Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In-bed posture classification and limb identification

We propose an algorithm that uses pressure image data to detect a person's sleeping posture and identifies different body limbs. Our algorithm can be used in monitoring bed-bound patients and assessing the risk of pressure ulceration. We used a GMM-based clustering approach for concurrent posture classification and limb identification. Our proposed technique, applied on 9 healthy subjects instructed to sleep in 13 different postures, resulted in 98.4% classification accuracy in distinguishing three main stable sleeping postures. Additionally, 8 limbs in supine and 5 limbs in left/right side postures were identified with the overall accuracy of 91.6%.
Exploiting Weight-Level Sparsity in Channel Pruning with Low-Rank Approximation

Acceleration and compression on Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have become a critical problem to develop intelligence on resource-constrained hardware, especially on Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Previous works based on channel pruning can be easily deployed and accelerated without specialized hardware and software. However, weight-level sparsity is not well explored in channel pruning, which results in relatively low compression rate. In this work, we propose a framework that combines channel pruning with low-rank decomposition to tackle this problem. First, the low-rank decomposition is utilized to eliminate redundancy within filter, and achieves acceleration in shallow layers. Then, we apply channel pruning on the decomposed network in a global way, and obtains further acceleration in deep layers. In addition, a spectral norm-based indicator is proposed to balance low-rank approximation and channel pruning. We conduct a series of ablation experiments and prove that low-rank decomposition can effectively improve channel pruning by generating small and compact filters. To further demonstrate the hardware compatibility, we deploy the pruned networks on the FPGA, and the networks produced by our method have obviously low latency.
Reduction in motor vehicle collisions following treatment of sleep apnoea with nasal CPAP

BACKGROUND Patients with untreated obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) have increased motor vehicle collisions (MVCs). When successfully treated, they report improved driving and fewer mishaps, but there are few objective data to confirm this. A study was therefore undertaken to examine actual MVC data in a large group of patients with OSA before and after treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) compared with a control group matched for age, sex, and type of driver's licence (commercial or non-commercial). METHODS Two hundred and ten patients of mean (SD) age 52 (11) years, body mass index (BMI) 35.5 (10) kg/m2, apnoea/hypopnoea index (AHI) 54 (29) events/h were treated with CPAP for at least 3 years. MVC records were obtained from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) database for patients and an equal number of randomly selected control drivers. MVC rates were compared for 3 years before and after CPAP therapy for patients and for the corresponding time frames for controls. RESULTS Untreated patients with OSA had more MVCs than controls (mean (SD) MVCs/driver/year 0.18 (0.29) v 0.06 (0.17), p<0.001). Following CPAP treatment the number of MVCs/driver/year fell to normal (0.06 (0.17)) while, in controls, the MVC rate was unchanged over time (0.06 (0.17) v 0.07 (0.18), p=NS). Thus, the change in MVCs over time between the groups was very significant (change = –0.12 (95% CI –0.17 to –0.06), p<0.001)). The MVC rate in untreated patients (n=27) remained high over time. Driving exposure was not different following CPAP. CONCLUSIONS The risk of MVCs due to OSA is removed when patients are treated with CPAP. As such, any restrictions on driving because of OSA could be safely removed after treatment.
Financial Repression and Laffer Curves

This paper uses a simple calibrated general equilibrium model to evaluate the revenue from financial repression and its impact on Laffer curves for consumption, capital and labor taxes. By imposing a requirement for households to hold public debt with a below-market rate of return the government distorts optimal household allocation and raises extra revenues. Tighter financial repression shifts Laffer curves for labor and consumption down, but increases revenue from capital income taxation. Total budget revenue increases, which allow financing more public goods and can be welfare-improving.
An adaptive time series framework for aircraft 4D trajectory conformance monitoring

