Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of age-related hearing loss with cognitive impairment and dementia: an umbrella review

Background Hearing loss, cognitive impairment and dementia have become common problems for older adults. Currently, systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the association between age-related hearing loss (ARHL) with cognitive impairment and dementia may have inconsistent results. To explore and validate the association between ARHL with cognitive impairment and dementia through summarizing and evaluating existing evidence. Methods From inception to February 01, 2023, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched. AMSTAR 2 was used to evaluate methodological quality and GRADE system was used to evaluate evidence quality. We summarized the basic characteristics of the included studies and extracted effect data for ARHL with cognitive impairment and dementia. Forest plots were used to describe the relative risk associated with ARHL and cognitive impairment, and the relative risk associated with ARHL and dementia, respectively. Results A total of 11 systematic reviews and meta-analyses met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the methodological quality of the included SRs/MAs was moderate and the quality of the evidence was low. The combined results found that the pooled risk ratio of ARHL and cognitive impairment was 1.30 (random-effects; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.45), and the pooled risk ratio of ARHL and dementia was 1.59 (random-effects; 95% CI 1.34 to 1.90). Conclusion Based on the evidence reported in this umbrella review, age-related hearing loss is significantly associated with cognitive impairment and dementia. Hearing loss may be a high risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults.
Survival benefit with checkpoint inhibitors versus chemotherapy is modified by brain metastases in patients with recurrent small cell lung cancer

Introduction Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a rapidly growing malignancy with early distant metastases. Up to 70% will develop brain metastases, and the poor prognosis of these patients has not changed considerably. The potential of checkpoint inhibitors (CPI) in treating recurrent (r/r) SCLC and their effect on brain metastases remain unclear. Methods In this retrospective multicenter study, we analyzed r/r SCLC patients receiving second or further-line CPI versus chemotherapy between 2010 and 2020. We applied multivariable-adjusted Cox regression analysis to test for differences in 1-year mortality and real-world progression. We then used interaction analysis to evaluate whether brain metastases (BM) and/or cranial radiotherapy (CRT) modified the effect of CPI versus chemotherapy on overall survival. Results Among 285 patients, 99 (35%) received CPI and 186 (65%) patients received chemotherapy. Most patients (93%) in the CPI group received nivolumab/ipilimumab. Chemotherapy patients were entirely CPI-naïve and only one CPI patient had received atezolizumab for first-line treatment. CPI was associated with a lower risk of 1-year mortality (adjusted Hazard Ratio [HRadj] 0.59, 95% CI 0.42 to 0.82, p=0.002). This benefit was modified by BM and CRT, indicating a pronounced effect in patients without BM (with CRT: HRadj 0.34, p=0.003; no CRT: HRadj 0.50, p=0.05), while there was no effect in patients with BM who received CRT (HRadj 0.85, p=0.59). Conclusion CPI was associated with a lower risk of 1-year mortality compared to chemotherapy. However, the effect on OS was significantly modified by intracranial disease and radiotherapy, suggesting the benefit was driven by patients without BM.
A rare case of bilateral lung metastasis from renal cell carcinoma 26 years after nephrectomy

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignant tumor that often metastasizes early. About 33% of RCC patients present with metastatic masses, mostly in the lungs. Our patient was a 66-year-old woman who had a left-sided nephrectomy for RCC 26 years ago. Before the current presentation, she sought medical advice for about a year because of her easy fatigability, which was attributed to her normocytic normochromic anemia. Incidentally, a mass was discovered in each lung, which was found histopathologically and immunohistochemically to be a metastasis of RCC. The patient received sunitinib, which is the standard treatment for patients with advanced RCC and metastases without benefit at initial doses and cycles. Consequently, the dose was increased up to 4 times the initial dose, and by the third cycle, side effects appeared in the form of impaired consciousness up to deep coma, hypertension, hypercarotenemia, pancytopenia, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, and subclinical hypothyroidism. She was taken to the hospital and then sadly passed away.
Prédétermination des hauteurs de départ d'avalanches. Modélisation combinée statistique-mécanique

