Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does the Association of Habitual Physical Activity with the Metabolic Syndrome Differ by Level of Cardiorespiratory Fitness?

1 OBJECTIVE — Cardiovascular fitness (VO 2max) and physical activity are both related to risk of metabolic disease. It is unclear, however, whether the metabolic effects of sedentary living are the same in fit and unfit individuals. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to describe the association between physical activity and the metabolic syndrome and to test whether fitness level modifies this relationship. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS — Physical activity was measured objectively using individually calibrated heart rate against energy expenditure. VO 2max was predicted from a submaximal exercise stress test. Fat mass and fat-free mass (FFM) were calculated using impedance biometry. A metabolic syndrome score was computed by summing the standardized values for obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia, and the inverse level of HDL cholesterol and was expressed as a continuously distributed outcome. To correct for exposure measurement error, a random subsample (22% of cohort) re-attended for three repeat measurements in the year following the first assessment. RESULTS — The relationship of VO 2max (ml O 2 ⅐ kg FFM Ϫ1 ⅐ min Ϫ1) and the metabolic syndrome score was of borderline significance after adjusting for age, sex, physical activity, and measurement error (␤ ϭ Ϫ0.58, P ϭ 0.06). The magnitude of the association between physical activity (kJ ⅐ d –1 ⅐ kg FFM Ϫ1) and the metabolic syndrome was more than three times greater than for VO 2max (standardized ␤ ϭ Ϫ1.83, P ϭ 0.0042). VO 2max , however, modified the relationship between physical activity energy expenditure and metabolic syndrome (P ϭ 0.036). CONCLUSIONS — This study demonstrates a strong inverse association between physical activity and metabolic syndrome, an association that is much steeper in unfit individuals. Thus, prevention of metabolic disease may be most effective in the subset of unfit inactive people. O ver the course of the past half century, metabolic disease has emerged as the most prevalent cause of death in industrialized nations (1). It is likely that during this time there has been a secular decline in the amount of physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) (2), which may have resulted in lower cardiorespiratory fitness. These ecologic data suggest that physical inactivity may be one of the main modifiable risk factors in the etiology of the common complex metabolic disorders (3). Physical activity is inherently difficult to measure precisely. Thus, analytical epidemiologic studies (cross-sectional and cohort) have primarily demonstrated the association between cardiorespiratory …
A windowing approach for activity recognition in sensor data streams

Determining the appropriate data window size for online sensor data streams to recognize a specific activity is still a challenging task. In particular, when new sensor events are recorded. This paper proposes a windowing algorithm which presents promising results to recognize complex activities, e.g., in a smart home environment. The underlying basic idea is to analyze the sensor data in order to identify the set of “best fitting sensors”: it contains those sensors that most contribute to the recognition task, and therefore should be considered in a window. To validate our approach, we applied it on the CASAS data set which is an international data set for activity recognition. Based on the promising results, we believe that this algorithm can assist to detect human activities. Thus, our approach might be used in Active and Assisted Living Environments (AAL), where activity recognition is required to distinguish the types of help, a person needs to master his/her daily life activities.
Learning to Adapt to Unknown Users: Referring Expression Generation in Spoken Dialogue Systems

We present a data-driven approach to learn user-adaptive referring expression generation (REG) policies for spoken dialogue systems. Referring expressions can be difficult to understand in technical domains where users may not know the technical 'jargon' names of the domain entities. In such cases, dialogue systems must be able to model the user's (lexical) domain knowledge and use appropriate referring expressions. We present a reinforcement learning (RL) framework in which the system learns REG policies which can adapt to unknown users online. Furthermore, unlike supervised learning methods which require a large corpus of expert adaptive behaviour to train on, we show that effective adaptive policies can be learned from a small dialogue corpus of non-adaptive human-machine interaction, by using a RL framework and a statistical user simulation. We show that in comparison to adaptive hand-coded baseline policies, the learned policy performs significantly better, with an 18.6% average increase in adaptation accuracy. The best learned policy also takes less dialogue time (average 1.07 min less) than the best hand-coded policy. This is because the learned policies can adapt online to changing evidence about the user's domain expertise.
Incremental mining frequent itemsets based on the trie structure and the pre-large itemsets

Incremental data mining has been discussed widely in recent years since it has many real applications. In this paper, we propose a Pre-FUT algorithm (Fast-Update algorithm using Trie data structure and the concept of pre-large itemsets), which does not only build and update the trie structure when new transactions are inserted, but also mine all frequent itemsets easily from the tree. Experimental results show the good performance of the proposed algorithm.
Effects of Various Types of Cause-Related Marketing (CRM) Ad Appeals on Consumers' Visual Attention, Perceptions, and Purchase Intentions

