Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An introduction to the mathematics of neurons

Neurons, or nerve cells, are basic timers in our bodies; they also play a central role in storing and processing information in our brains. This book introduces neuron physiology and some mathematical methods that can help us to understand how neurons work. The author's aim is to uncover frequency-response properties of neurons and to show that neural networks can support stable patterns of synchronized firing. He does this using a novel electrical circuit model of a neuron, called VCON, which shares many features with the Hodgkin-Huxley model, though it is much simpler to study. This makes the book suitable for advanced undergraduate or new graduate students studying mathematical biology. Indeed the book grew from such a course taught at the University of Utah. The only prerequisites are basic calculus, differential equations and matrix algebra. Problems (some with solutions) are provided at the end of each chapter; they range from simple illustrative exercises to more challenging extensions of the text. Some projects, often involving microcomputers, are also suggested.
Epidemiological study of patients with penetrating abdominal trauma in Tehran, Iran

Trauma continues to be the most frequent cause of death in the first four decades of life that is a main public health problem in some countries. We perform an epidemiological study of Penetrating Abdominal Trauma (PAT). We describe epidemiological of patients in PAT. In a cross-sectional study we evaluated epidemiological PAT admitted to emergency department in six general hospitals in Tehran. The data was collected through a questionnaire that was completed by trained physician trauma center. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS software (version 11.5 for windows). Statistical analysis using the chi-square and P<0.05 was accepted as being statistically significant. During the study period, 0.86 % (69/8000) of our patients sustained PAT. Sixty-six (95.7%) patients were male and 3(4.3%) cases were female. The peak age incidence was 15-29 years, with 43(62.3%) patients. Stab wound was the leading cause of PAT in male and female, with 62(89.9%) cases. Firearm was responsible for 7(10.1%) cases. Young males are the most common victims. This is the most productive age group and this has grave implication for the national economy. Language: fa
Neodesarrollismo y el tipo de cambio competitivo (Neo-Developmentalism and The Competitive Exchange Rate)

Spanish Abstract: En este trabajo se intenta mostrar que las modificaciones en los tipos de cambio tienen efectos limitados en el aumento del producto, mientras que, inversamente, esos cambios impactan especialmente en la distribucion del ingreso al incidir en los precios domesticos. Se analizan y muestran multiples referencias de la literatura internacional que cuestionan este “consenso de tipos de cambio competitivos”. Se realizan correlaciones que muestran resultados distintos de los obtenidos en Rodrik (2008) con los mismos datos utilizados, aunque simplemente cambiando la metodologia de datos de panel y usando en cambio una mas convencional de series de tiempo.English Abstract: This paper shows that variations in the real exchange rate have weak effects on the output’s growth, and instead, effect specifically the income distribution, through domestic price channels. We analyze several references of international literature that argue against economic common sense about “competitive exchange rate”. It shows econometrical correlations with different results to Rodrik (2008) but, with the methodological change from his panel data to the time series techniques.
Medical Malpractice: Theory, Evidence, and Public Policy

The author approaches medical malpractice from a social, economic, and utilitarian viewpoint, using a rather broad brush to cover the subject. In 264 pages, she does cover the field admirably and quite fully. Being an associate professor in health policy research and education at Duke University, Durham, NC, she discusses the topics covered in a dispassionate and apparently logical manner, emphasizing two aspects—the deterrent and compensatory effects of the tort system and insurance premiums. The problem of malpractice in this country for the decade from 1975 to 1985 is reviewed, presenting the so-called malpractice crisis of the 1970s in moderate detail, including the various tort reforms passed in a number of state legislatures and what effect they have had on the desired results, namely, deterrence and compensation. It would appear from her analysis that little has happened in the area of deterrence, and reasons are given for this. It is
The perceived effectiveness of the implementation of task-based language teaching and mediation procedures for the teaching of business presentations at a Thai university

This case study investigates the impact of task-based language teaching (TBLT) and mediation procedures on the teaching of business presentations at a university in Thailand. A task-based course was developed, which took into account national and institutional education policies regarding the development of business-related knowledge and skills and the limited English proficiency and knowledge of the business world possessed by the learners. Three core tasks, namely Describing Company Profiles, Describing Products, and Describing Trends were designed utilising Willis’ framework (Willis, 1996). The course was delivered over the course of six sessions to two groups of students (n = 22 and 25 respectively). Mixed methods data collection techniques were employed to examine 1) the appropriateness of the designed tasks, 2) the effectiveness of TBLT, 3) the effectiveness of mediation procedures integrated in task implementation and 4) suggestions for the improvement of tasks, TBLT and mediation practices. The data was collected through pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, observer and student interviews, research journals, class observation notes, and audio and video recording of class interactions from four observers and the two groups of students mentioned above. The qualitative analysis of data focused on participant perceptions of TBLT and mediation as well as on participant recommendations. The findings indicate both positive feedback and the existence of a number of critical issues. Participants were generally satisfied with the use of a wide range of materials and the usefulness of course content. The most significant participant concerns were related to teaching and learning conditions, content relevance and coverage, task complexity and difficulty, task materials, language focus (i.e. vocabulary and grammar teaching), peer feedback and teacher feedback, peer engagement as well as teacher mediation. Implications are also discussed, particularly the greater incorporation of explicit grammar teaching and the increase in number of teaching hours to allow for individual presentation practice and mediation on linguistic difficulties.
The Cortical Representations of Speech in Reverberant Conditions

Title of Document: The Cortical Representations of Speech in Reverberant Conditions Marisel Villafañe-Delgado, Master of Science, 2013 Directed By: Professor Jonathan Z. Simon, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Speech intelligibility in adverse situations, such as reverberation and noise, is conserved until the degradations reach certain thresholds. Psychoacoustic studies have described the properties of speech that lead to the conservation of its intelligibility under those circumstances. The neural mechanisms that underlie the robustness of intelligibility in these situations, however, are not yet well understood. Here, the cortical representations of speech in reverberation and speech plus noise in reverberation are studied by measuring the cortical responses of human subjects using magnetoencephalography (MEG) while they listened to continuous speech narratives. It was hypothesized that the neural processing of speech in reverberation and speech plus noise in reverberation would follow a lack of cortical synchronization as function of the degradations. Encoding models show, however, that the neural encoding of speech in reverberation follow a different mechanism than that of speech in noise. On the other hand, in the absence of noise, it is possible to reconstruct with high accuracy the envelope of reverberant speech, thus demonstrating that the reverberant speech is well encoded by the brain. THE CORTICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF SPEECH IN REVERBERANT CONDITIONS
Application of the reciprocity theorem to volume conduction based data communication systems between implantable devices and computers

There have been increasing needs for a wireless two-way information channel between computers and microdevices implanted within the human body. It has been demonstrated that this channel can be established based on the volume conduction property of the biological tissue. This paper presents a fundamental property of the volume conduction channel. By applying the reciprocity theorem to this channel, we show that it is a symmetric channel, i.e., the sensitivity of signal transmission is independent of the direction of information flow. We discuss several important factors in actual data communication systems that produce discrepancies from the assumptions of the reciprocity theorem. We also present experimental results based on a physically constructed volume conduction model. The reciprocity property demonstrated in this paper provides theoretical guidelines for the design of volume conduction based, energy-efficient data communication modules for various implantable devices.
A Cardiac Factor in Hypertensive Responses: DELINEATION BY TRANSPLANTATION OF THE HEART

Patterns of blood pressure response to direct and reflex activation of the central nervous system were compared in normal dogs and in dogs after cardiac autotransplantation. Interventions which regularly result in elevated systemic blood pressure in the normal, anesthetized dog may produce attenuated pressor reactions, or even depressor reactions, in the dog with a cardiac autotransplant. The differences in response patterns indicate a significant contribution by the heart to the pressor response of the intact dog.
Can Children Really Create Knowledge

Can children genuinely create new knowledge, as opposed to merely carrying out activities that resemble those of mature scientists and innovators? The answer is yes, provided the comparison is not to works of genius but to standards that prevail in ordinary research communities. One important product of knowledge creation is concepts and tools that enable further knowledge creation. This is the kind of knowledge creation of greatest value in childhood education. Examples of it, drawn from elementary school knowledge-building classrooms, are examined to show both the attainability and the authenticity of knowledge creation to enable knowledge creation. It is mainly achieved through students’ theory building, and it is a powerful way of converting declarative knowledge to productive knowledge.
On the associative memory design for the Hopfield neural network

The authors examine the selection of connection weights of a Hopfield neural network model so that the network functions as a content addressable memory (CAM). They consider the discrete time version with synchronous update rule and sigmoid type nonlinear functions in the neuron outputs. The general characterization of connection weights for fixed-point programming and a condition for the asymptotic stability of these fixed points are presented. An example is also included for the analysis. It was shown that a single choice of connection weights is dependent upon two matrices, whose choice will affect the network functioning properly as a CAM. <<ETX>>
A simulated annealing approach to job shop scheduling using critical block transition operators

The job shop scheduling problem is one of the most difficult NP hard combinatorial optimization problems. This research investigates finding optimal and near optimal schedules using simulated annealing and a schedule permutation procedure. New schedules are generated by permuting operations within existing schedules. Simulated annealing probabilistically chooses one of the new schedules and probabilistically accepts or rejects it, allowing importance sampling search over the job shop schedule space. The initial and (minimum) final temperatures are adaptively determined a priori, and a reintensification strategy that improves the search by resetting the current temperature and state. Experimental results show this simple and flexible method can find near optimal schedules and often outperforms previous SA approaches. <<ETX>>
The Design of Trellis Waveform Coders

New algorithms for the design of trellis encoding data compression systems are described. The mare algorithm uses a training sequence of actual data from a source to improve an initial trellis decoder. An additional algorithm extends the constraint length of a given decoder. Combined, these algorithms allow the automatic design of a trellis encoding system for a particular source. The algorithms' effectiveness for random sources is demonstrated through performance comparisons with other source coding systems and with theoretical bounds. The algorithms are applied to the practical problem of the design of trellis and hybrid codes for medium-to-lowrate speech compression.
The new standard of care in urology outpatients? A one-stop clinic improves efficiency and quality

Objective The objective of this article is to determine retrospectively if a one-stop clinic for all new urology referrals improved the efficiency and quality of our outpatient pathway. We considered any improvement in productivity (e.g. waiting times) to indicate improved efficiency as resources were not increased. We considered any improvement in the level and continuity of specialist care to indicate improved quality as these factors have both been associated with measures of quality such as patient satisfaction. Patients and methods Quality and efficiency markers were recorded and compared for 100 consecutive urology referrals from 1 October before (2010) and after (2011) introduction of the clinic. Efficiency markers recorded were waiting times, discharge rate, number of dictated letters and clinic attendance. Quality markers recorded were grade and continuity of specialist care. Results The new appointment wait dropped from seven to two weeks. The commonest tests (flexible cystoscopy and ultrasound) were virtually all completed at first attendance. Median hospital visits before diagnosis dropped from two to one (p < 0.001). The discharge rate rose from 5/100 to 19/100 (p < 0.001). More patients (72/100 versus 42/100) were seen by a consultant and more cystoscopies (23/25 (92%) versus 1/28 (3.3%)) were performed by the urologist requesting them (p < 0.0001). The median number of dictated letters per diagnosis dropped from three to two in the one-stop clinic (p = 0.002). Conclusion The one-stop clinic significantly improved efficiency and quality markers for all new referrals, thereby improving access and reducing inequality. The clinic was inexpensive to introduce, and wider adoption of similar clinics could improve access to urological care.
Portraits sociologiques : dispositions et variations individuelles

Chaque individu est le « depositaire » de manieres de penser, de sentir et d'agir qui sont les produits de ses multiples experiences socialisatrices. Modeles par un monde social que nous faconnons en retour, nous ne lui echappons d'aucune facon. C'est ce que cet ouvrage met en evidence a travers huit portraits sociologiques de personnes longuement interviewees, a plusieurs reprises, sur des themes tres differents : l'ecole, la famille, le travail, les amis, les loisirs et activites culturelles, le sport, l'alimentation, la sante, l'habillement.
Coronally positioned flap plus resin-modified glass ionomer restoration for the treatment of gingival recession associated with non-carious cervical lesions: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the treatment of gingival recession associated with non-carious cervical lesions by a coronally advanced flap alone (CAF) or in combination with a resin-modified glass ionomer restoration (CAF+R). METHODS Nineteen subjects with bilateral Miller Class I buccal gingival recessions associated with non-carious cervical lesions were selected. The recessions were assigned randomly to receive CAF or CAF+R. Bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), relative gingival recession (RGR), clinical attachment level (CAL), non-carious cervical lesion height (CLH), and dentin sensitivity (DS) were measured at baseline; 45 days; and 2, 3, and 6 months postoperatively. Keratinized tissue width (KTW) and keratinized tissue thickness (KTT) were measured at baseline and 6 months. The height of the non-carious cervical lesion located on the root and crown were estimated, allowing calculation of root coverage. RESULTS Both groups showed statistically significant gains in CAL and soft tissue coverage. The differences between groups were not statistically significant for BOP, PD, RGR, CAL, KTW, and KTT after 6 months. The percentages of CLH covered were 56.14% +/- 11.74% for CAF+R and 59.78% +/- 11.11% for CAF (P >0.05). The root and crown surfaces affected by the non-carious cervical lesion were 1.67 +/- 0.31 mm and 0.96 +/- 0.29 mm, respectively, for CAF+R and 1.59 +/- 0.37 mm and 1.01 +/- 0.33 mm, respectively, for CAF. The estimated root coverage was 88.02% +/- 19.45% for CAF+R and 97.48% +/- 15.36% for CAF (P >0.05). CAF+R reduced DS significantly compared to CAF (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS Both procedures provided similar soft tissue coverage after 6 months. Despite the fact that a greater reduction in DS was observed after CAF+R, longitudinal observations are necessary to confirm these results.
Amyopathic dermatomyositis (dermatomyositis sine myositis) and cutaneous dermatomyositis with mild muscle disease

