Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RADIal versus femoral approach for percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (RADIAMI): A prospective, randomized, single-center clinical trial.

BACKGROUND The transradial approach for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) seems to be superior to transfemoral. The safety and efficacy of transradial approach for PCI in acute myocardial infarction is not well-established. METHODS Hundred patients with acute myocardial infarction qualified to PCI were randomly assigned to transradial (group I; n = 50) and transfemoral (group II; n = 50) approaches. RESULTS PCI was successful for almost all patients, except one from group II. There were no significant differences between groups in X-ray exposition, volume of contrast and total procedure duration. Small but significant elongation of door to stent time in group I was caused mostly by a longer time between beginning of procedure and arterial sheath introduction. Major bleeding complications occurred in three patients from group I and seven from group II. There were no significant differences observed between the two groups. Time to ambulation in group I was significantly shorter then in group II (22.6 +/- 10.3 h vs. 34.7 +/- 34.6 h; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS The transradial approach for PCI in acute myocardial infarction has the same efficacy as transfemoral. There are no differences in total procedure duration, X-ray exposition or volume of contrast between the two approaches. A longer time from the patient's admission to the individual stages of the PCI procedure in group I was mostly due to the longer times of the initial stages of the procedure. The use of transradial approach reduces the time to ambulation and allows rehabilitation to begin sooner. In both groups, bleeding complications occurred rarely.
Experimental Testing on an Effective Technique to Reconstruct the Far- Field Pattern of a Long Antenna from Near-Field Measurements Acquired via Spherical Spiral Scan

In this paper, the experimental validation of a fast and accurate near-field – far-field (NF–FF) transformation with spherical spiral scanning for elongated antennas is provided. Such a transformation relies on a nonredundant sampling representation of the voltage measured by the probe, obtained by using the unified theory of spiral scans for nonspherical antennas and adopting a cylinder ended in two half-spheres to model long antennas. It allows a remarkable reduction of the measurement time due to the use of continuous and synchronized movements of the positioning systems and to the reduced number of needed NF measurements. In fact, the NF data required by the classical spherical NF–FF transformation are efficiently and accurately recovered from those collected along the spiral, by using an optimal sampling interpolation expansion. Experimental results, obtained at the Antenna Characterization Lab of the University of Salerno and assessing the effectiveness of such a NF–FF transformation, are shown.
Variational Solution of the Gross–Neveu Model: Finite N and Renormalization

We show how to perform systematically improvable variational calculations in the O(2N) Gross–Neveu model for generic N, in such a way that all infinities usually plaguing such calculations are accounted for in a way compatible with the perturbative renormalization group. The final point is a general framework for the calculation of nonperturbative quantities like condensates, masses, etc., in an asymptotically free field theory. For the Gross–Neveu model, the numerical results obtained from a "two-loop" variational calculation are in a very good agreement with exact quantities down to low values of N.
Approximations of the domination number of a graph

Given a graph G, the domination number gamma(G) of G is the minimum order of a set S of vertices such that each vertex not in S is adjacent to some vertex in S. Equivalently, label the vertices from {0, 1} so that the sum over each closed neighborhood is at least one; the minimum value of the sum of all labels, with this restriction, is the domination number. The fractional domination number gamma_f(G) is defined in the same way, except that the vertex labels are chosen from [0, 1]. Given an ordering of the vertex set of G, let gamma_g(G) be the approximation of the domination number by the standard greedy algorithm. Computing the domination number is NP-complete; however, we can bound gamma by these two more easily computed parameters: gamma_f(G) <= gamma(G) <= gamma_g(G). How good are these approximations? Using techniques from the theory of hypergraphs, one can show that, for every graph G of order n, gamma_g(G) / gamma_f(G) = O(log n). On the other hand, we provide examples of graphs for which gamma / gamma_f = Theta(log n) and graphs for which gamma_g / gamma = Theta(log n). Lastly, we use our examples to compare two bounds on gamma_g.
Skew Bisubmodularity and Valued CSPs

An instance of the (finite-)valued constraint satisfaction problem (VCSP) is given by a finite set of variables, a finite domain of values, and a sum of (rational-valued) functions, with each function depending on a subset of the variables. The goal is to find an assignment of values to the variables that minimizes the sum. We study (assuming that ${PTIME}\neq{NP}$) how the complexity of this very general problem depends on the functions allowed in the instances. The case when the variables can take only two values was classified by Cohen et al.: essentially, submodular functions give rise to the only tractable case, and any non--submodular function can be used to express, in a certain specific sense, the NP-hard Max Cut problem. We investigate the case when the variables can take three values. We identify a new infinite family of conditions that includes bisubmodularity as a special case and which can collectively be called skew bisubmodularity. By a recent result of Thapper and Živný, this condition imp.
Value State Flow Graph

