Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
64-Slice Multidetector Computed Tomography (MDCT) for Detection of Aortic Regurgitation and Quantification of Severity

Background:Recent advances in 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) provide an opportunity to assess coronary artery disease, left ventricular function and, potentially, valvular heart disease. Objective:To determine the ability of 64-MDCT to both detect and to quantify the severity of aortic regurgitation (AR), as compared with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Methods:We evaluated a total of 64 patients (43 males, mean age 63 ± 11 years), 30 with varying severities of AR as assessed by TTE and 34 matched controls. The severity of AR by TTE was determined using the vena contracta, the ratio of jet to left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) height, and the ratio of the jet to LVOT cross-sectional area. AR by MDCT was defined as a lack of coaptation of the aortic valve leaflets in diastole and, if detected, the maximum anatomic aortic regurgitant orifice was determined. Results:All 34 control patients without AR were correctly identified by MDCT. There were 14 patients with mild AR, 10 with moderate AR, and 6 with severe AR by TTE. Of these patients, MDCT correctly identified 21 patients with AR (sensitivity 70%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value [PPV] 100%, and negative predictive value [NPV] 79%). Anatomic regurgitant orifice area measured by MDCT correlated well with the TTE-derived vena contracta (r = 0.79, P < 0.001), ratio of jet to LVOT height (r = 0.79, P < 0.001), and ratio of jet to LVOT cross-sectional area (r = 0.75, P < 0.001). Conclusions:Direct planimetric measurement of the aortic valve anatomic regurgitant orifice area on 64-MDCT provides an accurate, noninvasive technique for detecting and quantifying AR.
Determining the sustainability factors and performance of a tourism destination from the stakeholders' perspective

The competitiveness of a tourism destination depends on the sustainability of its economic and environmental resources. The aim of this paper is to determine the key factors in achieving the sustainability of a tourism destination in relation to the performance obtained. A methodology based on the opinions of stakeholders is developed to determine the sustainability factors and performance in the tourism destination of Gran Canaria. The variables used in the study are related to the environmental resources, the principal agents in the tourism supply chain, the governance of the destination, and the complementary characteristics that improve the competitiveness of the tourism destination, as well as the dimensions that determine security. Performance is measured by stakeholders from two perspectives, the destination and the customers, in order to establish the main variables that will influence the destination’s sustainability. The key sustainability factors were identified, and a regression analysis determined that there was a positive influence on long-term performance. The results showed that the key factors that have a direct and significant relationship with performance are the key resources and supply chain, security, alternative leisure, and governance.
Biosignature Preservation and Detection in Mars Analog Environments

Abstract This review of material relevant to the Conference on Biosignature Preservation and Detection in Mars Analog Environments summarizes the meeting materials and discussions and is further expanded upon by detailed references to the published literature. From this diverse source material, there is a detailed discussion on the habitability and biosignature preservation potential of five primary analog environments: hydrothermal spring systems, subaqueous environments, subaerial environments, subsurface environments, and iron-rich systems. Within the context of exploring past habitable environments on Mars, challenges common to all of these key environments are laid out, followed by a focused discussion for each environment regarding challenges to orbital and ground-based observations and sample selection. This leads into a short section on how these challenges could influence our strategies and priorities for the astrobiological exploration of Mars. Finally, a listing of urgent needs and future research highlights key elements such as development of instrumentation as well as continued exploration into how Mars may have evolved differently from Earth and what that might mean for biosignature preservation and detection. Key Words: Biosignature preservation—Biosignature detection—Mars analog environments—Conference report—Astrobiological exploration. Astrobiology 17, 363–400.
Temporal Course of the Tourette Syndrome Clinical Triad

Background Tourette syndrome (TS) is a disorder characterized by childhood onset of motor and phonic tics, often with improvement of tic symptoms by young adult years. The temporal course of tics and commonly comorbid behavioral symptoms is still not well characterized. Methods In order to clarify the time course of tics and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in TS, we administered a brief survey regarding the course of symptoms at a single point in time to 53 TS patients aged 13–31 years. Results Mean age (±SD) at symptom onset was 7.9 (±3.6) years for tics, 7.9 (±3.5) for ADHD, and 9.2 (±5.0) for OCD. Age at peak symptom severity was 12.3 (±4.6) years for tics, 10.8 (±3.8) for ADHD, and 12.6 (±5.5) for OCD. Tics, ADHD, and OCD were reported to be no longer present in 32.0%, 22.8%, and 21.0% of subjects, respectively. Decline in symptom severity began at age 14.7 (±3.7) years for tics, 13.9 (±2.9) for ADHD, and 15.1 (±5.0) for OCD. Remission of symptoms occurred at age 17.4 (±3.8) years for tics, 17.4 (±1.3) for ADHD, and 15.6 (±2.3) for OCD. Discussion Our data confirm and expand previously reported TS spectrum symptom milestones and may guide design of future research aimed at improving the course of TS.
Architects: Gender-Role and Hiring Decisions