The general problem of conformance monitoring with respect to preassigned 4-dimensional (4D) trajectories equipped with corresponding 4D margins (4D contracts) is considered within an adaptive statistical time series framework. The specific issues tackled within this context are: (a) Present conformance monitoring and quality of conformance evaluation via statistical tools, which also leads to abnormal event detection; (b) future conformance monitoring, in which the conformance is predicted ahead of time, allowing for potentially corrective or other actions. The performance of the developed methods is assessed via simulations. In present conformance monitoring, an alarm is shown to be issued instantaneously, following the emergence of an abnormal event. In future conformance monitoring, the comparison with a scheme based on nominal probabilistic trajectory prediction demonstrates the benefits of the adaptive statistical time series framework.
Milieurechtshandhaving: een databestand voor onderzoek naar de penale en bestuurlijke sanctioneringspraktijk

1. Rechtshandhaving is een essentiele overheidstaak. Handhaving vormt het sluitstuk van ieder wetgevingsbeleid; zonder handhaving is wetgeving ondoeltreffend. Vanaf midden de jaren tachtig van de vorige eeuw is de handhaving van het milieurecht in Vlaanderen tot ontwikkeling gekomen, eerst in het penale spoor en een aantal jaren later in het bestuurlijke spoor. In de ruim twintig jaar waar we een groeiende milieurechtshandhaving kennen, zijn de mogelijkheden tot sanctionering sterk geevolueerd. Het instrumentarium waarover gerecht en bestuur beschikken ter beteugeling van milieucriminaliteit onderging aanzienlijke wijzigingen door de invoering van nieuwe instrumenten (bv. de mogelijkheid tot ontneming van het wederrechtelijk verkregen vermogensvoordeel) en door ingrijpende uitbreidingen van de toepassingsmogelijkheden van bestaande instrumenten (o.m. als gevolg van de invoering van de strafrechtelijke aansprakelijkheid van de rechtspersoon). Het penale en bestuurlijke instrumentarium zijn hierbij naar elkaar toe gegroeid (bv. experimenten met en doorbraak van de bestuurlijke geldboete). Kenmerkend voor alle sanctioneringsmogelijkheden is de belangrijke mate aan beslissingsvrijheid die de wetgeving aan de handhavers verleent. Een eenvoudig voorbeeld hiervan biedt de vaststelling van concrete boetebedragen binnen de doorgaans brede marges van de vorktarieven die in de wetgeving zijn opgenomen. Wegens deze ruime beslissingsvrijheid is het gebruik dat de praktijk van de beschikbare instrumenten maakt minstens even bepalend voor de kwaliteit van de handhaving als de keuzes die de wetgever heeft gemaakt en in regelgeving heeft vastgelegd. Het gebruik dat gerecht en bestuur maken van de instrumenten waarover zij beschikken om de milieucriminaliteit te bestrijden, en in het bijzonder de invulling van de hen toegekende ruime beslissingsvrijheid, werd echter tot op vandaag slechts fragmentarisch in kaart gebracht en onderzocht 2 .
Improvisation In Information Systems Development Practice

Abstract Recently, the concept and the role of improvisation in information systems development (ISD) have gained some interest. There are however not many studies that investigate how and when and with what effects improvisation occurs in ISD practice. We provide such a study. For this purpose we develop an analytical framework, which combines a feature-based view of the phenomenon in terms of its triggers, conditions, influencing factors and outcomes with a reflexive perspective, which emphasises the course of an improvisation in terms of the improvisers’ past experience, their motives, and their expectations of the future. The two perspectives complement each other and explain how improvisation contributes to the progress and completion of ISD projects. In particular, the framework allows an analysis of both the positive, but even more importantly, the negative outcomes and their consequences for improvisations and puts an emphasis on the hidden - because-of - motives for improvisation. Following the research approach of engaged scholarship we apply the framework to a case study of an ISD project in a large Danish software company. We use Actor Network Theory (ANT) to create a case narrative with detailed empirical evidence that shows that improvisation is an important driver in ISD practice. We analyse the project in terms of the improvisations which we identify and discuss 6 significant improvisations and their impact on the course of the project and its outcome. We also examine some implications of our findings for practice and research. In doing so we demonstrate the usefulness of our framework and increase the understanding of the role and effect of improvisation on ISD practice.
Loss estimation software: developments, limitations and future needs

Hazard assessment and loss estimation analysis, benefit at the time being from a broad variety of modeling platforms and software tools helping to model the complex system and interactions between structure, infrastructure and multi-hazards. Those platforms are offered as open sources, semi-open or fully closed tools. The modules and associated analysis functions included in the platforms are typically related to hazard, fragility and loss assessment, as well as to visualization and reporting of the results. They are undeniably a great helping tool for engineers, decision makers and planners. Indeed, assessment of losses (physical or/and socio-economic) might considerably help to i) identify likely failures and performance of structural and infrastructure systems, thus allows taking adequate measures to enhance their performance; ii) prepare recovery plans for disaster events. Many tools are limited to seismic loss estimation and others offer a wider range of hazard applications. Some are user friendly, while others are more complicated for the user depending on the information technology platform used and the type of analysis they perform. In this paper, a review and comparison of on-market available tools are proposed, and then developments, limitations and future needs are discussed.
Nested allosteric interaction in tarantula hemocyanin revealed through the binding of oxygen and carbon monoxide.

We have examined the competitive binding of oxygen and carbon monoxide to the multisubunit hemocyanin of the tarantula Eurypelma californicum. Employment of high-precision thin-layer methods has enabled detailed characterization of the pure oxygen and pure carbon monoxide binding curves, as well as binding curves performed under mixed-gas conditions. The pure oxygen binding curve and the displacement of oxygen by carbon monoxide at full ligand saturation are highly cooperative, but in the absence of oxygen, carbon monoxide binds noncooperatively. The results were analyzed globally within the framework of a nested allosteric model [Robert, C.H. , Decker, H. , Richey, B. , Gill, S.J., & Wyman, J. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 1891-1895] which takes into account the hierarchy of subunit structure present in the macromolecule. The use of two ligands enables one to recognize two distinct levels of allosteric interaction functioning in the protein assembly. The binding characteristics of the allosteric states demonstrated for Eurypelma follow a similar pattern as those found earlier for Homarus americanus.
Feline muscular dystrophy: parallels between cats and people

MUSCULAR dystrophies are an area of emerging diagnostic and research interest in cats (Ruehlmann 2010). Skeletal muscle in cats is different from that in dogs in the sense that feline muscle contains fast-twitch fatigable myofibres in addition to the slow- and fast-twitch fatigue-resistant myofibres present in dogs. This may be an adaptation that enables cats to be superior sprinters rather than being specialised for endurance or sustained exercise (Maxwell and others 1977). Diagnosis of muscular disease in the feline species can be difficult and there are few detailed reports of the pathology of the various acquired or inherited conditions in the veterinary literature. Our understanding of muscular diseases in all of the veterinary species has increased rapidly in the last decades however, as specialist veterinary pathologists and researchers become more expert in the recognition of muscular pathology in biopsy and postmortem material, and as specific DNA-based tests for genetic disorders continue to be developed (Shelton and Engvall 2002). Muscular dystrophies are inherited muscular diseases that result in progressive skeletal muscle weakness through degeneration and loss of muscle cells. In people, muscular dystrophies include Duchenne, …
Measuring Children's Media Use in the Digital Age

In this new and rapidly changing era of digital technology, there is increasing consensus among media scholars that there is an urgent need to develop measurement approaches which more adequately capture media use The overarching goal of this paper is facilitate the development of measurement approaches appropriate for capturing children's media use in the digital age. The paper outlines various approaches to measurement, focusing mainly on those which have figured prominently in major existing studies of children's media use. We identify issues related to each technique, including advantages and disadvantages. We also include a review of existing empirical comparisons of various methodologies. The paper is intended to foster discussion of the best ways to further research and knowledge regarding the impact of media on children.
Preferential infection of human Ad5-specific CD4 T cells by HIV in Ad5 naturally exposed and recombinant Ad5-HIV vaccinated individuals

Significance Efforts to develop an efficacious HIV vaccine have been unsuccessful to date. Efficacy trials have reported that recombinant Ad5 (rAd5)-HIV vaccines were not efficacious and unexpectedly associated with excess HIV infection in vaccine recipients. Understanding the underlying mechanisms is urgent and will further HIV vaccine design. By comparing human CD4 T cells specific to Ad5 and CMV, we report that natural exposure- or vaccine-induced Ad5-specific CD4 T cells are highly susceptible to HIV compared with CMV-specific CD4 T cells and selectively manifest a Th17-like proinflammatory phenotype. Our findings suggest a potential mechanism for rAd5-associated excess HIV infections in vaccine recipients and highlight that testing HIV susceptibility of vaccine-generated CD4 T cells may have utility before vaccine evaluation in human trials. Efficacy trials of adenovirus 5-vectored candidate HIV vaccines [recombinant Ad5 (rAd5)-HIV] were halted for futility due to lack of vaccine efficacy and unexpected excess HIV infections in the vaccine recipients. The potential immunologic basis for these observations is unclear. We comparatively evaluated the HIV susceptibility and phenotypes of human CD4 T cells specific to Ad5 and CMV, two viruses that have been used as HIV vaccine vectors. We show that Ad5-specific CD4 T cells, either induced by natural Ad5 exposure or expanded by rAd5 vaccination, are highly susceptible to HIV in vitro and are preferentially lost in HIV-infected individuals compared with CMV-specific CD4 T cells. Further investigation demonstrated that Ad5-specific CD4 T cells selectively display a proinflammatory Th17-like phenotype and express macrophage inflammatory protein 3α and α4β7 integrin, suggestive of gut mucosa homing potential of these cells. Analysis of HIV p24 and cytokine coexpression using flow cytometry revealed preferential infection of IL-17- and IL-2-producing, Ad5-specific CD4 T cells by HIV in vitro. Our data suggest a potential mechanism explaining the excess HIV infections in vaccine recipients after rAd5-HIV vaccination and highlight the importance of testing the HIV susceptibility of vaccine-generated, vector and insert-specific CD4 T cells in future HIV vaccine studies.
Quality of life and psychosocial health in postmenopausal women achieving public health guidelines for physical activity

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine if there are differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychosocial health between postmenopausal women who meet public health physical activity (PA) guidelines versus those who do not (ie, self-report) and those women who achieve at least 7,500 steps · day−1 versus those who do not (ie, via objective monitor). Methods: Postmenopausal women (n = 297) residing in Southern Alberta, Canada, completed a mailed questionnaire that assessed self-reported PA, HRQoL, and psychosocial health outcomes. Total daily steps were assessed with a pedometer via a 3-day step monitoring period. Results: Of the postmenopausal women, 43.1% were meeting public health PA guidelines. A significant multivariate model (Wilks &lgr; = 0.968, F2,294 = 4.918, P = 0.008) indicated that women achieving public health PA guidelines reported higher HRQoL on both the physical (mean difference [Mdiff] = 2.4, P = 0.008, d [effect size] = 0.31) and mental (Mdiff = 2.3, P = 0.011, d = 0.30) component scales of the RAND-12 compared with women not achieving PA guidelines. Furthermore, women achieving at least 7,500 steps · day−1 indicated significantly higher scores on the physical component scale (Mdiff = 4.33, P < 0.001, d = 0.56) than did women achieving fewer than 7,500 pedometer steps · day−1. Conclusions: These findings lend support for the health benefits of achieving public health PA guidelines in postmenopause and further the rationale for developing, evaluating, and implementing strategically designed PA behavior change programs for postmenopausal women.
Simulating response of N2O emissions to fertiliser N application and climatic variability from a rain-fed and wheat-cropped soil in Western Australia.

BACKGROUND Besides land management and soil properties, nitrous oxide (N(2)O) emissions from the soil may be responsive to climatic variation. In this study the Water and Nitrogen Management Model (WNMM) was calibrated and validated to simulate N(2)O emissions from a rain-fed and wheat-cropped system on a sandy duplex soil at Cunderdin, Western Australia, from May 2005 to May 2007, then it was deployed to simulate N(2)O emissions for seven scenarios of fertiliser N application under various climatic conditions (1970-2006). RESULTS The WNMM satisfactorily simulated crop growth, soil water content and mineral N contents of the surface soil (0-10 cm), soil temperatures at depths and N(2)O emissions from the soil compared with field observations in two fertiliser treatments during calibration and validation. About 70% of total N(2)O emissions were estimated as nitrification-induced. The scenario analysis indicated that the WNMM-simulated annual N(2)O emissions for this rain-fed and wheat-cropped system were significantly correlated with annual average minimum air temperature (r = 0.21), annual pan evaporation (r = 0.20) and fertiliser N application rate (r = 0.80). Both annual rainfall and wheat yield had weak and negative correlations with annual N(2)O emissions. Multiple linear regression models for estimating annual N(2)O emissions were developed to account for the impacts of climatic variation (including temperature and rainfall), fertiliser N application and crop yield for this rain-fed and wheat-cropped system in Western Australia, which explained 64-74% of yearly variations of the WNMM-estimated annual N(2) O emissions. CONCLUSION The WNMM was tested and capable of simulating N(2) O emissions from the rain-fed and wheat-cropped system. The inclusion of climatic variables as predictors in multiple linear regression models improved their accuracy in predicting inter-annual N(2)O emissions.
Identification and Specification Analysis of Alternative Equations for Estimating the Elasticity of Substitution

The elasticity of substitution between capital and labor is a fundamental parameter describing the structure of production in an economy or its component sectors. This elasticity is a measure of the relative ease with which these factors may be substituted in production; and for this reason, it plays a crucial role in most modern partial and general equilibrium models of income distribution [1, 3, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 37, 38], international trade [3, 24, 26], and economic growth [1, 3, 13, 31, 36, and comments on 31, in 6, 32]. Following the introduction of the constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function by Arrow, Chenery, Minhas, and Solow (referred to hereafter as ACMS) [3], a great deal of professional interest has centered on the estimation of the elasticity of substitution (a) in the aggregate U.S. economy and among its industries or sectors. In particular, ACMS showed that under the assumptions of (i) constant returns to scale, and (ii) purely competitive product and factor markets, the elasticity of substitution could be estimated from the
A Euro Area Government - A Dream Come True?

This paper studies three important problems that have led to or have aggravated the euro crisis: moral hazard in accumulating debt by sovereigns, lack of macroeconomic policy coordination and stabilization, and macroeconomic imbalances. We use both theoretical and empirical evidence to argue that these problems were largely caused by coordination problems. We will then investigate whether a supranational government, a layer of government above all euro member countries, can alleviate these problems. We will find that macroeconomic stabilization and macroeconomic imbalances can be improved by such a government, though moral hazard cannot be solved. The only, but certainly not insignificant, obstacle seems to be that politicians and voters may not be willing to transfer their authority to this government.
Tailoring front-line therapy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: who should we treat differently?

Although there have been significant insights into the biology of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) over recent years, progress in our therapeutic approach has been disappointing over the same timeframe. This is not for want of trying. In 2017, R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) remains the "gold standard," despite all of our insights into cell-of-origin and other subgroups. We have traditionally used clinical risk factors to tailor our therapies and have tested intensification of chemotherapy with little success. We are now in an era of testing therapies according to the molecular phenotype of the individual's tumor. Many phase 1/2 studies have looked at adding targeted agents to conventional R-CHOP with some promise. The phase 3 data are now starting to emerge. Are we ready yet to modify our standard of care and have we reached an era of precision medicine in DLBCL? The answer to this is "not yet. " The exception is perhaps patients with the newly defined World Health Organization category of high-grade B-cell lymphoma with rearrangements of MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6, the so-called double- and triple-hit lymphomas. In these tumors there has been a move away from R-CHOP to more intensified regimens, however, has not been based upon rigorous prospective evaluation but review of retrospective datasets. This article will review the molecular subgroups of DLBCL, interventional strategies, and the outcomes of these interventions to date.