Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and age-related macular degeneration. Age-Related Macular Degeneration Risk Factors Study Group.

OBJECTIVES To describe a case-control study of risk factors for neovascular and non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to present findings on associations with systemic hypertension and cardiovascular disease. METHODS Participants with and without neovascular and non-neovascular AMD were recruited from 11 ophthalmology practices in the New York, NY, metropolitan area. Comprehensive data collection included (1) a standardized interview, (2) blood pressure measurements, and (3) blood samples. Cases and controls were classified from fundus photograph gradings. Polychotomous logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate associations. RESULTS Classification of 1222 sets of available photographs resulted in the inclusion of a neovascular case group (n = 182), a non-neovascular case group (n = 227), and a control group (n = 235). Neovascular AMD was positively associated with diastolic blood pressure greater than 95 mm Hg (odds ratio [OR] = 4.4), self-reported use of potent antihypertensive medication (OR = 2.1), physician-reported history of hypertension (OR = 1.8), use of antihypertensive medication (OR = 2.5), combinations of self-reported and physician-reported data on hypertension and its treatment (OR = 1. 7), high-density lipoprotein level (OR = 2.3), and dietary cholesterol level (OR = 2.2). Non-neovascular AMD was unrelated to hypertension or cholesterol level. No associations were found between either AMD type and other definitions of hypertension or other cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that neovascular AMD is associated with moderate to severe hypertension, particularly among patients receiving antihypertensive treatment. They also support the hypotheses that neovascular and non-neovascular AMD may have a different pathogenesis and that neovascular AMD and hypertensive disease may have a similar underlying systemic process.
Migration in Rural Mexico : Strategic Interactions , Dynamic Behavior , and the Environment ∗

Understanding international migration is important from both an economic and policy perspective. In this paper, we add to the literature on the determinants of migration by proposing a methodological framework that incorporates strategic interactions and dynamic behavior, and use this framework to examine the effects of the environment on migration decisions and welfare. In particular, we apply a structural econometric model of the dynamic game between households in a village making decisions about migration to detailed household-level data from rural Mexico. The structural econometric model enables us to examine how environmental factors such as changes in precipitation affect the migration decisions of households. We use the parameters we estimate to simulate the effects of counterfactual scenarios regarding climate and the environment on migration decisions and welfare. JEL Codes: O15, O54
If Memory Serves: Towards Designing and Evaluating a Game for Teaching Pointers to Undergraduate Students

Games can serve as a valuable tool for enriching computer science education, since they can facilitate a number of conditions that can promote learning and instigate affective change. As part of the 22nd ACM Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE 2017), the Working Group on Game Development for Computer Science Education convened to extend their prior work, a review of the literature and a review of over 120 educational games that support computing instruction. The Working Group builds off this earlier work to design and develop a prototype of a game grounded in specific learning objectives. They provide the source code for the game to the computing education community for further review, adaptation, and exploration. To aid this endeavor, the Working Group also chose to explore the research methods needed to establish validity, highlighting a need for more rigorous approaches to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of games in computer science education. This report provides two distinct contributions to the body of knowledge in games for computer science education. We present an experience report in the form of a case study describing the design and development of If Memory Serves, a game to support teaching pointers to undergraduate students. We then propose guidelines to validate its effectiveness rooted in theoretical approaches for evaluating learning in games and media. We include an invitation to the computer science education community to explore the game's potential in classrooms and report on its ability to achieve the stated learning outcomes.
How to Adapt to Changing Markets: Experience and Personality in a Repeated Investment Game

Investment behavior is traditionally investigated with the assumption that risky investment is on average advantageous. However, this may not always be the case. In this paper, we experimentally studied investment choices made by students and financial professionals under favorable and unfavorable market conditions in a multi-round investment game. In particular, the probability of winning was set so that investment in one condition was advantageous, and in one condition was disadvantageous. To investigate who is more likely to adapt their investment behaviors to the changing market conditions, we also measured personality and self-efficacy. We expected that investment behavior in changing markets could be predicted by a combination of experience (students, professionals), personality (anxiety, optimism, impulsivity, and Openness to Experience), and self-efficacy (belief in one’s ability to make good decisions in an investment task). Results indicate that professionals do not significantly differ from students in their decisions. Personality and self-efficacy both predicted investment behavior. In particular, we found that optimism and anxiety were a liability in unfavorable markets, leading to unreasonable levels of risk. Impulsivity was a liability in both favorable and unfavorable markets, leading to high risk on unfavorable markets, and low risk in favorable markets. Openness to experience was an asset in unfavorable markets, leading to adjusted risk taking. Finally, self-efficacy was generally related to higher levels of risk.
Service Quality Perception’s Effect on Customer Satisfaction and Repurchase Intention

