Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Refractive and visual outcome of toric intraocular lens implantation following cataract surgery.

PURPOSE To evaluate the refractive and visual outcome of toric IOL implantation for correction of pre-existing corneal astigmatism following cataract surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this retrospective study, 56 eyes of 30 patients who underwent implantation of toric IOL following regular phacoemulsification were divided into two groups based on the types of toric IOL implanted: group 1 patients received Acrysof toric (Alcon) and group 2 patients received AT-Torbi (Zeiss Meditech) IOLs. Pre-and post-operative corneal and refractive astigmatisms, and post-operative distance vision were investigated. Statistical analysis was carried out using the paired student t-test when necessary. Factors affecting the success of toric IOL implantation are discussed and recommendations are made to optimize the outcome. RESULTS The mean age of all patients was 75.56 � 9.87 years. No statistical difference was observed between pre-and post-operative corneal astigmatism (p = 0.819). Postoperative refractive astigmatism was significantly less in both groups (Group 1: p = 0.0014; Group 2: p= less than0.00001). The best-corrected distance visual acuity was 6/12 or better in 95 % of group 1 and 100 % of group 2 patients. CONCLUSION Toric IOL implantation is a viable and highly predictable method of correcting the corneal astigmatism. It allows correction without compromising the integrity of the cornea. Careful selection of the patient, accurate keratometry and precise alignment of the cylindrical axes are some of the factors to be considered for a superior outcome.
Apples to oranges: benchmarking vocational education and training programmes

ABSTRACT This paper discusses methods for benchmarking vocational education and training colleges and presents results from a number of models. It is conceptually difficult to benchmark vocational colleges. The colleges typically offer a wide range of course programmes, and the students come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. We solve the comparability problem by focusing on effects in terms of retention and employment rates as opposed to the intermediate outcomes like grades. We neutralize cost differences using alternative cost measures. And we use detailed register data to account for student backgrounds. From a methodological point of view, we combine average methods (multilevel analysis) with frontier methods. We thus combine the key methods of school effectiveness research and school efficiency and productivity research. The analyses show that the efficiency of Danish vocational colleges varies considerably. Adopting best practices could lead to cost savings of between 9 and 33%.
Recent research in snow hydrology

Recent work on snow-pack energy exchange has involved detailed investigations on snow albedo and attempts to integrate energy-balance calculations over drainage basins. Along with a better understanding of the EM properties of snow, research in remote sensing has become more focused toward estimation of snow-pack properties. In snow metamorphism, analyses of the physical processes must now be coupled to better descriptions of the geometry of the snow microstructure. The dilution method now appears to be the best direct technique for measuring the liquid water content of snow; work on EM methods continues. Increasing attention to the chemistry of the snow pack has come with the general focus on acid precipitation in hydrology.
Fusion of 3D data from different image-based and range-based sources for efficient heritage recording

The rapid proliferation of three-dimensional (3D) data acquisition techniques based either on image-based approaches or on range-based approaches is changing the way cultural heritage is recorded. Independently of the technique selected, low-cost structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetric computer vision, stereo-plotting, surveying either with measuring tape, total station or global navigation satellite system (GNSS), up to laser scanning/LiDAR/RADAR, among others, there is a need to fuse efficiently different datasets. This research aims to test the fusion performance of the new 3DVEM - Register GEO software for the recording of a complex sculpture. The fusion of data will consider several point clouds acquired with a terrestrial laser scanner and one high-resolution point cloud generated with SfM software. The registration process is performed to merge all the data in a final homogeneous framework (reference system). The results obtained will be used to create a high-resolution 3D model of the sculpture from the consolidated data.
Traffic forensics for IPv6-based Wireless Sensor Networks and the Internet of Things

Research and standardisation efforts in the fields of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are leading towards the adoption of TCP/IP for deployments of networks of severely constrained smart embedded objects. As a result, wireless sensors can now be uniquely identified by an IPv6 address and thus be directly connected to and reachable from the internet. This has a series of advantages but also exposes sensor deployments to new security vulnerabilities. Should a deployment be compromised, post-incident analysis can provide information about the nature of the attack by inspecting the network's state and traffic during the time period prior, during and after the attack. In this paper we adopt traffic forensic techniques in order to achieve post-hoc detection of attacks against availability in IPv6-based Low-Power Wireless Personal Area Networks. To this end, we first implement an attack which exploits inherent vulnerabilities of the IPv6 Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL). Subsequently, we present an automated method to detect and analyse this attack by examining network packet captures.
Active Bucket Categorization for High Recall Video Retrieval

There are large amounts of digital video available. High recall retrieval of these requires going beyond the ranked results, which is the common target in high precision retrieval. To aid high recall retrieval, we propose Active Bucket Categorization, which is a multicategory interactive learning strategy which extends MediaTable , our multimedia categorization tool. MediaTable allows users to place video shots into buckets: user-assigned subsets of the collection. Our Active Bucket Categorization approach augments this by unobtrusively expanding these buckets with related footage from the whole collection. In this paper, we propose an architecture for active bucket-based video retrieval, evaluate two different learning strategies, and show its use in video retrieval with an evaluation using three groups of nonexpert users. One baseline group uses only the categorization features of MediaTable such as sorting and filtering on concepts and fast grid preview, but no online learning mechanisms. One group uses on-demand passive buckets. The last group uses fully automatic active buckets which autonomously add content to buckets. Results indicate a significant increase in the number of relevant items found for the two groups of users using bucket expansions, yielding the best results with fully automatic bucket expansions, thereby aiding high recall video retrieval significantly.
Imagining a better future: Young unemployed people and the polyphonic choir

In this paper, we investigate how young unemployed people make sense of their situation in the face of adversity. Drawing on Cultural Life Course Theory and a new line of research on imagination, this multiple-case study examines the role of imagination for young unemployed people. Based on three in-depth interviews with young academics, we find that the ability to imagine a better future is pivotal for these young people in dealing with unemployment. We integrate the theoretical concept of imagination with Bronfenbrenner’s theory of ecological system. The integrative framework provides a multi-leveled analysis that examines how imaginations work at various levels and how these interact. Imaginations originate from subjective ideas about the future, developed biographically and in dialogue with others as well as societal discourses. We utilize Stern’s concept of experience when investigating how the individual has to relate to what we term the “polyphonic choir of imaginations” consisting of various and sometimes contradictory voices about what it means to be unemployed. Neoliberal policies introduced in the Danish welfare state and neoliberal ideas are singled out as particularly influential. This paper highlights the importance of taking into account temporality in the sense that visions about the future greatly impact how people deal with unemployment here-and-now.
Epidemiology of chronic fatigue syndrome.

BACKGROUND Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a controversial disorder with different case definitions, aetiological models and proposed treatments. An epidemiological approach is likely to bring some clarity to the field. AIM The aim of this article is to review the literature on the epidemiology of fatigue, chronic fatigue and CFS. METHOD A literature search was conducted using the databases Medline and Pubmed as well as the reference lists of recent reviews to identify the relevant studies. The aim was not to do a systematic review but to review the key studies in the area to highlight the methodological issues. RESULTS The review is organized according to the following areas: the prevalence of fatigue and chronic fatigue, the prevalence and incidence of CFS, epidemiological associations such as gender, social class and psychiatric co-morbidity and CFS in special groups such as those recovering from a viral infection, specific occupational groups and Gulf War veterans. CONCLUSION While fatigue as a symptom is very common, CFS is relatively rare. Many of the epidemiological associations seen in specialist clinics are not found in community samples. It is unlikely that one specific causal factor can explain CFS. Future studies should go beyond estimating the prevalence to testing more complex aetiological models.
The Effect of Graphic Organizers on the Performance of Electronic Consenting Systems

Federal regulations mandate obtaining informed consent from patients before they undergo medical procedures or clinical research trials. These documents are intended to assure respect for patient autonomy and the right to make informed decisions on whether to accept the proposed medical treatments based on knowledge of their practicality, risks, and benefits. Past research has indicated that these lengthy and complex consent forms are often not read carefully by patients, resulting in a limited understanding of the important information presented in them. This study proposes two new ways of presenting information in an electronic consent form using concept and mind maps and investigates their effects on user comprehension by comparing them to a text-based consent form. Study participants were randomly assigned to read one of the three consent forms after viewing a brief scenario explaining the condition of a patient who is about to sign an informed consent document. They then indicated their level of willingness to sign or not sign the consent form and completed a comprehension questionnaire, a NASA-TLX survey, and a usability questionnaire. Statistically significant differences among the consent forms were found for the comprehension score and consent completion time, suggesting improvement in comprehension with the consent forms using concept and mind maps.
3D Function Approximation with rGCS Classifier System

Extended classifier systems (XCS) introduced by Wilson became popular instrument used to solve many real-world problems possible to express with ternary representation. Our new model of real-valued LCS - the rGCS - is designed to classify real valued data. rGCS is based on grammar-based classifier system (GCS), which was originally used to process context free grammar sentences. To improve 3D function approximation a covering technique was developed. This procedure replenishes the population of system classifiers with new ones created on the fly to satisfy current state of grammar evolution. As a result there is no need to employ a genetic algorithm.
ON SEQUENCES OF INTEGERS NO ONE OF WHICH DIVIDES THE PRODUCT OF TWO OTHERS AND ON SOME RELATED PROBLEMS

The sequence of primes is both an A and a B sequence . Our A and B sequences seem of be very much more general, but our theorems show that they cannot be very much more dense than the sequence of the primes . In § 3 we chow by using the results of § 2, that if p1 <P2 < . < pz < n is an arbitrary sequence ofprimes such that z > c l n log log n where (log n) 2 c l is a sufficiently large absolute constant, then the products (p i 1) (p;-1) cannot all be different. In this connection I proved in a previous paper that for an infinity of n the number of solutions of the equation n = (p -1) (q-1) (p q primes) is greater than e (logn)
Comparative Analysis of Codon Usage Bias and Codon Context Patterns between Dipteran and Hymenopteran Sequenced Genomes

Background Codon bias is a phenomenon of non-uniform usage of codons whereas codon context generally refers to sequential pair of codons in a gene. Although genome sequencing of multiple species of dipteran and hymenopteran insects have been completed only a few of these species have been analyzed for codon usage bias. Methods and Principal Findings Here, we use bioinformatics approaches to analyze codon usage bias and codon context patterns in a genome-wide manner among 15 dipteran and 7 hymenopteran insect species. Results show that GAA is the most frequent codon in the dipteran species whereas GAG is the most frequent codon in the hymenopteran species. Data reveals that codons ending with C or G are frequently used in the dipteran genomes whereas codons ending with A or T are frequently used in the hymenopteran genomes. Synonymous codon usage orders (SCUO) vary within genomes in a pattern that seems to be distinct for each species. Based on comparison of 30 one-to-one orthologous genes among 17 species, the fruit fly Drosophila willistoni shows the least codon usage bias whereas the honey bee (Apis mellifera) shows the highest bias. Analysis of codon context patterns of these insects shows that specific codons are frequently used as the 3′- and 5′-context of start and stop codons, respectively. Conclusions Codon bias pattern is distinct between dipteran and hymenopteran insects. While codon bias is favored by high GC content of dipteran genomes, high AT content of genes favors biased usage of synonymous codons in the hymenopteran insects. Also, codon context patterns vary among these species largely according to their phylogeny.
Policy Anti-Bubbles: Policy Underreaction and Self-Reinforcing Processes *

This paper develops both the concept of policy anti-bubble and the analytical contours of its life-cycle dynamics by building on the behavioral theories of human choice and organization, as well as on robust findings in psychology, indicating that pessimism and negative affects exert a great deal of influence on decision making and risk-taking. A policy anti-bubble is a real and/or perceived policy underreaction which is propelled by self-reinforcing processes over an extended period of time. The behavioral understanding of the term advanced here points at a possible process by which different valences of affective states, situational factors, specific emotions, cultural or geographical factors, trigger the emergence of policy anti-bubbles. Self-reinforcing processes interact with the contagion of ideas and emotions to reinforce the lack of confidence in the policy, thereby leading to the undersupply of policy. This process may be interrupted following modest endogenous or exogenous perturbations, as well as following the reduction in negativity bias when the information environment becomes predominantly negative.
Discussion of a Bayesian Measurement Error Model with an Exchangeable Prior to Robinson's Mixed Model

We consider the relationship between a model developed in c10ed10.doc to the model described by Robinson (1991) in the context of best linear unbiased prediction. We first summarize the model from c10ed10.doc. Consider the data set to be response on a set of 1,. , s n = subjects, and an exchangeable prior distribution of N subjects in a population. We assume a measurement error model for subject s , and represent response in the data set for subject s as the realization of the random variable s X where
‘HypothesisFinder:’ A Strategy for the Detection of Speculative Statements in Scientific Text

Speculative statements communicating experimental findings are frequently found in scientific articles, and their purpose is to provide an impetus for further investigations into the given topic. Automated recognition of speculative statements in scientific text has gained interest in recent years as systematic analysis of such statements could transform speculative thoughts into testable hypotheses. We describe here a pattern matching approach for the detection of speculative statements in scientific text that uses a dictionary of speculative patterns to classify sentences as hypothetical. To demonstrate the practical utility of our approach, we applied it to the domain of Alzheimer's disease and showed that our automated approach captures a wide spectrum of scientific speculations on Alzheimer's disease. Subsequent exploration of derived hypothetical knowledge leads to generation of a coherent overview on emerging knowledge niches, and can thus provide added value to ongoing research activities.
Sparse Non-negative Matrix Factor 2-D Deconvolution

We present a novel method for automatic transcription of polyphonic music based on a recently published algorithm for non-negative matrix factor 2-D deconvolution. The method works by simultaneously estimating a time-frequency model for an instrument and a pattern corresponding to the notes which are played based on a log-frequency spectrogram of the music.
Apolipoprotein E genotype is associated with macular pigment optical density.

PURPOSE Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in older people in developed countries, and risk factors for this condition may be classified as genetic and environmental. Apolipoprotein E is putatively involved in the transport of the macular pigment (MP) carotenoids lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) in serum and may also influence retinal capture of these compounds. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and ApoE genotype. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of 302 healthy adult subjects. Dietary intake of L and Z was assessed by food frequency questionnaire, and MPOD was measured by customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. Serum L and Z were measured by HPLC. ApoE genotyping was performed by direct polymerase chain reaction amplification and DNA nucleotide sequencing from peripheral blood. RESULTS Genotype data were available on 300 of the 302 (99.3%) subjects. The mean (+/- SD) age of the subjects in this study was 47.89 +/- 11.05 (range, 21-66) years. Subjects were classed into one of three ApoE genotype groups, as follows: group 1, epsilon2epsilon2 or epsilon2epsilon3; group 2, epsilon3epsilon3; group 3, epsilon2epsilon4 or epsilon3epsilon4 or epsilon4epsilon4. All three groups were statistically comparable in terms of age, sex, body mass index, cigarette smoking, and dietary and serum levels of L and Z. There was a statistically significant association between ApoE genotype and MPOD. Subjects who had at least one epsilon4 allele had a higher MPOD across the macula than subjects without this allele (group 1 MPOD area, 0.70 +/- 0.40; group 2 MPOD area, 0.67 +/- 0.42; group 3 MPOD area, 0.85 +/- 0.46; one-way ANOVA, P = 0.014. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that ApoE genotype status is associated with MPOD. This association may explain, at least in part, the putative protective effect of the epsilon4 allele for AMD and is consistent with the view that apolipoprotein profile influences the transport and/or retinal capture of circulating L and/or Z.
Proposal for the Sequencing of a New Target Genome: White Paper for a Honey Bee Genome Project The Honey Bee Genome Sequencing Consortium

Homo sapiens is a highly social species and social interactions are critical determinants of human mental and physical health. We propose to sequence the genome of another highly social species, the honey bee, Apis mellifera. Though phylogenetically distant, honey bees live in societies that rival our own in complexity, internal cohesion, and success in dealing with the myriad challenges posed by social life, including those related to communication, aging, social dysfunction and infectious disease. A honey bee genome sequencing project (HBGP) will benefit human health and medicine in diverse areas, including venom toxicology, allergic disease, mental illness, infectious disease, parasitology and gerontology. In addition, the HBGP will improve human nutrition by enabling enhanced pollination of food plants and accelerated delivery of hymenopteran parasitoids f or biological control of pests. The HBGP will also improve honey bee sentinel function, providing enhanced capabilities for detection and location of chemical and biological agents of harm. Sequencing the genome of the honey bee, a beneficial, non-dipteran, insect endowed with a small brain but cognitive sophistication, with complex social organization but amenable to molecular, genetic, neural, and ecological manipulation, will provide important tools and unique models to improve human health. When these benefits are balanced against the costs of sequencing a 270MB genome, the HBGP promises to provide a valuable and economical resource.
Runx2 Haploinsufficiency Ameliorates the Development of Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament

Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL) is a disease that is characterized by the ectopic calcification of the ligament; however, the pathogenesis of OPLL remains to be investigated. We attempted to identify the in vivo role of Runx2, a master regulator of osteoblast differentiation and skeletal mineralization, in the pathogenesis of OPLL. The expression of Runx2 in the ligament was examined using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry and by monitoring the activity of a LacZ gene that was inserted into the Runx2 gene locus. To investigate the functional role of Runx2, we studied ENPP1ttw/ttw mice, a mouse model of OPLL, that were crossed with heterozygous Runx2 mice to decrease the expression of Runx2, and we performed histological and quantitative radiological analyses using 3D-micro CT. Runx2 was expressed in the ligament of wild-type mice. The induction of Runx2 expression preceded the development of ectopic calcification in the OPLL-like region of the ENPP1ttw/ttw mice. Runx2 haploinsufficiency ameliorated the development of ectopic calcification in the ENPP1ttw/ttw mice. Collectively, this study demonstrated that Runx2 is expressed in an OPLL-like region, and its elevation is a prerequisite for developing the complete OPLL-like phenotype in a mouse model of OPLL.