Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tumor detection in the bladder wall with a measurement of abnormal thickness in CT scans

Virtual cystoscopy is a developing technique for bladder cancer screening. In a conventional cystoscopy, an optical probe is inserted into the bladder and an expert reviews the appearance of the bladder wall. Physical limitations of the probe place restrictions on the examination of the bladder wall. In virtual cystoscopy, a computed tomography (CT) scan of the bladder is acquired and an expert reviews the appearance of the bladder wall as shown by the CT. The task of identifying tumors in the bladder wall has often been done without extensive computational aid to the expert. We have developed an image processing algorithm that aids the expert in the detection of bladder tumors. Compared with an expert observer reading the CT, our algorithm achieves 89% sensitivity, 88% specificity, 48% positive predictive value, and 98% negative predictive value.
The global costs of opacity

Although large-scale risks such as war, terrorism and natural disaster garner media attention, it is the everyday, small-scale risks associated with opacity ? a lack of transparency in countries' legal, economic, regulatory and governance structures ? that can confound global investment and commerce. The authors offer new research that identifies the causes and measures the effects of this phenomenon across 48 countries. The research draws upon 65 objective variables from 41 sources including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the International Securities Services Association, the International Country Risk Guide and individual countries' regulators. The authors' methodology projects which aspects of a country's economy carry the greatest risk, then, by assessing and comparing the costs of those risks on a country-by-country basis, they create an overall Opacity Index. Next they correlate the Opacity Index to a variety of other indicators, including a country's income level, economic development and foreign investment, entrepreneurship, and access to capital and lending and equity markets. The authors conclude that opacity strongly correlates overall with slower growth and less foreign direct investment in nearly all markets, and they suggest how information about opacity and its contributing factors can enhance both managerial and national policy decisions alike.
Proprioceptive Determinants of Emotional and Nonemotional Feelings

This article reports 2 experiments that test whether both emotional and nonemotional feelings may be influenced by uninterpreted proprioceptive input. The logic of the procedure was adopted from studies by F. Strack, L. Martin, and S. Stepper (1988), who unobtrusively manipulated people's facial expressions. In the 1st experiment, a functionally equivalent technique was used to vary the posture of the body. Study 1 results revealed that success at an achievement task led to greater feelings of pride if the outcome was received in an upright position rather than in a slumped posture. Study 2 results revealed that nonemotional feelings of effort were influenced by contraction of the forehead muscle (corrugator), and Ss' self-ratings on a trait dimension reflected this experience when the facial contraction was maintained during the recall of behavioral episodes exemplifying this trait. To account for these results, a framework is proposed that draws on a distinction between noetic and experiential representations.
Sleep Promotes Consolidation of Emotional Memory in Healthy Children but Not in Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Fronto-limbic brain activity during sleep is believed to support the consolidation of emotional memories in healthy adults. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is accompanied by emotional deficits coincidently caused by dysfunctional interplay of fronto-limbic circuits. This study aimed to examine the role of sleep in the consolidation of emotional memory in ADHD in the context of healthy development. 16 children with ADHD, 16 healthy children, and 20 healthy adults participated in this study. Participants completed an emotional picture recognition paradigm in sleep and wake control conditions. Each condition had an immediate (baseline) and delayed (target) retrieval session. The emotional memory bias was baseline–corrected, and groups were compared in terms of sleep-dependent memory consolidation (sleep vs. wake). We observed an increased sleep-dependent emotional memory bias in healthy children compared to children with ADHD and healthy adults. Frontal oscillatory EEG activity (slow oscillations, theta) during sleep correlated negatively with emotional memory performance in children with ADHD. When combining data of healthy children and adults, correlation coefficients were positive and differed from those in children with ADHD. Since children displayed a higher frontal EEG activity than adults these data indicate a decline in sleep-related consolidation of emotional memory in healthy development. In addition, it is suggested that deficits in sleep-related selection between emotional and non-emotional memories in ADHD exacerbate emotional problems during daytime as they are often reported in ADHD.
Optimizing the parameters of plasmonic metal nanoparticles to maximize the energy conversion efficiency of thin-film solar cells

