Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of Postherpetic Neuralgia in Korea

AbstractPostherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a disease entity defined as persistent pain after the acute pain of herpes zoster gradually resolves. It is associated with impaired daily activities, resulting in reduced quality of life. General epidemiological data on PHN is necessary for the effective management. However, data on the epidemiology of PHN in Korea is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological features of PHN in the general population.We used population-based medical data for 51,448,491 subscribers to the Health Insurance Service in the year of 2013 to analyze of PHN epidemiology in Korea, such as the incidence, regional distribution, seasonal variation, and healthcare resource utilization. Total number of patients and medical cost on PHN were analyzed from 2009 to 2013.Findings indicate that the incidence of PHN in Korea was 2.5 per 1000 person-years, which was strongly correlated with age and sex. There were no differences in seasonal variation or regional distribution. The medical cost increased steadily over the study period. When admitted to general hospitals, patients with PHN were mainly managed in the dermatology and anesthesiology departments.The incidence and prevalence rates of PHN in Koreans appear to be considerably higher compared to those in western populations, while the sex and age predisposition was similar. Considering that the pain associated with PHN can have a marked impact on a patient's quality of life resulting in a medicosocial economic burden, anesthesiology physicians have an important role in primary care in Korea. Future research on the cost-effectiveness of the management of PHN is needed.
Complecto mutatio: teaching software design best practices using multi-platform development

Students can best understand the benefits of software design principles when they have to work on a project in which requirements change repeatedly in some substantial way over the course of a semester. This poster describes two different semester-long projects in which substantial change was enforced upon the students by making them develop a system that had to work on three different user interface platforms (text-based console, desktop Windows, and a mobile Pocket PC). By making the students plan and adapt for this change the students were better able to truly appreciate the benefits of good design and were willing to take the extra effort to implement a design that reflects the principles taught in most object-oriented design courses. One of the key principles engaged by this approach was the importance of a layered architecture to software projects driven by change.
Accounting for Response Biases in Latent-Class Models for Choices and Attitudes

We propose a latent-class model (LCM) to analyze contingent-valuation surveys incorporating attitudinal questions capturing protest reasons to identify classes of respondents with similar preferences and attitudes. In contrast to a standard LCM, our model ensures that classes are not contaminated by different types of response biases. Using data regarding the preservation of a world-heritage recreation site, low- and high-protester classes are identified. The difference in estimated willingness to pay (WTP) in these classes is €26, reflecting protest issues. If response biases were ignored, different classes would be identified and the corresponding difference in WTPs would be inflated by 130%. (JEL C35, Q51)
Building a high-performance collective communication library

We report on a project to develop a unified approach for building a library of collective communication operations that performs well on a cross-section of problems encountered in real applications. The target architecture is a two-dimensional mesh with worm-hole routing, but the techniques are more general. The approach differs from traditional library implementations in that we address the need for implementations that perform well for various sized vectors and grid dimensions, including non-power-of-two grids. We show how a general approach to hybrid algorithms yields performance across the entire range of vector lengths. Moreover, many scalable implementations of application libraries require collective communication within groups of nodes. Our approach yields the same kind of performance for group collective communication. Results from the Intel Paragon system are included. <<ETX>>
Two-tier similarity model for story link detection

The paper presents a novel approach to story link detection, where the goal is to determine whether a pair of news stories are linked, i.e., talk about the same event. The present work marks a departure from the prior work in that we measure similarity at two distinct levels of textual organization, the document and its collection, and combine scores at both levels to determine how well stories are linked. Experiments on the TDT-5 corpus show that the present approach, which we call a 'two-tier similarity model,' comfortably beats conventional approaches such as Clarity enhanced KL divergence, while performing robustly across diverse languages.
Case Study of Biodiesel-Diesel Blends as a Fuel in Marine Environment

