Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of psychosocial adjustment in people with diabetes with and without diabetic foot ulceration

Objective To determine whether psychosocial adjustment to illness differs in people with diabetes between those who have or do not have diabetic foot ulceration. Design The study employed as a cross‐sectional sample survey design. Setting The setting for the study was a training hospital, a marine and undersea medicine outpatient clinic and an endocrinology outpatient clinic. Subjects Two hundred participants with a diagnosis, according to World Health Organization criteria, of type 1 or type 2 diabetes for at least one year were enrolled in the study. 100 participants receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy had diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) and 100 participants had diabetes without DFU. Outcome measures Data were collected using a demographic data sheet and analysed using the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale‐Self Report (PAIS‐SR). Results Advanced age, low education levels, long diabetes duration, poor metabolic control and not exercising may be risk factors for DFU. Total PAIS‐SR score was 61.01±21.42 (poor adjustment) in participants with DFU, and 43 ± 17.13 (moderate adjustment) in participants without DFU. Participants without DFU had fewer problems in the domain of health care orientation, vocational environment, sexual relationships, social environment and psychological distress than participants with DFU. In participants with DFU; poorer psychosocial adjustment was associated with poorer metabolic control, lower education status, not exercising and retirement. In participants without DFU, women had better psychosocial adjustment than men. Also, participants exercising had better psychosocial adjustment than participants not exercising. Conclusion The participants without DFU had adjusted better to their illness than participants with DFU. The nurse should evaluate and support the patient for psychosocial adjustment to diabetes to prevent chronic complication such as DFU. RESEARCH PAPER
Connecting Far-Infrared and Radio Morphologies of Disk Galaxies: Cosmic-Ray Electron Diffusion After Star Formation Episodes

We present results on the ISM properties of 29 galaxies based on a comparison of Spitzer far-infrared and Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope radio continuum imagery. Of these 29 galaxies, 18 are close enough to resolve at ≲1 kpc scales at 70 μm and 22 cm. We extend the approach of our earlier work of smoothing infrared images to approximate cosmic-ray (CR) electron spreading and thus largely reproduce the appearance of radio images. Using a wavelet analysis, we decompose each 70 μm image into one component containing the star-forming structures and a second one for the diffuse disk. The components are smoothed separately, and their combination compared to a free-free corrected 22 cm radio image; the scale lengths are then varied to best match the radio and smoothed infrared images. We find that late-type spirals having high amounts of ongoing star formation benefit most from the two-component method. We also find that the disk component dominates for galaxies having low star formation activity, whereas the structure component dominates at high star formation activity. We propose that this result arises from an age effect rather than from differences in CR electron diffusion due to varying ISM parameters. The bulk of the CR electron population in actively star-forming galaxies is significantly younger than that in less active galaxies due to recent episodes of enhanced star formation; these galaxies are observed within ~108 yr since the onset of the most recent star formation episode. The sample irregulars have anomalously low best-fit scale lengths for their surface brightnesses compared to the rest of the sample spirals, which we attribute to enhanced CR electron escape.
M theory as a matrix model: A Conjecture

We suggest and motivate a precise equivalence between uncompactified 11-dimensional M theory and the N={infinity} limit of the supersymmetric matrix quantum mechanics describing D0 branes. The evidence for the conjecture consists of several correspondences between the two theories. As a consequence of supersymmetry the simple matrix model is rich enough to describe the properties of the entire Fock space of massless well separated particles of the supergravity theory. In one particular kinematic situation the leading large distance interaction of these particles is exactly described by supergravity. The model appears to be a nonperturbative realization of the holographic principle. The membrane states required by M theory are contained as excitations of the matrix model. The membrane world volume is a noncommutative geometry embedded in a noncommutative spacetime. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
A Verbal Protocol Analysis of a C-Test

The C-test is widely known as a test of overall language proficiency. Most of the evidence in this regard has been obtained through correlational studies. Nonetheless, construct validity of the C-test is just partially established. Moreover, such studies do not reveal anything about the mental processes going on in the mind of the testees. Verbal protocol analysis has been recommended as an important tool to validate the C-test. A C-test consisting of 5 texts with 100 deletions was given to a sample of 26 Iranian English seniors, and subsequently a retrospective verbal protocol analysis was carried out to learn what happened in the mind of the testees while they were restoring the test items. The results of the study showed that the subjects used 13 different strategies, consisting of both bottom-up and top-down processes. However, the use of different strategies varied as a function of both the types of items in the C-test as well as the proficiency level of the subjects. The results of the study suggest construct validity of the C-test as a test of overall language proficiency.
Market-Driven Multi-Robot Exploration

