Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Poor health status and distress in cardiac patients: the role of device therapy vs. underlying heart disease.

AIMS Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy, which includes the risk of shocks, is considered the primary culprit of reductions in patient reported outcomes (PROs; e.g. health status and distress), thereby negating the role of underlying disease severity. We examined the relative influence of living with an ICD vs. congestive heart failure (CHF) on PROs and compared (i) ICD patients without CHF (ICD only), (ii) CHF patients without an ICD (CHF-only), and (iii) CHF patients with an ICD (ICD + CHF). METHODS AND RESULTS Separate cohorts of ICD and CHF patients (N = 435; 75% men) completed PROs at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Groups differed on physical health status only at baseline (F((2,415)) = 7.15, P = 0.001) and on anxiety at 12 months (F((2,415)) = 4.04, P = 0.01); ICD + CHF patients had the most impaired physical health status but the lowest anxiety level followed by the ICD only and CHF only patients. Congestive heart failure only patients had the most impaired mental health status and reported the highest level of anxiety as compared to the ICD only (P < 0.001) and ICD + CHF groups (P = 0.009), while the two latter groups did not differ. The effect sizes ranged from very small (0.03) to moderate-large (0.69). Groups did not differ in depression scores. CONCLUSION Congestive heart failure patients reported worse PROs as compared to ICD patients, although the magnitude of the differences was relatively small. This suggests that the well being of patients is not necessarily negatively influenced by the implantation of an ICD, and that underlying heart disease may have at least an equal if not greater influence on PROs.
Regularization and nonlinearities for neural language models: when are they needed?

Neural language models (LMs) based on recurrent neural networks (RNN) are some of the most successful word and character-level LMs. Why do they work so well, in particular better than linear neural LMs? Possible explanations are that RNNs have an implicitly better regularization or that RNNs have a higher capacity for storing patterns due to their nonlinearities or both. Here we argue for the first explanation in the limit of little training data and the second explanation for large amounts of text data. We show state-of-the-art performance on the popular and small Penn dataset when RNN LMs are regularized with random dropout. Nonetheless, we show even better performance from a simplified, much less expressive linear RNN model without off-diagonal entries in the recurrent matrix. We call this model an impulse-response LM (IRLM). Using random dropout, column normalization and annealed learning rates, IRLMs develop neurons that keep a memory of up to 50 words in the past and achieve a perplexity of 102.5 on the Penn dataset. On two large datasets however, the same regularization methods are unsuccessful for both models and the RNN's expressivity allows it to overtake the IRLM by 10 and 20 percent perplexity, respectively. Despite the perplexity gap, IRLMs still outperform RNNs on the Microsoft Research Sentence Completion (MRSC) task. We develop a slightly modified IRLM that separates long-context units (LCUs) from short-context units and show that the LCUs alone achieve a state-of-the-art performance on the MRSC task of 60.8%. Our analysis indicates that a fruitful direction of research for neural LMs lies in developing more accessible internal representations, and suggests an optimization regime of very high momentum terms for effectively training such models.
Cell- and Lamina-Specific Expression and Activity-Dependent Regulation of Type II Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Isoforms in Monkey Visual Cortex

In situ hybridization histochemistry and immunocytochemistry were used to study localization and activity-dependent regulation of α, β, γ, and δ isoforms of type II calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII) and their mRNAs in areas 17 and 18 of normal and monocularly deprived adult macaques. CaMKII-α is expressed overall at levels three to four times higher than that of CaMKII-β and at least 15 times higher than that of CaMKII-γ and -δ. All isoforms are expressed primarily in pyramidal cells of both areas, especially those of layers II–III, IVA (in area 17), and VI, but are also expressed in nonpyramidal, non-GABAergic cells of layer IV of both areas and in interstitial neurons of the white matter. CaMKII-α and -β are colocalized, suggesting the formation of heteromers. There was no evidence of expression in neuroglial cells. Each isoform has a unique pattern of laminar and sublaminar distribution, but cortical layers or sublayers enriched for one isoform do not correlate with layers receiving inputs only from isoform-specific layers of the lateral geniculate nucleus. CaMKII-α and -β mRNA and protein levels in layer IVC of area 17 are subject to activity-dependent regulation, with brief periods of monocular deprivation caused by intraocular injections of tetrodotoxin leading to a 30% increase in CaMKII-α mRNA and a comparable decrease in CaMKII-β mRNA in deprived ocular dominance columns, especially of layer IVCβ. Expression in other layers and expression of CaMKII-γ and δ were unaffected. Changes occurring in layer IVC may influence the formation of heteromers and protect supragranular layers from CaMKII-dependent plasticity in the adult.
Superpixel lattices

