Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The association between atherosclerotic risk factors and renal function in the general population.

BACKGROUND Generalized atherosclerosis is increasingly recognized as an important cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We questioned to what extent atherosclerotic risk factors determine renal function in the general population. METHODS We used baseline data of the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-Stage Disease (PREVEND) Study. A total of 8592 subjects, aged 28 to 75 years old, visited the outpatient clinic for blood pressure and anthropometric measurements, fasting blood sampling, and delivery of two 24-hour urine collections for creatinine clearance and albuminuria calculations. Design-based multivariate linear regression was used to estimate renal function. RESULTS In a multivariate model, male gender and body mass index (BMI) were associated with a higher renal function, while increasing diastolic blood pressure, serum triglycerides, use of antihypertensive or lipid-lowering medication were associated with a lower renal function. Age, systolic blood pressure, and plasma glucose showed an inverse U-shaped relationship with renal function. Cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio, smoking, and antidiabetic medication did not contribute to explain renal function. The atherosclerotic risk factors were related to renal function independently of albuminuria or C-reactive protein (CRP). Albuminuria and CRP itself were also related to renal function. Following gender and age, BMI, urinary albumin excretion (UAE), and plasma glucose had the strongest relation with renal function. CONCLUSION We conclude that differences in renal function in the general population are (partly) explained by various atherosclerotic risk factors. Some risk factors are associated with elevated filtration, some with an impaired filtration, and others with both a higher and a lower renal function.
Implementing PN-based controller with mutually exclusive transitions by SFC

In this paper we propose a method for implementing the controller synthesized by PN based SCT theory. Despite the great acceptance of SCT in controller designing, there are problems with its practical implementation. Sequential Function Chart as an international standard programming language is used for implementing PN-based controller. One problem in this way is occurrence of simultaneous events in mutually exclusive transitions. In SFC standard there is left to right priority. In this paper, we present a method to developing dynamic priority. If two users have requests for the common resource simultaneously, priority goes to one that in previous turn has not use of resource. Finally, we illustrate the idea using an example.
CloudSocket: Smart grid platform for datacenters

Today's datacenters are equipped with diverse computing and storage devices for handling a myriad of data and normally consume a significant amount of electrical energy. This paper proposes a smart grid inspired methodology to monitor and profile the energy consumption of a datacenter, with the aim of providing information useful for reducing the peak power consumption of the datacenter. Our energy measurement platform is named CloudSocket, and each CloudSocket unit can measure the power consumption of an individual computing node and periodically transmit the measurement information wirelessly to the coordinator unit that can manage many Cloud-Sockets simultaneously. We tested our methodology with a 32-node grid system that runs Apache Spark for large-scale data analytics. Analyzing our experimental results reveals how and where the peak power of each node in the grid overlaps, providing opportunities for informative coordination of the computing components for overall power reduction.
Classroom 2000: An Experiment with the Instrumentation of a Living Educational Environment

One potentially useful feature of future computing environments will be the ability to capture the live experiences of the occupants and to provide that record to users for later access and review. Over the last three years, a group at the Georgia Institute of Technology has designed and extensively used a particular instrumented environment: a classroom that captures the traditional lecture experience. This paper describes the history of the Classroom 2000 project and provides results of extended evaluations of the effect of automated capture on the teaching and learning experience. There are many important lessons to take away from this long-term, large-scale experiment with a living, ubiquitous computing environment. The environment should address issues of scale and extensibility, it should continuously be evaluated for effectiveness, and the ways in which the environment both improves and hinders the activity that it aims to support—in our case, education—need to be understood and acted upon. In d escribing our experiences and lessons learned, we hope to motivate other researchers to take more seriously the challenge of ubiquitous computing—the creation and exploration of the everyday use of computationally rich environments.
Signal-to-noise-ratio degradation caused by polarization-dependent loss and the effect of dynamic gain equalization

This paper describes a study of the effect of polarization-dependent loss (PDL) on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in optical communications systems, taking into account the effect of dynamic gain equalization. The paper shows that the PDL-induced SNR penalty is caused by two distinct mechanisms related to the two polarization components of the amplified spontaneous emission noise generated in each amplifier. The noise components whose polarization is parallel to the signal at the various amplifier locations dominate the PDL-induced penalty in the absence of gain equalization. In the presence of even a moderate number of gain equalizers, the orthogonal noise components dominate the SNR degradation. Expressions are obtained relating the outage probability to the necessary performance margin that needs to be allocated for PDL.
A Simulation of Fujiwhara Effect on a Structured Agent-Based Peer-to-Peer System

