Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk Acceptance in Multiple Sclerosis Patients on Natalizumab Treatment

Objective We aimed to investigate the ability of natalizumab (NTZ)-treated patients to assume treatment-associated risks and the factors involved in such risk acceptance. Methods From a total of 185 patients, 114 patients on NTZ as of July 2011 carried out a comprehensive survey. We obtained disease severity perception scores, personality traits’ scores, and risk-acceptance scores (RAS) so that higher RAS indicated higher risk acceptance. We recorded JC virus status (JCV+/-), prior immunosuppression, NTZ treatment duration, and clinical characteristics. NTZ patients were split into subgroups (A-E), depending on their individual PML risk. Some 22 MS patients on first-line drugs (DMD) acted as controls. Results No differences between treatment groups were observed in disease severity perception and personality traits. RAS were higher in NTZ than in DMD patients (p<0.01). Perception of the own disease as a more severe condition tended to predict higher RAS (p=0.07). Higher neuroticism scores predicted higher RAS in the NTZ group as a whole (p=0.04), and in high PML-risk subgroups (A-B) (p=0.02). In low PML-risk subgroups (C-E), higher RAS were associated with a JCV+ status (p=0.01). Neither disability scores nor pre-treatment relapse rate predicted RAS in either group. Conclusions Risk acceptance is a multifactorial phenomenon, which might be partly explained by an adaptive process, in light of the higher risk acceptance amongst NTZ-treated patients and, especially, amongst those who are JCV seropositive but still have low PML risk, but which seems also intimately related to personality traits.
Earlier occurrence and increased explanatory power of climate for the first incidence of potato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans in Fennoscandia

Background Late blight (caused by Phytophthora infestans) is a devastating potato disease that has been found to occur earlier in the season over the last decades in Fennoscandia. Up until now the reasons for this change have not been investigated. Possible explanations for this change are climate alterations, changes in potato production or changes in pathogen biology, such as increased fitness or changes in gene flow within P. infestans populations. The first incidence of late blight is of high economic importance since fungicidal applications should be typically applied two weeks before the first signs of late blight and are repeated on average once a week. Methods We use field observations of first incidence of late blight in experimental potato fields from five sites in Sweden and Finland covering a total of 30 years and investigate whether the earlier incidence of late blight can be related to the climate. Results We linked the field data to meteorological data and found that the previous assumption, used in common late blight models, that the disease only develops at relative humidity levels above 90% had to be rejected. Rather than the typically assumed threshold relationship between late blight disease development and relative humidity we found a linear relationship. Our model furthermore showed two distinct responses of late blight to climate. At the beginning of the observation time (in Sweden until the early 90s and in Finland until the 2000s) the link between climate and first incidence was very weak. However, for the remainder of the time period the link was highly significant, indicating a change in the biological properties of the pathogen which could for example be a change in the dominating reproduction mode or a physiological change in the response of the pathogen to climate. Conclusions The study shows that models used in decision support systems need to be checked and re-parametrized regularly to be able to capture changes in pathogen biology. While this study was performed with data from Fennoscandia this new pathogen biology and late blight might spread to (or already be present at) other parts of the world as well. The strong link between climate and first incidence together with the presented model offers a tool to assess late blight incidence in future climates.
Primate socioecology: development of a conceptual model for the early hominids

This thesis is a cross-disciplinary project, drawing on the techniques of behavioural ecology to reconstruct aspects of the socioecology of the early hominids. The modelling approach advocated in this project is an attempt to move towards the conceptual modelling approach forwarded by Tooby & DeVore (1986), moving away from referential and phylogenetic primate models to reconstruct hominid social behaviour. The project contributes to one current aim in palaeoanthropology; to develop a theoretical framework with which to reconstruct the behaviour of extinct taxa. The raw data for these models come from comparative analyses of behavioural ecology of extant primates. The fundamental basis of systems models of socioecology, is that the relationship between the environment and behaviour is characterised. The choice of environmental parameters has proved to be crucial, therefore I have characterised the key environmental variables that affect animals both directly (e.g. thermoregulatory stress), and indirectly (e.g. via habitat productivity). The quantitative relationships found in this chapter will serve as useful constants for further models. I first present a re-analysis of the systems models of baboons, refining previous models by R. Dunbar. The statistical techniques underlying these linear program models was further supported by the stability of the models when new data were included. Long-term climate data that were accurately sited were found to produce the most predictive equations. The results of the reanalysis of the baboon models gave support to their extension to another taxa. I then extend the range of the time-budget based models to the chimpanzees. The initial focus on chimpanzees is not solely because they are phylogenetic analogues. The emphasis of the models is that they are habitat specific. Relationships between behaviour and environment are used to develop functional equations to explore an animals flexibility of response to varying environmental conditions. Predictions could be made about: maximum ecologically tolerable group size, territory size, diet and extent of geographic range. The geographic distribution of chimpanzees predicted by the model was found to match very closely the current distribution. The models of chimpanzee, baboon and gelada socioecology were then compared. Dietary differences between the taxa accounted for their ecological niche separation. The models of extant primate systems models developed in this thesis provide a firm foundation for extending the models to extinct taxa. Preliminary models are presented, extending these analyses to the extinct australopithecines to forward the development of a conceptual model for the early hominids.
Factors affecting the adoption of intranets and extranets by SMEs: a UK study

