Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The COPD Foundation's COPD360Net Initiative Approach to Patient-Centric Drug Development: A Case Study in Using Patient Surveys to Inform New Treatments for Viral Respiratory Infections

Patient-centric drug development is crucial to creating treatments that address unmet patient needs but is often ignored. The COPD Foundation's COPD360Net® includes a multistakeholder approach for operationalizing patient-centric development of treatments where patients, caregivers, scientists, and clinicians review opportunities based on scientific merit, potential to address an unmet need, and feasibility of adoption. COPD360Net deploys large-scale online community surveys to review profiles of potential therapies based on those criteria. This approach was implemented to inform the development of an intranasal spray to prevent viral respiratory infections (VRIs), a major cause of exacerbations in people with chronic lung diseases. Insights included: Of the 376 respondents with COPD surveyed, frequent exacerbators reported strong interest in a new type of antiviral nasal spray to prevent VRI. Patient survey and advisory committee insights demonstrated that a pan antiviral nasal spray has potential high value to both clinicians and patients and informed the COPD360Net decision to partner on its development. Including patient perspectives from the outset can be conducted efficiently by mobilizing an engaged online patient community.
Understanding Impact of Lossy Compression on Derivative-related Metrics in Scientific Datasets

Today's scientific simulations are producing ex-tremely large amount of data everyday, which induces grand challenges in transferring and storing the data efficiently. Error-bounded lossy compression has been thought of as the most promising solution to the bigdata issue, however, it would cause data distortion that has to be controlled carefully for user's post-hoc analysis. Recently, the preservation of quantities of interest has become a priority. Derivative-related metrics are critical quantities of interest for many applications across domains. How-ever, no prior research explored the impact of lossy compression on derivative-related metrics in particular. In this paper, we focus on understanding the impact of various error-controlled lossy compressors on multiple derivative-related metrics commonly concerned by users. We perform solid experiments that involve 5 state-of-the-art lossy compressors and 4 real-world application datasets. We summarize 5 valuable takeaways, which can shed some light in understanding the impact of lossy compression on derivative- related metrics.
An Ultra High Gain Converter for Driving HASEL Actuator Used in Soft Mobile Robots

Soft robots have the potential to fundamentally change interactions between robots and the surrounding environment, and between robots and animals, and robots and humans in ways that today’s hard robots are incapable of doing. However, to realize this potential, soft robot actuators require extremely high voltage supplies of more than 4 kV. The electronics that can satisfy this need currently are either too large and bulky or unable to achieve the high power efficiency required for mobile systems. To meet this challenge, this paper conceptualizes, analyzes, designs, and validates a hardware prototype of an ultra-high gain (UHG) converter that can support extremely large conversion ratios up to ∼1000× to provide up to 5 kV output voltage from an input voltage of ∼5–10 V. This converter is demonstrated to be able to drive HASEL (Hydraulically Amplified Self-Healing Electrostatic) actuators, a promising candidate to realize future soft mobile robotic fishes, from an input voltage range of a 1-cell battery pack. The circuit topology employs a unique hybrid combination of a high-gain switched magnetic element (HGSME) and a diode and capacitor-based voltage multiplier rectifier (DCVMR) to enable compact magnetic elements, efficient soft-charging in all flying capacitors, and adjustable output voltage capability with simple duty-cycle modulation. Achieving an efficiency of 78.2% at 15 W output power, while providing 3.85 kV output from 8.5 V input, the proposed UGH converter proves to be a promising candidate for future untethered soft robots.
Analysis of the impact on the customer experience due to the integration of interactive technology in a retail space

The presence of technology in physical retail sites has a great tendency to incorporate smart and interactive elements; given this situation, the concept of smart retail arises to reinvent and, at the same time reinforcing, the role of stores in offering a better customer experience to consumers through the use of technology. This study explores the level of acceptance, interaction, and perception of users in technologically improved environments, the role of technology as a variable in the store's atmosphere
Country-wide analysis of the potential use of harwarders for final fellings in Sweden

ABSTRACT There is a need to decrease the costs of cut-to-length operations. The harwarder, a one-machine system with the potential to reduce the costs, has been compared to the two-machine system (TMS) at the stand and regional levels but not at the national level, which is important as basis for decision to implement. The objective was therefore to analyze its potential on a large scale in Swedish final fellings. It was evaluated using two modeling approaches in conjunction with data representing around 30% of Sweden’s yearly final fellings from five forestry organizations. The analyses revealed that total costs could be reduced by around 3% if up to 50% of the total volume was logged using harwarders rather than the TMS. This would require the introduction of up to 250 harwarders into machine fleets that currently use only the TMS. The two modeling approaches gave similar results. It was concluded that the harwarder may need to demonstrate greater potential to justify a full-scale implementation in Swedish forestry, but the machine could be improved through technological development, especially through automation.
Perception of secondary school science and mathematics teachers on Professional development participation in Zamfara State, Nigeria