We present an agent-based P2P system, called Visitant, to integrate mobile agent technology with P2P computing. The use of structured P2P systems as the base layer allows agents to efficiently locate resources and communicate with each other. It also allows us to incorporate a security control mechanism to prevent malicious hosts from colluding with each other to paralyze the system. To demonstrate Visitant, we built an application to simulate Fujiwhara effect-the tendency of two nearby tropical cyclones to rotate around each other.
Designing human-centered automation: trade-offs in collision avoidance system design

Human-centered automation problems have multiple attributes: an attribute reflecting human goals and capabilities, and an attribute reflecting automation goals and capabilities. In the absence of a general theory of human interaction with complex systems, it is difficult to define and find a unique optimal multiattribute resolution to these competing design requirements. We develop a systematic approach to such problems using a multiattribute decomposition of human and automation goals. This paradigm uses both the satisficing decision principle which is unique to two-attribute problems, and the domination principle which is a common manifestation of the optimality principle in multiattribute domains. As applied to human-centered automation in advanced vehicle systems, the decision method identifies performance evaluations and compares the safety benefit of a system intervention against the cost to the human operator. We illustrate the method by analyzing an automated system to prevent lane departures.
An integrated material characterization-multiscale model for the prediction of strain to failure of heterogeneous aluminum alloys

An increasing demand for a drastic reduction of energy consumption and for the improvement of engineering systems reliability calls for a significant change of the life assessment models used for design. The traditional way of separating material characterization and structural analysis has to be replaced by a fully integrated method in which the relations between microstructure, structure and damage can be readily investigated. For this, macroscopic fracture needs to be related to the micro-mechanisms of damage in the microstructure. This leads to the need of multiscale modeling so that detailed micro-mechanics analysis can be limited to few critical regions surrounding the cracks. Though a number of multiscale models have been developed for heterogeneous materials over the past decades, they are very often applied to small volumes of material containing only few microscopic features. No real attempt has been made to predict damage behavior of microstructural domain of the size of a laboratory coupon. Such an investigation is highly desirable since the implementation of a design methodology based on multiscale modeling within the industry can be initiated only after a rigorous validation of the method. The present work aims at the development and validation of an integrated material characterization-multiscale model for the prediction of 1This work would not have been possible without the constant support and advice of my advisor Professor Somnath Ghosh.
A note on graphs whose largest eigenvalues of the modularity matrix equals zero

Informally, a community within a graph is a subgraph whose vertices are more connected to one another than to the vertices outside the community. One of the most popular community detection methods is the Newman’s spectral modularity maximization algorithm, which divides a graph into two communities based on the signs of the principal eigenvector of its modularity matrix in the case that the modularity matrix has positive largest eigenvalue. Newman defined a graph to be indivisible if its modularity matrix has no positive eigenvalues. It is shown here that a graph is indivisible if and only if it is a complete multipartite graph.
Electronic assessment of peri-implant mucosal esthetics around three implant-abutment configurations: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES To objectively assess the influence that three different implant-abutment interface designs had on peri-implant mucosal esthetics at 1 year post-implant placement via the pink esthetic score (PES). Additionally, to demonstrate the novel employment of a tablet-based digital imaging format to reliably assess and score clinical images as part of a multicenter clinical trial according to PES criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS Adult subjects (n = 141) with healed tooth-bound edentulous sites in the anterior maxilla as well as first premolar region were randomized to receive one of three different implant-abutment interface designs (conical interface = CI; flat-to-flat interface = FI; or platform switch interface = PS). Immediate provisionalization was performed with prefabricated titanium abutments, with definitive custom CAD/CAM zirconia abutments and all-ceramic cement-based crowns being delivered 12-week post-implant placement. Bilateral (anterior sites) or unilateral (premolar sites) digital clinical photographs were made at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post-implant placement. Five calibrated faculty evaluators of different clinical backgrounds scored images during a 4-week timeframe on a standardized, tablet-based, digital imaging format. RESULTS Six hundred and forty-nine clinical photographs were evaluated resulting in a total of 3245 sum PES values and 22,715 individual PES values. Faculty evaluator intra- and inter-rater reliability was found to be "strong" (ICC = 0.84) and "substantial" (ICC = 0.64), respectively, demonstrating repeatability of both the PES, evaluator calibration, and standardization of tablet-based scoring. All implant-abutment interface groups demonstrated significant improvements in mean sum PESs up to 1 year, with the largest improvement between restoration delivery and 6 months. No significant differences were found between groups in mean sum PESs both for individual study visits as well as for changes between study visits. CONCLUSIONS No significant differences in mean sum PESs were found between subjects randomized to three different implant-abutment interfaces. However, significant differences were found as a function of time for all three groups, with the largest improvement in mean sum PESs occurring between definitive abutment and restoration delivery and 6 months. Use of electronic, tablet-based digital imaging scoring formats represents a novel and repeatable methodology for scoring PES images in large, multicenter clinical trials.
Structural Insights into the Effector – Immunity System Tae4/Tai4 from Salmonella typhimurium

Type-6-secretion systems of Gram-negative bacteria are widely distributed needle-like multi-protein complexes that are involved in microbial defense mechanisms. During bacterial competition these injection needles dispense effector proteins into the periplasm of competing bacteria where they induce degradation of the peptidoglycan scaffold and lead to cell lysis. Donor cells co-produce immunity proteins and shuttle them into their own periplasm to prevent accidental toxication by siblings. Recently, a plethora of previously unidentified hydrolases have been suggested to be peptidoglycan degrading amidases. These hydrolases are part of effector/immunity pairs that have been associated with bacterial warfare by type-6-secretion systems. The Tae4 and Tai4 operon encoded by Salmonella typhimurium is one of these newly discovered effector/immunity pairs. The Tae4 effector proteins induce cell lysis by cleaving the γ-D-glutamyl-L-meso-diaminopimelic acid amide bond of acceptor stem muropeptides of the Gram-negative peptidoglycan. Although homologues of the Tae4/Tai4 system have been identified in various different pathogens, little is known about the functional mechanism of effector protein activity and their inhibition by the cognate immunity proteins. Here, we present the high-resolution crystal structure of the effector Tae4 of S. typhimurium in complex with its immunity protein Tai4. We show that Tae4 contains a classical NlpC/P60-peptidase core which is common to other effector proteins of the type-6-secretion system. However, Tae4 has unique structural features that are exclusively conserved within the family of Tae4 effectors and which are important for the substrate specificity. Most importantly, we show that although the overall structure of Tai4 is different to previously described immunity proteins, the essential mode of enzyme inhibition is conserved. Additionally, we provide evidence that inhibition in the Tae4/Tai4 heterotetramer relies on a central Tai4 dimer in order to acquire functionality.
On some Functional Aspects of Control

This paper points out and illustrates continuations as functions abstracting a delimited context instead of an unlimited one. When made available in an expression language, they provide a functional abstraction of control that can be used as any ordinary function. This approach sheds some light on the applicative aspects of continuations by getting rid of their imperative part: escaping. Continuations are made available as true, composable, and statically typable functions. They abstract a delimited context and their use is restricted to where necessary, in contrast to continuation-passing style. This setting has been developed under applicative order. Work is going on transposing it to another reduction order. This paper is organized as follows. The imperative aspects of continuations first are stressed. We develop on currying the definition of list catenation. Expressing it with an accumulator leads to continuation-passing style. The definition is turned back to direct style with access to the current continuation. Permuting the construction of the result and the continuation entails an unconventional definition of list reversal, both in direct style and in continuation-composing style. Section 1 compares this approach with related work. Section 2 points out why Scheme’s first-class continuations are imperative. Section 3 describes how first-class continuations can be applicative, when they abstract a delimited context functionally. A denotational semantics is presented where abstracting control amounts to currying the representation of a continuation. Section 4 develops an example where multiple traversals of a list are abstracted and factorized, reducing the complexity of the resulting program and offering a pleasing dual to sharing transducers.
Training or vacation? The academic conference tourism.

