Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The short- and long-term impact of multi-disciplinary clinics in addition to standard nephrology care on patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND This two country case control study of incident dialysis patients evaluates the outcomes of patients exposed to formalized multi-disciplinary clinic (MDC) programmes vs standard nephrologist care. METHODS Patients commencing dialysis in two centres (Vancouver, Canada and Cremona, Italy) were evaluated at and after dialysis start, as a function of MDC exposure vs nephrologist care alone. Only chronic kidney disease patients, with longer than 3 months of exposure to nephrology care, who had not previously received kidney replacement therapy were included. Study outcomes included laboratory parameters and survival. The MDC was similar in both countries and average exposure was 6-8 h per patient-year, as compared to 2-4 h for standard care. All patients had equal access to resources prior to dialysis and with respect to dialysis start, as all had been referred to the same local nephrology practices. RESULTS During the evaluation period 288 patients commenced dialysis after receiving more than 3 months nephrology care prior to dialysis. There were no major demographic differences between the cohorts. Mean duration of nephrology care prior to dialysis was 42 months, and dialysis was initiated at similar low glomerular filtration rate (GFR), though statistically significantly different (7.0 and 8.4 ml/min/m2, P = 0.001). The MDC patients had higher haemoglobin (102 vs 90 g/l, P<0.0001), albumin (37.0 vs 34.8 g/l, P = 0.002) and calcium levels (2.29 vs 2.16 mmol/l, P<0.0001) at dialysis start. Survival was significantly better in the MDC group demonstrated by Kaplan-Meier analysis (P = 0.01). Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated standard nephrology clinic vs MDC attendance was a statistically significant independent predictor of death (hazards ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval 1.11-4.28) after adjusting for other variables known to impact outcomes. CONCLUSIONS This analysis of outcomes in two different countries suggests that despite equal and long exposure to nephrology care prior to dialysis, there appears to be an association of survival advantage for those patients exposed to formalized clinic care in addition to standard nephrologist follow-up. While other known predictors of survival such as adequacy of dialysis and severity of illness measures were not included in the model, those parameters require time on dialysis to be accumulated. Thus, the data do suggest that knowledge of patient status at the time of dialysis start is important. Further research is needed to determine which specific components of care both prior to dialysis and after its commencement are most important with respect to outcomes.
ALMA observations of α Centauri - First detection of main-sequence stars at 3 mm wavelength

Context. The precise mechanisms that provide the non-radiative energy for heating the chromosphere and the corona of the Sun and those of other stars constitute an active field of research. By studying stellar chromospheres one aims at identifying the relevant physical processes. Defining the permittable extent of the parameter space can also serve as a template for the Sun-as-a-star. This feedback will probably also help identify stars that potentially host planetary systems that are reminiscent of our own. Aims: Earlier observations with Herschel and APEX have revealed the temperature minimum of α Cen, but these were unable to spatially resolve the binary into individual components. With the data reported in this Letter, we aim at remedying this shortcoming. Furthermore, these earlier data were limited to the wavelength region between 100 and 870 μm. In the present context, we intend to extend the spectral mapping (SED) to longer wavelengths, where the contrast between stellar photospheric and chromospheric emission becomes increasingly evident. Methods: The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is particularly suited to point sources, such as unresolved stars. ALMA provides the means to achieve our objectives with both its high sensitivity of the collecting area for the detection of weak signals and the high spatial resolving power of its adaptable interferometer for imaging close multiple stars. Results: This is the first detection of main-sequence stars at a wavelength of 3 mm. Furthermore, the individual components of the binary α Cen AB are clearly detected and spatially well resolved at all ALMA wavelengths. The high signal-to-noise ratios of these data permit accurate determination of their relative flux ratios, i.e., SyB / SyA> = 0.54 ± 0.04 at 440 μm, = 0.46 ± 0.01 at 870 μm, and = 0.47 ± 0.006 at 3.1 mm, respectively. Conclusions: The previously obtained flux ratio of 0.44±0.18, which was based on measurements in the optical and at 70 μm, is consistent with the present ALMA results, albeit with a large error bar. The observed 3.1 mm emission greatly exceeds what is predicted from the stellar photospheres, and undoubtedly arises predominantly as free-free emission in the ionized chromospheric plasmas of both stars. Given the distinct difference in their cyclic activity, the similarity of their submm SEDs appears surprising.
Regret and disappointment in autism spectrum disorders : The matter of thinking versus feeling

