Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Highly flexible image coding using non-linear representations

This paper presents a new image representation method based on a Matching Pursuit expansion over a dictionary built on anisotropically refined atoms. New breakthroughs in image coding certainly rely on truly multidimensional signal decompositions, and the coder proposed in this paper provides an adaptive way of representing images as a sum of two-dimensional features. It is shown to provide very competitive results with the state of the art in image compression, as represented by JPEG2000. The visual quality also clearly favors the Matching Pursuit scheme, whose coding artifacts are less annoying than the ringing introduced by wavelets at very low bit rate. In addition to good compression performance at low bit rate, the new coder has the great advantage of producing a high flexibility scalable bitstream, which is becoming a very important feature in today’s visual communication applications. The Matching Pursuit stream can easily be decoded at any spatial resolution, different from the original image, and the bitstream can very simply be truncated at any point to match diverse bandwidth requirements. These spatial and rate scalability features are shown to be way more flexible and less complex than transcoding operations generally applied to state of the art streams. Thanks to both its capacity for efficient representation of multidimensional signals, and its very flexible structure, the novel image coder proposed in this paper certainly opens interesting new perspectives in image coding and compression for visual communication services.
Adult Sexual Abuse, Disordered Eating Behaviors, and Substance Abuse: The Role of Internalized Shame and Maladaptive Coping Strategies

ADULT SEXUAL ABUSE, DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIORS, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE: THE ROLE OF INTERNALIZED SHAME AND MALADAPTIVE COPING STRATEGIES Bilgé Özgé Yilmaz Old Dominion University, 2017 Co-Directors: Dr. Robin Lewis Dr. Kelli Will The prevalence of sexual abuse and disordered eating in young adulthood is increasing in the United States, with as many as one-quarter of women reporting unwanted sexual contact and two-thirds reporting extreme dieting. Among the numerous deleterious effects of sexual abuse are a greater risk of problematic eating, drinking and drug use among women, making this population at particular risk for co-occurrence of sexual abuse, disordered eating and substance use. Despite these statistics, the impact of adult sexual abuse (ASA) on disordered eating and substance use is largely unknown for this population. Shame and avoidance-focused coping have been identified as shared responses among sexual abuse survivors and are well-known contributors to the maintenance and development of disordered eating and substance abuse, though it is unclear how these might influence the relationship between ASA contact, disordered eating, and problematic substance use. This study aimed to 1) examine the association of history (i.e., ASA only, no history, revictimization) and 2) type (i.e., contact, non-contact) of ASA on health-risk behaviors among college women and 3) assess two potential mediators (i.e., internalized shame, maladaptive coping) influencing the relationship between ASA contact and disordered eating, problematic drinking, and problematic drug use. Participants were 420 undergraduate female students who completed an online survey. Results indicated that women who endorsed a history of ASA only (i.e., contact, non-contact) reported significantly greater problematic drinking as compared to women who did not endorse ASA history. Further, endorsed revictimization (i.e., multiple instances of sexual abuse across lifespan) history was associated with significantly greater reported disordered eating and problematic substance use as compared to women with no reported ASA history. Results of mediation analyses revealed that internalized shame fully mediated the relationship between ASA contact, disordered eating and problematic drug use, and partially mediated the relationship between ASA contact and problematic drinking. Maladaptive coping did not mediate the relationship between ASA contact and the outcome variables. Overall, internalized shame explained the greatest amount of variance in the association between ASA contact, disordered eating, and substance use. Future research may benefit from replicating this study among larger, more diverse clinical samples.
Inhibition of Akt/Protein Kinase B Signaling by Naltrindole in Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) survival signaling is very important for cancer cell survival and growth. Constitutively active phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt/PKB signaling in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a major factor for the survival of SCLC cells. Inhibitors of this signaling pathway would be potential antitumor agents, particularly for SCLC. Here we report that naltrindole, which has been used as a classic δ opioid antagonist, inhibited growth and induced apoptosis in the three characteristic SCLC cell lines, NCI-H69, NCI-H345, and NCI-H510. Naltrindole treatment reduced constitutive phosphorylation of Akt/PKB on serine 473 and threonine 308 in cells. We found that the levels of constitutive phosphorylation of Akt/PKB on serine 473 correlate with the sensitivity of the three cell lines to naltrindole treatment. Furthermore, naltrindole treatment not only reduced the phosphorylation of the Akt/PKB upstream kinase phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1, but also its downstream effectors glycogen synthase kinase-3β and the Forkhead transcription factors AFX and FKHR. DNA array analysis of 205 apoptosis-related genes indicated that some Akt/PKB-dependent genes were either up- or down-regulated by naltrindole. Flow cytometric and microscopic analyses clearly showed that naltrindole induced apoptosis in SCLC cells. RNA interference experiments confirmed that naltrindole-induced cell death was associated with the Akt/PKB survival pathway. Together, these results show that naltrindole is a new inhibitor of the Akt/PKB signaling pathway, suggesting that naltrindole could be a potential lead for the development of a new type of inhibitors that target the constitutively active Akt/PKB signaling-dependent SCLC cells.
Operator-based optimal design for nonlinear feedback tracking systems