Abstract : For many real-world applications, autonomous robots must execute complex tasks in unknown or partially known unstructured environments. This work presents a novel approach to efficient multi-robot mapping and exploration which exploits a market architecture in order to maximize information gain while minimizing incurred costs. This system is reliable and robust in that it can accommodate dynamic introduction and loss of team members in addition to communication interruptions and failures. Results showing the capabilities of our system on a team of exploring autonomous robots are also given.
MENTAL DISTURBANCES IN TUBERCULOUS MENINGITIS*

Ever since tuberculous meningitis was first defined as a specific disease (Whytt, 1768) it has been recognized that disturbances of the mind form an integral part of the clinical picture. As the disease progresses, so these disturbances increase until the illness closes in coma and death. Thus the classical descriptions of the disease insist on apathy, irritability, and insidious changes in personality as among the chief characteristics of the early stages of the illness. Whytt himself, writing of children, says: " Their spirits being low they incline mostly to lie in bed, although they are more often disposed to watching than sleep ". Trousseau (1868) says: "Sadness setting in unaccountably is a premonitory sign of great value in a child"; while Osler (1892) states specifically that " the personality may completely change ". Towards the end of the prodromal phase the mental changes deepen to semi-stupor or frank delirium, usually described as either hysterical (Gowers, 1893) or as delirium tremens (Barlow, 1899). The prominence of the mental symptoms is reflected in the discussions of the differential diagnosis. Two conditions often confused with tuberculous meningitis were hysteria and typhoid fever. Both typhoid fever and tuberculous meningitis are characterized by headache, fever, and delirium, and the likeness between the two is still acknowledged by the use of the term " the typhoid state" in modern accounts of general tuberculosis (Go,v an,d Bodley Scott; 4950). In doubtful cases the point at issue was Wvhether the delirium should be asii5ed*sinpty to general toxaemia or to direct cerebral insult. Wilson (1844), writing of acute rheumatic lever, had urged that " it be remembered in4batt9tme&t D '&ad symptoms ' incidental to this as to other forms of acute disease, that the brain may be unsettled by many influences that do not originate within the brain itself". Gowers (1893) recognized both general and local
Bayesian Learning of Sparse Gaussian Graphical Models

Sparse inverse covariance matrix modeling is an important tool for learning relationships among different variables in a Gaussian graph. Most existing algorithms are based on (cid:96) 1 regularization, with the regularization parameters tuned via cross-validation. In this paper, a Bayesian formulation of the problem is proposed, where the regularization parameters are inferred adaptively and cross-validation is avoided. Variational Bayes (VB) is used for the model inference. Results on simulated and real datasets validate the proposed approach. In addition, a graph extension algorithm is proposed to include a new variable in an existing graph, which can be used when separate testing data are available
Unified Architecture for Multichannel End-to-End Speech Recognition With Neural Beamforming

This paper proposes a unified architecture for end-to-end automatic speech recognition (ASR) to encompass microphone-array signal processing such as a state-of-the-art neural beamformer within the end-to-end framework. Recently, the end-to-end ASR paradigm has attracted great research interest as an alternative to conventional hybrid paradigms with deep neural networks and hidden Markov models. Using this novel paradigm, we simplify ASR architecture by integrating such ASR components as acoustic, phonetic, and language models with a single neural network and optimize the overall components for the end-to-end ASR objective: generating a correct label sequence. Although most existing end-to-end frameworks have mainly focused on ASR in clean environments, our aim is to build more realistic end-to-end systems in noisy environments. To handle such challenging noisy ASR tasks, we study multichannel end-to-end ASR architecture, which directly converts multichannel speech signal to text through speech enhancement. This architecture allows speech enhancement and ASR components to be jointly optimized to improve the end-to-end ASR objective and leads to an end-to-end framework that works well in the presence of strong background noise. We elaborate the effectiveness of our proposed method on the multichannel ASR benchmarks in noisy environments (CHiME-4 and AMI). The experimental results show that our proposed multichannel end-to-end system obtained performance gains over the conventional end-to-end baseline with enhanced inputs from a delay-and-sum beamformer (i.e., BeamformIT) in terms of character error rate. In addition, further analysis shows that our neural beamformer, which is optimized only with the end-to-end ASR objective, successfully learned a noise suppression function.
Morphological basis for back pain: The demonstration of nerve fibers and neuropeptides in the lumbar facet joint capsule but not in ligamentum flavum

