Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The sensitivity and bias of older and younger driver judgments in complex traffic environments

A previous investigation adapted a signal detection theory approach to an arrival-time task to establish the sensitivity and bias of traffic judgements. It was demonstrated that older drivers generally have a diminished sensitivity to the arrival-time of approaching vehicles. The conservative estimations of older drivers were also attenuated in response to faster speeds. These findings were demonstrated under simplistic single vehicle approaches of varying speed. Under the age-complexity hypothesis, it was expected that an increase in the complexity of the traffic environment would further reduce the sensitivity of older driver judgements. Twenty-four older drivers (71-82 years) and 24 younger experienced drivers (24-42 years) were presented with digitally edited video sequences of two approaching vehicles that disappeared at a constant distance. The three combinations of the two vehicles' speeds were 44km/h - 72km/h, 58km/h - 72km/h, and 58km/h - 86km/h. Order of speed presentations and lane positions were counterbalanced. Participants indicated, for each vehicle in turn, whether it would have reached a target line on the road when a car horn sounded. Preliminary analyses indicate that older drivers have a significantly degraded sensitivity to the arrival-time of two approaching vehicles in comparison to younger drivers. Lower levels of sensitivity were demonstrated in the higher velocity conditions and the conservatism of older drivers in particular, was reduced for higher speed presentations. These results confirm the difficulties of older drivers in response to more complex environments and implicate speed as a factor in traffic judgment errors. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E206143.
In Vivo Analysis of Conserved C. elegans Tomosyn Domains

Neurosecretion is critically dependent on the assembly of a macromolecular complex between the SNARE proteins syntaxin, SNAP-25 and synaptobrevin. Evidence indicates that the binding of tomosyn to syntaxin and SNAP-25 interferes with this assembly, thereby negatively regulating both synaptic transmission and peptide release. Tomosyn has two conserved domains: an N-terminal encompassing multiple WD40 repeats predicted to form two β-propeller structures and a C-terminal SNARE-binding motif. To assess the function of each domain, we performed an in vivo analysis of the N- and C- terminal domains of C. elegans tomosyn (TOM-1) in a tom-1 mutant background. We verified that both truncated TOM-1 constructs were transcribed at levels comparable to rescuing full-length TOM-1, were of the predicted size, and localized to synapses. Unlike full-length TOM-1, expression of the N- or C-terminal domains alone was unable to restore inhibitory control of synaptic transmission in tom-1 mutants. Similarly, co-expression of both domains failed to restore TOM-1 function. In addition, neither the N- nor C-terminal domain inhibited release when expressed in a wild-type background. Based on these results, we conclude that the ability of tomosyn to regulate neurotransmitter release in vivo depends on the physical integrity of the protein, indicating that both N- and C-terminal domains are necessary but not sufficient for effective inhibition of release in vivo.
Speech Analysis and Synthesis with a Computationally Efficient Adaptive Harmonic Model

Harmonic models have to be both precise and fast in order to represent the speech signal adequately and be able to process large amount of data in a reasonable amount of time. For these purposes, the full-band adaptive harmonic model (aHM) used by the adaptive iterative refinement (AIR) algorithm has been proposed in order to accurately model the perceived characteristics of a speech signal. Even though aHM-AIR is precise, it lacks the computational efficiency that would make its use convenient for large databases. The least squares (LS) solution used in the original aHM-AIR accounts for most of the computational load. In a previous paper, we suggested a peak picking (PP) approach as a substitution to the LS solution. In order to integrate the adaptivity scheme of aHM in the PP approach, an adaptive discrete Fourier transform (aDFT), whose frequency basis can fully follow the variations of the f0 curve, was also proposed. In this paper, we complete the previous publication by evaluating the above methods for the whole analysis process of a speech signal. Evaluations have shown an average time reduction by four times using PP and aDFT compared to the LS solution. Additionally, based on formal listening tests, when using PP and aDFT, the quality of the re-synthesis is preserved compared to the original LS-based approach.
Effect of Custom-Made Footwear on Foot Ulcer Recurrence in Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Custom-made footwear is the treatment of choice to prevent foot ulcer recurrence in diabetes. This footwear primarily aims to offload plantar regions at high ulcer risk. However, ulcer recurrence rates are high. We assessed the effect of offloading-improved custom-made footwear and the role of footwear adherence on plantar foot ulcer recurrence. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We randomly assigned 171 neuropathic diabetic patients with a recently healed plantar foot ulcer to custom-made footwear with improved and subsequently preserved offloading (∼20% peak pressure relief by modifying the footwear) or to usual care (i.e., nonimproved custom-made footwear). Primary outcome was plantar foot ulcer recurrence in 18 months. Secondary outcome was ulcer recurrence in patients with an objectively measured adherence of ≥80% of steps taken. RESULTS On the basis of intention-to-treat, 33 of 85 patients (38.8%) with improved footwear and 38 of 86 patients (44.2%) with usual care had a recurrent ulcer (relative risk −11%, odds ratio 0.80 [95% CI 0.44–1.47], P = 0.48). Ulcer-free survival curves were not significantly different between groups (P = 0.40). In the 79 patients (46% of total group) with high adherence, 9 of 35 (25.7%) with improved footwear and 21 of 44 (47.8%) with usual care had a recurrent ulcer (relative risk −46%, odds ratio 0.38 [0.15–0.99], P = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS Offloading-improved custom-made footwear does not significantly reduce the incidence of plantar foot ulcer recurrence in diabetes compared with custom-made footwear that does not undergo such improvement, unless it is worn as recommended.
Impact of age, sex and route of administration on adverse events after opioid treatment in the emergency department: A retrospective study