We report on one patient suffering from amyopathic dermatomyositis, and two patients with transient or mild muscle involvement, respectively. The rare subset of amyopathic dermatomyositis is characterized by benign clinical course and prognosis. Leading cutaneous symptoms are heliotropic rash, periorbital violaceous‐red erythema and edema, erythematous lichenoid plaques at the dorsum of the hands and fingers, hyperkeratotic, hyperesthetic eponychium, nailfold capillary abnormalities and the skin histology, while itching and photosensitivity are optional features. On the other hand, clinical or laboratory evidence of muscle involvement is absent for at least 2 years. The two patients with transient or mild muscle involvement point to transitional forms between amyopathic and classical dermatomyositis. As differential diagnosis lupus erythematosus, (photo)contact eczema, lichen planus, psoriasis, seborrhoic dermatitis and atopic dermatitis, as well as polymorphic light eruption and erythroderma, should be considered. Association with internal malignancy is rare, but is to be excluded. Waiting, hydroxychlorochine and systemic glucocorticoids are the steps of treatment, depending on the clinical course.
A category-theoretic approach to the semantics of programming languages

Here we create a framework for handling the semantics of fully typed programming languages with imperative features, higher-order ALGOL-like procedures, block structure, and implicit conversions. Our approach involves the introduction of a new family of programming languages, the coercive typed (lamda)-calculi, denoted by L in the body of the dissertation. By appropriately choosing the linguistic constants (i.e. generators) of L, we can view phrases of variants of ALGOL as syntactically sugared phrases of L. This dissertation breaks into three parts. In the first part, consisting of the first chapter, we supply basic definitions and motivate the idea that functor categories arise naturally in the explanation of block structure and stack discipline. The second part, consisting of the next three chapters, is dedicated to the general theory of the semantics of the coercive typed (lamda)-calculus; the interplay between posets, algebras, and Cartesian closed categories is particularly intense here. The remaining four chapters make up the final part, in which we apply the general theory to give both direct and continuation semantics for desugared variants of ALGOL. To do so, it is necessary to show certain functor categories are Cartesian closed and to describe a category (SIGMA) of store shapes. An interesting novelty in the presentation of continuation semantics is the view that commands form a procedural, rather than a primitive, phrase type.
Drug Use, Drinking, and Smoking: National Survey Results from High School, College, and Young Adult Populations, 1975-1988.

This report is the twelfth in an annual series reporting the drug use and relatkd attitudes of America's high school seniors, college students, and young adults. The findings, which cover the high school classes of 1975 through 1988, come from an ongoing national research and reporting program entitled "Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth. " Two of the major topics which continue to be included in this series are the current prevalence of drug use among American high school seniors and trends in use by seniors since the study began in 1975. Distinctions among important demographic subgroups in the population are made, and this year for the first time distinctions among various socioeconomic levels are included. Also reported are data on grade of first use, trends in use at lower grade levels, intensity of drug use, attitudes and beliefs among seniors concerning various types of drug use, and their perceptions of certain relevant aspects of the social environment. Data on the prevalence and trends in drug use among young adults (late teens to the late twenties) who have completed high school are also incorporated into this report series. The continuing epidemic of cocaine use among young adults makes this an age group of particular importance. Two chapters in this report present data on college students specifically. Trends are presented on drug use among college students since 1980--the first year in which a good national sample of college students 1 to 4 years past high school was available from the follow-up survey. (ABL) ********************P**********************************t*************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be riade * * from the origina". document. **********************. t*****************************************P****** Natonal Institute an Drug Abuse DRUG USE, DRINKING, AND SMOKING: NATIONAL SURVEY RESULTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND YOUNG ADULT POPULATIONS
Major Salivary Glands

The TNM system is used to describe and classify cancer stages and progression based on the assessment of three components: T The extent of the primary tumour N The absence or presence and extent of regional lymph node metastasis M The absence or presence of distant metastasis. TNM classification for the above site is described under the following headings: Rules for classification with the procedures for assessing T, N, and M categories; additional methods may be used when they enhance the accuracy of appraisal before treatment Anatomical sites and subsites where appropriate Definition of the regional lymph nodes TNM Clinical classification pTNM Pathological classification G Histopathological grading Stage grouping Summary