Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computing a Second Opinion: Automated Reasoning and Statistical Inference applied to Medical Data

De hoeveelheid medische gegevens die digitaal is opgeslagen groeit wereldwijd in een snel tempo. Deze groei biedt de mogelijkheid aan nieuwe en interessante applicaties om ons besef van zorg te veranderen. We stellen ons de vraag welke onderdelen van zorg waarin kennis wordt gedeeld te automatiseren zijn en hoe deze automatisering te bewerkstelligen is. Ons werk richt zich op het automatiseren van twee aspecten van zorg die traditioneel gezien menselijke supervisie vereisen. Namelijk het genereren van persoonlijk advies voor schizofreniepatienten en het vinden van het beste vectorautoregressiemodel voor digitale patientendagboeken. We hebben een aantal belangrijke stappen gezet op weg naar het geautomatiseerd verwerken van digitale medische gegevens. Ten behoeve van de patient hebben we aangetoond dat het geven van advies aan schizofreniepatienten, een taak die voorzichtigheid en nauwkeurigheid vereist, zeer goed te automatiseren is. Ten behoeve van de clinicus hebben we aangetoond dat tevens complexe processen, zoals het vinden van het optimale vectorautoregressiemodel voor digitale patientendagboeken, te automatiseren zijn. Om de zorg toegankelijk en betaalbaar te houden in de komende decennia, verwachten we dat het noodzakelijk is om routineoperaties gebaseerd op digitale medische gegevens grotendeels te automatiseren. Echter, voordat we zover zijn, verwachten we een overgangsperiode waarin dit soort systemen worden ontwikkeld, getraind, en gebruikt als second opinion.
Patient-Specific Computational Modelling Of Embolic Stroke

Embolic stroke occurs when arterial debris or thrombus detaches from the insides of the diseased arteries and moves through the bloodstream to block arteries supplying the brain. Stroke is a major clinical problem but few researchers have attempted to model embolus transport. Existing methods available for modelling stroke have numerous strengths and limitations. This aim of this thesis is to investigate approaches to modelling the transport of emboli through the cerebral vasculature with a view to performing patientspecific simulations toward a better understanding of the pathophysiology of stroke. This thesis is divided into three sections. In section one I investigate flow models of the cerebral circulation, reviewing anatomy and computational blood flow modelling, before creating a 0D model of the circle of Willis, produce a flow phantom of the cerebral vasculature, segment and analyse patient MR angiograms, and apply the 0D model to patient anatomy. In section two I discuss and review computational modelling of embolus transport, adapt a fractal embolus trajectory model and an embolus sizing algorithm to patient-specific data using measurements from MR angiograms, then discuss the results of patient measurements and the embolus trajectory simulations. In section three I discuss applying a fluid dynamics method called smoothedparticle hydrodynamics (SPH) to modelling emboli in the blood, I review SPH models of blood flow, present feasibility studies for applying SPH to emboli, and finally create an in-house code for simulating emboli, which is applied to embolus migration in a tube. Dedicated to my loving, supportive and endlessly patient partner George, without whom this thesis would still be an empty document.
Dementia Knowledge Among Hispanic Family Caregivers

The Health Projects Center (HPC) was established in 1980 as a non-profit corporation serving Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito Counties. HPC offers programs to health and social service professionals, older adults, and family caregivers. At HPC many caregivers experience health problems associated with caregiving distress. To address this concern, “Dementia Knowledge Among Hispanic Caregivers” was implemented, to determine the effectiveness of the Caregiver Support Group at HPC. This group consisted of caregivers of Mexican descent, whose primary language is Spanish, who are caring for a loved one who suffers from dementia or a cognitive disorder. In order to assess caregivers’ knowledge of dementia and stress, a questionnaire was used. The expected outcome was for all participants to recognize the symptoms of dementia and to recognize when they are under stress. The questions were read aloud for the participants to ensure there were no language barriers. The findings were that 66.67% recognize symptoms of Alzheimer’s and even though, 83.33% recognized when they were under stress, only 50% practiced self-care. There are three recommendations for the agency, including implementing a session in the support group that focuses more on enhancing the caregiver’s knowledge on different stages of dementia. Additionally, it is recommended to have two groups, one for experienced caregivers and the other for new caregivers. Finally, all caregivers could use more support on how to actually practice self-care.
Common injuries among male field hockey players according to playing positions

