Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intractability of Deficit Syndrome of Schizophrenia Against Adjunctive Modafinil

Objectives Negative symptoms are a significant barrier to successful functional outcome and recovery in individuals with schizophrenia, and their management is not easy. Prior tryouts with antidepressants and some cognitive enhancers were not really encouraging, and experiments with modafinil had mixed and indecisive results. The objective of the present study was to assess modafinil's efficacy on subjective and objective aspects of negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Methods This study was an 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled trial of modafinil, as an adjective to haloperidol, in treatment of 50 schizophrenic patients. Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) was used as the primary outcome measure, and Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms, Clinical Global Impressions-Severity Scale, Schedule for Assessment of Insight, Simpson Angus Scale, Psychological General Well-Being Schedule, and Nurses Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation were used as secondary measures. Results According to the findings, while more cases in the modafinil group (n = 14) showed a positive response in some of the subscales of SANS, in comparison with the placebo group (n = 6; P < 0.04), the intractability of the deficit syndrome of schizophrenia against augmentative modafinil was obvious because there was no significant decrease in the mean total score of SANS in the target group in comparison with the placebo group at the end of the assessment (P < 0.08). In addition, while no significant alteration in most of the secondary measures was evident, a significant improvement in Psychological General Well-Being Schedule (P < 0. 04) and Nurses Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (P < 0. 05) was obvious at the end of the trial. Conclusions According to the results, despite the fact that a remarkable influence by adjunctive modafinil was visible as regards the subjective measures, no significant improvement was evident with respect to deficit syndrome per se.
Objective technique for the determination of monochromatic aberrations of the human eye.

The subjective crossed-cylinder aberroscope method of Howland and Howland [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67, 1508 (1977)] has been modified by the addition of a beam splitter and a camera to permit direct photographic recording of the distorted retinal image of the aberroscope grid. The ocular aberration can then be deduced from direct measurements of the grid distortion. Preliminary results on 11 subjects confirm earlier findings that comalike, third-order aberrations are more important than spherical or other fourth-order aberrations in degrading the retinal image and for the average subject, the diffraction-limited pupil size is approximately 3 mm. This new objective method for measuring wave aberration yields significantly less variance in population estimates of the coefficients of the wave-aberration polynomial than that of the previous subjective method.
Do Open Projects "Break the Mirror"?: Re-conceptualization of Organizational Configurations in Open Source Software (OSS) Production

The mirroring hypothesis predicts that loosely-coupled developers will develop a loosely-coupled software system. However, empirical studies have brought confusing results about the mirroring relationship in open source software (OSS) production: loosely-coupled OSS contributors have developed a tightly-coupled system, deviating from theoretical prediction, but are still successful. This study aims to provide better understanding about “breaking the mirror” in community-based OSS production in which there is no significant corporate participation. We propose it is not the mirroring hypothesis that is broken, but the manner in which we conceptualize and measure organizational configurations in OSS production.
Percutaneous Soft Tissue Release for Treating Chronic Recurrent Myofascial Pain Associated with Lateral Epicondylitis: 6 Case Studies

Objective. The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate the effectiveness of the percutaneous soft tissue release for the treatment of recurrent myofascial pain in the forearm due to recurrent lateral epicondylitis. Methods. Six patients with chronic recurrent pain in the forearm with myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) due to chronic lateral epicondylitis were treated with percutaneous soft tissue release of Lin's technique. Pain intensity (measured with a numerical pain rating scale), pressure pain threshold (measured with a pressure algometer), and grasping strength (measured with a hand dynamometer) were assessed before, immediately after, and 3 months and 12 months after the treatment. Results. For every individual case, the pain intensity was significantly reduced (P < 0.01) and the pressure pain threshold and the grasping strength were significantly increased (P < 0.01) immediately after the treatment. This significant effectiveness lasts for at least one year. Conclusions. It is suggested that percutaneous soft tissue release can be used for treating chronic recurrent lateral epicondylitis to avoid recurrence, if other treatment, such as oral anti-inflammatory medicine, physical therapy, or local steroid injection, cannot control the recurrent pain.
A technique for identifying microseismic multiplets and application to the Valhall field, North Sea