Although custom (and reconfigurable) computing can provide orders-of-magnitude improvements in energy efficiency and performance for many numeric, data-parallel applications, performance on nonnumeric, sequential code is often worse than conventional superscalar processors. This work attempts to improve sequential performance in custom hardware by (a) switching from a statically scheduled to a dynamically scheduled (dataflow) execution model and (b) developing a new compiler IR for high-level synthesis—the value state flow graph (VSFG)—that enables aggressive exposition of ILP even in the presence of complex control flow. Compared to existing control-data flow graph (CDFG)-based IRs, the VSFG exposes more instruction-level parallelism from control-intensive sequential code by exploiting aggressive speculation, enabling control dependence analysis, as well as execution along multiple flows of control. This new IR is directly implemented as a static-dataflow graph in hardware by our prototype high-level synthesis tool chain and shows an average speedup of 1.13× over equivalent hardware generated using LegUp, an existing CDFG-based HLS tool. Furthermore, the VSFG allows us to further trade area and energy for performance through loop unrolling, increasing the average speedup to 1.55×, with a peak speedup of 4.05×. Our VSFG-based hardware approaches the sequential cycle counts of an Intel Nehalem Core i7 processor while consuming only 0.25× the energy of an in-order Altera Nios IIf processor.
Selection of Salient Features for Route Directions

People navigating in unfamiliar environments rely on wayfinding directions, either given by people familiar with the place, or given by maps or wayfinding services. The essential role of landmarks in human route communication is well-known. However, mapping the human ability to select landmarks ad hoc for route directions to a computational model was never tried before. Wayfinding services manage the problem by using predefined points of interest. These points are not automatically identified, and they are not related to any route. In contrast, here a computational model is presented that selects salient features along a route where needed, e.g., at decision points. We propose measures to formally specify the salience of a feature. The observed values of these measures are subject to stochastical tests in order to identify the most salient features from datasets. The proposed model is implemented and checked for computability with a use case from the city of Vienna. It is also crosschecked with a human subject survey for landmarks along a given route. The survey provides evidence that the proposed model selects features that are strongly correlated to human concepts of landmarks. Hence, integrating the selected salient features in wayfinding directions will produce directions with lower cognitive workload and higher success rates, compared to directions based only on geometry, or on geometry and static points of interest.
Shared control of a robot using EEG-based feedback signals

In the last years there has been an increasing interest on using human feedback during robot operation to incorporate non-expert human expertise while learning complex tasks. Most work has considered reinforcement learning frameworks were human feedback, provided through multiple modalities (speech, graphical interfaces, gestures) is converted into a reward. This paper explores a different communication channel: cognitive EEG brain signals related to the perception of errors by humans. In particular, we consider error potentials (ErrP), voltage deflections appearing when a user perceives an error, either committed by herself or by an external machine, thus encoding binary information about how a robot is performing a task. Based on this potential, we propose an algorithm based on policy matching for inverse reinforcement learning to infer the user goal from brain signals. We present two cases of study involving a target reaching task in a grid world and using a real mobile robot, respectively. For discrete worlds, the results show that the robot is able to infer and reach the target using only error potentials as feedback elicited from human observation. Finally, promising preliminary results were obtained for continuous states and actions in real scenarios.
Dopaminergic drugs decrease loss aversion in Parkinson’s disease with but not without depression

Depression, a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD), is accompanied by impaired decision making and an enhanced response to aversive outcomes. Current strategies to treat depression in PD include dopaminergic medication. However, their use can be accompanied by detrimental side effects, such as enhanced risky choice. The mechanisms underlying dopamine-induced increases in risky choice are unclear. In the current study we adopt a clinical-neuroeconomic approach to investigate the effects of dopaminergic medication on loss aversion during risky choice in depressed and non-depressed PD. Twenty-three healthy controls, 21 depressed and 22 non-depressed PD patients were assessed using a well-established gambling task measuring loss aversion during risky choice. Patients were tested on two occasions, after taking their normal dopaminergic medication (ON) and after withdrawal of their medication (OFF). Dopaminergic medication decreased loss aversion to a greater extent in depressed than non-depressed PD patients. Moreover, we show that the degree to which dopaminergic medication decreases loss aversion correlated with current depression severity and with drug effects on depression scores. These findings demonstrate that dopamine-induced changes in loss aversion depend on the presence of depressive symptoms in PD. Significance statement Dopaminergic medication that is used to treat motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease is known to contribute to risky decision-making. The underlying mechanisms are unclear. The present study demonstrates that dopaminergic medication in Parkinson’s disease decreases loss aversion during risky choice, but only in depressed and not in non-depressed patients with Parkinson’s disease. These results advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying dopamine-induced risky choice, while also identifying depression as an important factor that confers vulnerability to such dopamine-induced risky choice. Conflict of Interest The authors declare no competing financial interests.
Using Organizational Cronyism as an Explanatory Mechanism in the Relationship between Leader Member Exchange, Psychological Contracts and Outcomes: Moderating Role of Culture

