Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term Effect of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines on Tympanostomy Tube Placements

Background: We have previously shown that the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PncCRM) given in infancy is effective in reducing tympanostomy tube placements up to 4 to 5 years of age. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines PncCRM and PncOMPC from 2 up to 13 years of age. Methods: Altogether 2497 children participated in the Finnish Otitis Media Vaccine trial conducted in 1995 to 1999 and were vaccinated at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months of age with PncCRM or PncOMPC or hepatitis B vaccine as controls. The data for tympanostomy tube placements were collected from health registers including hospital and private office operations. Vaccine efficacy was estimated by comparing incidences of tympanostomies from 2 to 12–13 years of age in each of the pneumococcal vaccine groups with the control group. Results: Register data were searched for 2474 subjects. A total of 535 tympanostomy tube placements were identified in the health registers from 1998 through 2008 with a cumulative incidence of 14.6% from 2 to 13 years of age in the control group. The vaccine impact was age-dependent: from 2 through 5 years of age the vaccine effectiveness was 34% (95% confidence interval: 1% to 52%) for PncCRM and 6% (–28 to 31) for the PncOMPC vaccine. For the age group of 6 to 12–13 years the vaccine effectiveness estimates for the PncCRM and PncOMPC groups were –13% (–137 to 46) and –2% (–123 to 54), respectively. Conclusions: PncCRM vaccine reduced the tympanostomy tube placements up to 5 years of age. No impact on new surgical procedures could be demonstrated after that but the benefit achieved was sustained.
Deep Learning in Marble Slabs Classification

The process of classification of marble slabs has an important place in terms of construction sector and demands. Despite the advanced mines and construction equipment in Turkey and the world, the separation of cut marble process is a problem that has not been solved yet. The lack of a standard for the classification of marbles and the use of human factors for this process lead to erroneous and inefficient determinations. In this study, for the first time the Deep Learning method has been tried on marbles, and the components obtained from Deep Learning layers have been examined and the success of classification has measured. Thanks to the successful results, the basics of the Deep Learning network have been laid for future marble databases.
A mathematical framework for automated bug localization

In this paper, we propose a mathematical framework for automated bug localization. This framework can be briefly summarized as follows. A program execution can be represented as a rooted acyclic directed graph. We define an execution snapshot by a cut-set on the graph. A program state can be regarded as a conjunction of labels on edges in a cut-set. Then we argue that a debugging task is a pruning process of the execution graph by using cut-sets. A pruning algorithm, i.e., a debugging task, is also presented.
Mechanism Analysis of Smart Cue on Aircraft for Loss of Control Mitigation

This paper analyzes the mechanism of the smart inceptor on the aircraft, as a means to mitigate human–vehicle system loss–of–control. We divide the smart inceptor cue into three modes: the smart cue on the human pilot, the smart cue on the flight control system and the smart cue on both of them. The control mechanism of these three modes is developed and analyzed in depth. To evaluate the effect of the three modes, we utilize an intelligent human pilot model to establish the human–vehicle system with the smart inceptor and a scalogram–based pilot induced oscillation metric to predict the handling qualities of the three modes. This paper presents details of the cueing modes and the results of the prediction focused on effectiveness of these modes in preventing the pilots from entering a loss–of–control event. The simulation results indicate that the smart cue on both of them was the most effective method to mitigate the impact of the pilot-aircraft system oscillations for the given failure scenarios. It embodies the function of pilot-aircraft cooperation.
The many faces of glaucomatous optic neuropathy

Background: Glaucoma manifests mostly in the elderly, who frequently have other ocular changes that frustrate clear visualisation of the optic nerve head or nerve fibre layer. In the past, a large or asymmetric cup/disc ratio has been used to indicate the possibility of glaucoma. In this paper, I will argue that cup/disc ratios alone have poor sensitivity to glaucoma, and a more sophisticated approach is needed to make the earliest diagnosis.
Positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia as correlates of help-seeking behaviour and the duration of untreated psychosis in south-east Nigeria

Background. Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been widely recognised in recent years as a potentially important predictor of illness outcome, and the manifestations of schizophrenia have been known to influence its early recognition as a mental illness. Objective. To assess the association between the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia, help-seeking and DUP. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional study of 360 patients with schizophrenia, who had had no previous contact with Western mental health services. The Sociodemographic Questionnaire, World Health Organization Pathway Encounter Form and a questionnaire to establish DUP were used. The positive and negative syndrome scale and Composite International Diagnostic Interview were used for the assessment of mental disorders and to diagnose. Results. Respondents who had predominant positive symptoms and who had a median DUP of 8 weeks or 24 weeks, tended to use psychiatric hospitals and other Western medical facilities, respectively, as their first treatment options. However, those who had predominant negative symptoms and who had a median DUP of 144 weeks or 310 weeks, tended to use faith healers and traditional healers, respectively, as first treatment options. Conclusion. The predominance of negative symptoms could militate against early presentation among people with schizophrenia, probably because negative symptoms are poorly recognised as indicating mental illness in Nigeria, as they could be interpreted as deviant behaviour or spiritual problems that would require spiritual solutions.
Crossmodal spatial location: initial experiments

