Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of 100 kV versus 120 kV in computed tomography pulmonary angiography in the detection of pulmonary embolism: effect on radiation dose and image quality.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effective radiation dose and image quality resulting from 100 versus 120 kilovoltage (kV) protocols among patients referred for computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA). METHODS Sixty-six patients with clinical suspicion of pulmonary embolism (PE) were prospectively enrolled. Two CTPA protocols (group A: n=33, 100 kV/115 mAs; group B: n=33, 120 kV/90 mAs) were compared. Two experienced radiologists assessed image quality in terms of diagnostic performance and effect of artefacts. Image quality parameters [CT attenuation, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR)] and effective radiation dose between the two protocols were compared. RESULTS The contrast enhancement in central and peripheral pulmonary arteries was significantly higher in group A than in group B (P<0.001) with the identical SNR (P=0.26), whereas the CNR was significantly higher in group A than in group B (P<0.001). The effective radiation dose for the 100 and 120 kV scans was 3.2 and 6.8 mSv, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Reducing the tube voltage from 120 to 100 kV in CTPA allows a significant reduction of radiation dose without significant loss of diagnostic image quality.
Query Difficulty Prediction for Web Image Search

Image search plays an important role in our daily life. Given a query, the image search engine is to retrieve images related to it. However, different queries have different search difficulty levels. For some queries, they are easy to be retrieved (the search engine can return very good search results). While for others, they are difficult (the search results are very unsatisfactory). Thus, it is desirable to identify those “difficult” queries in order to handle them properly. Query difficulty prediction (QDP) is an attempt to predict the quality of the search result for a query over a given collection. QDP problem has been investigated for many years in text document retrieval, and its importance has been recognized in the information retrieval (IR) community. However, little effort has been conducted on the image query difficulty prediction problem for image search. Compared with QDP in document retrieval, QDP in image search is more challenging due to the noise of textual features and the well-known semantic gap of visual features. This paper aims to investigate the QDP problem in Web image search. A novel method is proposed to automatically predict the quality of image search results for an arbitrary query. This model is built based on a set of valuable features that are designed by exploring the visual characteristic of images in the search results. The experiments on two real image search datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed query difficulty prediction method. Two applications, including optimal image search engine selection and search results merging, are presented to show the promising applicability of QDP.
From Game Theory to Real Life: How Social Value Orientation Affects Willingness to Sacrifice in Ongoing Close Relationships

This research adopted an interdependence analysis of sacrifice, examining the link between commitment (i.e., the subjective experience of dependence and long-term orientation) and willingness to sacrifice in ongoing close relationships, and determining whether this link is moderated by preexisting individual differences in social value orientation (i.e., prosocial, individualistic, or competitive orientation). Consistent with hypotheses, results of 2 studies revealed both that willingness to sacrifice was associated with greater commitment and that this link was more pronounced among individualists than among prosocials. Results also revealed an association between one's own willingness to sacrifice and beliefs regarding the partner's willingness to sacrifice (this link was somewhat more pronounced among prosocials than among individualists) and one's own willingness to sacrifice and actual partner's willingness to sacrifice.
Pseudoneglect in Visual Search: Behavioral Evidence and Connectional Constraints in Simulated Neural Circuitry

Abstract Most people tend to bisect horizontal lines slightly to the left of their true center (pseudoneglect) and start visual search from left-sided items. This physiological leftward spatial bias may depend on hemispheric asymmetries in the organization of attentional networks, but the precise mechanisms are unknown. Here, we modeled relevant aspects of the ventral and dorsal attentional networks (VAN and DAN) of the human brain. First, we demonstrated pseudoneglect in visual search in 101 right-handed psychology students. Participants consistently tended to start the task from a left-sided item, thus showing pseudoneglect. Second, we trained populations of simulated neurorobots to perform a similar task, by using a genetic algorithm. The neurorobots’ behavior was controlled by artificial neural networks, which simulated the human VAN and DAN in the two brain hemispheres. Neurorobots differed in the connectional constraints that were applied to the anatomy and function of the attention networks. Results indicated that (1) neurorobots provided with a biologically plausible hemispheric asymmetry of the VAN-DAN connections, as well as with interhemispheric inhibition, displayed the best match with human data; however; (2) anatomical asymmetry per se was not sufficient to generate pseudoneglect; in addition, the VAN must have an excitatory influence on the ipsilateral DAN; and (3) neurorobots provided with bilateral competence in the VAN but without interhemispheric inhibition failed to display pseudoneglect. These findings provide a proof of concept of the causal link between connectional asymmetries and pseudoneglect and specify important biological constraints that result in physiological asymmetries of human behavior.
Interpretive analysis and role semantics a ten-year mésalliance?