The purpose of this study was to examine injury patterns of Egyptian field hockey players and broaden the current base of knowledge by identifying the injury rates among different positions. Using interviews 75 players from eight teams were surveyed. The participating players played in the Egyptian field hockey league and were professional players. The players were categorized according their playing positions as 8 goalkeepers, 26 defenders, 24 midfielders and 17 strikers. The interview contained questions about observed and experienced injuries, cause of injuries, type of injuries and region of occurrence. Descriptive statistics were derived using SPSS (19) and statistics used frequency method to determine the percentage of all collected data . The most body region exposed to injury is the pelvic and thigh region with 21% of the total injuries, the common injuries to hockey players in upper limb is low back pain and in lower limb is cramps of posterior thigh muscles. The goalkeepers were the lowest level of injuries in current study, then come defenders and midfielders. The stickers was relatively near percentage to midfielders. The most conclusion in current study was, an attention to adequate warming up and muscles stretching during training and prior matches are vital.
TOPICAL STRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF ACCOMPLISHED ENGLISH PROSE

TOPICAL STRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF ACCOMPLISHED ENGLISH PROSE by Steven Hoenisch Advisor: Professor Ricardo Otheguy This study analyzes the topical structure of accomplished essays and compares the results with the topical structure tacitly preferred by assessors in their judgments of student essays. The paper examines whether the same patterns of topical structure that are rewarded by assessors in student writing, as reported by previous studies, are in fact used by professionals writing within a similar genre. The results of the comparison help determine the extent to which essays written for such tests as Educational Testing Service's TOEFL Test of Written English are evaluated in accordance with the unstated norms of topical structure in comparable accomplished English prose. Variations in the topical structure of student essays have correlated well with different assessments of writing quality (Schneider and Connor 1991; Witte 1983a, 1983b). Three variations of topical structure are at issue: parallel V progression, in which the same topic repeats itself in successive sentences; sequential progression, in which the comment of one sentence becomes the topic of the next; and extended parallel progression, in which the first and last topics in a string of sentences are the same but are interrupted with sequential progression. Schneider and Connor (1991) found that highly rated essays contained a high proportion of coherence-building sequential progressions and an extended parallel progression that helps return the essay to its main theme. The sample of accomplished essays analyzed in this paper are assumed to represent the tacit norms of underlying topical structure within the genre. The analysis finds that the accomplished essays contain similar patterns of topical structure to the high-rated student essays in Schneider and Connor's study (Schneider and Connor 1991). The accomplished essays, like the high-rated student essays, contain a large proportion of coherence-building sequential progression and a small proportion of parallel progressions. TABLE OF CONTENTS V
Emission of dispersed‐type inorganic EL devices with frequency‐variable high‐voltage oscillation circuit

Dispersed‐type inorganic electroluminescent (EL) devices composed of a transparent electrode, a phosphor, a dielectric, and a back electrode were prepared under various conditions using a zinc sulfide (ZnS)‐based phosphor. Additionally, a voltage/frequency variable circuit was designed. A compact high‐voltage/frequency variable circuit including three modules for boosting, frequency conversion, and voltage conversion was designed. A 140 Vpp voltage and a frequency in the range of 270 Hz to 2.4 kHz can be controlled by this circuit. The emission has begun to be observed at a voltage about 60 Vpp and a frequency of 400 Hz, at a voltage about 40 Vpp and a frequency of 1.4 kHz, 2.4 kHz, respectively. The emission intensity increased with an increase in frequency; emission with a wavelength of 450 nm was strongly influenced by the frequency. The luminescence and the electrical properties were affected by the preparation conditions including device structures, dispersion of ZnS:Cu, and Cl particles because of the current path generated by defects in the EL cell.
BabyAI: A Platform to Study the Sample Efficiency of Grounded Language Learning

Allowing humans to interactively train artificial agents to understand language instructions is desirable for both practical and scientific reasons, but given the poor data efficiency of the current learning methods, this goal may require substantial research efforts. Here, we introduce the BabyAI research platform to support investigations towards including humans in the loop for grounded language learning. The BabyAI platform comprises an extensible suite of 19 levels of increasing difficulty. The levels gradually lead the agent towards acquiring a combinatorially rich synthetic language which is a proper subset of English. The platform also provides a heuristic expert agent for the purpose of simulating a human teacher. We report baseline results and estimate the amount of human involvement that would be required to train a neural network-based agent on some of the BabyAI levels. We put forward strong evidence that current deep learning methods are not yet sufficiently sample efficient when it comes to learning a language with compositional properties.
Outcomes of Programmed Cell Death Protein 1 (PD-1) and Programmed Death-Ligand 1(PD-L1) Inhibitor Therapy in HIV Patients with Advanced Cancer