A fast, fully automatic technique to identify microseismic multiplets in borehole seismic data is developed. The technique may be applied in real time to either continuous data or detected-event data for a number of three-component receivers and does not require prior information such as P- or S-wave time picks. Peak crosscorrelation coefficients, evaluated in the frequency domain, are used as the basis for identifying microseismic doublets. The peak crosscorrelation coefficient at each receiver is evaluated with a weighted arithmetic average of the normalized correlation coefficients of each component. Each component is weighted by the maximum amplitude of the signal for that component to reduce the effect of noise on the calculations. The weighted average correlations are averaged over all receivers in a time window centered on a fixed lag time. The size of the time window is determined from the dominant period in the signal, and the lag time is the time that maximizes the average correlation coefficient. The technique is applied to a three-component passive seismic data set recorded at the Valhall field, North Sea. A large number of microseismic doublets are identified that can be grouped into multiplets, reducing the total number of absolute event locations by a factor of two. Seven large multiplets reflect the repeated multiple rerupturing (up to 30 times on a single fault) and significant stress release. Two major faults dominate the seismic activity, causing at least one-fourth of the observed events.
Determining student perceptions regarding the most important service features and overall satisfaction with the service quality of a higher education institution

Today, there is a greater focus on worldwide academic excellence and quality of tuition. The industry can be more selective nowadays, because there is a wide range of graduates due to a variety of institutions offering many qualifications of different standards and quality. In order for a higher education institution to be successful and profitable, quality products and services need to be ensured and delivered. It becomes evident that many higher education institutions are ignorant towards the level of service they provide, which implicates the students’ attitudes towards the institution. It is, therefore, important that higher education institutions know what level of service students expect from them. The study aimed to identify the most important service feature of student administration, according to students. A quantitative study was conducted among 200 students at a South African university. The results indicated that students’ perceptions regarding service quality, as well as the overall level of satisfaction of the service are only slightly above average.
An Overview of Internal & International Migration in Egypt

This paper makes use of a very rich new data set namely, the Egypt Labor Market Panel Survey (ELMPS 06). Given the panel nature of the data, the paper examines internal migration rates over time and also the current and previous patterns of international migration in Egypt. The main findings are as follows. First, there is evidence to suggest that overall internal migration rates have increased recently. A common feature of this new pattern of migration is its short distance nature, that is, within the same governorate. Secondly, the evidence suggests that international migration has fallen yet its impact is still very visible in terms of the contribution of returnees and remittances.
Mild Renal Insufficiency Is Associated With Angiographic Coronary Artery Disease in Women

Background—Mild renal insufficiency is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events in women with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the relationship between mild renal insufficiency and atherosclerotic CAD in women is not known. Methods and Results—Women with chest pain who were referred for coronary angiography in the NHLBI Women’s Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study underwent quantitative coronary angiography, blood measurements of creatinine, lipids, and homocysteine, and assessment of CAD risk factors. Fifty-six women had mild renal insufficiency (serum creatinine 1.2 to 1.9 mg/dL), and 728 had normal renal function (creatinine <1.2 mg/dL). Creatinine correlated with angiographic CAD severity score (r =0.11, P <0.004) and maximum coronary artery stenosis (r =0.11, P <0.003). Compared with women with normal renal function, those with mild renal insufficiency were more likely to have significant angiographic CAD (≥50% diameter stenosis in ≥1 coronary artery) (61% versus 37%;P <0.001) and CAD in multiple vessels (P <0.001 for association) and had greater maximum percent diameter coronary stenosis (59±35% versus 38±36%;P <0.001). Mild renal insufficiency was associated with significant angiographic CAD independent of age and risk factors (OR=1.9, 95%CI=1.1 to 3.5). After controlling for homocysteine in 509 women, mild renal insufficiency remained predictive of CAD (OR=3.2, 95%CI=1.4 to 7.2). Conclusions—In women with chest pain, mild renal insufficiency is an independent predictor of significant angiographic CAD. Mildly increased serum creatinine is probably a marker for unmeasured proatherogenic factors.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in High-Risk Population, Turkey

In the Tokat and Sivas provinces of Turkey, the overall Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) seroprevalence was 12.8% among 782 members of a high-risk population. CCHFV seroprevalence was associated with history of tick bite or tick removal from animals, employment in animal husbandry or farming, and being >40 years of age.
Partially acidulated phosphate rock as fertiliser and dissolution in soil of the residual rock phosphate

Abstract A field trial was conducted for two years to determine the effectiveness of partially acidulated phosphate rock (PAPR) — in this instance, a reactive North Carolina rock acidulated with 20, 30, and 50% of the phosphoric acid needed for complete acidulation. The soil was a yellow-brown loam (Typic Vitrandept), and triple superphosphate (TSP) was used as the standard fertiliser. The fertilisers were applied at four rates to a ryegrass-white clover permanent pasture. The soil was highly P retentive and the dominant clay was allophane. The trial design enabled measurement of the residual effectiveness of the fertilisers in the second year. The ability of soil tests (namely, Olsen, Bray-I 1 min, Bray-I 30 min, and anion exchange resin) to indicate soil P availability to plants was assessed. The rate of dissolution of unacidulated rock phosphate in PAPR was calculated from inorganic P fractionation in soil samples collected at intervals. Dry matter yields and P uptake indicated that, as a maintenance f.
Learning to Cooperate via Policy Search

Cooperative games are those in which both agents share the same payoff structure. Value-based reinforcement-learning algorithms, such as variants of Q-learning, have been applied to learning cooperative games, but they only apply when the game state is completely observable to both agents. Policy search methods are a reasonable alternative to value-based methods for partially observable environments. In this paper, we provide a gradient-based distributed policy-search method for cooperative games and compare the notion of local optimum to that of Nash equilibrium. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this method experimentally in a small, partially observable simulated soccer domain.
Developing an Automatic Virtual Metrology System

Virtual Metrology (VM) is a method to conjecture manufacturing quality of a process tool based on data sensed from the process tool and without physical metrology operations. VM has now been designated by the International SEMATECH Manufacturing Initiative and International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors as one of the focus areas for the next-generation factory realization roadmap of the semiconductor industry. This paper defines the VM automation levels, proposes the concept of automatic virtual metrology (AVM), and develops an AVM system for automatic and fab-wide VM deployment. The example of automatic VM model refreshing for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) tools is also illustrated in this paper. The AVM system has been successfully deployed in a fifth-generation thin-film-transistor-liquid-crystal-display (TFT-LCD) factory in Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO), Taiwan.
Preferential sinking export of biogenic silica during the spring and summer in the North Water Polynya (northern Baffin Bay): Temperature or biological control?

[1] Short-term free-drifting particle interceptor traps were deployed at 28 stations from April to July 1998 in the North Water Polynya (northern Baffin Bay). The amount, composition, and vertical transformation of the organic material sinking out of the euphotic zone were assessed. Clear seasonal sedimentation patterns were apparent throughout the Polynya. Maximum sedimentation occurred during the month of June, at which time high sedimentation of intact diatom cells and empty frustules was observed. In July, abundant resting spores and zooplankton feces were sinking out of the euphotic zone. Vertical transformation of the sinking material, between 50 m and 100 m, revealed a consistent loss of ∼30–35% for particulate organic carbon and nitrogen and a loss of ∼10% for biogenic silica. A temperature model of silica dissolution was used to assess the role of temperature in controlling the low loss of biogenic silica observed in the upper water column. Model results show divergence of modeled rates from in situ loss rates at times when the biosiliceous fraction of the sinking material was high. This indicates that biological factors played a key role in reducing biogenic silica dissolution in the North Water Polynya. Sedimentation of intact cells, abundant resting spores, and feces all contributed to enhance preservation of silica in the sinking material. These results suggest that the North Water Polynya is a sink for biogenic silica and emphasize the significance of biological processes in controlling the silica pump in the marine environment.
Almost-everywhere Algorithmic Stability and Generalization Error

We explore in some detail the notion of algorithmic stability as a viable framework for analyzing the generalization error of learning algorithms. We introduce the new notion of training stability of a learning algorithm and show that, in a general setting, it is sufficient for good bounds on generalization error. In the PAC setting, training stability is both necessary and sufficient for learnability. \ The approach based on training stability makes no reference to VC dimension or VC entropy. There is no need to prove uniform convergence, and generalization error is bounded directly via an extended McDiarmid inequality. As a result it potentially allows us to deal with a broader class of learning algorithms than Empirical Risk Minimization. \ We also explore the relationships among VC dimension, generalization error, and various notions of stability. Several examples of learning algorithms are considered.
Child development following exposure to tricyclic antidepressants or fluoxetine throughout fetal life: a prospective, controlled study.

OBJECTIVE Previous work suggested that first-trimester exposure to tricyclic antidepressants or fluoxetine does not affect adversely child IQ and language development. However, many women need antidepressants throughout pregnancy to avoid morbidity and suicide attempts. Little is known about the fetal safety of tricyclic antidepressants and fluoxetine when taken throughout pregnancy. The goal of this study was to assess the effects of tricyclic antidepressants and fluoxetine used throughout gestation on child IQ, language, and behavior. METHOD In a prospective study, mother-child pairs exposed throughout gestation to tricyclic antidepressants (N=46) or fluoxetine (N=40) and an unexposed, not depressed comparison group (N=36) were blindly assessed. The three groups were compared in terms of the children's IQ, language, behavior, and temperament between ages 15 and 71 months. The authors adjusted for independent variables such as duration and severity of maternal depression, duration of pharmacological treatment, number of depression episodes after delivery, maternal IQ, socioeconomic status, cigarette smoking, and alcohol use. RESULTS Neither tricyclic antidepressants nor fluoxetine adversely affected the child's global IQ, language development, or behavior. IQ was significantly and negatively associated with duration of depression, whereas language was negatively associated with number of depression episodes after delivery. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to tricyclic antidepressants or fluoxetine throughout gestation does not appear to adversely affect cognition, language development, or the temperament of preschool and early-school children. In contrast, mothers' depression is associated with less cognitive and language achievement by their children. When needed, adequate antidepressant therapy should be instituted and maintained during pregnancy and postpartum.
The effect of LUT size on nanometer FPGA architecture

