasal cavity. Conclusion: With this technique, we can provide good nasal support for patients with cleft lip.
HOPC: A NOVEL SIMILARITY METRIC BASED ON GEOMETRIC STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES FOR MULTI-MODAL REMOTE SENSING IMAGE MATCHING

Automatic matching of multi-modal remote sensing images (e.g., optical, LiDAR, SAR and maps) remains a challenging task in remote sensing image analysis due to significant non-linear radiometric differences between these images. This paper addresses this problem and proposes a novel similarity metric for multi-modal matching using geometric structural properties of images. We first extend the phase congruency model with illumination and contrast invariance, and then use the extended model to build a dense descriptor called the Histogram of Orientated Phase Congruency (HOPC) that captures geometric structure or shape features of images. Finally, HOPC is integrated as the similarity metric to detect tie-points between images by designing a fast template matching scheme. This novel metric aims to represent geometric structural similarities between multi-modal remote sensing datasets and is robust against significant non-linear radiometric changes. HOPC has been evaluated with a variety of multi-modal images including optical, LiDAR, SAR and map data. Experimental results show its superiority to the recent state-of-the-art similarity metrics (e.g., NCC, MI, etc.), and demonstrate its improved matching performance.
Gyro-Mouse for the Disabled: 'Click' and 'Position' Control of the Mouse Cursor

This paper describes a 'gyro-mouse', which provides a new human-computer interface (HCI) for persons who are disabled in their upper extremities, for handling the mouse-click and mouse-move function. We adopted the artificial neural network to recognize a quick-nodding pattern of the disabled person as the gyro-mouse click. The performance of our gyro-mouse was evaluated by three indices that include 'click recognition rate', 'error in cursor position control', and 'click rate per minute' on a target box appearing at random positions. Although it turned out that the average error in cursor positioning control was 1.4-1.5 times larger than that of optical mouse control, and the average click rate per minute was 40% of the optical mouse, the overall click recognition rate was 93%. Moreover, the click rate per minute increased from 35.2% to 44% with repetitive trials. Hence, our suggested gyro-mouse system can be used to provide a new user interface tool especially for those persons who do not have full use of their upper extremities.
Effect of plyometric training on jumping performance and agility in adolescent badminton players

Badminton is one of the most popular racquet sports in the world. The agility and vertical jump are important motor skills to hit a shuttlecock in badminton game. The purpose of this study was to investigate effect of plyometric training on vertical jump and agility in adolescent badminton players. Twenty adolescent (age, 12.5 ± 0.2 years) badminton players were randomly divided into two groups as plyometric group (PG) and control group (CG). All participants were tested to assess agility and vertical jump before (pre-test) and after 6-weeks training period (post-test). Agility performance was assessed with Illinois Agility Test. Vertical jump height was measured with squat jump test using a contact mat. The PG performed plyometric training twice a week, for 6 weeks. There was a significant difference between pre and post-test for squat jump test in both PG (26%) ( p = 0.00) and CG (10%) ( p = 0.016). However, squat jump height significantly increased in PG compared with CG ( p = 0.024). The agility significantly improved in PG (6%) ( p = 0.01), but not CG (2%) ( p = 0.294). Our results show that a six week plyometric training improved agility and vertical jump in adolescent badminton players. Badminton game requires fast changes in direction, vertical jumps, forward lunges around the court. Badminton coaches should take place plyometric exercises in training program.
Liver histopathological alteration after repeated intra-tracheal instillation of titanium dioxide in male rats

Aim: The present study designed to evaluate the toxic effect of anatase TiO2 NPs on BALF biochemical changes and liver alteration in rats. Background: Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) are utilized in food color additives and cosmetics worldwide. Humans uptake these nanoparticulate by different routes and may exhibit potential side effects, lags behind the rapid development of nanotechnology. Methods: Sixty-three mats rats were used. Included by the control group and the experimental groups treated twice a week with 0.5, 5, 50, 1.5, 15, 150 mg/kg of nano-TiO2 (size 21 nm), for four consecutive weeks. Animals were sacrificed at 4 days, a month and three months post-instillation. The levels of tumor necrosis factor - α (TNF-α) and macrophage inflammatory protein- 2 (MIP-2) were measured in the lung homogenate and in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) supernatants by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and histopathological examination of liver tissue was performed. Results: The results showed that TiO2 NP induces many alterations in the liver structure after 4 days, a month and reduced after 3 months from intratracheal instillation. This included liver heavy infiltration of inflammatory cells, an increase of collagen density in portal triads, beginning of fibrosis formation and Glisson capsule thickness increase and TiO2 NPs reached the liver tissue after a month from exposure at all doses especially low doses (0.5, 1.5, 5) mg/kg of TiO2 NPs. Conclusion: The immune system was strongly responded in the groups treated with high doses (15, 50, 150) mg/kg of TiO2 NP leading to raising the concentration of α-TNF, and MIP-2 in BALF while they decrease in tissue homogenate.
Niche partitioning at multiple scales facilitates coexistence among mosquito larvae