Opioids are an important avenue for the treatment of pain among individuals presenting to the emergency department. Unfortunately, opioid administration can lead to several complications including nausea/vomiting, oxygen desaturation and hypotension. The authors aimed to determine the incidence of such adverse events among 31,742 patients who were treated with opioids in the emergency department of a single large tertiary care hospital in Montreal, Quebec.
Improving IR‐based traceability recovery via noun‐based indexing of software artifacts

One of the most successful applications of textual analysis in software engineering is the use of information retrieval (IR) methods to reconstruct traceability links between software artifacts. Unfortunately, because of the limitations of both the humans developing artifacts and the IR techniques any IR‐based traceability recovery method fails to retrieve some of the correct links, while on the other hand it also retrieves links that are not correct. This limitation has posed challenges for researchers that have proposed several methods to improve the accuracy of IR‐based traceability recovery methods by removing the ‘noise’ in the textual content of software artifacts (e.g., by removing common words or increasing the importance of critical terms). In this paper, we propose a heuristic to remove the ‘noise’ taking into account the linguistic nature of words in the software artifacts. In particular, the language used in software documents can be classified as a technical language, where the words that provide more indication on the semantics of a document are the nouns. The results of a case study conducted on five software artifact repositories indicate that characterizing the context of software artifacts considering only nouns significantly improves the accuracy of IR‐based traceability recovery methods. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Back up your Stance: Recognizing Arguments in Online Discussions

In online discussions, users often back up their stance with arguments. Their arguments are often vague, implicit, and poorly worded, yet they provide valuable insights into reasons underpinning users’ opinions. In this paper, we make a first step towards argument-based opinion mining from online discussions and introduce a new task of argument recognition. We match usercreated comments to a set of predefined topic-based arguments, which can be either attacked or supported in the comment. We present a manually-annotated corpus for argument recognition in online discussions. We describe a supervised model based on comment-argument similarity and entailment features. Depending on problem formulation, model performance ranges from 70.5% to 81.8% F1-score, and decreases only marginally when applied to an unseen topic.
Why do general practitioners prescribe antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections to meet patient expectations: a mixed methods study

Objectives To describe the role patient expectations play in general practitioners (GPs) antibiotic prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). Methods Concurrent explanatory mixed methods approach using a cross-sectional survey and semistructured interviews. Settings Primary care GPs in Australia. Participants 584 GPs (response rate of 23.6%) completed the cross-sectional survey. 32 GPs were interviewed individually. Outcome measure Prescribing of antibiotics for URTI. Results More than half the GP respondents to the survey in Australia self-reported that they would prescribe antibiotics for an URTI to meet patient expectations. Our qualitative findings suggest that ‘patient expectations’ may be the main reason given for inappropriate prescribing, but it is an all-encompassing phrase that includes other reasons. These include limited time, poor doctor–patient communication and diagnostic uncertainty. We have identified three role archetypes to explain the behaviour of GPs in reference to antibiotic prescribing for URTIs. The main themes emerging from the qualitative component was that many GPs did not think that antibiotic prescribing in primary care was responsible for the development of antibiotic resistance nor that their individual prescribing would make any difference in light of other bigger issues like hospital prescribing or veterinary use. For them, there were negligible negative consequences from their inappropriate prescribing. Conclusions There is a need to increase awareness of the scope and magnitude of antibiotic resistance and the role primary care prescribing plays, and of the contribution of individual prescribing decisions to the problem of antibiotic resistance.
TESTING ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF LABOUR SUPPLY: EVIDENCE FROM TAXI DRIVERS IN SINGAPORE

In this paper, we use data from a survey of taxi drivers in Singapore to test two competing labor supply hypotheses: the standard intertemporal model and the income targeting model, where workers set an earnings target over some short time horizon. The former predicts positive wage elasticities of labor supply, while an extreme form of the latter implies an elasticity of -1. The estimated wage elasticities are persistently negative, even after correcting for measurement error using instrumental variables. However, these findings are consistent with those in Camerer et al. (1997)'s study of New York City cab drivers.
Estimates of Time to Economic Convergence: An Analysis of Regions of the European Union