Due to HAART and consequent decline in mortality from infectious complications, HIV patients have an increasing burden of non-AIDS defining cancers. Data on their safety and efficacy is unknown as these patients were excluded from clinical trials due to concern of unforeseen side effects. Objectives. The main objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in HIV patients being treated for advanced cancers and to assess the impact of these drugs on HIV status of the patients specifically CD4 count and HIV viral load. Materials and Methods. This was a retrospective analysis of data of 17 patients HIV treated with one of the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (Nivolumab, Pembrolizumab, Atezolizumab, Durvalumab, or Avelumab) for advanced cancer. Results. 10 out of 17 patients responded to therapy. 7 patients, all of whom had shown response to therapy, were alive and 4 were still on checkpoint inhibitor. 10 patients including all 7 nonresponders had died. Responders had minimum of 15 weeks of response while one had ongoing continued response at 34 weeks. Side effects were seen in 7 patients and only one patient needed cessation of therapy. CD4 counts were stable on treatment while HIV RNA remained undetectable. Conclusion. PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors appear to have comparable efficacy and tolerable side effect profile and have no effect on HIV markers when used in HIV patients with advanced cancers.
Monitoring melanoma recurrence with circulating tumor DNA: a proof of concept from three case studies

Background A significant number of melanoma patients experience recurrence to distant sites, despite having had surgical treatment of the primary lesion, with curative intent. Monitoring of patients for early evidence of disease recurrence would significantly improve management of the disease, allowing timely therapeutic intervention. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is becoming a well-recognized biomarker for monitoring malignancies and has, in a few studies, been shown to signify disease recurrence earlier than conventional methods. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of plasma ctDNA using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in 30 primary melanoma patients with tumors harboring BRAF, NRAS or TERT promoter mutations. Mutant specific ctDNA, measured during clinical disease course, was compared with disease status in patients with confirmed disease recurrence (n = 3) and in those with no evidence of disease recurrence (n = 27). Results Mutant specific ctDNA was detected in all three patients with disease recurrence at the time of clinically confirmed progression. In one case, plasma ctDNA detection preceded clinical identification of recurrence by an interval of 4 months. CtDNA was not detected in patients who were asymptomatic and had no radiological evidence of recurrence. Conclusions This study demonstrates promising results for the use of ctDNA as an informative monitoring tool for melanoma patients having undergone tumor resection of an early stage primary tumor. The clinical utility of ctDNA for monitoring disease recurrence warrants investigation in prospective studies as it may improve patient outcome.
Lithophagy Prolongs Voluntary Dives in American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)

Abstract Many vertebrates ingest stones, but the function of this behavior is not fully understood. We tested the hypothesis that lithophagy increases the duration of voluntary dives in juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). After ingestion of granite stones equivalent to 2.5% of body weight, the average duration of dives increased by 88% and the maximum duration increased by 117%. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that gastroliths serve to increase specific gravity, and that the animals compensate by increasing lung volume, thereby diving with larger stores of pulmonary oxygen.
Punctal Plug as a Treatment Option for Dry Eye Associated with Congenital Supernumary Puncta

This study aims to describe a case of double lower lacrimal punctum-canaliculi in a dry eye patient treated with a punctal plug. A 60-year-old healthy female presented with complaints of tearing, itchy eyes, and foreign body sensation in the right eye for many years. There was no history of trauma or inflammation. Two patent independent supernumerary puncta and canaliculi were present on the right lower eyelid. The Schirmer Test II (with anesthesia) was zero, the tear breakup time was 2 s, and superficial punctate erosions were present in the right eye. A long-term nonabsorbable punctal plug was inserted into one of the lower puncta. At 9-month follow-up, the dry eye symptoms decreased markedly, the Schirmer Test II improved and superficial keratitis resolved.
Security and usability in a hybrid property based graphical authentication system

Alphanumeric text and PINs continue to be the dominant authentication methods in spite of the numerous concerns by security researchers of their inability to properly address usability and security flaws and to effectively combine usability and security. These flaws have, however, contributed to the growing research interest in the development and use of graphical authentication systems as alternatives to text based systems. Graphical passwords or graphical authentication systems are password systems that use images rather than characters or numbers in user authentication. The picture superiority effect, a belief that humans are better able to memorise images than text, has very much influenced the proliferation of and support for graphical authentication systems. In spite of their growing acceptance, however, empirical studies have shown that graphical authentication systems have also inherited some of the flaws of text based passwords. These flaws include predictability, vulnerability to observational attacks and the inability of systems to efficiently combine security with usability. Hence there is a continued quest among usable security researchers to find that hypothetical system that has both strong usability and strong security. In this research, a novel concept for hybrid graphical authentication systems is developed. This consists of a class of systems that are called ‘property based authentication systems’ which adopt the use of image properties for user authentication, rather than specific images as used in existing systems. Image properties are specified contents of images which gives the image a set of characteristics. Several implementations of these systems have been developed and evaluated. Significant empirical performance studies have been conducted to evaluate these systems in terms of usability and security. The usability evaluations conducted evaluate the systems in terms effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction, while security evaluations measure their susceptibility to common attacks. The results from these studies suggests that property based systems have better usability and security when compared to commonly known and well researched graphical authentication systems.
A cost minimization analysis comparing minimally-invasive with open reduction surgical techniques for pelvic ring fracture