The study adopted a descriptive survey design to examine the perception of secondary school science and mathematics teachers on professional development in Zamfara State, Nigeria. The population of the study consisted of all Science and Mathematics teachers in public secondary schools in Zamfara State. A sample of 217 respondents were drawn through purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Four research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. Analysis of data was done using descriptive statistics and z-test. The study revealed that science and mathematics teachers in Zamfara State have low level of awareness on the various types of professional development programmes and have not been participating in the programmes. They ascribed these to the lack of incentives, lack of employer support, too expensive/unaffordable and poor publicity. They also identified content knowledge and pedagogy of teaching as the two major areas they needed professional development. The two groups of teachers have no significant difference on the areas they needed professional development as well as on the barriers impeding their participation. The study recommended among others that, government should regularly sponsor teachers to attend professional development programmes and that teachers should explore and take advantage of numerous free professional development opportunities.
Farrerol Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Protects Them From Oxidative Injury via Bidirectional Modulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway

The inhibition of intimal hyperplasia (IH) is an effective strategy to improve the long-term outcome of endovascular therapy and prevent restenosis. Farrerol, a naturally occurring dihydroflavone with a variety of bioactivities, exerts inhibitory effects against balloon injury-induced IH in rats. In the present study, bioinformatics analysis, in combination with in vitro experimental validation, was performed to elucidate the underlying inhibitory mechanisms. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was assessed to identify farrerol-related protein targets in the context of IH, based on which biological functions and pathway enrichment were analyzed. The proliferation and cell cycle distribution of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were investigated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide and 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine incorporation assays and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. The level of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the cell culture medium was estimated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Protein expression in A7r5 cells was determined by western blotting. Forty-six IH-related targets of farrerol were identified, and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway was highly enriched among the 43 predicted pathways (P < .05). In serum (10% fetal bovine serum)-induced A7r5 cells, farrerol inhibited proliferation through non-cytotoxic effects, induced cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase, and suppressed the activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In H2O2 (300 µM)-induced A7r5 cells, farrerol reduced the release of IL-1β and TNF-α and reversed the suppressive effect on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in response to H2O2 stimulation. In conclusion, farrerol inhibits the proliferation of VSMCs and protects VSMCs from oxidative injury via the bidirectional modulation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, which might contribute to the suppression of neointima formation.
Design and properties of the predictive ratio cusum (PRC) control charts

Abstract In statistical process control/monitoring (SPC/M), memory-based control charts aim to detect small/medium persistent parameter shifts. When a phase I calibration is not feasible, self-starting methods have been proposed, with the predictive ratio cusum (PRC) being one of them. To apply such methods in practice, one needs to derive the decision limit threshold that will guarantee a preset false alarm tolerance, a very difficult task when the process parameters are unknown and their estimate is sequentially updated. Utilizing the Bayesian framework in PRC, we will provide the theoretic framework that will allow to derive a decision-making threshold, based on false alarm tolerance, which along with the PRC closed-form monitoring scheme will permit its straightforward application in real-life practice. An enhancement of PRC is proposed, and a simulation study evaluates its robustness against competitors for various model type misspecifications. Finally, three real data sets (normal, Poisson, and binomial) illustrate its implementation in practice. Technical details, algorithms, and R-codes reproducing the illustrations are provided as supplementary material.
Exploring the Effects of Tasks with Different Decision-Making Levels on Ball Control, Passing Performance, and External Load in Youth Football

This study aimed to understand how the design of decision-making tasks affects youth football players’ ball control, passing performance, and external load. A total of 16 male youth football players (age: 12.94 ± 0.25 years) competed in various tasks based on the following levels of decision-making: (i) low decision-making (Low DM), which consisted of a predefined ball control and passing sequence; (ii) moderate decision-making (Mod DM), which consisted of maintaining possession in a square with four players and two balls while maintaining the same position; and (iii) high decision-making (High DM), which consisted of a 3 vs. 3 + 2 neutral players ball possession game. The study design consisted of a pre–post design (a 6 min pre-test game, a 6 min intervention, and a 6 min post-test game). The players’ ball control and passing performance were measured using the game performance evaluation tool and notational analysis, while GPS data were used to determine their physical performance. The pre–post test analysis revealed decrements in players’ ability to identify more offensive players after the Mod DM task (W = 9.50, p = 0.016), while there was an increase in their ability to receive the ball towards the space following the High DM task (t = −2.40, p = 0.016). Analysis between groups showed lower values in most ball control variables for the Low DM task compared to the Mod DM task (ball control execution, p = 0.030; appropriateness, p = 0.031; motor space, p = 0.025), while there were also lower values in the distance covered while sprinting (p = 0.042). Overall, prescriptive tasks (Low DM) that are repetitive in nature may affect players’ perceptual attunement, whereas static tasks (e.g., Mod DM) may limit their ability to locate players in more offensive positions. Moreover, game-based situations (High DM) seem to acutely enhance players’ performance, possibly due to contextual dependency. Overall, coaches should carefully consider the type of practice structure when designing tasks that aim to improve players’ technical skills in youth football.
High-speed fluorescence molecular tomography reconstructions through a sparsity constrained neural network

Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) has gained prominence in recent years as a viable optical imaging technique for non-invasive, high-sensitivity, tomographic imaging of the brain. While optical imaging methods have demonstrated promising results for quantitative imaging of functional changes in the brain, they are still limited in their abilities to achieve high spatial and temporal resolution. To address these challenges, we present here a deep learning solution for FMT reconstructions, which implements a neural network with our novel asymptotic sparse function from our previously introduced sensitivity equation-based non-iterative sparse optical reconstruction (SENSOR) code to achieve highresolution and sparse reconstructions using only learned parameters. We evaluate the proposed network through numerical phantom experiments. Furthermore, once the network is trained, the total reconstruction time is independent of the number of sources and wavelengths used.
Dynamo Action Driven by Shear and Magnetic Buoyancy

We present direct numerical simulations based on the full MHD equations of dynamo action in a nonrotating, convectively stable layer containing a forced, localized velocity shear. The dynamo operates by the interaction of two MHD processes: the production of toroidal magnetic field from poloidal field by the shear, and the regeneration of poloidal loops from toroidal field due to the combined action of magnetic buoyancy and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. The nature of the dynamo process is such that it can occur only if the initial magnetic fields exceed a critical value that typically depends on the magnetic Reynolds number. As such, this dynamo does not operate in the kinematic limit. Several different behaviors are observed, including steady dynamo production and cyclic as well as chaotic activity. In the cyclic regimes, the dynamo process exhibits polarity reversals and periods of reduced activity.
Description of Core Performance Measures and Indicators of Patient Safety Used by Select Government and Private Hospitals in the Philippines

Background. In 2008, the Department of Health (DOH) issued Administrative Order 2008-0023 that called for an “effective and efficient monitoring system that will link all patient safety initiatives”. However, there are still no explicit and harmonized targets to measure effectiveness and to provide benchmarks that assess whether previous efforts were helpful. Objective. The study aimed to describe the status of patient safety performance measures and indicators on the international patient safety goals (IPSGs) in select hospitals in the Philippines. Methods. Descriptive, cross-sectional design was used to investigate currently used performance measures and indicators. Data collection included administration of a Hospital Patient Safety Indicators Questionnaire (HPSIQ) that summarized the currently used patient safety measures and indicators in the sampled Level 2 and level 3 hospitals and triangulation by review of documents such as hospital databases, protocols on reporting, and manuals for information gathering regarding patient safety. Performance measures were categorized using the Donabedian framework. Core indicators were identified through review of standards that cut across the six IPSGs and evaluation of overarching processes and concepts in patient safety. Results. Forty-one level 2 and 3 hospitals participated in the study. Most performance indicators were process measures (52%), while structure (31%) and outcome measures (17%) accounted for the rest. There is an obvious lack of structural requirements for patient safety in the hospitals included in this study. Less than half the hospitals surveyed implement risk assessment and management consistently. Reporting of events, near-misses, and patient safety data are widely varied among hospitals. Data utilization for quality improvement is not fully established in many of the hospitals. Patient engagement is not integrated in service delivery and performance measurement but is crucial in promoting patient safety. Conclusion. Mechanisms to improve hospitals’ capacity to monitor, anticipate, and reduce risk of patient harm during the provision of healthcare should be provided. Having a unified set of definitions and protocols for measurement will facilitate reliable monitoring and improvement. Leadership and governance, both internal (e.g., hospital administrators) and external (e.g., DOH) that recognize a data-driven approach to policymaking and improvement of service delivery are crucial in promoting patient safety.
A Synergistic pH-Responsive Serum Albumin-Based Drug Delivery System Loaded with Doxorubicin and Pentacyclic Triterpene Betulinic Acid for Potential Treatment of NSCLC

