Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling Perceived Relevance for Tail Queries without Click-Through Data

Click-through data has been used in various ways in Web search such as estimating relevance between documents and queries. Since only search snippets are perceived by users before issuing any clicks, the relevance induced by clicks are usually called \emph{perceived relevance} which has proven to be quite useful for Web search. While there is plenty of click data for popular queries, very little information is available for unpopular tail ones. These tail queries take a large portion of the search volume but search accuracy for these queries is usually unsatisfactory due to data sparseness such as limited click information. In this paper, we study the problem of modeling perceived relevance for queries without click-through data. Instead of relying on users' click data, we carefully design a set of snippet features and use them to approximately capture the perceived relevance. We study the effectiveness of this set of snippet features in two settings: (1) predicting perceived relevance and (2) enhancing search engine ranking. Experimental results show that our proposed model is effective to predict the relative perceived relevance of Web search results. Furthermore, our proposed snippet features are effective to improve search accuracy for longer tail queries without click-through data.
Touch Panel‐type Dementia Assessment Scale: a new computer‐based rating scale for Alzheimer's disease

Background: The Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) was designed as a rating scale for the severity of dysfunction in the cognitive and non‐cognitive behaviours that are characteristic of persons with Alzheimer's disease. Its subscale, the ADAS‐cog, is a cognitive testing instrument most widely used to measure the impact of the disease. However, the ADAS‐cog takes more than 45 min to administer and requires a qualified clinical psychologist as the rater. A more comprehensive rating battery is therefore required. In the present study, we developed a computerized test battery named the Touch Panel‐type Dementia Assessment Scale (TDAS), which was intended to substitute for the ADAS‐Cog, and was specifically designed to rate cognitive dysfunction quickly and without the need of a specialist rater.
The asymptotics of an amplitude for the 4-simplex

An expression for the oscillatory part of an asymptotic formula for the relativistic spin network amplitude for a 4-simplex is given. The amplitude depends on specified areas for each two-dimensional face in the 4-simplex. The asymptotic formula has a contribution from each flat Euclidean metric on the 4-simplex which agrees with the given areas. The oscillatory part of each contribution is determined by the Regge calculus Einstein action for that geometry.
Human Cellular Models for the Investigation of Lung Inflammation and Mucus Production in Cystic Fibrosis

Chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, mucus plugging, airway remodeling, and respiratory infections are the hallmarks of the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. The airway epithelium is central in the innate immune responses to pathogens colonizing the airways, since it is involved in mucociliary clearance, senses the presence of pathogens, elicits an inflammatory response, orchestrates adaptive immunity, and activates mesenchymal cells. In this review, we focus on cellular models of the human CF airway epithelium that have been used for studying mucus production, inflammatory response, and airway remodeling, with particular reference to two- and three-dimensional cultures that better recapitulate the native airway epithelium. Cocultures of airway epithelial cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, and fibroblasts are instrumental in disease modeling, drug discovery, and identification of novel therapeutic targets. Nevertheless, they have to be implemented in the CF field yet. Finally, novel systems hijacking on tissue engineering, including three-dimensional cocultures, decellularized lungs, microfluidic devices, and lung organoids formed in bioreactors, will lead the generation of relevant human preclinical respiratory models a step forward.
AUDIT OF STRUCTURE, PROCESS, AND OUTCOME OF DIABETIC CARE AT AL ASYAH PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE, QASSIM REGION, SAUDI ARABIA

Objective: To assess the quality of diabetic care in Al-Asyah primary health care (PHC) center, Qassim region, KSA , through an auditing of structure, process, and outcome. Methodology: The files of all registered diabetic patients in this PHC center were reviewed. The indicators for structure were evaluated according to the National Quality Assurance protocol and manual of chronic diseases, and those for process were assessed by a modified scoring system. The outcome indicators were evaluated using the recommendations of American Diabetic Association (ADA) 2002. Result: Dietician, diabetic educator and Hb A1C, HDL level, LDL level were the most common non available resources. Out of 4628 patients registered in this PHC center, only 159 patients had diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes among registered adults aged 15 years and above was 5.8% and this increased with age. The patients were mostly Saudi (96.2%) and married (75.5%). They included 83 females (52.2%). The mean age was 56 years. Most of the patients were Type 2 (95.6%) and most were diagnosed at the PHC center (94.3%). The mean duration of the diabetes since diagnosis was 6.4 years. All checked process items showed high percentages of coverage (73% and above) except for the examination of the fundus, and the measurement of the triglyceride levels. Results showed that most of the samples were obese or overweight (49.7% and 32.7% respectively). While 21.4% had good diabetic control, 42.8% had poor diabetic control. Patient compliance to appointment was good (98.1%), and 13% of the diabetic patients had at least one reported complication. Conclusion: This study proves that some essential resources needed for diabetic care were inadequate. Provision of these resources is essential for the improvement of the quality of health care for diabetic patients. Also, there is a need to improve the referral system and establish an appropriate health education program to encourage patients, their families and the community to follow a more healthy life-style.
Concepts and semantic relations in information science