Unsupervised over-segmentation of an image into superpixels is a common preprocessing step for image parsing algorithms. Ideally, every pixel within each superpixel region will belong to the same real-world object. Existing algorithms generate superpixels that forfeit many useful properties of the regular topology of the original pixels: for example, the nth superpixel has no consistent position or relationship with its neighbors. We propose a novel algorithm that produces superpixels that are forced to conform to a grid (a regular superpixel lattice). Despite this added topological constraint, our algorithm is comparable in terms of speed and accuracy to alternative segmentation approaches. To demonstrate this, we use evaluation metrics based on (i) image reconstruction (ii) comparison to human-segmented images and (iii) stability of segmentation over subsequent frames of video sequences.
Multimodal Pivots for Image Caption Translation

We present an approach to improve statistical machine translation of image descriptions by multimodal pivots defined in visual space. The key idea is to perform image retrieval over a database of images that are captioned in the target language, and use the captions of the most similar images for crosslingual reranking of translation outputs. Our approach does not depend on the availability of large amounts of in-domain parallel data, but only relies on available large datasets of monolingually captioned images, and on state-of-the-art convolutional neural networks to compute image similarities. Our experimental evaluation shows improvements of 1 BLEU point over strong baselines.
Prevalence and Factors Responsible for Cohabitation among Undergraduates of Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, Nigeria

The study examined prevalence and factors responsible for cohabitation among undergraduates of Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, Nigeria. The population for the study consisted of all the undergraduates of the university, four hundred and fifty (450) students were randomly selected from the six faculties. Prevalence and Factors of Cohabitation among Undergraduates Questionnaire (PFCUQ) was the instrument administered for the study. One research question was raised and three hypotheses were generated based on variables of age, gender and religious affiliation. The findings showed that the first and third hypotheses indicated no significant difference in cohabitation on the basis of age and faculties. Whereas, the second hypothesis indicated that significant difference existed on the basis of religious affiliation. The study therefore recommended that counselling should be given on regular basis to students on the need for good moral and chaste living. Parents, University authority and religious bodies should try to alleviate the problem of cohabitation by providing suitable, conducive and affordable accommodation within the University environment.
A Review of 2.4 GHz Transmitters for IEEE 802.15.4 Low Rate WPANs

A review of various models for 2.4 GHz transmitters for IEEE 802.15. 4 low rate WPANs has been done in this paper. The study is done to summarize various architectures and models that have been used in developing these transmitters. Several works from the last few years have been studied and their comparison on various performance parameters is shown. This paper starts with the introduction of IEEE 802.15. 4 standard for low rate WPANs, followed by the discussion on various transmitter models along with their block diagram. A comparative table is shown at the end.
A fast spatial patch blending algorithm for artefact reduction in pattern-based image inpainting

We propose a fast and generic spatial patch blending technique that can be embedded within any kind of pattern-based inpainting algorithm. This extends our previous work on the visual enhancement of inpainting results. We optimize this blending algorithm so that the processing time is roughly divided by a factor ten, without any loss of perceived quality. Moreover, we provide an open-source and simple-to-use software to make this easily reproducible.
DCFNet: Discriminant Correlation Filters Network for Visual Tracking

Discriminant Correlation Filters (DCF) based methods now become a kind of dominant approach to online object tracking. The features used in these methods, however, are either based on hand-crafted features like HoGs, or convolutional features trained independently from other tasks like image classification. In this work, we present an end-to-end lightweight network architecture, namely DCFNet, to learn the convolutional features and perform the correlation tracking process simultaneously. Specifically, we treat DCF as a special correlation filter layer added in a Siamese network, and carefully derive the backpropagation through it by defining the network output as the probability heatmap of object location. Since the derivation is still carried out in Fourier frequency domain, the efficiency property of DCF is preserved. This enables our tracker to run at more than 60 FPS during test time, while achieving a significant accuracy gain compared with KCF using HoGs. Extensive evaluations on OTB-2013, OTB-2015, and VOT2015 benchmarks demonstrate that the proposed DCFNet tracker is competitive with several state-of-the-art trackers, while being more compact and much faster.
COPD exacerbations: definitions and classifications

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined independently of exacerbations, which are largely a feature of moderate-to-severe disease. This article is the result of a workshop that tried to define exacerbations of COPD for use in clinical, pharmacological and epidemiological studies. The conclusions represent the consensus of those present. This review describes definitions, ascertainment, severity assessments, duration and frequency, using varying sources of data including direct patient interview, healthcare databases and symptom diaries kept by patients in studies. The best general definition of a COPD exacerbation is the following: an exacerbation of COPD is a sustained worsening of the patient's condition, from the stable state and beyond normal day-to-day variations that is acute in onset and may warrant additional treatment in a patient with underlying COPD. A more specific definition for studies where a bacteriological cause of exacerbation is being studied is included, as well as simpler definitions for retrospective identification from database sources. Prospective diary card assessments are best recorded as changes from an agreed baseline, rather than absolute symptom severities. Diary cards identify many unreported exacerbations, which on average have similar severities to reported exacerbations. A scale for exacerbation severity is proposed that incorporates in- and outpatient assessments. Exacerbation duration, which also relates to severity, is defined from diary card reports. Healthcare utilisation is not an adequate substitute for severity, depending on many unrelated social and comorbidity factors. It is an outcome in its own right.
Effects of photophoresis on the evolution of transitional circumstellar disks