Nanosized drug delivery systems (DDS) have been studied as a novel strategy against cancer due to their potential to simultaneously decrease drug inactivation and systemic toxicity and increase passive and/or active drug accumulation within the tumor(s). Triterpenes are plant-derived compounds with interesting therapeutic properties. Betulinic acid (BeA) is a pentacyclic triterpene that has great cytotoxic activity against different cancer types. Herein, we developed a nanosized protein-based DDS of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the drug carrier combining two compounds, doxorubicin (Dox) and the triterpene BeA, using an oil-water-like micro-emulsion method. We used spectrophotometric assays to determine protein and drug concentrations in the DDS. The biophysical properties of these DDS were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, confirming nanoparticle (NP) formation and drug loading into the protein structure, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency was 77% for Dox and 18% for BeA. More than 50% of both drugs were released within 24 h at pH 6.8, while less drug was released at pH 7.4 in this period. Co-incubation viability assays of Dox and BeA alone for 24 h demonstrated synergistic cytotoxic activity in the low μM range against non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) A549 cells. Viability assays of the BSA-(Dox+BeA) DDS demonstrated a higher synergistic cytotoxic activity than the two drugs with no carrier. Moreover, confocal microscopy analysis confirmed the cellular internalization of the DDS and the accumulation of the Dox in the nucleus. We determined the mechanism of action of the BSA-(Dox+BeA) DDS, confirming S-phase cell cycle arrest, DNA damage, caspase cascade activation, and downregulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression. This DDS has the potential to synergistically maximize the therapeutic effect of Dox and diminish chemoresistance induced by EGFR expression using a natural triterpene against NSCLC.
Identification of two-dimensional transfer functions from finite input-output data

In this paper, a procedure is developed to compute a two-dimensional transfer function from measured input-output data. The procedure is based on a recently developed 2-D Hankel theory. The procedure first checks the rank of a 2-D Hankel matrix. If the matrix satisfies certain rank conditions, a transfer function, which matches the given set of impulse responses, can then be computed.
Asymptotic Expansions for Eigenvalues of the Lamé System in the Presence of Small Inclusions

We derive a complete asymptotic expansion for eigenvalues of the Lamé system of the linear elasticity in domains with small inclusions in three dimensions. By an integral equation formulation of the solutions to the harmonic oscillatory linear elastic equation, we reduce this problem to the study of the characteristic values of integral operators in the complex planes. Generalized Rouché's theorem and other techniques from the theory of meromorphic operator-valued functions are combined with asymptotic analysis of integral kernels to obtain full asymptotic expansions for eigenvalues.
Wideband and Stable-Gain Cavity-Backed Slot Antenna With Inner Cavity Walls and Baffle for X- and Ku-Band Applications

A <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2\times2$ </tex-math></inline-formula> element cavity-backed waveguide slot antenna array, which covers the entire Ku-band and a part of the X-band satellite communication (SatCom) frequency bands is designed. The antenna is fed by a slot on the feed waveguide of WR75, which feeds four radiating slots through a cavity structure. To enhance impedance matching, inner cavity walls are introduced on the resonant cavity structure. A baffle is also placed between radiating slots to reduce mutual coupling and increase operating bandwidth and gain. The feeding slot, radiating slots, cavity, cavity inner walls, and baffle are optimized to achieve the highest bandwidth, gain, and low cross-polarization (Xpol) levels. The proposed <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2\times2$ </tex-math></inline-formula> element array antenna is fabricated by aluminum via traditional computer numerical control (CNC) milling. The measured results demonstrate that the <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2\times2$ </tex-math></inline-formula> element antenna array has an operating bandwidth of 48.2% (from 9.6 to 15.7 GHz) for return loss greater than 10 dB and broadside gain varies from 11.5 to 14 dBi over the entire operating band. The measured 1 dB down gain bandwidth is 43.4% (from 10.1 to 15.7 GHz). Xpol levels are better than −28 dB of both E- and H-planes throughout the band. The antenna has a compact aperture size of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.88\lambda _{\mathrm {o}} \times 1.85\lambda _{\mathrm {o}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$44.5\times43.9$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm) at the center frequency (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\lambda _{\mathrm {o}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> refers to the wavelength of free space at 12.7 GHz−23.6 mm). Furthermore, the antenna has a low profile which means the height is only <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$0.6\lambda _{\mathrm {o}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> including the baffle. The design which spans a part of the X-band, the entire TX and RX bands of the Ku-band, can be utilized in the direct broadcast from satellite (DBS) applications, which use linear polarization such as vehicular and airborne terminals especially unmanned aerial devices in the array form. In addition, to demonstrate the viability of the suggested antenna for high gain applications wideband <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2\times4$ </tex-math></inline-formula> element antenna array with an appropriate feed network is developed through only simulation.