To examine architects' judgments of male and female applicants represented by the information in resumes, 204 architects, 156 men and 48 women, licensed in the state of Connecticut participated in a 2(job level) by 2(sex) between-subjects study. Architects were asked how they would rate applicants' potential (including the decision to hire) and gender-role characteristics judged on the basis of one-page resumes. Architects randomly assigned resumes for one of four evaluation conditions (intern or senior architect; male or female), rated the applicant on seven job-related characteristics, e.g., technical skill, potential for advancement, and completed the Bern Sex-role Inventory as they thought items applied to the applicant. Analysis indicated that male architect respondents were more likely to hire male applicants than female applicants as senior architects and that female applicants were judged to be as masculine-typed as were male applicants.
Extensions of the I-MMSE relation

Unveiling a fundamental link between information theory and estimation theory, the I-MMSE relation by Guo, Shamai and Verdú [4] has great theoretical significance and numerous practical applications. On the other hand, its influences to date have been restricted to channels without feedback or memory, due to the lack of extensions of the I-MMSE relation to such channels. In this paper, we propose extensions of the I-MMSE relation for discrete and continuous-time Gaussian channels with feedback or memory. Our approach is based on a very simple observation, which can be applied to other scenarios, such as a simple and direct proof of the classical de Bruijn's identity.
Study of the microbiodegradation of terpenoid resin-based varnishes from easel painting using pyrolysis – gas chromatography – mass spectrometry and gas chromatography – mass spectrometry

The alterations produced by microbiological attack on terpenoid resin-based varnishes from panel and canvas paintings have been evaluated using pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (Py–GC–MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The proposed methods include the on-line derivatisation of drying oils and diterpenoid resins using hexamethyldisilazane during pyrolysis and the application of methyl chloroformate as a derivatisation reagent for triterpenoid resins in GC–MS. Two types of specimens, consisting of model oil medium prepared from linseed oil and model spirit varnishes prepared from colophony and mastic resins dissolved in turpentine, have been used as reference materials. For a series of specimens upon which different genera of bacteria and fungi were inoculated and encouraged to grow, analyses indicated that no mechanisms that commonly occur during the attack of enzymes on drying oils and terpenoid biodegraders were observed to occur in the oil medium and varnishes studied. Thus, the degradation pathways observed in the performed trials usually occur as consequence of natural ageing. Specific trials consisting of the application of biocides to uninoculated colophony varnish resulted in the identification of processes that produce undesirable degradation of the varnish due to interactions between the biocide and the varnish components. Finally, the studied biocides—Biotin, New-Des and Nipagine—generally exhibited good inhibiting effects on the microorganisms studied, although some interesting differences were found between them regarding the application method and type of biocide.
A developmental model of effortful control: The role of negative emotionality and reactivity, sustained attention in mother -child interaction, and maternal sensitivity

The present research examined how early temperamental predispositions, caregiving environment, and the interactions among these factors shape the developmental pathways to effortful control in early childhood. The developmental model of effortful control in this research involved two child factors, negativity and sustained attention, an environmental factor indexed by maternal sensitive behaviors, and the interaction effects among these variables. Both variable-oriented and person-oriented analyses were conducted to test the propositions of this model. The findings suggested that the distress to limitation scale of the IBQ-R and high distress in the arms restraint procedure at 6 months of child age had opposite effects on effortful control at 36 months. Mother-reported ratings on the distress to limitation scale were negatively associated with effortful control, while the percentage of time during which the child was observed in high levels of distress in lab was found to be positively related to effortful control under many conditions, when significant three-way interaction effects were probed. Secondly, there was general support for the notion that the relations between negative emotionality and reactivity were moderated through two pathways, the child's capacity to regulate attentional processes and maternal sensitivity, respectively. The findings involving sustained attention obtained in a social context highlighted the importance of employing iv multiple measures obtained in varying contexts to assess the same construct. Thirdly, consistent with extant literature, the protective effect of maternal sensitivity on effortful control was stronger for children who were perceived by their mother as more prone to distress. Interestingly, both child sex and maternal education emerged as important moderators in interaction effects. However, no support was found for the hypothesis that the pathways to effortful control may be best understood as a joint function of child negativity, child sustained attention and maternal sensitivity. Lastly, two group profiles revealed by latent class analyses fit nicely with the interaction effects from regression models. The findings highlight the processes of amplification or attenuation that operate in development by which children with similar beginnings end up taking different trajectories. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The larger study from which the data in this dissertation study are drawn is the Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am grateful to the families for sharing their lives, the data collectors and multiple coding teams for their time and hard work, and the Durham Child Health & Development Study Investigators for the use of the data. am deeply grateful for the tremendous support and …
Research Paper: Evaluation of the Expressiveness of an ICNP-based Nursing Data Dictionary in a Computerized Nursing Record System