In their recent study, Zalla et al. (2014) explore how regret and disappointment are affected in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The study is motivated by previous indications of ASD co-morbidity with emotion processing deficits, as well as suggestions that the mechanisms important for social cognition (typically thought to be affected in ASDs) may also underlie a variety of self-reflective cognitive and emotional processes. Zalla et al. advance this field of research by specifically testing emotional responses and choice behaviour of ASDs in an entirely private decision-making context. By so doing, they raise the possibility that emotional processing deficits in ASDs may not depend on social cognition, since experiences of regret are caused by, and influence only, the chooser themselves. Moreover, by studying regret and disappointment specifically, as opposed to responses to negative events more generally, they highlight the possibility that particular deficits exist in the processing of counterfactual emotions, i.e., those that rely on comparisons betweenwhat is and what might have been but which vary in their attributions of personal responsibility. The study finds that individuals with ASDs lack the ability to distinguish between experiences of regret and disappointment, though they show a preserved behavioural impact of these emotions on later choice. Zalla and colleagues interpret these findings as reflecting a “failure to overtly integrate selfrelevant emotional information with inferential reasoning processes” in ASDs. Critically, they stress that these deficits can manifest even when these emotions are entirely selfreflective e i.e., in decision contexts that do not rely on social cognition. They discuss these findings in relation to alexithymia-like diminished emotional awareness, but with covert impacts of emotional arousal on behaviour. These
CALIPSO observations of wave-induced PSCs with near-unity optical depth over Antarctica in 2006-2007

[1] Ground-based and satellite observations have hinted at the existence of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) with relatively high optical depths, even if optical depth values are hard to come by. This study documents a type II PSC observed from spaceborne lidar, with visible optical depths up to 0.8. Comparisons with multiple temperature fields, including reanalyses and results from mesoscale simulations, suggest that intense small-scale temperature fluctuations due to gravity waves play an important role in its formation, while nearby observations show the presence of a potentially related type Ia PSC farther downstream inside the polar vortex. Following this first case, the geographic distribution and microphysical properties of PSCs with optical depths above 0.3 are explored over Antarctica during the 2006 and 2007 austral winters. These clouds are rare (less than 1% of profiles) and concentrated over areas where strong winds hit steep ground slopes in the Western Hemisphere, especially over the peninsula. Such PSCs are colder than the general PSC population, and their detection is correlated with daily temperature minima across Antarctica. Lidar and depolarization ratios within these clouds suggest they are most likely ice-based (type II). Similarities between the case study and other PSCs suggest they might share the same formation mechanisms.
Reliability and Energy-Efficiency in IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee Sensor Networks: An Adaptive and Cross-Layer Approach

A major concern in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is energy conservation, since battery-powered sensor nodes are expected to operate autonomously for a long time, e.g., for months or even years. Another critical aspect of WSNs is reliability, which is highly application-dependent. In most cases it is possible to trade-off energy consumption and reliability in order to prolong the network lifetime, while satisfying the application requirements. In this paper we propose an adaptive and cross-layer framework for reliable and energy-efficient data collection in WSNs based on the IEEE 802.15. 4/ZigBee standards. The framework involves an energy-aware adaptation module that captures the application's reliability requirements, and autonomously configures the MAC layer based on the network topology and the traffic conditions in order to minimize the power consumption. Specifically, we propose a low-complexity distributed algorithm, called ADaptive Access Parameters Tuning (ADAPT), that can effectively meet the application-specific reliability under a wide range of operating conditions, for both single-hop and multi-hop networking scenarios. Our solution can be integrated into WSNs based on IEEE 802.15. 4/ZigBee without requiring any modification to the standards. Simulation results show that ADAPT is very energy-efficient, with near-optimal performance.
PEMBERDAYAAN EKONOMI UMAT MELALUI ZAKAT

Al-Qur’an lewat sebaran ayatnya baik yang bersifat global maupun spesifik mengemukakan bahwa ada tiga pilar yang merupakan sumber ekonomi umat, yaitu SDA, kewajiban bekerja, dan pendistribusian sumber ekonomi secara merata (zakat). Islam sebenarnya telah memberikan kebijaksanaan yang arif dalam pendistribusian dana zakat. Hal ini terlihat dari adanya ayat al-Qur’an yang menerangkan siapa saja yang berhak menerima bagian zakat (QS. At-Taubah: 60). Di samping itu, untuk lebih mengoptimalkan peran zakat, maka perlu ditunjang oleh manajemen pengelolaan yang transparan dan professional serta berlandaskan pada peraturan pemerintah dan prinsip moral Islami. Kata Kunci: Ekonomi, Zakat dan Al-Qur’an
Time-Varying Risk Premia and Stock Return Autocorrelation