Formation of excessive sludge and fuel filter clogging were experienced in using biodiesel blends under marine environment. In this study, a field test was conducted in a marine ferry boat fueled by canola-based biodiesel blends. The sludge materials collected in the fuel purifier were characterized using inductively coupled plasma (ICP), pyrolysis-GC/MS (Py-GC/MS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Karl-Fischer titration. It was found that the sludge materials consisted of four distinctive fractions: organic materials derived from diesel and canola biodiesel (major fraction), ash (11-14% w/w), water (~17% w/w), and bacteria. The active bacteria were present in the sludge samples. It was suggested that bacterial contamination was one of the major factors in contribution to the sludge formation.
Serum YKL-40 Level Is Associated with the Chemotherapy Response and Prognosis of Patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer

This study was to explore the association between the serum YKL-40 level and the clinical characteristics, the response to chemotherapy and prognosis in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Serum YKL-40 levels were detected and compared in 120 patients with SCLC pre- and post-chemotherapy, and in 40 healthy controls. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were adopted for diagnosis and calculation of area under ROC curve in SCLC. The Kaplan–Meier method, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the correlation between pre-chemotherapy serum YKL-40 levels and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The pre-chemotherapy serum YKL-40 levels were significantly higher than those of the controls (p<0.001). The post-chemotherapy serum YKL-40 levels in the SCLC cases were lower than pre-chemotherapy serum YKL-40 levels in these cases (p = 0.026). The patients with high serum YKL-40 showed a poorer response to chemotherapy than those patients with low serumYKL-40 (p = 0.031). Univariate analysis revealed that SCLC patients with high serum YKL-40 had a shorter PFS and OS than those with low serum YKL-40 (HR of 1.74, p = 0.033; HR of 1.33, p = 0.001). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that YKL-40 was an independent prognostic indicator of PFS and OS (HR of 1.12, p = 0.029; HR of 1.84, p = 0.025). Kaplan–Meier survival curves further confirmed that patients with low serum YKL-40 have longer PFS and OS (p = 0.016 and p = 0.041, respectively). These results suggest that YKL-40 is a potential prognostic marker of chemotherapy response in SCLC.
Atherosclerotic renovascular disease: medical therapy versus medical therapy plus renal artery stenting in preventing renal failure progression: the rationale and study design of a prospective, multicenter and randomized trial (NITER).

BACKGROUND Many studies suggest a major prevalence of atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD), caused by mono or bilateral renal artery stenosis (RAS). Unfortunately, there is no definite therapy to cure this disease to date; therefore, ARVD is burdened by important clinical complications with high social and economic costs. The last few years have seen important advancements in both medical therapy and in interventional radiology (for example, percutaneous transluminal renal artery stenting (PTRS)). All of them could affect, in some way, the natural history of ARVD, but to date the optimal strategy has not been established. METHODS The protocol of a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial "Nephropathy Ischemic Therapy (NITER)" is presented. It enrolls patients with stable renal failure (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >or=30 ml/min) and hypertension, and hemodynamically significant atherosclerotic ostial RAS (>or=70%) diagnosed by duplex Doppler (DD) ultrasonography and confirmed by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). This study aims to evaluate whether medical therapy plus interventional PTRS is superior to medical therapy alone according to the following combined primary endpoint: death or dialysis initiation or reduction by >20% in estimated GFR after 0.5, 1, and 2 yrs of follow-up and an extended follow-up until the 4th year. Medical therapy means drugs to control hypertension, improve dyslipidemia and optimize platelet anti-aggregant therapy. The sample size is estimated in 50 patients per group to achieve a statistical significance of 0.05 in case of a reduction by 50% in the combined endpoints.
Flavours of Thought: Towards A Phenomenology of Food-Related Experiences

Phenomenology, as the study of structures of subjective experiences and consciousness, finds itself in the persistent struggle to claim its rightful place in contemporary research. Accordingly, this article will point out the relevance of first person reports for interdisciplinary investigations of the brain and mind. This is done by exploring the multidisciplinary field of food studies as a novel platform for discussion. The phenomenological inquiry is thus proposed as the vehicle and method to access food-related experience. By highlighting the important surplus, essential to grasping the process of pristine inner experience we adjoin a new perspective to the common focus on the content of experience. Consequently, this will extend the current insights pertinent to food-related research and moreover, give vital implications to our overall construction of concepts in science.
Adaptive Strategies of Firms in High-Velocity Environments: The Case of B2B Electronic Marketplaces

The adaptation-evolution strategies of firms have been a major area of interest. Internet based businesses operate in highly unstable environments witnessing shakeouts and changes in the industry structure. In this paper, we focus on the adaptive strategies and paths of adaptation of independent B2B marketplaces. The independent B2B marketplaces have undergone tremendous change with regard to their business models and products/services. Since their inception as pure market makers, these marketplaces have morphed into integration service providers with market making being one of the functions. What makes the adaptive strategies of B2B marketplaces interesting is the extremely short time period within which these changes happened. The research uses the case study methodology to identify the adaptive strategies of B2B marketplaces in terms of their product/service class evolution. The results based on the case studies suggest a three-stage adaptation model wherein the marketplaces progress through stages such as aggregation, transactions and integration.
The impact of the impostor phenomenon on the math self-efficacy of males and females in STEM majors

In the undergraduate and working environments, some science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) areas remain dominated by males. The purpose of this study was to understand the gendered experience of individuals in STEM majors by assessing students’ math self-efficacy, impostorism (a feeling of intellectual phoniness), and future goals. Based on prior research, an overall conceptual model was proposed and analyzed. Several related precursors including gender role orientation, perceived parental influence, math identity, and theories of intelligence were included in the model. Three hundred six undergraduates (64.38% female) in the colleges of natural science, geosciences, and engineering responded to an online survey addressing these constructs. Based on prior research, hypotheses were created proposing that females would report higher impostorism, lower math self-efficacy, and more femininity than males. I expected that masculinity, perceived parental influence, an entity theory of intelligence, and high math identity would predict the impostor phenomenon. Moreover, I hypothesized that the relation of each of these predictors to impostorism would be moderated by sex. For the next two hypotheses, I proposed that the four sources of math self-efficacy would predict math self-efficacy, but this relation would be moderated by impostorism. Finally, I expected that impostorism would lead to reduced future viii expectations and aspirations, but that this association would be mediated by math selfefficacy. Results indicated partial support of the study hypotheses, and a revised model was created. Both sexes reported similar levels of impostorism, but females had lower math self-efficacy and greater femininity than males. Masculinity negatively predicted the impostor phenomenon, while math identity and an entity theory of intelligence positively related to the dependent variable. Sex moderated the effect of perceived parental influence such that males’ impostorism was more affected by parental influence than females’. Emotional arousal was a strong contributor to math self-efficacy, but this relation was attenuated by impostorism. Coping with emotional arousal was positively associated with math self-efficacy; however, this association was significantly stronger for low impostors than high ones. Finally, impostors were less likely to expect to go to graduate school or work in a STEM-related field. Implications for schools and professors are discussed.
Interprofessional collaboration: a stakeholder approach to evaluation of voluntary participation in community partnerships

A major goal of community coalitions is to engage the community in large-scale systems change. This paper examines how five interprofessional partnerships in South Africa involved their local communities as well as a variety of voluntary agencies in the long-term planning and delivery of health care. The obstacles and difficulties encountered by the volunteers who participate in the partnerships are highlighted. The paper compares the views of 427 participants from four stakeholders: the community health workers; the projects' core staff; 'solo' community members; and representatives of voluntary agencies, community-based agencies and non-governmental organisations. This article considers the benefits and costs of participation as well as satisfaction, ownership, representation, contributions, and commitment. The findings suggest that while the stakeholders value their partnerships, some of the costs associated with their participation may affect their satisfaction and commitment. The challenges of working in partnerships with volunteers in a community setting are discussed and strategies for addressing them are considered. The implications for coalition functioning and the lessons for future community involvement in the planning of local health services by way of interprofessional partnerships are also addressed.
Controlled gene expression systems for lactic acid bacteria: transferable nisin-inducible expression cassettes for Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, and Lactobacillus spp

A transferable dual-plasmid inducible gene expression system for use in lactic acid bacteria that is based on the autoregulatory properties of the antimicrobial peptide nisin produced by Lactococcus lactis was developed. Introduction of the two plasmids allowed nisin-inducible gene expression in Lactococcus lactis MG1363, Leuconostoc lactis NZ6091, and Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32. Typically, the beta-glucuronidase activity (used as a reporter in this study) remained below the detection limits under noninducing conditions and could be raised to high levels, by addition of subinhibitory amounts of nisin to the growth medium, while exhibiting a linear dose-response relationship. These results demonstrate that the nisin-inducible system can be functionally implemented in lactic acid bacteria other than Lactococcus lactis.
Optimal segmentation of signals and its application to image denoising and boundary feature extraction

An optimal procedure for segmenting one-dimensional signals whose parameters are unknown and change at unknown times is presented. The method is maximum likelihood segmentation, which is computed using dynamic programming. In this procedure, the number of segments of the signal need not be known a priori but is automatically chosen by the minimum description length rule. The signal is modeled as unknown DC levels and unknown jump instants with an example chosen to illustrate the procedure. This procedure is applied to image denoising and boundary feature extraction. Because the proposed method uses the global information of the whole image, the results are more robust and reasonable than those obtained through classical procedures which only consider local information. The possible directions for improvement are discussed in the conclusion.
Uncertainty-driven survey path planning for bathymetric mapping

We present a novel survey path planning technique which minimizes the robot's position uncertainty along the planned path while taking into account area coverage performance. The proposed technique especially targets bathymetric mapping applications and respects application constraints such as the desire to survey in parallel tracks and to avoid turns in the target area to maximize sonar measurements quality. While accounting for uncertainty in the survey planning process can lead to more accurate data products, existing survey planning tools typically ignore it. Our method bridges this gap using the saliency on an a priori map to predict how the terrain will affect the robot's belief at every point on the target area. Based on this magnitude, we provide an algorithm that computes the order in which to trace parallel tracks to cover the target area minimizing the overall uncertainty along the path. A particle filter keeps track of the robot's position uncertainty during the planning process and, in order to find useful loop-closures for mapping, crossing tracks that visit salient locations are added when the uncertainty surpasses a user-provided threshold. We test our method on real-world datasets collected off the coasts of Spain, Greece and Australia. We evaluate the expected robot's position uncertainty along the planned paths and assess their associated mapping performance using a bathymetric mapping algorithm. Results show that our method offers benefits over a standard lawnmower-type path both in terms of position uncertainty and map quality.
The impact and cost of influenza in the elderly.

BACKGROUND Traditional methods of measuring the impact and cost of influenza virus have focused on epidemic years and morbidity and mortality due to pneumonia and influenza. METHODS Annualized age-sex-race adjusted rates of hospitalization for pneumonia and influenza and other diagnoses among elderly Medicare beneficiaries during the epidemic influenza season of 1989 to 1990 and the nonepidemic season of 1990 to 1991 were compared with an interim period in 1990 without influenza virus circulation. RESULTS The rates of hospitalization for pneumonia and influenza, acute bronchitis, chronic respiratory disease, and congestive heart failure were significantly greater during each influenza period compared with the interim period. The highest rates were found in the epidemic season of 1989 to 1990. The amount reimbursed by Medicare to hospitals to 1990. The amount reimbursed by Medicare to hospitals for the treatment of excess hospitalizations during periods of influenza activity was more than $1 billion in 1989 to 1990 and almost $750 million in 1990 to 1991. CONCLUSIONS Measures of the impact and cost of influenza in elderly Americans should include all of the diagnoses listed above and should recognize that the impact of influenza virus is significant even in nonepidemic years. There are great opportunities for cost savings if effective control programs are implemented.
Law Interrupted? Latour snooping around Le Conseil d’Etat [Review of: B. Latour (2010) The making of law: an ethnography of the Conseil d'État]

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Transistor Level Timing Analysis Considering Multiple Inputs Simultaneous Switching

To overcome the problems of traditional delay models, this paper uses a circuit simulator to calculate gate delay in static timing analysis. We analyzed the effect of multiple inputs simultaneous switching(MISS) on gate delay and proposed a MISS model to calculate the worst case gate delay. Based on this model, we developed the test waveform generation algorithms for complementary CMOS logic and pass transistor logic. By combining gate delay simulation with functional model extraction techniques of transistor circuits, we implemented a transistor level static timing analysis tool called SpiceTime. Results on ten IS-CAS85 benchmark circuits indicated that modules of significant size can be verified by SpiceTime with high precisions.