ABSTRACT The study examined whether various types of cause-related marketing (CRM) appeals (informational, emotional, or a combination of the two) influenced visual attention, as captured by eye fixation, and perceptions of the company and the ad, thus, leading to purchase intentions. The results suggest that a combined appeal generates more favorable responses to the ad. An eye-tracking experiment showed that an informational ad led to longer visual attention, and that visual attention was affected by the level of consumers' cause involvement. Visual attention had a negative impact on company credibility. Company credibility mediated the relationship between visual attention and CRM ad attitudes.
Design Of A Low-Swing On-Chip Interconnect Circuit

Most of low-swing signaling circuits need a reference voltage, an extra timing control or special low-vt devices. We studied the SSDLC circuit, which need none of the three, working in a condition of 1.8V source voltage and 0.18um channel length. Problems come up and we modified the circuit. Simulation results show that proposed circuit 1 can decrease power-delay product by 37.2% compared with a CMOS buffer implemented with two inverters, and its layout is quite small. Circuit 2 is more complicated than circuit 1. Although has a larger layout, it decreases power-delay product by 62%
Typology of Tactile Sounds and their Synthesis in Gesture-Driven Computer Music Performance

In this paper we outline the fundamentals for a tactile feedback system to be used in conjunction with openair computer music performance devices. Some underlying physiological and perceptual mechanisms of haptics are examined, some currently available open-air controllers are reviewed, and previous technologies and experiments regarding haptic/tactile feedback are surveyed. Our VR/TX system is proposed as a solution for adding tactile feedback to open-air controllers; experiments show that the VR/TX vibrotactile stimulators provide invaluable perceptually-significant tactile feedback when used in conjunction with an open-air music controller. A typology of tactile sound events is also described, as well as the notion of a tactile simulation event (TSE).
TRPA1 Has a Key Role in the Somatic Pro-Nociceptive Actions of Hydrogen Sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which is produced endogenously from L-cysteine, is an irritant with pro-nociceptive actions. We have used measurements of intracellular calcium concentration, electrophysiology and behavioral measurements to show that the somatic pronociceptive actions of H2S require TRPA1. A H2S donor, NaHS, activated TRPA1 expressed in CHO cells and stimulated DRG neurons isolated from Trpa1+/+ but not Trpa1−/− mice. TRPA1 activation by NaHS was pH dependent with increased activity at acidic pH. The midpoint of the relationship between NaHS EC50 values and external pH was pH 7.21, close to the expected dissociation constant for H2S (pKa 7.04). NaHS evoked single channel currents in inside-out and cell-attached membrane patches consistent with an intracellular site of action. In behavioral experiments, intraplantar administration of NaHS and L-cysteine evoked mechanical and cold hypersensitivities in Trpa1+/+ but not in Trpa1−/− mice. The sensitizing effects of L-cysteine in wild-type mice were inhibited by a cystathionine β-synthase inhibitor, D,L-propargylglycine (PAG), which inhibits H2S formation. Mechanical hypersensitivity evoked by intraplantar injections of LPS was prevented by PAG and the TRPA1 antagonist AP-18 and was absent in Trpa1−/− mice, indicating that H2S mediated stimulation of TRPA1 is necessary for the local pronociceptive effects of LPS. The pro-nociceptive effects of intraplantar NaHS were retained in Trpv1−/− mice ruling out TRPV1 as a molecular target. In behavioral studies, NaHS mediated sensitization was also inhibited by a T-type calcium channel inhibitor, mibefradil. In contrast to the effects of NaHS on somatic sensitivity, intracolonic NaHS administration evoked similar nociceptive effects in Trpa1+/+ and Trpa1−/− mice, suggesting that the visceral pro-nociceptive effects of H2S are independent of TRPA1. In electrophysiological studies, the depolarizing actions of H2S on isolated DRG neurons were inhibited by AP-18, but not by mibefradil indicating that the primary excitatory effect of H2S on DRG neurons is TRPA1 mediated depolarization.
Towards crowd-based customer service: a mixed-initiative tool for managing Q&A sites

In this paper, we propose a mixed-initiative approach to integrate a Q&A site based on a crowd of volunteers with a standard operator-based help desk, ensuring quality of customer service. Q&A sites have emerged as an efficient way to address questions in various domains by leveraging crowd knowledge. However, they lack sufficient reliability to be the sole basis of customer service applications. We built a proof-of-concept mixed-initiative tool that helps a crowd-manager to decide if a question will get a satisfactory and timely answer by the crowd or if it should be redirected to a dedicated operator. A user experiment found that our tool reduced the participants' cognitive load and improved their performance, in terms of their precision and recall. In particular, those with higher performance benefited more than those with lower performance.
State estimation of linear dynamic system with unknown input and uncertain observation using dynamic programming