Concept-based information retrieval and knowledge representation are in need of a theory of concepts and semantic relations. Guidelines for the construction and maintenance of knowledge organization systems (KOS) (such as ANSI/NISO Z39.19-2005 in the U.S.A. or DIN 2331:1980 in Germany) do not consider results of concept theory and theory of relations to the full extent. They are not able to unify the currently different worlds of traditional controlled vocabularies, of the social web (tagging and folksonomies) and of the semantic web (ontologies). Concept definitions as well as semantic relations are based on epistemological theories (empiricism, rationalism, hermeneutics, pragmatism, and critical theory). A concept is determined via its intension and extension as well as by definition. We will meet the problem of vagueness by introducing prototypes. Some important definitions are concept explanations (after Aristotle) and the definition of family resemblances (in the sense of Wittgenstein). We will model concepts as frames (according to Barsalou). The most important paradigmatic relation in KOS is hierarchy, which must be arranged into different classes: Hyponymy consists of taxonomy and simple hyponymy, meronymy consists of many different part-whole-relations. For practical application purposes, the transitivity of the given relation is very important. Unspecific associative relations are of little help to our focused applications and should be replaced by generalizable and domain-specific relations. We will discuss the reflexivity, symmetry, and transitivity of paradigmatic relations as well as the appearance of specific semantic relations in the different kinds of KOS (folksonomies, nomenclatures, classification systems, thesauri, and ontologies). Finally, we will pick out KOS as a central theme of the Semantic Web.
Activation of P2Y receptors stimulates potassium and cation currents in acutely isolated human Müller (glial) cells

The ability of various neurotransmitters/neuroactive substances to induce fast, transient rises of Ca2+‐activated K+ currents (IBK) caused by release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores was investigated in Müller glial cells of the human retina. Müller cells were enzymatically isolated from retinas of healthy donors or of patients with proliferative vitreoretinopathy, and the transmembrane ionic currents were recorded using the whole‐cell and the cell‐attached patch‐clamp techniques. The results of the screening experiments indicate that human Müller cells express, in addition to GABAA and perhaps glutamatergic and cholinergic receptors, predominantly P2 receptors. ATP and other nucleotides exerted two effects on membrane currents: repetitive transient increases of the IBK amplitude and, in a subpopulation of cells investigated, the appearance of a transient cation conductance at negative potentials. ATP and UTP increased dose‐dependently the IBK amplitude with half‐maximal effects at 0.33 and 0.50 μM, respectively. Since several different P2 receptor agonists increased the IBK, it is assumed that human Müller cells express a mixture of different types of P2Y receptors. In cell‐attached patches, extracellular application of ATP or UTP transiently increased the open probability of single putative BK channels. The increase of IBK and the appearance of the cation conductance in whole‐cell records were abolished when intracellular Ca2+ was buffered by a high‐EGTA pipette solution or when IP3 was included in the pipette solution. The expression of agonist‐evoked transient cation currents was found to be stronger in cells from patients as compared to cells from healthy donors. It is concluded that human Müller glial cells express P2Y receptors that, via IP3 formation, cause intracellular Ca2+ release. The increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration stimulates the activity of BK channels and may induce opening of cation channels. Both the ATP‐induced activity of BK channels and the increased expression of Ca2+‐gated cation channels may be important in respect to proliferative Müller cell gliosis. GLIA 37:139–152, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Size dependent platelet subpopulations: relationship of platelet volume to ultrastructure, enzymatic activity, and function

A method for the separation of platelets on the basis of their size has been developed using counterflow centrifugation. Platelets were separated, free of plasma proteins and other cells, into seven subpopulations. The smallest‐sized platelets, designated as Fraction 1, had a mean platelet volume (MPV) of 3.94 ± 0.60 μm3 (SD). Each successive fraction had a progressively larger MPV. The MPV for the largest‐sized platelets, designated Fraction 7, was 8.19 ± 0.64 μm3. The MPV for the original platelets prior to fractionation was 6.57 ± 0.61 μm3. The mean density of Fraction 1 platelets was 1.067 ± 0.002 g/cm3, while Fraction 7 had a mean density of 1.072 ± 0.001 g/cm3. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that Fraction 1 had 4.3 ± 0.9 dense bodies per platelet, and Fraction 7 had 12.6 ± 2.4 dense bodies per platelet. Platelet LDH activity showed that the Fraction 1 platelets had 4.77 ± 0.92 iu per 1010 platelets; Fraction 7 platelets had 14.88 ± 1.23 iu per 1010 platelets. The LDH activity in the platelets before separation into subpopulations was 9.47 ± 1.45 iu per 1010 platelets.
Visualization on Mobile Devices

With the advent of high-bandwidth wireless networks and pervasive computing, the space and platform barriers for visualization are being broken. Mobile visualization, or ubiquitous visualization, allows users to visualize data anywhere, anytime, on various mobile devices connected by wireless networks. In this paper, we investigate how to achieve volume visualization on mobile devices. We present a client-oblivious data model for various visualization tasks on mobile devices ranging from powerful workstations to PDAs and cell phones. Our model integrates volumes and some pre-computed features, such as iso-surfaces, into one hierarchical structure, which can be compressed and progressively transmitted over networks. Two novel algorithms are introduced. One is for mesh reconstruction from point-based models and the other is for volume reconstruction from surfacebased models. The construction, compression, and transmission of our data model are presented.
Visual Prognosis of Eyes Recovering From Macular Hole Surgery Through Automated Quantitative Analysis of Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) Scans.

PURPOSE To determine the value of topographic spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) imaging features assessed after macular hole repair surgery in predicting visual acuity (VA) outcomes. METHODS An automated algorithm was developed to topographically outline and quantify area, extent, and location of defects in the ellipsoid zone (EZ) band and inner retina layers in SD-OCT scans. We analyzed the correlation of these values with VA in longitudinal observations from 35 patients who underwent successful macular hole surgery, in their first observation after surgery (within 2 months), and in a single observation within 6 to 12 months after surgery. Image features assessed at the first visit after surgery were also investigated as possible predictors of future VA improvement. RESULTS Significant correlation with longitudinal VA was found for the extent, circularity, and ratio of defects in EZ band at the fovea and parafoveal regions. The ratio of defects in EZ band at the fovea, temporal-inner, and inferior-inner macula regions showed significant strong correlation with VA within 6 to 12 months post surgery. Patients with worse vision outcome at such time also had a significantly higher rate of inner retinal defects in the superior-outer region in their first postsurgery observation. CONCLUSIONS A lowering extent of EZ band defects in the foveal and parafoveal regions is a good indicator of postsurgery VA recovery. Attention should also be given to postsurgical alterations in the inner retina, as patients with more extensive atrophic changes appear to have slower or worse VA recovery despite closure of the macular hole.
The Energy of COPI for Budding Membranes

As a major actor of cellular trafficking, COPI coat proteins assemble on membranes and locally bend them to bud 60 nm-size coated particles. Budding requires the energy of the coat assembly to overcome the one necessary to deform the membrane which primarily depends on the bending modulus and surface tension, γ. Using a COPI-induced oil nanodroplet formation approach, we modulated the budding of nanodroplets using various amounts and types of surfactant. We found a Heaviside-like dependence between the budding efficiency and γ: budding was only dependent on γ and occurred beneath 1.3 mN/m. With the sole contribution of γ to the membrane deformation energy, we assessed that COPI supplies ~1500 kBT for budding particles from membranes, which is consistent with common membrane deformation energies. Our results highlight how a simple remodeling of the composition of membranes could mechanically modulate budding in cells.
The role of prophylactic antibiotics on surgical site infection in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Backgrounds/Aims Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a common and widely accepted technique, the use of prophylactic antibiotics in elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy still remains controversial. The aim of this study is to determine whether prophylactic antibiotics could prevent surgical site infection after elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy and to identify any risk factors for surgical site infection. Methods This study included 471 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy between January 2009 and May 2012. Period 1 patients (279) received second generation cephalosporin 1 g intravenously after induction of anesthesia, and Period 2 patients (192) were not given prophylactic antibiotics. The characteristics and surgical site infections of the patients were compared and analyzed. Results The overall rate of surgical site infection was 1.69% for the total of 471 patients. The incidence of surgical site infection was similar for the two Periods: 5 of 279 patients (1.79%) in Period 1, 3 of 192 patients (1.56%) in Period 2 (p=0.973). All of the patients with surgical site infections were well treated under conservative treatments without any sequelae. The preoperative albumin level (p=0.023) contributed to surgical site infection. Conclusions Prophylactic antibiotics are not necessary for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy but patients in poor nutritional state with low albumin level should consider prophylactic antibiotics.
Robust sharing of secrets when the dealer is honest or cheating