In this paper, operator-based optimal design for nonlinear feedback tracking systems is investigated. First, some basic definitions about nonlinear operators are introduced. Second, using the definition of infimum, a new operator norm is proposed for studying the optimal design, and then a robust condition is derived. Based on the proposed scheme, the optimal robust control design can be realised. Finally, an numerical example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed design scheme.
Psychological Adjustment Strategies among Persons with Spinal Cord Injury at the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition that creates unique challenges to affected persons and family because of its inherent physical and psychosocial consequences. In spite of these consequences, little efforts have been made by African researchers to explore the psychological adjustment strategies of persons with SCI in Africa, and the majority of studies in this regard were carried out in developed countries such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychological adjustment strategies of persons with SCI in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. Methods: The study employed a descriptive phenomenological design. Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit thirteen participants through the Neurosurgical Unit of the Tamale Original Research Article Fuseini et al.; AJORRIN, 1(1): 1-11, 2018; Article no.AJORRIN. 45387 2 Teaching Hospital. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews, and analysed using content analysis. Results: The four main psychological adjustment strategies that were identified from our data were ‘Religious Beliefs’, ‘Hope’, ‘Information Seeking’ and ‘Acceptance’. Conclusion: Although persons with SCI employ a myriad of psychological adjustment strategies such as religious beliefs, hope, information seeking and acceptance, the most important psychological adjustment strategy, according to the findings of the present study is religious beliefs, as it plays a pivotal role in assisting persons with SCI to adjust to the ramifications of the injury.
Etude des facteurs et des interventions basées sur le planning comportements de santé : applications à l'activité physique et à l'adhésion médicamenteuse

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Etude des facteurs et des interventions basées sur le planning comportements de santé : applications à l’activité physique et à l’adhésion médicamenteuse Carine Meslot
Low-mass Stars and the 3He Problem

Standard chemical evolution models predict an overabundance of 3He from low-mass stars (in the range of 1-3 M☉) with respect to the measured solar and present-day abundances and hence indicate a possible problem with the yields of 3He in these stars. Because 3He is one of the nuclei produced in big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), it is noted that Galactic and stellar evolution uncertainties necessarily relax constraints based on 3He. We incorporate into chemical evolution models that include outflow the new yields for 3He of Boothroyd & Malaney (1995), which predict that low-mass stars are net destroyers of 3He. Since these yields do not account for the high 3He/H ratio observed in some planetary nebulae, we also consider the possibility that some fraction of stars in the 1-3 M☉ range do not destroy their 3He in their post-main-sequence phase. We also consider the possibility that the gas expelled by stars in these mass ranges does not mix with the ISM instantaneously thus delaying the 3He produced in these stars, according to standard yields, from reaching the ISM. In general, we find that the Galactic D and 3He abundances can be fitted regardless of whether the primordial D/H value is high (2 × 10-4) or low (2.5 × 10-5).
Blind Image Restoration Using a Block-Stationary Signal Model

We present a novel method for blind image restoration which is a multidimensional extension of an approach used successfully for audio restoration. A nonstationary image model is used to increase reliability of blur estimates. This source model consists of a separate autoregressive model in each region of the image. A hierarchical Bayesian model for the observations is used, and a maximum marginalised a posteriori (MMAP) blur estimate is obtained by optimising the resulting probability density function
The Inotropic Effect of the Active Metabolite of Levosimendan, OR-1896, Is Mediated through Inhibition of PDE3 in Rat Ventricular Myocardium