This paper describes an alternative form of interaction for mobile devices using crossmodal output. The aim of our work is to investigate the equivalence of audio and tactile displays so that the same messages can be presented in one form or another. Initial experiments show that spatial location can be perceived as equivalent in both the auditory and tactile modalities Results show that participants are able to map presented 3D audio positions to tactile body positions on the waist most effectively when mobile and that there are significantly more errors made when using the ankle or wrist. This paper compares the results from both a static and mobile experiment on crossmodal spatial location and outlines the most effective ways to use this crossmodal output in a mobile context.
A new target tracking method based on image patches

Target representation has great influence on the results of object tracking algorithms. This paper presents a new approach for target representation that applies image patches extracted from image sequences to target detection phase. In this approach, the initial image frame is split into small image patches, which are quantized and clustered to form a texture dictionary. Instead of using the statistical characteristics of image pixels, we propose a new target representation method by using the texton histogram features. T hen, particle filter algorithm is used to complete the tracking procedure. Experimental results show that our method is rational and effective.
The Key to the Mixed Method Dilemma

A robot wrist for introducing a male part into a bore, the end of the part and/or the opening of the bore being chamfered, and which has an arm connected to the robot, an end piece adapted for carrying the part and connecting elements fixed to the arm and the end piece allowing free movement of the end piece with respect to the arm, and ensuring self centering of this end piece. The connecting elements are magnetized in the direction of their axis and are interposed between the arm and the end piece, disposed so as to attract each other mutually and separated from each other by balls.
Web-Based Arabic Language Orthography Enrichment System

Arabic language presents several difficulties to new learners. In this paper, a novel approach consisting of a web based system that can automatically present orthographic details of Arabic text in order to assist Arabic language learners is presented. The different components of the proposed system are described, and results obtained by testing the system with short Arabic stories show that the system can effectively process Arabic text to provide useful orthographic information. Future enhancements to the system are also discussed. Keywords: part-of-speech tagging, machine learning, Arabic orthography, online learning.
The Fimbrial Usher FimD Follows the SurA-BamB Pathway for Its Assembly in the Outer Membrane of Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT Fimbrial ushers are the largest β-barrel outer membrane proteins (OMPs) known to date, which function in the polymerization of fimbriae and their translocation to the bacterial surface. Folding and assembly of these complex OMPs are not characterized. Here, we investigate the role of periplasmic chaperones (SurA, Skp, DegP, and FkpA) and individual components of the β-barrel assembly machinery (BAM) complex (BamA, BamB, BamC, and BamE) in the folding of the Escherichia coli FimD usher. The FimD level is dramatically reduced (∼30-fold) in a surA null mutant, but a strong cell envelope stress is constitutively activated with upregulation of DegP (∼10-fold). To demonstrate a direct role of SurA, FimD folding was analyzed in a conditional surA mutant in which SurA expression was controlled. In this strain, FimD is depleted from bacteria in parallel to SurA without significant upregulation of DegP. Interestingly, the dependency on SurA is higher for FimD than for other OMPs. We also demonstrate that a functional BAM complex is needed for folding of FimD. In addition, FimD levels were strongly reduced (∼5-fold) in a mutant lacking the accessory lipoprotein BamB. The critical role of BamB for FimD folding was confirmed by complementation and BamB depletion experiments. Similar to SurA dependency, FimD showed a stronger dependency on BamB than OMPs. On the other hand, folding of FimD was only marginally affected in bamC and bamE mutants. Collectively, our results indicate that FimD usher follows the SurA-BamB pathway for its assembly. The preferential use of this pathway for the folding of OMPs with large β-barrels is discussed.
The complete mitochondrial genome of Aplysia kurodai (Anaspidea: Aplysiidae)

Abstract Complete mitochondrial genome is sequenced from an opisthobranch gastropod Aplysia kurodai. Mitochondrial genome size of the species is 14,113 bp. The mitochondrial genome of A. kurodai contains 13 protein coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes like mitochondrial genomes of congeneric species. The gene order of protein coding genes is identical to that of other Aplysia species. A+T content (65.9%) of the mitochondrial genome is included in the range for A+T content of congeneric species. This genome data provides evolutionary and systematic implications for the related species.
Anaesthesia for chronic spinal cord lesions

Increasing numbers of patients with spinal cord injury present for surgery or obstetric care. Spinal cord injury causes unique pathophysiological changes. The most important peri‐operative dangers are autonomic dysreflexia, bradycardia, hypotension, respiratory inadequacy and muscle spasms. Autonomic dysreflexia is suggested by headache, sweating, bradycardia and severe hypertension and may be precipitated by surgery, especially bladder distension. Patients with low, complete lesions, undergoing surgery below the level of injury, may safely do so without anaesthesia provided there is no history of autonomic dysreflexia or troublesome spasms. An anaesthetist should be present to monitor the patient in this situation. General anaesthesia of sufficient depth is effective at controlling spasms and autonomic dysreflexia but hypotension and respiratory dysfunction are risks. There is a growing consensus that spinal anaesthesia is safe, effective and technically simple to perform in this group of patients. We present a survey of 515 consecutive anaesthetics in cord‐injured patients and a review of the current literature on anaesthesia for patients with chronic spinal cord lesions.
Treatment of input uncertainty in hydrologic modeling: Doing hydrology backward with Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation

There is increasing consensus in the hydrologic literature that an appropriate framework for streamflow forecasting and simulation should include explicit recognition of forcing and parameter and model structural error. This paper presents a novel Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampler, entitled differential evolution adaptive Metropolis (DREAM), that is especially designed to efficiently estimate the posterior probability density function of hydrologic model parameters in complex, high‐dimensional sampling problems. This MCMC scheme adaptively updates the scale and orientation of the proposal distribution during sampling and maintains detailed balance and ergodicity. It is then demonstrated how DREAM can be used to analyze forcing data error during watershed model calibration using a five‐parameter rainfall‐runoff model with streamflow data from two different catchments. Explicit treatment of precipitation error during hydrologic model calibration not only results in prediction uncertainty bounds that are more appropriate but also significantly alters the posterior distribution of the watershed model parameters. This has significant implications for regionalization studies. The approach also provides important new ways to estimate areal average watershed precipitation, information that is of utmost importance for testing hydrologic theory, diagnosing structural errors in models, and appropriately benchmarking rainfall measurement devices.
Anti-diabetic activity of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) in streptozotocin diabetic rats; does it act like sulfonylureas?

Aim: As an alternative medicine to treat diabetes mellitus, many herbal drugs are being studied throughout the world. In the present study, an attempt was made to investigate the anti-diabetic activity of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) (TC) stem extracts (both aqueous and alcoholic) in different dosages (200 and 400 mg/kg b.w.) in streptozotocin diabetic albino rats. The probable mechanism by which TC may act as an anti-hyperglycemic drug was also investigated. Materials and methods: The drug was administered orally for 10 days and 30 days in different groups of animal, with each group containing 6 animals. The efficacy of this drug was compared with the Lante Zinc Insulin (6 U/kg b.w. daily, i.p.) treated diabetic rats. The serum insulin levels, histology of endocrine pancreas and activity of key enzymes of glucose metabolism, i.e. glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase, were studied. Results: Our study clearly showed that TC has significant (P < 0.05) anti-diabetic activity in diabetic animals and has an efficacy of 40% to 80% compared to insulin. TC administration in diabetic animals did not cause any increase in serum insulin levels or regeneration of pancreatic β cells but caused increased hepatic glycogen synthase and decreased glycogen phosphorylase activity. Conclusion: The probable mechanism by which TC may act as an anti-hyperglycemic drug is not through insulin secretion like sulfonylureas. It may be through some peripheral mechanisms, such as increasing the glycogen storage in the liver or decreasing the glucose release from the liver.
Likelihood of a Particular Order of Genetic Markers and the Construction of Genetic Maps

We model the recombination process of fungal systems via chromatid exchange in meiosis, which accounts for any type of bivalent configuration in a genetic interval in any specified order of genetic markers, for both random spore and tetrad data. First, a probability model framework is developed for two genes and then generalized for an arbitrary number of genes. Maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) for both random and tetrad data are developed. It is shown that the MLE of recombination for tetrad data is uniformly more efficient over that from random spore data by a factor of at least 4 usually. The MLE for the generalized probability framework is computed using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. Pearson's chi-squared statistic is computed as a measure of goodness of fit using a product-multinomial setup. We implement our model with genetic marker data on the whole genome of Neurospora crassa. Simulated annealing is used to search for the best order of genetic markers for each chromosome, and the goodness of fit value is evaluated for model assumptions. Inferred map orders are corroborated by genomic sequence, with the exception of linkage groups I, II, and V.
Characterization of Short Range DNA Looping in Endotoxin-mediated Transcription of the Murine Inducible Nitric-oxide Synthase (iNOS) Gene*

The local structural properties and spatial conformations of chromosomes are intimately associated with gene expression. The spatial associations of critical genomic elements in inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) transcription have not been previously examined. In this regard, the murine iNOS promoter contains 2 NF-κB binding sites (nt –86 and nt –972) that are essential for maximal transactivation of iNOS by LPS. Although AP-1 is commonly listed as an essential transcription factor for LPS-mediated iNOS transactivation, the relationship between AP-1 and NF-κB in this setting is not well studied. In this study using a model of LPS-stimulated ANA-1 murine macrophages, we demonstrate that short range DNA looping occurs at the iNOS promoter. This looping requires the presence of AP-1, c-Jun, NF-κB p65, and p300-associated acetyltransferase activity. The distal AP-1 binding site interacts via p300 with the proximal NF-κB binding site to create this DNA loop to participate in iNOS transcription. Other geographically distant AP-1 and NF-κB sites are certainly occupied, but selected sites are critical for iNOS transcription and the formation of the c-Jun, p65, and p300 transcriptional complex. In this “simplified” model of murine iNOS promoter, numerous transcription factors recognize and bind to various response elements, but these locales do not equally contribute to iNOS gene transcription.
Constructing concept relation network and its application to personalized web search

Search engines are very effective in finding relevant pages for a query. When a query is ambiguous, the search engine returns a mix of results for different semantic interpretations of the query. This paper proposes a method to extract concepts from the search results of a query, and, treating each retrieved concept as a query, it recursively constructs a network of concepts related to different semantic interpretations of the query. By connecting networks of concepts obtained from different queries, a large integrated network, called Concept Relation Network (CRN), is formed. CRN is a semantic network that can be automatically constructed and maintained using existing search engines (e.g., Google) on the web. Taking advantage of large scale commercial search engines, CRN is able to derive a large number of highly coherent, highly related concepts. We study several ways to weight the connections between the concepts in CRN. By distinguishing between location concepts and content concepts, we analyze the ambiguity of each type of concepts individually. We also propose to extract concept clusters from CRN based on different graph topology. We observe that complete subgraphs in CRN can be used to effectively determine semantically related concepts. Finally, we apply CRN to search engine personalization. Experimental results show that the application of CRN to a concept-based personalization algorithm significantly improves precision comparing to the baseline.
Increasing Seriousness of Plant Invasions in Croplands of Eastern China in Relation to Changing Farming Practices: A Case Study

Arable areas are commonly susceptible to alien plant invasion because they experience dramatic environmental influences and intense anthropogenic activity. However, the limited reports on relevant factors in plant invasion of croplands have addressed single or a few invasive species and environmental factors. To elucidate key factors affecting plant invasions in croplands, we analyzed the relationship between 11 effective factors and changes in composition of alien plants, using field surveys of crop fields in Anhui Province conducted during 1987–1990 (historical dataset) and 2005–2010 (recent dataset), when rapid urbanization was occurring in China. We found that in the past few decades, the dominance and richness of alien plant populations approximately doubled, despite differences among the 4 regions of Anhui Province. Among the 38 alien invasive plant species observed in the sites, the dominance values of 11 species increased significantly, while the dominance of 4 species decreased significantly. The quantity of chemical fertilizer and herbicide applied, population density, agricultural machinery use, traffic frequency, and annual mean temperature were significantly related to increased richness and annual dominance values of alien plant species. Our findings suggest that the increase in alien plant invasions during the past few decades is primarily a result of increased application of chemical fertilizer and herbicides.
On Reducing the Effect of Speaker Overlap for Chime-5

The CHiME-5 speech separation and recognition challenge was recently shown to pose a difficult task for the current automatic speech recognition systems. Speaker overlap was one of the main difficulties of the challenge. The presence of noise, reverberation and the moving speakers have made the traditional source separation methods ineffective in improving the recognition accuracy. In this paper we have explored several enhancement strategies aimed to reduce the effect of speaker overlap for CHiME-5 without performing source separation. One is based on discarding the overlap segments using the speaker diarisation information from the challenge, another one is a neural network driven automatic gain control enhancement aimed to improve the previous speaker diarisation information, and the last one is based on optimal multi-array data selection. State-of-the-art acoustic models were used to perform the ASR experiments. Results have shown that proposed automatic gain control method yields word error rate (WER) reductions between 2% and 3% absolute on the development set of CHiME-5.
Fully Unsupervised Core-Adjunct Argument Classification

The core-adjunct argument distinction is a basic one in the theory of argument structure. The task of distinguishing between the two has strong relations to various basic NLP tasks such as syntactic parsing, semantic role labeling and subcategorization acquisition. This paper presents a novel unsupervised algorithm for the task that uses no supervised models, utilizing instead state-of-the-art syntactic induction algorithms. This is the first work to tackle this task in a fully unsupervised scenario.