The paper is devoted to deriving a novel estimation algorithm for linear dynamic system with unknown inputs when ob- servations contain outliers. The algorithm is derived for arbitrary input signals and does not require a priori statistical information concerning input signals. The filtering problem is considered as a control problem in which the unknown input is regarded as a con- trolling signal for system dynamics, which is described by Kalman equations. In this case, optimal control using Bellman dynamic pro- gramming can be calculated. The problem is complicated by the presence of outliers in the observations. To cope with this problem the Lainiotis' partitioning theorem has been used. The nonlinear algorithm of state estimation is obtained. Presented approach can be used both in control systems and decision procedures in tracking systems.
1 On Accepting Heterogeneous Ontologies in Distributed Architectures

Enforcing ontologies as conceptualisation standards in distributed architectures has some important drawbacks. It is, for instance, no solution for the legacy problem. In this article we address the possibilit y of accepting multiple heterogeneous ontologies in a distributed architecture. After discussing alternative ways to relate several ontologies we look into one particular (hierarchical) configuration of heterogeneous ontologies and examine how information can passed between individual systems that are linked to different ontologies.
The effect of authenticity in music on the subjective theories and aesthetical evaluation of listeners: A randomized experiment

This study evaluates the influence of cultural and personal aspects of authenticity on the cognitive elaboration of music. Cognitive elaboration of music is comprised of a recipient’s subjective theories about and aesthetical evaluation of (a piece of) music. Subjective theories are based on information from different sources including oneself and the media. They can, for example, be used to explain the liking and perceived aesthetics of a piece of music. We suggest a theoretical model of the positive effects of authenticity on subjective theories and aesthetical evaluation. The model was tested in an online experiment with a randomized 2 × 2 between-subjects design, with cultural authenticity (high vs. low) and personal authenticity (high vs. low) as experimental factors. The levels of authenticity were manipulated in three musical excerpts and musicians’ images induced through album reviews of fictitious bands. Cognitive elaboration was measured by number of ideas related to the music whereas aesthetical evaluation of the music was measured by ratings of liking of the music. A sample of 492 subjects participated. Results indicate a positive effect of cultural authenticity on the function- and affect-based aspect of aesthetical evaluation. The data did not support a positive effect of authenticity on subjective theories.
Learning by suing : stock market reactions to patent litigation decisions

Legal uncertainty is inevitable in a patent rights system. And since patents are fundamentally property rights, the legal environment can seriously affect the value of patent protection. Uncertainty over whether a “title” to property can be enforced will undermine its market value: the title is only as good as the ability to enforce it. Legal uncertainty is especially pervasive in emerging technology areas (or emerging patenting areas, like business methods and software patents). Where uncertainty is prevalent, the effects on appropriation and firm behavior can be dramatic. Since the purpose of a patent system is to provide incentives for research, innovation, and diffusion by creating rewards, an inability to appropriate those rewards diminishes the very incentives for which the system was 1 Illustrative examples of the importance of property rights enforcement can be found in television portrayals of the “Old West. ” In 1859, a title to land in Virginia was more valuable than one in Nevada, in part because of the “underlying value of the land,”–closer to transportation and markets, more fertile, etc. However, Virginia land was also more valuable because better enforcement mechanisms were in place there. On the TV series Bonanza, the value of the Ponderosa ranch was due in part to the quality of the land for grazing cattle, and in part to the ability of the Cartwrights to enforce their title–whether through formal institutions (the local constabulary) or self-help (the number of able-bodied Cartwrights available during the episode). See Ellickson (1991) for an excellent discussion of formal versus informal dispute resolution. The value of property rights is also affected by other institutional and technological factors, including standardsetting and the availability of alternative mechanisms such as lead time, marketing, and trade secret. Uncertainty in any of these areas will have impacts on appropriability.
Performance debugging using parallel performance predicates

The second generation of a parallel program measurement system. 5 Conclusion This paper introduced the notion of parallel performance predicates in order to form a language for discussing the performance of parallel programs. These predicates can be used to describe a small but surprisingly useful set of categories for the performance debugging of parallel programs: they formally dene poor performance, they are relatively easy to use, and they apply even to programs for which common metrics like speedup aren't well de-ned. An important feature of performance predicates is that, since they are formally dened, they allow precise measurements of program states that are often only informally dened, such as load imbalance. In this role, performance predicates form an unambiguous language for discussing the performance of parallel programs. Although a number of other tools share some goals with ours ([7] denes sources of poor performance in advance of execution , and [9] reports on various sources of overhead in a parallel program), the use of a uniform user-denable language for performance tuning is unique to our approach. In addition, the denition of poor performance based on states rather than events is a useful one. In particular, state-based denition means that performance evaluation can be performed on any subset of an execution, and can be performed on-line as well as post-mortem. This exibility is possible because performance predicates in their de-nition specify all program state necessary for their evaluation. In contrast, event-based performance evaluation is often forced into a post-mortem style because events may require interpretation in the context of arbitrarily complex program history. In conclusion, we showed that by using performance predicates we can: 1) characterize aspects of parallel programs in ways that were previously informally , or only intuitively, dened; 2) verify that parallel programs are ecient when other methods are ineective; 3) easily organize the instrumen-tation and measurement of complex parallel programs ; 4) provide signicant high-level insight into the causes of poor performance; and 5) perform detailed performance debugging via predicate rene-ment. We demonstrated these claims by using the technique of predicate proling on a complex application. We showed that predicate proling is a natural outgrowth of the performance predicate approach ; that its implementation is straightforward even in complex programs; and that it gives significant insight into program behavior with very little programmer eort or run-time overhead. Acknowledgements We thank Donna Bergmark and the Cornell National Supercomputing …
Basigin rs8259 Polymorphism Confers Decreased Risk of Chronic Heart Failure in a Chinese Population

