Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Designs for the Combination of Group- and Individual-level Data

Background: Studies of ecologic or aggregate data suffer from a broad range of biases when scientific interest lies with individual-level associations. To overcome these biases, epidemiologists can choose from a range of designs that combine these group-level data with individual-level data. The individual-level data provide information to identify, evaluate, and control bias, whereas the group-level data are often readily accessible and provide gains in efficiency and power. Within this context, the literature on developing models, particularly multilevel models, is well-established, but little work has been published to help researchers choose among competing designs and plan additional data collection. Methods: We review recently proposed “combined” group- and individual-level designs and methods that collect and analyze data at 2 levels of aggregation. These include aggregate data designs, hierarchical related regression, two-phase designs, and hybrid designs for ecologic inference. Results: The various methods differ in (i) the data elements available at the group and individual levels and (ii) the statistical techniques used to combine the 2 data sources. Implementing these techniques requires care, and it may often be simpler to ignore the group-level data once the individual-level data are collected. A simulation study, based on birth-weight data from North Carolina, is used to illustrate the benefit of incorporating group-level information. Conclusions: Our focus is on settings where there are individual-level data to supplement readily accessible group-level data. In this context, no single design is ideal. Choosing which design to adopt depends primarily on the model of interest and the nature of the available group-level data.
Implementation of the three degrees-of-freedom parallel platform in human posture analysis

The purpose of this study was to implement a three degrees-of-freedom inclining parallel platform to provide postural perturbations for examining human balance during the standing posture. The inclining parallel platform was capable of generating random rotation disturbances in sixteen different directions. By measuring the projection of the subject's centre of mass with a force plate mounted on top of the parallel platform, we had the ability to control the parallel platform rotation in a real time.
Motion effects on intrusion development Page 1 of 19 Motion Effects on Intrusion Development

Analogue studies on intrusion development have found that visuospatial tasks performed during the encoding of aversive information reduce subsequent intrusion development. However, these studies cannot rule out a physical explanation in terms of simple movement. In the current study we addressed this issue. Healthy participants viewed an aversive film while performing a visuospatial movement task, a configurational movement task, or no task. Intrusive images from the film were reported in a diary during the week following film viewing. In line with an information processing account of post-traumatic stress disorder, intrusion frequency was significantly reduced by the visuospatial movement task but not the configurational movement task compared to no task. This finding supports the role of visuospatial processing specifically in intrusion development.
The Hyphal and Yeast Forms of Candida albicans Bind the Complement Regulator C4b-Binding Protein

ABSTRACT Candida albicans, an important pathogenic yeast, activates all three pathways of the complement system. To understand how this yeast evades the effects of the activated system, we have analyzed the binding of the classical pathway inhibitor C4b-binding protein (C4BP) by C. albicans. Purified native as well as recombinant C4BP bound dose dependently to the yeast and hyphal forms, as shown by multiple methods, such as confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, absorption from human serum, and direct binding assays with purified proteins. A prominent binding site was identified at the tip of the germ tube, a structure that is considered important for tissue penetration and pathogenesis. The binding site in C4BP was localized to the two N-terminal complement control protein domains by using recombinant deletion constructs and site-specific monoclonal antibodies. As the alternative pathway inhibitors factor H and FHL-1 also bind to C. albicans, the binding of all three plasma proteins was compared. Simultaneous binding of the classical regulator C4BP and the alternative pathway regulator factor H was demonstrated by confocal microscopy. In addition, FHL-1 competed for binding with C4BP, suggesting that these two related complement regulators bind to the same structures on the yeast surface. The surface-attached C4BP maintains its complement regulatory activities and inactivates C4b. The surface-attached human C4BP serves multiple functions relevant for immune evasion and likely pathogenicity. It inhibits complement activation at the yeast surface and, in addition, mediates adhesion of C. albicans to host endothelial cells.
Gyroscope System Identification using an Impulse Response RLS Algorithm

A recursive identification algorithm is used to identify a gyroscope system using impulse response data. The algorithm is based on an auto regressive moving average model with a steepest descent method. Impulse voltage input is used to excite the system and the angular velocity output is measured. The angular velocity output is dependent on the voltage and current inputs and affected by the system constants: motor inductance and mechanical constant, gear ratio and efficiency, moment of inertia, and load. The transfer function is constructed from the identified model using the Z-transform. Then, the input voltage is varied and applied to both: the identified model and the physical system. Experimental results using Labview with data acquisition card (DAQ) are presented. Results show that the recursive identification algorithm is able to identify the systems with minimal error
Drosophila KDEL Receptor Function in the Embryonic Salivary Gland and Epidermis

Core components of the secretory pathway have largely been identified and studied in single cell systems such as the budding yeast S. cerevisiae or in mammalian tissue culture. These studies provide details on the molecular functions of the secretory machinery; they fail, however, to provide insight into the role of these proteins in the context of specialized organs of higher eukaryotes. Here, we identify and characterize the first loss-of-function mutations in a KDEL receptor gene from higher eukaryotes. Transcripts from the Drosophila KDEL receptor gene KdelR – formerly known as dmErd2 – are provided maternally and, at later stages, are at elevated levels in several embryonic cell types, including the salivary gland secretory cells, the fat body and the epidermis. We show that, unlike Saccharomyces cerevisiae Erd2 mutants, which are viable, KdelR mutations are early larval lethal, with homozygous mutant animals dying as first instar larvae. KdelR mutants have larval cuticle defects similar to those observed with loss-of-function mutations in other core secretory pathway genes and with mutations in CrebA, which encodes a bZip transcription factor that coordinately upregulates secretory pathway component genes in specialized secretory cell types. Using the salivary gland, we demonstrate a requirement for KdelR in maintaining the ER pool of a subset of soluble resident ER proteins. These studies underscore the utility of the Drosophila salivary gland as a unique system for studying the molecular machinery of the secretory pathway in vivo in a complex eukaryote.
Mechanism and Localization of CD8 Regulatory T Cells in a Heart Transplant Model of Tolerance

Despite accumulating evidence for the importance of allospecific CD8+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in tolerant rodents and free immunosuppression transplant recipients, mechanisms underlying CD8+ Treg-mediated tolerance remain unclear. By using a model of transplantation tolerance mediated by CD8+ Tregs following CD40Ig treatment in rats, in this study, we show that the accumulation of tolerogenic CD8+ Tregs and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in allograft and spleen but not lymph nodes was associated with tolerance induction in vascularized allograft recipients. pDCs preferentially induced tolerogenic CD8+ Tregs to suppress CD4+ effector cells responses to first-donor Ags in vitro. When tolerogenic CD8+ Tregs were not in contact with CD4+ effector cells, suppression was mediated by IDO. Contact with CD4+ effector cells resulted in alternative suppressive mechanisms implicating IFN-γ and fibroleukin-2. In vivo, both IDO and IFN-γ were involved in tolerance induction, suggesting that contact with CD4+ effector cells is crucial to modulate CD8+ Tregs function in vivo. In conclusion, CD8+ Tregs and pDCs interactions were necessary for suppression of CD4+ T cells and involved different mechanisms modulated by the presence of cell contact between CD8+ Tregs, pDCs, and CD4+ effector cells.
On the estimation of the number of desired records with respect to a given query

The importance of the estimation of the number of desired records for a given query is outlined. Two algorithms for the estimation in the “closest neighbors problem” are presented. The numbers of operations of the algorithms are <italic>&Ogr;</italic>(<italic>ml</italic><supscrpt>2</supscrpt>) and <italic>&Ogr;</italic>(<italic>ml</italic>), where <italic>m</italic> is the number of clusters and <italic>l</italic> is the “length” of the query.
Best (but oft-forgotten) practices: the multiple problems of multiplicity-whether and how to correct for many statistical tests.

Testing many null hypotheses in a single study results in an increased probability of detecting a significant finding just by chance (the problem of multiplicity). Debates have raged over many years with regard to whether to correct for multiplicity and, if so, how it should be done. This article first discusses how multiple tests lead to an inflation of the α level, then explores the following different contexts in which multiplicity arises: testing for baseline differences in various types of studies, having >1 outcome variable, conducting statistical tests that produce >1 P value, taking multiple "peeks" at the data, and unplanned, post hoc analyses (i.e., "data dredging," "fishing expeditions," or "P-hacking"). It then discusses some of the methods that have been proposed for correcting for multiplicity, including single-step procedures (e.g., Bonferroni); multistep procedures, such as those of Holm, Hochberg, and Šidák; false discovery rate control; and resampling approaches. Note that these various approaches describe different aspects and are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, resampling methods could be used to control the false discovery rate or the family-wise error rate (as defined later in this article). However, the use of one of these approaches presupposes that we should correct for multiplicity, which is not universally accepted, and the article presents the arguments for and against such "correction. " The final section brings together these threads and presents suggestions with regard to when it makes sense to apply the corrections and how to do so.
Development, Problem Behavior, and Quality of Life in a Population Based Sample of Eight-Year-Old Children with Down Syndrome

Objective Children with Down syndrome (DS) have delayed psychomotor development. We investigated levels of development, problem behavior, and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in a population sample of Dutch eight-year-old children with DS. Developmental outcomes were compared with normative data of eight-year-old children from the general population. Method Over a three-year-period all parents with an eight-year-old child with DS were approached by the national parent organization. Developmental skills were assessed by means of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Ability. To measure emotional and behavioral problems we used the Child Behavior Checklist. HRQoL was assessed with the TNO-AZL Children's Quality of Life questionnaire. Analyses of variance were applied to compare groups. Results A total of 337 children participated. Mean developmental age was substantially lower than mean calendar age (3.9 years, SD 0.87 and 8.1 years, SD 0.15 respectively). Mean developmental age was significantly lower among boys than girls (3.6 (SD 0.85) and 4.2 years (SD 0.82) respectively; p<0.001). Compared with the general population, children with DS had more emotional and behavioral problems (p<0.001). However on the anxious/depressed scale, they scored significantly more favorably (p<0.001). Significantly lower HRQoL scores for the scales gross motor skills, autonomy, social functioning and cognitive functioning were found (p-values<0.001). Hardly any differences were observed for the scales physical complaints, positive and negative emotions. Conclusion Eight-year-old children with DS have an average developmental delay of four years, more often have emotional and behavioral problems, and have a less favorable HRQoL compared with children from the general population.
Negotiating Race-Related Tensions: How White Educational Leaders Recognize, Confront, and Dialogue about Race and Racism.

Despite exposure of educational disparities for students of color, as well as the notion that educational training rarely discusses race and racism, there continues to be a lack of discourse on race, racism, and anti-racism in educational leadership. Subsequently, it is important to challenge deficit thinking and encourage further examination of the deeplyrooted foundation of oppression. The study explored personal narratives of white educational leaders who oppose racial inequity to heighten awareness about conceptualizations of race, racism, and anti-racism. The research involved interviewing educational leaders in three groups: 1) aspiring, 2) currently-practicing, and 3) retired. Eight participants were selected to engage in two semi-structured interviews about their experiences aligned with the following research questions: 1) How do white educational leaders frame the impact of race and racism? and 2) How do white educational leaders describe their perceptions and experiences recognizing, confronting, and dialoguing with others about race and racism? The findings revealed commonalties about the subtle nature of racism, as well as how to confront racism through thoughts and actions. While participants considered dialogue beneficial in their own awareness of race and racism, the lack of venues to dialogue were emphasized. The findings suggest implications for further contextualizing negotiations of race-related tensions and framing the impact of race and racism, particularly in relation to creating purposeful spaces and relationships to encourage such dialogue. Additionally, interpretation of the findings adds insight to further conceptualizing racial identity models and anti-racism.
THE REPRESENTATION OF FAMILY DECISION PROCESS MATTER ? A COLLECTIVE MODEL OF HOUSEHOLD LABOUR SUPPLY FOR THE EVALUATION OF A PERSONAL TAX REFORM IN SPAIN

This paper presents an application of the collective model of labour supply, allowing for labour participation and non-linear budget sets. To identify the model, some preference parameters are estimated, while some other key parameters are calibrated so as to replicate as best as possible observed labour supplies under the 1994 personal tax system in Spain. The model is used to simulate the important reform of the tax system introduced in 1999. It is seen that the reform induces important behavioural changes through two channels: changes in the budget constraint, and changes in the bargaining power of the spouses within couples. The reform leads to a decrease in average tax rates, a larger redistributive effect on the before tax income distribution than the 1994 tax system, and an increase in social welfare defined on the after tax, or disposable income distribution. In addition, the reform induces an increase in the female’s power index, utility gains for all females, and utility losses for almost all males in the sample of couples.
Trade-off between traffic overhead and reliability in multipath routing for wireless sensor networks

In wireless sensor networks (WSN) data produced by one or more sources usually has to be routed through several intermediate nodes to reach the destination. Problems arise when intermediate nodes to reach the destination. Problems arise when intermediate nodes fail to forward the incoming messages. The reliability of the system can be increased by providing several paths from source to destination and sending the same packet through each of them (the algorithm is known as multipath routing). Using this technique, the traffic increases significantly. In this paper, we analyze a new mechanism that enables the trade-off between the amount of traffic and the reliability. The data packet is split in k subpackets (k = number of disjoined paths from source to destination). If only E/sub k/ subpackets (E/sub k/ < k) are necessary to rebuild the original data packet (condition obtained by adding redundancy to each subpacket), then the trade-off between traffic and reliability can be controlled.
Permanent and transitory components of GDP and stock prices: further analysis

Using the conventional VAR identification approach, Cochrane (Quarterly Journal of Economics 107: 241–65, 1994) finds that substantial amounts of variation in GDP growth and stock returns are due to transitory shocks. Following the common trend decomposition of King etal. (American Economic Review 81: 819–40, 1991), we show that Cochrane's results depend on the assumption of weak exogeneity of one of the variables with respect to the cointegration vector. When this assumption holds both approaches coincide. If not, the shocks Cochrane called transitory are not totally transitory. In this case, the conventional VAR approach with the assumption of the weak exogeneity may overstate the magnitude of transitory shocks and understate that of permanent shocks. We find that the permanent components of GDP and stock prices are much larger than those estimates of Cochrane, although substantial (but much smaller than in Cochrane 1994) variations in GDP growth and stock returns are attributed to transitory shocks.
Keyword proximity search in complex data graphs

In keyword search over data graphs, an answer is a nonredundant subtree that includes the given keywords. An algorithm for enumerating answers is presented within an architecture that has two main components: an engine that generates a set of candidate answers and a ranker that evaluates their score. To be effective, the engine must have three fundamental properties. It should not miss relevant answers, has to be efficient and must generate the answers in an order that is highly correlated with the desired ranking. It is shown that none of the existing systems has implemented an engine that has all of these properties. In contrast, this paper presents an engine that generates all the answers with provable guarantees. Experiments show that the engine performs well in practice. It is also shown how to adapt this engine to queries under the OR semantics. In addition, this paper presents a novel approach for implementing rankers destined for eliminating redundancy. Essentially, an answer is ranked according to its individual properties (relevancy) and its intersection with the answers that have already been presented to the user. Within this approach, experiments with specific rankers are described.
Relationship between sleep duration and Framingham cardiovascular risk score and prevalence of cardiovascular disease in Koreans

Abstract Studies have shown sleep duration to be related to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and hypertension. However, whether sleep duration is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and the prevalence of CVD irrespective of conventional CV-risk factor, such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and metabolic syndrome, has not been well established for the Korean population. A total of 23,878 individuals aged 18 years or older from the 2007–2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. We evaluated the relationship between sleep duration and CV-event risk using the Framingham Cardiovascular Risk Score (FRS; ≥10% or ≥20%) and the prevalence of CVD. After adjusting for traditional risk factors of CVD, a short sleep duration (⩽5 hours) yielded odds ratios (OR) of 1.344 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.200–1.505) for intermediate to high risk and 1.357 (95% CI, 1.140–1.614) for high risk. A long sleep duration (≥9 hours) was also associated with both intermediate to high (OR 1.142, 95% CI 1.011–1.322) and high cardiovascular FRS (OR 1.276, 95% CI 1.118–1.457). Both short and long sleep durations were related with high CVD risk, irrespective of established CVD risk, and a short sleep duration was associated with a higher prevalence of CVD than an optimal or long sleep duration.
Persistent store interface : a foundation for scalable persistent system design

The subject of this thesis is scalability and persistence. A convergence of computing and communications technologies has lead to the ‘information explosion’. Demand for information has grown at an unprecedented pace, placing pressure on the scalability of information servers. At the same time there has been a revolution in switching technology which has seen the once exotic tightly coupled distributed memory computer become widely available through commodity components. These two developments in computing and communications technologies come together, the former bringing with it the challenge of constructing systems capable of scaling to address the spiraling demand for information, and the latter offering a scalable hardware architecture upon which such systems can be based. The most elegant approach to persistent data management lies in the use of orthogonal persistence. Orthogonally persistent programming languages bring together the disparate concerns of programming languages and databases by making the persistence of data a property orthogonal to all others. However, while users are presented with a unified view of the concerns, implementers of orthogonally persistent programming languages must confront the disparity head-on. The quest to design efficient, scalable, orthogonally persistent systems represents a bringing together of the challenge of constructing systems capable of scaling, with the challenge of constructing orthogonally persistent systems. This raises the deeper question as to whether there exists a generalized framework for scalable persistent system design. The framework will bring together the fundamental concerns of concurrency, replication, coherency, latency, and stability. The major result in this thesis is the description of such a framework. The fundamental concerns are met through a reference architecture based on caching, atomicity, and a layered software architecture. The framework has been realized in the form of the Persistent Store Interface (PSI). The effectiveness of PSI for scalable persistent system construction is demonstrated through a number of experiments with PSI prototypes, both stand-alone and distributed. In addition, two supporting experiments are described, one examining the issues of designing scalable stores that present users with a single store image and the other examining mechanisms for scalable coherency and recovery. The development of a generalized and practical framework for scalable persistent system design in this thesis gives cause for optimism that orthogonal persistence will play an important role in the future of scalable information management.