Aims We recently published that the positive inotropic response (PIR) to levosimendan can be fully accounted for by phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibition in both failing human heart and normal rat heart. To determine if the PIR of the active metabolite OR-1896, an important mediator of the long-term clinical effects of levosimendan, also results from PDE3 inhibition, we compared the effects of OR-1896, a representative Ca2+ sensitizer EMD57033 (EMD), levosimendan and other PDE inhibitors. Methods Contractile force was measured in rat ventricular strips. PDE assay was conducted on rat ventricular homogenate. cAMP was measured using RII_epac FRET-based sensors. Results OR-1896 evoked a maximum PIR of 33±10% above basal at 1 μM. This response was amplified in the presence of the PDE4 inhibitor rolipram (89±14%) and absent in the presence of the PDE3 inhibitors cilostamide (0.5±5.3%) or milrinone (3.2±4.4%). The PIR was accompanied by a lusitropic response, and both were reversed by muscarinic receptor stimulation with carbachol and absent in the presence of β-AR blockade with timolol. OR-1896 inhibited PDE activity and increased cAMP levels at concentrations giving PIRs. OR-1896 did not sensitize the concentration-response relationship to extracellular Ca2+. Levosimendan, OR-1896 and EMD all increased the sensitivity to β-AR stimulation. The combination of either EMD and levosimendan or EMD and OR-1896 further sensitized the response, indicating at least two different mechanisms responsible for the sensitization. Only EMD sensitized the α1-AR response. Conclusion The observed PIR to OR-1896 in rat ventricular strips is mediated through PDE3 inhibition, enhancing cAMP-mediated effects. These results further reinforce our previous finding that Ca2+ sensitization does not play a significant role in the inotropic (and lusitropic) effect of levosimendan, nor of its main metabolite OR-1896.
A HOPE for Study Abroad: Evidence From Tennessee on the Impact of Merit-Aid Policy Adoption on Study Abroad Participation

Two distinct literature bases exist documenting the benefits of study aboard participation and state-adopted merit-aid policies. However, few, to date, have estimated the impact of merit-aid adoption on study abroad participation. Results from our study demonstrate the potential positive externality merit-aid policy adoption has on study abroad participation. In addition, we find that increases in study abroad participation is concentrated primarily within public doctoral/research institutions and institutions with students from more affluent families.
AIRLINE DISTRESS PREDICTION USING NON-FINANCIAL INDICATORS

When comparing the performance of airlines across countries, substantial differences are encountered in the financial environment that can be difficult to reconcile in the construction of a multi-country failure or distress prediction model. By using nonfinancial operating data and proxy variables for governmental influence and quality of economic environment, some of these problems are circumvented. Thus, in this study, a logistic regression model of airline distress prediction is constructed using three years of worldwide airline data [1996-1998]. The findings demonstrated a fairly good model, having 90.3 percent overall prediction accuracy. These findings in conjunction with other research in this field, support that models based on non-financial variables show good prediction traits comparable to financial based models, yet providing more explanatory power.
Coordinated checkpoint versus message log for fault tolerant MPI

MPI is one of the most adopted programming models for large clusters and grid deployments. However, these systems often suffer from network or node failures. This raises the issue of selecting a fault tolerance approach for MPI. Automatic and transparent ones are based on either coordinated checkpointing or message logging associated with uncoordinated checkpoint. There are many protocols, implementations and optimizations for these approaches but few results about their comparison. Coordinated checkpoint has the advantage of a very low overhead on fault free executions. In contrary a message logging protocol systematically adds a significant message transfer penalty. The drawbacks of coordinated checkpoint come from its synchronization cost at checkpoint and restart times. In this paper we implement, evaluate and compare the two kinds of protocols with a special emphasis on their respective performance according to fault frequency. The main conclusion (under our experimental conditions) is that message logging becomes relevant for a large scale cluster from one fault every hour for applications with large dataset.
Using quality indicators to improve hospital care: a review of the literature.

PURPOSE To review the literature concerning strategies for implementing quality indicators in hospital care, and their effectiveness in improving the quality of care. DATA SOURCES A systematic literature study was carried out using MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library (January 1994 to January 2008). STUDY SELECTION Hospital-based trials studying the effects of using quality indicators as a tool to improve quality of care. DATA EXTRACTION Two reviewers independently assessed studies for inclusion, and extracted information from the studies included regarding the health care setting, type of implementation strategy and their effectiveness as a tool to improve quality of hospital care. RESULTS A total of 21 studies were included. The most frequently used implementation strategies were audit and feedback. The majority of these studies focused on care processes rather than patient outcomes. Six studies evaluated the effects of the implementation of quality indicators on patient outcomes. In four studies, quality indicator implementation was found to be ineffective, in one partially effective and in one it was found to be effective. Twenty studies focused on care processes, and most reported significant improvement with respect to part of the measured process indicators. The implementation of quality indicators in hospitals is most effective if feedback reports are given in combination with an educational implementation strategy and/or the development of a quality improvement plan. CONCLUSION Effective strategies to implement quality indicators in daily practice in order to improve hospital care do exist, but there is considerable variation in the methods used and the level of change achieved. Feedback reports combined with another implementation strategy seem to be most effective.
Nova Sagittarii 1998 (V4633 Sgr): a permanent superhump system or an asynchronous polar?