Autocorrelation in stock returns is one important measure of the efficiency of securities markets pricing. Autocorrelation may be a sign of genuine pricing inefficiency: partial price adjustment (PPA), in which trades occur at prices that do not fully reflect the available information. However, autocorrelation may also arise from three other sources: bid-ask bounce (BAB), nonsynchronous trading (NT), and time-varying risk premia (TVRP). TVRP is not an indication of inefficient pricing. It can arise in a securities market equilibrium because the equilibrium returns of the available investments change over time; in particular, the presence of TVRP is entirely compatible with the absence of arbitrage in securities markets. Anderson, Eom, Hahn and Park (2006) provide methods for identifying a portion of the autcorrelation that can only be attributable to PPA and TVRP. This paper provides bounds on TVRP, as a function of the return period, the time horizon over which the autocorrelations are calculated, and the variability of risk premia. We find that the impact of TVRP is negligible in the empirical setting in Anderson, Eom, Hahn and Park (2006), but could be significant in other settings, requiring correction in estimates and hypothesis tests.
Daily Variation of Visual Perception of Colors: Preliminary Studies

This study aimed to measure the axes of colors confusion according to the circadian typology (CT). For this purpose, 28 young male adults aged 20 to 28 participated in this study. The characteristics of the sample were: morning moderately (MM; n = 8; M = 23.25 ± 2.6); Intermediate (I; n = 10; M = 23.30 ± 2.7) and evening moderately (EM; n = 10; M = 23.70 ± 2.5). We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Horne and Ostberg’s questionnaire to ascertain aspects of sleep quality and CT and Cambridge Colour Test (CCT) and the Lanthony Desaturated D-15 Test (D-15d) to verify the color perception. Significant difference was found in the PSQI (F(2.20) = 15.77, p < . 001; &eegr;2 = 0.62) between EM compared with I (p < .001) and MM (p < .001). We found a difference in the protan confusion axes at 9 a.m. (&khgr;2 = 6.74; p < .05) and 9 p.m. (&khgr;2 = 7.11; p < .05) and deutan at 5 p.m. (&khgr;2 = 11.23, p < .001). The chromatic confusion axes will vary according to the synchronization of daily variation and the EM typology has higher chromatic sensitivity, pointing to a possible relation between visual circadian filters and spatial chromatic information. The daily fluctuation of visual sensitivity may explain the preliminary results on the circadian effects on color perception.
Indicators of Gas Source Proximity using Metal Oxide Sensors in a Turbulent Environment

This paper addresses the problem of estimating proximity to a gas source using concentration measurements. In particular, we consider the problem of gas source declaration by a mobile robot equipped with metal oxide sensors in a turbulent indoor environment. While previous work has shown that machine learning classifiers can be trained to detect close proximity to a gas source, it is difficult to interpret the learned models. This paper investigates possible underlying indicators of gas source proximity, comparing three different statistics derived from the sensor measurements of the robot. A correlation analysis of 1056 trials showed that response variance (measured as standard deviation) was a better indicator than average response. An improved result was obtained when the standard deviation was normalized to the average response for each trial, a strategy that also reduces calibration problems
How Propaganda Moderates the Influence of Opinion Leaders on Social Media in China

Social media provide a free space for opinion leaders (OPLs) to influence public opinion in contemporary China, where OPLs need to compete with the powerful propaganda machine. So how much influence can OPLs exert on the public under the shadow of authoritarianism? A survey experiment of 1,326 Internet users in Beijing found that OPLs guide respondents’ policy opinions and encourage information sharing when the OPLs are not perceived to be a part of the propaganda campaign. However, when audiences believe that OPLs are the agents of propaganda, such effects disappear. The results reveal that the OPLs’ effects are conditioned by the authoritarian institutional context in which the public discussion takes place. We conclude that such effects have ambiguous consequences in cultivating critical citizens.
VALIDATION OF AIRBORNE LIDAR INTENSITY VALUES FROM A FORESTED LANDSCAPE USING HYMAP DATA: PRELIMINARY ANALYSES

There is a growing body of literature that points to the value of using the intensity measures of the backscattered laser light in addition to the pulse range measurements for studying a range of environments, including forests. However, there is a lack of literature that has validated the lidar intensity values captured in a campaign, and therefore limited understanding in the full utility of these data. This paper presents preliminary analyses of lidar intensity values captured over an area of woodland in the UK in comparison with concurrently acquired HyMap data, which measures the passive reflected radiation at the same wavelengths. The study concludes that lidar intensity values are broadly representative of the NIR radiation reflected from the forested landscape and therefore could be utilised. However, there is a real need for calibration of intensity data, particularly if flight lines are to be merged. Furthermore, if lidar intensity values are to be interpolated into a raster and used in a similar way to conventional image analysis, the selected interpolation technique significantly affects the resultant lidar values.
High Serum Alkaline Phosphatase, Hypercalcaemia, Race, and Mortality in South African Maintenance Haemodialysis Patients

