Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A case of inclusion body myositis with benign monoclonal gammopathy successfully responding to repeated immunoabsorption

A 69 year old woman with inclusion body myositis is described. She presented with benign monoclonal gammopathy. She was resistant to steroid therapy, but responded to repeated immunoabsorption. Up to now, there has been no established therapy for inclusion body myositis, including IVIg. It is suggested that immunoabsorption could be an alternative therapy for inclusion body myositis, when it was accompanied by immunological abnormality.
CT tumor measurement for therapeutic response assessment: comparison of unidimensional, bidimensional, and volumetric techniques initial observations.

PURPOSE To compare unidimensional, bidimensional, and volumetric techniques for evaluation of treatment response in patients with liver metastases from breast cancer in a phase III clinical trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS Helical computed tomographic (CT) studies in 38 patients with liver metastases from breast cancer who were enrolled in a phase III clinical trial were evaluated before treatment and at 6 months after treatment. Two subspecialty radiologists measured all lesions on transverse CT scans with use of electronic calipers according to both unidimensional and bidimensional criteria. Volumetric measurements were made by tracing individual lesions. Measurements of individual lesions were summed to obtain patient response, which was categorized as complete response, disappearance of lesions; partial response, greater than 30% decrease in tumor diameter (unidimensional), greater than 50% reduction in tumor area (bidimensional), or greater than 65% reduction in tumor volume (volumetric); disease progression, greater than 20% increase in tumor diameter, greater than 25% increase in tumor area, or greater than 73% increase in tumor volume: or stable disease (size response other than that of complete response, partial response, or disease progression). RESULTS In 37 patients, there was concordant treatment response with use of unidimensional and bidimensional techniques. Volumetric measurement produced results different from those of the unidimensional and bidimensional techniques in 12 and 13 patients, respectively. In six patients with partial response per unidimensional and bidimensional criteria, the response based on the volumetric technique was stable disease. In two patients with stable disease per bidimensional and unidimensional criteria, the response was partial response by volumetric measurement. In four patients with disease progression per bidimensional and unidimensional criteria, the response was stable disease per volumetric criteria. CONCLUSION Volumetric measurement of tumor burden gives different results for treatment response compared with that of the unidimensional or bidimensional technique in a considerable proportion of patients.
An Empirical Comparison of Abstraction in Models of Markov Decision Processes

Reinforcement learning studies the problem of solving sequential decision making problems. Model-based methods learn an effective policy in few actions by learning a model of the domain and simulating experience in their models. Typical model-based methods must visit each state at least once, which can be infeasible in large domains. To overcome this problem, the model learning algorithm needs to generalize knowledge to unseen states and provide information about the states in which it needs more experience. In this paper, we use existing supervised learning techniques to learn the model of the domain. We empirically compare their effectiveness at generalizing knowledge across states on three different domains. Our results indicate that tree-based models perform the best after training on a small number of transitions, while support vector machines perform the best after a large number of transitions.
Handbook of International and Intercultural Communication

PART ONE: OVERVIEWS Theoretical Perspectives for Studying Intercultural Communication - William B Gudykunst and Tsukasa Nishida Inquiry in International Communication - Thomas McPhail Inquiry in Development Communication - Everett M Rogers The New International Information and Communication Order - Kaarle Nordenstreng and Wolfgang Kleinwachter PART TWO: PROCESSES AND EFFECTS Communicator Characteristics - Howard Giles and Arlene Franklyn-Stokes Language and Intergroup Communication - William B Gudykunst et al The Cultural Dimensions of Nonverbal Communication - Michael L Hecht, Peter A Andersen, and Sidney A Ribeau Social Networks and Communication - Gabriel Weimann Social Cognition and Intergroup Communication - William B Gudykunst and Lauren Gumbs Emotions in Intercultural Communication - David Matsumoto, Harold G Wallbott and Klaus R Scherer Intercultural Communication Competence - Mitchell R Hammer Interpersonal Power and Influence in Intercultural Communication - Dorthy L Pennington Intercultural Adaptation - Young Yun Kim Electronic Mass Media Effects Across Cultures - Peter Yaple and Felipe Korzenny Television and Social Perceptions Among African Americans and Hispanics - Oscar H Gandy Jr and Paula W Matabane PART THREE: CONTEXTS Identity and Interpersonal Bonding - Stella Ting-Toomey Encounters in the Interracial Workplace - Molefi Kete Asante and Alice Davis The International Marketplace - Robert Shuter Diplomacy - Glen Fisher National Development - Njoku E Awa Intercultural Communication Training - Richard W Brislin PART FOUR: RESEARCH ISSUES Problems in Intercultural Research - J David Johnson and Frank Tuttle Translation - Christiane F Gonzalez
Gender and vocal production mode discrimination using the high frequencies for speech and singing

Humans routinely produce acoustical energy at frequencies above 6 kHz during vocalization, but this frequency range is often not represented in communication devices and speech perception research. Recent advancements toward high-definition (HD) voice and extended bandwidth hearing aids have increased the interest in the high frequencies. The potential perceptual information provided by high-frequency energy (HFE) is not well characterized. We found that humans can accomplish tasks of gender discrimination and vocal production mode discrimination (speech vs. singing) when presented with acoustic stimuli containing only HFE at both amplified and normal levels. Performance in these tasks was robust in the presence of low-frequency masking noise. No substantial learning effect was observed. Listeners also were able to identify the sung and spoken text (excerpts from “The Star-Spangled Banner”) with very few exposures. These results add to the increasing evidence that the high frequencies provide at least redundant information about the vocal signal, suggesting that its representation in communication devices (e.g., cell phones, hearing aids, and cochlear implants) and speech/voice synthesizers could improve these devices and benefit normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners.
A Comparative and Fault-tolerance Study of the Use of N-grams with Polyphonic Music

In this paper we investigate the retrieval performance of monophonic queries made on a polyphonic music database using the n-gram approach for full-music indexing. The pitch and rhythm dimensions of music are used, and the musical words (a term coined by Downie [2]) generated enable text retrieval methods to be used with music retrieval. We outline an experimental framework for a comparative and fault-tolerance study of various n-gramming strategies and encoding precision using six experimental databases. For monophonic queries we focus in particular on query-by-humming (QBH) systems. Error models addressed in several QBH studies are surveyed for the fault-tolerance study. Our experiments show that different ngramming strategies and encoding precision differ widely in their effectiveness. We present the results of our comparative and faulttolerance study on a collection of 5380 polyphonic music pieces encoded in the MIDI format.
Approximating Shortest Path in Large-Scale Road Networks with Turn Prohibitions Using Multi-constrained Path Algorithm

Multi-Constrained Path (MCP) algorithms are path finding algorithms, unlike conventional routing algorithms, they not only give a path between source and destination, also verifies whether the path satisfies the given constraints (Right turn, Left turn and U turn). MCP algorithms are NPComplete. The MCP algorithms are aimed to find the shortest path in a road network that satisfies the turn prohibitions and has many applications such as route guidance in Intelligent Transport System (ITS). In this paper, roads are considered as nodes and junctions as edges, as it reduces the amount of data to be processed. The output consists of a list of paths that can be used to reach the destination. The algorithms have be tested and analysed with the real data of Bangalore road network. The results show that the efficiency of MCP is 84.5% better than conventional routing algorithms in terms of execution time.
Involvement of hnRNP A1 in the matrix metalloprotease‐3‐dependent regulation of Rac1 pre‐mRNA splicing

Rac1b is an alternatively spliced isoform of the small GTPase Rac1 that includes the 57‐nucleotide exon 3b. Rac1b was originally identified through its over‐expression in breast and colorectal cancer cells, and has subsequently been implicated as a key player in a number of different oncogenic signaling pathways, including tumorigenic transformation of mammary epithelial cells exposed to matrix metalloproteinase‐3 (MMP‐3). Although many of the cellular consequences of Rac1b activity have been recently described, the molecular mechanism by which MMP‐3 treatment leads to Rac1b induction has not been defined. Here we use proteomic methods to identify heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A1 as a factor involved in Rac1 splicing regulation. We find that hnRNP A1 binds to Rac1 exon 3b in mouse mammary epithelial cells, repressing its inclusion into mature mRNA. We also find that exposure of cells to MMP‐3 leads to release of hnRNP A1 from exon 3b and the consequent generation of Rac1b. Finally, we analyze normal breast tissue and breast cancer biopsies, and identify an inverse correlation between expression of hnRNP A1 and Rac1b, suggesting the existence of this regulatory axis in vivo. These results provide new insights on how extracellular signals regulate alternative splicing, contributing to cellular transformation and development of breast cancer. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 2319–2329, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Failure to address potential bias in non-randomised controlled clinical trials may cause lack of evidence on patient-reported outcomes: a method study

Objectives We conducted a workup of a previously published systematic review and aimed to analyse why most of the identified non-randomised controlled clinical trials with patient-reported outcomes did not match a set of basic quality criteria. Setting There were no limits on the level of care and the geographical location. Participants The review evaluated permanent interstitial low-dose rate brachytherapy in patients with localised prostate cancer and compared that intervention with alternative procedures such as external beam radiotherapy, radical prostatectomy and no primary therapy. Primary outcome measure Fulfilment of basic inclusion criteria according to a Participants, Interventions, Comparisons, Outcomes (PICO) framework and accomplishment of requirements to contain superimposed risk of bias. Results We found that 21 of 50 excluded non-randomised controlled trials did not meet the PICO inclusion criteria. The remaining 29 studies showed a lack in the quality of reporting. The resulting flaws included attrition bias due to loss of follow-up, lack of reporting baseline data, potential confounding due to unadjusted data and lack of statistical comparison between groups. Conclusions With respect to the reporting of patient-reported outcomes, active efforts are required to improve the quality of reporting in non-randomised controlled trials concerning permanent interstitial low-dose rate brachytherapy in patients with localised prostate cancer.
Glimmer: Multilevel MDS on the GPU

We present Glimmer, a new multilevel algorithm for multidimensional scaling designed to exploit modern graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware. We also present GPU-SF, a parallel, force-based subsystem used by Glimmer. Glimmer organizes input into a hierarchy of levels and recursively applies GPU-SF to combine and refine the levels. The multilevel nature of the algorithm makes local minima less likely while the GPU parallelism improves speed of computation. We propose a robust termination condition for GPU-SF based on a filtered approximation of the normalized stress function. We demonstrate the benefits of Glimmer in terms of speed, normalized stress, and visual quality against several previous algorithms for a range of synthetic and real benchmark datasets. We also show that the performance of Glimmer on GPUs is substantially faster than a CPU implementation of the same algorithm.
Overexpression of CHI3L1 is associated with chemoresistance and poor outcome of epithelial ovarian carcinoma

We propose CHI3L1 as a prognostic biomarker for patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) and also suggest possible biological functions of CHI3L1. We measured CHI3L1 expression with quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in 180 women with EOC and evaluated correlations between CHI3L1 expression, clinicopathological characteristics, and the outcomes of the patients. The expression of CHI3L1 was higher in cancerous tissues than in normal tissues. The expression of CHI3L1 was also higher in patients with a serous histological type, advanced stage, and chemoresistance. Patients with high CHI3L1 expression had a shorter progression-free survival (p < 0.001) and overall survival (p < 0.001). Patients with high CHI3L1 expression also had a high risk of recurrence (p < 0.001) and death (p < 0.001). In vitro studies showed that CHI3L1 up-regulated the expression of anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 protein and hampered paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. These results suggest that CHI3L1 shows potential as a prognostic biomarker for EOC. CHI3L1 may promote chemoresistance via inhibition of drug-induced apoptosis by up-regulating Mcl-1.
SELECTION OF A MODULES STOCK COMPOSITION USING GENETIC ALGORITHM

Abstract The paper focuses on modelling and solving a design problem. The problem consists in selecting a set of modules that will be manufactured in distant sites and shipped in a nearby location site for a final assembly operation under time limits. The problem is modelled as a mathematical problem and solved by a genetic algorithm with a modified crossover operation, a uniform mutation with adaptive rate and a partial reshuffling procedure.
Scientific Argumentation in Earth System Science Education

We investigate the merit of including deliberate instruction on argumentation and debate in an undergraduate Earth system science course. We examine sample student evaluations of arguments constructed by their peers during a classroom debate on Earth's climate system. Students participating in this exercise had, at a minimum, a baseline understanding of both global climate change and scientific argumentation. Three weeks of instruction were dedicated to global climate change and included an introduction to scientific argumentation. The objective of this exercise was to obtain a deeper understanding of how students use critical reasoning skills when assessing claims related to the global climate. Under the conditions studied, we found that while students invoked critical reasoning skills when assessing the relative strengths of opposing arguments, they often favored presentation style over content in their overall evaluation of the debate. Our finding suggests students be given ongoing practice in critically evaluating claims related to the global environment.
Pyrene bioaccumulation, effects of pyrene exposure on particle‐size selection, and fecal pyrene content in the oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri (Tubificidae, Oligochaeta)

The oligochaete Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri Cleparéde was exposed to sediment‐amended pyrene (0–1,196 nmol/g dry wt) for 2, 5, and 10 d to investigate sediment particle‐size preference, tissue pyrene bioaccumulation (using biota‐sediment accumulation factor, BSAF), fecal pyrene concentrations (using fecal‐sediment accumulation factor, FSAF), and pyrene biotransformation. In non‐pyrene‐amended sediment, L. hoffmeisteri preferentially ingested finer sediment particles (<3.5 μm). However, pyrene concentrations >199 nmol/g dry weight resulted in a decreased preference for finer particles, presumably reducing pyrene exposure. Particle selectivity also changed with time such that after 10 d, worms showed an increased preference for finer particles. At high pyrene exposure, tissue pyrene concentrations rapidly attained equilibrium (maximum body residue 4.4 μmol/g wet wt, close to values cited for hydrocarbon critical body residues). Levels of biotransformation were low (mean 14%) and independent of time or pyrene concentration. Biota‐sediment accumulation factor showed a negative relationship with sediment pyrene concentration; this trend may be due to reduced availability at high sediment pyrene concentrations or due to reductions in both ingestion rate and selectivity for fine, pyrene‐rich particles. Fecal pyrene concentrations were depleted compared to sediment levels, suggesting removal of pyrene during gut passage by absorption. Fecal‐sediment accumulation factor showed a negative relationship with increasing sediment pyrene levels.
Towards Extending Bag-of-Words-Models Using Context Features for an 2D Inverted Index

This paper addresses the image retrieval problem of finding images in a large dataset that contain similar scenes or objects to a given query image. Often, this task is performed with the popular Bag-of-Words (BoW)-Model which quantizes local features such as SIFT for speeding up the retrieval by using an inverted file indexing scheme. We focus on the limits of the model for very large-scale datasets since the quantization of the individual feature descriptors impairs their discriminative power. Thus, with growing datasets, the model gets increasingly distracted by irrelevant images that occasionally result in similar signatures. Our goal is to also consider neighboring features and their geometry and to condense them into a new context-feature which is meant to be quantized as well. As this new quantized context information introduces a second dimension in the BoW-Model, it supports both performance and accuracy during the retrieval step. Using the public datasets Oxford5k and Holidays, we define an appropriate framework and evaluate different ways of context feature construction, dimensionality reduction and quantization.
Robust Image Watermarking Scheme Using Lapped Biorthogonal Transform

A robust watermarking scheme is proposed for digital images, which exploits the technique of block-based lapped biorthogonal transform (LBT). The proposed algorithm combines the LBT and SVD to strike a good balance between robustness and perceptual invisibility. Moreover, by applying a quantization scheme, the embedded watermark can be extracted without the cover image and the original watermark. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme is robust against the general image processing and malicious tampering, and the watermarked image has a good quality. Keywords-Lapped Biorthogonal Transform; Singular Value Decomposition; quantification; digital watermarking
Electrode verification and management system for automation of EDM process in mould industry

In order to remain highly competitive, mould makers are compelled to shorten lead-time to produce mistake free complex mould for high value quick-turnaround products. One of the critical processes in mould making is the electro-discharge machining (EDM) process, which uses a large variety of precisely machined electrodes for making thin walls and sharp pockets. Potential sources of errors, particularly from manual processes such as setup and presetting of electrodes, programme preparation, electrode sequence validation and management of a large amount of electrodes with relevant offset data, make it extremely difficult to meet the delivery lead-time. This paper describes an innovative low cost, easily adaptable shop-floor solution to eliminate manual intervention and potential errors. It can be easily integrated with existing brands and models of EDM machines and tool pre-setters. It eliminates all manual entry of critical data, provides a method to combine programme and to merge offset values for the available electrodes, and validates both the electrode sequence and the precedence relationships between the finishing and roughing tools. The system architecture, criteria for sensor selection, placement and data synchronization, together with sequence verification are also described. With the help of such a system, it is possible for operators to manage several EDM machines concurrently together with an avalanche of orders, electrodes and offset values without any stress.
Effective Extraction of Thematically Grouped Key Terms From Text

We present a novel method for extraction of key terms from text documents. The important and novel feature of our method is that it produces groups of key terms, while each group contains key terms semantically related to one of the main themes of the document. Our method bases on a combination of the following two techniques: Wikipedia-based semantic relatedness measure of terms and algorithm for detecting community structure of a network. One of the advantages of our method is that it does not require any training, as it works upon the Wikipedia knowledge base. Our experimental evaluation using human judgments shows that our method produces key terms with high precision and
Acceptability of Time Out from Reinforcement Procedures for Disruptive Child Behavior: A Further Analysis.

Forty-eight teachers and forty-eight parents evaluated the effectiveness and acceptability of five behavioral procedures for reducing disruptive behavior in children. The results showed that teachers evaluated the procedures as being more effective and acceptable than did the parents. The treatment procedures rated as most effective and acceptable were reinforcement and isolation and contractual agreement. In additon, the procedures were rated as being more effective and acceptable for 5-year-olds than for 10-year-olds. The results of this study are compared to similiar studies reported by Kazdin.
Quality evaluation of digital fundus images through combined measures

Abstract. The evaluation of image quality is an important step before an automatic analysis of retinal images. Several conditions can impair the acquisition of a good image, and minimum image quality requirements should be present to ensure that an automatic or semiautomatic system provides an accurate diagnosis. A method to classify fundus images as low or good quality is presented. The method starts with the detection of regions of uneven illumination and evaluates if the segmented noise masks affect a clinically relevant area (around the macula). Afterwards, focus is evaluated through a fuzzy classifier. An input vector is created extracting three focus features. The system was validated in a large dataset (1454 fundus images), obtained from an online database and an eye clinic and compared with the ratings of three observers. The system performance was close to optimal with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.9943.