The innervation of lumbar facet capsule and ligamentum flavum was investigated using antisera to a general neuronal marker protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 and to peptide markers of sensory nerves (calcitonin generelated peptide [CGRP] and substance P) and autonomic nerves (vasoactive intestinal polypeptide [VIP] and C‐flanking peptide of neuropeptide Y [CPON]). In the facet capsule (n = 14), PGP 9.5 and CGRP‐immunoreactive nerves occurred in 12 and five specimens, respectively, both around blood vessels and as free fibers in the stroma. Free fibers immunoreactive for substance P or VIP were noted in three and five specimens, whereas in nine specimens there were CPON‐immunoreactive nerves located perivascularly. There was no immunoreactivity in the ligamentum flavum. This study provides further evidence that the facet capsule but not the ligamentum flavum has substantial innervation by sensory and autonomic nerve fibers and has a structural basis for pain perception.
Does advanced operative obstetrics still have a place in contemporary practice?

Purpose of review This article reviews recent significant contributions to the literature concerning advanced operative obstetric procedures used for rotational vaginal deliveries and their alternative, primary caesarean section. Recent findings Rising caesarean section rates are a global concern. Caesarean section in the second stage of labour is associated with high rates of maternal and fetal morbidity. Rotational vaginal deliveries may reduce the caesarean section rate without additional adverse effects on maternal and fetal outcomes. A recent national trainees’ survey highlighted that training in the management of operative birth in the second stage of labour, especially when there is malposition of the fetal head, is a priority. Summary There is a need for evidence-based guidelines, including standardized documentation of these advanced procedures. Training strategies for junior practitioners to acquire these skills and for experienced practitioners to maintain and disseminate their skills should be prioritized. The safety of rotational delivery methods versus primary caesarean section is likely to prove difficult to assess directly, in the context of a randomized controlled trial, but may be approximated via a national prospective audit.
The means to an end : effects of process on group choice and problem solving

The procedures used by groups to make choices and solve problems are critical: they define the opportunities group members have to evaluate others and influence their behavior; they determine when implicit knowledge and assumptions are shared. The three essays in this dissertation examine the role of intermediate outcomes e.g., the alternatives being considered for a choice, the expected outcomes of an action with uncertain consequences, a diagram mapping relationships among concepts. While intermediate outcomes are often unobserved and implicit when individuals make choices or solve problems, in groups they are frequently observed and explicit. For example, a group might follow a decision process in which members generate a list of alternatives before making a final choice. Alternatives considered even if not chosen can affect both the final choice and group members' satisfaction with the choice. The first essay examines intuitive strategies people use to influence the outcomes of a group choice. Experimental evidence suggests people know how to propose alternatives that influence others' choices, either by leveraging relationships among alternatives (e.g., making one alternative the "compromise" between two more extreme alternatives) or by eliminating alternatives others might prefer to one's own favorite. Procedures are critical because they shape the context in which alternatives are evaluated. The second essay suggests that people consider expected outcomes, such as having an equal chance to receive a preferred outcome, in addition to actual outcomes when assessing the fairness of choices with shared consequences. Experimental results show that factors such as the observability of the process change the relative importance of procedural fairness (expected outcomes) and distributional fairness (actual outcomes). One implication is that using appropriate procedures can improve joint outcomes. The way people categorize concepts reflects the relationships they perceive among them. Thus, structured categorization techniques are often used to make tacit knowledge explicit. The last essay presents experimental results showing that individuals and groups categorize the same concepts in a qualitatively different manner. Moreover, the process of learning the technique in an individual or group setting can have lasting effects on how people perceive relationships among concepts. Thesis Supervisor: Drazen Prelec Title: Professor of Management Science
Compiler optimized remote method invocation

We further increase the efficiency of Java RMI programs. Where other optimizing re-implementations of RMI use pre-processors to create stubs and skeletons and to create class specific serializers and deserializers, this paper demonstrates that with transformations based on compile time analysis, an additional 18% performance gain can be achieved over class specific serializers alone for a simple scientific application. A novel and RMI-specific version of static heap analysis is used to derive information about objects that are passed as arguments of remote method invocations. This knowledge of objects and their interrelations is used for three optimizations. First, dynamic introspection and/or (recursive) dynamic invocations of object specific serializers is slow. With knowledge from our heap analysis, the marshaling of graphs of argument objects can be inlined at the call site. Hence, many method table lookups and skeleton indirections of previous approaches can be avoided and less protocol information is sent over the network. Secondly, because object graphs may be passed as RMI arguments, cyclic references need to be detected. With our heap analysis, we can detect if there is no potential for cycles and hence, cycle detection code can be left out of the serialization and marshaling codes. Finally, object arguments to remote methods cause object creation and garbage collection. Heap analysis and an RMI-specific version of escape analysis allows the reuse of object graphs created in earlier remote invocations.
Interface trap generation and hole trapping under NBTI and PBTI in advanced CMOS technology with a 2-nm gate oxide

This paper gives an insight into the degradation mechanisms during negative and positive bias temperature instabilities in advanced CMOS technology with a 2-nm gate oxide. We focus on generated interface traps and oxide traps to distinguish their dependencies and effects on usual transistor parameters. negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) and positive bias temperature instability in both NMOS and PMOS have been compared and a possible explanation for all configurations has been suggested. Recovery and temperature effect under NBTI were also investigated showing different behaviors of the two components.
Spatial modulation for multiple-antenna wireless systems: a survey

Multiple-antenna techniques constitute a key technology for modern wireless communications, which trade-off superior error performance and higher data rates for increased system complexity and cost. Among the many transmission principles that exploit multiple-antenna at either the transmitter, the receiver, or both, Spatial Modulation (SM) is a novel and recently proposed multiple-antenna transmission technique that can offer, with a very low system complexity, improved data rates compared to Single-Input- Single-Output (SISO) systems, and robust error performance even in correlated channel environments. SM is an entirely new modulation concept that exploits the uniqueness and randomness properties of the wireless channel for communication. This is achieved by adopting a simple but effective coding mechanism that establishes a one-to-one mapping between blocks of information bits to be transmitted and the spatial positions of the transmit-antenna in the antenna-array. In this article, we summarize the latest research achievements and outline some relevant open research issues of this recently proposed transmission technique.
Comparison of three weaning ages on cow-calf performance and steer carcass traits.

An experiment was conducted to compare three weaning ages on cow-calf performance and steer carcass traits. Crossbred steers (n = 168; 1/2 Simmental x 1/4 Angus x 1/4 Hereford) were randomly assigned to three treatments with eight pens per treatment: groups were 1) weaned at an average of 90 d of age (90 +/- 13 d) and placed in the feedlot, 2) weaned at an average of 152 d of age (152 +/- 13 d) and placed in the feedlot, and 3) weaned at an average of 215 d of age (215 +/- 13 d) and placed in the feedlot. The number of days steers were finished decreased by 55 and 38 d (linear, P = .0001) as weaning age increased when slaughtered at a constant fat end point (.81 cm). Weaning at an average of 90 and 152 d of age improved overall ADG by . 15 and . 07 kg/d, respectively, over weaning at an average of 215 d of age (linear, P = .005). Over the entire finishing period, intake increased (linear, P = .0006) and efficiency was poorer (linear, P = .004) as weaning age increased. Owing to differences in finishing days and intake, total concentrate consumed increased (linear, P = .03) as weaning age decreased. No differences (P > .21) were observed for carcass weight, longissimus muscle area, or yield grade. No differences (P > .19) were observed in marbling score or percentage of steers grading greater than or equal to Choice or Average Choice. Cow body condition score improved (linear, P = .0001) as weaning age decreased. Pregnancy rate improved 12 percentage units (linear, P = .15) for cows on the 90-d weaning treatment. In this study, early weaning improved gain and feed efficiency, but it increased total concentrate consumed.
ECOLOGICAL CAUSES OF DECELERATING DIVERSIFICATION IN CARNIVORAN MAMMALS

Clade diversification is a central topic in macroevolutionary studies. Recently, it has been shown that diversification rates appear to decelerate over time in many clades. What causes this deceleration remains unclear, but it has been proposed that competition for limited resources between sympatric, ecologically similar species slows diversification. Employing carnivoran mammals as a model system, we test this hypothesis using a comprehensive time‐calibrated phylogeny. We also explore several conceptually related explanations including limited geographic area and limited rates of niche evolution. We find that diversification slowdowns are strong in carnivorans. Surprisingly, these slowdowns are independent of geographic range overlap between related species and are also decoupled from rates of niche evolution, suggesting that slowdowns are unrelated to competition and niche filling. When controlling for the effects of clade diversity, diversification slowdowns appear independent of geographic area. There is a significant effect of clade diversity on diversification slowdowns, but simulations show that this relationship may arise as a statistical artifact (i.e., greater clade diversity increases the ability of the gamma statistic to refute constant diversification). Overall, our results emphasize the need to test hypotheses about the causes of diversification slowdowns with ecological data, rather than assuming ecological processes from phylogenies alone.