The adoption of intranets and extranets involve major organisational innovation. Intranets alter the flows and content of internal communications, while extranets alter communications between the firm and its clients and suppliers. The paper identifies a number of potential factors that may affect adoption. These include internal and external business drivers, the role of the CEO/owner, firms’ absorptive capacity, firm size amongst SMEs, and business activity. Neither the relative size nor the business activities of SMEs have been considered in previous studies. Logit regressions are run on factors influencing the adoption of intranets and client extranet for a sample of 164 UK SMEs. The findings challenge two oft-stated views. First, that ICT adoption in SMEs depends on the CEO/owner being the ICT decision-maker. The findings clearly indicate that adoption is positively related to firm size. Larger sized SMEs firms have more complex organisational structures in which a specialist manager – typically holding the title ‘IT Manager’ – is the key decision-maker on ICT investments. Adoption depends on the quality and drive of these managers, not the CEO/owner. Second, the myth that services are technological laggards is clearly exposed. Knowledge intensive service firms, not manufacturing firms, are the champions of extranet technologies in this sample. In addition, both knowledge intensive service and manufacturing SMEs are key champions of intranet adoption. Expansion of national, not global, market share is the most important strategic objective identified in the study. The ability to integrate previously separate ICT systems is another important factor for intranet adopters. The results differ with respect to external customer and competitor pressure. These are found to be important in intranet adoption but not in extranet adoption. Only very weak support can be identified for the importance of absorptive capacity. A clear problem remains with regards to identifying a clear set of instruments with which to test for absorptive capacity.
Evidence for liquid-like and nonideal behavior of a mixture of organic aerosol components

The condensation, evaporation, and repartitioning of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in the atmosphere depends both on the phase of condensed material and the effective condensed phase vapor pressures of the SVOCs. Although direct measurements of vapor pressures of individual SVOCs exist, there are limited measurements of how the properties of a given compound changes in mixtures of multiple components that exist in the atmosphere. Here, the evaporation behavior of mixtures of dicarboxylic acids, which are common atmospheric aerosol constituents, is investigated. These measurements demonstrate that complex mixtures of the individually solid organic compounds take on liquid-like properties. Additionally, the vapor pressures of individual components show strong, identity-dependent deviations from ideality (i.e., Raoult's Law), with the vapor pressures of the smaller, more volatile compounds decreased significantly in the mixtures. The addition of an inorganic compound (NaNO3) further influences the nonideal behavior, again in a compound-specific manner. These results suggest that nonideal behavior of particle-phase compounds influences the abundances of organic aerosol observed in the atmosphere and in the laboratory.
Continuation ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES OF DISFLUENT REPETITIONS

Acoustic properties of disfluent repetitions are examined to investigate two proposed functions of repeating. Repeating may serve as a filler while hesitating; alternatively, repeating may function to bridge a gap when speech resumes after a break. Classification of tokens based on pause patterns reveals that: (1) most cases fit the bridging function; and (2) duration and F0 properties support the hypothesis of two distinct types, as well as the proposed associated functions.
Linking swimming performance, cardiac pumping ability and cardiac anatomy in rainbow trout