The current study concentrates on factors affecting the intentions of academics attending an academic conference. It highlights the importance of academic conferences and academic conference tourism and discusses meetings, the convention industry and also their utility in the career development of academics. Through qualitative research and a review of the literature on conference tourism push and pull motivation factors are suggested. The power of these factors to predict the intention to attend an academic conference is examined through quantitative research and regression analysis. The results indicate that ‘pull’ factors are better predictors of the intention to attend an academic conference than motivational ‘push’ factors.
Sustained Attention in Auditory and Visual Monitoring Tasks

Objective: Performance and mental workload were observed for the administration of a rest break or exogenous vibrotactile signals in auditory and visual monitoring tasks. Background: Sustained attention is mentally demanding. Techniques are required to improve observer performance in vigilance tasks. Method: Participants (N = 150) monitored an auditory or a visual display for changes in signal duration in a 40-min watch. During the watch, participants were administered a rest break or exogenous vibrotactile signals. Results: Detection accuracy was significantly greater in the auditory than in the visual modality. A short rest break restored detection accuracy in both sensory modalities following deterioration in performance. Participants experienced significantly lower mental workload when monitoring auditory than visual signals, and a rest break significantly reduced mental workload in both sensory modalities. Exogenous vibrotactile signals had no beneficial effects on performance, or mental workload. Conclusion: A rest break can restore performance in auditory and visual vigilance tasks. Although sensory differences in vigilance tasks have been studied, this study is the initial effort to investigate the effects of a rest break countermeasure in both auditory and visual vigilance tasks, and it is also the initial effort to explore the effects of the intervention of a rest break on the perceived mental workload of auditory and visual vigilance tasks. Further research is warranted to determine exact characteristics of effective exogenous vibrotactile signals in vigilance tasks. Application: Potential applications of this research include procedures for decreasing the temporal decline in observer performance and the high mental workload imposed by vigilance tasks.
Blind identification and equalization of FIR MIMO channels by BIDS

This paper presents an algorithm of blind identification and equalization of finite-impulse-response and multiple-input and multiple-output (FIR MIMO) channels driven by colored signals. This algorithm is an improved realization of a concept referred to as blind identification via decorrelating subchannels (BIDS). This BIDS algorithm first constructs a set of decorrelators which decorrelate the output signals of subchannels, and then estimates the channel matrix using the transfer functions of the decorrelators, and finally recovers the input signals using the estimated channel matrix. This BIDS algorithm in general assumes that the channel matrix is irreducible and the input signals are mutually uncorrelated and of sufficiently diverse power spectra. However, for channel matrix identification, this BIDS algorithm only requires the channel matrix to be nonsingular (ie, full rank almost everywhere as opposed to everywhere) and column-wise coprime. Such a channel matrix may have zeros and be of non-minimum phase.
L-statistics for repeated measurements data with application to trimmed means, quantiles and tolerance intervals

The L-statistics form an important class of estimators in nonparametric statistics. Its members include trimmed means and sample quantiles and functions thereof. This article is devoted to theory and applications of L-statistics for repeated measurements data, wherein the measurements on the same subject are dependent and the measurements from different subjects are independent. This article has three main goals: (a) Show that the L-statistics are asymptotically normal for repeated measurements data. (b) Present three statistical applications of this result, namely, location estimation using trimmed means, quantile estimation and construction of tolerance intervals. (c) Obtain a Bahadur representation for sample quantiles. These results are generalisations of similar results for independently and identically distributed data. The practical usefulness of these results is illustrated by analysing a real data-set involving measurement of systolic blood pressure. The properties of the proposed point and interval estimators are examined via simulation.
Facing the music : a critical enquiry into 'the dodo-bird verdict' to develop music psychotherapy theory

‘The dodo-bird verdict’ represents a boggling outcome of research that shows no significant difference between the outcomes of a variety of psychotherapy treatments. Not being able to scientifically discriminate between psychotherapeutic treatments, casts doubt on their theoretical underpinnings, and even on their efficacy. This in turn presents professionals who use psychotherapeutic techniques including music therapists with a conundrum: What can explain this inability? And what can be done to solve the problem? Conceptual research methods were used to analyse literature in order to answer these questions. Various weaknesses were identified, both in theory construction and in research methodology within the field, which could possibly have led to the occurrence of the dodo-bird verdict. It seems that much of the conundrum could be solved by transitioning to a new theoretical framework and by incorporating new research paradigms; reimagining psychotherapy as a contextual treatment, and researching it based on systems thinking and chaos theory. Though much research remains to be done, in this new light psychotherapy and with it music psychotherapy stands as an effective and relevant treatment.
Bistable Large‐Strain Actuation of Interpenetrating Polymer Networks

The bistable electroactive polymer is a new smart material capable of large strain, rigid-to-rigid actuation. At the rubbery state of the polymer heated to above its glass transition, stable electrically-induced actuation is obtained at strains as large as 150%. Electromechanical instability can be effectively overcome by the formation of interpenetrating polymer networks. An application as a refreshable braille display is demonstrated.