Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MEMORANDUM No 09 / 2010

We introduce learning by doing in a dynamic contest. Contestants compete in an early round and can use the experience gained to reduce e¤ort cost in a subsequent contest. A contest designer can decide how much of the prize mass to distribute in the early contest and how much to leave for the later one in order to maximize total e¤orts. We show how this division a¤ects e¤ort at each stage, and present conditions that characterize the optimal split. The results are indicative of the fact that the designer weakly prefers to leave most of the prize mass for the second contest to reap the gains from the learning by doing e¤ect. Keywords: Learning by doing; dynamic contest; prize division JEL Codes: D74, D72 We have bene ted from fruitful discussions with Mads Greaker, Atle Seierstad and Jan Yngve Sand. Clarks research has received funding from the Research Council of Norway (RCN) through the project "The knowledge based society" (grant 172603/V10). Nilssens research has received funding from the RCN through the Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research (project "R&D, Industry Dynamics and Public Policy"), and through the ESOP Centre at the University of Oslo. yClark: Tromsø University Business School, University of Tromsø, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway; derek.clark@uit.no. Nilssen: Department of Economics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1095 Blindern, NO-0317 Oslo, Norway; tore.nilssen@econ.uio. no.
Survey of Rate Distortion and Information Bottleneck from the Perspective of Unsupervised Learning

This paper will introduce the ideas of unsupervised machine learning as motivation for presenting the underlying information theoretic theory from the perspective of channel coding, then transition into a discussion of various extensions of information bottleneck ideas and algorithms to applications. In particular, several examples of the optimization models applied to toy problems are used to demonstrate usage and equivalences between the various models. Though these examples only scratch the surface of the full range of ideas and implementations explored in this paper, they provide a motivation and background for such extensions. The paper concludes with an overview of the different applications of information theoretic concepts to learning techniques and data sets, relating various modern techniques to the informational bottleneck, and proposing several ideas for implementation.
Epidemiology of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections among hemodialysis patients in Khartoum, Sudan

The epidemiology of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is important for health planners and service providers. A cross‐sectional study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence and associated risk factors for markers of HBV (HBsAg) and anti‐HCV among hemodialysis patients at the Ahmed Gasim hemodialysis unit, Sudan. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain socio‐demographic data and sera were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HCV (anti‐HCV). Of the 353 patients enrolled in the study, HBsAg and anti‐HCV were detected in 16 (4.5%) and 30 (8.5%) patients, respectively. None of the patients were co‐infected with HBV and HCV. Multivariate analysis showed that duration of dialysis was significantly associated with anti‐HCV seropositivity [OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1.2–1.3; P = 0.024]. No other socio‐demographic or clinical characteristics (age, sex, level of education, history of surgery, and number of units of blood transfused) were significantly associated with HBsAg or anti‐HCV seropositivity. The results of this study suggest that HBsAg and anti‐HCV have low prevalence among hemodialysis patients in Khartoum. Longer duration of dialysis was a risk factor for anti‐HCV. J. Med. Virol. 84:52–55, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) is transmitted from parent to child in an integrated form and characterization of cases with chromosomally integrated HHV‐6 DNA

We obtained 7,566 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples from 2,332 individuals and screened them for human herpesvirus infection. We identified five individuals who persistently harbored high copy numbers of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) DNA in their PBMCs. HHV‐6 DNA was also detected in other somatic tissues of these individuals. Five additional cases were identified among their family members. For two of these families, chromosomally integrated HHV‐6 DNA (CIHHV‐6) was detected in the PBMCs by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The prevalence of CIHHV‐6 among all the subjects was 0.21%. The HHV‐6 DNA was variant B in four families and variant A in one family. Antibodies to immediate early antigen and glycoprotein B were detected in 57 and 14% of individuals with CIHHV‐6 and in 0 and 60% of healthy volunteers without CIHHV‐6, respectively. HHV‐6 could not be isolated from PBMCs with CIHHV‐6. These cases shared no clinical features, and included three healthy individuals. Our data suggest that CIHHV‐6 is rare but detectable in the general population and that hereditary transmission is one of the routes of HHV‐6 transmission. J. Med. Virol. 73:465–473, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MYC immunohistochemical and cytogenetic analysis are required for identification of clinically relevant aggressive B cell lymphoma subtypes

Abstract Accurate subclassification of aggressive B cell lymphomas (ABCLs) requires integration of morphologic, immunohistochemical (IHC), and cytogenetic information. Optimal strategies have not been well defined for diagnosis of high grade B cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements (HGBLwR) and double expressor lymphomas with MYC and BCL2 protein overexpression. One hundred and eighty seven ABCLs were investigated with complete IHC and FISH analysis. Morphologic and IHC analysis was insufficient to identify clinically relevant HGBLwR. Approximately, 75% of cases classified as HGBLwR showed conventional DLBCL morphologic features. Fourteen percent of MYC-rearranged cases were negative by IHC. Conversely, 60% of cases positive for MYC by IHC did not demonstrate a MYC rearrangement. Analysis by FISH without MYC and BCL2 IHC would miss 41 cases of double expressor lymphoma. Complete IHC and FISH analysis is recommended in the evaluation of all ABCLs.
LARGE‐SCALE BICORTICAL SKULL BONE REGENERATION USING EX VIVO REPLICATION‐DEFECTIVE ADENOVIRAL‐MEDIATED BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN—2 GENE—TRANSFERRED BONE MARROW STROMAL CELLS AND COMPOSITE BIOMATERIALS

OBJECTIVE Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) have great potential in bone repair. We developed an animal model to test the hypothesis that ex vivo gene transfer of human bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 to BMSCs via a replication-defective (E1A-deleted) adenovirus vector (AdV) with appropriate biopolymers would enhance autologous bone formation during repair of a large-scale skull defect. METHODS Eighteen miniature swine were treated with AdV BMP-2–transduced BMSCs in biopolymer (group 1), BMSCs in biopolymer (group 2), or biopolymer alone (group 3). After 6 months, the swine were killed, and the skull repair was examined by gross pictures, histology, 3-dimensional computed tomography, and biomechanical study. RESULTS Group 1 showed complete solid bone formation after 6 months, and hematoxylin and eosin staining demonstrated the presence of mature, woven, well-mineralized bone. Computed tomography showed wholesome repair of the skull defect. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant difference in bone thickness between groups 1 and 2. Biomechanical testing showed a statistically significant difference in the stiffness of new bone formed in group 1 compared with group 2. CONCLUSION The Ad5 E1A-deleted AdV may be the optimal starting vector in ex vivo gene therapy for benign skeletal diseases. Additionally, the use of the gelatin/tricalcium phosphate ceramic/glutaraldehyde biopolymer with AdV BMP-2 gene transfer strongly enhances the bony healing of critical-size bicortical craniofacial defects. This method can be used by modifying the delivery of constructs to malunion treatment, in regional osteoporosis therapy, and spinal fusion.
of Inflammatory Responses in a Mouse Model Aerobic Exercise Attenuates Airway

Recent reports indicate that aerobic exercise improves the overall physical ﬁtness and health of asthmatic patients. The speciﬁc exercise-induced improvements in the pathology of asthma and the mechanisms by which these improvements occur, however, are ill-deﬁned; thus, the therapeutic potential of exercise in the treatment of asthma remains unappreciated. Using an OVA-driven mouse model, we examined the role of aerobic exercise in modulating inﬂammatory responses associated with atopic asthma. Data demonstrate that moderate intensity aerobic exercise training decreased leukocyte inﬁltration, cytokine production, adhesion molecule expression, and structural remodeling within the lungs of OVA-sensitized mice ( n (cid:1) 6–10; p < 0.05). Because the transcription factor NF- (cid:2) B regulates the expression of a variety of genes that encode inﬂammatory mediators, we monitored changes in NF- (cid:2) B activation in the lungs of exercised/sensitized mice. Results show that exercise decreased NF- (cid:2) B nuclear translocation and I (cid:2) B (cid:3) phosphorylation, indicating that exercise decreased NF- (cid:2) B activation in the lungs of sensitized mice ( n (cid:1) 6). Taken together, these results suggest that aerobic exercise attenuates airway inﬂammation in a mouse model of atopic asthma via modulation of NF- (cid:2) B activation. Potential exists, therefore, for the amelioration of asthma-associated chronic airway inﬂammation through the use of aerobic exercise training as a non-drug therapeutic modality. The Journal of Immunology, 2004, 172: 4520–4526.
A decade of security research in ubiquitous computing: results of a systematic literature review

Purpose Ever since Mark Weiser coined the term “ubiquitous computing” (ubicomp) in 1988, there has been a general interest in proposing various solutions that would support his vision. However, attacks targeting devices and services of a ubicomp environment have demonstrated not only different privacy issues, but also a risk of endangering user’s life (e.g. by modifying medical sensor readings). Thus, the aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of security challenges of ubicomp environments and the corresponding countermeasures proposed over the past decade. Design/methodology/approach The results of this paper are based on a literature review method originally used in evidence-based medicine called systematic literature review (SLR), which identifies, filters, classifies and summarizes the findings. Findings Starting from the bibliometric results that clearly show an increasing interest in the topic of ubicomp security worldwide, the findings reveal specific types of attacks and vulnerabilities that have motivated the research over the past decade. This review describes most commonly proposed countermeasures – context-aware access control and authentication mechanisms, cryptographic protocols that account for device’s resource constraints, privacy-preserving mechanisms, and trust mechanisms for wireless ad hoc and sensor networks. Originality/value To the best of our knowledge, this is the first SLR on security challenges in ubicomp. The findings should serve as a reference to an extensive list of scientific contributions, as well as a guiding point for the researchers’ novel to the security research in ubicomp.
Whole brain functional connectivity predicted by indirect structural connections

Modern functional and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI and dMRI) provide data from which macro-scale networks of functional and structural whole brain connectivity can be estimated. Although networks derived from these two modalities describe different properties of the human brain, they emerge from the same underlying brain organization, and functional communication is presumably mediated by structural connections. In this paper, we assess the structure-function relationship by evaluating how well functional connectivity can be predicted from structural graphs. Using high-resolution whole brain networks generated with varying density, we contrast the performance of several non-parametric link predictors that measure structural communication flow. While functional connectivity is not well predicted directly by structural connections, we show that superior predictions can be achieved by taking indirect structural pathways into account. In particular, we find that the length of the shortest structural path between brain regions is a good predictor of functional connectivity in sparse networks (density less than one percent), and that this improvement comes from integrating indirect pathways comprising up to three steps. Our results support the existence of important indirect relationships between structure and function, extending beyond the immediate direct structural connections that are typically investigated.
Measuring Time-Varying $I/Q$ Impairments in Digital Transmitters

Impairments affecting the baseband modulator of digital transmitters, which are commonly called I/Q impairments, are responsible for the deviations of symbols from their original position on the I/Q diagram. They cause a reduction in the noise margin and ultimately worsen the probability of error. This is why their measurement is so important in all stages in the life cycle of digital transmitters. This paper presents an original method for the evaluation of the I/Q impairments based on a discrete extended Kalman filter (DEKF). In the same way as alternative solutions already presented in the literature, the method exhibits good performance in the presence of time-invariant impairments. Differently from them, it allows accurate measurements of time-varying impairments, thus making real-time tracking of their evolution feasible. After a few theoretical notes on the I/Q impairments and DEKF, the operative stages of the proposed method are described in detail. Several experiments are then conducted on radio frequency signals to assess the performance of the method; the obtained results are given and discussed.
Variability of Lipid Profile in Pre and Post Menopausal Women

Menopause is a natural aging process in women’s life marked by the cessation of ovarian function. The increased incidence of cardiovascular risk in the post-menopausal women may partly be due to hormonal changes leading to derangement of lipid metabolism. The present study is aimed to evaluate the variability of lipid profile in preand post-menopausal women. A total of 160 women participants who attended Out Patient Department, RIMS, Imphal were included in the study. Out of which 80 were premenopausal aged 3545yrs and 80 were postmenopausal aged 45-60yrs. Serum Total Cholesterol (TC) was determined by enzymatic (CHOD-PAP) calorimetric method, Triglycerides (TG) by enzymatic (GPO-PAP) method, HDL-C by precipitant method and LDL –C by using Friedewald formula: LDLC = TC − (HDL-C + TG/5) and VLDL= TG/5. Data were analyzed by using SPSS version 21. T test was used to compare means. P value < 0.05 was considered as significant. There were significant increased in serum TC and LDL-C in the postmenopausal women (P<0.05), but HDL-C was found significantly decreased in them (P<0.005). However, there were no significant differences in serum TG and VLDL-C between the two study groups. The elevated serum TC, LDLC and the reduction of cardio protective HDL-C is an indication that menopause is an independent risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease in the post menopausal women.
Coupled Superconducting and Magnetic Order in CeCoIn5

Strong magnetic fluctuations can provide a coupling mechanism for electrons that leads to unconventional superconductivity. Magnetic order and superconductivity have been found to coexist in a number of magnetically mediated superconductors, but these order parameters generally compete. We report that close to the upper critical field, CeCoIn5 adopts a multicomponent ground state that simultaneously carries cooperating magnetic and superconducting orders. Suppressing superconductivity in a first-order transition at the upper critical field leads to the simultaneous collapse of the magnetic order, showing that superconductivity is necessary for the magnetic order. A symmetry analysis of the coupling between the magnetic order and the superconducting gap function suggests a form of superconductivity that is associated with a nonvanishing momentum.
High Anxiety, Young Age and Long Waits Increase the Need for Preoperative Sedatives in Children

OBJECTIVE: This prospective, observational study aimed to identify children likely to require sedation preoperatively by measuring anxiety levels using the modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale (mYPAS). Other possible predictive factors for preoperative sedation were also investigated. METHODS: A total of 455 patients aged 2 – 12 years scheduled for surgery requiring general anaesthesia were enrolled in the study. Patients' anxiety levels were measured using the mYPAS in a preoperative holding area just before patients were separated from their parents or guardians and entered the operating theatre. Anaesthetists blinded to the mYPAS assessments judged whether the child could be separated and enter the operating theatre without a sedative. The ability of the mYPAS to predict the need for preoperative sedation was analysed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS: The optimum mYPAS cut-off for requiring sedatives was 41.7 according to ROC curve analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, mYPAS > 40 and waiting time were independent predictors of the requirement for sedative administration. CONCLUSIONS: High anxiety levels, young age and long waits contributed to the need for preoperative sedation in children.
Autophagy as a therapeutic target in cancer

Autophagy is a self-catabolic process that maintains intracellular homeostasis and prolongs cell survival under stress via lysosomal degradation of cytoplasmic constituents and recycling of amino acids and energy. Autophagy is intricately involved in many aspects of human health and disease, including cancer. Autophagy is a double-edged sword in tumorigenesis, acting both as a tumor suppressor and a protector of cancer cell survival, and elucidation of its exact role at different stages of cancer progression and in treatment responsiveness is a complex and challenging task. Better understanding of autophagy regulation and its impact on treatment outcome will potentially allow us to identify novel therapeutic targets in cancer. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the regulation and dual function of autophagy in tumorigenesis, as well as ongoing efforts in modulating autophagy for cancer treatment and prevention. This is a very exciting and highly promising area of cancer research, as pharmacologic modulation of autophagy appears to augment the efficacy of currently available anticancer regimens and opens the way to the development of new combinatorial therapeutic strategies that will hopefully contribute to cancer eradication.
DEPRESSION IN DEMENTIA: A STUDY OF MOOD IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE AND REFERRALS TO A COMMUNITY SERVICE

