Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
InfoFlow Framework for Evaluating Information Flow and New Health Care Technologies

This article presents a framework of 6 distinct yet interrelated factors for describing information flow that arose from a combination of field studies in a hospital ward and a review of literature. These studies investigated the dynamics of nurses' information flow, focusing on shift change. The InfoFlow Framework's 6 interrelated factors that affect the information flow are information, personnel, artifacts, spatiality, temporality, and communication mode. The framework is presented as a tool for evaluating new health care technologies. The 6 factors and their interrelationships are described first. Next, this structure is applied as a tool to aid in the analysis of the data generated in a study that assesses technology in use. Then the use of the framework is illustrated by structuring it as a set of questions that can be used as a guide for other researchers to generate coherent descriptions of the information flow and to evaluate technology deployments. Finally, there is a discussion of areas where the InfoFlow framework may be applied to allow an evaluation of the extent to which the framework may be generalized to other settings.
Dissociable prior influences of signal probability and relevance on visual contrast sensitivity

According to signal detection theoretical analyses, visual signals occurring at a cued location are detected more accurately, whereas frequently occurring ones are reported more often but are not better distinguished from noise. However, conventional analyses that estimate sensitivity and bias by comparing true- and false-positive rates offer limited insights into the mechanisms responsible for these effects. Here, we reassessed the prior influences of signal probability and relevance on visual contrast detection using a reverse-correlation technique that quantifies how signal-like fluctuations in noise predict trial-to-trial variability in choice discarded by conventional analyses. This approach allowed us to estimate separately the sensitivity of true and false positives to parametric changes in signal energy. We found that signal probability and relevance both increased energy sensitivity, but in dissociable ways. Cues predicting the relevant location increased primarily the sensitivity of true positives by suppressing internal noise during signal processing, whereas cues predicting greater signal probability increased both the frequency and the sensitivity of false positives by biasing the baseline activity of signal-selective units. We interpret these findings in light of “predictive-coding” models of perception, which propose separable top-down influences of expectation (probability driven) and attention (relevance driven) on bottom-up sensory processing.
Learning ‘special words’

It is widely recognized that there is a relationship between vocabulary development and children's reading ability. This article will focus on the strategies employed by 24 adults (12 mothers and 12 qualified preschool teachers) when introducing new and unusual vocabulary to four-year-old children during shared reading. The mothers differed in terms of educational achievement; half the mothers had left school by the age of 16, and half the mothers were tertiary educated. All the adult–child dyads read the same two picture books (one narrative and one informational) and the surrounding talk was analysed to determine what kinds of supportive strategies were used by the adults to introduce and explain unfamiliar vocabulary items. There were differences between the two groups of mothers in terms of the frequency and manner in which technical vocabulary was introduced and defined. The preschool teachers differed from both types of mothers. The implications of these findings for young children's emergent literacy are discussed.
Circulating tissue factor and microparticles are not increased in patients with deep vein thrombosis.

BACKGROUND Circulating tissue factor (TF) is associated with inflammation and may contribute to thrombotic events. Aim of this study was to analyze circulating TF activity and proinflammatory cytokines in patients with deep venous thrombosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-eight patients with deep vein thrombosis and 45 control subjects were included. Venous blood samples were obtained at diagnosis for analysis of TF activity, TF antigen, prothrombin fragment F1 + 2, microparticles (expressing phosphatidylserine and supporting FXa generation), Interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 and tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha (TNF). RESULTS TF antigen, activity and microparticles were similar in both groups: In contrast, a significant increase in plasma IL-6, IL-8 and F1 + 2 levels was found in thrombosis. This increase in IL-6 and IL-8 as well as F1 + 2 was not correlated with the extent of thrombosis, predisposing factors or onset of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Circulating TF and microparticles are not elevated in deep venous thrombosis. The increase in IL-6, IL-8 and F1 + 2 during thrombosis was not proportional to the extent or predisposing risk factors.
Inverse Compton gamma-ray models for remnants of Galactic type Ia supernovae?

Aims. We theoretically and phenomenologically investigate the question whether the γ-ray emission from the remnants of the type Ia supernovae SN 1006, Tycho’s SN and Kepler’s SN can be the result of electron acceleration alone. Methods. The observed synchrotron spectra of the three remnants are used to determine the average momentum distribution of nonthermal electrons as a function of the assumed magnetic field strength. Then the inverse Compton emission spectrum in the Cosmic Microwave Background photon field is calculated and compared with the existing upper limits for the very high energy γ-ray flux from these sources. Results. It is shown that the expected interstellar magnetic fields substantially overpredict even these γ-ray upper limits. Only rather strongly amplified magnetic fields could be compatible with such low γ-ray fluxes. However this would require a strong component of accelerated nuclear particles whose energy density substantially exceeds that of the synchrotron electrons, compatible with existing theoretical acceleration models for nuclear particles and electrons. Conclusions. Even though the quantitative arguments are simplistic, they appear to eliminate simplistic phenomenological claims in favor of a inverse Compton γ-ray scenario for these sources.
Delta-melspectra features for noise robustness to DNN-based ASR systems

Deep-neural-networks (DNNs) have signiﬁcantly improved automatic speech recognition (ASR) accuracy over a range of speech scenarios. However noise-robustness is still a challenge to DNNs, where compared to clean, accuracy degrades signiﬁ-cantly for noisy environments. Many of the current DNN-based ASR engines use log-MelSpectra features, along with features from temporal-difference in delta and delta-delta features. In this work we introduce delta-MelSpectra features to seek significant gains for DNNs in noisy environments, where we demonstrate that temporal-difference directly in MelSpectra domain can provide superior noise-robust features. We validate our delta-MelSpectra features over a multistyle trained DNN-ASR system; we tested on a large scale WindowsPhone client data, and obtained 17% and 12% relative reduction in word-error-rate (WER) for noisy and clean environments, respectively.
Comparison Of Effect Sizes Of Three Group Treatments For Weight Loss

The current study assessed the efficacy of hypnosis as an adjunct to a standard cognitivebehavioral program for the treatment of obesity. Weight loss was compared among participants who received the standard cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), those who received hypnosis in addition to the standard cognitive-behavioral treatment (H-CBT), and a minimal treatment control group focusing on nutrition and exercise information (C). Treatment consisted of eight consecutive weekly group sessions of 1.5 hours and weight was recorded at the beginning of each session. A large effect size (d = .85) was found between H-CBT and C, a moderate effect size (d = .61) was found between CBT and C, and a small effect size (d = .28) was found between H-CBT and CBT. Thus, both the H-CBT group and the CBT group outperformed the minimal treatment group. A small effect size was found between H-CBT and CBT. (Sleep and Hypnosis 2013;15(1-2):1-10)
An Algorithm for Two-Dimensional Cutting Problems

We present a tree-search algorithm for two-dimensional cutting problems in which there is a constraint on the maximum number of each type of piece that is to be produced. The algorithm limits the size of the tree search by deriving and imposing necessary conditions for the cutting pattern to be optimal. A dynamic programming procedure for the solution of the unconstrained problem and a node evaluation method based on a transportation routine are used to produce upper bounds during the search. The computational performance of the algorithm is illustrated by tests performed on a large number of randomly generated problems with constraints of varying "tightness. " The results indicate that the algorithm is an effective procedure for solving cutting problems of medium size.
Counterproductive work behavior and job satisfaction: A surprisingly rocky relationship

Abstract Counterproductive work behavior is detrimental to the organization or to coworkers. It includes both breaking rules or laws, as well as social norms. Many authors show a negative relationship between this behavior and work satisfaction, surmising that the lack thereof – and the ensuing desire to ‘get back’ at the employer – are the seeds of workplace deviance. A study carried out in Polish organizations found this relationship to be less clear. The study concerned work satisfaction and counterproductive behavior, organizational justice, stress at work and propensity for aggressive behavior. A cluster analysis identified a group of individuals in whom relatively high levels of job satisfaction are nevertheless accompanied by proclivity for counterproductive behavior. The configuration of results suggests that this group resorts to counterproductive behavior because of an inability to balance difficulties at work with personal inclinations. The implications of these results for personal management is discussed in the conclusions.
Effects of Manganese Exposure on Olfactory Functions in Teenagers: A Pilot Study

Long-term exposure to environmental manganese (Mn) affects not only attention and neuromotor functions but also olfactory functions of a pre-adolescent local population who have spent their whole life span in contaminated areas. In order to investigate the effect of such exposure at the level of the central nervous system we set up a pilot fMRI experiment pointing at differences of brain activities between a non-exposed population (nine subjects) and an exposed one (three subjects). We also measured the volume of the olfactory bulb as well as the identification of standard olfactory stimuli. Our results suggest that young subjects exposed to Mn exhibit a reduction of BOLD signal, subjective odor sensitivity and olfactory bulb volume. Moreover a region of interest SPM analysis showed a specifically reduced response of the limbic system in relation to Mn exposure, suggesting an alteration of the brain network dealing with emotional responses.
Dance history matters in British higher education

