Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toward personalized care management of patients at risk: the diabetes case study

Chronic diseases constitute the leading cause of mortality in the western world, have a major impact on the patients' quality of life, and comprise the bulk of healthcare costs. Nowadays, healthcare data management systems integrate large amounts of medical information on patients, including diagnoses, medical procedures, lab test results, and more. Sophisticated analysis methods are needed for utilizing these data to assist in patient management and to enhance treatment quality at reduced costs. In this study, we take a first step towards better disease management of diabetic patients by applying state-of-the art methods to anticipate the patient's future health condition and to identify patients at high risk. Two relevant outcome measures are explored: the need for emergency care services and the probability of the treatment producing a sub-optimal result, as defined by domain experts. By identifying the high-risk patients our prediction system can be used by healthcare providers to prepare both financially and logistically for the patient needs. To demonstrate a potential downstream application for the identified high-risk patients, we explore the association between the physician treating these patients and the treatment outcome, and propose a system that can assist healthcare providers in optimizing the match between a patient and a physician. Our work formulates the problem and examines the performance of several learning models on data from several thousands of patients. We further describe a pilot system built on the results of this analysis. We show that the risk for the two considered outcomes can be evaluated from patients' characteristics and that features of the patient-physician match improve the prediction accuracy for the treatment's success. These results suggest that personalized medicine can be valuable for high risk patients and raise interesting questions for future improvements.
Involvement in Voluntary Organizations: How Older Adults Access Volunteer Roles?

ABSTRACT This study examines how older adults access organizational volunteer roles and what socio-structural factors are associated with the access. Using the data from the Current Population Survey (U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 2002), bivariate analyses show that there are variations in access to volunteer roles across types of organizations. Results from multinomial logistic regressions indicate that education, income, age, and race are associated with the ways that older adults access volunteer roles. Voluntary organizations are advised to approach older adults directly, use current volunteers to recruit potential ones, publicize their organizational goals, and disseminate relevant information in efforts to improve access of older adults to volunteer roles.
Preference Reversals in Equal‐probability Gambles: A Case for Anchoring and Adjustment

The paper examines preference reversal in equal-probability gambles, gambles in which all payoffs have the same probability. The results indicate that for attractive gambles (gambles whose payoffs are positive) there is a higher preference for high-variance gambles when preference is inferred from pricing and rating than when it is inferred from choice, while for unattractive gambles (gambles whose payoffs are negative) there is a higher preference for high-variance gambles when preference is inferred from choice than when it is inferred from pricing. The results also indicate that in pricing, but not in choice, there is a lower preference for high-variance gambles when the subject possesses the gamble than when he or she does not possess it. The implications of these effects for various explanations of preference reversal are discussed, and it is concluded that the effects can be explained by anchoring and adjustment, but not by compatibility, prominence, expression theory, or change of process theory.
Video denoising by sparse 3D transform-domain collaborative filtering

We propose an effective video denoising method based on highly sparse signal representation in local 3D transform domain. A noisy video is processed in blockwise manner and for each processed block we form a 3D data array that we call “group” by stacking together blocks found similar to the currently processed one. This grouping is realized as a spatio-temporal predictive-search block-matching, similar to techniques used for motion estimation. Each formed 3D group is filtered by a 3D transform-domain shrinkage (hard-thresholding and Wiener filtering), the result of which are estimates of all grouped blocks. This filtering - that we term “collaborative filtering” - exploits the correlation between grouped blocks and the corresponding highly sparse representation of the true signal in the transform domain. Since, in general, the obtained block estimates are mutually overlapping, we aggregate them by a weighted average in order to form a non-redundant estimate of the video. Significant improvement of this approach is achieved by using a two-step algorithm where an intermediate estimate is produced by grouping and collaborative hard-thresholding and then used both for improving the grouping and for applying collaborative empirical Wiener filtering. We develop an efficient realization of this video denoising algorithm. The experimental results show that at reasonable computational cost it achieves state-of-the-art denoising performance in terms of both peak signal-to-noise ratio and subjective visual quality.
Fast Fourier Orthogonalization

The classical fast Fourier transform (FFT) allows to compute in quasi-linear time the product of two polynomials, in the circular convolution ring R[x]/(xd -1) --- a task that naively requires quadratic time. Equivalently, it allows to accelerate matrix-vector products when the matrix is circulant. In this work, we discover that the ideas of the FFT can be applied to speed up the orthogonalization process of matrices with circulant blocks of size d x d. We show that, when d is composite, it is possible to proceed to the orthogonalization in an inductive way ---up to an appropriate re-indexation of rows and columns. This leads to a structured Gram-Schmidt decomposition. In turn, this structured Gram-Schmidt decomposition accelerates a cornerstone lattice algorithm: the nearest plane algorithm. The complexity of both algorithms may be brought down to Θ(d log d). Our results easily extend to cyclotomic rings, and can be adapted to Gaussian samplers. This finds applications in lattice-based cryptography, improving the performances of trapdoor functions.
AIDS epidemic and the psychological well-being and school participation of Ethiopian orphans