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are important devices that can be used to convert photons into electrical energy. However, the cost of current PV devices needs to be significantly reduced and their efficiencies need to be substantially enhanced to enable large scale implementation of PV cells as sources of clean electrical energy. Surface plasmon polaritrons (SPP) in metallic nanostructures in close proximity to a Si substrate can lead to enhanced optical absorption and improved energy conversion efficiency in amorphous silicon thin-film PV devices. Optimization of this phenomenon requires a detailed characterization and understanding of the parameters that govern the underlying physical mechanisms. This paper explores the relationship between energy conversion efficiency in thin-film Si solar cells and the type of metallic nanoparticle, the size of the metallic nanoparticles, and the distance between neighboring metallic nanoparticles in a periodic array of the metallic nanoparticles deposited on top of the Si substrate. Of the different metallic nanoparticle systems studied, it is found that silver nanoparticles with diameter of 100 nm and spaced 220 nm from neighboring nanoparticles in a periodic array of the metallic nanoparticles deposited on top of the Si substrate provides the maximum increase in the generated short circuit current density (JSC).
Addressing Foster Care Students' Behavioral Interventions: A National Survey of Teachers' Opinions.

Each year thousands of our nation’s youth experience abuse and neglect severe enough to warrant their placement into states’ foster care systems. The reasons for their entry into foster care include experiences or potential risk for physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse, in addition to parental/caregiver neglect and maltreatment. The literature reports a correlation between foster care and special education. The purpose of the present study was to design and administer a survey to a national sample of teachers about their opinions of foster care youth, providers, and services, a pursuit that has otherwise not appeared in the literature. In doing so, the overarching aim was to collect descriptive statistics necessary for this first-time contribution. A follow-up goal was to determine areas of statistical significance throughout the survey and analyze them to note correlations. Analyses discussed in this article pertain to questions relative to behaviors. Implications about missed opportunities for behavioral interventions on behalf of this vulnerable population are identified and discussed.
Uniform Stability of Markov Chains

By deriving a new set of tight perturbation bounds, it is shown that all stationary probabilities of a finite irreducible Markov chain react essentially in the same way to perturbations in the transition probabilities. In particular, if at least one stationary probability is insensitive in a relative sense, then all stationary probabilities must be insensitive in an absolute sense. New measures of sensitivity are related to more traditional ones, and it is shown that all relevant condition numbers for the Markov chain problem are small multiples of each other. Finally, the implications of these findings to the computation of stationary probabilities by direct methods are discussed, and the results are applied to stability issues in nearly transient chains.
Feature extraction using auto-associative neural networks

Modal analysis is now mature and well accepted in the design of mechanical structures. It determines the vibration mode shapes and the corresponding natural frequencies. However, the validity of modal analysis is limited to structures showing a linear behaviour. In non-linear structural dynamics, it is well known that mode shapes are no longer useful for the characterization of the dynamic response. The purpose of the present paper is to define new features which efficiently capture the dynamics of a non-linear structure. The proposed methodology takes advantage of auto-associative neural networks to compute one-dimensional curves which allow for non-linear dependences between the coordinates. Synthetic data sampled from a non-linear normal mode motion are used to illustrate the method and to develop intuition about its implementation.
The Allocation of Scarce Corporate Governance Ability

We argue that some investors are better at forcing management to adopt value-increasing strategies than others. Their special monitoring ability is a scarce resource in the economy. These “restructuring specialists” have an incentive to acquire blocks for restructuring purposes only in those states of the world in which a restructuring increases firm value the most. The restructuring specialists’ investment strategy is an important determinant of corporate ownership structures. Initially dispersed ownership can be optimal only if sufficient liquidity trading allows these special monitors to benefit from state-contingent block acquisitions. The extent of dispersed ownership also depends on the degree of monitoring superiority of the restructuring specialists and the capital available to them, as well as the likelihood that a restructuring may be needed. Firms with initially dispersed ownership and with a financial intermediary as their blockholder can coexist although they are otherwise identical. The model can explain several observations concerning ownership structures and monitoring mechanisms in different developed economies. * The previous version of the paper was entitled “Blockholder Identity, Equity Ownership Structures, and Hostile Takeovers”. We are grateful to Mark Garmaise, Bruce Greenwald, Lutz Hendricks, Cliff Holderness, George Mailath, Stephen Morris, Peter Norman, Walter Novaes, Sam Orez, John Persons, Masako Ueda, S.Viswanathan, Andrew Winton, participants in seminars at Arizona State, Boston College, Columbia, McGill, the New York Federal Reserve Bank, Northwestern, and Utah and participants at the 1999 NBER Summer Institute, the 1999 WFA meetings, and the 2000 AFA meetings for helpful discussions and comments. All remaining errors and shortcomings are solely our responsibility.
Design of Robust Broadband Beamformers With Passband Shaping Characteristics Using Tikhonov Regularization

Broadband beamformers are known to be highly sensitive to the errors in microphone array characteristics, especially for small-sized microphone arrays. This paper proposes an algorithm for the design of robust broadband beamformers with passband shaping characteristics using Tikhonov regularization method by taking into account the statistics of the microphone characteristics. To facilitate the derivation, a weighted least squares based broadband beamforming algorithm with passband shaping characteristics is also proposed, while keeping a minimal stopband level. Unlike the existing criteria for broadband beamforming for microphone arrays, the proposed approaches fully exploit the degrees of freedom in weighting functions of the criteria used to design broadband beamformers. By doing so, efficient and flexible broadband beamforming can be achieved with the desired passband shaping characteristics. In addition, this paper also shows that the robust broadband beamforming using the statistics of the microphone characteristics recently proposed (Doclo and Moonen, 2003 and 2007) belongs to the class of white noise gain constraint-based techniques, which gives an insight into the nature of the state-of-the-art approach. The performance of the proposed beamforming algorithms is illustrated by the design examples and is compared with the existing approaches for microphone arrays.
Dispositional mindfulness and employment status as predictors of resilience in third year nursing students: a quantitative study

Nursing students will graduate into stressful workplace environments and resilience is an essential acquired ability for surviving the workplace. Few studies have explored the relationship between resilience and the degree of innate dispositional mindfulness, compassion, compassion fatigue and burnout in nursing students, including those who find themselves in the position of needing to work in addition to their academic responsibilities.
On the Early Exercise Boundary of the American Put Option

We study the short time behavior of the early exercise boundary for American style put options in the Black--Scholes theory. We develop an asymptotic expansion which shows that the simple lower bound of Barles et al. is a more accurate approximation to the actual boundary than the more complex upper bound. Our expansion is obtained through iteration using a boundary integral equation. This integral equation is derived from the time derivative of the option value function, which closely resembles the classical Stefan free boundary value problem for melting ice. Our analytical results are supported by numerical computations designed for very short times.
The Engines of European Integration: Delegation, Agency, and Agenda Setting in the EU

Introduction: Theory, Hypotheses and Research Design 1. Delegation, Agency and Agenda Setting in the European Union PART I: DELEGATION AND DISCRETION 2. The Commission as an Agent: Delegation of Executive Power in the EU 3. The Court of Justice as an Agent: Delegation of Judicial Power in the EU 4. The European Parliament an an Outlier: Delegation of Legislative Powers in the EU PART II: AGENCY AND AGENDA-SETTING 5. Liberalizing Europe: The Commission, the Court, and the Creation of a European Market 6. Regulating Europe: The Commission, the Court, and the Regulation of the European Market Conclusions: A Europe of Agents, A World of Agents
Climate response to basin‐specific changes in latitudinal temperature gradients and implications for sea ice variability

We use experiments with the GISS general circulation model to investigate how changes in latitudinal temperature gradients affect atmospheric circulation in different ocean basins, with particular attention paid to the implications for high-latitude sea ice. The results are relevant to both estimated past climate changes, current climate gradient changes (e.g., El Nino-Southern Oscillation events), and proposed future climate responses to greenhouse gases. Sea surface temperature gradients are increased/decreased in all ocean basins, and in the Pacific and Atlantic separately, without changing sea ice or global average temperature. Additional experiments prescribe sea ice growth/reduction with global cooling/warming. As expected, increased gradients strengthen the subtropical jet stream and deepen the subpolar lows in each hemisphere, but results in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres differ in fundamental ways. In the Northern Hemisphere, increased storm intensities occur in the ocean basin with the increased gradient; in the Southern Hemisphere the deeper storms occur in the ocean basin with the decreased gradient. Alterations of the gradient in one ocean basin change longitudinal temperature gradients; an increased gradient in one basin from tropical heating results in subsidence in the tropics in the other basin, mimicking the effect of a decreased gradient in that basin. The subtropical jet is therefore strengthened over the basin with the increased gradient and decreased over the other ocean basin. Hence in many respects, regional effects, such as the strength of subpolar lows in an individual basin, are amplified when the gradient changes are of opposite sign in the two ocean basins. The Southern Hemisphere response occurs because gradient increases in one ocean basin, by strengthening the subtropical jet, shift storm tracks equatorward and away from the potential energy source associated with cold air advection from Antarctica. At the same time, with a weaker subtropical jet in the other basin, storms move poleward and strengthen. This latter effect may explain observed sea ice variations that are out of phase in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins in the Southern Hemisphere (referred to as the Antarctic dipole) as well as upper ocean variability in the Weddell gyre. Gradient changes produce little effect on sea level pressure in the Arctic, unless sea ice is changed. With Arctic sea ice reductions, the sea ice response acts as a positive feedback, inducing cyclonic circulation changes that would enhance its removal, as may be occurring due to the current high phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation.
Generalized Exchange and Intergenerational Transfers in Taiwanese and Filipino Families