SUMMARY We exploited the inherent individual diversity in swimming performance of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to investigate the hypothesis that maximum cardiac performance is linked to active metabolic rate (AMR) and critical swimming speed (Ucrit). Six hundred juveniles (body mass ∼150 g) were screened using a swimming challenge of 1.2 m s-1 to identify `poor swimmers' and `good swimmers', i.e. the first and last 60 fish to fatigue, respectively. These 120 fish were individually tagged and then reared in common tanks for 9 months, where they grew at similar rates and achieved a similar body mass of approximately 1100 g. Critical swimming speed (Ucrit) was then measured individually in tunnel respirometers, with simultaneous recordings of cardiac output via a ventral aortic flow probe. The group of individuals that were screened as poor swimmers remained so, with a significantly (27%) lower Ucrit than good swimmers [89±10 cm s-1 vs 123±5 cm s-1 (mean ± s.e.m.), respectively, N=6], a 19% lower AMR (147±12 μmol min-1 kg-1 vs 181±11 μmol min-1 kg-1, respectively), and a 30% lower maximum in vivo cardiac output (47.3±4.7 ml min-1 kg-1 vs 68.0±5.2 ml min-1 kg-1, respectively). When cardiac performance was compared with an in situ heart preparation, hearts from poor swimmers had a significantly (26%) lower maximum cardiac output (45.9±1.9 ml min-1 kg-1 vs 56.4±2.3 ml min-1 kg-1, respectively) and a 32% lower maximum cardiac power output at a high afterload (3.96±0.58 mW g-1 vs 5.79±1.97 mW g-1, respectively). Cardiac morphology was visualised in vivo by Doppler echography on anaesthetised individual fish and revealed that poor swimmers had a significantly more rounded ventricle (reduced ventricle length to height ratio) compared with good swimmers, which in turn was correlated with fish condition factor. These results provide clear evidence that maximum cardiac performance is linked to AMR and Ucrit and indicate that a simple screening test can distinguish between rainbow trout with lower active metabolic rate, Ucrit, maximal cardiac pumping capacity and a more rounded ventricular morphology. These distinguishing traits may have been retained for 9 months despite a common growing environment and growth.
Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide Gene Polymorphism in Migraine Patients

Abstract: Objective: Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), which has a vasodilator effect, is held responsible for neurogenic inflammation and vasodilatation of the cranial vessels in migraine pathophysiology. In this study, we investigated the association between alpha CGRP gene polymorphism (CALCA T-692C) and migraine. Material and Methods: One hundred and thirty-four female migraineurs and 96 healthy female cases were enrolled in the study. The patient group was further subdivided into migraine with and without aura groups. The CALCA T-692C gene polymorphism was identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Results: The genotype and allele frequencies of CALCA T-692C gene polymorphism did not differ between the migraine and control groups. Between the migraine with and without aura subgroups, there was no difference. No association was seen between the CALCA T-692C gene polymorphisms and migraine attack severity and frequency. Conclusion: Our study did not show any association between CALCA T-692C gene polymorphism and migraine.
Digital Evidence Challenges in the Internet of Things

The implementation of the Internet of Things will result in the connection of tens of billions of wireless devices to the Internet. These devices will form an intelligent substrate pervading all aspects of life. From intelligent home control to advanced city management systems, devices will sense their environment as well as interconnect and communicate with each other to form intelligent smart spaces. Individually and collectively, these devices produce and consume large amounts of personally sensitive data. This new environment provides a rich set of data sources; when used in conjunction with one another, they can greatly inform a historical situation that may have occurred with little or no reliable human witness evidence. However, this deeply pervasive environment will provide challenges to the various agencies that will need to interact with this new technology.
Real-Time Recognition of Action Sequences Using a Distributed Video Sensor Network

In this paper, we describe how information obtained from multiple views using a network of cameras can be effectively combined to yield a reliable and fast human activity recognition system. First, we present a score-based fusion technique for combining information from multiple cameras that can handle the arbitrary orientation of the subject with respect to the cameras and that does not rely on a symmetric deployment of the cameras. Second, we describe how longer, variable duration, inter-leaved action sequences can be recognized in real-time based on multi-camera data that is continuously streaming in. Our framework does not depend on any particular feature extraction technique, and as a result, the proposed system can easily be integrated on top of existing implementations for view-specific classifiers and feature descriptors. For implementation and testing of the proposed system, we have used computationally simple locality-specific motion information extracted from the spatio-temporal shape of a human silhouette as our feature descriptor. This lends itself to an efficient distributed implementation, while maintaining a high frame capture rate. We demonstrate the robustness of our algorithms by implementing them on a portable multi-camera, video sensor network testbed and evaluating system performance under different camera network configurations.
Diffracted waves and displacement field over two-dimensional elevated topographies

