Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distributed Kalman Filtering over Big Data: Analysis Through Large Deviations of Random Riccati Equations

—This paper studies the convergence of the estimation error process and the characterization of the corresponding invariant measure in distributed Kalman ﬁltering for potentially unstable and large linear dynamic systems. A gossip based information exchanging scheme termed Modiﬁed Gossip Interactive Kalman Filtering (M-GIKF) is proposed, where sensors exchange their ﬁltered states (estimates and error covariances) and also propagate their observations via inter-sensor communications of rate γ , where γ is deﬁned as the averaged number of inter-sensor message passages per signal evolution epoch. The ﬁltered states are interpreted as stochastic particles with local interaction and it is shown that the conditional estimation error covariance sequence at each sensor under M-GIKF evolves as a random Riccati equation (RRE) with Markov modulated switching. By formulating the RRE as a random dynamical system, it is shown that the conditional estimation error covariance at each sensor converges weakly (in distribution) to a unique invariant measure from any initial state. Further, it is proved that as γ → ∞ this invariant measure satisﬁes the Large Deviation (LD) upper and lower bounds, implying that this measure converges exponentially fast (in probability) to the Dirac measure δ P ∗ , where P ∗ is the stable error covariance of the centralized (Kalman) ﬁltering setup. The LD results answer a fundamental question on how to quantify the rate at which the distributed scheme approaches the centralized performance as the inter-sensor communication rate increases.
Patient Education in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Patient-Centred, Mixed Methodology Study

Background Consensus guidelines from the European Crohns and Colitis Organisation conclude that optimizing quality of care in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] involves information and education. However, there is no standardized patient education programme in IBD and education varies from centre to centre. Aim To assess patients' education needs in IBD to facilitate design of a patient education programme. Methods We created focus groups of 12 patients with IBD and used qualitative analysis to generate hypotheses. We then developed a quantitative questionnaire which was disseminated to 327 IBD patients attending three different centres. Five patients declined to participate and thus 322 patients (159 [49%] male, 180 [58%] Crohn's disease, median age 38 years and disease duration 7 years) were included. Results Patients were most keen to receive education on medications, 'what to expect in future', living with IBD and diet. They wanted to receive this information from specialist doctors or nurses and believed it could improve their quality of life. Though the internet was the preferred source of general information [i.e. planning holidays], it was the least preferred source of IBD education. While there was a trend for females to prefer peer education, family history of IBD was the only statistically significant factor associated with information preferences. Conclusion This is a patient-centred, mixed methodology study on patient education in IBD. Patients' preferences for education include components such as what to expect and diet and patients seem to distrust the internet as an IBD information source. International validation would be valuable to create a consensus education programme.
Associations between dopamine D2 receptor gene polymorphisms and schizophrenia risk: a PRISMA compliant meta-analysis

Objective To determine the relationships between dopamine D2 receptor gene polymorphisms and the risk of schizophrenia using meta-analysis. Method The PubMed, Embase, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases were searched to identify relevant literature published up to February 2016. The allele contrast model was used. Stata software was used for statistical analysis, with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated to evaluate the associations between dopamine D2 receptor gene polymorphisms and the risk of schizophrenia. Meta-regression and publication bias, trim-and-fill, subgroup, sensitivity, cumulative, and fail-safe number analyses were also performed. Results This meta-analysis included 81 studies. The rs1801028 and rs1799732 were associated with schizophrenia risk among Asians (P=0.04, OR =1.25, 95% CI =1.01–1.55; P<0.01, OR =0.76, 95% CI =0.63–0.92, respectively), while the rs6277 was associated with schizophrenia risk in Caucasians (P<0.01, OR=0.72, 95% CI =0.66–0.79). The rs1800497 was also associated with schizophrenia risk in population-based controls (P<0.01, OR =0.84, 95% CI =0.72–0.97). The rs6275, rs1079597, and rs1800498 were not associated with schizophrenia risk. In addition, meta-regression indicated that the controls may be sources of heterogeneity for the rs1801028 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), while ethnicity may be sources of heterogeneity for the rs6277 SNP. Publication bias was significant for the rs1801028 SNP, and this result changed after the publication bias was adjusted using the trim-and-fill method. Conclusion This meta-analysis demonstrated that the rs1801028 may be a risk factor for susceptibility to schizophrenia among Asians, while the rs1799732 may be a protective factor for that population. Large-sample studies are necessary to verify the results of this meta-analysis.
Judges Awareness, Understanding, and Application of Digital Evidence