This study evaluated the domain completeness and expressiveness issues of the International Classification for Nursing Practice-based (ICNP) nursing data dictionary (NDD) through its application in an enterprise electronic medical record (EMR) system as a standard vocabulary at a single tertiary hospital in Korea. Data from 2,262 inpatients obtained over a period of 9 weeks (May to July 2003) were extracted from the EMR system for analysis. Among the 530,218 data-input events, 401,190 (75.7%) were entered from the NDD, 20,550 (3.9%) used only free text, and 108,478 (20.4%) used a combination of coded data and free text. A content analysis of the free-text events showed that 80.3% of the expressions could be found in the NDD, whereas 10.9% were context-specific expressions such as direct quotations of patient complaints and responses, and references to the care plan or orders of physicians. A total of 7.8% of the expressions was used for a supplementary purpose such as adding a conjunction or end verb to make an expression appear as natural language. Only 1.0% of the expressions were identified as not being covered by the NDD. This evaluation study demonstrates that the ICNP-based NDD has sufficient power to cover most of the expressions used in a clinical nursing setting.
Ranitidine reduces ischemia/reperfusion-induced liver injury in rats by inhibiting neutrophil activation.

We previously reported that ranitidine, an H(2) receptor antagonist, inhibited neutrophil activation in vitro and in vivo, contributing to reduce stress-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats. In this study, we examined whether ranitidine would reduce ischemia/reperfusion-induced liver injury, in which activated neutrophils are critically involved, in rats. We also examined the effect of famotidine, another H(2) receptor antagonist, on leukocyte activation in vitro and after ischemia/reperfusion-induced liver injury in rats to know whether inhibition of neutrophil activation by ranitidine might be dependent on its blockade of H(2) receptors. Ranitidine inhibited the activation of neutrophils in vitro as reported previously, whereas famotidine significantly enhanced it. Ranitidine inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in monocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide in vitro, whereas famotidine did not. Although hepatic ischemia/reperfusion-induced increases in hepatic tissue levels of TNF-alpha, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant, and hepatic accumulation of neutrophils were inhibited by intravenously administered 30 mg/kg ranitidine, these increases were significantly enhanced by 5 mg/kg i.v. famotidine. The decreases in both hepatic tissue blood flow and bile secretion and the increases in serum levels of transaminases seen after reperfusion were significantly inhibited by ranitidine, whereas these changes were more marked in animals given famotidine than in controls. These observations strongly suggested that ranitidine could reduce ischemia/reperfusion-induced liver injury by inhibiting neutrophil activation directly, or indirectly by inhibiting the production of TNF-alpha, which is a potent activator of neutrophils. Furthermore, the therapeutic efficacy of ranitidine might not be explained solely by its blockade of H(2) receptor.
Student-teacher rapport in video-conferencing

Education and delivery methods of this education to students are always changing. To teach students in geographically separated locations, many technologies are being used and one of these technologies is video-conferencing. However, the human element of education must neither be lost nor forgotten as we continue with new ways of educating students of the future. That is, the value of the student-instructor relationship and the critical role it plays in effective teaching and learning must be retained by distance educators. To develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between instructors and students of a video-conferenced classroom is the goal of this study. This case study of student-teacher rapport in video-conferencing was conducted over a six-week summer course. Data were collected by questionnaire, student and instructor interviews, and class observations from both sites. From these primarily qualitative research techniques, several recurring themes emerged. All of these were central to the establishment and perceptions of an instructor-student rapport Some of these areas were crucial to this video-conferencing case study and will serve to assist future educators. The primary result of this case study was tha t very little rapport was established between the instructor and his students and it was perceived by the instructor and the students tha t this scant amount of rapport was sufficient The paramount themes which were revealed include: the lack of name knowledge on the par t of the instructor and the students ' perception that this was acceptable; the technological problems; the question-asking procedures; and the amount of side-chatter and other off-task behaviours. All of these factors compounded to suppress the existence of an instructor-student rapport in this course. Recommendations for distance educators are included. iv
Development of an Instrument to Measure Self-Directedness

