Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blocking in Areas of Complex Topography, and Its Influence on Rainfall Distribution

Abstract Using a 6-km-resolution regional climate simulation of Southern California, the effect of orographic blocking on the precipitation climatology is examined. To diagnose whether blocking occurs, precipitating hours are categorized by a bulk Froude number. The precipitation distribution becomes much more spatially homogeneous as the Froude number decreases, and an inspection of winds confirms that this results from the increasing prevalence of orographic blocking. Low Froude (Froude approximately less than 1), blocked cases account for a large fraction of climatological precipitation, particularly at the coastline where more than half is attributable to blocked cases. Thus, the climatological precipitation–slope relationship seen in observations and in the simulation is a hybrid of blocked and unblocked cases. Simulated precipitation distributions are compared to those predicted by a simple linear model that includes only rainfall arising from direct forced topographic ascent. The agreement is nearl.
Learning Improved Reordering Models for Urdu, Farsi and Italian using SMT

This paper presents some experiments which have been carried out as part of a shared task for the workshop “Reordering for Statistical Machine Translation” (RSMT, collocated with COLING 2012). The shared task objective is to learn reordering models by making use of a manually word-aligned, bilingual parallel data. We view this task as that of a statistical machine translation (SMT) system which implicitly employ such models. These models are obtained using empirical methods and machine learning techniques. We have therefore used “Moses”; a state of the art SMT system to conduct experiments for the task at hand. The training and the development datasets used for the experiments have been provided by RSMT and we report our work on three pair of languages namely English-Urdu, English- Farsi and English- Italian.
The Risk of Abdominal Obesity according to the Degree of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Korean Men

Although non-alcoholic fatty liver disease has been reported as a cardiometabolic risk factor, the effect of non-alcoholic fatty liver is yet to be clarified on abdominal obesity. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the longitudinal relationship of non-alcoholic fatty liver on the development of abdominal obesity. The study participants were composed of 11,212 Korean men without abdominal obesity. They were followed up from 2005 to 2010 to be monitored for the development of abdominal obesity according to their degree of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (normal, mild, and moderate to severe). Cox-proportional hazard model was used to calculate the hazard ratios for abdominal obesity according to the degree of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. While the average incidence was 15.5%, the incidence of abdominal obesity increased according to the degree of non-alcoholic fatty liver (normal: 11.6%, mild: 25.2%, moderate to severe: 41.0%, P < 0.001). Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for abdominal obesity independently increased proportionally to the degree of NAFLD (mild [1.07; 0.94-1.23], moderate to severe [1.58; 1.11-2.26], P for trend < 0.001). The risk of abdominal obesity increased proportionally to the degree of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This finding guarantees further studies to reveal the incidental relationship of abdominal obesity with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
A low cost and accurate guidance system for laparoscopic surgery: validation on an abdominal phantom

In this paper we present a guiding system for laparoscopic surgery which tracks in real time the laparoscopic tools and registers at 10 Hz a preoperative CT/MRI model of the patient. To help surgeons, this system provides simultaneously three kinds of supplementary information. It displays the relative positions of the laparoscopic tools and the 3D patient model. It provides two external views of the patient on which his 3D model and tool positions are superimposed. Finally, it displays an endoscopic view augmented with the 3D patient model. Contrary to most systems for laparoscopic surgery, this one is low cost (one PC, two cameras and a printer are necessary) and we have rigorously validated its tracking accuracy in simulated clinical conditions (tracking accuracy of an instrument tip close to 1.5 mm, and endoscopic overlay error under 1.0 mm). Besides, our system accuracy is comparable with commercial system's ones. Eventually, experiments on an abdominal phantom with surgeons demonstrate its usefulness. We plan to realize our first experiments on patients in a few months.
A practical action perspective and understanding on becoming a networked learning educator

In the paper we examine one of the enduring issues in networked learning of the reticence of academics to work with and/or run networked learning courses mediated by technology. The paper is based on an analysis of the situated practice of members of an academic department and the work done in becoming a networked learning educator. It builds on the recent interest in practice based studies (PBS) that has led to an increase in looking at learning and knowing through the doing of practice. Following Schatzki, (2001) we see practice as an embodied and materially mediated activity around practical understanding. The research approach we have chosen to look at this is that associated with ethnomethodology; which has a long-standing interest in the understanding of practical action. In the paper we offer an account of the social fact of the competent university teacher as constructed in what Garfinkel (1967) refers to as ‘common understanding’ exhibited in the methods used and descriptions of practice-in-action of members of the department. We go on to examine an account of designing an online module and the practice-in-action exhibited by Emma in becoming a networked learning educator. We conclude with the suggestion that the pattern and rhythm of said module could be used as a starting point for a pedagogical framework that can accommodate and/or exhibit the practical understanding of pedagogy for members of the department.
Effect of Cognitive Training Program in Chemotherapy Treated Breast Cancer patients