La predetermination de la hauteur de depart des avalanches represente un defi majeur pour l'evaluation du risque en montagne. Cette hauteur constitue en effet un ingredient d'entree important des procedures de zonage et de cartographie du risque. Dans cette these, nous presentons un formalisme rigoureux dans lequel les distributions de hauteur de depart d'avalanche sont exprimees a travers un couplage des facteurs mecaniques et meteorologiques. Le critere de stabilite du systeme plaque - couche fragile est etudie en utilisant une analyse mecanique par elements finis prenant en compte l'heterogeneite spatiale des proprietes mecaniques. Considerant qu'une avalanche ne peut se produire que si la hauteur de chute de neige depasse une hauteur critique correspondant au critere de stabilite, les distributions de hauteur de depart obtenues a partir du modele mecanique sont couplees avec la distribution des chutes de neige extremes sur 3 jours. Nous montrons que ce modele couple est capable de reproduire des donnees de terrain de 369 avalanches naturelles de plaque a La Plagne (France). Non seulement la queue de la distribution en loi puissance, correspondant a des epaisseurs de plaque elevees, mais aussi le corps de la distribution pour les plaques moins epaisses, sont bien reproduits par le modele. Les avalanches petites a moyennes semblent etre essentiellement controlees par la mecanique, tandis que les grosses avalanches et l'exposant de la loi puissance associe, sont influences par un couplage mecanique - meteorologique fort. Par ailleurs, nous demontrons que la distribution obtenue est fortement dependante de l'espace, et, en utilisant les processus max-stables permettant une interpolation spatiale rigoureuse, notre modele couple est utilise pour obtenir des cartes de hauteur de depart d'avalanche pour differentes periodes de retour sur l'ensemble des Alpes francaises.
Prevalence of Oral Helicobacter pylori Infection in an Indigenous Community in Southwest Mexico

Purpose Epidemiological studies have been conducted to improve the health and economic quality of life of indigenous communities in Mexico. These studies have found that infections cause frequent health problems. Helicobacter pylori are responsible for conditions ranging from gastritis to stomach cancer. This study determined the prevalence of H. pylori in families from Siltepec, Chiapas, Mexico. Patient and Methods Ninety-nine dental plaque samples from 36 families were studied. Real-time PCR was performed to detect H. pylori using previously reported primers. The Mann–Whitney U-test was used for the statistical analysis. According to the family role of H. pylori-positive individuals, the VacA s1/m1 genotype and CagA gene correlated. Results The mother had the highest expression of VacA s1/m1-/cagA- with 19% (8/42), followed by the first child with 14.3% (6/42). The major roles for the vacA s1/m1+/cagA- were the mother and first child with 9.5% (4/42), followed by the remaining children with 4.8% (2/42). The vacA s1/m1-/cagA+ genotype was 7.1% (3/42) for the mother and 4.8% (2/42) for the father. Finally, the vacA s1/m1+/cagA+ genotype only appeared in the mother, son I, and son III with 2.4% (1/42). Conclusion The vacA s1/m1/cagA genotypes predominated in the mother, suggesting potential transmission between the mother and child during the first years of life.
Technological Adaptation Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Panacea for Teaching and Learning

The Internet has transformed people's way of life and their access to education in the 21st century. The use of digital technologies in education has become extremely prevalent. The teaching-learning environment has shifted dramatically with the advent of ICT. Although some institutions are still wedged to traditional teaching learning procedures, refusing to incorporate technological tools in their teaching and learning. Their teaching-learning is based on old techniques. The unexpected outburst of Covid-19 in March 2020 shuttered the entire world. This sudden outbreak revolutionizes the whole educational procedures overnights. Many academic institutions that were earlier resistant to use ICT in teaching-learning were compelled to use digital technologies in their teaching-learning process, the only option available. The article focused on the importance of ICT tools in the teaching and learning process, with accompanying challenges of the implementation. It further suggested ideas for teachers and learners about how to cope with these difficulties and obstacles.
Indução Gramatical para o Português: a Contribuição da Informação Mútua para Descoberta de Relações de Dependência

Indução gramatical é uma tarefa que busca aprender automaticamente estruturas sintáticas a partir de texto. Poucos trabalhos de indução gramatical foram produzidos direcionados para a língua portuguesa. Neste artigo, reproduzidos o trabalho de [Futrell et al. 2019] para a língua portuguesa e o estendemos ao incluir análise de informação mútua para relações sintáticas específicas. Utilizamos dois treebanks anotados e realizamos experimentos utilizando embeddings de dimensões variadas, demonstrando a hipótese de alta informação mútua para palavras em relações de dependência.
Comparative study on Sudoku using Backtracking algorithm

Sudoku puzzles appear in magazines, newspapers, internet pages or in books on day basis. In truth, humans across the arena apprehend a way to play Sudoku. The technology behind this game is tons extra complex than it appears. This is the main strength of investigation for researcher community to have positioned a extraordinary quantity of attempt to generate green algorithms to remedy these puzzles. Some researchers might even advise that an algorithm to remedy Sudoku games without trying a large quantity of variations does now not exist. Within this decade, fixing the Sudoku would be expected to in everyone’s ardour. The simpler and more challenging requirement would be the mathematical skills which cause people to have huge hobby in accepting challenges that encounters to solve the puzzle. Consequently, researchers attempted to find good procedure to generate puzzles that could be solved through very simple programming. At this venture there is a fixed of policies known as naïve primarily based on essential hassle solving. The motive is to put into impact an extra green algorithm and then observe it with every other Sudoku solver set of guidelines named as lower back tracking. Backtracking set of regulations is a stylish algorithm that may be hired in to any troubles. The outcomes have proved that the backtracking set of rules solves the puzzle faster and more powerful than the naïve set of policies.
Effect of remifentanil co-administered with propofol on stress response and postoperative complications in patients with cerebral hemorrhage undergoing surgical anesthesia