This paper modeled the proximate determinants of the scores on 60 items from Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI) and of school participation of approximately 1,000 children who had lost their mothers due to AIDS and from other causes using the data from a survey in Ethiopia. The scores on MMPI items reflecting emotional and social adjustment, and school participation before and after maternal deaths were modeled in a multi-disciplinary framework incorporating the time sequence of events. The main findings were that while AIDS orphans scored lower on MMPI items, variables such as presence of the father, household income, feeding and clothing conditions, and attitude of the fostering family were significant predictors of children's scores. Secondly, girls were at a disadvantage in terms of the scores on MMPI items. Third, variables such as income and good feeding and clothing conditions were significant predictors of school participation. Fourth, school participation before maternal death was an important predictor of subsequent school participation probabilities. An ordinal regression model was estimated to address certain methodological problems. Overall, the results indicated that economic subsidies to fostering households would enhance child welfare in Ethiopia.
Correlating Bayesian date estimates with climatic events and domestication using a bovine case study

The tribe Bovini contains a number of commercially and culturally important species, such as cattle. Understanding their evolutionary time scale is important for distinguishing between post-glacial and domestication-associated population expansions, but estimates of bovine divergence times have been hindered by a lack of reliable calibration points. We present a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of 481 mitochondrial D-loop sequences, including 228 radiocarbon-dated ancient DNA sequences, using a multi-demographic coalescent model. By employing the radiocarbon dates as internal calibrations, we co-estimate the bovine phylogeny and divergence times in a relaxed-clock framework. The analysis yields evidence for significant population expansions in both taurine and zebu cattle, European aurochs and yak clades. The divergence age estimates support domestication-associated expansion times (less than 12 kyr) for the major haplogroups of cattle. We compare the molecular and palaeontological estimates for the Bison–Bos divergence.
HIV, transmitted drug resistance, and the paradox of preexposure prophylaxis

The administration of antiretrovirals before HIV exposure to prevent infection (i.e., preexposure prophylaxis; PrEP) is under evaluation in clinical trials. Because PrEP is based on antiretrovirals, there is considerable concern that it could substantially increase transmitted resistance, particularly in resource-rich countries. Here we use a mathematical model to predict the effect of PrEP interventions on the HIV epidemic in the men-who-have-sex-with-men community in San Francisco. The model is calibrated using Monte Carlo filtering and analyzed by constructing nonlinear response hypersurfaces. We predict PrEP interventions could substantially reduce transmission but significantly increase the proportion of new infections caused by resistant strains. Two mechanisms can cause this increase. If risk compensation occurs, the proportion increases due to increasing transmission of resistant strains and decreasing transmission of wild-type strains. If risk behavior remains stable, the increase occurs because of reduced transmission of resistant strains coupled with an even greater reduction in transmission of wild-type strains. We define this as the paradox of PrEP (i.e., resistance appears to be increasing, but is actually decreasing). We determine this paradox is likely to occur if the efficacy of PrEP regimens against wild-type strains is greater than 30% and the relative efficacy against resistant strains is greater than 0.2 but less than the efficacy against wild-type. Our modeling shows, if risk behavior increases, that it is a valid concern that PrEP could significantly increase transmitted resistance. However, if risk behavior remains stable, we find the concern is unfounded and PrEP interventions are likely to decrease transmitted resistance.
Analytical evaluation of harmonic distortion in PWM AC drives using the notion of stator flux ripple

This paper presents a method to evaluate harmonic distortion due to space vector-based pulse-width modulation (PWM) strategies for ac drives. The proposed method is general enough to deal with division of zero vector time as well as division of active vector time within a subcycle. The method is based on the notion of stator flux ripple, which is a measure of line current ripple. Expressions for RMS ripple over a subcycle are derived for six switching sequences in terms of magnitude and angle of the reference vector, and subcycle duration. The sequences considered include those involving division of active vector time within a subcycle. Further, analytical closed form expressions are derived for the total RMS harmonic distortion factor corresponding to six space vector-based synchronized PWM strategies, proposed recently, for high power drives. The square of the distortion factor turns out to be a quadratic polynomial in modulation index (M), and the coefficients differ with PWM strategies and pulse numbers. These expressions are validated through Fourier analysis as well as experimental measurements. The concept of stator flux ripple provides insight into current ripple as well as torque ripple corresponding to different sequences and strategies.
The Project World - Gamification in Project Knowledge Management

To this day, companies struggle to manage what they know. More specially, project teams are reinventing the wheel by finding already known solutions or making mistakes that were already made in the organization. Many researchers are studying the challenge of managing knowledge, and they often focus on knowledge documentation, storage, and transfer. However, mostly knowledge reuse is omitted by research. In this paper, we present a gamified project knowledge management system to address this gap. Du to the integration of gamification mechanisms we follow a new approach to enable project teams to share their experiences and thus, reuse project-related knowledge. With our work we contribute to both research and practice. On the one hand, we follow the call of researchers for more studies in the field of gamification since its effects needs to be tested and demonstrated by applying rigorous research methods. On the other hand, by following the new way of integrating gaming mechanisms in a knowledge management system, we open a new area for research opportunities in knowledge management research. Furthermore, practitioners may leverage our proposed ideas and build specific artifacts adapted to the actual needs of the organization and its employees.
On the combinatorial and algebraic complexity of quantifier elimination

In this paper we give a new algorithm for performing quantifier elimination from first order formulae over real closed fields. This algorithm improves the complexity of the asymptotically fastest algorithm for this problem, known to this date. A new feature of our algorithm is that the role of the algebraic part (the dependence on the degrees of the input polynomials) and the combinatorial part (the dependence on the number of polynomials) are separated, making possible our improved complexity bound. Another new feature is that the degrees of the polynomials in the equivalent quantifier-free formula that we output, are independent of the number of input polynomials. As special cases of this algorithm, we obtain new and improved algorithms for deciding a sentence in the first order theory over real closed fields, and also for solving the existential problem in the first order theory over real closed fields. Using the theory developed in this paper, we also give an improved bound on the radius of a ball centered at the origin, which is guaranteed to intersect every connected component of the sign partition induced by a family of polynomials. We also use our methods to obtain algorithms for solving certain decision problems in real and complex geometry which improves the complexity of the currently known algorithms for these problems. <<ETX>>
Scandal and Media in the United Kingdom

This article looks at the recent spate of political scandal news, both financial and sexual, in the United Kingdom during the Major and Blair administrations. Scandal revelations, especially those produced by the press, may be due in part to the audience-building strategies of the media. Dissenting views, in contrast, may possibly be offered as a result of the media’s own legitimation needs. Stories of scandal serve to undermine institutions in the public’s mind and can often provoke the setting up of government and parliamentary committees leading to the regulation of particular activities. This article shows how the accumulation of scandal stories may have serious repercussions for the popularity of governments and prime ministers and may influence the representation of all aspects of policy.
Computational 3‐D modeling and site‐directed mutation of an antibody that binds Neu2en5Ac, a transition state analogue of a sialic acid

An antibody against a transition state analog (TSA) may share some common features with an enzyme that produces such a transition state. SIC172 antibody binds specifically to Neu2en5Ac, a TSA of Neu5Ac in the sialidase reaction, but has no catalytic activity. To understand how the antibody recognizes Neu2en5Ac and to find out if it is possible to convert it to a catalytic antibody, we made and sequenced the SIC172 ScFv, and constructed a 3‐D model of it. The VH‐CDR3 contains a unique sequence with Cys at H95. The 3‐D model showed that Cys‐H95 is exposed inside the antigen‐binding cavity. After affinity docking, 4 types emerged. In type I, the carboxyl group of Neu2en5Ac is located near the Cys‐H95 and neighboring positively charged residues. The change of Cys‐H95 to Asp by site‐directed mutation decreased the binding activity, while a change to Arg did not. These and other mutation experiments, and further modeling of mutant Fv, support the 3‐D model and docking type I. A comparison with sialidase indicates that SIC172 antibody appears to have some groups of residues that are conserved at the active site of the enzyme. The possibility of Neu2en5Ac‐binding antibody being converted to a catalytic antibody is discussed. Proteins 2001;45:285–296. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Specificity of gaze-following in young chimpanzees

The development of gaze-following (or joint visual attention) allows human infants to orient to the same object or event to which another person is looking. The development of the ability undergoes elaborations between 6 and 18 months, with older infants displaying the ability to (a) track gaze in response to eye movement alone, (b) look into space outside of their immediate visual field, and (c) precisely localize the exact object at which another is looking. Chimpanzees also exhibit gaze-following, but certain aspects of the specificity of this ability remain unclear. Seven pre-adolescent chimpanzees were used to replicate and extend a previous demonstration of gaze-following and to test the hypothesis that chimpanzees (like 18-month-old human infants) are capable of determining the specific location in space behind them into which another looks. The results strongly support the hypothesis, and suggest extensive commonality in the behavioural manifestations of gaze-following in the two species. Whether chimpanzees develop a parallel understanding of the mental state of attention behind gaze remains less clear.
Impaired Interhemispheric Interactions in Patients With Major Depression