This study aimed to examine and explain the effect of quality perception on customer satisfaction, both directly and through the mediation of value perception that consists of three variables, namely functional value, emotional value and social value. This study also aims to test and describe the direct effect of customer satisfaction on repurchase and it’s indirect effect through the brand choice. This study used a quantitative approach with population are consumers in all branches of Anwar Group minimarket in Bengkulu. The sampling technique used is a convinience sampling with a sample size of 200 respondents were taken from all branches of Anwar Group minimarket. The analytical tool used in this study was Structural Equation Model with Amos 22 software. The results showed that the perception of service quality significantly affected consumer satisfaction. This study also showed that all consumer value which consists of functional value, emotional value, and social value mediate the effect of service quality perception on customer satisfaction. Finally, consumer satisfaction affected repurchase, while the brand choice acted as a partial mediating on the affected of customer satisfaction on repurchase intention.
Building Extraction at Scale Using Convolutional Neural Network: Mapping of the United States

Establishing up-to-date large scale building maps is essential to understand the urban dynamics, such as estimating population, urban planning, and many other applications. Although many computer vision tasks have been successfully carried out with deep convolutional neural networks, there is a growing need to understand their large scale impact on building mapping with remote sensing imagery. Taking advantage of the scalability of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and using only few areas with the abundance of building footprints, for the first time we conduct a comparative analysis of four state-of-the-art CNNs for extracting building footprints across the entire continental United States. The four CNN architectures namely: Branch-out CNN, fully convolutional network (FCN), conditional random field as recurrent neural network (CRFasRNN), and SegNet, support semantic pixelwise labeling and focus on capturing textural information at multiscale. We use 1-meter resolution aerial images from National Agriculture Imagery Program as the test-bed, and compare the extraction results across the four methods. In addition, we propose to combine signed-distance labels with SegNet, the preferred CNN architecture identified by our extensive evaluations, to advance building extraction results to instance level. We further demonstrate the usefulness of fusing additional near IR information into the building extraction framework. Large scale experimental evaluations are conducted and reported using metrics that include: Precision, recall rate, intersection over union, and the number of buildings extracted. With the improved CNN model and no requirement of further postprocessing, we have generated building maps for the United States with an average processing time less than one minute for an area of size $\sim {\text{56}}$ $\text{km}^2$. The quality of extracted buildings and processing time demonstrated that the proposed CNN based framework fits the need of building extraction at scale.
The Active Components of Fuzheng Huayu Formula and Their Potential Mechanism of Action in Inhibiting the Hepatic Stellate Cells Viability – A Network Pharmacology and Transcriptomics Approach

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the active components of Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) formula and the mechanism by which they inhibit the viability of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by a combination of network pharmacology and transcriptomics. Methods: The active components of FZHY formula were screened out by text mining. Similarity match and molecular docking were used to predict the target proteins of these compounds. We then searched the STRING database to analyze the key enriched processes, pathways and related diseases of these target proteins. The relevant networks were constructed by Cytoscape. A network analysis method was established by integrating data from above network pharmacology with known transcriptomics analysis of quiescent HSCs-activated HSCs to identify the most possible targets of the active components in FZHY formula. A cell-based assay (LX-2 and T6 cells) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis were used to validate the most possible active component-target protein interactions (CTPIs). Results: 40 active ingredients in FZHY formula and their 79 potential target proteins were identified by network pharmacology approach. Further network analysis reduced the 79 potential target proteins to 31, which were considered more likely to be the target proteins of the active components in FZHY formula. In addition, further enrichment analysis of 31 target proteins indicated that the HIF-1, PI3K-Akt, FoxO, and chemokine signaling pathways may be the primary pathways regulated by FZHY formula in inhibiting the HSCs viability for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Of the 31 target proteins, peroxisome proliferator activator receptor gamma (PPARG) was selected for validation by experiments at the cellular and molecular level. The results demonstrated that schisandrin B, salvianolic acid A and kaempferol could directly bind to PPARG, decreasing the viability of HSCs (T6 cells and LX-2 cells) and exerting anti-fibrosis effects. Conclusion: The active ingredients of FZHY formula were successfully identified and the mechanisms by which they inhibit HSC viability determined, using network pharmacology and transcriptomics. This work is expected to benefit the clinical application of this formula.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type VI: A Form of Brittle Bone Disease with a Mineralization Defect

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heritable disease of bone in which the hallmark is bone fragility. Usually, the disorder is divided into four groups on clinical grounds. We previously described a group of patients initially classified with OI type IV who had a discrete phenotype including hyperplastic callus formation without evidence of mutations in type I collagen. We called that disease entity OI type V. In this study, we describe another group of 8 patients initially diagnosed with OI type IV who share unique, common characteristics. We propose to name this disorder “OI type VI. ” Fractures were first documented between 4 and 18 months of age. Patients with OI type VI sustained more frequent fractures than patients with OI type IV. Sclerae were white or faintly blue and dentinogenesis imperfecta was uniformly absent. All patients had vertebral compression fractures. No patients showed radiological signs of rickets. Lumbar spine areal bone mineral density (aBMD) was low and similar to age‐matched patients with OI type IV. Serum alkaline phosphatase levels were elevated compared with age‐matched patients with type IV OI (409 ± 145 U/liter vs. 295 ± 95 U/liter; p < 0.03 by t‐test). Other biochemical parameters of bone and mineral metabolism were within the reference range. Mutation screening of the coding regions and exon/intron boundaries of both collagen type I genes did not reveal any mutations, and type I collagen protein analyses were normal. Qualitative histology of iliac crest bone biopsy specimens showed an absence of the birefringent pattern of normal lamellar bone under polarized light, often with a “fish‐scale” pattern. Quantitative histomorphometry revealed thin cortices, hyperosteoidosis, and a prolonged mineralization lag time in the presence of a decreased mineral apposition rate. We conclude that type VI OI is a moderate to severe form of brittle bone disease with accumulation of osteoid due to a mineralization defect, in the absence of a disturbance of mineral metabolism. The underlying genetic defect remains to be elucidated.
SN 2016esw: A luminous Type II supernova observed within the first day after the explosion

We present photometry, spectroscopy, and host-galaxy integral-field spectroscopy of the Type II supernova (SN) 2016esw in CGCG~229-009 from the first day after the explosion up to 120 days. Its light-curve shape is similar to that of a typical SN II; however, SN 2016esw is near the high-luminosity end of the SN II distribution, with a peak of $M^{\rm max}_{V}=-18.36$ mag. The $V$-band light curve exhibits a long recombination phase for a SN II (similar to the long-lived plateau of SN 2004et). Considering the well-known relation between the luminosity and the plateau decline rate, SN 2016esw should have a $V$-band slope of $\sim 2.10$ mag (100 days)$^{-1}$; however, SN 2016esw has a substantially flatter plateau with a slope of $1.01\pm 0.26$ mag (100 days)$^{-1}$, perhaps indicating that interacting Type II supernovae are not useful for cosmology. At 19.5 days post-explosion, the spectrum presents a boxy H$\alpha$ emission line with flat absorption profiles, suggesting interaction between the ejecta and circumstellar matter. Finally, based on the spectral properties, SN 2016esw shows similarities with the luminous and interacting SN 2007pk at early epochs, particularly in terms of observable line features and their evolution.
Prevalence of Barotitis and Its Prevention and Treatment with Nasal Balloon Inflation : A Prospective , Controlled Study *

Introduction: The most common cause of barotitis is pressure changes induced during descent in aviation. The incidence after air flight has been reported to vary from 8% to 17%. Objectives: We conducted this study to estimate the incidence of barotitis after flight, to evaluate whether the incidence of barotitis can be reduced by nasal balloon inflation during descent, and, finally, to estimate the effect of nasal balloon inflation in case of negative middle ear pressure after landing. Study Design: Aircraft passengers were examined by otoscopy and tympanometry before and after flying and filled in a questionnaire inquiring about ear problems. On half of the flights, the passengers were asked to inflate a nasal balloon during descent, whereas the other half were control flights. Results: A total of 188 passengers filled in the questionnaire. Of these, 134 were examined before and after the flight. Otoscopic signs of barotitis were found in 15% of the ears in the control group compared with 6% in the balloon inflation group. In ears with a negative pressure after flying, the pressure could be equalized by Valsalva’s maneuver in 46%. Passengers who were unable to equalize the pressure in this way inflated a nasal balloon, and in 69%, this maneuver cleared the middle ear pressure.
Metabolic equivalent of brisk walking and playing new generation active computer games in young-adults

Introduction: Regular moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, provides health benefits. We compared the energy expenditure during brisk treadmill walking and playing new generation active computer games (i.e. Nintendo Wii Sports tennis, baseball and boxing). Methods: Ten participants (mean±SD, 21±1 years; 73.9±12.0 kg; 1.76±0.06 m) walked at a brisk pace on a treadmill (3x10 min, 5 min rest periods) or played tennis, baseball and boxing (Wii sports) in similar time sequence. Energy expenditure was measured with the portable Cosmed K4b2 indirect calorimetry system and expressed in metabolic equivalents (METs). A within-subjects crossover design was used with repeated measures two-way ANOVA and post-hoc paired samples t-test for analysis. Results: METs during brisk treadmill walking (5.7±1.2 range: 4.4 8.5) were significantly higher (P<0.05) than during Wii Sports boxing (4.7±1.4, range: 2.7-6.8), tennis (3.1±1.2, range: 2.0-4.0) and baseball (2.8±0.7, range: 1.6-3.8). The MET values of boxing were higher than for tennis and baseball (P<0.05). Conclusions: Guidelines for physical activity required to get health benefits could be met by young adults playing Wii Sports but are activity-specific. Playing a combination of Wii Sports tennis, baseball, and boxing may not necessarily be a substitute for a moderate-intensity exercise session as part of a programme to promote and maintain health.
Speeding up and enhancing a large-scale fingerprint identification system on GPU*

ABSTRACT Fingerprint identification is one of the most common biometric feature problems which is used in many applications. Although state-of-the-art algorithms are very accurate, the need for fast processing a big database of millions of fingerprints is highly demanding. In this paper, we propose to adapt the fingerprint matching algorithm based on Minutia Cylinder-Code on Graphics Processing Units to speed up the matching. Another contribution of this paper is to add a consolidation stage after matching to enhance the precision. The experimental results on a GTX-680 and K40 tesla devices with standard data-sets prove that the proposed algorithm can be comparable with the state-of-the-art approach, and is suitable for a real-time identification application.
Head shape allometry and proximate causes of head sexual dimorphism in Podarcis lizards: joining linear and geometric morphometrics

Podarcis bocagei and Podarcis carbonelli are two lacertid species endemic to the western Iberian Peninsula, and both show head size and shape sexual dimorphism. We studied immature and adult head sexual dimorphism and analysed ontogenetic trajectories of head traits with body and head size, aiming to shed light on the proximate mechanisms involved. Immatures were much less dimorphic than adults, but geometric morphometric techniques revealed that head shape sexual differences are already present at this stage. Males and females differed in allometry of all head characters with body size, with males showing a disproportionate increase of head size and dimensions. On the other hand, head dimensions and head shape changed with increasing head size following similar trends in both sexes, possibly indicating developmental restrictions. Consequently, adult sexual dimorphism for head characters in these species is the result of both shape differences in the immature stage and hypermetric growth of the head in relation to body size in males. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 93, 111–124.
In the name of democracy: The value of democracy explains leniency towards wrongdoings as a function of group political organization

According to the “democracy-as-value” hypothesis, democracy has become an ideological belief system providing social value to democratic individuals, groups and institutions, granting legitimacy to their actions (even if dishonest or violent), and protecting them from consecutive punishments. The present research investigates the extent to which this legitimizing process is based on the individual endorsement of democratic principles. Across four experiments, following the misdeed of a (few) group member(s), respondents who valued democratic group organization and democracy in general expressed more lenient retributive justice judgments towards democratic (as compared with nondemocratic) offender groups. These findings shed light on the ways in which democratic ideology infuses justice judgments. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Concentric ESN: Assessing the Effect of Modularity in Cycle Reservoirs

The paper introduces concentric Echo State Network, an approach to design reservoir topologies that tries to bridge the gap between deterministically constructed simple cycle models and deep reservoir computing approaches. We show how to modularize the reservoir into simple unidirectional and concentric cycles with pairwise bidirectional jump connections between adjacent loops. We provide a preliminary experimental assessment showing how concentric reservoirs yield to superior predictive accuracy and memory capacity with respect to single cycle reservoirs and deep reservoir models.
Social status and required number of volunteers as determinants of cooperation in a Volunteer ’ s Dilemma

The current research examined the tendency to volunteer in a Volunteer’s Dilemma Game, with the number of required volunteers and social status as main determinants. When more volunteers were needed to succeed in the volunteer’s dilemma, cooperation increased. This increase was not influenced by the status role the participants were assigned to. More specifically, social status turned out to have no effect on the tendency to cooperate at all, and did therefore not replicate earlier findings of social status on the Volunteer’s Dilemma. Some reasons for this lack of evidence are adduced and future implications are discussed. Together, these findings suggest that the more volunteers are needed, the more participants will cooperate.
Line Search Algorithms for Locally Lipschitz Functions on Riemannian Manifolds

This paper presents line search algorithms for finding extrema of locally Lipschitz functions defined on Riemannian manifolds. To this end we generalize the so-called Wolfe conditions for nonsmooth functions on Riemannian manifolds. Using $\varepsilon$-subgradient-oriented descent directions and the Wolfe conditions, we propose a nonsmooth Riemannian line search algorithm and establish the convergence of our algorithm to a stationary point. Moreover, we extend the classical BFGS algorithm to nonsmooth functions on Riemannian manifolds. Numerical experiments illustrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm.