Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Systematic reviews of evaluations of prognostic variables

This is the last in a series of four articles Prognostic studies include clinical studies of variables predictive of future events as well as epidemiological studies of aetiological risk factors. As multiple similar studies accumulate it becomes increasingly important to identify and evaluate all of the relevant studies to develop a more reliable overall assessment. For prognostic studies this is not straightforward. Box 1 summarises the clinical importance of information on prognostic factors. Many of the issues discussed are also relevant to aetiological studies, especially cohort ones. Some features of prognostic studies lead to particular difficulties for the systematic reviewer. Firstly, in most clinical prognostic studies the outcome of primary interest is the time to an event, often death. Meta-analysis of such studies is rather more difficult than that for binary data or continuous measurements. Secondly, in many contexts the prognostic variable of interest is often one of several prognostic variables. When examining a variable of interest researchers should consider other prognostic variables with which it might be correlated. Thirdly, many prognostic factors are continuous variables, for which researchers use a wide variety of methods of analysis. #### Summary points Systematic reviews are applicable to all types of research design, and studies of prognostic variables are an important additional area where appropriate methodology should be applied Prognostic variables should be evaluated in a representative sample of patients assembled at a common point in the course of their disease—ideally they should all have received the same medical treatment or been in a randomised trial When examined critically, a high proportion of prognostic studies are found to be methodologically poor Meta-analysis of published data is hampered by difficulties in extraction of data and variation in the characteristics of the study and patients The poor quality of the published literature is a strong argument in favour …
Charting the Host Adaptation of Influenza Viruses

Four influenza pandemics have struck the human population during the last 100 years causing substantial morbidity and mortality. The pandemics were caused by the introduction of a new virus into the human population from an avian or swine host or through the mixing of virus segments from an animal host with a human virus to create a new reassortant subtype virus. Understanding which changes have contributed to the adaptation of the virus to the human host is essential in assessing the pandemic potential of current and future animal viruses. Here, we develop a measure of the level of adaptation of a given virus strain to a particular host. We show that adaptation to the human host has been gradual with a timescale of decades and that none of the virus proteins have yet achieved full adaptation to the selective constraints. When the measure is applied to historical data, our results indicate that the 1918 influenza virus had undergone a period of preadaptation prior to the 1918 pandemic. Yet, ancestral reconstruction of the avian virus that founded the classical swine and 1918 human influenza lineages shows no evidence that this virus was exceptionally preadapted to humans. These results indicate that adaptation to humans occurred following the initial host shift from birds to mammals, including a significant amount prior to 1918. The 2009 pandemic virus seems to have undergone preadaptation to human-like selective constraints during its period of circulation in swine. Ancestral reconstruction along the human virus tree indicates that mutations that have increased the adaptation of the virus have occurred preferentially along the trunk of the tree. The method should be helpful in assessing the potential of current viruses to found future epidemics or pandemics.
A Node Influence Based Label Propagation Algorithm for Community Detection in Networks

Label propagation algorithm (LPA) is an extremely fast community detection method and is widely used in large scale networks. In spite of the advantages of LPA, the issue of its poor stability has not yet been well addressed. We propose a novel node influence based label propagation algorithm for community detection (NIBLPA), which improves the performance of LPA by improving the node orders of label updating and the mechanism of label choosing when more than one label is contained by the maximum number of nodes. NIBLPA can get more stable results than LPA since it avoids the complete randomness of LPA. The experimental results on both synthetic and real networks demonstrate that NIBLPA maintains the efficiency of the traditional LPA algorithm, and, at the same time, it has a superior performance to some representative methods.
Rendering of Forest Scenes

I will discuss and compare two methods to render large forest scenes. One involves pre-generated impostors with different levels of coarseness, the other one batches up large parts of the scene according to an octree grid. Additionally, a method for LOD blending without transparency and a method for tree shading will also be presented.
International Technological Spillovers and Economic Growth. The Italian Case

This study moves along the recent research path started by Coe and Helpman (1995) which aims at unravelling the mechanics of spillovers in the economic growth of nations. Unlike many previous studies, which are mainly cross-sectional, our analysis focuses on the experience of Italy. The time-series analysis 1963-1995 shows that the Italian economic growth has been critically influenced by external technology funnelled by imports of investment goods. Moreover, empirical evidence suggests that Italian growth has been and still is more related to external rather than internal spillovers; moreover, the extent of external spillovers has shown some relevant changes throughout the years - aggregate (but not industrial) spillovers have slowed down since the eighties.
Making the Invisible Visible: Highlight Substitution by Color Light Fields

