Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Missing thermal energy of the intracluster medium

The Sunyaev‐Zel’dovich (SZ) effect is a direct probe of thermal energy content of the Universe, induced in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) sky through scattering of CMB photons off hot electrons in the intracluster medium (ICM). We report a 9σ detection of the SZ signal in the CMB maps of Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) three-year data, through study of a sample of 193 massive galaxy clusters with observed X-ray temperatures greater than 3 keV. For the first time, we make a model-independent measurement of the pressure profile in the outskirts of the ICM, and show that it closely follows the profiles obtained by X-ray observations and numerical simulations. We find that our measurements of the SZ effect would account for only half of the thermal energy of the cluster, if all the cluster baryons were in the hot ICM phase. Our measurements indicate that a significant fraction, 35 ± 8 per cent, of baryonic mass is missing from the hot ICM, and thus must have cooled to form galaxies, intracluster stars, or an unknown cold phase of the ICM. There does not seem to be enough mass in the form of stars or cold gas in the cluster galaxies or intracluster space, signalling the need for a yet-unknown baryonic component (at 3σ level), or otherwise new astrophysical processes in the ICM.
Vitamin D status and its associations with rheumatoid arthritis in Korean women: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2014

In the present study, vitamin D status and its associations with rheumatoid arthritis in Korean women were investigated. Total 2,162 women’s data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2008–2014 ware analyzed by complex sampling design logistic regression analysis and complex sampling design general linear model. Women who over 19 years old were included, and who has osteoporosis or abnormal parathyroid hormone or renal failure or liver cirrhosis or abnormal creatinine were excluded. Age and body mass index were used as covariate. In the present study, we have shown that vitamin D status were not associated with development of rheumatoid arthritis in Korean women as well were not associated with pain and quality of life in Korean women with rheumatoid arthritis. Based on the present study and considering the effects of vitamin D on fracture and osteoporosis, it can be suggested that additional cohort study and cost-effectiveness analysis are needed.
Error Propagation Modelling in Raster GIS: Overlay Operations

Performing data manipulations on maps that possess error as a result of the process of data collection leads to error propagation. The errors that are present in maps are modified by such operations in ways that may undermine the purposeofanalysisand lead to increased uncertainty in thevalidity ofthe conclusions that are drawn. This paper analyses how source map error propagates as a result of overlay operations. Geman and Geman's corruption model for individual source map error is used for the analysis which allows for attribute measurement error and location error that can then interact with the (true) source map geography. This paper reports theoretical results on the univariate overlay problem and then extends these results through simulation. Throughout a set of source maps and error processes are used with specified properties in order to examine in detail the interactions that can take place between the different elements of the source map structure and the error process. The paper uses ANOVA metho.
4 × 44 Gb / s Packet-Level Switching in a Second-Order Microring Switch

We demonstrate simultaneous switching of wavelength-division-multiplexed (WDM) data consisting of four 44-Gb/s channels (176 Gb/s total) through an electro-optically active second-order microring switch with a 0.7-ns rise and a 3.4-ns fall time. The higher order microring device allows fast simultaneous switching of multiple high data rate WDM channels. We verify the correct active switching operation and low resultant power penalties on both switch output ports. The ability to switch multiple high data rate channels simultaneously at high speed with low power consumption makes higher order ring switches attractive components for silicon photonic switching fabrics.
Neuronal basis of goal-directed reach planning under reversed vision in the parietal and premotor cortices

In our everyday life we can produce goal-directed movements precisely and effortlessly, for example to saccade towards a location that you are interested in, or to reach and grasp for a cup of coffee. Goal-directed behaviors are essential skills for survival when humans and higher animals interact with the environment. Correspondingly, a fundamental problem in system neuroscience is to determine how and where the central nervous system achieves the planning and control of these voluntary eye and hand movements. The aim of the current thesis was to use the visually-guided hand reaching movement as a model system to probe such sensorimotor functions in the brain, mostly at the levels of single neurons in the primate cerebral cortex. To this end, I conducted extracellular single unit recordings in awake, behaving monkeys engaged in well controlled reaching tasks, and interpreted these cortical neural activities in relation to monkeys’ behavior. Besides the studies using the method of monkey electrophysiology, I also employed psychophysical and modeling approaches to infer the properties of brain functions on motor planning and motor controls. The advantages of combining these different approaches are that they allowed converging understandings about the cortical sensorimotor functions at various levels, ranging from the theoretical to the behavioral and to the neuronal levels. I will organize the thesis as follows: The first chapter will give a brief general introduction on the field of sensorimotor researches, with a focus on the evidences from the neurophysiologic studies. The second chapter will cover the main research results in the format of prepared manuscripts. This includes three manuscripts, two of which deal with data from the monkey electrophysiology project while the third one is based on data from human psychophysics. In the third chapter I will summarize the main findings and draw conclusions from the current thesis work, and meanwhile offer some outlooks on future studies which are necessary to further substantiate these conclusions.
Shoulder capsulitis in type I and II diabetic patients: association with diabetic complications and related diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between shoulder capsulitis and chronic diabetic complications and diseases closely related to diabetes. METHODS: A cross sectional study in 291 type I [mean (SD) age 33.2 (9.9) years] and 134 type II [61.1 (12.4) years] diabetic patients. The presence of shoulder capsulitis, Dupuytren disease, and limited joint mobility was sought. The patients were assessed for background and proliferative retinopathy, nephropathy, autonomic neuropathy, and peripheral symmetrical somatic polyneuropathy. Diseases closely related to diabetes (hypertension, history of myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, and peripheral vascular disease) were also recorded. RESULTS: Prevalence of shoulder capsulitis was 10.3% in type I and 22.4% in type II diabetic subjects. Shoulder capsulitis was associated with the age in types I (P < 0.01) and II (P < 0.05) diabetic patients, and with the duration of diabetes in type I patients (P < 0.01). Odds ratios for autonomic neuropathy in type I and type II diabetic subjects with shoulder capsulitis were 4.1 (95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 10.9) and 2.7 (95% CI, 1.1 to 7.0), respectively, after controlling for age and duration of diabetes. Odds ratio for history of myocardial infarction in type I diabetic subjects with shoulder capsulitis was 13.7 (95% CI, 1.3 to 139.5) after controlling for age, duration of diabetes, hypertension, and smoking habits. Other associations between shoulder capsulitis and diabetic complications, related diseases, and other hand abnormalities were fully explained by age and the duration of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder capsulitis is common in type I and type II diabetic patients. It is associated with age in type I and II diabetic patients and with the duration of diabetes in type I patients. It is associated with autonomic neuropathy in type I and II diabetic patients and with history of myocardial infarction in type I diabetic patients, independently of time related variables.
ECG Signal Quality During Arrhythmia and Its Application to False Alarm Reduction

An automated algorithm to assess electrocardiogram (ECG) quality for both normal and abnormal rhythms is presented for false arrhythmia alarm suppression of intensive care unit (ICU) monitors. A particular focus is given to the quality assessment of a wide variety of arrhythmias. Data from three databases were used: the Physionet Challenge 2011 dataset, the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database, and the MIMIC II database. The quality of more than 33 000 single-lead 10 s ECG segments were manually assessed and another 12 000 bad-quality single-lead ECG segments were generated using the Physionet noise stress test database. Signal quality indices (SQIs) were derived from the ECGs segments and used as the inputs to a support vector machine classifier with a Gaussian kernel. This classifier was trained to estimate the quality of an ECG segment. Classification accuracies of up to 99% on the training and test set were obtained for normal sinus rhythm and up to 95% for arrhythmias, although performance varied greatly depending on the type of rhythm. Additionally, the association between 4050 ICU alarms from the MIMIC II database and the signal quality, as evaluated by the classifier, was studied. Results suggest that the SQIs should be rhythm specific and that the classifier should be trained for each rhythm call independently. This would require a substantially increased set of labeled data in order to train an accurate algorithm.
The Anesthetic Potency of Lidocaine in the Rat

The anesthetic effect of lidocaine was evaluated in rats by determining the change in anesthetic requirement of cyclopropane MAC that was produced by blood concentrations of lidocaine in the clinically useful range. A linear reduction in anesthetic requirement was produced with concentrations up to 1 μg/ml. Further increases in lidocaine up to 5.5 μg/ml resulted in no further decrease in cyclopropane requirement. Lidocaine was found to contribute a maximum MAC fraction of 0.4.
Validity Evidence for the State Mindfulness Scale for Physical Activity

ABSTRACT Being attentive to and aware of one’s experiences in the present moment with qualities of acceptance and openness reflects the state of mindfulness. Positive associations exist between state mindfulness and state autonomous motivation for everyday activities. Though this suggests that state mindfulness links with adaptive motivational experiences, no suitable measure of state mindfulness exists that would facilitate the examination of these relationships in a physical activity context. Thus, we revised the State Mindfulness Scale (Tanay & Bernstein, 2013) and provided score validity evidence for the measure in a physical activity context. A bi-factor model reflecting mindfulness of the mind and body as specific factors and a general mindfulness factor was supported. Validity evidence, such as positive relationships with intrinsic motivation, and a negative relationship with body surveillance support score use. The revised scale can facilitate investigations of the role of mindfulness in physical activity settings.
Failures of the ‘moral defence’ in the films Shutter Island, Inception and Memento: Narcissism or schizoid personality disorder?

Each of the films, Shutter Island (Scorsese, 2010), Inception (Nolan, 2010) and Memento (Nolan, 2000), is influenced by psychoanalytic thinking. Each involves, to some degree or another, matters of consciousness and levels of consciousness, subjectivity, subjecthood and the degree to which the subject is unitary, and the ‘double consciousness’ characteristic of schizoid states or conditions. The films echo early Freudian concerns with the topology of the mind and the existence and treatment of hysterical symptoms. In Shutter Island (Scorsese, 2010) the development of new tranquillizing drugs in the 1950s allows the psychiatrists at a mental hospital to try a novel treatment for a man who has defensively split himself into two different people and can find no way of integrating these separate personae. In Inception (Nolan, 2010) a group of people specializing in a form of espionage, that is a caricature of psychoanalysis, spend their time extracting secret information from their ‘target’s’ deep unconscious, through dreams. The meaning of the film’s title is that they can also implant information into the deep unconscious without the person being aware. In many ways these processes, of ‘extraction’ and ‘inception’, are paranoid fears long associated with psychoanalysis. You can have your best-kept secrets, or your creativity, stolen by the analyst, or the analyst can coerce you into thinking something that you did not think before, by operating directly on your unconscious mind. In Memento (Nolan, 2000) the whole problematic of hysteria is raised – whether someone who has suffered a severe head trauma and may therefore be suffering from a physical medical condition called anterograde amnesia might actually be suffering from a psychological condition. I shall consider these aspects of the films in this paper but I believe there is a unifying theme to the three films that can be developed by looking at the film from the perspective of Fairbairn’s object relations theory and, in particular, his concept of the moral defence. I will argue that the three films mentioned are centrally concerned with a dynamic of this sort and it is in exploring this dynamic and its difficulties, as they are portrayed in the films, that some understanding of the often complex action of the films may be reached. The idea of using Fairbairn’s concept of the moral defence as a prism through which to view these three films was prompted by the question Int J Psychoanal (2012) 93:203–218 doi: 10.1111/j.1745-8315.2011. 00521.x
Effect of Hot Baryons on the Weak-Lensing Shear Power Spectrum