The association between degree of cognitive impairment and severity of depressive symptoms was examined in a randomly selected community‐based sample of elderly people and in a sample of patients referred to an old age psychiatry service. Findings contradict previous reports of less cognitive impairment in demented patients with depressive symptoms. We suggest that sample selection bias has contributed to the earlier reports. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differences in Family Functioning and Health Between Older Adult Volunteers and Non-Volunteers

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to identify differences in family functioning and health between older adult volunteers and non-volunteers. Two findings emerged from the data: volunteers reported higher family functioning as well as better health compared to non-volunteers. Implications for social workers involved with volunteer programs and services are discussed in terms of volunteer recruitment and retention, and the related need to develop policies that permit more flexibility and choice with regard to volunteer responsibilities.
Signal interception in non-Gaussian noise

The interception of weak signals in nonGaussian noise is discussed. The spectral correlation property exhibited by all cyclostationary signals is exploited to synthesize multi-cycle and single-cycle detectors which assure a superior tolerance (as compared to radiometric techniques) to one of the most challenging problems in interception, namely accommodating unknown and changing noise level and interference activity. The proposed detectors perform a maximum likelihood estimate of the noise level and use the estimate to form the detection statistic. To obtain some analytical information about the performance of the multi-cycle and single-cycle detectors, the deflection, which is a useful measure of the output (signal-to-noise ratio), especially appropriate for weak-signal SNR interception, has been evaluated. The receiver operating characteristics, carried out via computer simulation, confirm the superiority of the proposed cycle detector with respect to the traditional radiometer. >
N‐Acyl amino acids and their impact on biological processes

Over the last two decades a large number of N‐long‐chain acyl amino acids have been identified in the mammalian body. The pharmacological activities of only a few of them have been investigated and some have been found to be of considerable interest. Thus arachidonoyl serine is vasodilatory and neuroprotective, arachidonoyl glycine is antinociceptive, and oleoyl serine rescues bone loss. However, the pathophysiological/biochemical roles of these amides are mostly unknown. © 2014 BioFactors, 40(4):381–388, 2014
Sleep apnea in patients with transient ischemic attack and stroke

Although sleep apnea (SA) appears to be a cardiovascular risk factor, little is known about its frequency in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke.We prospectively studied 59 subjects (26 women and 33 men; mean age, 62 years) with stroke (n = 36) or TIA (n = 23) with the use of a standard protocol that included assessment of snoring and daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Score [ESS]), a validated SA score (Sleep Disorders Questionnaire [SDQ-SA]), and a severity of stroke score (Scandinavian Stroke Scale [SSS]). SA was considered clinically probable (P-SA) when habitual snoring was associated with an ESS of >10 or when SDQ-SA score was >or=to32 in women and >or=to36 in men. Polysomnography (PSG) was obtained in 36 subjects (group 1) a mean of 12 days after TIA or stroke. In 23 subjects (group 2), PSG was not available (n = 11), refused (n = 10), or inadequate (n = 2). Clinical and PSG data were compared with those obtained in 19 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Groups 1 and 2 were similar in mean age (61 versus 64 years), type of event (36% versus 44% TIA), reported habitual snoring (58% versus 52%), and P-SA (58% versus 50%). PSG showed SA (Apnea-Hypopnea Index [AHI], >or=to10) in 25 of 36 subjects (69%). The proportion of subjects with SA was similar in the TIA and stroke groups (69% versus 70%) and was well above the frequency found in our control group (15%). An AHI of >or=to20 and a minimal oxygen saturation of <85% were each found in 20 of 36 subjects (55%). Gender and age did not correlate with severity of SA. Subjects with habitual snoring, P-SA, or severe stroke (SSS of <30) had a significantly higher AHI (p < 0.05). The sensitivity of P-SA for SA was 64%, and the specificity was 67%. We conclude that SA has a high frequency in patients in the acute phase of TIA and stroke and SA cannot be predicted reliably on clinical grounds alone but is more likely in patients with habitual snoring, abnormal SDQ-SA, or severe stroke. NEUROLOGY 1996;47: 1167-1173