Purpose: To determine the anesthetic effect and related indicators following concurrent administration of remifentanil and propofol in cerebral hemorrhage surgery patients.Methods: A total of 88 cerebral hemorrhage patients admitted in Lishui People’s District Hospital, Nanjing, China, from December 2019 to December 2020, were assigned to two groups, viz, control group which received fentanyl and propofol for anesthesia, while study group was administered remientanil combined with propofol for anesthesia There were 44 patients in each group. Hemodynamic index, brain injury marker index, stress response index, awakening condition, propofol dosage, anesthetic effect, and adverse reactions were assessed and recorded.Results: Heart rate (HR), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) at T2 and T3 of the two groups were less than those at T1. At T3, the study group’s HR, DBP, and SBP were substantially higher than those of control group (p < 0.05); At 12 and 24 h after operation, brain injury markers and stress response indices in study group were significantly lower compared to control group (p < 0.05), while in comparison to control group (79.55 %), the degree of anesthesia in the study group was higher (95.45 %; p < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the study group (15.91 %) was lower than in control group (43.18 %; p < 0.05). Conclusion: Remifentanil, when combined with propofol anesthesia, stabilizes hemodynamics, protects against brain injury, and reduces stress reactions in patients undergoing cerebral hemorrhage surgery. The combination is also highly effective and safe. However, validation of these findings in larger clinical trials is required.
Comparative performance of three varieties of turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) raised under semi-intensive system

This study was carried out to know the performance of locally available turkeys found in Bangladesh. The birds were reared using broiler grower and layer diets. The study was conducted at Abul Kasem farm (Farm 1) and Vai Vai farm (Farm 2), Brahmanbaria, from November 2018 to January 2019. The aim was to observe the growth performance of turkeys (Black, White and Bronze type) under a semi-intensive rearing system. A total of 40 Black, White and Bronze color type birds were included in the study. Birds were maintained under similar management conditions and Nourish layer feeds were bought from the local market. Farm had no effect on the performances of three genetic groups of turkeys. Bronze type turkeys attained the highest live body weight (5.47 kg) while Black type turkeys attained the lowest (3.79 kg). The white type turkeys, however, attained (4.14 kg) body weight. Bronze type turkeys had the highest shank length (10.31cm) and egg weight (79.45 gm) than black and white turkeys. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in body weight, shank length, egg weight of Bronze variety with Black and White varieties but no significant difference was observed between Black and White variety. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was the same among the three-color types of turkeys. The growth performance of Bronze type turkey was superior as compared to other color types used in this study. It can be concluded that Bronze color turkey can be reared by feeding commercial broiler and layer feeds under semiintensive system. The findings of this research could be useful for future breeding programs to improve turkeys existing performance.
SHEAR-WAVE VELOCITY MODEL OF NEAR-SURFACE SEDIMENTS, SITE RESPONSE, AND BUILDING DAMAGE: 1886 CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA EARTHQUAKE

An updated small-strain shear wave velocity (VS) model of near-surface sediments is constructed using measurements from over 90 investigation sites in the greater Charleston area. The VS model is updated from the model originally developed by Zhang. It is constructed by separating the VS measurements into six major geologic units. The six units are: 1) man-made fills, 2) Holocene and late Pleistocene deposits, 3) the Wando Formation, 4) the Ten Mile Hill beds, 5) the Penholoway Formation and the Daniel Island beds, and 6) Tertiary deposits. Median VS values for these units in the top 25 m are 145 m/s, 111 m/s, 189 m/s, 176 m/s, 285 m/s and 399 m/s, respectively. For Tertiary deposits in the depth intervals of 25-55 m, 55-75 m and 75-100 m, median VS values are 435 m/s, 533 m/s and 663 m/s, respectively. These results generally show VS increasing with geologic age. Using information from many of the VS sites and subsurface information from over 200 other sites, a thickness contour map of the Quaternary deposits beneath the Charleston peninsula is also constructed. The thickness of the Quaternary deposits ranges from 6 m to over 24 m, with the thickest sections coinciding with paleochannels incised into the top of the Tertiary sediments. Based on simple procedures, estimated values of the fundamental ground periods for the Quaternary deposits range from 0.2 s to 0.7 s. The highest values of ground periods occur adjacent to the rivers in the soft Holocene fine-grained deposits. The lowest values of ground periods occur in the stiffer Wando Formation deposits and where the depth to Marl is shallow.
Mood, Behavioral Impairment, and Sleep Breathing Disorders in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Patients Treated with Maxillomandibular Advancement: Reflection on a Case Series and Review of Literature

