Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect-site concentration of remifentanil for preventing cough during emergence in elderly patients undergoing nasal surgery: a comparison with adult patients

Purpose Prevention of cough during emergence after nasal surgery is important for avoiding surgical site bleeding. We investigated the remifentanil effect-site concentration in 50% (EC50) of the elderly patients undergoing nasal surgery for smooth emergence without cough and compared it with that of adult patients. Methods Twenty-two elderly (aged 65–80 years) and 25 adult patients (aged 20–60 years) with an American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I/II undergoing nasal surgery were enrolled. Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and remifentanil. Remifentanil EC50 and EC95 for preventing cough were determined using the modified Dixon’s up-and-down method and isotonic regression with bootstrapping approach. Recovery profiles were also recorded. Results With Dixon’s up-and-down method, the EC50 of remifentanil in elderly patients (2.40±0.25 ng/mL) was not significantly different from that of adults (2.33±0.30 ng/mL) (P=0.687). With isotonic regression, the EC95 of remifentanil in elderly patients (3.32 [95% confidence interval: 3.06–3.38] ng/mL) was not significantly different from that of adults (3.30 [95% confidence interval: 2.96–3.37] ng/mL). However, eye opening time (14.1±3.8 vs 12.0±2.9 seconds), extubation time (17.2±4.1 vs 14.0±3.0 seconds), and postanesthesia care unit duration (44.5±7.6 vs 38.7±3.4 minutes) in elderly patients were significantly longer than those in adults (P<0.05). Conclusion Remifentanil EC50 for preventing cough after nasal surgery with sevoflurane anesthesia did not differ between elderly and adult patients. However, delayed awakening and respiratory adverse events may warrant attention in elderly patients.
Systems Development Ambidexterity: Explaining the Complementary and Substitutive Roles of Formal and Informal Controls

Although formal and informal control mechanisms are often simultaneously used to govern systems development projects, considerable disagreement exists about whether the use of one strengthens or diminishes the benefits of the other. In other words, are they complements or substitutes? Competing theoretical perspectives favor both sides of the argument, and neither the information systems (IS) controls literature nor the information technology (IT) outsourcing literature has addressed this issue. This study theoretically develops the idea that these competing perspectives are mutually compatible rather than contradictory because informal and formal control mechanisms can simultaneously be complements and substitutes. Using data from 120 outsourced systems development projects, it is shown that informal control mechanisms strengthen the influence of formal behavior control mechanisms on systems development ambidexterity (complementary effects) but weaken the influence of formal outcome control mechanisms (substitutive effects). The key contribution of the paper therefore lies in exploring interactions among control mechanisms in a project's control portfolio to reconcile the competing theoretical perspectives on whether formal and informal controls are complements or substitutes. The findings provide managers guidance on how to carefully combine formal and informal control mechanisms in a project. Combining informal with formal process-based control mechanisms can simultaneously enhance the fulfillment of project goals and development flexibility. However, combining informal with formal outcome-based control mechanisms can instead impair these objectives.
The conditional stability in line unique continuation for a wave equation and an inverse wave source problem

In this paper, we prove a conditional stability estimate of the logarithmic type for a wave equation on a line in by combining the Fourier–Bros–Iagolnitzer transformation. Then we apply it to an inverse wave source problem of determining a spatially varying source term on its extended line by observations of a segment and establish the conditional stability.
Ordered Nanomaterial Thin Films via Supported Anodized Alumina Templates

Supported anodized alumina template films with highly ordered porosity are best suited for fabricating large area ordered nanostructures with tunable dimensions and aspect ratios. In this paper we first discuss important issues for the generation of such templates, including required properties of the Al/Ti/Au/Ti thin film heterostructure on a substrate for high quality templates. We then show examples of anisotropic nanostructure films consisting of noble metals using these templates, discuss briefly their optical properties and their applications to molecular detection using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Finally we briefly address the possibility to make nanocomposite films, exemplary shown on a plasmonic-thermochromic nanocomposite of VO2-capped Au-nanorods.
Validating the Systematic Observation of Counterproductive Work Behaviors on Social Networking