As digital evidence grows in both volume and importance in criminal and civil courts, judges need to fairly and justly evaluate the merits of the offered evidence. To do so, judges need a general understanding of the underlying technologies and applications from which digital evidence is derived. Due to the relative newness of the computer forensics field, there have been few studies on the use of digital forensic evidence and none about judges’ relationship with digital evidence. This study addressed judges’ awareness, knowledge, and perceptions of digital evidence, using grounded theory methods. The interaction of judges with digital evidence has a social aspect that makes a study of this relationship well suited to grounded theory. This study gathered data via a written survey distributed to judges in the American Bar Association and National Judicial College, followed by interviews with judges from Massachusetts and Vermont. The results indicated that judges generally recognize the importance of evidence derived from digital sources, although they are not necessarily aware of all such sources. They believe that digital evidence needs to be authenticated just like any type of evidence and that it is the role of attorneys rather than of judges to mount challenges to that evidence, as appropriate. Judges are appropriately wary of digital evidence, recognizing how easy it is to alter or misinterpret such evidence. Less technically aware judges appear even more wary of digital evidence than their more knowledgeable peers. Judges recognize that they need additional training in computer and Internet technology as the computer forensics process and digital evidence, citing a lack of availability of such training. This training would enable judges to better understand the arguments presented by lawyers, testimony offered by technical witnesses, and judicial opinions forming the basis of decisional law. A framework for such training is provided in this report. This study is the first in the U.S. to analyze judges and digital forensics, thus opening up a new avenue of research. It is the second time that grounded theory has been employed in a digital forensics study, demonstrating the applicability of that methodology to this discipline.
A Comparison of EMG Signals from Surface and Fine-Wire Electrodes During Shoulder Abduction

Electromyography quantifies the action of muscles and the data provides an understanding of how coordination occurs during an action. This concurrent comparison research study evaluated electromyography signals from surface and fine-wire electrodes placed simultaneously on selected shoulder muscles. A stand-alone data logger collected electromyography signals from both types of electrodes placed on and within the teres major, supraspinatus, infraspinatus and posterior deltoid muscles as 30 healthy adult subjects performed overhead shoulder abduction. There were poor correlation in the timing of onset and peak magnitudes between fine-wire and surface electrodes reading of teres major, infraspinatus and supraspinatus (onset r=-0.01-0.07; p>0.05, peak r=0.05-0.10; p>0.05). Readings from surface electrodes placed on the posterior deltoid was strongly correlated with its fine-wire temporal values (onset r=0.94, peak r=0.90; p<0.00). Fine-wire electrodes are able to record time sensitive information of how the rotator cuff muscles controls glenohumeral motion during overhead shoulder abduction. The findings are important when deciding to use electromyography to study muscle co-ordination at the shoulder for orthopaedic and neurological rehabilitation.
Study of the miscibility and mechanical properties of NBR/HNBR blends

In this study, hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR, ZETPOL-2010L) and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR, NIPOL-DN4555) were blended at different ratios in a Haake melt blender at 130°C. The HNBR and the NBR were of very similar acrylonitrile content and Mooney viscosity. The melt miscibility and solid-state properties were investigated by rheological, thermal, and mechanical testing and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The dynamic viscosity of the blends followed the log-additivity rule, while the flow activation energy closely followed the inverse additivity rule. On the other hand, the storage modulus showed synergistic effects at all compositions, suggesting the presence of emulsion morphology at both ends of the composition range. For the 50/50 HNBR/NBR blend, the SEM micrographs suggest a uniform elongated structure. The thermal analysis showed the presence of two glass transitions, representing the pure components, at all blend ratios, suggesting the absence of segmental miscibility of the blends. The small-strain mechanical properties such as tensile modulus and yield stress followed linear additivity. However, HNBR and HNBR-rich blends were observed to strain harden at a rate higher than that of NBR. Induced crystallization of HNBR was suggested to be the reason for the strain hardening. The different rheological, thermal, and mechanical testing techniques agree in suggesting that the structurally similar HNBR and NBR are not thermodynamically miscible but mechanically compatible. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:2346–2352, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
[Comparative analysis of corneal aberrations after intrastromal segments and MyoRing implantation using femtosecond laser in patients with keratoconus].