According to the simplest neoclassical theory, closer integration will ultimately eliminate the current differences in per capita incomes between European Union (EU) regions. Models based on the Keynesian tradition and endogenous growth theory suggest different outcomes. This article looks at the evidence for convergence along neoclassical lines and also from a point of view that accepts the critique of neoclassical theory. Estimates are made of the time it will take for two different forms of equilibrium to be realized. From a neoclassical perspective, there is only weak evidence that EU regions are converging in terms of their output per capita, requiring more than two centuries for approximate convergence to be achieved. From a non-neoclassical perspective, stochastic equilibrium will require more than three centuries, although the hypothesis that the regions have already achieved stochastic equilibrium cannot be dismissed.
Passive Immunization with Anti-Ganglioside Antibodies Directly Inhibits Axon Regeneration in an Animal Model

Recent studies have proposed that neurite outgrowth is influenced by specific nerve cell surface gangliosides, which are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids highly enriched in the mammalian nervous system. For example, the endogenous lectin, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), is reported to bind to axonal gangliosides (GD1a and GT1b) to inhibit neurite outgrowth. Clustering of gangliosides in the absence of inhibitors such as MAG is also shown to inhibit neurite outgrowth in culture. In some human autoimmune PNS and CNS disorders, autoantibodies against GD1a or other gangliosides are implicated in pathophysiology. Because of neurobiological and clinical relevance, we asked whether anti-GD1a antibodies inhibit regeneration of injured axons in vivo. Passive transfer of anti-GD1a antibody severely inhibited axon regeneration after PNS injury in mice. In mutant mice with altered ganglioside or complement expression, inhibition by antibodies was mediated directly through GD1a and was independent of complement-induced cytolytic injury. The impaired regenerative responses and ultrastructure of injured peripheral axons mimicked the abortive regeneration typically seen after CNS injury. These data demonstrate that inhibition of axon regeneration is induced directly by engaging cell surface gangliosides in vivo and imply that circulating autoimmune antibodies can inhibit axon regeneration through neuronal gangliosides independent of endogenous regeneration inhibitors such as MAG.
The narrative and media literacy as influential factors in the efficacy of programs for the prevention of teenage pregnancy

Unwanted pregnancy in Ecuador is a public health problem. Studies have shown that various psychosocial factors affect risky sexual behavior. Lack of information and poor access to sexual and reproductive healthcare service, an early start to sexual activity, impulsivity, and perceived invulnerability, among others. Interesting results have also been found on the effects that persuasive narrative produce through educational and entertainment videos for changes in attitudes and intention of risky behavior in the area of health. And separately media literacy has been studied as a factor in the level of critical skills used by teens, which makes them more critical in the face of media products that try and convince them of something, but what has not been studied is how being media competent affects their mediation of persuasive arguments in the field of communication on healthcare. The objective of this study is to determine if the level of media literacy mitigates the impact of two videos, narrative and non-narrative, how that impacts their attitude, knowledge, and intentional behavior to prevent unwanted pregnancy, and the perceived vulnerability, counter-argumentation will also be considered, transport and identification with characters as variable mitigating factors. Experimental research will be applied to adolescent women. The results are intended to be used to show the efficacy of the messages in pregnancy prevention videos are key to be considered in healthcare campaigns for sexual and reproductive health in adolescents.
Shared modes of presentation

A BSTRACT : What is it for two people to think of an object, natural kind or other entity under the same mode of presentation (MOP)? This has seemed a particularly difficult question for advocates of the Mental Files approach, the Language of Thought, or other ‘atomistic’ theories. In this paper I propose a simple answer. I first argue that, by parallel with the synchronic intrapersonal case, the sharing of a MOP should involve a certain kind of epistemic transparency between the token thoughts of the two thinkers. I then explain how shared words help bring about this transparency. Finally, I show how this account can be extended for thoughts expressed using demonstratives or indexicals.
Moving Beyond a One-Size-Fits-All View of Positive Affect in Health Research

Although the literature that connects positive affect (PA) to health has exploded over the last 20 years, the approach to studying this topic has remained simplistic. Specifically, researchers overwhelmingly rely on the principle that all PA is healthful, all of the time. Here, we review recent studies indicating that a more nuanced approach is valuable. In particular, we demonstrate that a more thoughtful approach to factors such as arousal, culture, timing, and measurement type results in a more complex picture of when PA is helpful and when it is not. Taking these issues into account also has implications for the types of mechanisms underlying these associations, as well as how other moderators might operate. Thus, we argue that considering these gradations will allow researchers to develop successful and theoretically based health interventions, untangle mixed findings, and enable a deeper understanding of the connection between PA and health.
Evaluation of introgressive hybridization among Cervidae in Japan's Kinki District via two novel genetic markers developed from public NGS data