Summary The Aki-Larner technique is used to perform, in both the time and frequency domains, an analysis of the effects of two-dimensional elevated topography on ground motion. Incident plane SH-, SV- and P-waves are considered and the respective influences of surface geometry, elastic parameters and the incident wave characteristics, as long as they remain within the limits of applicability of the A-L technique, are investigated in some detail. Besides the well-known amplification/deamplfication effect related to the surface curvature, wave scattering phenomena on the convex parts of the surface are shown to contribute significantly to the disturbances in the displacement field around the topographic structure. These scattered waves are SH in the case of incident SH-waves, and mainly Rayleigh waves in the P case, while both Rayleigh and horizontal P-waves, sometimes of large amplitude, develop in the SV case. The frequency dependence of this scattering, though complex, seems to be mainly controlled by the horizontal scale of the topographic structure. The parameter study points out the regular and intuitive behaviour of this wave scattering in both SH and P cases, while it exhibits a puzzling complexity for incident SV-waves, which is interpreted as resulting from the importance of the S-P reflections on mountain slopes in that case. As to the ground motion, some general features may be pointed out. The amplification on mountain tops, which is systematically greater for incident S-waves than for P-waves, generally decreases as the average slope decreases or as the angle of incidence increases. Mountain slopes undergo either amplification or deamplification depending on site location, frequency and incidence angle, but they always undergo strong differential motion due to the lateral propagation of the scattered waves and their interference with the primary wave. Finally, all these effects may be greatly enhanced in the case of complex topographies, which moreover give rise to a significant prolongation of ground motion because of the large number of scattered waves.
Simultaneous 2D Strain Sensing Using Polymer Planar Bragg Gratings

We demonstrate the application of polymer planar Bragg gratings for multi-axial strain sensing and particularly highlight simultaneous 2D strain measurement. A polymer planar Bragg grating (PPBG) fabricated with a single writing step in bulk polymethylmethacrylate is used for measuring both tensile and compressive strain at various angles. It is shown that the sensitivity of the PPBG strongly depends on the angle between the optical waveguide into which the grating is inscribed and the direction along which the mechanical load is applied. Additionally, a 2D PPBG fabricated by writing two Bragg gratings angularly displaced from each other into a single polymer platelet is bonded to a stainless steel plate. The two reflected wavelengths exhibit different sensitivities while tested toward tensile and compressive strain. These characteristics make 2D PPBG suitable for measuring multi-axial tensile and compressive strain.
Factors Influencing Organization Adoption Decision On Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a developing field, using by organization that require to computing resource to provide the organizational computing needs. The goal of this research is evaluate the factors that influence on organization decision to adopt the cloud computing in Malaysia. Factors that relate to cloud computing adoption that include : need for cloud computing, cost effectiveness, security effectiveness of cloud computing and reliability. This paper evaluated the factors that influence on adoption decision from view point of management decision making. The variable that evaluate in this study include: Cost effectiveness, Need for cloud computing, Security effectiveness, and reliability on cloud computing as independent variable and Adoption decision as dependent variable. The scope of this research is IT companies in Malaysia, and target population is member of organization that want to make decision to adopt the cloud computing. The Correlation and Multi Regression analysis show that all factor s have a positive and significant effect on organization adoption decision to cloud computing.
Solar illumination as cause of the equinoctial preference for geomagnetic activity

Geomagnetic and auroral activity vary seasonally with maxima at equinoxes, as has been known for more than a century. The cause remains under debate. The angle made by the Earth's dipole axis with the typical direction of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) can explain a portion (about 17%) of the effect. To explain the majority of the equinoctial effect, we suggest that geomagnetic activity peaks when the nightside auroral zones of both hemispheres are in darkness, as happens at equinox. Under such conditions, no conducting path exists in the ionosphere to complete the currents required by solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling, and geomagnetic disturbances maximize. To test this theory, the Universal Time (UT) variation of geomagnetic activity was explored. As our model predicts, geomagnetic activity in December, measured by the Am index, evinces a deep minimum around 0300–0600 UT when the auroral oval of both hemispheres are in darkness and a maximum around 1500–1600 UT when the southern nightside oval is sunlit. In June, complementary effects are predicted and observed.
Robust Insect Classification Applied to Real Time Greenhouse Infestation Monitoring

Our purpose is to develop a classification system f or the automatic detection of harmful insects in greenhous e plants. This paper deals with evaluation of three f ature extraction techniques for classification of insects . Feature extraction methods used are Gabor Filters, Pyramida l Histogram of Gradients and color data. The aim of t he classification machine apart from achieving high de gree of accuracy is to reduce number of false negatives. Di fferent feature extraction methods is evaluated based on to tal accuracy, number of false positives & false negativ es, Precision Recall & ROC curves and computation time.