In this paper, the effect of the LUT size on the FPGA area and delay with the recent progress of the semiconductor technology is investigated. An optimized routing area and delay modelling in FPGA architecture with nanometer process is proposed. The proposed method has advantage on accuracy over the previous modelling, due to different spacings for nanometer process. With the improved modelling, we determine the best LUT size in terms of FPGA area and delay by a CAD flow including ABC, Hspice, T-Vpack and VPR. The experimental results show that 6-LUT provides the best area-delay product for a nanometer FPGA.
Cutaneous Infection Caused by a Novel Francisella sp

ABSTRACT A 69-year-old patient presented with a tender, thickly crusted skin lesion of 1 week's duration. A bacterial culture swab taken from the underlying granular tissue yielded a pure isolate of a Gram-negative coccobacillus, presumptively identified as a novel Francisella species via 16S rRNA and multilocus gene sequence analysis.
Serum levels of 8-isoprostane, a marker of oxidative stress, are elevated in patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE To determine serum levels and clinical correlation of 8-isoprostane, which is produced in vivo through free radical-catalysed peroxidation of arachidonic acid and reflects oxidative stress, in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS Serum 8-isoprostane levels from 32 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc (dSSc) and 25 patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lSSc) were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Serum 8-isoprostane levels were elevated in dSSc and lSSc patients by 75-fold compared with normal controls (n=32). Serum 8-isoprostane levels correlated negatively with pulmonary function, such as percentage vital capacity and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide, and correlated positively with renal vascular damage determined by colour flow Doppler ultrasonography. Serum 8-isoprostane levels also correlated positively with serum levels of IgG and anti-agalactosyl IgG autoantibody. CONCLUSION Increased 8-isoprostane levels correlated with the severity of pulmonary fibrosis, the extent of renal vascular damage and immunological abnormalities in SSc, suggesting that enhanced oxidative stress is related to the development of SSc.
Traces of Pleistocene glaciation on Trnovski gozd

Trnovski gozd is a high karst plateau situated in the Dinaric Mountains of western Slovenia which was modified by glacial action in the Pleistocene. With our research we concluded that slopes with northern exposure and the footslope of the highest ridge of Golaki had an glacier up to 180 m thick with an area of 4.8 km 2 . Several outlet glaciers were found to have been drifting over a steep escarpment from the plateau to the valleys of Belca, Trebusa and on the Hudo polje plateau. There was no evidence of glaciation on southern exposed slopes. The equilibrium line altitude was established via the accumulation-area ratio method on an elevation of 1240 m.
Negative Regulation of Immunoglobulin E–dependent Allergic Responses by Lyn Kinase

A role for Lyn kinase as a positive regulator of immunoglobulin (Ig)E-dependent allergy has long been accepted. Contrary to this belief, Lyn kinase was found to have an important role as a negative regulator of the allergic response. This became apparent from the hyperresponsive degranulation of lyn − / − bone marrow–derived mast cells, which is driven by hyperactivation of Fyn kinase that occurs, in part, through the loss of negative regulation by COOH-terminal Src kinase (Csk) and the adaptor, Csk-binding protein. This phenotype is recapitulated in vivo as young lyn − / − mice showed an enhanced anaphylactic response. In vivo studies also demonstrated that as lyn − / − mice aged, their serum IgE increased as well as occupancy of the high affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI). This was mirrored by increased circulating histamine, increased mast cell numbers, increased cell surface expression of the high affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI), and eosinophilia. The increased IgE production was not a consequence of increased Fyn kinase activity in lyn − / − mice because both lyn − / − and lyn − / − fyn − / − mice showed high IgE levels. Thus, lyn − / − mice and mast cells thereof show multiple allergy-associated traits, causing reconsideration of the possible efficacy in therapeutic targeting of Lyn in allergic disease.