Organizational cronyism gained pretty much attention by academic researchers due to its widespread consequences at workplace. It refers to bestowing of privileges to friends, colleagues and associates based on relationships, friendships and associations. There is a lot of evidence on existence of cronyism at workplace, but there are few empirical studies on this prevalent construct. The current study is an attempt to empirically and theoretically investigate organizational cronyism at workplace, particularly in non-western context. This study examines organizational cronyism as an explanatory mechanism to explain the link between leader member exchange, breach of psychological contract and relational contract. Accordingly, the mediating role of breach of psychological contract in the relationship between organizational cronyism and negative work outcomes, i.e. deviant work place behavior, cynicism and negligent behavior is tested. Along with negative work outcomes the positive work outcomes of organizational cronyism, i.e. organizational citizenship behavior, organizational commitment and ingratiation with underlying mechanism of relational contract is also tested. In addition positive and negative behavioral and attitudinal outcomes associated directly with breach of psychological contract, e.g. deviant work place behavior, cynicism and negligent behavior, and relational contracts, e.g. organizational citizenship behavior, organizational commitment and ingratiation are also examined. The moderating role of collectivism is also a salient feature of the study. Therefore, the moderating role of collectivism in the relationship between LMX and organizational cronyism is also investigated. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Population of the study were employees working in various public sector organizations in Pakistan. Convenience sampling technique has been used to obtain data. Data were collected in four time lags, total 600 questionnaires were floated 420 were received back. Few questionnaires were discarded due to incomplete information hence, 370 were utilized in current study. Data were analyzed by using SPSS and Amos.
The Early Isoform of Disabled-1 Functions Independently of Reelin-Mediated Tyrosine Phosphorylation in Chick Retina

ABSTRACT The Reelin-Disabled-1 (Dab1) signaling pathway plays a key role in the positioning of neurons during brain development. Two alternatively spliced Dab1 isoforms have been identified in chick retina and brain: Dab1-E, expressed at early stages of development, and Dab1-L (commonly referred to as Dab1), expressed at later developmental stages. The well-studied Dab1-L serves as an adaptor protein linking Reelin signal to its downstream effectors; however, nothing is known regarding the role of Dab1-E. Here we show that Dab1-E is primarily expressed in proliferating retinal progenitor cells whereas Dab1-L is found exclusively in differentiated neuronal cells. In contrast to Dab1-L, which is tyrosine phosphorylated upon Reelin stimulation, Dab1-E is not tyrosine phosphorylated and may function independently of Reelin. Knockdown of Dab1-E in chick retina results in a significant reduction in the number of proliferating cells and promotes ganglion cell differentiation. Our results demonstrate a role for Dab1-E in the maintenance of the retinal progenitor pool and determination of cell fate.
Amplification of 2p as a Genomic Marker for Transformation in Lymphoma

To outline further genetic mechanisms of transformation from follicular lymphoma (FL) to diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL), we have performed whole genome array‐CGH in 81 tumors from 60 patients [29 de novo DLBCL (dnDLBCL), 31 transformed DLBCL (tDLBCL), and 21 antecedent FL]. In 15 patients, paired tumor samples (primary FL and a subsequent tDLBCL) were available, among which three possessed more than two subsequent tumors, allowing us to follow specific genetic alterations acquired before, during, and after the transformation. Gain of 2p15–16.1 encompassing, among others, the REL, BCL11A, USP34, COMMD1, and OTX1 genes was found to be more common in the tDLBCL compared with dnDLBCL (P < 0.001). Furthermore, a high‐level amplification of 2p15–16.1 was also detected in the FL stage prior to transformation, indicating its importance during the transformation event. Quantitative real‐time PCR showed a higher level of amplification of REL, USP34, and COMMD1 (all involved in the NFκΒ‐pathway) compared with BCL11A, which indicates that the altered genes disrupting the NFκΒ pathway may be the driver genes of transformation rather than the previously suggested BCL11A. Moreover, a 17q21.33 amplification was exclusively found in tDLBCL, never in FL (P < 0.04) or dnDLBCL, indicating an upregulation of genes of importance during the later phase of transformation. Taken together, our study demonstrates potential genomic markers for disease progression to clinically more aggressive forms. We also confirm the importance of the TP53‐, CDKN2A‐, and NFκΒ‐pathways for the transformation from FL to DLBCL. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Control of Crossed Genes Ratio for Directed Mating in Evolutionary Constrained Multi-Objective Optimization

As an evolutionary approach to solve constrained multi-objective optimization problems (CMOPs), an algorithm using the two-stage non-dominated sorting and the directed mating (TNSDM) has been proposed. To generate offspring, the directed mating utilizes useful infeasible solutions having better objective values than feasible solutions in the population. The directed mating achieves higher search performance than the conventional mating which avoids using infeasible solutions in several CMOPs. However, since the directed mating uses infeasible solutions, generated offspring tend to be infeasible compared with the conventional mating. To further improve the effectiveness of the directed mating by improving the feasibility of generated offspring, in this work we propose a method to control the crossed genes ratio in the directed mating. In this method, we control the amount of genes copied from infeasible parents to offspring in the directed mating. Experimental results using m-objective k-knapsack problem with 2-4 objectives show the contribution of the directed mating for the search performance is further improved by controlling crossed genes ratio.
Spatial distribution of galactic halos and their merger histories

We use a novel statistical tool, the mark correlation functions (MCFs), to study clustering of galaxy- size halos as a function of their properties and environment in a high-resolution numerical simulation of the CDM cosmology. We applied MCFs using several types of continuous and discrete marks: maximum circular velocity of halos, merger mark indicating whether halos experienced or not a major merger in their evolution history (the marks for halo with mergers are further split according to the epoch of the last major merger), and a stripping mark indicating whether the halo underwent a tidal stripping (i.e., mass loss). We nd that halos which experienced a relatively early ( z> 1) major merger or mass loss (due to tidal stripping) in their evolution histories are over-abundant in halo pairs with separations <3 h 1 Mpc. This result can be interpreted as spatial segregation of halos with dierent merger histories, qualitatively similar to the morphological segregation in the observed galaxy distribution. In addition, we nd that at z = 0 the mean circular velocity of halos in pairs of halos with separations <10 h 1 Mpc is larger than the mean circular velocity vcirc of the parent halo sample. This mean circular velocity enhancement increases steadily during the evolution of halos from z =3t oz = 0, and indicates that the luminosity dependence of galaxy clustering may be due to the mass segregation of galactic dark matter halos. The analysis presented in this paper demonstrate that MCFs provide powerful, yet algorithmically simple, quantitative measures of segregation in the spatial distribution of objects with respect to their various properties (marks). This should make MCFs very useful for analysis of spatial clustering and segregation in current and future large redshift surveys.
Prevalence and factors associated with low back pain among Malaysian army personnel stationed in Klang Valley

Abstract Study aim: The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and explore possible factors associated with LBP among Malaysian army personnel deployed in Klang Valley in the year 2018. Material and methods: A self-administered questionnaire on sociodemographic data, occupational background, occupational exposure and LBP evaluation was used in this study. A total of 330 respondents participated in this study and 321 (97%) of them completed and returned the questionnaires. Results: One hundred and fifty-seven respondents complained of LBP, giving a prevalence of 48.9%. LBP was found to be associated with smoking status, history of LBP, history of accident, military rank, category of regiment, lifting weights, pushing weights, pulling weights and job-related physical activity. Logistic regression analysis identified four associated risk factors of LBP: history of accident (OR = 4.42, 95% 2.29-8.55), history of LBP (OR=1.92, 95% 1.11-3.31), combat regiment (OR = 1.97, 95% 1.14-3.42) and high job-related physical activity (OR = 2.35, 95% 1.31-4.20). Conclusion: Almost half of Malaysian army personnel stationed in Klang Valley reported LBP symptoms. Smoking status, history of LBP, history of accident, junior non-commissioned officers (NCOs), combat regiments, manual handling of objects and moderate/high job-related physical activity are associated with LBP, but there is no evidence of a temporal relationship in the current study. Further exploration with a longitudinal study is needed to identify a cause and effect relationship between occupational exposure and LBP among Malaysian army personnel.
Hidden challenges to education systems in transition economies

This book addresses problems in the education systems of countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. These problems have emerged as the region adjusts to changes in the social and economic rules that governed choices and decisions in ECA for decades. Institutions are shifting, with significant consequences for education. ECA education systems now are not producing graduates able to adapt flexibility to the skill demands of interconnected market economies or vigorous civic societies. This book proposes ways to reframe ECA's systems of education to fit these new realities. The book also discusses the role of the Bank in the sector. The Bank should not lend to countries resistant to change in the education sector. For such countries, the ECA education sector will limit its activities to nonlending services that can help these countries benchmark their education systems against those of other countries.