Previous studies have shown that patients with major depression have an interhemispheric imbalance between right and left prefrontal and motor cortex. We aimed to investigate the interhemispheric interactions in patients with major depression using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Thirteen patients with major depression and 14 age-matched healthy subjects participated in this study. Corticospinal excitability before and after 1 Hz rTMS (applied to the left primary motor cortex) was assessed in the left and right motor cortex and these results were compared with those in healthy subjects. There was a significant difference in the interhemispheric effects between patients with depression and healthy subjects. In healthy subjects, 1 Hz rTMS significantly decreased corticospinal excitability in the stimulated, left hemisphere and increased it in the contralateral, right hemisphere. In depressed subjects, 1 Hz rTMS also decreased corticospinal excitability in the left hemisphere; however, it induced no significant changes in corticospinal excitability in the contralateral, right hemisphere. In addition, there was a significant correlation between the degree of interhemispheric modulation and the severity of the depression as indexed by the Beck Depression Inventory scores. Our findings showing a decreased interhemispheric modulation in patients with major depression are consistent with the notion that mood disorders are associated with slow interhemispheric switching mechanisms.
How Well Do Graph-Processing Platforms Perform? An Empirical Performance Evaluation and Analysis

Graph-processing platforms are increasingly used in a variety of domains. Although both industry and academia are developing and tuning graph-processing algorithms and platforms, the performance of graph-processing platforms has never been explored or compared in-depth. Thus, users face the daunting challenge of selecting an appropriate platform for their specific application. To alleviate this challenge, we propose an empirical method for benchmarking graph-processing platforms. We define a comprehensive process, and a selection of representative metrics, datasets, and algorithmic classes. We implement a benchmarking suite of five classes of algorithms and seven diverse graphs. Our suite reports on basic (user-lever) performance, resource utilization, scalability, and various overhead. We use our benchmarking suite to analyze and compare six platforms. We gain valuable insights for each platform and present the first comprehensive comparison of graph-processing platforms.
Perceived coercion in substance abuse treatment: The eye of the beholder?

Aims: To examine potential differences in subjective perceptions of coercion between substance abuse professionals and clients in how they view events that trigger entry to treatment. Such differences may influence both the clinician's approach and the client's response to treatment. Participants, measurement and findings: Seventy-four substance abuse treatment outpatients and 75 certified substance abuse clinicians rated 15 treatment entry-related events based on the degree of choice an individual would have in entering treatment. Clients perceived internal sources of coercion as more coercive, whereas the clinicians perceived external items as more coercive. Furthermore, clients' views of external coercive events appeared to be more uni-dimensional than for internal events, whereas clinicians perceived internal events as more cohesive relative to external events. Conclusions: Discrepant perceptions of treatment entry triggers may impact the development of a working alliance and the use of motivational strategies intended to enhance readiness to change. Further investigation into these divergent perceptions is needed to untangle the relationships among client and clinician assumptions, readiness for change, and treatment outcome.
Kv3 K+ channels enable burst output in rat cerebellar Purkinje cells

The ability of cells to generate an appropriate spike output depends on a balance between membrane depolarizations and the repolarizing actions of K+ currents. The high‐voltage‐activated Kv3 class of K+ channels repolarizes Na+ spikes to maintain high frequencies of discharge. However, little is known of the ability for these K+ channels to shape Ca2+ spike discharge or their ability to regulate Ca2+ spike‐dependent burst output. Here we identify the role of Kv3 K+ channels in the regulation of Na+ and Ca2+ spike discharge, as well as burst output, using somatic and dendritic recordings in rat cerebellar Purkinje cells. Kv3 currents pharmacologically isolated in outside‐out somatic membrane patches accounted for ∼ 40% of the total K+ current, were very fast and high voltage activating, and required more than 1 s to fully inactivate. Kv3 currents were differentiated from other tetraethylammonium‐sensitive currents to establish their role in Purkinje cells under physiological conditions with current‐clamp recordings. Dual somatic‐dendritic recordings indicated that Kv3 channels repolarize Na+ and Ca2+ spikes, enabling high‐frequency discharge for both types of cell output. We further show that during burst output Kv3 channels act together with large‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ channels to ensure an effective coupling between Ca2+ and Na+ spike discharge by preventing Na+ spike inactivation. By contributing significantly to the repolarization of Na+ and especially Ca2+ spikes, our data reveal a novel function for Kv3 K+ channels in the maintenance of high‐frequency burst output for cerebellar Purkinje cells.