We investigate the impact of the intracluster medium on the weak-lensing shear power spectrum (PS). Using a halo model we find that, compared to the dark matter-only case, baryonic pressure leads to a suppression of the shear PS on the order of a few percent or more for l ≳ 1000. Cooling/cooled baryons and the intergalactic medium can further alter the shear PS. Therefore, the interpretation of future precision weak-lensing data at high multipoles must take into account the effects of baryons.
Robot-Assisted Extended Pelvic Lymph Nodes Dissection for Prostate Cancer: Personal Surgical Technique and Outcomes

ABSTRACT Objective: Extended pelvic lymph nodes dissection (EPLND) allows the removal of a higher number of lymph nodes than limited PLND. The aims of this study were to describe our robot-assisted EPLND (RAEPLND) technique with related complications, and to report the number of lymph nodes removed and the rate of lymph nodal metastasis. Materials and Methods: 153 patients underwent RAEPLND prior to robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Indications were defined according to Briganti nomogram, to predict risk of lymph-nodal metastasis. Lymphatic packages covering the distal tract of the common iliac artery, the medial portion of the external iliac artery, the external iliac vein and the internal iliac vessels, together with the obturator and the presacral lymphatic packages were removed on both sides. Results: Median preoperative PSA was 7.5 ng/mL (IQR 5.5–11.5). Median operative time was 150 min (135–170). Median RAEPLND alone operative time was 38 min (32.75–41.25); for right and left side, 18 (15–29) and 20 min (15.75–30) (p=0.567). Median number of lymph nodes retrieved per patient was 25 (19.25–30); 13 (11–16) and 11 (8–15) for right and left side. In 19 patients (12.41%) metastasis was found at the level of pelvic lymph nodes. Median number of positive lymph nodes was 1 (1–4.6) per patient. Complications occurred in 11 patients (7.3%). Conclusions: the number of lymph nodes removed was comparable to published data about open series, allowing the increase of detection rate of lymph nodal metastasis for minimally invasive approach without compromising complications' rate if performing the procedure following reported technique.
Cognition in the hearing impaired and deaf as a bridge between signal and dialogue: a framework and a model

This paper focuses on the role of cognition in visual language processing in the deaf and hard of hearing. Although there are modality-specific cognitive findings in the literature on comparisons across speech communication modes and language (sign and speech), there is an impressive bulk of evidence that supports the notion of general modality-free cognitive functions in speech and sign processing, A working-memory framework is proposed for the cognitive involvement in language understanding (sign and speech). On the basis of multiple sources of behavioural and neuro-science data, four important parameters for language understanding are described in some detail: quality and precision of phonology, long-term memory access speed, degree of explicit processing, and general processing and storage capacity. Their interaction forms an important parameter space, and general predictions and applications can be derived for both spoken and signed language conditions. The model is mathematically formulated at a general level, hypothetical ease-of-language-understanding (ELU) functions are presented, and similarities and differences from current working-memory and speech perception formulations are pointed out.
An analogy-based retrieval mechanism for software design reuse

Describes a knowledge-based retrieval mechanism for a hybrid software design system that promotes the reuse of design schemas and design cases. The retrieval relies on domain-specific knowledge whenever this is available; otherwise, it uses analogy to determine the degree of closeness of match using is-a lattices and similarity metrics. <<ETX>>
Effects of epoetin alfa on blood transfusions and postoperative recovery in orthopaedic surgery: the European Epoetin Alfa Surgery Trial (EEST)

Background and objective: Preoperative epoetin alfa administration decreases transfusion requirements and may reduce transfusion complications, such as postoperative infection due to immune suppression and thus hospitalization time. This study examined the impact of preoperative epoetin alfa administration on postoperative recovery and infection rate. Methods: In an open randomized controlled multicentre trial in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery, the effects of preoperative administration of epoetin alfa vs. routine care were compared in six countries. Haemoglobin (Hb) values, transfusions, time to ambulation, time to discharge, infections and safety were evaluated in patients with preoperative Hb concentrations 10‐13g dL−1 (on‐treatment population: epoetin n = 460; control n = 235), from study entry until 4‐6 weeks after surgery. Outcome was also compared in patients with and without transfusion. Results: Epoetin‐treated patients had higher Hb values from the day of surgery until discharge (P < 0.001) and lower transfusion rates (12% vs. 46%; P < 0.001). Epoetin treatment delivered no significant effect on postoperative recovery (time to ambulation, time to discharge and infection rate). However, the time to ambulation (3.8 ± 4.0 vs. 3.1 ± 2.2 days; P < 0.001) and the time to discharge (12.9 ± 6.4 vs. 10.2 ± 5.0 days; P < 0.001) was longer in the transfused than in the non‐transfused patients. Side‐effects in both groups were comparable. Conclusions: Epoetin alfa increases perioperative Hb concentration in mild‐to‐moderately anaemic patients and thus reduces transfusion requirements. Patients receiving blood transfusions require a longer hospitalization than non‐transfused patients.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York Staff Reports Forecasting Economic and Financial Variables with Global Vars Forecasting Economic and Financial Variables with Global Vars

This paper presents preliminary findings and is being distributed to economists and other interested readers solely to stimulate discussion and elicit comments. The views expressed in the paper are those of the authors and are not necessarily reflective of views at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System. Any errors or omissions are the responsibility of the authors. Abstract This paper considers the problem of forecasting real and financial macroeconomic variables across a large number of countries in the global economy. To this end, a global vector autoregressive (GVAR) model previously estimated over the 1979:Q1–2003:Q4 period by Dees, de Mauro, Pesaran, and Smith (2007) is used to generate out-of-sample one-quarter-and four-quarters-ahead forecasts of real output, inflation, real equity prices, exchange rates, and interest rates over the period 2004:Q1–2005:Q4. Forecasts are obtained for 134 variables from twenty-six regions made up of thirty-three countries and covering about 90 percent of world output. The forecasts are compared to typical benchmarks: univariate autoregressive and random walk models. Building on the forecast combination literature, the paper examines the effects of model and estimation uncertainty on forecast outcomes by pooling forecasts obtained from different GVAR models estimated over alternative sample periods. Given the size of the modeling problem and the heterogeneity of the economies considered— industrialized, emerging, and less developed countries—as well as the very real likelihood of multiple structural breaks, averaging forecasts across both models and windows makes a significant difference. Indeed, the double-averaged GVAR forecasts performed better than the benchmark forecasts, especially for output, inflation, and real equity prices. for their excellent assistance in extending the GVAR data and Ugras Ulku for overall research assistance. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System.
Simple, Sensitive and Reproducible Acetous Perchlorate and Spectrophotometric Determination of Atenolol in Tablet Dosage Form

The study evaluated a simple and sensitive titrimetric and UV spectrophotometric methods in the qualitative and quantitative assay of atenolol in tablet formulations. Qualitatively by weight uniformity and identity test and quantitatively by simple modified BP methods of titrimetry and spectrophotometry. The titrimetric method is based on the use of non-aqueous acetous perchlorate while the spectrophotometric method is based on evaluation in organic solvent medium of binary λmax of 275nm and 282nm. The percentage deviation of the average weight of tablets ranged between 0.76 2.48% with none exceeding 5%. The standard curve was linear over the concentration range between 2.5 μg mL and 17.50 μg mL, with a regression coefficient (R) of 0.9995. The inter-day precision recorded an RSD% range of 1.21% – 3.22%. The ratio of absorbance at λ275nm to λ282nm for atenolol in all the samples ranged between 1.15 – 1.19. Drug content using the modified non-aqueous titrimetric and spectrophotometric methods was 93.2±2.32% 106.72±0.72% and 96.76 ± 0.57% 105.97 ± 0.38% of the prescribed amount of 100 mg per tablet, respectively. The RSD% of atenolol contents in all the samples were all < 3%. The methods were effectively applied to the assay of Atenolol in tablet formulations. Keywords; Non-aqueous titrimetry, UV Spectrophotometry, Atenolol tablet