Abstract In this contribution we present a new technique of high-light substitution. From a color image sequence, acquiredwith a hand-held camera, a so-calledlight ﬁeld is gener-ated. Additionally, a highlight mask is calculated for eachimage of the sequence. The highlight mask is then used asa conﬁdence map for the light ﬁeld. This results in colorpixel interpolations at highlight pixels, taken from imagesin whichthese pixelswerenotover-imposedbyhighlights,resulting in better images. We demonstrate the techniqueon medical endoscopic images and evaluate the results onboth, natural and synthetic data. 1. Introduction When recording color image sequences of natural scenes,highlights due to specularreﬂection may considerablydis-turb the observer. This is particularly the case when med-ical images are recorded and humid tissue is subject toinspection. For endoscopic images the problem even in-creases as light source and viewing direction are almostidentical; thereby, surfaces orthogonal to the viewing di-rection are often over-imposed to such an extent, that thephysicians can only guess the tissue at that position.In this contribution we show how highlights – as wellas other image degradations– can be removed from imagesequences when a light ﬁeld is created ﬁrst, that is subse-quently used to enhance image quality at locations, wherethe input images show defects. The light ﬁeld is a four-dimensional structure for rendering virtual color imagesfrom arbitrary positions within a certain volume.
Species-time-area and phylogenetic-time-area relationships in tropical tree communities

The species-area relationship (SAR) has proven to be one of the few strong generalities in ecology. The temporal analog of the SAR, the species-time relationship (STR), has received considerably less attention. Recent work primarily from the temperate zone has aimed to merge the SAR and the STR into a synthetic and unified species-time-area relationship (STAR) as originally envisioned by Preston (1960). Here we test this framework using two tropical tree communities and extend it by deriving a phylogenetic-time-area relationship (PTAR). The work finds some support for Preston's prediction that diversity-time relationships, both species and phylogenetic, are sensitive to the spatial scale of the sampling. Contrary to the Preston's predictions we find a decoupling of diversity-area and diversity-time relationships in both forests as the time period used to quantify the diversity-area relationship changes. In particular, diversity-area and diversity-time relationships are positively correlated using the initial census to quantify the diversity-area relationship, but weakly or even negatively correlated when using the most recent census. Thus, diversity-area relationships could forecast the temporal accumulation of biodiversity of the forests, but they failed to “back-cast” the temporal accumulation of biodiversity suggesting a decoupling of space and time.
Do parent protective responses mediate the relation between parent distress and child functional disability among children with chronic pain?

OBJECTIVES To examine whether protective parent responses mediate the relation between parent distress and child functioning. METHODS At a pain clinic evaluation, 157 families participated. Parents completed measures of global distress (BSI-18), distress in the context of their child's pain (BAP-PIQ), and protective responses to their child's pain. Children completed measures of functional disability and pain. RESULTS BAP-PIQ subscales were significantly associated with child functional disability, whereas BSI subscales were unrelated. Protective parent responses partially mediated the relation between parent distress and child functional disability for depression, anxiety, and catastrophizing. However, parent protective behavior fully mediated the relationship between parent helplessness and child functional disability, indicating that feelings of parent helplessness did not uniquely contribute to child functional disability. Discussion Results suggest that when treating youth with chronic pain, parental distress in the context of children's pain needs to be addressed.
Exercise prescription in the physiotherapeutic management of Myasthenia Gravis: a case report

This paper reports on the use of an exercise-based programme in the management of a person with Myasthenia Gravis. This programme was based on current literature pertaining to the therapeutic management of Myasthenia Gravis and other chronic progressive neuromuscular disorders. Although the patient showed moderate gains in clinical measurements of muscle strength and endurance, the effectiveness of the exercise programme was mainly demonstrated by the patient’s decreased levels of fatigue and in the achievement of his stated goals. Davidson L*, Hale L, Mulligan H (2005). Exercise prescription in the physiotherapeutic management of Myasthenia Gravis: a case report. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy 33(1) 13-18.
A new framework for constructing matching algorithms secure against the wolf attack in biometric authentication systems

In (4), we proposed a theoretical framework to construct matching algorithms for any biometric authentication systems. In this paper, we will introduce the results in (4) and add some comments on the accuracy (FAR and FRR) of our proposed matching algorithms (Lemma 6, 7, 8). Conventional matching algorithms are not necessarily secure against strong intentional impersonation attacks such as wolf attacks. The wolf attack is an attempt to impersonate a genuine user by presenting a "wolf" to a biometric authentication system without the knowledge of a genuine user's biometric sample. A "wolf" is a sample which can be accepted as a match with multiple templates. The wolf attack probability (WAP ) is the maximum success probability of the wolf attack, which was proposed by Une, Otsuka, Imai, as a measure for evaluating security of biometric authentication systems (9), (10). In (4), we presented a principle for construction of secure matching algorithms against the wolf attack for any biometric authentication systems. The ideal matching algorithm determines a threshold for each input value depending on the probability distribution of the (Hamming) distances. Then we showed that if the information about the probability distribution for each input value is perfectly given, then our matching algorithm is secure against the wolf attack (Theorem 9, 10) (4). Our generalized matching algorithm gives a theoretical framework to construct secure matching algorithms. How lower WAP is achievable depends on how accurately the entropy is estimated. Then there is a trade-off between the efficiency and the achievable WAP . Almost every conventional matching algorithm employs a fixed threshold and hence it can be regarded as an efficient but insecure instance of our theoretical framework. Daugman's algorithm proposed in (3) can also be regarded as a non-optimal instance of our framework.
Using ICT For Word Mathematical Problem Solving For students With Dyslexia in Cyprus

The last few years, the differentiation of instruction became fashionable in Cyprus after the reformation of the curriculum in primary education. Although, the majority of the teachers supports the philosophy of differentiation, few of them turn it into practice, despite the mixed-ability students’ populations in their classrooms. They may not avoid it deliberately but due to the lacks of material-technical infrastructure and knowledge concerning how to adjust their teaching in particular characteristics of their students. This paper aims to outline a trial for the introduction of an innovating approach for teaching WMPS by bearing in mind the benefits deriving from the use of ICT for the differentiation of the instruction, the restricted technological facilities in mainstream primary-school classrooms in Cyprus, and the particular needs and difficulties of students with dyslexia included in the classroom in WMPS.
Robust lane detection and tracking with ransac and Kalman filter

In a previous paper, a simple approach to lane detection using the Hough transform and iterated matched filters was described [1]. This paper extends this work by incorporating an inverse perspective mapping to create a bird's-eye view of the road, applying random sample consensus to help eliminate outliers due to noise and artifacts in the road, and a Kalman filter to help smooth the output of the lane tracker.
Expression Analysis of SOX14 during Retinoic Acid Induced Neural Differentiation of Embryonal Carcinoma Cells and Assessment of the Effect of Its Ectopic Expression on SOXB Members in HeLa Cells

SOX14 is a member of the SOXB2 subgroup of transcription factors implicated in neural development. Although the first SOX14 gene in vertebrates was cloned and characterized more than a decade ago and its expression profile during development was revealed in various animal model systems, the role of this gene during neural development is largely unknown. In the present study we analyzed the expression of SOX14 in human NT2/D1 and mouse P19 pluripotent embryonal carcinoma cells. We demonstrated that it is expressed in both cell lines and upregulated during retinoic acid induced neural differentiation. We showed that SOX14 was expressed in both neuronal and non-neuronal differentiated derivatives, as revealed by immunocytochemistry. Since it was previously proposed that increased SOXB2 proteins level interfere with the activity of SOXB1 counteracting partners, we compared expression patterns of SOXB members during retinoic acid induction of embryonal carcinoma cells. We revealed that upregulation of SOX14 expression is accompanied by alterations in the expression patterns of SOXB1 members. In order to analyze the potential cross-talk between them, we generated SOX14 expression construct. The ectopic expression of SOX14 was demonstrated at the mRNA level in NT2/D1, P19 and HeLa cells, while an increased level of SOX14 protein was detected in HeLa cells only. By transient transfection experiments in HeLa cells we showed for the first time that ectopic expression of SOX14 repressed SOX1 expression, whereas no significant effect on SOX2, SOX3 and SOX21 was observed. Data presented here provide an insight into SOX14 expression during in vitro neural differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells and demonstrate the effect of its ectopic expression on protein levels of SOXB members in HeLa cells. Obtained results contribute to better understanding the role of one of the most conserved SOX proteins.
Major-to-Ultratrace Elements in Bone-Marrow Fluid as Determined by ICP-AES and ICP-MS

The major-to-ultratrace elements in human bone-marrow fluid were determined by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry), and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). The bone-marrow fluid sample was centrifuged prior to acid digestion to exclude the bone piece from bone marrow, and then digested with nitric acid. As a result, 20 elements could be determined over the concentration range from 1610 µg g^–1 for Na to 0.00043 µg g^–1 for W. It was found that Fe, Zn and Sb were enriched by ca . 264-, 7- and 15-fold, respectively, in bone-marrow fluid, compared to those in human blood serum. Alkali metals (K, Rb, Cs), except for Na, were also significantly enriched in bone-marrow fluid. Furthermore, the concentrations of various elements, such as Fe, P, Al, Zn, Cu, Se, Zr, Sn, Ag and W, were significantly higher than those in open seawater.
An Econometric Analysis of the Number and Timing of Births: The Case of Vietnam