AIM to comparatively analyze corneal aberrations after intrastromal corneal segments (ICS) and MyoRing implantation using femtosecond laser in patients with stage II-III keratoconus (KC) by Pentacam examination. MATERIAL AND METHODS We have operated on 135 patients (145 eyes) with stage II or III KC. Depending on surgical technique, all patients were divided into two groups. Group I consisted of patients with KC, who received optimized femtosecond laser-assisted MyoRing implantation, group II - of those, who received femtosecond laser-assisted ICS implantation. Depending on the stage of the disease, each group was further divided into two subgroups, for stage II and stage III KC, respectively. Before and after surgery, all patients underwent visometry, biomicroscopy, corneal topography, and corneal aberrations measurement under photopic and mesopic conditions on Pentacam. The follow-up period averaged 30 months (from 6 to 34 months). RESULTS In both groups corneal aberrations significantly decreased after surgery, which was confirmed by an improvement in parameters of refraction and keratometry readings. CONCLUSION Implantation of intrastromal MyoRings leads to a greater reduction in the total corneal aberration, higher-order aberrations under photopic and mesopic conditions, and spherical aberration under photopic conditions as compared to ICS in patients with stage III KC; a comparable reduction in the total corneal, higher-order, and spherical aberrations under photopic conditions as compared to ICS in patients with stage II KC; a comparable increase in spherical aberration under mesopic conditions as compared to ICS in patients with stage III KC.
Antipsychotic Polypharmacy among Psychiatric Patients in Hospital Kajang, Malaysia

Background: Using antipsychotic polypharmacy is a routine practice despite the instructions and guidelines of avoiding such combinations till several successful trials upon antipsychotic combinations usage. This practice exposes severe side effects over the patient and also poses burden by unnecessary expenses. On the other hand, antipsychotic polypharmacy also has some benefits and most medical practitioners prescribe antipsychotic combinations in order to treat difficult and acute psychosis. Now-a-days, use of antipsychotic polypharmacy is common among psychiatric patients. There is gap due to low empirical evidences in support of its benefits, safety, risks, efficacy and proper way of practicing till now. There is no data available published at local level in Malaysia in spite of recurrent and more prevalent usage of antipsychotic polypharmacy. To determine the proportion and pattern of antipsychotic polypharmacy prescriptions and their possible risks among patients, this study was conducted. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted over the patients prescribed with antipsychotic polypharmacy at Kajang Hospital, Malaysia from June until August 2017. Retrospective data was collected for patients who were admitted in the past 1 year (January 2016 to December 2016). The risk and usage of polypharmacy were assessed on the basis of clinical outcomes and range of prescription as medication non-adherence, adverse drug effects, drug-drug interaction, inappropriate prescriptions, hospitalization, functional decline and mortality resulted either by antipsychotic polypharmacy or due to monotherapy effects. Results: A total of 100 patients were included in this study. Overall there were 120 cases detected in this research. Sixty-two cases out of the total 120 were prescribed antipsychotic monotherapy, while 58 cases prescribed with antipsychotic polypharmacy medications. The use of polypharmacy as antipsychotic medications accounted for almost half of total cases with 48%. It was also found from this study that duration of illness had statistically significant association with antipsychotic polypharmacy (P<0.05). Polypharmacy in antipsychotic treatment caused adverse effects like hyperprolactinemia and EPS. Some other adverse effects were associated with monotherapy and polytherapy medications such as weight gain, hyperlipidemia, and metabolic syndrome but these were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The antipsychotic polypharmacy was high in proportion. Prescription of antipsychotic polypharmacy was concerned with severe side effects. While prescribing antipsychotics for diabetics and obese patients, caution must be taken. To enhance the prevention and management of these medications, there must be more information about risk and usage of antipsychotic polypharmacy.
On refined volatility smile expansion in the Heston model

It is known that Heston's stochastic volatility model exhibits moment explosion, and that the critical moment s + can be obtained by solving (numerically) a simple equation. This yields a leading-order expansion for the implied volatility at large strikes: σBS(k, T)2 T ∼ Ψ(s + − 1) × k (Roger Lee's moment formula). Motivated by recent ‘tail-wing’ refinements of this moment formula, we first derive a novel tail expansion for the Heston density, sharpening previous work of Drăgulescu and Yakovenko [Quant. Finance, 2002, 2(6), 443–453], and then show the validity of a refined expansion of the type σBS(k, T)2 T = (β1 k 1/2 + β2 + ···)2, where all constants are explicitly known as functions of s +, the Heston model parameters, the spot vol and maturity T. In the case of the ‘zero-correlation’ Heston model, such an expansion was derived by Gulisashvili and Stein [Appl. Math. Optim. , 2010, 61(3), 287–315]. Our methods and results may prove useful beyond the Heston model: the entire quantitative analysis is based on affine principles and at no point do we need knowledge of the (explicit, but cumbersome) closed-form expression of the Fourier transform of log S T (equivalently the Mellin transform of S T ). What matters is that these transforms satisfy ordinary differential equations of the Riccati type. Secondly, our analysis reveals a new parameter (the ‘critical slope’), defined in a model-free manner, which drives the second- and higher-order terms in tail and implied volatility expansions.
Free vibration behavior of laminated composite stiffened elliptic parabolic shell panel with cutout