The existence of counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs) on social networking websites (SNWs) was investigated. The goal of the study was to determine whether previously validated relationships associated with CWBs, namely, stress, gender, and skill level, could be ascertained via qualitative coding of the public profiles found on SNWs. To record whether accounts of CWBs are displayed on social networking sites, a coding sheet was developed that analyzed public profile pages found on Facebook. Analyses found that more than half (50.54%) of the observed profile pages displayed accounts of CWBs and that each profile, on average, displayed more than 1 CWB-related post (M = 1.39, SD = 1.92). A positive correlation between CWBs and stress, r(184) = . 48, p < . 001, was also found, suggesting that displays of stress online correspond to higher displays of CWBs. A significant gender difference was also found, t(185) = 3.37, p < . 001, which indicated that men, on average, M = 1.93, SD = 2.23, reportedly engage in almost twice as many CWBs compared with women, M = . 98, SD = 1.53. Further, when CWBs were compared by skill level, individuals in unskilled jobs reported more CWBs, F(1, 139) = 5.34, p = . 022, and stress, F(1, 139) = 3.39, p = . 011, than those in skilled jobs. These findings largely support the idea that CWBs can be analyzed through SNWs that provide employers the ability to utilize CWBs as a preemployment screening tool that helps to identify both counterproductive and potentially illegal work behaviors.
Planck 2013 results - VIII. HFI photometric calibration and mapmaking

This paper describes the methods used to produce photometrically calibrated maps from the Planck High Frequency Instrument (HFI) cleaned, time-ordered information. HFI observes the sky over a broad range of frequencies, from 100 to 857 GHz. To obtain the best calibration accuracy over such a large range, two different photometric calibration schemes have to be used. The 545 and 857 GHz data are calibrated by comparing flux-density measurements of Uranus and Neptune with models of their atmospheric emission. The lower frequencies (below 353 GHz) are calibrated using the solar dipole. A component of this anisotropy is time-variable, owing to the orbital motion of the satellite in the solar system. Photometric calibration is thus tightly linked to mapmaking, which also addresses low-frequency noise removal. By comparing observations taken more than one year apart in the same configuration, we have identified apparent gain variations with time. These variations are induced by non-linearities in the read-out electronics chain. We have developed an effective correction to limit their effect on calibration. We present several methods to estimate the precision of the photometric calibration. We distinguish relative uncertainties (between detectors, or between frequencies) and absolute uncertainties. Absolute uncertainties lie in the range from 0.54% to 10% from 100 to 857 GHz. We describe the pipeline used to produce the maps from the HFI timelines, based on the photometric calibration parameters, and the scheme used to set the zero level of the maps a posteriori. We also discuss the cross-calibration between HFI and the SPIRE instrument on board Herschel. Finally we summarize the basic characteristics of the set of HFI maps included in the 2013 Planck data release.
Be stars and binaries in the field of the SMC open cluster NGC 330 with VLT-FLAMES

Aims. Observations of hot stars belonging to the young cluster SMC-NGC 330 and its surrounding region were obtained with the VLT-GIRAFFE facilities in MEDUSA mode. We investigated the B and Be star properties and proportions in this environment of low metallicity. We also searched for rapid variability in Be stars using photometric databases. Methods. Using spectroscopic measurements, we characterized the emission and properties of Be stars. By cross-correlation with photometric databases such as MACHO and OGLE, we searched for binaries in our sample of hot stars, as well as for short-term variability in Be stars. Results. We report on the global characteristics of the Be star sample (131 objects). We find that the proportion of early Be stars with a large equivalent width of the H α emission line is higher in the SMC than in the LMC and MW. We find a slight increase in the proportion of Be stars compared to B-type stars with decreasing metallicity. We also discovered spectroscopic and photometric binaries, and for the latter we give their orbital period. We identify 13 Be stars with short-term variability. We determine their period(s) and find that 9 Be stars are multiperiodic.
Comparing Faculty and Student Perception of Academic Performance, Classroom Behavior, and Social Interactions in Learning Communities

ABSTRACT Learning community participation is often linked with effective student communication, belonging, persistence, increased retention rates, and higher GPA. However, learning communities can also foster less desirable social and behavioral dynamics. This study explored differences in student and faculty perception and how differences might impact classroom dynamics. Using survey data and qualitative responses, we compared student and faculty perception about the effects of learning community participation in relation to student academic performance, classroom behavior, and social interactions. Students and faculty exhibited statistically significant differences in perception around questions of academic performance and classroom behavior but showed no statistical difference around questions of social interaction. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to learning community faculty training and retention and pedagogical development.
The Bayesian group-Lasso for analyzing contingency tables

Group-Lasso estimators, useful in many applications, suffer from lack of meaningful variance estimates for regression coefficients. To overcome such problems, we propose a full Bayesian treatment of the Group-Lasso, extending the standard Bayesian Lasso, using hierarchical expansion. The method is then applied to Poisson models for contingency tables using a highly efficient MCMC algorithm. The simulated experiments validate the performance of this method on artificial datasets with known ground-truth. When applied to a breast cancer dataset, the method demonstrates the capability of identifying the differences in interactions patterns of marker proteins between different patient groups.
Verbatim and gist memory and individual differences in inhibition, sustained attention, and working memory capacity

ABSTRACT In the present study, we explored whether individual differences in inhibition, sustained attention, and working memory capacity (WMC) are related to false memory task performance. We defined the processes in such a task according to the fuzzy trace theory and used multinomial modelling methodology to measure the contribution of these latent processes. We found higher verbatim memory in participants with a high WMC, as measured by the Rotation Span task, and in individuals who committed more errors in the Sustained Attention Response Task (SART). Participants with a high WMC and low-error level in SART showed higher gist memory for targets, and individuals high in WMC also rejected orthographically related distractors more effectively due to the recollection of distractors’ corresponding targets. We also observed that participants with better inhibition control were more conservative in guessing that an item was old.
Commercial Serological Antibody Detection Tests for the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Systematic Review

Background The global tuberculosis epidemic results in nearly 2 million deaths and 9 million new cases of the disease a year. The vast majority of tuberculosis patients live in developing countries, where the diagnosis of tuberculosis relies on the identification of acid-fast bacilli on unprocessed sputum smears using conventional light microscopy. Microscopy has high specificity in tuberculosis-endemic countries, but modest sensitivity which varies among laboratories (range 20% to 80%). Moreover, the sensitivity is poor for paucibacillary disease (e.g., pediatric and HIV-associated tuberculosis). Thus, the development of rapid and accurate new diagnostic tools is imperative. Immune-based tests are potentially suitable for use in low-income countries as some test formats can be performed at the point of care without laboratory equipment. Currently, dozens of distinct commercial antibody detection tests are sold in developing countries. The question is “do they work? ” Methods and Findings We conducted a systematic review to assess the accuracy of commercial antibody detection tests for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Studies from all countries using culture and/or microscopy smear for confirmation of pulmonary tuberculosis were eligible. Studies with fewer than 50 participants (25 patients and 25 control participants) were excluded. In a comprehensive search, we identified 68 studies. The results demonstrate that (1) overall, commercial tests vary widely in performance; (2) sensitivity is higher in smear-positive than smear-negative samples; (3) in studies of smear-positive patients, Anda-TB IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay shows limited sensitivity (range 63% to 85%) and inconsistent specificity (range 73% to 100%); (4) specificity is higher in healthy volunteers than in patients in whom tuberculosis disease is initially suspected and subsequently ruled out; and (5) there are insufficient data to determine the accuracy of most commercial tests in smear microscopy–negative patients, as well as their performance in children or persons with HIV infection. Conclusions None of the commercial tests evaluated perform well enough to replace sputum smear microscopy. Thus, these tests have little or no role in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Lack of methodological rigor in these studies was identified as a concern. It will be important to review the basic science literature evaluating serological tests for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis to determine whether useful antigens have been described but their potential has not been fully exploited. Activities leading to the discovery of new antigens with immunodiagnostic potential need to be intensified.
Categorization , Representations , and the Dynamics of System-Environment Interaction : a case study in autonomous systems

Since the world is partly an unpredictable place the agents that have to function in it have to rely on learning to adjust to it. To understand the adaptive properties of autonomous agents, that are related to their learning capacities, it is necessary to explore what they exactly learn. In order to do this we will further analyse an autonomous agent designed according to the methodology of distributed adaptive control. It is shown by means of a simulation study that the mappings between sensing and acting the system acquires through its interaction with the environment are topology preserving. Moreover, on the basis of these results it is shown that these mappings implement action related prototypes. This is demonstrated by translating the mapping back into world coordinates. Based on these results an extension of the model is proposed that illustrates another aspect of our methodology; stretching a model. To overcome some limitations of Hebbian learning, which is crucial for the self-organizing properties of the model, an expectancy mechanism is included in the control architecture. This allows the development of mechanisms that influence the categorization process independently of immediate sensory states. This can be seen as a necessary next step to come to a closer definition of the concept of representation in the context of autonomous agents.
Designing for privacy and other competing requirements

Privacy may be interpreted in different ways in different contexts, and may be achieved by means of different mechanisms. It is also frequently intertwined with security concerns. However, other requirements such as functionality, usability and reliability, must also be addressed since they often compete among each other. While the understanding of technical mechanisms for addressing privacy has been growing, systematic approaches are needed to guide software engineers to elicit, model and reason about privacy requirements and to address them during design. In a networked world, multi-agent systems have been emerging as a new approach. Each agent may have his own goals and beliefs and social relationships with each other. Each agent may have his own perspective concerning privacy. Perspectives from different agents may conflict with each other. Moreover, they may conflict with other requirements such as availability and performance. In this paper we present a framework to model the way agents interact with each other to achieve their goals. The framework uses a catalogue to guide the software engineer through alternatives for achieving privacy. Each alternative will be modeled showing how it contributes to privacy as well as to other requirements within this agent or in other agents. The approach is based on the i* framework. Privacy is modeled as a special type of goal. We show how one can model privacy concerns for each agent and the different alternatives for operationalizing it. An example in the health care domain is used to illustrate.
Exploring teacher efficacy and job satisfaction beliefs : a mixed methods study on language teachers at a college of technology in Oman

The main purpose of this longitudinal mixed methods study is to investigate teachers’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction beliefs in Oman, from the perspective of novice and experienced English language teachers in a college of technology. The study also investigates patterns of changes in teachers’ self-efficacy (TSE) and satisfaction (JS). Using a short-term longitudinal study, five online diary surveys were filled by 84 teachers in the course of one semester. Data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively using validated measures of teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction. This study revealed non-significant change in TSE and JS over time. Differences in TSE and JS beliefs were observed between teachers with 1 to 3 and teachers with more than 21 years of teaching experience, specifically in selecting what strategies to employ in their teaching. The qualitative findings showed that teachers with high self-efficacy had the ability to select the right instructional strategies, maintain control in the class, emphasize students’ willingness to take responsibility for their learning; were highly engaged; and ensured teacher-student relationships existed and maintained. Additionally, teachers’ satisfaction was mainly affected by their sense of achievement and workplace environment. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory suggests that self-efficacy may be malleable early in learning and, therefore, this indicates that if teacher self-efficacy is well established early on in the teaching career, a strong long-term sense of efficacy can be developed. In-service training and staff development programs can be the solution to strengthen teachers’ belief in their abilities, as the qualitative results suggested. A student engagement scale (ESS) was created in order to explore links with teachers’ self-efficacy. Data were collected from students whose teachers participated in the online diaries (n=838). The ESS was found to be reliable (α =.87). A non-significant relationship between students’ perception of their engagement and their teachers’ beliefs in engaging them was reported.
Gene Deficiency in Activating Fcγ Receptors Influences the Macrophage Phenotypic Balance and Reduces Atherosclerosis in Mice

Immunity contributes to arterial inflammation during atherosclerosis. Oxidized low-density lipoproteins induce an autoimmune response characterized by specific antibodies and immune complexes in atherosclerotic patients. We hypothesize that specific Fcγ receptors for IgG constant region participate in atherogenesis by regulating the inflammatory state of lesional macrophages. In vivo we examined the role of activating Fcγ receptors in atherosclerosis progression using bone marrow transplantation from mice deficient in γ-chain (the common signaling subunit of activating Fcγ receptors) to hyperlipidemic mice. Hematopoietic deficiency of Fcγ receptors significantly reduced atherosclerotic lesion size, which was associated with decreased number of macrophages and T lymphocytes, and increased T regulatory cell function. Lesions of Fcγ receptor deficient mice exhibited increased plaque stability, as evidenced by higher collagen and smooth muscle cell content and decreased apoptosis. These effects were independent of changes in serum lipids and antibody response to oxidized low-density lipoproteins. Activating Fcγ receptor deficiency reduced pro-inflammatory gene expression, nuclear factor-κB activity, and M1 macrophages at the lesion site, while increasing anti-inflammatory genes and M2 macrophages. The decreased inflammation in the lesions was mirrored by a reduced number of classical inflammatory monocytes in blood. In vitro, lack of activating Fcγ receptors attenuated foam cell formation, oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory gene expression, and increased M2-associated genes in murine macrophages. Our study demonstrates that activating Fcγ receptors influence the macrophage phenotypic balance in the artery wall of atherosclerotic mice and suggests that modulation of Fcγ receptor-mediated inflammatory responses could effectively suppress atherosclerosis.
The Effect of Temperature Gradient on Space Charge and Electric Field Distribution of HVDC Cable Models

This paper deals with the analysis of the effect of temperature gradient applied to polymeric cables on space charge accumulation inside insulation bulk. In particular, experimental measurements on HVDC cable models showed that space charge due to temperature gradient is generally negligible with respect to excess charge injected from the electrodes at electrical fields larger than the threshold for space charge accumulation. The effect of temperature gradient can be revealed only at fields close to the threshold, i.e. 5 to 10 kV/mm, leading, however, to a small extent of charge accumulation, of the order of tens of mC/m