This thesis represents an intensive econometric study of two important aspects of reproductive behavior -namely the level of fertility and the intervals between births. The analysis is economics-based, but the standard microeconomic framework is extended to take into account the effects of social factors on reproduction. The estimation is based on data from the 1988 Vietnam Demographic and Health Survey. The initial analysis of the determinants of fertility (defined as the number of children ever born per woman) is conducted within a static framework, and three alternative statistical models (OLS, Poisson, and ordered-Iogit) are estimated and the results compared. Fertility decision-making is then modelled as a dynamic sequential-response process, with particular attention to the effects of sex preference and child mortality on subsequent fertility. The analysis of birth intervals is based on the estimation of both non-parametric life table methods and the (semiparametric) proportional hazard model. Among the main results of the study is the finding that individual and social characteristics generally have little effect on reproductive behavior in the first ten years or so of reproductive life, apparently reflecting the strong desire of typical couples to have at least two children. Such characteristics of the wife as education, knowledge of contraceptives, the industrial sector in which she works, and whether
Glutathione transferase theta in apical ciliary tuft regulates mechanical reception and swimming behavior of Sea Urchin Embryos

An apical tuft, which is observed in a wide range of embryos/larvae of marine invertebrates, is composed of a group of cilia that are longer and less motile than the abundant lateral cilia covering the rest of the embryonic surface. Although the apical tuft has been thought to function as a sensory organ, its molecular composition and roles are poorly understood. Here, we identified a glutathione transferase theta (GSTT) as an abundant and specific component of the apical tuft in sea urchin embryos. The expression of GSTT mRNA increases and becomes limited to the animal plate of the mesenchyme blastula, gastrula, and prism larva. Electron microscopy and tandem mass spectrometry demonstrated that the apical tuft contains almost every axonemal component for ciliary motility. Low concentrations of an inhibitor of glutathione transferase bromosulphophthalein (BSP) induce bending of apical tuft, suggesting that GSTT regulates motility of apical tuft cilia. Embryos treated with BSP swim with normal velocity and trajectories but show less efficiency of changing direction when they collide with an object. These results suggest that GSTT in the apical tuft plays an important role in the mechanical reception for the motility regulation of lateral motile cilia in sea urchin embryos. © 2013 The Authors. Cytoskeleton, Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Real Time Mapping and Dynamic Navigation for Mobile Robots

This paper discusses the importance, the complexity and the challenges of mapping mobile robot's unknown and dynamic environment, besides the role of sensors and the problems inherited in map building. These issues remain largely an open research problems in developing dynamic navigation systems for mobile robots. The paper presenst the state of the art in map building and localization for mobile robots navigating within unknown environment, and then introduces a solution for the complex problem of autonomous map building and maintenance method with focus on developing an incremental grid based mapping technique that is suitable for real-time obstacle detection and avoidance. In this case, the navigation of mobile robots can be treated as a problem of tracking geometric features that occur naturally in the environment of the robot. The robot maps its environment incrementally using the concept of occupancy grids and the fusion of multiple ultrasonic sensory information while wandering in it and stay away from all obstacles. To ensure real-time operation with limited resources, as well as to promote extensibility, the mapping and obstacle avoidance modules are deployed in parallel and distributed framework. Simulation based experiments has been conducted and illustrated to show the validity of the developed mapping and obstacle avoidance approach.
特別講演 The origin and challenges of simultaneous interpretation: the Nuremberg trial experience

EDITOR’S NOTES: The following is based on the special lecture given by Mr. Siegfried Ramler on February 18, 2006, at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, under the sponsorship of the Japan Association for Interpretation Studies. We express our heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Ramler for kindly giving us permission to reprint the entire lecture in this Journal. t is a great pleasure to be here with you. My current association with Hawaii’s East-West Center brings me into frequent contact with Japan – with Japanese schools, universities and students, as well as with many colleagues and friends. Hawaii, with its geographical location and its multi-ethnic population and culture, functions as a bridge between the United States and the Asia-Pacific region. I feel privileged to contribute as a small link in strengthening that important bridge. Today I welcome the opportunity to share with you my experiences at the Nuremberg trials, more than 50 years ago, and particularly to discuss with you some of the challenges we faced as pioneers of simultaneous interpreting. In addition, I’ll deal in a general way with the impact of the Nuremberg trials –with the meaning of the trials for Germany, for the international community, and for the imperative of establishing a global rule of law – still an elusive aim in the 21st century world. The twentieth century represents a milestone in international law. Nuremberg formed the