Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a disease specific questionnaire to measure health related quality of life in patients with chronic liver disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS To develop and assess a disease specific instrument for measuring health related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). METHODS Based on responses from 60 patients with chronic liver disease, from 20 liver experts, and from a Medline search of the literature, items potentially affecting the HRQL of these patients were identified. A separate sample of 75 patients identified which items they found problematic and rated their importance. Results were explored using factor analysis; domains were chosen and items placed within domains. Redundant questions were eliminated and the final questionnaire was pretested in 10 patients. Using this instrument, HRQL was assessed in a further 133 patients with various types and stages of liver disease. RESULTS Patients, experts, and the literature search identified 156 items of potential importance. Of these, 35 proved important to over 50% of 75 respondents in the item reduction sample. The factor analysis suggested six domains. After eliminating redundancies, the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) included 29 items in the following domains: fatigue, activity, emotional function, abdominal symptoms, systemic symptoms, and worry. In pretesting, patients found the CLDQ clear and easy to complete in 10 minutes. In another 133 patients, the CLDQ showed a gradient between patients without cirrhosis, Child’s A cirrhosis, and those with Child’s B or C cirrhosis. CLDQ has evidence for moderate reliability at six months and seems to be responsive. CONCLUSION The CLDQ is short, easy to administer, produces both a summary score and domain scores, and correlates with the severity of liver disease.
PSPACE-hardness of unlabeled motion planning and variants

In unlabeled multi-robot motion planning several interchangeable robots operate in a common workspace. The goal is to move the robots to a set of target positions such that each position will be occupied by some robot. In this paper, we study this problem for the specific case of unit-square robots moving amidst polygonal obstacles and show that it is PSPACE-hard. We also consider three additional variants of this problem and show that they are all PSPACE-hard as well. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first hardness proof for the unlabeled case. Furthermore, our proofs can be used to show that the labeled variant (where each robot is assigned with a specific target position), again, for unit-square robots, is PSPACE-hard as well, which sets another precedence, as previous hardness results require the robots to be of different shapes.
Image driven shape deformation using styles

In this paper, we propose an image driven shape deformation approach for stylizing a 3D mesh using styles learned from existing 2D illustrations. Our approach models a 2D illustration as a planar mesh and represents the shape styles with four components: the object contour, the context curves, user-specified features and local shape details. After the correspondence between the input model and the 2D illustration is established, shape stylization is formulated as a style-constrained differential mesh editing problem. A distinguishing feature of our approach is that it allows users to directly transfer styles from hand-drawn 2D illustrations with individual perception and cognition, which are difficult to identify and create with 3D modeling and editing approaches. We present a sequence of challenging examples including unrealistic and exaggerated paintings to illustrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Effects of a Standard Versus Comprehensive Oral Care Protocol Among Intubated Neuroscience ICU Patients: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to compare changes in oral health during intubation until 48 hours after extubation in neuroscience intensive care unit (ICU) patients enrolled in a standard or a comprehensive oral care protocol. The effects of manual toothbrushing (standard group, n = 31) were compared with those of tongue scraping, electric toothbrushing, and moisturizing (comprehensive group, n = 25) in intubated patients in a neuroscience ICU in a 2-year randomized clinical trial. Oral health was evaluated based on the Oral Assessment Guide (OAG) on enrollment, the day of extubation, and 48 hours after extubation. There were no significant differences in the frequency of the oral care protocol. Protocol compliance exceeded 91% in both groups. The total OAG score and all eight categories significantly deteriorated (Friedman test, p < .001, Bonferroni corrected) in the standard oral care group and did not return to baseline after extubation. Large effect sizes were present at all three points in this group. The total OAG score deteriorated during intubation within the comprehensive protocol group (Friedman test, p < .004) but returned to baseline status after extubation. In four categories, the ratings on tongue, mucous membranes, gingiva, and teeth did not deteriorate significantly over time. Published oral care protocols are substandard in promoting and maintaining oral health in intubated patients. A comprehensive oral care protocol, using a tongue scraper, an electrical toothbrush, and pharmacological moisturizers, was more effective for oral hygiene throughout intubation and after extubation than manual toothbrushing alone.
Environmental DNA metabarcoding: Transforming how we survey animal and plant communities

The genomic revolution has fundamentally changed how we survey biodiversity on earth. High‐throughput sequencing (“HTS”) platforms now enable the rapid sequencing of DNA from diverse kinds of environmental samples (termed “environmental DNA” or “eDNA”). Coupling HTS with our ability to associate sequences from eDNA with a taxonomic name is called “eDNA metabarcoding” and offers a powerful molecular tool capable of noninvasively surveying species richness from many ecosystems. Here, we review the use of eDNA metabarcoding for surveying animal and plant richness, and the challenges in using eDNA approaches to estimate relative abundance. We highlight eDNA applications in freshwater, marine and terrestrial environments, and in this broad context, we distill what is known about the ability of different eDNA sample types to approximate richness in space and across time. We provide guiding questions for study design and discuss the eDNA metabarcoding workflow with a focus on primers and library preparation methods. We additionally discuss important criteria for consideration of bioinformatic filtering of data sets, with recommendations for increasing transparency. Finally, looking to the future, we discuss emerging applications of eDNA metabarcoding in ecology, conservation, invasion biology, biomonitoring, and how eDNA metabarcoding can empower citizen science and biodiversity education.
An Economic Theory of Grade Inflation

We present a formal analysis of grade inflation. In a labor market where firms must rely on job applicants’ college transcripts to assign them to jobs, universities can choose to grade-inflate, i.e., give good grades to its bad students, thus helping them secure better jobs. In doing so the university ignores its impact on the average quality of students with good grades. Grade inflation thus arises due to a free-rider problem, and is contagious: thus “bad” grades drive out “good. ” Furthermore, grade infl ation is exacerbated by (1) university reputation and (2) skills differentials. Finally welfare analysis suggests that universities, firms and students are worse off in a world with grade inflation.
LLR-Based Decode-and-Forward Protocol for Relay Networks and Closed-Form BER Expressions

Decode-and-forward cooperative communications protocol (DFP) allows single-antenna users in wireless medium to obtain the powerful benefits of multi-antenna systems without physical antenna arrays. So far, only signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or square amplitude of path gain has been used to evaluate the reliability of received signals for relays to decide whether to forward the decoded data so as to prevent unsuccessful detection at the relays. In this paper, we propose using log-likelihood ratio (LLR) as an alternative to SNR in the conventional DFP. Closed-form BER expressions for different versions of DFP are also derived and verified by Monte-Carlo simulations. A variety of numerical results reveal the significant superiority of LLR-based DFP to SNR-based DFP regardless of threshold level and relay position under flat Rayleigh fading channel plus additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN).
CONSISTENCY OF CIRCUIT EVALUATION, EXTENDED RESOLUTION AND TOTAL NP SEARCH PROBLEMS

We consider sets ${\it\Gamma}(n,s,k)$ of narrow clauses expressing that no definition of a size $s$ circuit with $n$ inputs is refutable in resolution R in $k$ steps. We show that every CNF with a short refutation in extended R, ER, can be easily reduced to an instance of ${\it\Gamma}(0,s,k)$ (with $s,k$ depending on the size of the ER-refutation) and, in particular, that ${\it\Gamma}(0,s,k)$ when interpreted as a relativized NP search problem is complete among all such problems provably total in bounded arithmetic theory $V_{1}^{1}$ . We use the ideas of implicit proofs from Krajíček [J. Symbolic Logic, 69 (2) (2004), 387–397; J. Symbolic Logic, 70 (2) (2005), 619–630] to define from ${\it\Gamma}(0,s,k)$ a nonrelativized NP search problem $i{\it\Gamma}$ and we show that it is complete among all such problems provably total in bounded arithmetic theory $V_{2}^{1}$ . The reductions are definable in theory $S_{2}^{1}$ . We indicate how similar results can be proved for some other propositional proof systems and bounded arithmetic theories and how the construction can be used to define specific random unsatisfiable formulas, and we formulate two open problems about them.
The gauge theory of dislocations: Static solutions of screw and edge dislocations

We investigate the T(3)-gauge theory of static dislocations in continuous solids. We use the most general linear constitutive relations in terms of the elastic distortion tensor and dislocation density tensor for the force and pseudomoment stresses of an isotropic solid. The constitutive relations contain six material parameters. In this theory, both the force and pseudomoment stresses are asymmetric. The theory possesses four characteristic lengths ℓ1, ℓ2, ℓ3 and ℓ4, which are given explicitly. We first derive the three-dimensional Green tensor of the master equation for the force stresses in the translational gauge theory of dislocations. We then investigate the situation of generalized plane strain (anti-plane strain and plane strain). Using the stress function method, we find modified stress functions for screw and edge dislocations. The solution of the screw dislocation is given in terms of one independent length ℓ1 = ℓ4. For the problem of an edge dislocation, only two characteristic lengths ℓ2 and ℓ3 arise with one of them being the same ℓ2 = ℓ1 as for the screw dislocation. Thus, this theory possesses only two independent lengths for generalized plane strain. If the two lengths ℓ2 and ℓ3 of an edge dislocation are equal, we obtain an edge dislocation, which is the gauge theoretical version of a modified Volterra edge dislocation. In the case of symmetric stresses, we recover well-known results obtained earlier.
Prediction of Duffing Chaotic time series using focused time lagged recurrent neural network model

In this paper, a focused time lagged recurrent neural network (FTLRNN) model with gamma memory is developed for multi step ahead (k=1,5,10.20,50,100) prediction of typical Duffing Chaotic time series. It is popularized in Neural network field due to its richness in chaotic behavior. It is observed that duffing time series exhibit a rich chaotic behavior. This paper compares the performance of two neural network configurations namely a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and proposed FTLRNN with gamma memory. The standard back propagation algorithm with momentum term has been used for both the models. It is seen that estimated dynamic FTLRNN based model with gamma memory filter clearly outperforms the MLP NN in various performance matrices such as Mean square error (MSE), Normalized mean square error (NMSE) and correlation coefficient ( r) on testing as well as training data set for Multi step prediction (K= 1,5,10,20,50,100). In addition, the output of proposed neural network model closely follows the desired output for multi step ahead prediction. It is shown that suggested FTLRNN model has the remarkable capability of time series prediction. The major contribution of this paper is that Various parameters like number of processing elements, step size, momentum value in hidden layer, in output layer the various transfer functions like tanh, sigmoid, linear-tan-h and linear sigmoid, different error norms L1,L2 ,Lp to L infinity, and different combination of training and testing samples are exhaustively experimented for obtaining the proposed robust model for long term (k=20,50,100) step as well as short step ahead (k=1,5,10)prediction.
Research Article Abstracts in Two Subdisciplines of Business—Move Structure and Hedging between Management and Marketing

The importance of RA abstracts lies in their influence on the readers’ decision about whether the accompanying article is worth reading. A number of studies have investigated the move structure of abstracts and have generated several influential models. However, little research has been conducted on subdisciplinary variations in move structure of abstracts. Additionally, previous studies have investigated independently either the move structure or the hedging use of academic writings. The attempt of the integration of the both have been lacking yet. Therefore, this study reports the analysis of move structure and hedging use in Management and Marketing abstracts. Comparative analysis was also conducted to investigate sudisciplinary variations in both move structure and hedging use between the two subdisciplines in the field of Business. In total, sixty-four research articles abstracts published in 2012 were randomly selected form eight leading journals in two subdisciplines. Hyland’s model (2000) was adopted as analytical framework for move structure analysis, and Wordsmith Tool was used to search hedging in the corpus. Results showed that the move structure of I-P-Pr (Introduction-Purpose-Product) is the most dominant sequences in both Management and Marketing. Regarding the use of hedging, all the five types occurred in both subdisciplines of Business. The findings of this study have also demonstrated the existence of variations in terms of both move structure and the use of hedging in the abstracts between the two subdisciplines. Therefore, pedagogical implications can be proposed that teaching practices should address the variations so as to meet the specific expectations from different particular discourse communities.
Vertical biogenic particle flux in a western Galician ria (NW Iberian Peninsula)

Fluxes of particulate pelagic material were measured in the Pontevedra Ria (northwest Spain) using sediment traps moored at the base of the photic zone, deployed for 24 h periods from February to June 1998. Measurements of water column hydrography, chlorophyll, primary produc- tion and phytoplankton were taken. Samples were divided into low, moderate and high productivity periods, according to phytoplankton biomass. The vertical flux of carbon ranged from 530 to 1780 mg C m -2 d -1 . Minimum values were recorded during high productivity periods, and were related to off- shore advection of surface water. The daily export of carbon accounted for 75% of primary produc- tion. The contribution of phytoplankton to the sedimented carbon ranged from 18 to 66%, and the fraction corresponding to living phytoplankton from 5 to 25%. The dominance of phytoplanktonic over phytobenthic species, and the low C:N ratio, indicated a pelagic origin and a rapid sinking of the particles. Diatoms were predominant; however, microflagellates accounted for ca. 20% and dino- flagellates for 13% of the total biomass, suggesting the rapid formation of aggregates, increasing the sinking speed of individual cells. A decrease in sedimentation was observed from the inner to the outer ria, and from low to higher productivity periods. However, no differences were found among stations and periods. The flux of particulate carbon was similar in intensity throughout the ria in all periods. Sedimentation is influenced by hydrography, showing a negative relationship with water flux. Balance between advection and retention processes in the ria play an important role in the coupling between biomass stock in water and deposition of material in traps.
Higher-Dimensional Neurons Explain the Tuning and Dynamics of Working Memory Cells

Measurements of neural activity in working memory during a somatosensory discrimination task show that the content of working memory is not only stimulus dependent but also strongly time varying. We present a biologically plausible neural model that reproduces the wide variety of characteristic responses observed in those experiments. Central to our model is a heterogeneous ensemble of two-dimensional neurons that are hypothesized to simultaneously encode two distinct stimuli dimensions. We demonstrate that the spiking activity of each neuron in the population can be understood as the result of a two-dimensional state space trajectory projected onto the tuning curve of the neuron. The wide variety of observed responses is thus a natural consequence of a population of neurons with a diverse set of preferred stimulus vectors and response functions in this two-dimensional space. In addition, we propose a taxonomy of network topologies that will generate the two-dimensional trajectory necessary to exploit this population. We conclude by proposing some experimental indicators to help distinguish among these possibilities.
Family violence from a communication perspective

Family Violence from a Communication Perspective - Dudley D Cahn The Catalyst Hypothesis - Michael E Roloff Conditions under which Coercive Communication Leads to Physical Aggression Family Interaction Process - Gayla Margolin et al An Essential Tool for Exploring Abusive Relations Home Is Where the Hell Is - Linda Ade-Ridder and Allen R Jones An Introduction to Violence against Children from a Communication Perspective Parent-to-Child Verbal Aggression - Yvonne Vissing and Walter Baily Communication Patterns in Families of Adolescent Sex Offenders - Sandra M Stith and Gary H Bischof Communication and Violence in Courtship Relationships - Collen M Carey and Paul A Mongeau The Ties that Bind Women to Violent Premarital Relationships - Karen H Rosen Processes of Seduction and Entrapment Physical Aggression, Distress, and Everyday Marital Interaction - Sally A Lloyd The Role of Communication in Verbal Abuse between Spouses - Teresa Chandler Sabourin Relational Control and Physical Aggression in Satisfying Marital Relationships - L Edna Rogers, Anne Castleton and Sally A Lloyd
Mapping Global Diversity Patterns for Migratory Birds

Nearly one in five bird species has separate breeding and overwintering distributions, and the regular migrations of these species cause a substantial seasonal redistribution of avian diversity across the world. However, despite its ecological importance, bird migration has been largely ignored in studies of global avian biodiversity, with few studies having addressed it from a macroecological perspective. Here, we analyse a dataset on the global distribution of the world’s birds in order to examine global spatial patterns in the diversity of migratory species, including: the seasonal variation in overall species diversity due to migration; the contribution of migratory birds to local bird diversity; and the distribution of narrow-range and threatened migratory birds. Our analyses reveal a striking asymmetry between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, evident in all of the patterns investigated. The highest migratory bird diversity was found in the Northern Hemisphere, with high inter-continental turnover in species composition between breeding and non-breeding seasons, and extensive regions (at high latitudes) where migratory birds constitute the majority of the local avifauna. Threatened migratory birds are concentrated mainly in Central and Southern Asia, whereas narrow-range migratory species are mainly found in Central America, the Himalayas and Patagonia. Overall, global patterns in the diversity of migratory birds indicate that bird migration is mainly a Northern Hemisphere phenomenon. The asymmetry between the Northern and Southern hemispheres could not have easily been predicted from the combined results of regional scale studies, highlighting the importance of a global perspective.
Chest pain in women with normal coronary angiograms.

In 1991, two articles in the Journal noted that women evaluated for chest pain were less likely than men to undergo coronary angiography.1,2 These studies and others generated concern that the symptom of chest pain was taken less seriously by physicians when it occurred in women than when it occurred in men. As a result, interest in cardiovascular disease in women began to grow at national meetings and symposiums, and cardiac centers for women began to appear across the country. However, as greater attention was directed toward the risk of coronary artery disease in women and as the performance .
Alcohol consumption and posttraumatic stress after exposure to terrorism: effects of proximity, loss, and psychiatric history.

OBJECTIVES We examined the effects of exposure to or interpersonal loss resulting from a terrorist attack on posttraumatic stress and alcohol consumption after we controlled for psychiatric history assessed before the attack. METHODS At baseline (1991-1992) and at 1- and 10-year follow-ups, an adult community sample of drinkers living approximately 12 mi (19.2 km) from the World Trade Center were evaluated for alcohol dependence and major depression. Of this group, 82.2% were assessed regarding the impact of the September 11, 2001, attacks, including proximity to the World Trade Center, interpersonal loss, posttraumatic stress, and alcohol consumption. RESULTS In regression models, interpersonal loss and past major depression, but not proximity to the World Trade Center, predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms. Proximity and past alcohol dependence, but not interpersonal loss, predicted high levels of post-September 11 alcohol consumption. Past alcohol dependence did not modify the proximity-drinking relationship, and past major depression did not modify the loss-posttraumatic stress relationship. CONCLUSIONS Participants' responses to September 11 were specific to their type of exposure and not predetermined by their psychiatric history. A better understanding of responses to traumatic events should assist more-effective prevention and intervention efforts.