The aim of the present study was to compare the in-hospital direct medical costs of patients with pelvic fracture treated with minimally invasive surgery (MIS) or open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). A retrospective, single-center, cohort, and comparative study was performed. Administrative information and clinical results, in addition to cost data, were collected and analyzed. A cost minimization analysis method was used to evaluate the costs of two different surgical techniques. A total of 128 patients diagnosed with pelvic fracture were included in this study; 62 were treated with MIS and 66 underwent ORIF. No significant difference was observed between the 2 groups in terms of patients' clinical baseline characteristics. The operative time, length of incision, intra-operative blood loss, and post-operative length of stay in the MIS group were significantly different compared with those in the ORIF group. The cost-minimization analysis demonstrated that the cost effectiveness of MIS was better than ORIF as the MIS was associated with a significantly lower total in-hospital direct medical cost ($8,900 vs. $5,786, P=0.032), compared with ORIF. The cost-minimization analysis demonstrated that for similar clinical baseline characteristics as well as outcomes, there were differences in direct hospitalization cost of two surgical techniques, and MIS had a lower cost on average than ORIF.
Experimental Examination of the Relationship between Relative Performance Information, Goal Setting and Performance

Manuscript type: Research paper. Research aims: This study experimentally examines the relationship between relative performance information (RPI), goal setting and performance. Hypotheses are developed based on social comparison theory, goal setting theory and relevant prior studies. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study deploys multiple sessions of experiments with 110 undergraduate students as the participants. The two manipulated variables are the provision of RPI and the level of goal difficulty. Research findings: Results from the experiment indicate that the presence of RPI is positively associated with performance, and an attainable goal is associated with high goal commitment and eventually, higher performance. More importantly, this study finds an interaction between RPI and goal commitment, where the positive effect of RPI on performance is more pronounced in a condition where individual’s goal commitment is high. Theoretical contributions/Originality: This study contributes to the accounting literature by providing empirical evidence that the positive effect of RPI on performance can be enhanced to a greater degree by individual’s high commitment towards the assigned goal. Practitioner/Policy implications: This study has a practical implication by providing empirical evidence on how RPI and goal setting can be used strategically by firms to escalate employee’s performance. Research limitations/Implications: Limitations related to the types of RPI, goal levels and experiment task applied. Future studies may address these limitations and use a different type of task that is more closely associated with the current workplace situation. Keywords: Relative Performance Information, Goal Setting, Performance, Experimental ExaminationJEL Classification: M41
Comparison anal and urinary incontinence in post-menopausal women with and without pelvic organ prolapse

Study design, materials and methods This cross-sectional study was done on 340 women aged 45-60 years in Tabriz, Northwest Iran, during 2016. Data were collected using a demographic data questionnaire and Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Short form (PFDI-20). For determine pelvic organ prolapse, women were examined in dorsal lithotomy position, during Valsalva maneuverer and using simplified pelvic organ prolapse quantification (S-POPQ)(1). The protocol of the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (No: 5/4/4976). Sampling was done in two phases, so that 29 healthcare centers in the city were coded and one third of the centers were selected randomly. Then in the second phase, eligible women were identified and selected randomly using the family records in each center. We included women aged 45-60 years with physiological menopause. Women with urinary infection in mid-stream urine were excluded.
A comparative study of primary skin and subcutaneous tissue closure and open skin technique in emergency laparotomy for perforative peritonitis: an observational and prospective study

Background: Surgical site infections (SSI) are major complications following laparotomy for perforative peritonitis largely affecting the quality of life, increasing morbidity and mortality. The study conducted seeks the factors that may be associated with post-operative surgical site infection.Methods: A comprehensive observational and prospective study reporting advantages and disadvantages of Primary Closure (PC) and Delayed Primary Closure (DPC) for SSI, duration of hospital stay and morbidity following various aetiologies of perforative peritonitis requiring emergency laparotomy.Results: Incidence of SSI was less in the DPC group (7.4%) compared to the PC group (42.9%) (p= 0.0040. Length of hospital stay was comparable in both groups, mean 13.52 days in the DPC group versus 14.07 days in the PC group (p=0.586). Significantly higher rates of SSI were found in patients with ASA grade >2 (p=0.012). Duration of surgery >4 hours and intra-operative transfusion were also found to have higher rates of SSI, but these differences were not significant (p=0.181 in both cases). Incidence of SSI did not have any co-relation with site of perforation.Conclusions: SSI increases the hospital stay by approximately 5 days average. DPC significantly reduces the incidence of SSI in perforative peritonitis patients but the advantage of DPC over PC is questionable. Patients with ASA grades >2 were found to have significantly higher rates of SSI. Patients with >4hours surgery and patients with intra-operative transfusion also had higher rates of SSI, but this was not significant. Site of perforation have no co-relation with incidence of SSI.