Five years ago, I wrote a paper (Howe 1976) criticizing several well-known attempts to ascertain the semantic knowledge of young children. In that paper I argued that as those attempts suffered from theoretical and methodological shortcomings, caution should be exercised both in accepting their conclusions and in imitating their techniques. Although my comments received some support (from Rodgon (1977) in particular), they also attracted criticism. This criticism has culminated in the papers by GolinkofF (1981) and Bloom, Capatides & Tackeff (1981) which appear in this volume. As I understand them, both papers claim to have answered my methodological criticisms. This is partly because they did not accept all my reservations in the first place and partly because they feel that subsequent research has clarified the situation. In addition, the paper by Golinkoff claims that recent studies using a different technique have largely endorsed the conclusions which I criticized. My intention in writing the present paper is to discuss those claims. I shall begin by outlining the theoretical and methodological objections raised in the 1976 paper, expanding those which seem to have been misunderstood and evaluating them all in the light of the comments of Golinkoff and of Bloom et al. Methodologically, I shall advocate much the same position as I did in 1976 that certain issues cannot be resolved using the technique under consideration. Then I shall discuss the contributions made by research which takes a different approach. This research includes a study which I have recently completed and will be reporting for the first time. In common with Golinkoff, I shall advocate taking this approach when studying certain aspects of early semantics. In contrast to Golinkoff, I shall argue that research which follows it does not endorse the conclusions I criticized in 1976. Rather, this research implies conclusions which are more conservative but arguably more promising for research into child language.
Integrated OTP-Based User Authentication Scheme Using Smart Cards in Home Networks

In this paper, we propose a new user authentication (UA) scheme based on one-time password (OTP) protocol using smart cards for home networks. The proposed scheme is to authenticate home users who uses home devices. Several techniques using technology based on biometrics, passwords, certificates, and smart cards can be used for user authentication in the similar environments. However, such user authentication techniques must be examined before being employed in an environment where home devices have low efficiency and performance. Here, we present the important security functions of home networks. The proposed authentication protocol is designed to accept the existing home networks based on the one-time password protocol. Also, it is a well suited solution and is quite satisfactory in terms of the security requirements of home networks, because of requiring low computation by performing simple operations using one-way hash functions. Our proposed scheme can protect against illegal access for home services and devices and does not allow unnecessary service access by legitimate users. Therefore, it allows the user to provide real-time privilege control and good implementation in secure home networks.
AN ENHANCED SPECTROSCOPIC CENSUS OF THE ORION NEBULA CLUSTER

We report new spectral types or spectral classification constraints for over 600 stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) based on medium resolution (R ≈ 1500–2000) red optical spectra acquired using the Palomar 200′′ and Kitt Peak 3.5 m telescopes. Spectral types were initially estimated for F, G, and early K stars from atomic line indices while for late K and M stars, which constitute the majority of our sample, indices involving TiO and VO bands were used. To ensure proper classification, particularly for reddened, veiled, or nebula-contaminated stars, all spectra were then visually examined for type verification or refinement. We provide an updated spectral type table that supersedes previous work, increasing the percentage of optically visible ONC stars with spectral type information from 68% to 90%. However, for many objects, repeated observations have failed to yield spectral types primarily due to the challenges of adequate sky subtraction against a bright and spatially variable nebular background. The scatter between our new and our previously determined spectral types is approximately two spectral sub-classes. We also compare our grating spectroscopy results with classification based on narrow-band TiO filter photometry, finding similar scatter. While the challenges of working in the ONC may explain much of the spread, we highlight several stars showing significant and unexplained bona fide spectral variations in observations taken several years apart; these and similar cases could be due to a combination of accretion and extinction changes. Finally, nearly 20% of ONC stars exhibit obvious Ca ii triplet emission indicative of strong accretion.
Molecular characterization of Coxiella burnetii isolates

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was used for the differentiation of 80 Coxiella burnetii isolates derived from animals and humans in Europe, USA, Africa and Asia. After NotI restriction of total C. burnetii DNA and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) 20 different restriction patterns were distinguished. The index of discrimination for this typing system was 0·86. Comparison and phylogenetic analysis of the different RFLP patterns revealed evolutionary relationships among groups that corresponded to the geographical origin of the isolates. This finding was confirmed by genetic mapping. No correlation between restriction group and virulence of isolates was detected.
Improved load modelling for switching power supplies in electrified vehicles

