Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and Validation of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Measures of Potentially Preventable Emergency Department (ED) Visits: The ED Prevention Quality Indicators for General Health Conditions

OBJECTIVE To develop and validate rates of potentially preventable emergency department (ED) visits as indicators of community health. DATA SOURCES Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project 2008-2010 State Inpatient Databases and State Emergency Department Databases. STUDY DESIGN Empirical analyses and structured panel reviews. METHODS Panels of 14-17 clinicians and end users evaluated a set of ED Prevention Quality Indicators (PQIs) using a Modified Delphi process. Empirical analyses included assessing variation in ED PQI rates across counties and sensitivity of those rates to county-level poverty, uninsurance, and density of primary care physicians (PCPs). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS ED PQI rates varied widely across U.S. communities. Indicator rates were significantly associated with county-level poverty, median income, Medicaid insurance, and levels of uninsurance. A few indicators were significantly associated with PCP density, with higher rates in areas with greater density. A clinical and an end-user panel separately rated the indicators as having strong face validity for most uses evaluated. CONCLUSIONS The ED PQIs have undergone initial validation as indicators of community health with potential for use in public reporting, population health improvement, and research.
The Diabetes Literacy and Numeracy Education Toolkit (DLNET)

Purpose Diabetes self-management education is an important component of comprehensive diabetes care. Patients with low health literacy and numeracy may have difficulty translating information from traditional diabetes educational programs and materials into effective self-care. Methods To address this potential barrier to successful diabetes teaching and counseling, the authors developed the Diabetes Literacy and Numeracy Education Toolkit (DLNET). Conclusion The DLNET is composed of 24 interactive modules covering standard diabetes care topics that can be customized to individual patient needs and used by all members of the multidisciplinary diabetes care team. The material's content and formatting aims to improve the ease of use for diabetes patients with low literacy and numeracy by adhering to a lower text reading level, using illustrations for key concepts, and color-coding and other accommodations to guide patients through instructions for self-care. Individual sections of the DLNET may be provided to patients for initial teaching, as well as for reinforcement. Although designed for lower literacy and numeracy skills, the DLNET provides unique materials to facilitate diabetes education for all patients.
An interoperable IP based WSN for smart irrigation system

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) have been highly developed which can be used in agriculture to enable optimal irrigation scheduling. Since there is an absence of widely used available methods to support effective agriculture practice in different weather conditions, WSN technology can be used to optimise irrigation in the crop fields. This paper presents architecture of an irrigation system by incorporating interoperable IP based WSN, which uses the protocol stacks and standard of the Internet of Things paradigm. The performance of fundamental issues of this network is emulated in Tmote Sky for 6LoWPAN over IEEE 802.15. 4 radio link using the Contiki OS and the Cooja simulator. The simulated results of the performance of the WSN architecture presents the Round Trip Time (RTT) as well as the packet loss of different packet size. In addition, the average power consumption and the radio duty cyde of the sensors are studied. This will facilitate the deployment of a scalable and interoperable multi hop WSN, positioning of border router and to manage power consumption of the sensors.
Changes in column inventories of carbon and oxygen in the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract. Increasing concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the interior ocean are expected as a direct consequence of increasing concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere. This extra DIC is often referred to as anthropogenic carbon (Cant), and its inventory, or increase rate, in the interior ocean has previously been estimated by a multitude of observational approaches. Each of these methods is associated with hard to test assumptions since Cant cannot be directly observed. Results from a simpler concept with fewer assumptions applied to the Atlantic Ocean are reported on here using two large data collections of carbon relevant bottle data. The change in column inventory on decadal time scales, i.e. the storage rate, of DIC, respiration compensated DIC and oxygen is calculated for the Atlantic Ocean. We report storage rates and the confidence intervals of the mean trend at the 95% level (CI), reflecting the mean trend but not considering potential biasing effects of the spatial and temporal sampling. For the whole Atlantic Ocean the mean trends for DIC and oxygen are non-zero at the 95% confidence level: DIC: 0.86 (CI: 0.72–1.00) and oxygen: −0.24 (CI: −0.41–(−0.07)) mol m−2 yr−1. For oxygen, the whole Atlantic trend is dominated by the subpolar North Atlantic, whereas for other regions the O2 trends are not significant. The storage rates are similar to changes found by other studies, although with large uncertainty. For the subpolar North Atlantic the storage rates show significant temporal and regional variation of all variables. This seems to be due to variations in the prevalence of subsurface water masses with different DIC and oxygen concentrations leading to sometimes different signs of storage rates for DIC compared to published Cant estimates. This study suggest that accurate assessment of the uptake of CO2 by the oceans will require accounting not only for processes that influence Cant but also additional processes that modify CO2 storage.
Correlation-Based Method for Sentiment Classification

The classic supervised classification algorithms are efficient, but time-consuming, complicated and not interpretable, which makes it difficult to analyze their results that limits the possibility to improve them based on real observations. In this paper, we propose a new and a simple classifier to predict a sentiment label of a short text. This model keeps the capacity of human interpret-ability and can be extended to integrate NLP techniques in a more interpretable way. Our model is based on a correlation metric which measures the degree of association between a sentiment label and a word. Ten correlation metrics are proposed and evaluated intrinsically. And then a classifier based on each metric is proposed, evaluated and compared to the classic classification algorithms which have proved their performance in many studies. Our model outperforms these algorithms with several correlation metrics.
XIP Dashboard: visual analytics from automated rhetorical parsing of scientific metadiscourse

A key competency that we seek to build in learners is a critical mind, i.e. ability to engage with the ideas in the literature, and to identify when significant claims are being made in articles. The ability to decode such moves in texts is essential, as is the ability to make such moves in one’s own writing. Computational techniques for extracting them are becoming available, using Natural Language Processing (NLP) tuned to recognize the rhetorical signals that authors use when making a significant scholarly move. After reviewing related NLP work, we introduce the Xerox Incremental Parser (XIP), note previous work to render its output, and then motivate the design of the XIP Dashboard, a set of visual analytics modules built on XIP output, using the LAK/EDM open dataset as a test corpus. We report preliminary user reactions to a paper prototype of such a novel dashboard, describe the visualizations implemented to date, and present user scenarios for learners, educators and researchers. We conclude with a summary of ongoing design refinements, potential platform integrations, and questions that need to be investigated through end-user evaluations.
PVDF micro machining for the high resolution skin-like tactile sensors

This work report PVDF micro machining process by RIE without much loss of its piezoelectric constant. L/S (70/130_μm) of fine structure was realized in this work with high etch rate. O<inf>2</inf> mixing feed gases of CF<inf>4</inf>, CHF<inf>3</inf>, SF<inf>6</inf> and 100 % of O<inf>2</inf> were used. At the condition of 100% O<inf>2</inf> gas plasma and at a higher of RF power, the better of surface state and higher of aspect ratio structure could be realized.
Stability of Emotional and Behavioral Functioning in Youth with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

This study prospectively examined stability of psychological and behavioral functioning in two matched cohorts of youth with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): (1) newly diagnosed and (2) previously diagnosed patients. Youth and their parents completed measures of emotional and behavioral functioning at Time 1 and 6 months later. Mean-level analyses indicated that scores at Time 1 and Time 2 were within the nonclinical range. A significant decrease occurred in internalizing symptoms for previously diagnosed patients. Both groups demonstrated high levels of profile stability with no significant differences across groups. Results suggest that emotional and behavioral functioning is generally stable without targeted intervention.
Correlation between the Frequent Use of Gang-of-Four Design Patterns and Structural Complexity

The structural complexity of design components (e.g. Classes) is proportional to design quality at the system level and is quantified via the object-oriented metrics. The frequent use of design patterns causes of too much abstraction and can increase the structural complexity of design components. Though, in our previous work, we have empirically investigated the impact of use intensity of design pattern on the system level quality attributes. However, the empirical investigation of the effect of usage of design patterns on the design properties is still required. In this regard, we conduct an empirical study and perform a case study which includes the analysis 1) the existence of a correlation between design pattern usage and design metrics, 2) the confounding effect of system size (number of classes) on the correlation, and 3) how the change in number of employed design pattern instances affects the structural complexity in the subsequent releases of a system. The result of this study suggests that structural complexity associated with aggregation, coupling, functional abstraction design properties has a significant relationship with the employed instances of Template, Adapter-Command, Singleton, and Factory Method design patterns.
Topographic variation and interocular symmetry of macular choroidal thickness using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE To report and analyze factors influencing topographical and interocular variations in choroidal thickness (CT) in a healthy adult population. METHODS One hundred eyes of 50 healthy subjects underwent visual acuity and axial length measurements and optical coherence tomography (OCT) with enhanced depth imaging (EDI). CTs at the fovea and at 3 mm nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior to the fovea were measured manually. Topographic variation, relative interocular differences in CT and predictors of CT were analyzed. The relationships between interocular differences in CT and differences in age and interocular axial length were explored. RESULTS The mean (SD) foveal CT in the right and left eyes were 334 (95) and 333 (90) μm, respectively. For foveal CT, there was a high correlation between the two eyes (r = 0.90) with a relative interocular 95% limits of agreement of -80 to +83, and a median (range) absolute difference of 21 (0.4-135). There was no significant variation in the relative and absolute interocular differences in CT. Axial length was the main predictor of CT for nasal and foveal CT. Symmetry in CT in the horizontal and vertical meridians was seen in eyes with axial length shorter than 23.50 mm (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS There was no significant relative interocular difference in CT. Axial length contributes to some of the variances in CT but has a significant influence on the CT profile. Although relative interocular difference is not significant, absolute interocular differences in CT may reach 85 μm.
Chapter 5 Choice Experiments

There has been an explosion of interest during the past two decades in a class of nonmarket stated-preference valuation methods known as choice experiments. The overall objective of a choice experiment is to estimate economic values for characteristics (or attributes) of an environmental good that is the subject of policy analysis, where the environmental good or service comprises several characteristics. Including price as a characteristic permits a multidimensional, preference-based valuation surface to be estimated for use in benefit-cost analysis or any other application of nonmarket valuation. The chapter begins with an overview of the historical antecedents contributing to the development of contemporary choice experiments, and then each of the steps required for conducting a choice experiment are described. This is followed by detailed information covering essential topics such as choosing and implementing experimental designs, interpreting standard and more advanced random utility models, and estimating measures of willingness-to-pay. Issues in implementing and interpreting random utility models are illustrated using a choice experiment application to a contemporary environmental problem. Overall, this chapter provides readers with practical guidance on how to design and analyze a choice experiment that provides credible value estimates to support decision-making.
Therapeutic targeting of chemoresistant and recurrent glioblastoma stem cells with a proapoptotic variant of oncolytic herpes simplex virus

Temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy, in combination with maximal safe resection and radiotherapy, is the current standard of care for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Despite this multimodal approach, GBM inevitably relapses primarily due to resistance to chemo‐radiotherapy, and effective treatment is not available for recurrent disease. In this study we identified TMZ resistant patient‐derived primary and previously treated recurrent GBM stem cells (GSC), and investigated the therapeutic activity of a pro‐apoptotic variant of oHSV (oHSV‐TRAIL) in vitro and in vivo. We show that oHSV‐TRAIL modulates cell survival and MAP Kinase proliferation signaling pathways as well as DNA damage response pathways in both primary and recurrent TMZ‐resistant GSC. Utilizing real time in vivo imaging and correlative immunohistochemistry, we show that oHSV‐TRAIL potently inhibits tumor growth and extends survival of mice bearing TMZ‐insensitive recurrent intracerebral GSC tumors via robust and selective induction of apoptosis‐mediated death in tumor cells, resulting in cures in 40% of the treated mice. In comparison, the anti‐tumor effects in a primary chemoresistant GSC GBM model exhibiting a highly invasive phenotype were significant but less prominent. This work thus demonstrates the ability of oHSV‐TRAIL to overcome the therapeutic resistance and recurrence of GBM, and provides a basis for its testing in a GBM clinical trial.
A Load Modulated Balanced Amplifier for Telecom Applications

This paper presents the design and characterization of a load modulated balanced amplifier for telecom base station applications adopting a novel mode of operation. The theory of operation is described explaining the main differences compared to Doherty amplifiers, in particular the RF bandwidth advantages and, on the other hand, the intrinsic nonlinear behavior. The specific design strategy that adopts prematching for back-off broadband matching is explained in detail. A prototype, based on 25-W GaN packaged devices, has been fabricated and measured with single tone CW and modulated signal stimulus. For CW conditions, on the 1.7–2.5-GHz band, the peak output power is between 63 and 78 W, with power added efficiency higher than 48%, 43%, and 39% at saturation, 6- and 8-dB output power back-off, respectively. With a modulated signal for Long Term Evolution the amplifier provides an average output power of around 10 W, with efficiency higher than 40%, and can be linearized by adopting a low complexity predistorter. If compared to previously published power amplifiers targeting similar power and bandwidth, the measurement shows very good performance, demonstrating the potential of this novel technique in the field of efficiency enhanced transmitters.
People counting based on improved gauss process regression

Ideally, in the method about people counting based on multi-feature regression, the features, such as weighted blob area and perimeter, should have a linear relationship with the number of people in the scene. However, although the overall linear trend, due to the existence of occlusion, the foreground extraction errors and other factors, the local presents nonlinear characteristics. Gauss process regression is very suitable for linear features with local nonlinearity, so it is widely used at present to achieve the regression analysis between the features and the number of people using the Gauss process regression. In order to obtain higher accuracy, based on the research of the insufficient of the traditional Gauss process regression method, an improved Gauss process regression method is proposed to people counting. The experimental results show that the proposed method can get better performance. Firstly, the foreground blob and features of image sequences are extracted. Next, the square exponential covariance function is selected as kernel function. The bacterial foraging algorithm is used to optimize the hyper-parameters to obtain the optimal solution, and then the regression model is established. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm which makes use of bacterial foraging to optimize the hyper-parameters can obtain better parameters and improve the accuracy of the people counting.
Excess open solar magnetic flux from satellite data: 1. Analysis of the third perihelion Ulysses pass

[1] We use the third perihelion pass by the Ulysses spacecraft to illustrate and investigate the “flux excess” effect, whereby open solar flux estimates from spacecraft increase with increasing heliocentric distance. We analyze the potential effects of small-scale structure in the heliospheric field (giving fluctuations in the radial component on timescales smaller than 1 h) and kinematic time-of-flight effects of longitudinal structure in the solar wind flow. We show that the flux excess is explained by neither very small-scale structure (timescales 1 day) solar wind speed variations on the frozen-in heliospheric field. We show that averaging over an interval T (that is long enough to eliminate structure originating in the heliosphere yet small enough to avoid cancelling opposite polarity radial field that originates from genuine sector structure in the coronal source field) is only an approximately valid way of allowing for these effects and does not adequately explain or account for differences between the streamer belt and the polar coronal holes.
A review of the measurement of grip strength in clinical and epidemiological studies: towards a standardised approach.

BACKGROUND the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People has developed a clinical definition of sarcopenia based on low muscle mass and reduced muscle function (strength or performance). Grip strength is recommended as a good simple measure of muscle strength when 'measured in standard conditions'. However, standard conditions remain to be defined. METHODS a literature search was conducted to review articles describing the measurement of grip strength listed in Medline, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases up to 31 December 2009. RESULTS there is wide variability in the choice of equipment and protocol for measuring grip strength. The Jamar hand dynamometer is the most widely used instrument with established test-retest, inter-rater and intra-rater reliability. However, there is considerable variation in how it is used and studies often provide insufficient information on the protocol followed making comparisons difficult. There is evidence that variation in approach can affect the values recorded. Furthermore, reported summary measures of grip strength vary widely including maximum or mean value, from one, two or three attempts, with either hand or the dominant hand alone. CONCLUSIONS there is considerable variation in current methods of assessing grip strength which makes comparison between studies difficult. A standardised method would enable more consistent measurement of grip strength and better assessment of sarcopenia. Our approach is described.
A Global Climatology of Extratropical Transition. Part II: Statistical Performance of the Cyclone Phase Space

This study analyzes the differences between an objective, automated identification of tropical cyclones (TCs) that undergo extratropical transition (ET), and the designation of ET determined subjectively by human forecasters in best track data in all basins globally. The objective identification of ET is based on the cyclone phase space (CPS), calculated from the Japanese 55-yr Reanalysis (JRA-55) or the ECMWF interim reanalysis (ERA-Interim). The resulting classification into ET storms and non-ET storms underlies the global climatology of ET presented in Part I of this study. Here, the authors investigate how well the CPS classifications agree with those in the best track records calculated from JRA-55 or from ERA-Interim data. According to F1 scores and Matthews correlation coefficients (MCCs), the classification of ET storms in the CPS agrees best with the best track classification in the western North Pacific (MCC > 0.7) and the North Atlantic (MCC > 0.5). In other basins, the correlation between the CPS classification and the best track classification is only slightly higher than that of a random classification. The JRA-55 classification achieves higher performance scores than does the ERA-Interim classification, and the differences are statistically significant in all basins. The lower performance of ERA-Interim is mainly due to a higher false alarm rate, particularly in the eastern North Pacific. Overall, the results show that while the CPS-based classifications are good enough to be useful for many purposes, there is almost certainly room for improvement—in the representation of the storms in reanalyses, in our objective metrics of ET, and in our scientific understanding of the ET process.