Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors and therapies in vascular diseases: An umbrella review of updated systematic reviews and meta‐analyses

Aberrant blood vessel functioning and systemic circulation are key causes for vascular disorders; cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, renal artery stenosis, and peripheral artery diseases. Epidemiological and basic science evidence supported genetic reasons, compounded by obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking as risk factors. This is an umbrella review of risk factors and therapies in vascular disorders, exploring systematic reviews and meta‐analyses studies in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Central published in January 2000–May 2018. We made qualitative eligibility gradation of the articles based on inclusion criteria, and independently extracted descriptive and methodologic data to compile their outcomes. We considered 95% confidence interval and the between‐study heterogeneity, designated by I 2. Overall, we extracted 217 studies of impressive quality and at low risk of bias, including 124, 30, 23, 32, and 8, respectively, for the search terms “cardiovascular,” “renal,” “cerebral,” and “limb ischemia” each in combination with “risk factors” and “therapeutics. ” Our search on genome‐wide analyses revealed genes associated with HDL‐cholesterol, matrix metalloproteases, angiogenesis, notch3, renin‐angiotensin, apolipoprotein E, insulin, and cytokine levels as critical participants in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. Hypertension and endothelial growth factor‐linked polymorphisms were found to contribute to vascular damage. The studies reinforced that lifestyle and dietary patterns influenced susceptibility of circulatory system diseases. Additionally, endovascular medicines, surgical vascularization, angioplasty, and renal artery stenting appeared as major therapeutic approaches in vascular patients. Altogether, our review offers up‐to‐date information on pathophysiology of vascular diseases and provides insight into existing research, clinical management and clinical gaps in the field.
Energy efficient mapping on manycore with dynamic and partial reconfiguration: Application to a smart camera

This paper describes a methodology to improve the energy efficiency of high‐performance multiprocessor architectures with dynamic and partial reconfiguration (DPR), based on a thorough application study in the field of smart camera technology. Field‐programmable gate arrays are increasingly being used in cameras owing to their suitability for real‐time image processing with intensive, high‐performance tasks and to the recent advances in dynamic reconfiguration that further improve energy efficiency. The approach used to best exploit DPR is based on the better coupling of 2 decisive elements in the problem of heterogeneous deployment: design space exploration and advanced scheduling. We show how a tight integration of exploration, energy‐aware scheduling, common power models, and decision support in heterogeneous DPR multiprocessor system‐on‐a‐chip mapping can be used to improve the energy efficiency of hardware acceleration. Applying this to a mobile vehicle license‐plate tracking and recognition service results in up to a 19‐fold improvement in energy efficiency compared with software multiprocessor execution (in terms of energy‐delay product) and up to more than a threefold improvement compared with a multiprocessor with static hardware acceleration (ie, without DPR).
A joint analysis of metabolomic profiles associated with muscle mass and strength in Caucasian women

Both loss of muscle mass and strength are important sarcopenia-related traits. In this study, we investigated both specific and shared serum metabolites associated with these two traits in 136 Caucasian women using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method. A joint analysis of multivariate traits was used to examine the associations of individual metabolites with muscle mass measured by the body mass index-adjusted appendicular lean mass (ALM/BMI) and muscle strength measured by hand grip strength (HGS). After adjusting for multiple testing, nine metabolites including two amino acids (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) and an amino acid derive (pipecolic acid), one peptide (phenylalanyl-threonine), one carbohydrate (methyl beta-D-glucopyranoside), and four lipids (12S-HETRE, arachidonic acid, 12S-HETE, and glycerophosphocholine) were significant in the joint analysis. Of them, the two amino acids (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) and two lipids (12S-HETRE and 12S-HETE) were associated with both ALM/BMI and HGS, and the other five were only associated with ALM/BMI. The pathway analysis showed the amino acid metabolism pathways (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) might play important roles in the regulation of muscle mass and strength. In conclusion, our study identified novel metabolites associated with sarcopenia-related traits, suggesting novel metabolic pathways for muscle regulation.
Reward Network Modulation as a Mechanism of Change in Behavioral Activation

Behavioral Activation (BA) is a contemporary third-wave psychosocial treatment approach that emphasizes helping individuals become more active in ways that are meaningful to them as a means of improving mood and quality of life. BA has been designated as a well-established, validated treatment for depression by the American Psychological Association following several decades of accumulated empirical support demonstrating that BA techniques successfully reduce depression symptoms and produce other desirable outcomes across a variety of populations and contexts. The purported mechanism of change underlying BA treatment lies in increasing activation, which in turn increases contact with positive reinforcement thereby reversing the cycle of depression. Current studies are further investigating how increasing activation and subsequent contact with mood reinforcers can influence mood and behavior. Specifically, there is growing evidence that BA modifies function of reward-related networks in the brain, and that these changes are associated with clinical improvement. Herein, we provide a brief history of BA, describe the primary components of BA treatment, and describe BA’s purported mechanisms of change at behavioral, neural, and subjective activation levels. We present limitations as well as gaps in the current state of knowledge regarding mechanisms of action of BA.
Regulatory T Cells in Systemic Sclerosis