The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid instrument to measure self-directedness in learning within the framework of the teaching-learning (TL) and learner characteristics (LC) components of the Personal Responsibility Orientation (PRO) Model of Self-Direction (Brockett & Hiemstra, 1 99 1 ) among college students. Accomplishing this purpose involved two stages: (a) the identification and operationization of reliable scale items that validly reflected the two components of the PRO model, and (b) the validation of the developed scale items with other related measures of self-direction. The resultant 35-item Personal Responsibility Orientation to Self-Direction in Learning Scale (PRO-SDLS) was a highly reliable (coefficient alpha = .92) instrument in the selected sample (N = 2 1 9) of graduate and undergraduate education students. Both TL and LC items were highly correlated with the scale total. The scores from the PRO-SDLS were significantly related to criterion variables thought to demonstrate self-direction. However, PRO-SDLS scores were not significantly related to professor­ ratings of students' self-direction. Additionally, scores from the PRO-SDLS were significantly related (r = . 76, p <.0 1 ) to a known instrument of self-direction (SDLRS) and accounted for additional variance beyond the SDLRS in predicting age, GP A, and class performance. Experts who examined the content of items on the PRO-SDLS rated 3 1 out ofthe 35 items appearing on the final version ofthe PRO-SDLS as representative of the PRO model.
Evaluation of HIV-1 Ambiguous Nucleotide Frequency During Antiretroviral Treatment Interruption

Abstract:Nucleotide mixtures in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) population sequences reflect sequence diversity. We evaluated gag and pol ambiguous nucleotide frequencies during an analytic treatment interruption (ATI) in an HIV-1 therapeutic vaccine study. The proportion of ambiguous nucleotides was significantly higher at ATI week 16 than at either the time of first detectable viremia (P < 0.001 gag and P = 0.03 reverse transcriptase) or preantiretroviral therapy (P = 0.007 gag). No significant differences were observed in the proportion of ambiguous nucleotides between those receiving vaccine and placebo. Increased HIV diversity during the ATI may represent a potentially higher barrier to success for a therapeutic as compared with a preventative vaccine targeting cell-mediated immunity.
Analyzing Migration Decisionmaking: Relationships between Residential Satisfaction, Mobility Intentions, and Moving Behavior

Research on migration decisionmaking has been centered on the notion that residential satisfaction and mobility intentions are intervening variables which fully mediate the effects of structural factors on moving behavior. Results from empirical studies, however, have rendered only modest support for this view. The author examines the role of residential satisfaction and mobility intentions vis-à-vis structural variables in migration decisionmaking with the aid of data drawn from the 1985–1989 waves of the American Housing Survey. A conceptual model is derived which is based on behavioral theories developed in social psychology, namely the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior. Several previously ignored links among structural variables, mobility predispositions, and moving behavior are incorporated. Empirical analyses show that, although satisfaction and intentions are important predictors of mobility, most of the structural variables that are commonly known to be related to migration also have direct effects on subsequent moving behavior, independent of satisfaction and intentions. The theories of reasoned action and planned behavior provide a theoretical framework for a better understanding of the complex relationships between structural variables, residential satisfaction, mobility intentions, and behavior.
Performance of the Multibeam Satellite Return Link With Correlated Rain Attenuation

Rain attenuation is among the major impairments for satellite systems operating in the K-band and above. In this paper, we investigate the impact of spatially correlated rain attenuation on the performance of a multibeam satellite return link. For a comprehensive assessment, an analytical model for the antenna pattern that generates the beams is also proposed. We focus on the outage capacity of the link and obtain analytical approximations at high and low signal-to-noise ratio. The derived approximations provide insights into the effect of key system parameters such as the interuser distance, the satellite beam radius, or the rain intensity, and simulation results show that it fits tightly with the Monte Carlo results. Additionally, the derived expressions can be easily particularized for the single-user case, providing some novel insights.
FeUdal Networks for Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning

We introduce FeUdal Networks (FuNs): a novel architecture for hierarchical reinforcement learning. Our approach is inspired by the feudal reinforcement learning proposal of Dayan and Hinton, and gains power and efficacy by decoupling end-to-end learning across multiple levels -- allowing it to utilise different resolutions of time. Our framework employs a Manager module and a Worker module. The Manager operates at a lower temporal resolution and sets abstract goals which are conveyed to and enacted by the Worker. The Worker generates primitive actions at every tick of the environment. The decoupled structure of FuN conveys several benefits -- in addition to facilitating very long timescale credit assignment it also encourages the emergence of sub-policies associated with different goals set by the Manager. These properties allow FuN to dramatically outperform a strong baseline agent on tasks that involve long-term credit assignment or memorisation. We demonstrate the performance of our proposed system on a range of tasks from the ATARI suite and also from a 3D DeepMind Lab environment.