Left ventricular remodeling is an essential risk factor contributing to the pathogenesis of chronic heart failure (CHF). Basigin (BSG) promotes cardiovascular inflammation and myocardial remodeling processes by induction of extracellular matrix metalloproteinases and inflammatory cytokines. BSG rs8259 polymorphism was associated with BSG expression and risk of acute coronary syndrome. Therefore, we investigated whether rs8259 polymorphism contributes to risk and prognosis of CHF in Chinese patients. In total 922 adult patients with CHF and 1107 matched healthy controls were enrolled. BSG rs8259 polymorphism was genotyped using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Whole blood BSG mRNA expression data from Genotype-Tissue Expression project was accessed. Evaluation of follow-up data was performed in only 15.2% (140) of the patients with CHF. BSG rs8259 TT genotype was associated with a decreased risk of CHF (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.72–0.96, p = 0.010), especially in patients with hypertension (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.68–0.95, p = 0.011) and coronary heart disease (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.69–0.96, p = 0.013) after adjustment for multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Rs8259 T allele was associated with decreased BSG mRNA in whole blood from 338 healthy normal donors (p = 1.31 × 10−6). However, rs8259 polymorphism failed to exhibit an association with cardiovascular mortality (p = 0.283). BSG rs8259 polymorphism may contribute to decreased risk of CHF in a Chinese Han population.
Performance Evaluation of Relevance Feedback for Image Retrieval by "Real-World" Multi-Tagged Image Datasets

Anyone who has ever tried to describe a picture in words is aware that it is not an easy task to find a word, a concept, or a category that characterizes it completely. Most images in real life represent more than a concept; therefore, it is natural that images available to users over the Internet e.g., FLICKR are associated with multiple tags. By the term 'tag', the authors refer to a concept represented in the image. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the performances of relevance feedback techniques in content-based image retrieval scenarios with multi-tag datasets, as typically performances are assessed on single-tag dataset. Thus, the authors show how relevance feedback mechanisms are able to adapt the search to user's needs either in the case an image is used as an example for retrieving images each bearing different concepts, or the sample image is used to retrieve images containing the same set of concepts. In this paper, the authors also propose two novel performance measures aimed at comparing the accuracy of retrieval results when an image is used as a prototype for a number of different concepts.
Teaching Scenario-Based Planning for Sustainable Landscape Development: An Evaluation of Learning Effects in the Cagliari Studio Workshop

This paper investigates the contributions of an intensive educational workshop to advance students’ understanding and skills for collaborative, scenario-based landscape planning. The research design involves a case study workshop with thirty international students and several regional experts as well as a multi-stage, in-process evaluation. The workshop resulted in six different alternative futures for the region of Cagliari, Italy, and a seventh combined version that was considered best by regional reviewers. The students’ learning evaluation showed substantial advances in their relevant understanding and skills. Key aspects of the workshop pedagogy and the evaluation are discussed, and recommendations for future applications presented.
Proximal Algorithm Meets a Conjugate descent

This paper proposes an enhancement of the non linear conjugate gradient algorithm for some non-smooth problems. We first extend some results of descent algorithms in the smooth case for convex non-smooth functions. We then construct a conjugate descent algorithm based on the proximity operator to obtain a descent direction. We finally provide a convergence analysis of this algorithm, even when the proximity operator must be computed by an iterative process. Numerical experiments show that this kind of method has some potential, even if proposed algorithms do not outperform accelerated first order algorithm yet.
Interior point algorithms for integer programming

Research on using interior point algorithms to solve integer programming problems is surveyed. This paper concentrates on branch and bound and cutting plane methods; a potential function method is also briefly mentioned. The principal difculty with using an interior point algorithm in a branch and cut method to solve integer programming problems is in warm starting the algorithm eciently. Methods for overcoming this diculty are described and other features of the algorithms are given. This paper focuses on the techniques necessary to obtain an ecient computational implementation; there is a short discussion of theoretical issues.