Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Altruism costs—the cheap signal from amygdala

When people state their willingness to pay for something, the amount usually differs from the behavior in a real purchase situation. The discrepancy between a hypothetical answer and the real act is called hypothetical bias. We investigated neural processes of hypothetical bias regarding monetary donations to public goods using fMRI with the hypothesis that amygdala codes for real costs. Real decisions activated amygdala more than hypothetical decisions. This was observed for both accepted and rejected proposals. The more the subjects accepted real donation proposals the greater was the activity in rostral anterior cingulate cortex—a region known to control amygdala but also neural processing of the cost-benefit difference. The presentation of a charitable donation goal evoked an insula activity that predicted the later decision to donate. In conclusion, we have identified the neural mechanisms underlying real donation behavior, compatible with theories on hypothetical bias. Our findings imply that the emotional system has an important role in real decision making as it signals what kind of immediate cost and reward an outcome is associated with.
The PEARL score predicts 90-day readmission or death after hospitalisation for acute exacerbation of COPD

Background One in three patients hospitalised due to acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is readmitted within 90 days. No tool has been developed specifically in this population to predict readmission or death. Clinicians are unable to identify patients at particular risk, yet resources to prevent readmission are allocated based on clinical judgement. Methods In participating hospitals, consecutive admissions of patients with AECOPD were identified by screening wards and reviewing coding records. A tool to predict 90-day readmission or death without readmission was developed in two hospitals (the derivation cohort) and validated in: (a) the same hospitals at a later timeframe (internal validation cohort) and (b) four further UK hospitals (external validation cohort). Performance was compared with ADO, BODEX, CODEX, DOSE and LACE scores. Results Of 2417 patients, 936 were readmitted or died within 90 days of discharge. The five independent variables in the final model were: Previous admissions, eMRCD score, Age, Right-sided heart failure and Left-sided heart failure (PEARL). The PEARL score was consistently discriminative and accurate with a c-statistic of 0.73, 0.68 and 0.70 in the derivation, internal validation and external validation cohorts. Higher PEARL scores were associated with a shorter time to readmission. Conclusions The PEARL score is a simple tool that can effectively stratify patients' risk of 90-day readmission or death, which could help guide readmission avoidance strategies within the clinical and research setting. It is superior to other scores that have been used in this population. Trial registration number UKCRN ID 14214.
Dialogic teacher change: Two cases of supported collaborative inquiry

This paper describes the impact of dialogic inquiry (Wells, 1999) on two groups of teachers engaged in a specific model of professional development, termed supported collaborative inquiry (Nelson & Slavit, in press). After a discussion of the professional development and teaching contexts, elaboration of two teacher groups engaged in a year-long collaborative inquiry process are provided. Evidence suggests that the two teacher groups had various levels of success regarding the establishment of an inquiry community, and both experienced difficulties in collecting and managing data. Both groups found the dialogic nature of the professional development to be of significant benefit in a variety of ways. Implications on professional development and further research are provided.
Leadership and Personality Influence on Creativity

Creativity is a pertinent agenda in ensuring the success of an organisation in the face of stiff global competition. Creativity is a trait that can be instilled within an individual, other than occurring naturally. In a person, creativity can result from the interaction between two factors, namely situational factor (external factors to the individual) and person factor (internal factors of the individual). This research focuses on the influence of work design on creativity among workers. Additionally, this study also looked at the influence of leadership moderator (one of the situational factors) and personality (a person factor), toward the relationship between work design and creativity among workers. A total of 158 respondents answered the questionnaire given in this cross-sectional study. Results from the correlational and regression analyses showed that work design has a significant relationship with creativity. Also, results from the hierarchical regression analysis revealed that the personality factor has a stronger moderating effect as compared to the leadership factor toward the relationship between work design and creativity. This shows that the person factor gives a greater effect as compared to the situational factors for forming creativity. Based on the results of this research, several management actions are recommended for enhancing creativity amongst employees at the workplace. In addition, theoretical implications were also discussed in view of the research limitations which were observed. At the end of this paper, future research directions are also presented.
Using Multilingual Units for Improved Modeling of Pronunciation Variants

Standard speech modeling generally implies the combination of models of the phonemes of the current language with a description of possible pronunciation variants of the vocabulary words. When dealing with foreign accent, this standard native speech modeling is not adequate. In fact many variabilities have to be taken into account as the acoustic realization of the sounds by non-native speakers does not always match with native models and some phonemes may be replaced by others. By introducing models of phonemes estimated from speech data of other languages, and adding extra pronunciation variants through phonological rules, speech recognition performance improvements were achieved on non-native speech. In this study, a selection of the most frequently used variants is proposed, which relies on the frequency of usage of the various models associated to each phoneme on a development set. Although this selection process is rather simple it provides significant performance improvement
A 90-nm CMOS device technology with high-speed, general-purpose, and low-leakage transistors for system on chip applications

A leading edge 90nm bulk CMOS device technology is described in this paper. In this technology, multi Vt and multi gate oxide devices are offered to support low standby power (LP), general-purpose (G or ASIC), and high-speed (HS) system on chip (SoC) applications. High voltage I/O devices are supported using 70/spl Aring/, 50/spl Aring/, and 28/spl Aring/ gate oxide for 3.3V, 2.5V, and 1.5-1.8V interfaces, respectively. The backend architecture is based on nine levels of Cu interconnect with hot black diamond (HBD) low-k dielectric (k<=3.0).
The Plasmodium falciparum protein Pfg27 is dispensable for gametocyte and gamete production, but contributes to cell integrity during gametocytogenesis

In the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, gametocyte maturation is a process remarkably longer than in other malaria species, accompanied by expression of 2–300 sexual stage‐specific proteins. Disruption of several of their encoding genes so far showed that only the abundant protein Pfg27, produced at the onset of sexual differentiation, is essential for gametocyte production. In contrast with what has been previously described, here we show that P. falciparum pfg27 disruptant lines are able to undergo all stages of gametocyte maturation, and are able to mature into gametes. A fraction of Pfg27‐defective gametocytes show, however, distinct abnormalities in intra‐ and extra‐cellular membranous compartments, such as accumulation of parasitophorous vacuole‐derived vesicles in the erythrocyte cytoplasm, large intracellular vacuoles and discontinuities in their trilaminar cell membrane. This work revises current knowledge on the role of Pfg27, indicating that the protein is not required for parasite entry into sexual differentiation, and suggesting that it is instead involved in maintaining cell integrity in the uniquely long gametocytogenesis of P. falciparum.
Estimation of Semiparametric Models When the Criterion Function is Not Smooth

We provide easy to verify sufficient conditions for the consistency and asymptotic normality of a class of semiparametric optimization estimators where the criterion function does not obey standard smoothness conditions and simultaneously depends on some nonparametric estimators that can themselves depend on the parameters to be estimated. Our results extend existing theories like those of Pakes and Pollard (1989), Andrews (1994a) and Newey (1994). We also show that bootstrap provides asymptotically correct confidence regions for the finite dimensional parameters. We apply our results to two examples: a 'hit rate' and a partially linear median regression with some endogenous regressors.
Using the Shapley Value to Analyze Algorithm Portfolios

Algorithms for NP-complete problems often have different strengths andweaknesses, and thus algorithm portfolios often outperform individualalgorithms. It is surprisingly difficult to quantify a component algorithm's contributionto such a portfolio. Reporting a component's standalone performance wronglyrewards near-clones while penalizing algorithms that have small but distinctareas of strength. Measuring a component's marginal contribution to an existingportfolio is better, but penalizes sets of strongly correlated algorithms,thereby obscuring situations in which it is essential to have at least onealgorithm from such a set. This paper argues for analyzing component algorithmcontributions via a measure drawn from coalitional game theory---the Shapleyvalue---and yields insight into a research community's progress over time. Weconclude with an application of the analysis we advocate to SAT competitions,yielding novel insights into the behaviour of algorithm portfolios, theircomponents, and the state of SAT solving technology.
Changes in management of elderly patients with myocardial infarction.

AIMS Despite being at higher risk for mortality, elderly patients (>/=75 years) admitted for acute myocardial infarction (MI) often receive fewer effective therapies, because of contraindications or higher risk of drug-induced adverse events. The aim of this study was to assess the changes in the use of effective treatments between 2001 and 2006 in elderly patients, and the relation with 1-month mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS Prospective, multicentre registry, considering two periods: 6 months between October 2000 and March 2001 (cohort 1) and 12 months between October 2005 and October 2006 (cohort 2). Demographic and clinical characteristics at admission, in-hospital treatment (reperfusion or early invasive therapy, oral antiplatelets, anticoagulants, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitors, beta-blockers, and statins), and 1-month survival were compared between the two cohorts, after adjustment on a propensity score (for being admitted in 2001). Eight hundred and sixty-eight elderly patients were included, 280 in cohort 1 and 588 in cohort 2. When compared with cohort 1, patients from cohort 2 presented with comparable characteristics, except for the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score and we observed a significant increase in the use of aspirin, clopidogrel, reperfusion therapy, ACE-inhibitors, and statins in cohort 2. One-month mortality was significantly lower in cohort 2 (13.6% in cohort 1 vs. 7.1% in cohort 2, P = 0.001), mainly driven by a decrease in the mortality among patients with ST-segment elevation MI (23.3% in cohort 1 vs. 9.2% in cohort 2, P < 0.001). Adjustment on the propensity score did not alter these results. By multivariable analysis, the three-fold higher mortality in patients from cohort 1 was offset when the rate of use of treatments was considered in the model, suggesting that the treatment intensity was related to lower mortality. CONCLUSION Between 2001 and 2006, a significant increase in the use of guidelines-recommended treatments (GRTs) was observed, associated with lower 30-day mortality, in elderly patients. These data confirm that high-risk patients, such as the elderly, benefit from an increase in the use of GRTs.
Role of [Ca2+]i and F-actin on mesothelial barrier function

The mesothelial layer acts as a biological barrier between the organ and the enveloping serous cavity and may have functions of transport, equilibrium maintenance, and protection. However, the role of the mesothelial cells in regulation of pleural permeability remains essentially undefined. The present study was designed to clarify the effects of bradykinin, histamine, and thrombin on permeability in pleural mesothelial cells. Rat pleural mesothelial cells were cultured in vitro, and the permeability of mesothelial monolayers was evaluated by transmesothelial albumin diffusion and electrical resistance measurements. Furthermore, the temporal relationship between changes in the levels of [Ca2+]i and the mesothelial permeability was examined. Bradykinin (10 μM), histamine (1 mM), and thrombin (10 U) caused albumin diffusion within 5 min. The electrical resistance of mesothelial monolayer began falling within 5 min of adding each agent. Time and concentration dependency of changes in electrical resistance were almost the same as that in albumin diffusion. Each agent also induced a biphasic elevation of [Ca2+]i in pleural mesothelial cells. The concentration-dependency of the [Ca2+]i responses were almost similar to that noted for each agent induced albumin diffusion and electrical resistance fall. The increase in permeability occurred with reorganization of F-actin cytoskeleton and increased actin polymerization. These results suggest that the Ca2+- dependency of increases induced by these agents in mesothelial permeability have been related to the regulatory role of Ca2+ in the F-actin cytoskeletal reorganization in pleural mesothelial cells.
Analysis of spectral and energy efficiency in ultra-dense network

To meet the challenge of the ever-growing traffic volume in current wireless communications, ultra-dense network (UDN) deployment with high system capacity has attracted wide attention in recent years. However, existing researches on UDN mainly focus on system throughput while ignore energy efficiency (EE). Therefore, we will analyze the UDN performance including not only system throughput but also EE in this paper. We first theoretically analyze the performance of UDN in terms of cell average spectral efficiency, area throughput, and network energy efficiency using the tools from stochastic geometry. Then, we demonstrate the effects of the frequency reuse factor on these performance metrics, and conclude that when taking the overall performance into consideration, the network performance can not be optimal simultaneously under the same parameters. Some tradeoffs need to be considered to achieve a better network performance. Finally, we validate the analysis through simulations.
Cancer Patients Are at High Risk of Mortality if Presenting with Sepsis at an Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND Sepsis is an emergency condition with high mortality and morbidity rate. There are limited data on the association of cancer as a risk factor for mortality in sepsis patients in the emergency department (ED). MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study was conducted at the ED, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. The study period was between January 1st and December 31st, 2014. The inclusion criteria were as follows: adult patients over 15 years of age who presented at the ED with suspicion of sepsis, received treatment at the ED, and whose blood culture was found to be positive. Clinical data were recorded from medical records including the Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis score (MEDS score). The primary outcome of this study was mortality at one month. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent factors associated with death. RESULTS During the study period, there were 775 eligible patients. The two most common pathogens identified from blood cultures were Staphylococcus aureus (193 patients; 24.9%) and Escherichia coli (158 patients; 20.4%). At one month after presenting at the ED, 110 patients (14.2%) had died. There were four significant factors for death, having cancer, being on an endotracheal tube, initial diagnosis of bacteremia, and high MED scores. Having cancer had an adjusted OR of 2.12 (95% CI of 1.29, 3.47). CONCLUSIONS Cancer patients have double the risk of mortality if presenting with sepsis at the ED.
Molecular Epidemiology of Human Enterovirus 71 Strains and Recent Outbreaks in the Asia-Pacific Region: Comparative Analysis of the VP1 and VP4 Genes

This study provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular epidemiology of human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) in the Asia-Pacific region from 1997 through 2002. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP4 and VP1 genes of recent HEV71 strains indicates that several genogroups of the virus have been circulating in the Asia-Pacific region since 1997. The first of these recent outbreaks, described in Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo) in 1997, was caused by genogroup B3. This outbreak was followed by large outbreaks in Taiwan in 1998, caused by genogroup C2, and in Perth (Western Australia) in 1999, where viruses belonging to genogroups B3 and C2 cocirculated. Singapore, Taiwan, and Sarawak had HEV71 epidemics in 2000, caused predominantly by viruses belonging to genogroup B4; however, large numbers of fatalities were observed only in Taiwan. HEV71 was identified during an epidemic of hand, foot and mouth disease in Korea; that epidemic was found to be due to viruses constituting a new genogroup, C3.
Relations of Metabolically Healthy and Unhealthy Obesity to Digital Vascular Function in Three Community‐Based Cohorts: A Meta‐Analysis

Background Microvascular dysfunction is a marker of early vascular disease that predicts cardiovascular events. Whether metabolically healthy obese individuals have impaired microvascular function remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of obesity phenotypes stratified by metabolic status to microvascular function. Methods and Results We meta‐analyzed aggregate data from 3 large cohorts (Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health, the Framingham Heart Study, and the Gutenberg Heart Study; n=16 830 participants, age range 19–90, 51.3% men). Regression slopes between cardiovascular risk factors and microvascular function, measured by peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT), were calculated. Individuals were classified as normal‐weight, overweight, or obese by body mass index (BMI) and stratified by healthy or unhealthy metabolic status based on metabolic syndrome using the ATP‐III criteria. Male sex, BMI, and metabolic risk factors were associated with higher baseline pulse amplitude and lower PAT ratio. There was stepwise impairment of vascular measures from normal weight to obesity in both metabolic status strata. Metabolically healthy obese individuals had more impaired vascular function than metabolically healthy normal‐weight individuals (baseline pulse amplitude 6.12±0.02 versus 5.61±0.01; PAT ratio 0.58±0.01 versus 0.76±0.01, all P<0.0001). Metabolically unhealthy obese individuals had more impaired vascular function than metabolically healthy obese individuals (baseline pulse amplitude 6.28±0.01 versus 6.12±0.02; PAT ratio 0.49±0.01 versus 0.58±0.01, all P<0.0001). Conclusions Metabolically healthy obese individuals have impaired microvascular function, though the degree of impairment is less marked than in metabolically unhealthy obese individuals. Our findings suggest that obesity is detrimental to vascular health irrespective of metabolic status.
Syntactic transformations for Swiss German dialects

While most dialectological research so far focuses on phonetic and lexical phenomena, we use recent fieldwork in the domain of dialect syntax to guide the development of multidialectal natural language processing tools. In particular, we develop a set of rules that transform Standard German sentence structures into syntactically valid Swiss German sentence structures. These rules are sensitive to the dialect area, so that the dialects of more than 300 towns are covered. We evaluate the transformation rules on a Standard German treebank and obtain accuracy figures of 85% and above for most rules. We analyze the most frequent errors and discuss the benefit of these transformations for various natural language processing tasks.
Newly Designed ZVS Multi-Input Converter

A newly designed zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) multi-input converter is proposed in this paper. The converter can boost the different voltages of two power sources to a stable output voltage. An auxiliary circuit is employed for achieving turn-on ZVS of all switches in the proposed converter. According to various situations, the operational states of the proposed converter can be divided into two states, including a single-power-supply and a dual-power-supply state. In the dual-power-supply state, the input circuits connected in series together with the designed pulsewidth modulation can greatly reduce the conduction loss of the switches. In addition, the effectiveness of the designed circuit topology and the ZVS properties are verified by experimental results, and the goal of high-efficiency conversion can be obtained.
Boosting Verification by Automatic Tuning of Decision Procedures

Parameterized heuristics abound in computer aided design and verification, and manual tuning of the respective parameters is difficult and time-consuming. Very recent results from the artificial intelligence (AI) community suggest that this tuning process can be automated, and that doing so can lead to significant performance improvements; furthermore, automated parameter optimization can provide valuable guidance during the development of heuristic algorithms. In this paper, we study how such an AI approach can improve a state-of-the-art SAT solver for large, real-world bounded model-checking and software verification instances. The resulting, automatically-derived parameter settings yielded runtimes on average 4.5 times faster on bounded model checking instances and 500 times faster on software verification problems than extensive hand-tuning of the decision procedure. Furthermore, the availability of automatic tuning influenced the design of the solver, and the automatically-derived parameter settings provided a deeper insight into the properties of problem instances.
Designing mobile applications to support mental health interventions.

The advent of mobile technology has brought computing to a wide range of new contexts, some of which are highly sensitive and place new constraints on the designer. In this chapter we discuss issues related to the design and evaluation of mobile software for sensitive situations where access to the end-user is extremely restricted. We focus on the specific example of technological interventions that support adolescents in mental health care settings. We examine the practical and ethical constraints placed on access to end-users and contexts of use, and how this may affect approaches to design and evaluation. General design recommendations for this area are described. We consider approaches to iterative design with mental health care professionals, and how research on technological and therapeutic aspects may proceed in tandem. We identify methods that can be used when conducting evaluation in these limited situations and describe a methodology for maximising the value of such evaluation. By way of illustration, we present the design and evaluation of a mobile phone-based "mood diary" application designed for use in clinical situations by adolescents undergoing mental health interventions.