The problem of Verifiable Secret Sharing (VSS) is the following: A dealer, who may be honest or cheating, can share a secret s, among n ≥ 2t + 1 players, where t players at most are cheaters. The sharing process will cause the dealer to commit himself to a secret s. If the dealer is honest, then, during the sharing process, the set of dishonest players will have no information about s. When the secret is reconstructed, at a later time, all honest players will reconstruct s. The solution that is given is a constant round protocol, with polynomial time local computations and polynomial message size. The protocol assumes private communication lines between every two participants, and a broadcast channel. The protocol achieves the desired properties with an exponentially small probability of error. A new tool, called Information Checking, which provides authentication and is not based on any unproven assumptions, is introduced, and may have wide application elsewhere. For the case in which it is known that the dealer is honest, a simple constant round protocol is proposed, without assuming broadcast. A weak version of secret sharing is defined: Weak Secret Sharing (WSS). WSS has the same properties as VSS for the sharing process. But, during reconstruction, if the dealer is dishonest, then he might obstruct the reconstruction of s. A protocol for WSS is also introduced. This protocol has an exponentially small probability of error. WSS is an essential building block for VSS. For certain applications, the much simpler WSS protocol suffice. All protocols introduced in this paper are secure in the Information Theoretic sense.
Distributed Admission Control in Wireless Mesh Networks: Models, Algorithms, and Evaluation

Wireless mesh networks (WMNs) have attracted increasing attention from the research community as a high-performance and low-cost solution to last-mile broadband Internet access. In WMNs, admission control is deployed to efficiently control different traffic loads and prevent the network from being overloaded. This paper introduces a distributed admission control scheme for WMNs, namely, routing on cliques admission control (RCAC). In particular, we propose an analytical model to compute the appropriate acceptance ratio and guarantee that the packet loss probability (PLP) in the network does not exceed a threshold value. The model also allows computing end-to-end delay to process flow requests with delay constraints. RCAC achieves scalability since it partitions the network into cliques, and only clique heads (CHs) are involved in the admission-control procedure. Using extensive simulations, we demonstrate that our RCAC achieves high resource utilization by providing lower blocking probabilities in a dynamic traffic-load environment while satisfying quality-of-service (QoS) constraints in terms of PLP and end-to-end delay. Moreover, we show that a contention access (CA) enforced with our RCAC outperforms the mesh deterministic access (MDA).
Older and Wiser? Facebook Use, Privacy Concern, and Privacy Protection in the Life Stages of Emerging, Young, and Middle Adulthood

A large part of research conducted on privacy concern and protection on social networking sites (SNSs) concentrates on children and adolescents. Individuals in these developmental stages are often described as vulnerable Internet users. But how vulnerable are adults in terms of online informational privacy? This study applied a privacy boundary management approach and investigated Facebook use, privacy concern, and the application of privacy settings on Facebook by linking the results to Erikson’s three stages of adulthood: emerging, young, and middle adulthood. An online survey was distributed among 18- to 65-year-old Dutch-speaking adults (N = 508, 51.8% females). Analyses revealed clear differences between the three adult age groups in terms of privacy concern, Facebook use, and privacy protection. Results indicated that respondents in young adulthood and middle adulthood were more vulnerable in terms of privacy protection than emerging adults. Clear discrepancies were found between privacy concern and protection for these age groups. More particularly, the middle adulthood group was more concerned about their privacy in comparison to the emerging adulthood and young adulthood group. Yet, they reported to use privacy settings less frequently than the younger age groups. Emerging adults were found to be pragmatic and privacy conscious SNS users. Young adults occupied the intermediate position, suggesting a developmental shift. The impact of generational differences is discussed, as well as implications for education and governmental action.
Marginal public health gain of screening for colorectal cancer: modelling study, based on WHO and national databases in the Nordic countries

Aims To estimate the potential gain of national screening programmes for colorectal cancer (CRC) by stool occult blood testing in the Nordic countries, with comparative reference to the burden of other causes of premature death. Methods Implementation of national screening programmes for CRC was modelled among people 55–74 years in accordance with the 2011 Cochrane review of biannual screening, using the faecal occult blood test (FOBT) for 10 years, resulting in 15% relative risk reduction in CRC deaths among all those invited [intention-to-treat; relative risk 0.85; confidence interval (CI) 0.78 to 0.92]. Our calculations are based on the World Health Organization and national databanks on death causes (ICD-10) and the mid-year number of inhabitants in the target group. For Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, we used data for 2009. For Iceland, due to the population's small size, we calculated mean mortality for the period 2005–2009. Results Invitation to a CRC screening programme for 10 years could influence 0.5–0.9% (95%CI 0.4–1.2) of all deaths in the age group 65–74 years. Among the remaining 99% of premature deaths, around 50% were caused by lung cancer, other lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases and accidents, with some national variations. Conclusions and implications Establishment of a screening programme for CRC for people aged 55–74 can be expected to affect only a minor proportion of all premature deaths in the Nordic setting. From a public health perspective, prioritizing preventive strategies targeting more prevalent causes of premature death may be a superior approach.