In recent years, accumulating evidence suggest that regulatory T cells (Tregs) are of paramount importance for the maintenance of immunological self-tolerance and immune homeostasis, even though they represent only about 5–10% of the peripheral CD4+ T cells in humans. Their key role is indeed supported by the spontaneous development of autoimmune diseases after Tregs depletion in mice. Moreover, there is also a growing literature that investigates possible contribution of Tregs numbers and activity in various autoimmune diseases. The contribution of Tregs in autoimmune disease has opened up a new therapeutic avenue based on restoring a healthy balance between Tregs and effector T-cells, such as Treg-based cellular transfer or low-dose IL-2 modulation. These therapies hold the promise of modulating the immune system without immunosuppression, while several issues regarding efficacy and safety need to be addressed. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an orphan connective tissue disease characterized by extensive immune abnormalities but also microvascular injury and fibrosis. Recently, data about the presence and function of Tregs in the pathogenesis of SSc have emerged although they remain scarce so far. First, there is a general agreement in the medical literature with regard to the decreased functional ability of circulating Tregs in SSc. Second the quantification of Tregs in patients have led to contradictory results; although the majority of the studies report reduced frequencies, there are conversely some indications suggesting that in case of disease activity circulating Tregs may increase. This paradoxical situation could be the result of a compensatory, but inefficient, amplification of Tregs in the context of inflammation. Nevertheless, these results must be tempered with regards to the heterogeneity of the studies for the phenotyping of the patients and of the most importance for Tregs definition and activity markers. Therefore, taking into account the appealing developments of Tregs roles in autoimmune diseases, together with preliminary data published in SSc, there is growing interest in deciphering Tregs in SSc, both in humans and mice models, to clarify whether the promises obtained in other autoimmune diseases may also apply to SSc.
Next-Point Prediction for Direct Touch Using Finite-Time Derivative Estimation

End-to-end latency in interactive systems is detrimental to performance and usability, and comes from a combination of hardware and software delays. While these delays are steadily addressed by hardware and software improvements, it is at a decelerating pace. In parallel, short-term input prediction has shown promising results in recent years, in both research and industry, as an addition to these efforts. We describe a new prediction algorithm for direct touch devices based on (i) a state-of-the-art finite-time derivative estimator, (ii) a smoothing mechanism based on input speed, and (iii) a post-filtering of the prediction in two steps. Using both a pre-existing dataset of touch input as benchmark, and subjective data from a new user study, we show that this new predictor outperforms the predictors currently available in the literature and industry, based on metrics that model user-defined negative side-effects caused by input prediction. In particular, we show that our predictor can predict up to 2 or 3 times further than existing techniques with minimal negative side-effects.
Can compression stockings reduce the degree of soccer match-induced fatigue in females?

ABSTRACT Soccer-induced fatigue and performance are different between the sexes. The effect of compression stockings (CS) use on fatigue during the soccer match in females is unknown. Thus, we evaluated the impact of CS use during a female soccer match on match-induced fatigue. Twenty soccer players were randomly allocated to two groups (n = 10 for each group): CS and Control (regular socks), and equally distributed within two teams. At rest (baseline 48-h before the match) and immediately post-match, we assessed agility T-test, standing heel-rise test and YoYo Intermittent Endurance Test level 2 (YoYoIE2) performance. Effort during the match (heart rate and rating of perceived exertion) was similar (p > 0.05) between groups. The YoYoIE2 performance was decreased post-match (p < 0.05) equally for both groups. Otherwise, the CS group exhibited a greater post-match performance (p < 0.05) for the agility T-test and heel-rise test (large effect sizes). Therefore, we conclude that the use of CS during an amateur female soccer match resulted in less match-induced fatigue.
Utilizing Social Networks Data for Trust Management in a Social Internet of Things Network

Social Internet of Things (SIoT), an amalgamation of Social Networking concepts to the Internet of Things (IoT), is a strong architectural alternative for IoT solutions. A lot of research work in SIoT has proposed the use of social networking data for community and trust management in SIoT networks. While it seems like an interesting choice, it is important to analyze the effectiveness of social networking data for application to SIoT. In this paper, we analyze the accuracy of using tie information from the Facebook Friend Graph to mimic real-world SIoT network ties. We also discuss a method for ranking the strength of ties in a SIoT network by analyzing the structure of the Facebook Friend Graph. A similar analysis can be performed on data available from other Social Networking platforms, like Twitter, LinkedIn etc.
Bowen's Disease of the Nipple

Bowen’s disease is a type of intraepidermal squamous cell carcinoma that commonly develops in areas of the skin exposed to sunlight, such as the scalp, trunk, and limbs. Although development of Bowen’s disease in other sites, such as the nipple, is extremely rare, we herein report our experience with one such case. A 76-year-old female presented to our hospital with complaints of right nipple pruritus. We diagnosed Bowen’s disease via nipple skin biopsy, and the patient underwent right nipple resection. The deep tissue margin was positive for malignancy; therefore, the patient subsequently underwent right partial mastectomy. Histopathology revealed tumor cells inside the lactiferous ducts, but the resection margin was negative for malignancy. Bowen’s disease of the nipple may progress from the skin to the lactiferous ducts. Clinical findings can be used to evaluate lesion progression and determine the necessary extent of skin and mammary gland resection.
Towards an open-standards based framework for achieving condition-based predictive maintenance

The advent of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology has significantly optimized the industrial operations management by connecting industrial assets with information systems and, hence, with business processes. The IIoT forms the backbone for materializing the Industry 4.0 initiative. Actionable insights obtained from industrial analytics are one of the pivotal means for achieving intelligent operations and maintenance. Intelligence refers to making optimal decisions for both automated and human-in-the-loop decision making. Condition-based predictive maintenance (CBPdM), also known as Maintenance 4.0, is among the major focus points of the Industry 4.0 and IIoT. In this paper, we discuss the existing standards related to condition-based maintenance and the potential of the Open Industrial Interoperability Ecosystem (OIIE), a MIMOSA led initiative, as a framework which extends previous open standards for achieving CBPdM. We illustrate how the framework addresses the requirements of Industry 4.0 and CBPdM.
Mixed-Reality for Object-Focused Remote Collaboration

In this paper we outline the design of a mixed-reality system to support object-focused remote collaboration. Here, being able to adjust collaborators' perspectives on the object as well as understand one another's perspective is essential to support effective collaboration over distance. We propose a low-cost mixed-reality system that allows users to: (1) quickly align and understand each other's perspective; (2) explore objects independently from one another, and (3) render gestures in the remote's workspace. In this work, we focus on the expert's role and we introduce an interaction technique allowing users to quickly manipulation 3D virtual objects in space.
An assessment of antiretroviral drug initiation to pregnant women of unknown HIV status during labour and delivery in Cameroon

Background: Evidence from previous research has shown that antiretroviral (ARV) drug initiation to seropositive pregnant women could significantly contribute to eliminating new paediatric infections even when started during labour and delivery. This study therefore seeks to assess missed opportunities for ARV initiation during this critical period of pregnancy to improve outcomes of the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes in Cameroon. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on the 2014 PMTCT data for labour and delivery among pregnant women of unknown HIV status within health facilities in six regions of Cameroon (428 eligible facilities). Outcomes were summarised using (relative) frequencies. ARV initiations for eligible facilities were stratified per region and per facility type (public and private facilities). Initiation to ARV was reported using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results: An average of 14.6% of the 9 170 pregnant women presenting with unknown HIV status at labour and delivery, were diagnosed HIV-positive. A cumulative average from the six regions revealed that only half (51.4%) of these seropositive women received an ARV regimen. The findings from the North-West region depict 100% initiation to ARV among the study population. The odds of ARV initiation in the study population was more likely in the public health facilities than the private facilities for five regions, excluding the North-West (odds ratio of 1.35 [1.07, 170]). Conclusion: A significant portion of women do not receive the care required, especially in private health facilities. Evidence from the results in the North West region suggest that processes to address health system barriers to improve PMTCT uptake are feasible in Cameroon.
Using a quality improvement approach to improve care for latent tuberculosis infection

ABSTRACT Introduction: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) management is recognized as a key component of the World Health Organization End Tuberculosis Strategy. The term ‘cascade of care in LTBI’ has recently been used to refer to the process of LTBI management from identification of persons who may have LTBI to completion of treatment. Large gaps throughout the LTBI cascade of care have been identified. Areas covered: We have reviewed quality improvement (QI) as a potential approach for systematically improving gaps within the LTBI cascade of care. QI principles and approaches were reviewed, as well as the determinants of losses and evidence for solutions (interventions) within the LTBI cascade of care. An example of QI application in LTBI management is described. Expert commentary: Improving LTBI care at the magnitude required to reach the End TB Strategy goals will require systematic and context specific improvements at all steps in the cascade of care in LTBI. A continuous QI approach based on systems thinking, use of locally gathered data, and an iterative learning process can facilitate the process required to make the necessary improvements.
Significance of Perioperative Tests to Diagnose the Infection in Revision Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of perioperative tests for the diagnosis of infection in revision shoulder arthroplasty. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 537 shoulder arthroplasties (429 patients) that underwent revision shoulder arthroplasty at our institution. Periprosthetic tissue cultures were positive in 169/537 surgeries. Results White-blood cell count (WBC) was elevated in 3.8% revision arthroplasties. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was elevated in 23.1% revision arthroplasties. The C-reactive protein (CRP) was elevated in 20.8% revision arthroplasties. Bone scans (technetium, indium) were performed on 9.9% patients and it was positive for osteomyelitis in just one revision arthroplasty. Intra-operative pathology was read as consistent with acute inflammation in 11.9% revision arthroplasties. The positive and negative predictive values for intra-operative pathology were 56.7% and 71.6% respectively. Conclusion All of the perioperative tests had a high specificity and negative predictive value, but low sensitivity and positive predictive value.
Project ECHO: telementoring to educate and support prescribing of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis by community medical providers.

Background Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective tool to prevent HIV infection for at-risk individuals, but access requires medical providers to be aware of and comfortable with prescribing PrEP. Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) was started to support hepatitis C virus treatment in rural New Mexico, but has since expanded to train health practitioners to treat other medical conditions in other locations. METHODS In 2012, a Project ECHO telehealth program was launched to mentor community HIV practitioners in our region. In July 2015, quarterly PrEP didactics and monthly PrEP case discussions were incorporated into this program. The result was a pilot PrEP telementoring intervention. An initial nine-question survey assessed baseline community practitioner knowledge and attitudes towards PrEP, and a follow-up 16-item survey 2 years later assessed the effect of Project ECHO on PrEP knowledge, concerns and prescribing practices. RESULTS Twenty-four and 45 medical providers completed the baseline and follow-up surveys respectively. In follow-up, providers reported that Project ECHO participation helped them stay current on PrEP guidelines, improved knowledge, increased likelihood to prescribe PrEP and addressed most concerns about prescribing PrEP. One exception was continued concerns about cost and insurance access, which were addressed by adjusting the didactic curriculum. Many participants reported that the Project ECHO pilot PrEP telementoring intervention assisted them in disseminating PrEP knowledge to other medical providers in their region. CONCLUSIONS It is feasible to incorporate PrEP training into Project ECHO distance telementoring programs as a tool to educate community practitioners and support PrEP prescribing.
SyntaxSQLNet: Syntax Tree Networks for Complex and Cross-Domain Text-to-SQL Task

Most existing studies in text-to-SQL tasks do not require generating complex SQL queries with multiple clauses or sub-queries, and generalizing to new, unseen databases. In this paper we propose SyntaxSQLNet, a syntax tree network to address the complex and cross-domain text-to-SQL generation task. SyntaxSQLNet employs a SQL specific syntax tree-based decoder with SQL generation path history and table-aware column attention encoders. We evaluate SyntaxSQLNet on a new large-scale text-to-SQL corpus containing databases with multiple tables and complex SQL queries containing multiple SQL clauses and nested queries. We use a database split setting where databases in the test set are unseen during training. Experimental results show that SyntaxSQLNet can handle a significantly greater number of complex SQL examples than prior work, outperforming the previous state-of-the-art model by 9.5% in exact matching accuracy. To our knowledge, we are the first to study this complex text-to-SQL task. Our task and models with the latest updates are available at https://yale-lily.github. io/seq2sql/spider.
Shape-Aware Material: Interactive Fabrication with ShapeMe

Makers often create both physical and digital prototypes to explore a design, taking advantage of the subtle feel of physical materials and the precision and power of digital models. We introduce ShapeMe, a novel smart material that captures its own geometry as it is physically cut by an artist or designer. ShapeMe includes a software toolkit that lets its users generate customized, embeddable sensors that can accommodate various object shapes. As the designer works on a physical prototype, the toolkit streams the artist's physical changes to its digital counterpart in a 3D CAD environment. We use a rapid, inexpensive and simple-to-manufacture inkjet printing technique to create embedded sensors. We successfully created a linear predictive model of the sensors' lengths, and our empirical tests of ShapeMe show an average accuracy of 2 to 3 mm. We present two application scenarios for modeling multi-object constructions, such as architectural models, and 3D models consisting of multiple layers stacked one on top of each other. ShapeMe demonstrates a novel technique for integrating digital and physical modeling, and suggests new possibilities for creating shape-aware materials.