In response to concerns about the place and nature of dance history in British higher education curricula, a database was compiled of representative but significant examples of modules which focused directly on the teaching and learning of history, or had history as a key component. An analysis is presented of these modules in terms of the place of history in dance programmes; how syllabi are organised; the nature of their content; the relationship between substantive knowledge and skills, and modes of assessment. These findings are meshed with more general debates drawn from the philosophy and pedagogy of history. The findings reveal a tendency to conventional chronological narratives, the dominance of US‐related content but emergence of a European focus, and a comparative under‐privileging of British dance history. Skills and methodologies have an arguably increasing profile, thus revealing the propensity of dance history pedagogy to move with macro‐debates in the wider field.
"My Hurts": Hospitalized Young Children's Perceptions of Acute Pain

A qualitative method was used to study hospitalized young children's perceptions of their pain experiences. Participating were 11 children (ages 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 years) who had received surgical intervention. Participant observation and interviews were used to study the children's pain experiences. Each child also participated in a formal interview that combined play or drawing with a semistructured interview format. Data analysis occurred concurrently with data collection, consistent with the grounded theory technique. Findings revealed that the children experienced many different types of pain, which they defined as "my hurts. " Their hurts were all perceived as "bad. " Preferred care practices were also identified. Information from this investigation will help sensitize professionals to how to better care for young children in pain.
Evaluation of Choroidal Thickness in Non-arteritic Anterior Ischaemic Optic Neuropathy at the Acute and Chronic Stages

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the measurements of choroidal thickness (CT) in patients with non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) at the acute and chronic stages. This case-control study compares three groups: Group 1 included 23 eyes of 23 patients with chronic NAION, Group 2 consisted of 24 eyes of 24 patients with acute NAION, and Group 3 included 24 eyes of 24 age-matched control subjects. The average CTs for Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 were 261.24 ± 50.04, 280.05 ± 74.94, and 254.74 ± 50.11 µm, respectively. For all measurements, no statistical significance was found between the groups (p = 0.319, 0.357, 0.680, and 0.178 for the CTs as average, foveal, superior, and inferior, respectively). Similarly, there was no difference between the CT measurements of the affected and unaffected eyes in Group 1 and Group 2 (p = 0.571, 0.741 for average, respectively). The amount of time after the onset of the disease ranged from 6.0 to 48 months (23.86 ± 16.70 months) in Group 1 and from 1 to 30 days (7.45 ± 8.86 days) in Group 2. There was no correlation between the CTs and follow-up times in Group 1 (p = 0.768 for average) and no association between the CTs and the thicknesses of the retinal nerve fibre layers in Group 2 (p = 0.453 for average). CT is not directly influenced by NAION at either the acute or the chronic stage of the disease. These results may also demonstrate that the changes of CT do not increase the risk of experiencing a NAION attack.
Procedural learning in Parkinson's disease and cerebellar degeneration

We compared procedural learning, translation of procedural knowledge into declarative knowledge, and use of declarative knowledge in age‐matched normal volunteers (n = 30), patients with Parkinson's disease (n = 20), and patients with cerebellar degeneration (n = 15) by using a serial reaction time task. Patients with Parkinson's disease achieved procedural knowledge and used declarative knowledge of the task to improve performance, but they required a larger number of repetitions of the task to translate procedural knowledge into declarative knowledge. Patients with cerebellar degeneration did not show performance improvement due to procedural learning, failed to achieve declarative knowledge, and showed limited use of declarative knowledge of the task to improve their performance. Both basal ganglia and cerebellum are involved in procedural learning, but their roles are different. The normal influence of the basal ganglia on the prefrontal cortex may be required for timely access of information to and from the working memory buffer, while the cerebellum may index and order events in the time domain and be therefore essential for any cognitive functions involving sequences.
Sulfate/Syndecan-1 Complexes Shedding of Endothelial IL-8/Heparan Migration by Inhibition of the Constitutive IL-8-Mediated Neutrophil Transendothelial Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Supports

The endothelium is the primary barrier to leukocyte recruitment at sites of inﬂammation. Neutrophil recruitment is directed by transendothelial gradients of IL-8 that, in vivo, are bound to the endothelial cell surface. We have investigated the identity and function of the binding site(s) in an in vitro model of neutrophil transendothelial migration. In endothelial culture supernatants, IL-8 was detected in a trimolecular complex with heparan sulfate and syndecan-1. Constitutive shedding of IL-8 in this form was increased in the presence of a neutralizing Ab to plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), indicating a role for endothelial plasminogen activator in the shedding of IL-8. Increased shedding of IL-8/heparan sulfate/syndecan-1 complexes was accompanied by inhibition of neutrophil transendothelial migration, and aprotinin, a potent plasmin inhibitor, reversed this inhibition. Platelets, added as an exogenous source of PAI-1, had no effect on shedding of the complexes or neutrophil migration. Our results indicate that IL-8 is immobilized on the endothelial cell surface through binding to syndecan-1 ectodomains, and that plasmin, generated by endothelial plasminogen activator, induces the shedding of this form of IL-8. PAI-1 appears to stabilize the chemoattractant form of IL-8 at the cell surface and may represent a therapeutic target for novel anti-inﬂammatory strategies. The Journal of Immunology, 2003, 171: 2057–2065.
Use of anesthesia dramatically alters the oral glucose tolerance and insulin secretion in C57Bl/6 mice

Evaluation of the impact of anesthesia on oral glucose tolerance in mice. Anesthesia is often used when performing OGTT in mice to avoid the stress of gavage and blood sampling, although anesthesia may influence gastrointestinal motility, blood glucose, and plasma insulin dynamics. C57Bl/6 mice were anesthetized using the following commonly used regimens: (1) hypnorm/midazolam repetitive or single injection; (2) ketamine/xylazine; (3) isoflurane; (4) pentobarbital; and (5) A saline injected, nonanesthetized group. Oral glucose was administered at time 0 min and blood glucose measured in the time frame −15 to +150 min. Plasma insulin concentration was measured at time 0 and 20 min. All four anesthetic regimens resulted in impaired glucose tolerance compared to saline/no anesthesia. (1) hypnorm/midazolam increased insulin concentrations and caused an altered glucose tolerance; (2) ketamine/xylazine lowered insulin responses and resulted in severe hyperglycemia throughout the experiment; (3) isoflurane did not only alter the insulin secretion but also resulted in severe hyperglycemia; (4) pentobarbital resulted in both increased insulin secretion and impaired glucose tolerance. All four anesthetic regimens altered the oral glucose tolerance, and we conclude that anesthesia should not be used when performing metabolic studies in mice.
Balanced Mixture of Deformable Part Models With Automatic Part Configurations

This paper presents a method to improve the traditional mixture of deformable part models (MDPM) method from the learning perspective. First, an object part configuration learning algorithm based on group sparsity constraint is introduced to automatically discover the object part number, size, and location. The algorithm imposes two additional regularization terms in addition to the standard hinge loss function. The first term focuses on automatic part selection and the second term focuses on automatic part placement. Second, this paper introduces an improved MDPM training framework. The framework applies a learned transformation to normalize the prediction score from each individual deformable part model (DPM) into a pseudo probability such that the partition of the entire object appearance feature space becomes less sensitive to the prior distributions of different DPMs. Finally, the two proposed improvements are combined and formulated under the expectation-maximization framework. We evaluate our method mainly using the PASCAL VOC2007 and VOC2010 detection benchmarks and show that the proposed learning algorithms could increase the detection mean AP score by 2.4% and 0.9%, respectively, on these two data sets when using the proposed part selection method and the training algorithm. We also present further in-depth analysis of the proposed algorithm in the experiments.
Modeling and optimizing the temperature distribution around cancerous tissues during magnetic hyperthermia treatment

In magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia treatment, the ideal objective is to destroy all tumor cells without any damage to neighboring normal tissues. Thus, the temperature distribution in cancerous tissue and also surrounding healthy tissues should become closer to the desired distribution. In this paper, the temperature distribution is estimated by using a numerical scheme to solve the Penne’s bioheat transfer equation in a bilayered spherical tissue with blood perfusion and metabolism. The accuracy of the present model was justified by comparing with an experimental data and similar analytical schemes. Changing the parameters of cancerous tissue showed that the most effective parameter, to optimize the treatment, is the tissue conductivity. Subsequently, we demonstrated that among different factors influencing the tissue conductivity, the mass fraction of water in the tissue is the main factor. According to mass fraction of water in cancerous tissue, two methods of magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia treatment was suggested.
Effect of Mood and Food Cues on Information Processing in Women with Bulimia Nervosa and Controls

Information-processing speed and cue reactivity were evaluated in women with bulimia nervosa and controls in response to neutral, mood, and food cues in isolation, and mood and food cues in combination. Significant differences were consistently observed between women with bulimia nervosa and control women on information-processing speed for food/body-related words, but not for words unrelated to food/body concerns. As expected, women with bulimia nervosa demonstrated slower processing of information related to food/body concerns. In addition, the presentation of mood and food cues affected speed of information processing. Especially for women with bulimia nervosa, information processing was slowest when either mood or food cues were presented in isolation. Significant cue reactivity was also observed, again especially for women with bulimia nervosa. In conclusion, both transient and more enduring subject characteristics affected information-processing speed. Moreover, the way transient factors were presented significantly affected speed of information processing. This suggests a more complex relationship between cue presentation and information processing than was anticipated.