A theoretical dichotomy in community ecology distinguishes between mechanisms that stabilize species coexistence and those that cause neutral drift. Stable coexistence is predicted to occur in communities where competing species have niche-partitioning mechanisms that reduce interspecific competition. Neutral communities are predicted to be structured by stochastic processes that are not influenced by species identity, but that may be influenced by priority effects and dispersal limitation. Recent developments have suggested that neutral interactions may be more common at local scales, while niche structuring may be more common at larger scales. We tested for mechanisms that could promote either stable coexistence or neutral drift in a bromeliad-dwelling mosquito community by evaluating A) if a hypothesized within-bromeliad niche partitioning mechanism occurs in the community, B) if this mechanism correlates with local species co-occurrence patterns, and C) if patterns of coexistence at the larger (metacommunity) scale were consistent with those at the local scale. We found that mosquitoes in this community do partition space within containers, and that species with the strongest potential for competition co-occurred least. Species with overlapping spatial niches minimized co-occurrence by specialising in bromeliads of differing sizes, effectively changing the scale at which they coexist. In contrast, we found no evidence to support neutral dynamics in mosquito communities at either scale. In this community, a niche-based mechanism that is predicted to stabilize species coexistence explains co-occurrence patterns within and among bromeliads.
Assessment of Genetic Mutations in Patients with Autism and Schizophrenia Nerve Cells in Tabriz, Iran 2017

In this study we have analyzed 100 people. 40 patients Autism disease and 60 persons control group.The gene polymorphisme 5-HTTLPR analyzed in terms of genetic mutations made. In this study, people who have genetic mutations were targeted, with nervous disorders, Autism disease. In fact, of all people with Autism disease. 40 patients Autism disease had a genetic mutations in the gene polymorphisme 5-HTTLPR Autism disease. Any genetic mutations in the target genes control group, did not show. The aim of this review is to summarize the key findings from genetic and epidemiological research, which show that autism is a complex disorder resulting from the combination of genetic and environmental factors. Remarkable advances in the knowledge of genetic causes of autism have resulted from the great efforts made in the field of genetics. The identification of specific alleles contributing to the autism spectrum has supplied important pieces for the autism puzzle. However, many questions remain unanswered, and new questions are raised by recent results. Moreover, given the amount of evidence supporting a significant contribution of environmental factors to autism risk, it is now clear that the search for environmental factors should be reinforced. One aspect of this search that has been neglected so far is the study of interactions between genes and environmental factors.
Release and fragmentation of aggregates to produce heterogeneous, lumpy coma streams

The unpredicted heterogeneity in particle number density in the coma of Wild 2 is consistent with delayed fragmentation to produce small particles from larger aggregates initially ejected from the cometary nucleus. The resultant heterogeneous inner coma results in stochastic variations in particle number and size distribution. Fragmentation can be accelerated after aggregate release by enhanced heating and one or more additional factors such as abrupt depressurization, phase transitions, exothermic chemical reactions, centrifugal forces, and electrostatic repulsion. Certain predicted characteristics of such in-flight disaggregation in coma particle streams correspond to known cometary phenomena.
Superradiant coherent photons and hypercomputation in brain microtubules considered as metamaterials

Several studies have suggested the theoretical possibility of considering human brain as supercomputer using superluminal evanescent photons eventually generated inside its microtubules to manipulate quantum bits in brain. In a previous work we have shown that in the water trapped inside brain microtubules could exist the conditions to allow a spontaneous QED quantum vacuum phase transition towards a macroscopic coherent quantum state characterized by a phased oscillation, at a rescaled frequency, between the water molecules states and an auto-generated electromagnetic field associated to a suitable electronic transition in them. As a result a self-trapped field of superradiant superluminal photons is just generated inside microtubules, characterized by an evanescent tail whose penetration depth is greater than the thickness of microtubules cylinder. In this way the interior of the brain MT cylinders can be considered as a resonant cavity for such superradiant photons whose refraction index depends on the rescaled coherent oscillation frequency. On the other hand it is already theoretical known and experimentally proven that a near perfect tunneling and amplification of evanescent electromagnetic waves is possible in a waveguide filled by a metamaterial. In this paper, basing on the consideration of some structural analogies between man-made metamaterials and some natural biological structures, we just propose the idea to interpret the inner medium of the brain microtubules cylinder as having the properties similar to those characterizing metamaterials and so able to specifically enhance the propagation of evanescent photons inside the neurons. Keywords—QED Coherence, Evanescent Photons, Metamaterials, Microtubules, Quantum Vacuum, Water.
Identification of proteins potentially associated with renal aging in rats

We established a young (Y)-old (O) rat kidney transplantation model. With this model, we detected no age-related differences in renal structure between Y→Y and Y→O kidneys or O→O and O→Y kidneys. However, we did detect differences in levels of the senescence markers β-gal and p16 as well as the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β. Using proteomics analysis we detected 66 proteins associated with suppression of aging and 73 proteins associated with enhancement of aging. After construction of a protein-protein interaction network, a total of 73 nodes and 99 edges were analyzed using MCODE, and three significant modules were selected. GO and KEGG analyses showed that these proteins were mainly located in mitochondria and were largely related to oxidative stress. Among them, SOD1 expression was lower in Y→O than Y→Y kidneys and higher in O→Y than O→O kidneys. Acetylated (Ac)-NF-κB showed the opposite expression profile. In addition, SOD1 expression was higher in primary tubular epithelial cells from young rats than old rats, and SOD1 knockdown led to increased Ac-NF-κB expression. These findings suggest the local renal environment, particularly oxidative stress/mitochondrial function, affects renal aging.
Spatio-Temporal Measurement of Convective Heat Transfer Using Infrared Thermography

Convective heat transfer is, by nature, generally nonuniform and unsteady, a fact reflected by three-dimensional flow near a wall. However, most experimental studies concerning convective heat transfer have been performed in a time-averaged manner or using one-point measurements. This frequently results in poor understanding of the heat transfer mechanisms. Measurement techniques for the temporal and spatial characteristics of heat transfer have been developed using liquid crystals (Iritani, et al., 1983; among others) or using infrared thermography (Hetsroni & Rozenblit, 1994; among others), by employing a thin test surface having a low heat capacity. However, the major problem with these measurements is attenuation and phase delay of the temperature fluctuation due to thermal inertia of the test surface. This becomes serious for higher fluctuating frequencies, for which the fluctuation amplitude weakens and ultimately becomes indistinguishable from noise. In addition, lateral conduction through the test surface attenuates the amplitude of the spatial temperature distribution. This becomes serious for smaller wavelength (higher wavenumber). These attenuations are considerably large, especially for the heat transfer to gaseous fluid such as air for which the heat transfer coefficient is low. The recent improvement of infrared thermograph with respect to temporal, spatial and temperature resolutions enable us to investigate detailed behavior of the heat transfer caused by flow turbulence. Analytical study indicated that the spatio-temporal distribution of the heat transfer to air caused by flow turbulence can be observed by employing modern infrared thermograph (for example, NETD less than 0.025 K and frame rate more than several hundred Hz) that records temperature fluctuations on a heated thin foil of sufficiently low heat capacity. In the former part of this chapter (sections 2 – 4), an analytical investigation was described on the frequency response and the spatial resolution of a thin foil for the heat transfer measurements. In order to derive general relationships, nondimensional variables of fluctuating frequency and spatial wavenumber were introduced to formulate the amplitude of temperature fluctuation and/or distribution on the test surface. Based on these relationships, the upper limits on the detectable fluctuating frequency fmax and spatial wavenumber kmax were formulated using governing parameters of the measurement system, i.e., thermophysical properties of the thin foil and noise-equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of infrared thermograph for a blackbody. In the latter part of this chapter, this technique was applied to measure the spatio-temporal distribution of turbulent heat transfer to air by employing a high-speed infrared
Using Recommendation to Explore Educational Video

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platforms have scaled online education to unprecedented enrollments, but remain limited by their rigid, predetermined curricula. Increasingly, professionals consume this content to augment or update specific skills rather than complete degree or certification programs. To better address the needs of this emergent user population, we describe a visual recommender system called MOOCex. The system recommends lecture videos acrossmultiple courses and content platforms to provide a choice of perspectives on topics. The recommendation engine considers both video content and sequential inter-topic relationships mined from course syllabi. Furthermore, it allows for interactive visual exploration of the semantic space of recommendations within a learner’s current context.
Electronic Nose using Gas Chromatography Column and Quartz Crystal Microbalance

The conventional electronic nose usually consists of an array of dissimilar chemical sensors such as quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) combined with pattern recognition algorithm such as Neural network. Because of parallel processing, the system needs a huge number of sensors and circuits which may emerge complexity and inter-channel crosstalk problems. In this research, a new type of odor identification which combines between gas chromatography (GC) and electronic nose methods has been developed. The system consists of a GC column and a 10-MHz quartz crystal microbalance sensor producing a unique pattern for an odor in time domain. This method offers advantages of substantially reduced size, interferences and power consumption in comparison to existing odor identification system. Several odors of organic compounds were introduced to evaluate the selectivity of the system. Principle component analysis method was used to visualize the classification of each odor in two-dimensional space. This system could resolve common organic solvents, including molecules of different classes (aromatic from alcohols) as well as those within a particular class (methanol from ethanol) and also fuels (premium from pertamax). The neural network can be taught to recognize the odors tested in the experiment with identification rate of 85 %. It is therefore the system may take the place of human nose, especially for poisonous odor evaluations.