Although known for almost a century, the photophoretic force has only recently been considered in astrophysical context for the first time. In our work, we have examined the effect of photophoresis, acting together with stellar gravity, radiation pressure, and gas drag, on the evolution of solids in transitional circumstellar disks. We have applied our calculations to four different systems: the disks of HR 4796A and HD 141569A, which are several Myr-old AB-type stars, and two hypothetical systems that correspond to the solar nebula after disk dispersal has progressed sufficiently for the disk to become optically thin. Our results suggest that solid objects migrate inward or outward, until they reach a certain size-dependent stability distance from the star. The larger the bodies, the closer to the star they tend to accumulate. Photophoresis increases the stability radii, moving objects to larger distances. What is more, photophoresis may cause formation of a belt of objects, but only in a certain range of sizes and only around low-luminosity stars. The effects of photophoresis are noticeable in the size range from several micrometers to several centimeters (for older transitional disks) or even several meters (for younger, more gaseous, ones). We argue that due to gas damping, rotation does not substantially inhibit photophoresis.
CDC25A governs proliferation and differentiation of FLT3-ITD acute myeloid leukemia

We investigated cell cycle regulation in acute myeloid leukemia cells expressing the FLT3-ITD mutated tyrosine kinase receptor, an underexplored field in this disease. Upon FLT3 inhibition, CDC25A mRNA and protein were rapidly down-regulated, while levels of other cell cycle proteins remained unchanged. This regulation was dependent on STAT5, arguing for FLT3-ITD-dependent transcriptional regulation of CDC25A. CDC25 inhibitors triggered proliferation arrest and cell death of FLT3-ITD as well as FLT3-ITD/TKD AC-220 resistant cells, but not of FLT3-wt cells. Consistently, RNA interference-mediated knock-down of CDC25A reduced the proliferation of FLT3-ITD cell lines. Finally, the clonogenic capacity of primary FLT3-ITD AML cells was reduced by the CDC25 inhibitor IRC-083864, while FLT3-wt AML and normal CD34+ myeloid cells were unaffected. In good agreement, in a cohort of 100 samples from AML patients with intermediate-risk cytogenetics, high levels of CDC25A mRNA were predictive of higher clonogenic potential in FLT3-ITD+ samples, not in FLT3-wt ones. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition as well as RNA interference-mediated knock-down of CDC25A also induced monocytic differentiation of FLT3-ITD positive cells, as judged by cell surface markers expression, morphological modifications, and C/EBPα phosphorylation. CDC25 inhibition also re-induced monocytic differentiation in primary AML blasts carrying the FLT3-ITD mutation, but not in blasts expressing wild type FLT3. Altogether, these data identify CDC25A as an early cell cycle transducer of FLT3-ITD oncogenic signaling, and as a promising target to inhibit proliferation and re-induce differentiation of FLT3-ITD AML cells.
Long-term follow-up after early intervention with intravenous diltiazem or intravenous nitroglycerin for unstable angina pectoris.

AIMS In a double-blind randomized trial in unstable angina it was shown that intravenous diltiazem reduced ischaemic events in the first 48 h after inclusion better than intravenous nitroglycerin. The present study was performed to establish the long-term prognosis of the randomized patients, with respect to their initial treatment assignment. METHODS AND RESULTS One year follow-up data on ischaemic end-points and anti-ischaemic medication were recorded. Results were available for all of the 121 randomized patients. One hundred and sixty-seven primary endpoint events were recorded, of which 54 occurred in the first 48 h and 113 during the follow-up. Survival analysis showed that event-free survival was significantly better in the diltiazem group (45.0%) than in the nitroglycerin group (34.4%), P=0.04. The incidence rate after 48 h and one year for cardiac death are, respectively, 0% and 4.1%. The trend in anti-ischaemic medication was higher in the nitroglycerin group. For beta-blockers, this trend became significant after 12 months (P=0.03). CONCLUSION These results show that the initial benefit obtained by early treatment with intravenous diltiazem was preserved during the first year after the initial hospitalization, and that, despite the high risk of cardiac events in our population, the overall mortality 12 months after inclusion was low.
Financial Frictions in the Euro Area: A Bayesian Assessment