Abstract In this paper free vibration behavior of laminated composite stiffened elliptic parabolic shell has been analyzed in terms of natural frequency and mode shape. Finite element method has been applied using an eight-noded curved quadratic isoparametric element for shell with a three noded curved beam element for stiffener. Cross and angle ply shells with different edge conditions have been studied varying the size and position of the cutouts to arrive at a set of inferences of practical engineering significances.
The Use of Mind Maps as an Assessment Tool in a Problem Based Learning Course

The use of mind maps as an assessment tool is investigated. The mind map in the current study represents the student knowledge structure at the beginning of the student learning curve unlike previous studies in which the maps are drawn after students have acquired the knowledge already. The study compares the inter-rater reliability of two mind map scoring methods and correlates the marks from these methods with other end of year outcomes. The mind maps were scored independently by three examiners using two mind map scoring rubrics (MMR): a structural and a holistic qualitative rubric. The structural MMR scoring method gave moderate inter-rater reliability with total score ICC values of 0.71 for absolute agreement and 0.57 for consistency between the three examiners. The qualitative MMR scoring method had poor inter-rater reliability with values of 0.33 and 0.32 for absolute agreement and consistency respectively. The concurrent validity with other end of year assessments was poor for both methods. Although the mind map scores did not correlate with other end of year assessments, it is likely that mind maps are assessing a different aspect of the student knowledge construct not assessed by traditional assessments. The inter-rater reliability was better for the structural MMR than the qualitative MMR.
Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with increased risk of first-trimester miscarriage in the Odense Child Cohort 1 – 2

Background:Miscarriage is the most common negative outcome of pregnancy, and identification of modifiable risk factors is potentially of great importance for public health. Low vitamin D concentrations in pregnancy are widespread worldwide, and vitamin D deficiency is implicated in immune cell regulation at the feto-maternal interface and several diseases of pregnancy. Objective: We investigated whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum concentration was a modifiable risk factor for early miscarriage. Design: In a prospective cohort study of 1683 pregnant women donating serum before gestational week 22, we investigated the association between maternal serum concentrations of serum 25hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and the risk of subsequent miscar-
Intraspinal Pathology Associated With Pediatric Scoliosis: A Ten-year Review Analyzing the Effect of Neurosurgery on Scoliosis Curve Progression

Study Design. This was a retrospective study of patients with Chiari I (CM I) and Chiari II (CM II) malformations, tethered cord syndrome, and syringomyelia examining the effect of neurosurgery on scoliosis. Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting spinal deformity progression in patients with diseases of the neural axis following neurosurgical management. Summary of Background Data. There have been attempts to explain which factors influence the spinal deformity in diseases of the neural axis with varying results. Debate still exists as to the effectiveness of neurosurgery in curve stabilization. Methods. The medical records for patients treated over the past 10 years were reviewed. The spinal deformity surgical group consisted of patients who received surgery or progressed to surgical range (50°) and the nonsurgical group those who did not undergo fusion. Results. Fifteen patients (eight females and seven males) with scoliosis who underwent neurosurgical intervention were identified. Ten had tethered cord, six CM II, four CM I, and 11 syrinx. Average age at the time of neurosurgery was 7 ± 4 years (range 0.7–14 yrs). Following neurosurgery, no patients experienced improvement in their curves (defined as >10° decrease in Cobb angle), eight patients experienced stabilization (<10° decrease), and seven experienced worsening (>10° increase). The group that went on to spinal deformity surgery possessed larger curves before neurosurgery (mean 42°, range 20°–63°) than the nonsurgical group (19°, range 15°–26°; P = 0.004). CM II patients had the greatest magnitude of curve progression, mean of 49°, compared with patients with CM I (6°) or tether cord without CM I or II (11°, P = 0.01). Conclusion. Neurosurgical intervention may prevent curve progression in patients with scoliosis and Cobb angles < 30° if they do not have a complex CM II malformation. Patients with CM II are at a higher risk of curve progression and undergoing spinal fusion than patients with CM I, tethered cord syndrome, or syringomyelia. Level of Evidence: 4
Promoting Hope: Suggestions for School Counselors

This article extends the relevance of multicultural development to the Strengths-Based School Counseling (SBSC; Galassi & Akos, 2007) perspective. A relatively new construct for school counselors, the "multicultural personality" (MP), is introduced and defined. The MP is conceptualized as a cluster of narrow personality traits that can be subsumed under broader models of personality. Research has found that MP development is correlated with coping, adapting, and thriving in increasingly culturally diverse environments such as the United States. Suggestions for integrating MP development across the guiding principles of SBSC are presented.