Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined Ablation and Resection (CARe) as an Effective Parenchymal Sparing Treatment for Extensive Colorectal Liver Metastases

Background Combined intra-operative ablation and resection (CARe) is proposed to treat extensive colorectal liver metastases (CLM). This multicenter study was conducted to evaluate overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), hepatic recurrence-free survival (HRFS) and progression-free survival (PFS), to identify factors associated with survival, and to report complications. Materials and Methods Four centers combined retropectively their clinical experiences regarding CLM treated by CARe. CLM characteristics, pre- and post-operative chemotherapy regimens, surgical procedures, complications and survivals were analyzed. Results Of the 288 patients who received CARe, 210 (73%) had synchronous and 255 (88%) had bilateral CLM. Twenty-two patients (8%) had extrahepatic disease. Median follow-up was 3.17 years (95%CI 2.83–4.08). Median OS was 3.33 years (95%CI 3.08–4.17) and 5-year OS was 37% (95%CI 29–45). One- and 5-year LRFS from ablated lesions were 87.9% (95%CI 83.3–91.2) and 78.0% (95%CI 71–83), respectively. Median HRFS and PFS were 14 months (95%CI 11–18) and 9 months (95%CI 8–11), respectively. One hundred patients experienced complications: 29 grade I, 68 grade II–III–IV, and three deaths. In the multivariate models adjusted for center, the occurrence of complications was confirmed as a major independent factor associated with 3-year OS (HR 1.80; P = 0.008). Five-year OS was 25.6% (95%CI 14.9–37.6) for patients with complications and 45% (95%CI 33.3–53.4) for patients without. Conclusions Recent strategies facing advanced CLM include non-anatomic resections, portal-induced hypertrophy of the future remnant liver and aggressive medical preoperative treatments. CARe has the qualities of an approach that allows effective tumor clearance while maintaining good tolerance for the patient.
Exploring the Human Side of Meteorology: A Brief Report on the Psychology of Meteorologists

Links between autism spectrum conditions and scientific aptitude were first investigated twenty years ago. Since then, associations between autism and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) aptitude have been established and discussed via the empathizing-systemizing (E-S) theory. E-S theory hypothesizes that autistic individuals are naturally driven to create and analyze sets of logical rules, or “systems,” related to and constructed around things in the world. This is at the expense of cognitive, but not affective, empathy. Here, we not only extend previous work in testing the similarity of meteorologists, engineers, and physicists with respect to empathizing, systemizing, and autistic traits; we also report the first examination of meteorologists’ personality and mental health relative to other representative physical scientists. Meteorologists in this sample were higher in empathizing and systemizing, extraversion, conscientiousness, and agreeableness, and less stressed, depressed, and anxious, than were engineers and physicists. Implications for the meteorological workplace are discussed. ABSTRACT (Manuscript received 21 October 2017; review completed 16 March 2018)
Parents and Early Life Environment Affect Behavioral Development of Laying Hen Chickens

Severe feather pecking (SFP) in commercial laying hens is a maladaptive behavior which is associated with anxiety traits. Many experimental studies have shown that stress in the parents can affect anxiety in the offspring, but until now these effects have been neglected in addressing the problem of SFP in commercially kept laying hens. We therefore studied whether parental stock (PS) affected the development of SFP and anxiety in their offspring. We used flocks from a brown and white genetic hybrid because genetic background can affect SFP and anxiety. As SFP can also be influenced by housing conditions on the rearing farm, we included effects of housing system and litter availability in the analysis. Forty-seven rearing flocks, originating from ten PS flocks were followed. Behavioral and physiological parameters related to anxiety and SFP were studied in the PS at 40 weeks of age and in the rearing flocks at one, five, ten and fifteen weeks of age. We found that PS had an effect on SFP at one week of age and on anxiety at one and five weeks of age. In the white hybrid, but not in the brown hybrid, high levels of maternal corticosterone, maternal feather damage and maternal whole-blood serotonin levels showed positive relations with offsprings’ SFP at one week and offsprings’ anxiety at one and five weeks of age. Disruption and limitation of litter supply at an early age on the rearing farms increased SFP, feather damage and fearfulness. These effects were most prominent in the brown hybrid. It appeared that hens from a brown hybrid are more affected by environmental conditions, while hens from a white hybrid were more strongly affected by parental effects. These results are important for designing measures to prevent the development of SFP, which may require a different approach in brown and white flocks.
Can Neurotypical Individuals Read Autistic Facial Expressions? Atypical Production of Emotional Facial Expressions in Autism Spectrum Disorders

The difficulties encountered by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when interacting with neurotypical (NT, i.e. nonautistic) individuals are usually attributed to failure to recognize the emotions and mental states of their NT interaction partner. It is also possible, however, that at least some of the difficulty is due to a failure of NT individuals to read the mental and emotional states of ASD interaction partners. Previous research has frequently observed deficits of typical facial emotion recognition in individuals with ASD, suggesting atypical representations of emotional expressions. Relatively little research, however, has investigated the ability of individuals with ASD to produce recognizable emotional expressions, and thus, whether NT individuals can recognize autistic emotional expressions. The few studies which have investigated this have used only NT observers, making it impossible to determine whether atypical representations are shared among individuals with ASD, or idiosyncratic. This study investigated NT and ASD participants’ ability to recognize emotional expressions produced by NT and ASD posers. Three posing conditions were included, to determine whether potential group differences are due to atypical cognitive representations of emotion, impaired understanding of the communicative value of expressions, or poor proprioceptive feedback. Results indicated that ASD expressions were recognized less well than NT expressions, and that this is likely due to a genuine deficit in the representation of typical emotional expressions in this population. Further, ASD expressions were equally poorly recognized by NT individuals and those with ASD, implicating idiosyncratic, rather than common, atypical representations of emotional expressions in ASD. Autism Res 2016, 9: 262–271. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Universal scaling laws for hierarchical complexity in languages, organisms, behaviors and other combinatorial systems.

There are many complex systems in nature where components, or "words", are combined together to make expressions, or "sentences". Such combinatorial systems include: (1) human language, where sentences are composed of words; (2) bird vocalization, where songs are built from syllables; (3) organisms, where organism-expressions (e.g. the tonsil) are made out of cells; (4) behavioral repertoire, where mammalian behavior consists of a temporal arrangement of muscle contractions; (5) universities, where student academic degrees are comprised of departmental concentrations; and (6) electronic devices, where the device's actions are implemented via strings of button-presses. My central aim here is to discover how combinatorial systems accommodate greater numbers of expressions; that is, what changes do combinatorial systems undergo when they "say more things? " Are there general laws characterizing the properties of combinatorial systems as the number of expressions increases? If so, what are they? My main result is that, in all the kinds of combinatorial system mentioned above, there appear to be general laws describing how combinatorial systems change as they become more expressive. In particular, in each of these cases, increase in expression complexity (i.e. number of expressions the combinatorial system allows) is achieved, at least in part, by increasing the number of component types. Each kind of system follows one of two kinds of scaling law. In the first kind of scaling law, expression complexity increase is carried out exclusively by increasing the number of component types; the number of components per expression (i.e. the expression length) remains invariant. This applies to human language over history, bird vocalization, organisms in phylogeny and ontogeny, and universities. In the second kind of scaling law, expression complexity is accomplished by increasing in a law-like manner both the number of component types and the expression length. This applies to two cases of the ontogeny of language-the development of words and sentences, and the development of phonemes and morphemes-and to mammalian behavior. By treating these diverse systems as combinatorial systems we, in addition to elucidating general principles underlying such systems, gain insight into each kind of system mentioned.
Tipologías de Feminicidas con Trastorno Mental en España

Therapeutic treatments in male batterers have limited efficacy. One of the actions proposed to improve the intervention of professionals in this scope of action is adapting them to the traits of each male batterer. A study of 237 sentences for feminicide in Spain committed by males with mental disorders at the time of the crime has been carried out, being the basis to find out the different types of feminicides with mental illness. The relation between mental disorder and degree of emotional instability and between suicidal behaviour and breakup of a relationship are also studied. The results, obtained through bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques, reveal the existence of four typologies of feminicide perpetrators. A positive association between mental disorder and degree of emotional instability and between a suicidal behaviour and the abandonment of his partner have also been found. Theoretical and practical implications are described.
Nonparametric regression with nonparametrically generated covariates

We analyze the properties of non- and semiparametric estimation procedures involving nonparametric regression with generated covariates. Such estimators appear in numerous econometric applications, including nonparametric estimation of simultaneous equation models, sample selection models, treatment effect models, and censored regression models, but so far there seems to be no unified theory to establish their statistical properties. Our paper provides such results, allowing to establish asymptotic properties like rates of consistency or asymptotic normality for a wide range of semi- and nonparametric estimators. We also show how to account for the presence of nonparametrically generated regressors when computing standard errors.
Moderation of the effects of scientific inquiry activities on low SES students’ PISA 2015 science achievement by school teacher support and disciplinary climate in science classroom across gender

ABSTRACT Scientific inquiry activities are considered as productive science instruction to improve students’ science learning and achievement. Supportive teacher-student relationships and positive disciplinary climate in the classroom are also two important factors that could facilitate student learning. This study investigates whether the association between the inquiry-based science activities and student science achievement varies by teacher support and disciplinary climate in science classrooms, particularly when taking into consideration of student gender difference and socioeconomic status (SES). This study performed regression analyses using Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Guangdong (B-S-J-G-China) students’ science performance and background survey data of 2015 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Results showed that disciplinary climate, rather than teacher support, could moderate the association between inquiry-based science activities and student science achievement for both genders. Implications for instruction and further research were discussed as well.
Does CSR contribute to the development of rural young people in cultural tourism of sub-Saharan Africa? Evidence from the Niger Delta in Nigeria

ABSTRACT We assess the impact of a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) model of multinational oil companies on the development of rural young people (RYP) in cultural tourism in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. Six hundred RYP were sampled across the rural Niger Delta region. Using the logit model, results indicate that RYP have remained widely excluded from the General Memorandum of Understandings (GMoUs) interventions in cultural tourism projects due to the traditional beliefs that cultural affairs are prerogatives of elders, a caveat to the youths. This implies that if the traditions of the communities continue to hinder direct participation of the RYP from the GMoUs cultural tourism project interventions, achieving equality and cultural change would be limited in the region. The findings suggest that since handicrafts are key cultural products consumed in the tourism industry, GMoUs can play a role in helping to create an appropriate intervention structure that will be targeted towards youth empowerment in the area of traditional handicraft. This can be achieved if the Cluster Development Boards would focus on integrating rural young artisans into local tourism value chains, ensuring they benefit economically from the sector, and creating space for the views of RYP indigenous handicrafts knowledge.
On Well-posedness of Impulsive Problems for Nonlinear Parabolic Equations

In this paper we give weaker conditions for well-posedness of impulsive problems for nonlinear parabolic equations, including existence, uniqueness and continuous dependence, even in case their corresponding Cauchy problems do not have global solutions. With some concrete examples of PDEs we show when their impulsive problems are well-posed and how the well-posedness is related to life-span of PDEs. We also indicate that some assumptions in [6] and [9] are unnecessary.
Mind the bubbles: achieving stable measurements of maximum hydraulic conductivity through woody plant samples

The maximum specific hydraulic conductivity (kmax) of a plant sample is a measure of the ability of a plants’ vascular system to transport water and dissolved nutrients under optimum conditions. Precise measurements of kmax are needed in comparative studies of hydraulic conductivity, as well as for measuring the formation and repair of xylem embolisms. Unstable measurements of kmax are a common problem when measuring woody plant samples and it is commonly observed that kmax declines from initially high values, especially when positive water pressure is used to flush out embolisms. This study was designed to test five hypotheses that could potentially explain declines in kmax under positive pressure: (i) non-steady-state flow; (ii) swelling of pectin hydrogels in inter-vessel pit membranes; (iii) nucleation and coalescence of bubbles at constrictions in the xylem; (iv) physiological wounding responses; and (v) passive wounding responses, such as clogging of the xylem by debris. Prehydrated woody stems from Laurus nobilis (Lauraceae) and Encelia farinosa (Asteraceae) collected from plants grown in the Fullerton Arboretum in Southern California, were used to test these hypotheses using a xylem embolism meter (XYL'EM). Treatments included simultaneous measurements of stem inflow and outflow, enzyme inhibitors, stem-debarking, low water temperatures, different water degassing techniques, and varied concentrations of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and copper salts in aqueous measurement solutions. Stable measurements of kmax were observed at concentrations of calcium, potassium, and magnesium salts high enough to suppress bubble coalescence, as well as with deionized water that was degassed using a membrane contactor under strong vacuum. Bubble formation and coalescence under positive pressure in the xylem therefore appear to be the main cause for declining kmax values. Our findings suggest that degassing of water is essential for achieving stable and precise measurements of kmax through woody plant samples. For complete rehydration of woody samples, incubation in water under vacuum for 24 h is suggested as a reliable technique that avoids bubble problems associated with flushing under high positive pressure.
Living the long-term consequences of Thai-Western marriage migration: the radical life-course transformations of women who partner older Westerners

ABSTRACT This article examines how relationships between Thai women and older Western men transform over the long-term, from a woman’s perspective. We present a model that identifies stages in the life-cycle or ‘narrative arc’ of a long-term partnership. This framework allows us to study how negotiated exchanges (material, emotional) between the couple evolve in ‘stages’ over time, and the degree to which a woman is empowered from her initial position of relative subservient dependency. We examine three factors that shape her relative autonomy in a partnership in ways that can result in greater security, wellbeing, and status. First, increasing access to individual formal rights (primarily through marriage) can lead to relative financial independence and security. Second, differential ageing in a couple can shift the balance of dependency as he becomes relatively infirm. Third, her changing obligations to natal family members, balanced with caring for her partner, can importantly shape her wellbeing. The study is based on 20 biographical interviews with women in partnerships for 7–30 years. We find that almost every aspect of a woman’s life transforms radically. Most consider it a worthwhile life-strategy, but many suffer hidden psychological costs as a result of living this ‘unintended transnationalism’ over the long-term.
Posterior constraints for double-counting problem in clustered pose estimation

In this paper, we propose a novel and integrated framework to estimate human pose. Firstly, a pose cluster of the relative location between connected parts is applied before pictorial structure modeling, which can make each model more faithful and the whole estimation more flexible to various kinds of poses. And then, different from previous single global model, we propose the mixture pictorial structure models based on the clusters to obtain the parts candidates. Furthermore, to overcome the double-counting problem, we also present a constraint function to recombine the candidates derived from the optimal clustered model. Experiments on a publicly challenging dataset show that our method is more accurate and flexible and performs effectively in tackling the double-counting phenomena.
Speech Auditory Brainstem Responses in Adult Hearing Aid Users: Effects of Aiding and Background Noise, and Prediction of Behavioral Measures

Evaluation of patients who are unable to provide behavioral responses on standard clinical measures is challenging due to the lack of standard objective (non-behavioral) clinical audiological measures that assess the outcome of an intervention (e.g., hearing aids). Brainstem responses to short consonant-vowel stimuli (speech-auditory brainstem responses [speech-ABRs]) have been proposed as a measure of subcortical encoding of speech, speech detection, and speech-in-noise performance in individuals with normal hearing. Here, we investigated the potential application of speech-ABRs as an objective clinical outcome measure of speech detection, speech-in-noise detection and recognition, and self-reported speech understanding in 98 adults with sensorineural hearing loss. We compared aided and unaided speech-ABRs, and speech-ABRs in quiet and in noise. In addition, we evaluated whether speech-ABR F0 encoding (obtained from the complex cross-correlation with the 40 ms [da] fundamental waveform) predicted aided behavioral speech recognition in noise or aided self-reported speech understanding. Results showed that (a) aided speech-ABRs had earlier peak latencies, larger peak amplitudes, and larger F0 encoding amplitudes compared to unaided speech-ABRs; (b) the addition of background noise resulted in later F0 encoding latencies but did not have an effect on peak latencies and amplitudes or on F0 encoding amplitudes; and (c) speech-ABRs were not a significant predictor of any of the behavioral or self-report measures. These results show that speech-ABR F0 encoding is not a good predictor of speech-in-noise recognition or self-reported speech understanding with hearing aids. However, our results suggest that speech-ABRs may have potential for clinical application as an objective measure of speech detection with hearing aids.
Comparison of a Novel Organic-Fluid Thermofluidic Heat Converter and an Organic Rankine Cycle Heat Engine

The Up-THERM heat converter is an unsteady, two-phase thermofluidic oscillator that employs an organic working fluid, which is currently being considered as a prime-mover in small- to medium-scale combined heat and power (CHP) applications. In this paper, the Up-THERM heat converter is compared to a basic (sub-critical, non-regenerative) organic Rankine cycle (ORC) heat engine with respect to their power outputs, thermal efficiencies and exergy efficiencies, as well as their capital and specific costs. The study focuses on a pre-specified Up-THERM design in a selected application, a heat-source temperature range from 210 °C to 500 °C and five different working fluids (three n -alkanes and two refrigerants). A modeling methodology is developed that allows the above thermo-economic performance indicators to be estimated for the two power-generation systems. For the chosen applications, the power output of the ORC engine is generally higher than that of the Up-THERM heat converter. However, the capital costs of the Up-THERM heat converter are lower than those of the ORC engine. Although the specific costs (£/kW) of the ORC engine are lower than those of the Up-THERM converter at low heat-source temperatures, the two systems become progressively comparable at higher temperatures, with the Up-THERM heat converter attaining a considerably lower specific cost at the highest heat-source temperatures considered.
The Inner Eye Theory of Laughter: Mindreader Signals Cooperator Value

In this hypothesis paper, I propose a three-component set of jointly necessary and sufficient trigger criteria for all cases of involuntary laughter. The theory incorporates concepts from the theory of mind in cognitive science. I then examine the information content of the laughter signal from a game theoretic perspective. I conclude that laughter is a signal of cooperator value as it provides information on the laugher's empathy with the attributed mental states and her sympathy levels for all affected by the laugh-inducing situation. Laughter also indicates what types of mental representations children, autistic people, nonhuman primates and adults possess and can falsify.