This paper compares from a Bayesian perspective three dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models in order to analyse whether financial frictions are empirically relevant in the Euro Area (EA) and, if so, which type of financial frictions is preferred by the data. The models are: (i) Smets and Wouters (2007) (SW); (ii) a SW model with financial frictions originating in non-financial firms a la Bernanke et al. (1999), (SWBGG); and (iii) a SW model with financial frictions originating in financial intermediaries, a la Gertler and Karadi (2011), (SWGK). The comparison between the three estimated models is made along different dimensions: (i) the Bayes factor; (ii) business cycle moments; and (iii) impulse response functions. The analysis of the Bayes factor and of simulated moments provides evidence in favour of the SWGK model. This paper also finds that the SWGK model outperforms the SWBGG model in forecasting EA inflationary pressures in a Phillips curve specification. JEL Classification: C11, E44
Application of local deformations in adaptive control — A comparative survey

In this paper a brief survey is provided on a novel approach to adaptive nonlinear control developed at Budapest Te c h in the past few years. The most popular branches of the classical and novel adaptive approaches are analyzed in comparison with methods needing complete, accurate, and permanent models or applying only partial, incomplete, temporal, and situation-dependent ones that require continuous refreshment via observing the behavior of the controlled system in the actual situation. It will be shown how simple geometric considerations can be used for developing iterative learning control. It will also be shown that in the case of the novel approach the conditions of convergence normally can be satisfied by choosing very primitive initial system models and roughly chosen control parameters on the basis of simple geometric considerations. It will be pointed out that while the traditional adaptive approaches are applicable only for learning linearly separable dynamical system parameters and fail for the permanent presence of unknown external disturbances and linearly non-separable (e.g. friction model) parameters, the novel approach can well compensate the simultaneous effects of imprecise and linearly non-separable model parameters and external perturbations, too. Since in contrast to the traditional solutions that normally guarantee global (asymptotic) stability by using Lyapunov functions, the novel approach can assure only local region of stability that in principle can be left by the system's state, a real time simulation tool has been developed to study the robustness of the novel control versus the variation of the adaptive control parameters. It will also be stressed that the traditional approaches have a huge number of adaptive control parameters that generally cannot optimally be set, the novel approach have only a few control parameters that can easily be tuned by observing the behavior of the controlled system. The already achieved results will be exemplified by simulation studies using the same paradigm.
Ghrelin enhancer, rikkunshito, improves postprandial gastric motor dysfunction in an experimental stress model

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is one of the most common disorders of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. However, no curable treatment is available for FD because the detailed mechanism of GI dysfunction in stressed conditions remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the association between endogenous acylated ghrelin signaling and gastric motor dysfunction and explore the possibility of a drug with ghrelin signal‐enhancing action for FD treatment.
Development and Reliability Testing of a Health Action Process Approach Inventory for Physical Activity Participation among Individuals with Schizophrenia

Individuals with schizophrenia tend to have high levels of cardiovascular disease and lower physical activity (PA) levels than the general population. Research is urgently required in developing evidence-based behavioral interventions for increasing PA in this population. One model that has been increasingly used to understand the mechanisms underlying PA is the health action process approach (HAPA). The purpose of this study was to adapt and pilot-test a HAPA-based inventory that reliably captures salient, modifiable PA determinants for individuals with schizophrenia. Initially, 12 outpatients with schizophrenia reviewed the inventory and provided verbal feedback regarding comprehension, item relevance, and potential new content. A content analysis framework was used to inform modifications to the inventory. The resultant inventory underwent a quantitative assessment of internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Twenty-five outpatients (Mage = 41.5 ± 13.5 years; 64% male) completed the inventory on two separate occasions, 1 week apart. All but two scales showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.62–0.98) and test–retest correlations (rs = 0.21–0.96). Preliminary assessment of criterion validity of the HAPA inventory showed significant, large-sized correlations between behavioral intentions and both affective outcome expectancies and task self-efficacy, and small to moderate correlations between self-reported minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA and the volitional constructs of the HAPA model. These findings provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the first-ever inventory for examining theory-based predictors of moderate-to-vigorous PA intentions and behavior among individuals with schizophrenia. Further validation research with this inventory using an objective measure of PA behavior will provide additional support for its psychometric properties within the schizophrenia population.
Horrendous Evils and The Goodness of God

in The Problem of Evil , Adams and Adams (eds.) (Oxford: Oxford University Press): 217. For a fuller, revised treatment, see: Horrendous Evil and the Goodness of God . In the development of these ideas, I am indebted to the members of our Fall 1987 seminar on the problem of evil at UCLA--especially to Robert Merrihew Adams (its co-leader) and to Keith De Rose, William Fitzpatrick