Objective. To determine the association between serum total alkaline phosphatase (TAP) and mortality in African maintenance haemodialysis patients (MHD). Patients and Methods. The study enrolled a total of 213 patients on MHD from two dialysis centers in Johannesburg between January 2009 and March 2016. Patients were categorized into a low TAP group (≤112 U/L) versus a high TAP group (>112 U/L) based on a median TAP of 112 U/L. Results. During the follow-up period of 7 years, there were 55 (25.8%) deaths. After adjusting for cofounders such as age, other markers of bone disorder, and comorbidity (diabetes mellitus), patients in the high TAP group had significantly higher risk of death compared to patients in the low TAP group (hazard ratio, 2.50; 95% CI 1.24–5.01, P = 0.01). Similarly, serum calcium >2.75 mmol/L was associated with increased risk of death compared to patients within levels of 2.10–2.37 mmol/L (HR 6.34, 95% CI 1.40–28.76; P = 0.02). The HR for death in white patients compared to black patients was 6.88; 95% CI 1.82–25.88; P = 0.004. Conclusion. High levels of serum alkaline phosphatase, hypercalcaemia, and white race are associated with increased risk of death in MHD patients.
The Benefits of Group work

Good group work has great potential for the following reasons: • Students are encouraged to become active rather than passive learners by developing collaborative and cooperative skills, and lifelong learning skills. • It encourages the development of critical thinking skills. • It requires the establishment of an environment of support, trust and cooperative learning can be nurtured. • It promotes student learning and achievement. • Students have the opportunity to learn from and to teach each other. • Deep rather than surface approaches to learning are encouraged. • It facilitates greater transfer of previous knowledge and learning. • The focus is on student centred approach to teaching and learning, and assessment. • Students are involved in their own learning. • It enhances social skills and interactions. • Learning outcomes are improved. • Large numbers of students can be catered for and work on task simultaneously. • Interaction and cooperation on a micro scale is facilitated thus decreasing a sense of isolation felt by some. • Quiet students have an opportunity to speak and be heard in small groups thus overcoming the anonymity and passivity associated with large groups. • Teaching, learning and assessment options are increased. • Teaching effectiveness and efficiency increases, and as a result there is increased enjoyment of teaching by staff (and students). • Students get the chance to work on large projects (larger in scope or complexity than individual tasks). • Students from diverse backgrounds are provided with the opportunity to be heard, share experiences and skills, and to participate in unique ways (may provide a new perspective). • It can save time and requires a shared workload. • Alternative ideas and points of view can be generated. • It provides a structured learning experience that can prepare students for the realities and diversity of the workplace, working with people with different skills, cultures, approaches and from different places.
Gene expression and the evolution of insect polyphenisms †

Polyphenic differences between individuals arise not through differences at the genome level but as a result of specific cues received during development. Polyphenisms often involve entire suites of characters, as shown dramatically by the polyphenic castes found in many social insect colonies. An understanding of the genetic architecture behind polyphenisms provides a novel means of studying the interplay between genomes, gene expression and phenotypes. Here we discuss polyphenisms and molecular genetic tools now available to unravel their developmental bases in insects. We focus on several recent studies that have tracked gene‐expression patterns during social insect caste determination. BioEssays 23:62–68, 2001. Published 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Probabilistic Principal Component Analysis

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a ubiquitous technique for data analysis and processing, but one which is not based on a probability model. We demonstrate how the principal axes of a set of observed data vectors may be determined through maximum likelihood estimation of parameters in a latent variable model that is closely related to factor analysis. We consider the properties of the associated likelihood function, giving an EM algorithm for estimating the principal subspace iteratively, and discuss, with illustrative examples, the advantages conveyed by this probabilistic approach to PCA.
Chaos in Human Behavior: The Case of Work Motivation

This study considers the complex dynamics of work motivation. Forty-eight employees completed a work-motivation diary several times per day over a period of four weeks. The obtained time series were analysed using different methodologies derived from chaos theory (i.e. recurrence plots, Lyapunov exponents, correlation dimension and surrogate data). Results showed chaotic dynamics in 75% of cases. The findings confirm the universality of chaotic behavior within human behavior, challenge some of the underlying assumptions on which work motivation theories are based, and suggest that chaos theory may offer useful and relevant information on how this process is managed within organizations. Se realizó un estudio con el objetivo de explorar la posible dinámica caótica de la motivación en el trabajo. Cuarenta y ocho trabajadores contestaron un diario sobre su motivación en el trabajo varias veces al día durante cuatro semanas. Las series obtenidas fueron sometidas a diferentes técnicas de análisis no lineal derivadas de la teoría del caos (gráficos de recurrencia, exponentes de Lyapunov, dimensión de correlación y surrogate data). Los resultados mostraron dinámicas caóticas en un 75% de los casos. Ello confirma la universalidad del comportamiento caótico también dentro del comportamiento humano. Tales resultados cuestionan algunos de los supuestos fundamentales en los que se basan las teorías más establecidas y sugieren que la teoría del caos puede ofrecer información útil y relevante acerca de cómo gestionar la motivación en contextos laborales.