Abstract Hybridization and backcrossing of native populations with introduced species can lead to introgression and genetic alteration. In this study, we evaluated introgression in 43 deer from a potential hybrid zone around Okinoshima Island, Kinki District, Japan. This region witnessed the migration of a hybrid population (cross between the Formosan sika deer [Cervus nippon taiouanus] and other deer species) that could potentially breed with the native Japanese sika deer (C. n. centralis). We used an existing genetic marker for the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and two novel markers for nuclear DNA, developed using publicly available next‐generation sequencing data. We identified one mainland deer with a mitochondrial haplotype identical to that of the Formosan sika deer as well as nuclear heterozygous sequences identical to those of Formosan and Japanese sika deer. This suggests that the mainland deer is a hybrid offspring of the Okinoshima population and native deer. However, only Japanese sika deer sequences were found in the other 42 samples, indicating limited introgression. Nevertheless, hybridization pre‐ and postintroduction in the Okinoshima population could cause multispecies introgression among Japanese sika deer, negatively affecting genetic integrity. We developed a simple test based on polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism to detect introgression in natural populations. Our method can accelerate genetic monitoring of Japanese sika deer in Kinki District. In conclusion, to prevent further introgression and maintain genetic integrity of Japanese sika deer, we recommend establishing fences around Okinoshima Island to limit migration, besides a continued genetic monitoring of the native deer.
Australian attitudes to intergenerational equity: impacts of social and policy change

Abstract Attitudes to ageing can predispose decision-making as governments, interest groups and electorates negotiate competing demands in the context of economic constraints and social change. This paper, based on national survey data, investigates change and stability in Australian attitudes to intergenerational equity from 2009–2010 to 2015–2017, alongside concurrent socio-economic and policy change as well as cohort succession. The emphasis is on the baby-boom cohort who are viewed as significant beneficiaries of social change relative to opportunities of younger and older cohorts. Views of older people as a needy group may be changing slightly as more enter later life with substantial wealth and resources. Our results show that there is little perception of intergenerational conflict with the exception of the Millennial cohort whose life chances are compromised by economic and expenditure constraint over the past decade. Overall, attitudes remain sympathetic to older people, especially among women and people rendered vulnerable by poor health, non-home-ownership and low socio-economic positions. The findings do not align with government portrayals of intergenerational inequalities notwithstanding many having negative views of the future and ongoing expenditure restraint strategies. At what appears to be a critical turning point in the life chances of successive cohorts, the findings indicate the interplay between attitudes and social and policy change, as well as implications for social equity and processes of attitudinal change.
The Business Cycle: It's Still a Puzzle

The business cycle is characterized by contractions and expansions in economic activity that are synchronized across a broad range of sectors. The authors provide evidence to document this, and survey some of the theories that have been proposed to explain it. Although much progress has been made, research in this area is still at an early age.
Racial Segregation in US Metropolitan Areas and Cities, 1990-2000: Patterns, Trends, and Explanations

This report provides a comprehensive overview of 1990 and 2000 neighborhood dissimilarity indices measured for Blacks and Whites, Asians and Whites, and Hispanics and Whites among the nation’s 318 metropolitan areas, as well as 1220 places with populations exceeding 25,000 in 2000. Unlike most earlier studies which measure segregation on the basis of census tracts, this study measures segregation across smaller block-groups, which constitute closer approximations to neighborhoods. For both metropolitan areas and places, we find broad trends, some countering those of earlier decades. Black-White segregation is declining fairly consistently for most metropolitan areas and cities. Hispanic-White segregation is on the increase for about half of the cities, and most metropolitan areas. Yet, Asian-White segregation is on the decline in most metropolitan areas and places. The latter counters the steady increases in Asian-White segregation over the 1980s. Despite these pervasive patterns, many changes for individual areas are small, preserving the long-standing national ‘pecking order’ of segregation for different racial and ethnic groups. This study evaluates social, economic and demographic metropolitan area factors associated with metropolitan level segregation. In a unique analysis, it also evaluates both metropolitan and place level contextual effects on segregation in individual places, located within metropolitan areas. The results show that location in metropolitan areas that are ‘multi-ethnic’—with strong representation of two or more minority groups—tends to be associated with declining levels of Black-White segregation at both the metropolitan area level and at the city level. The metropolitan multi-ethnic context has less consistent effects on the segregation levels of other raceand ethnic groups. However, given the continued clustering of Hispanics and Asians in different metropolitan areas across the country and their continued mixing within those metropolitan areas, these findings suggest that significant linkages exist between metropolitan demographic shifts and city segregation dynamics Data Used: 2000 and 1990 US Census