This study examined resource transfers between older parents and adult children in the Philippines and Taiwan. Data were obtained from the 1989 Taiwan Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly and the 1984 Association of Southeast Asian National Survey of the Elderly in the Philippines. Both countries have low levels of social insurance coverage of the elderly. Both countries share a common practice of transfers between multiple family members. The structure of kin networks defines the opportunities for exchange within families. Persistent economic need is strongly related to the occurrence of generalized exchange. Generalized exchange should be more common among those with less access to nonfamilial sources of support or who live in areas lacking social welfare resources. Transfers refer to services time money or material goods. Findings indicate that most older parents were involved in some form of exchange with their children. Over 75% of the elderly were supported by their children. About 10% in Taiwan and about 40% in the Philippines were giving to and receiving from children. 51% in the Philippines and 20% in Taiwan were giving money to and receiving money from one child. Logistic models reveal that family structure affected exchange behavior differently in the countries. Living with an unmarried child more than doubled the likelihood of generalized exchange in the Philippines and quadrupled it in Taiwan. Pension receipt increased the likelihood of being involved in generalized exchange. Kin network characteristics and non-family resources were strong determinants of multiple transfers between the elderly and children.
Innovative Moments as Developmental Change Levels: A Case Study on Meaning Integration in the Treatment of Depression

Innovative moments are alternative meanings to the problems expressed by clients and are organized into three levels. This study analyzes if these levels are not only change markers related to symptomatology outcomes, but also gradual steps in meaning development. A thematic analysis was carried out in a case of depression treated with narrative therapy. Results revealed three themes that evolved from level 1 to level 3. Levels 1 and 2 corresponded to one specific theme and almost all level 3 integrated different themes (polythematic). Level 3 innovative moments might be an integrative bridge allowing the construction of a more adaptive meaning framework.
The Role of Gesture in Document Explanation by Embodied Conversational Agents

We describe two empirical studies of how professionals explain documents to lay clients who have varying levels of knowledge about the domain under discussion. We find that hand gestures, and in particular deictic gestures by the professional at various parts of the document play a major role in explanations of documents with clients in face-to-face settings. We describe a preliminary computational model of document explanation by an embodied conversational agent, in which appropriate form and location of hand gestures are used by the agent in explaining a document to a user. Results from a pilot evaluation study indicate that individuals with low levels of domain knowledge prefer receiving explanations from such an agent rather than from a human. Examples are drawn from the healthcare domain, in which research consent forms and hospital discharge instruction forms are used as the documents being explained, and health literacy is used as the measure of client domain knowledge.
Intracoronary Administration of Cardiac Progenitor Cells Alleviates Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Rats With a 30-Day-Old Infarction

Background— Administration of cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) 4 hours after reperfusion ameliorates left ventricular function in rats with acute myocardial infarction (MI). Clinically, however, this approach is not feasible, because expansion of autologous CPCs after acute MI requires several weeks. Therefore, we sought to determine whether CPCs are beneficial in the more clinically relevant setting of an old MI (scar). Methods and Results— One month after coronary occlusion/reperfusion, rats received an intracoronary infusion of vehicle or enhanced green fluorescent protein–labeled CPCs. Thirty-five days later, CPC-treated rats exhibited more viable myocardium in the risk region, less fibrosis in the noninfarcted region, and improved left ventricular function. Cells that stained positive for enhanced green fluorescent protein that expressed cardiomyocyte, endothelial, and vascular smooth muscle cell markers were observed only in 7 of 17 treated rats and occupied only 2.6% and 1.1% of the risk and noninfarcted regions, respectively. Transplantation of CPCs was associated with increased proliferation and expression of cardiac proteins by endogenous CPCs. Conclusions— Intracoronary administration of CPCs in the setting of an old MI produces beneficial structural and functional effects. Although exogenous CPCs can differentiate into new cardiac cells, this mechanism is not sufficient to explain the benefits, which suggests paracrine effects; among these, the present data identify activation of endogenous CPCs. This is the first report that CPCs are beneficial in the setting of an old MI when given by intracoronary infusion, the most widely applicable therapeutic approach in patients. Furthermore, this is the first evidence that exogenous CPC administration activates endogenous CPCs. These results open the door to new therapeutic applications for the use of autologous CPCs in patients with old MI and chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy.