Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Mortality Rates for Disease Simulation Models Using Bayesian Evidence Synthesis

Purpose . The authors propose a Bayesian approach for estimating competing risks for inputs to disease simulation models. This approach is suggested when modeling a disease that causes a large proportion of all-cause mortality, particularly when mortality from the disease of interest and other-cause mortality are both affected by the same risk factor. Methods . The authors demonstrate a Bayesian evidence synthesis by estimating other-cause mortality, stratified by smoking status, for use in a simulation model of lung cancer. National (US) survey data linked to death registries (National Health Interview Survey [NHIS]—Multiple Cause of Death files) were used to fit cause-specific hazard models for 3 causes of death (lung cancer, heart disease, and all other causes), controlling for age, sex, race, and smoking status. Synthesis of NHIS data with national vital statistics data on numbers and causes of deaths was performed in WinBUGS (version 1.4.1, MRC Biostatistics Unit, UK). Correction for inconsistencies between the NHIS and vital statistics data is described. A published cohort study was a source of prior information for smoking-related mortality. Results . Marginal posterior densities of annual mortality rates for lung cancer and other-cause death (further divided into heart disease and all other causes), stratified by 5-year age interval, race (white and black), gender, and smoking status (current, former, never), were estimated, specific to a time period (1987-1995). Overall, black current smokers experienced the highest mortality rates. Conclusions . Bayesian evidence synthesis is an effective method for estimation of cause-specific mortality rates, stratified by demographic factors.
Comparison of the GenoFlow Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Test and the Linear Array Assay for HPV Screening in an Asian Population

ABSTRACT High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) DNA detection in cervical cytology samples is useful for primary screening of cervical cancer and for triage of patients with equivocal cytological findings. The GenoFlow HPV array test (GF assay; Diagcor Bioscience Inc., Hong Kong) was recently developed to detect 33 HPV genotypes by a “flowthrough” hybridization technology. In this study, we assessed the analytical sensitivity and reproducibility of the GF assay and compared its genotyping results with those of the Linear Array (LA) assay (Roche Molecular Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN), using 400 archived liquid-based cytology samples representing the full range of cytology findings. Genotyping findings of the GF and LA assays were concordant or compatible for 93.44% of tested samples, with a good (κ = 0.797) to very good (κ = 0.812) strength of agreement for assay-common and oncogenic HPV types, respectively. The two assays showed good (κ = 0.635) agreement in detecting infections with multiple HPV genotypes. The lowest detection limits of the GF assay for HPV16 and HPV18 were 25 copies and 20 copies, respectively. Repeat testing of 60 samples by use of two different lots of the GF assay revealed no discordant results, suggesting good reproducibility of the assay. Both assays achieved approximately 80% and 100% sensitivity for identifying cases of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) with subsequent detection of LSIL+ and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or higher (HSIL+) in 2 years, respectively. Among ASC-US samples, the GF assay achieved the highest specificity (23.08%) for indicating subsequent identification of HSIL compared with the LA (19.23%) and Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) (8.97%) assays. The GF and LA assays showed significant discrepancy in detecting HPV genotypes 11, 26, 39, 52, and 66. More sensitive detection of HPV52 by GF assay offers an advantage in regions where HPV52 is more prevalent. The sensitivity of the GF assay for detecting patients with HSIL+ was noninferior to that of the LA assay.
Safe robot execution in model-based reinforcement learning

Task learning in robotics requires repeatedly executing the same actions in different states to learn the model of the task. However, in real-world domains, there are usually sequences of actions that, if executed, may produce unrecoverable errors (e.g. breaking an object). Robots should avoid repeating such errors when learning, and thus explore the state space in a more intelligent way. This requires identifying dangerous action effects to avoid including such actions in the generated plans, while at the same time enforcing that the learned models are complete enough for the planner not to fall into dead-ends. We thus propose a new learning method that allows a robot to reason about dead-ends and their causes. Some such causes may be dangerous action effects (i.e., leading to unrecoverable errors if the action were executed in the given state) so that the method allows the robot to skip the exploration of risky actions and guarantees the safety of planned actions. If a plan might lead to a dead-end (e.g., one that includes a dangerous action effect), the robot tries to find an alternative safe plan and, if not found, it actively asks a teacher whether the risky action should be executed. This method permits learning safe policies as well as minimizing unrecoverable errors during the learning process. Experimental validation of the approach is provided in two different scenarios: a robotic task and a simulated problem from the international planning competition. Our approach greatly increases success ratios in problems where previous approaches had high probabilities of failing.
University-Industry Partnerships: A Study of How Top American Research Universities Establish and Maintain Successful Partnerships

This qualitative research study utilized the grounded theory tradition to examine organizational structures and processes in a purposefully selected sample of American universities that have established and maintained partnerships with industry. Institutional leaders from the corporate relations offices from fifteen of the top research universities in America were inter viewed. Through a paradigm model we identified two major themes: (1) research universities that established and maintained partnerships with industry had a central corporate relations organization whose primary responsibility was to locate, secure, and maintain such partnerships and (2) these universities tended to utilize formal and regular communication mechanisms between the central corporate relations organization and other institutional units that interacted with industry. A set of conditional propositions were developed regarding the organizational structures and processes supporting the establishment and maintenance of partnerships with industry.
Support vector machines experts for time series forecasting 3 Lijuan Cao

7 This paper proposes using the support vector machines (SVMs) experts for time series forecasting. The generalized SVMs experts have a two-stage neural network architecture. In the 9 3rst stage, self-organizing feature map (SOM) is used as a clustering algorithm to partition the whole input space into several disjointed regions. A tree-structured architecture is adopted in 11 the partition to avoid the problem of predetermining the number of partitioned regions. Then, in the second stage, multiple SVMs, also called SVM experts, that best 3t partitioned regions 13 are constructed by 3nding the most appropriate kernel function and the optimal free parameters of SVMs. The sunspot data, Santa Fe data sets A, C and D, and the two building data sets are 15 evaluated in the experiment. The simulation shows that the SVMs experts achieve signi3cant improvement in the generalization performance in comparison with the single SVMs models. 17 In addition, the SVMs experts also converge faster and use fewer support vectors. c © 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. 19
Binarization of historical document images using the local maximum and minimum

This paper presents a new document image binarization technique that segments the text from badly degraded historical document images. The proposed technique makes use of the image contrast that is defined by the local image maximum and minimum. Compared with the image gradient, the image contrast evaluated by the local maximum and minimum has a nice property that it is more tolerant to the uneven illumination and other types of document degradation such as smear. Given a historical document image, the proposed technique first constructs a contrast image and then detects the high contrast image pixels which usually lie around the text stroke boundary. The document text is then segmented by using local thresholds that are estimated from the detected high contrast pixels within a local neighborhood window. The proposed technique has been tested over the dataset that is used in the recent Document Image Binarization Contest (DIBCO) 2009. Experiments show its superior performance.
Neurobiological and neurocognitive effects of chronic cigarette smoking and alcoholism.

Chronic cigarette smoking is associated with adverse effects on cardiac, pulmonary, and vascular function as well as the increased risk for various forms of cancer. However, little is known about the effects of chronic smoking on human brain function. Although smoking rates have decreased in the developed world, they remain high in individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD) and other neuropsychiatric conditions. Despite the high prevalence of chronic smoking in AUD, few studies have addressed the potential neurobiological or neurocognitive consequences of chronic smoking in alcohol use disorders. Here, we review the the neurobiological and neurocognitive findings in both AUD and chronic cigarette smoking, followed by a review of the effects of comorbid cigarette smoking on neurobiology and neurocognition in AUD. Recent research suggests that comorbid chronic cigarette smoking modulates magnetic resonance-detectable brain injury and neurocognition in alcohol use disorders and adversely affects neurobiological and neurocognitive recovery in abstinent alcoholics. Consideration of the potential separate and interactive effects of chronic smoking and alcohol use disorders may have significant implications for pharmacological and behavioral treatment interventions.
Retail Electricity Competition

We analyze a number of unstudied aspects of retail electricity competition. We first explore the implications of load profiling of consumers whose traditional meters do not allow for measurement of their real time consumption, when consumers are homogeneous up to a scaling factor. In general, the combination of retail competition and load profiling does not yield the second best prices given the non price responsiveness of consumers. Specifically, the competitive equilibrium does not support the Ramsey two-part tariff. By contrast, when consumers have real time meters and are billed based on real time prices and consumption, retail competition yields the Ramsey prices even when consumers can only partially respond to variations in real time prices. More complex consumer heterogeneity does not lead to adverse se1ection and competitive screening behavior unless consumers have real time meters and are not rational. We then examine the incentives competitive retailers have to install one of two types of advanced metering equipment. Competing retailers overinvest in real time meters compared to the Ramsey optimum, but the investment incentives are constrained optimal given load-profiling and retail competition. Finally, we consider the effects of physical limitations on the ability of system operators to cut off individual customers. Competing retailers have no incentive to determine the aggregate value of non-interruption of consumers in the zones they serve, preferring instead to free ride on other retailers serving consumers in the same zones.
Spatiotemporal Quantification of Local Drug Delivery Using MRI

Controlled release formulations for local, in vivo drug delivery are of growing interest to device manufacturers, research scientists, and clinicians; however, most research characterizing controlled release formulations occurs in vitro because the spatial and temporal distribution of drug delivery is difficult to measure in vivo. In this work, in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of local drug delivery was performed to visualize and quantify the time resolved distribution of MRI contrast agents. Three-dimensional T 1 maps (generated from T 1-weighted images with varied T R) were processed using noise-reducing filtering. A segmented region of contrast, from a thresholded image, was converted to concentration maps using the equation 1/T 1 = 1/T 1,0 + R 1 C, where T 1,0 and T 1 are the precontrast and postcontrast T 1 map values, respectively. In this technique, a uniform estimated value for T 1,0 was used. Error estimations were performed for each step. The practical usefulness of this method was assessed using comparisons between devices located in different locations both with and without contrast. The method using a uniform T 1,0, requiring no registration of pre- and postcontrast image volumes, was compared to a method using either affine or deformation registrations.
Adolescents' and Parents' Developmental Regulation During the Transition From School To Higher Education

Parents are major partners in helping adolescents prepare for a career choice. Although several studies have examined links between general aspects of the parent–adolescent relationship and adolescents’ career development, little research has addressed the mechanisms involved. This study aimed to validate a three-dimensional instrument for the assessment of parental career-related behaviors and to examine their associations with career exploration and decision-making difficulties. After testing the dimensional structure of the instrument, we examined the relationship between parents’ behaviors and adolescents’ career development by using data from 359 German adolescents who reported the amount of perceived parental career-related behaviors and their career exploration and decision-making difficulties. The results of structural equation modeling confirmed the hypothesized dimensional structure (support, interference, lack of engagement). While parental support associated positively with career exploration, interference and lack of engagement associated with decision-making difficulties. Furthermore, interference and lack of engagement moderated the relationship between support and exploration. Support moderated the association between interference and decision-making difficulties.
The luminosity function of Lyα emitters at 2.3 z

We have used VIsible MultiObject Spectrograph Integral-Field Unit (VIMOS-IFU) obser- vations centred on a radio galaxy at z = 2.9 to search for Lyemitters within a comov- ing volume of � 10 4 Mpc 3 . We find 14 Lyemitters with flux > 1.4 × 10 −20 W m −2 , yielding a comoving space density of 0.0018 +0.0006 −0.0005 Mpc −3 . We fit a Schechter luminos- ity function which agrees well with previous studies both at similar redshift (z � 3.4) and higher redshift (z � 5.7). We therefore find no evidence for evolution in the properti es of Lyemitters between 3 < z < 6, although our sample is small. By summing the star- formation rates of the individual Lyemitters we find a total cosmic star-formation rate den- sity ofSF R = 6.7 ± 0.5 × 10 −3 M⊙yr −1 Mpc −3 . Integrating over the luminosity function for the combined Lysurveys at z � 3.4 and accounting for the difference in obscuration between the Lyline and the UV-continuum yields an estimate ofSF R � 2.2 × 10 −2 M⊙yr −1 Mpc −3 , in line with previous multi-colour and narrow-band surveys of high-redshift
Why is Adoption Like a First Nations’ Feast?: Lax Kw’alaam Indigenizing Adoptions in Child Welfare

Have you ever wondered about how to be culturally-sensitive in adoption approaches with Aboriginal people? Have you wanted ideas on how to more effectively engage First Nations adoptive-parents? Did you consider how leadership for social workers could assist in adoption outcomes for Aboriginal children? This article chronicles a study of the adoption experiences of the members of a First Nations community in Northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The results indicated that despite an overwhelmingly negative history with the adoptions and child protection system, many First Nations people are not only open to adoption but perceive it as an integral part of their traditional parenting practices. There is an overarching desire to have children who have been previously adopted outside the community returned to their hereditary lands. A series of recommendations for a more culturally-sensitive adoption practice were identified including: 1) improved information, 2) on-going community-government consultation, 3) cultural preservation, 4) social work training, and 5) government policy changes. The article will encourage curiosity regarding social work leadership and how this framework can be instrumental when working with Aboriginal culture. The implications of the study for the role of social workers as leaders in the creation of a new, culturally-sensitive adoption practice are discussed.
Individual mouse alpha-fetoprotein enhancer elements exhibit different patterns of tissue-specific and hepatic position-dependent activities

Transcription of the mouse alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene, which is expressed at high levels in the visceral endoderm of the yolk sac and fetal liver and at low levels in the fetal gut, is regulated by three distinct upstream enhancer regions. To investigate the activities of these regions, each enhancer was individually linked to a heterologous human beta-globin promoter fused to the mouse class I H-2Dd structural gene. When tested in transgenic mice, the beta-globin promoter alone has minimal activity. We find that all three enhancers activate the beta-globin promoter in an AFP-like pattern; i.e., activity is detected in the yolk sac, fetal liver, and fetal gut. The enhancers remain active in the livers and guts of adult mice, consistent with previous studies showing that postnatal AFP repression is due not to the loss of enhancer activity but to a dominant repressor region. Enhancer III also functions in the brain. In addition, these studies reveal that the three enhancers exhibit different position-dependent activities in the adult liver. Enhancers I and II are most active in hepatocytes surrounding the central vein, with a gradual decrease in activity along the hepatic plates toward the portal triad. Enhancer III is active exclusively in hepatocytes surrounding the central vein. These data represent the first examples of individual control elements exhibiting positionally regulated activity in adult liver.
Reduction of specific absorption rate (SAR) in the human head with ferrite material and metamaterial

The electromagnetic interface between the antenna and the human head is reduced with ferrite materials and metamaterials. The reduction of Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) with materials and metamaterials is performed by the finite-difference time-domain method with Lossy-Drude model by CST Microwave Studio. The metamaterials can be achieved by arranging split ring resonators (SRRs) periodically. The SAR value has been observed by varying the distances between head model to phone model, different widths, different thicknesses, and different heights of materials and metamaterial design. Materials have achieved 47.68% reduction of the initial SAR value while metamaterials achieved a reduction of 42.12%. These results can endow with supportive information in designing the wireless communications equipments for safety compliance. Corresponding author: M. T. Islam (tariqul@ukm.my). 48 Islam, Faruque, and Misran
Regional Differences in Metronidazole Resistance and Increasing Clarithromycin Resistance among Helicobacter pylori Isolates from Japan

ABSTRACT The patterns of antibiotic resistance in Helicobacter pylori were assessed in two different regions in Japan. Overall, prevalences of resistance to metronidazole and clarithromycin were 12.4 and 12.9%, respectively. While there was no difference in clarithromycin resistance, the prevalence of metronidazole resistance was significantly higher in Kyoto (23.8%) than in Sapporo (8.1%). From 1996 to 1999, the prevalence of metronidazole resistance did not change but the prevalence of clarithromycin resistance doubled (from 9.1 to 18.7%).
Context-Based Satisfaction Modelling for Personalized Recommendations

Approaches for the personalized recommendations focus mainly on the user's activity over various portals. User's preferences are not dependent on the long term users' history only, but actual user's situation plays crucial role in the user's preferences adjustment and formation. An item liked by the user in some context, can be disliked by the same user in the other context. For the considering this users' variability we propose a novel approach for the user's satisfaction modelling based on incorporating the user's context into the rating prediction and consideration of previous users' rating history. Our novel approach reflects natural characteristics of user's context, when the various context's settings can influence another context. Proposed approach brings statistically significant improvement in the rating prediction process, thus it can increase user satisfaction during one-session recommendation.
Crystal structure of mycothiol synthase (Rv0819) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis shows structural homology to the GNAT family of N‐acetyltransferases

Mycothiol is the predominant low‐molecular weight thiol produced by actinomycetes, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The last reaction in the biosynthetic pathway for mycothiol is catalyzed by mycothiol synthase (MshD), which acetylates the cysteinyl amine of cysteine–glucosamine–inositol (Cys–GlcN–Ins). The crystal structure of MshD was determined in the presence of coenzyme A and acetyl–CoA. MshD consists of two tandem‐repeated domains, each exhibiting the Gcn5‐related N‐acetyltransferase (GNAT) fold. These two domains superimpose with a root‐mean‐square deviation of 1.7 Å over 88 residues, and each was found to bind one molecule of coenzyme, although the binding sites are quite different. The C‐terminal domain has a similar active site to many GNAT members in which the acetyl group of the coenzyme is presented to an open active site slot. However, acetyl–CoA bound to the N‐terminal domain is buried, and is apparently not positioned to promote acetyl transfer. A modeled substrate complex indicates that Cys–GlcN–Ins would only fill a portion of a negatively charged channel located between the two domains. This is the first structure determined for an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of mycothiol.