We report the results of observations of V4633 Sgr (Nova Sagittarii 1998) during 1998-2000. Two photometric periodicities were present in the light curve during the three years of observations: a stable one at P = 3.014h, which is probably the orbital period of the underlying binary system; and a second one of lower coherence, approximately 2.5 per cent longer than the former. The latter periodicity may be a permanent superhump, or, alternatively, the spin period of the white dwarf in a nearly synchronous magnetic system. A third period, at P = 5.06 d, corresponding to the beat between the two periods was probably present in 1999. Our results suggest that a process of mass transfer has taken place in the binary system since no later than two-and-a-half months after the nova eruption. We derive an interstellar reddening of E(B - V) ∼ 0.21 from our spectroscopic measurements and published photometric data, and estimate a distance of d ∼ 9 kpc to this nova.
Speech recognition using neural networks with forward-backward probability generated targets

Neural network training targets for speech recognition are estimated using a novel method. Rather than use zero and one, continuous targets are generated using forward-backward probabilities. Each training pattern has more than one class active. Experiments showed that the new method effectively decreased the error rate by 15% in a continuous digits recognition task.
Citrate Anticoagulation for CRRT in Children: Comparison with Heparin

Regional anticoagulation with citrate is an alternative to heparin in continuous renal replacement therapies, which may prolong circuit lifetime and decrease hemorrhagic complications. A retrospective comparative cohort study based on a prospective observational registry was conducted including critically ill children undergoing CRRT. Efficacy, measured as circuit survival, and secondary effects of heparin and citrate were compared. 12 patients on CRRT with citrate anticoagulation and 24 patients with heparin anticoagulation were analyzed. Median citrate dose was 2.6 mmol/L. Median calcium dose was 0.16 mEq/kg/h. Median heparin dose was 15 UI/kg/h. Median circuit survival was 48 hours with citrate and 31 hours with heparin (P = 0.028). 66.6% of patients treated with citrate developed mild metabolic alkalosis, which was directly related to citrate dose. There were no cases of citrate intoxication: median total calcium/ionic calcium index (CaT/I) of 2.16 and a maximum CaT/I of 2.33, without metabolic acidosis. In the citrate group, 45.5% of patients developed hypochloremia and 27.3% hypomagnesemia. In the heparin group, 27.8% developed hypophosphatemia. Three patients were moved from heparin to citrate to control postoperatory bleeding. In conclusion citrate is a safe and effective anticoagulation method for CRRT in children and it achieves longer circuit survival than heparin.
The Composition and Biological Activity of Honey: A Focus on Manuka Honey

Honey has been used as a food and medical product since the earliest times. It has been used in many cultures for its medicinal properties, as a remedy for burns, cataracts, ulcers and wound healing, because it exerts a soothing effect when initially applied to open wounds. Depending on its origin, honey can be classified in different categories among which, monofloral honey seems to be the most promising and interesting as a natural remedy. Manuka honey, a monofloral honey derived from the manuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium), has greatly attracted the attention of researchers for its biological properties, especially its antimicrobial and antioxidant capacities. Our manuscript reviews the chemical composition and the variety of beneficial nutritional and health effects of manuka honey. Firstly, the chemical composition of manuka honey is described, with special attention given to its polyphenolic composition and other bioactive compounds, such as glyoxal and methylglyoxal. Then, the effect of manuka honey in wound treatment is described, as well as its antioxidant activity and other important biological effects.
Morphological analysis of protein transport from the ER to Golgi membranes in digitonin-permeabilized cells: role of the P58 containing compartment

The glycoside digitonin was used to selectively permeabilize the plasma membrane exposing functionally and morphologically intact ER and Golgi compartments. Permeabilized cells efficiently transported vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G) through sealed, membrane-bound compartments in an ATP and cytosol dependent fashion. Transport was vectorial. VSV-G protein was first transported to punctate structures which colocalized with p58 (a putative marker for peripheral punctate pre-Golgi intermediates and the cis-Golgi network) before delivery to the medial Golgi compartments containing alpha-1,2-mannosidase II and processing of VSV-G to endoglycosidase H resistant forms. Exit from the ER was inhibited by an antibody recognizing the carboxyl-terminus of VSV-G. In contrast, VSV-G protein colocalized with p58 in the absence of Ca2+ or the presence of an antibody which inhibits the transport component NSF (SEC18). These studies demonstrate that digitonin permeabilized cells can be used to efficiently reconstitute the early secretory pathway in vitro, allowing a direct comparison of the morphological and biochemical events involved in vesicular tafficking, and identifying a key role for the p58 containing compartment in ER to Golgi transport.