The trend for hybrid powertrain concepts has led to a widespread application of electric drives and electronic inverters in electrified vehicles. The operating principle of switched mode power supplies causes different motor excitations with respect to the excitation signals under stationary conditions. I.e. the motor is driven by fast transient switching signals instead of single harmonic signals, respectively. The simulation based prediction of occurring side effects like resonances becomes a matter about the accuracy of the load model. In this paper we present improved load modelling for electric motors in electrified vehicles to cover occurring side effects due to switching power supply excitation.
7-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin Induces Downregulation of Critical Hsp90 Protein Clients and Results in Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis of Human Urinary Bladder Cancer Cells

Background: 17-Allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), a benzoquinone ansamycin antibiotic, specifically targets heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) and interferes with its function as a molecular chaperone that maintains the structural and functional integrity of various protein clients involved in cellular signaling. In this study, we have investigated the effect of 17-AAG on the regulation of Hsp90-dependent signaling pathways directly implicated in cell cycle progression, survival and motility of human urinary bladder cancer cell lines. Methods: We have used MTT-based assays, FACS analysis, Western blotting, semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry and scratch-wound assay in RT4, RT112 and T24 human urinary bladder cancer cell lines.
I/O Characteristics of Smartphone Applications and Their Implications for eMMC Design

A vast majority of smart phones use eMMC (embedded multimedia card) devices as their storage subsystems. Recent studies reveal that storage subsystem is a significant contributor to the performance of smart phone applications. Nevertheless, smart phone applications' block-level I/O characteristics and their implications on eMMC design are still poorly understood. In this research, we collect and analyze block-level I/O traces from 18 common applications (e.g., Email and Twitter) on a Nexus 5 smart phone. We observe some I/O characteristics from which several implications for eMMC design are derived. For example, we find that in 15 out of the 18 traces majority requests (44.9%-57.4%) are small single-page (4KB) requests. The implication is that small requests should be served rapidly so that the overall performance of an eMMC device can be boosted. Next, we conduct a case study to demonstrate how to apply the implications to optimize eMMC design. Inspired by two implications, we propose a hybrid-page-size (HPS) eMMC. Experimental results show that the HPS scheme can reduce mean response time by up to 86% while improving space utilization by up to 24.2%.
Network Calculus viewed as a Min-plus System Theory applied to Communication Networks

We analyze some queueing problems arising in guaranteed service and controlled load networks using min-plus algebra. We find an explicit representation for the sub-additive closure of the minimum of two operators, and we introduce a new, useful family of idempotent, time-varying, and min-plus linear operators. We model queueing systems arising in networks networks as non-linear min-plus systems that can be bounded by linear systems, and apply our concepts to: the optimal shaper studied by Anantharam and Konstantopoulos, the window flow control problem previously studied by: Cruz and Okino; Chang; Agrawal and Rajan. In all these cases we explain the existing bounds and in the latter case derive another bound. We then show how the same method enables us to give a representation for the losses in a shaper with finite buffer constraints or with delay constraints. We apply the result to bound the losses in a variable bit rate (VBR) trunk system by the losses in simpler, constant bit rate trunk systems (CBR) systems. Finally, as a by-product of the concepts proposed in the paper, we show how it provides an explicit solution to the deterministic Skorokhod reflection mapping problem with two boundaries.
Rectoanal Junction Colonization of Feedlot Cattle by Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Its Association with Supershedders and Excretion Dynamics

ABSTRACT Feedlot cattle were observed for fecal excretion of and rectoanal junction (RAJ) colonization with Escherichia coli O157:H7 to identify potential “supershedders. ” RAJ colonization and fecal excretion prevalences were correlated, and E. coli O157:H7 prevalences and counts were significantly greater for RAJ samples. Based on a comparison of RAJ and fecal ratios of E. coli O157:H7/E. coli counts, the RAJ appears to be preferentially colonized by the O157:H7 serotype. Five supershedders were identified based on persistent colonization with high concentrations of E. coli O157:H7. Cattle copenned with supershedders had significantly greater mean pen E. coli O157:H7 RAJ and fecal prevalences than noncopenned cattle. Cumulative fecal E. coli O157:H7 excretion was also significantly higher for pens housing a supershedder. E. coli O157:H7/E. coli count ratios were higher for supershedders than for other cattle, indicating greater proportional colonization. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis demonstrated that isolates from supershedders and copenned cattle were highly related. Cattle that remained negative for E. coli O157:H7 throughout sampling were five times more likely to have been in a pen that did not house a supershedder. The data from this study support an association between levels of fecal excretion of E. coli O157:H7 and RAJ colonization in pens of feedlot cattle and suggest that the presence of supershedders influences group-level excretion parameters. An improved understanding of individual and population transmission dynamics of E. coli O157:H7 can be used to develop preslaughter- and slaughter-level interventions that reduce contamination of the food chain.
A Simple Approach to Building Ensembles of Naive Bayesian Classifiers for Word Sense Disambiguation

This paper presents a corpus-based approach to word sense disambiguation that builds an ensemble of Naive Bayesian classifiers, each of which is based on lexical features that represent co-occurring words in varying sized windows of context. Despite the simplicity of this approach, empirical results disambiguating the widely studied nouns line and interest show that such an ensemble achieves accuracy rivaling the best previously published results.
Effectiveness of lurasidone in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder switched from other antipsychotics: a randomized, 6-week, open-label study.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effectiveness of switching patients to lurasidone using 3 different dosing strategies. METHOD Adults with DSM-IV-defined schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder in a nonacute phase of illness were randomized to 1 of 3 lurasidone dosing regimens for the initial 2 weeks of the study: (1) 40 mg/d for 2 weeks; (2) 40 mg/d for 1 week, increased to 80 mg/d on day 8 for week 2 (up-titration group); and (3) 80 mg/d for 2 weeks. Lurasidone was then flexibly dosed (40-120 mg/d) for the subsequent 4 weeks of the study. The preswitch antipsychotic agent was tapered by day 7 to 50% of the original dose and discontinued by the end of week 2. Subjects were stratified on the basis of whether the primary preswitch antipsychotic medication was classified as "sedating" (olanzapine or quetiapine) or "nonsedating" (all other antipsychotics). The primary outcome measure was time to treatment failure, defined as any occurrence of insufficient clinical response, exacerbation of underlying disease, or discontinuation due to an adverse event. The study was conducted from June 2010 to May 2011. RESULTS Of 240 subjects treated in this study, 86 (35.8%) were treated with an antecedent sedating antipsychotic, and 154 (64.2%) were treated with an antecedent nonsedating antipsychotic. Nineteen (7.9%) of the 240 patients experienced treatment failure. No clinically relevant differences were observed when the 3 randomized switch groups were compared. Treatment failure rates were 10/86 (11.6%) versus 9/154 (5.8%) among subjects who had been receiving a preswitch sedating versus nonsedating antipsychotic medication, respectively. Consistent with prior studies of lurasidone, there was no signal for clinically relevant adverse changes in body weight, glucose, insulin, lipids, or prolactin; mean improvements in weight and lipids were observed. Movement disorder rating scales did not demonstrate meaningful changes. The incidence of akathisia as an adverse event was 12.5%; only 1 subject (0.4%) discontinued due to akathisia. CONCLUSIONS Switching patients to lurasidone can be successfully accomplished by starting at 40 mg/d for 2 weeks, or 80 mg/d for 2 weeks, or 40 mg/d for 1 week followed by 80 mg/d the second week. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01143077.
Description of Mandibular Finite Helical Axis Pathways in Asymptomatic Subjects

Despite wide use of systems to record jaw motion with six degrees of freedom, most studies have analyzed only the movement of a single mandibular point. The finite helical axis (FHA) is a mathematical model which can be used to describe comprehensively the movements of a rigid body. The aim of this investigation was to describe the FHA of the mandible during habitual jaw movements. Thirty subjects (13 females, 17 males; mean age, 26 years; range, 18 to 34 years) without myoarthropathies of the masticatory system participated in the study. Opening and closing movements, performed at 1-Hz frequency, were recorded with the optoelectronic system Jaws-3D. Three opening and closing movements were recorded from the right side and three from the left side of the jaw. The movement data were low-pass-filtered for noise reduction prior to the computation of the finite helical axis by means of a software program developed in our laboratory. The following parameters were calculated: the rotation of the FHA, its spatial orientation, and the translation along it, as well as its position and distance relative to an intracondylar point. In addition, methodological errors of the model were calculated. During opening and closing, the group mean FHA rotation was 24.3° ± 4.2°. The group mean of the maximum total translation along the FHA was 0.9 ± 0.7 mm. The group mean distance between the FHA and the intracondylar point was 48.9 ± 9.9 mm. The FHA pathways were smooth and varied between individuals. Furthermore, the finite helical axes were never localized within the condyle, and often were located outside of the mandible. The analysis of the FHA pathways yields more information on whole mandibular movements than simply the movements of a single condylar point.