The correlation between depressive and cognitive symptoms and OSAS (obstructive sleep apnea syndrome) is between 5 and 63%. We reported the case of two patients with severe OSAS and its associated depressive symptoms that were intolerant to continuous positive airway pressure (C-PAP) and underwent maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) surgery. The severity of cognitive and depressive symptoms was assessed using validated questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and quality of life), medical observation, and patient-reported symptoms. We performed pre- and post-treatment polysomnography. Six months after treatment, the value of the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) had returned to the normal range and, together with it, the depressive component was considerably reduced and the patients’ overall quality of life (BDI, BAI, ESS, and qol) improved. Conclusion: We described significant improvement in all the analyzed parameters, such as physical and mental functioning, and depression and anxiety rates.
Efficacy comparison of two methods for determining the position of the rebate edge (formed after MDF machining) during automatic monitoring of workpiece delamination

Delamination is one of the most common defects in the processing of wood-based materials. It has a massive impact on the quality of the final product. In order to determine the delamination indicators simply and reliably, the automatic image processing method can be used (Śmietańska et al., 2020). Bator and Śmietańska (2019) proposed a special algorithm to estimate the straight line representing a milling edge. However, this algorithm is quite complicated. The aim of this article is to check whether the aforementioned (complicated) algorithmic way can be replaced by a much simpler idea – the precise manual positioning of the scanned sample on a scanner (using a very simple device installed on the scanner). Special experimental research was carried out to compare the effectiveness of the two different methods. The straight line representing the rebate edge identified by the Bator and Śmietańska (2019) algorithm was usually accurate to 1 pixel (0.02 mm). Based on the assumption that the scanned samples were perfectly positioned on the scanner, the analogue line only sometimes fit just as well. At worst, the distance between these lines is 0.2 mm. Usually, the distance did not exceed 0.16 mm but it was significant and quite random. There was no statistically significant correlation between this parameter (Dmax) and tool condition (VB). It means that the samples were not perfectly positioned. They were placed, more or less, in the same position because of the imperfect stiffness of the frame installed on the scanner and human errors.
Nonlinear Analysis: Real World Applications

In this paper, we consider dynamics and bifurcations in two HIV models with cellto-cell interaction. The difference between the two models lies in the inclusion or omission of the effect of involvement. Particular attention is focused on the effects due to the cell-to-cell transmission and the effect of the involvement. We investigate the local and global stability of equilibria of the two models and give a comparison. We derive the existence condition for Hopf bifurcation and prove no BogdanovTakens bifurcation in this system. In particular, we show that the system exhibits the recurrence phenomenon, yielding complex dynamical behavior. It is also shown that the effect of the involvement is the main cause of the periodic symptoms in HIV or malaria disease. Moreover, it is shown that the increase of cell-to-cell interaction may be the main factor causing Hopf bifurcation to disappear, and thus eliminating oscillation behavior. Finally, numerical simulations are present to demonstrate our theoretical results. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Practical Implementation of Robust State-Space Obfuscation for Hardware IP Protection

Hardware obfuscation is a design transformation technique that transforms a design to protect its confidentiality against untrusted parties. In particular, it aims at protecting proprietary hardware intellectual property (IP) blocks against reverse engineering (RE), piracy, and extraction of design secrets. A wide array of existing works on hardware obfuscation have demonstrated its security promises and theoretical robustness against diverse attacks. However, these techniques lack in: 1) scalability to large commercial-scale designs; 2) ease of integration with existing electronic design automation (EDA) tool flow; 3) ability to protect against emergent attack modes, such as structural analysis-based attacks; and 4) ability to efficiently trade off security with design overhead. The latter requires an effective metric to quantify robustness against RE attacks. In this article, we introduce a practical state-space obfuscation algorithm and associated automation tool, ProtectIP, that address the above shortcomings. The algorithmic steps have polynomial complexity and are scalable for large designs. We have developed a complete EDA tool flow that integrates ProtectIP. We show that exponential resistance can be achieved against all known RE attacks while incurring modest area overhead (24% on average) with negligible impact (maximum 5% overhead) on critical-path delay. We quantify the level of achieved security using metrics and show that an intelligent attacker with partial knowledge of the obfuscation process has a minimal success rate (a probability of 0.33) in RE attacks.