Aim: To evaluate the effect of cognitive training program in chemotherapy treated breast cancer patients. Research design: A quasi-experimental “time series” research design was used. Subjects & Methods: Setting: The study was carried out in Oncology outpatient facility in one of the University Hospitals in Cairo, Egypt. Study subjects: It included two groups of 40 patients each: intervention and control group from the previously mentioned setting who met the inclusion criteria. Data collection tool: A structured interview was utilized to gather data pertinent to the present study. It comprises two sections, A. Demographic and health characteristics data sheet B. Mini-Mental State Examination Scale (MMSE) Results: The results showed improvement in the study group in follow up phase with statistically significant relation (p-value<0.001). Regression analysis specified training program as a single statistically significant independent positive predictor for the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. While number of diseases, number of health problems and Hemoglobin level were negative predictors. Conclusion: Statistically significant improvement in the scores of MMSE of study group of chemotherapy treated breast cancer patients in follow up phase after their involvement in the cognitive training program. Recommendations: Further studies about cognitive interventions on larger scale and risk factors and predictors of chemotherapy-related cognitive changes need to be explored.
Notes on Hyper-minimization

These notes report on recent advances in the relatively new area of hyper-minimization. Several open questions that were raised in the pioneering article [Badr, Geffert, and Shipman. Hyper-minimizing minimized deterministic finite state automata. RAIRO Theor. Inf. Appl. , 43(1):69–94, 2009] are addressed here and the solutions, which are mostly taken from the literature, are presented in a uniform style. In particular, the most efficient hyper-minimization algorithms for several error profiles are presented and the languages of hyper-minimal automata are investigated.
Further investigations of the little cherry disease in New Zealand

Abstract In a trial to determine if flowering cherries (Prunus serrulata Lindl.) were a source of little cherry disease, infection was found in seven of 10 species and cultivars tested. In an orchard trial with the cultivar ‘Lambert’, fruit symptoms of little cherry occurred in infected trees in the fifth year of fruiting, 8 years after planting. The symptoms also occurred in the two succeeding years, after which time the trial was terminated. The indicator ‘Canindex I’ showed more pronounced leaf reddening symptoms than the indicator ‘Van’, and has superseded it as an indicator for little cherry. Trees tested from old plantings of ‘Dawson’ sweet cherry (P. avium L.) which had been shown to have good, true to type fruiting characteristics, were mainly free from little cherry disease.
vacA genotypes in oral cavity and Helicobacter pylori seropositivity among adults without dyspepsia.

OBJECTIVE The aims of this research were to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and its vacA genotypes in oral cavity in persons without dyspepsia and to establish the association between the presence of H. pylori in oral cavity and oral hygiene. The seroprevalence of anti-H. pylori antibodies and its associated factors were analyzed too. STUDY DESIGN For the study, 200 adults without dyspepsia symptoms were selected. Dental plaque and saliva samples from each subject were obtained. H. pylori detection in oral samples was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and for vacA genotyping a semi-nested and nested PCR was used. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect anti-H. pylori IgG and IgM. The data were analyzed with Chi square and Fisher exact test and the statistical significance was set to 0.05. RESULTS Of 200 subjects tested, 124 (62%) were seropositive. H. pylori was detected in the oral cavity of 34 subjects (17%) and vacA allelotypes were typified in 12 of those samples. The s1 allele was detected in 8 (66.7%) samples and in one of them m1 y m2 alleles were found. In four subjects vacA m1 subtypes were found and in two of those both m1 and m2 alleles were detected. The prevalence of H. pylori in oral cavity was higher (18.5%) among seropositive subjects compared with seronegative persons. No association was found between the presence of H. pylori and oral hygiene habits. CONCLUSIONS The presence of H. pylori in oral cavity is more frequent in seropositive subjects without dyspepsia symptoms and could represent the source of gastric infection and bacterial transmission. The data suggest that more than one H. pylori strain may exist in the mouth of asymptomatic persons.
CD4-independent infection of human neural cells by human immunodeficiency virus type 1

A number of studies have indicated that central nervous system-derived cells can be infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). To determine whether CD4, the receptor for HIV-1 in lymphoid cells, was responsible for infection of neural cells, we characterized infectable human central nervous system tumor lines and primary fetal neural cells and did not detect either CD4 protein or mRNA. We then attempted to block infection with anti-CD4 antibodies known to block infection of lymphoid cells; we noted no effect on any of these cultured cells. The results indicate that CD4 is not the receptor for HIV-1 infection of the glioblastoma line U373-MG, medulloblastoma line MED 217, or primary human fetal neural cells.
Breakthrough Hormographiella aspergillata Infections Arising in Neutropenic Patients Treated Empirically with Caspofungin

ABSTRACT Hormographiella aspergillata, a filamentous basidiomycete, has rarely been involved in human infections. We describe 2 febrile neutropenic patients who developed a severe pulmonary infection due to H. aspergillata while receiving empirical caspofungin therapy for presumed fungal pneumonia. After introduction of liposomal amphotericin B, one patient, who had neutrophil recovery, presented a favorable outcome, while the other, who remained neutropenic throughout the course of infection, died. Resistant fungi, including basidiomycetes, may emerge during empirical treatment with caspofungin in febrile neutropenic patients. A rapid switch to any other potent antifungal should be rapidly considered in case of failure of caspofungin in this setting.
Island Biogeography of Galápagos Lava Lizards (Tropiduridae: Microlophus): Species Diversity and Colonization of the Archipelago

The “lava lizards” (Microlophus) are distributed throughout the Galápagos Archipelago, and consist of radiations derived from two independent colonizations. The “Eastern Radiation” includes M. bivittatus and M. habeli endemic to San Cristobal and Marchena Islands. The “Western Radiation” includes five to seven historically recognized species distributed across almost the entire Archipelago. We combine dense geographic sampling and multilocus sequence data to estimate a phylogenetic hypothesis for the Western Radiation, to delimit species boundaries in this radiation, and to estimate a time frame for colonization events. Our phylogenetic hypothesis rejects two earlier topologies for the Western Radiation and paraphyly of M. albemarlensis, while providing strong support for single colonizations on each island. The colonization history implied by our phytogeny is consistent with general expectations of an east-to-west route predicted by the putative age of island groups, and prevailing ocean currents in the Archipelago. Additionally, combined evidence suggests that M. indefatigabilis from Santa Fe should be recognized as a full species. Finally, molecular divergence estimates suggest that the two colonization events likely occurred on the oldest existing islands, and the Western Radiation represents a recent radiation that, in most cases, has produced species that are considerably younger than the islands they inhabit.
Adolescent inhalant use, abuse and dependence.

AIMS To compare adolescent inhalant users without DSM-IV inhalant use disorders (IUDs) to youth with IUDs (i.e. abuse or dependence) across demographic, psychosocial and clinical measures. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey with structured psychiatric interviews. SETTING Facilities (n = 32) comprising the Missouri Division of Youth Services (MDYS) residential treatment system for juvenile offenders. Participants Current MDYS residents (n = 723); 97.7% of residents participated. Most youth were male (87%) and in mid-adolescence (mean = 15.5 years, standard deviation = 1.2, range = 11-20); more than one-third (38.6%, n = 279) reported life-time inhalant use. MEASUREMENTS Antisocial behavior, temperament, trauma-exposure, suicidality, psychiatric symptoms and substance-related problems. FINDINGS Among life-time inhalant users, 46.9% met criteria for a life-time DSM-IV IUD (inhalant abuse = 18.6%, inhalant dependence = 28.3%). Bivariate analyses showed that, in comparison to non-users, inhalant users with and without an IUD were more likely to be Caucasian, live in rural or small towns, have higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms, evidence more impulsive and fearless temperaments and report more past-year antisocial behavior and life-time suicidality, traumatic experiences and global substance use problems. A monotonic relationship between inhalant use, abuse and dependence and adverse outcomes was observed, with comparatively high rates of dysfunction observed among inhalant-dependent youth. Multivariate regression analyses showed that inhalant users with and without an IUD had greater levels of suicidal ideation and substance use problems than non-users. CONCLUSIONS Youth with IUDs have personal histories characterized by high levels of trauma, suicidality, psychiatric distress, antisocial behavior and substance-related problems. A monotonic relationship between inhalant use, abuse and dependence and serious adverse outcomes was observed.
The Log-Linear Group Lasso Estimator and Its Asymptotic Properties

We define the group-lasso estimator for the natural parameters of the exponential families of distributions representing hierarchical log-linear models under multinomial sampling scheme. Such estimator arises as the solution of a convex penalized likelihood optimization problem based on the group-lasso penalty. We illustrate how it is possible to construct an estimator of the underlying log-linear model using the blocks of nonzero coefficients recovered by the group-lasso procedure. We investigate the asymptotic properties of the group-lasso estimator as a model selection method in a double-asymptotic framework, in which both the sample size and the model complexity grow simultaneously. We provide conditions guaranteeing that the group-lasso estimator is model selection consistent, in the sense that, with overwhelming probability as the sample size increases, it correctly identifies all the sets of nonzero interactions among the variables. Provided the sequences of true underlying models is sparse enough, recovery is possible even if the number of cells grows larger than the sample size. Finally, we derive some central limit type of results for the log-linear group-lasso estimator.
Generalized Data Automata and Fixpoint Logic

Data omega-words are omega-words where each position is additionally labelled by a data value from an infinite alphabet. They can be seen as graphs equipped with two sorts of edges: "next position" and "next position with the same data value". Based on this view, an extension of Data Automata called Generalized Data Automata (GDA) is introduced. While the decidability of emptiness of GDA is open, the decidability for a subclass class called Buchi GDA is shown using Multicounter Automata. Next a natural fixpoint logic is defined on the graphs of data omega-words and it is shown that the mu-fragment as well as the alternation-free fragment is undecidable. But the fragment which is defined by limiting the number of alternations between future and past formulas is shown to be decidable, by first converting the formulas to equivalent alternating Buchi automata and then to Buchi GDA.
Anticarcinogenic effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on benzo(a)pyrene and 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene tumor initiation and its relationship to DNA binding.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) pretreatment inhibits the carcinogenicity of both benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) and dimethylbenz(a)anthracene when they are applied as skin tumor initiators in female Sencar mice. TCDD caused a marked decrease in the in vivo covalent binding of dimethylbenz(a)anthracene to DNA and RNA but caused a significant increase in the in vivo binding of B(a)P to DNA with relatively little change in RNA binding. The in vivo binding of B(a)P to DNA in the absence of TCDD pretreatment was accompanied by formation of a major hydrocarbon-deoxyribonucleoside adduct which cochromatographed with 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene bound to the exocyclic amino group of guanine. The increased in vivo binding to DNA following pretreatment with TCDD did not results in the formation of detectable amounts of this adduct but in the formation of other, as yet unidentified, adducts. It is suggested, partly on our observation, that the absence of the adduct of 7,8-dihydroxy-9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo(a)pyrene bound to guanine corresponded to the marked tumor-inhibitory properties of TCDD and that formation of this adduct may be a critical but by itself an inadequate step in B(a)P-induced mouse skin carcinogenesis. Thus, the inhibition by TCDD of B(a)P skin tumorigenesis correlated with the loss of known hydrocarbon-deoxyribonucleoside adducts but not with the total bindingmore » to DNA. This stresses the importance of the qualitative, not just the quantitative, nature of the hydrocarbon-DNA interactions and its subsequent relationship to carcinogenesis. « less
Counterterrorist Legislation and Subsequent Terrorism: Does it Work?

Abstract:Over the past four decades, and especially in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, many countries around the world have passed various types of counterterrorist legislation. It remains unclear, however, whether such laws are effective in achieving their most important declared goal: reducing terrorist activities. Some scholars believe that counterterrorist legislation should indeed reduce terrorist activities through protecting people and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist plots, and deterring some potential terrorists. Others, however, remain doubtful, suggesting that such legislation often serves merely as lip service or, worse, actually contributes to increasing terrorist activities. Using a newly assembled database on national-level counterterrorist legislation, I conduct a cross-national time-series analysis of legislation and subsequent terrorism for the years 1981–2009. The analyses demonstrate a discrepancy between the short- and long-term effects of national-level counterterrorist legislation. In the short term, laws have no effect on the number of terrorist attacks and their severity. In the long term, however, the cumulative effects of most legislation are counterproductive and harmful, although some types of legislation do produce beneficial results and are associated with a reduction in future attacks.
[Effects of dignity interventions on psychosocial and existential distress in terminally ill patients: a meta-analysis].

PURPOSE This study was done to evaluate the effects of dignity interventions on depression, anxiety and meaning of life in terminally ill patients. METHODS PubMed, Cochrane Library CENTRAL, EMBASE, CINAHL and several Korean databases were searched. The main search strategy combined terms indicating dignity intervention, presence of terminal illness and study design. Methodological quality was assessed using Cochrane's Risk of Bias for randomized studies and Risk of Bias Assessment tool for non randomized studies. Data were analyzed by the RevMan 5.2. 11 program of Cochrane Library. RESULTS Twelve clinical trials met the inclusion criteria with a total of 878 participants. Dignity intervention was conducted for a mean of 2.2 weeks, 2.8 sessions and an average of 48.7 minutes per session. Effect sizes were heterogeneous and subgroup analysis was done. Dignity interventions had a significant effect on depression (ES=-1.05, p<.001, I²=15%) and anxiety (ES=-1.01, p<.001, I²=0). For meaning of life, dignity interventions were effective (ES=-1.64, p=.005) and effect sizes were still heterogeneous. CONCLUSION Results support findings that dignity interventions can assist terminal ill patients in reducing emotional distress and improving meaning of life. Further well-designed dignity studies will lead to better understanding of the effects of treatments on spiritual well-being.