Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age and health inequality under the health paradox hypothesis

The effect of age on health inequality is an open field of research. We know that over time new cohorts enjoy longer life expectancies but with likely lower health levels for the additional years. If we add to this that the self-assessed levels of health status decrease with age due to a more likely medically demanding society, this composite effect will lower the effectiveness of health care over time despite the individuals’ longer life expectancy. This result is the so called ‘health paradox’; this is, an improvement in objective measures of health (life expectancy) seem to go hand by hand with a decrease in the reported health status of the population. The purpose of this paper is to explore a related issue to the former paradox; whether these changes (this is, a higher prevalence of chronic conditions and a more demanding society at the time the individuals self-assess their own health) increase or decrease health inequalities. We reply the empirical work that Garcia-Altes et al. (2011) did for Catalonia by comparing the changes of the mean across age cohorts over time and the evolution of the internal variance among those categories (as a proxy for perceived health inequalities over time) for the years 2001-2006. We take the Catalonia Health Interview Survey for 1994, 2000-2001 and 2006 and we decompose the longitudinal cross sectional data through a model estimation following a Bayesian approach that allows to control for heteroskedasticity and most importantly for the endogeneity of the regressors. We find that GarciaAltes et al. (2011) result of increasing health inequalities over time is not confirmed. This may be due to the expanded period we have taken and to our richer estimation model that better accounts for the individual heterogeneity.
Coupling Yee Grid to Lebedev Grid in Two Dimensions

The standard Yee grid, though simple and robust, is not well suited to modeling anisotropic media. In contrast, the Lebedev grid is well suited, but is computationally more expensive. A methodology is presented to use the classical Yee grid in isotropic regions and take advantage of the Lebedev method as a subgridded region for anisotropic materials only. Two methods to couple the two regions are proposed and described in detail. The proposed methods show low reflection in a scenario where a normally incident plane wave hits a Yee–Lebedev interface. Also, the two techniques are shown to be both accurate and stable.
Incorporating time‐dependent covariates in survival analysis using the LVAR method

In survival analysis, use of the Cox proportional hazards model requires knowledge of all covariates under consideration at every failure time. Since failure times rarely coincide with observation times, time‐dependent covariates (covariates that vary over time) need to be inferred from the observed values. In this paper, we introduce the last value auto‐regressed (LVAR) estimation method and compare it to several other established estimation approaches via a simulation study. The comparison shows that under several time‐dependent covariate processes this method results in a smaller mean square error when considering the time‐dependent covariate effect. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Sharp Lower Bound for Mixed-membership Estimation

Consider an undirected network with $n$ nodes and $K$ perceivable communities, where some nodes may have mixed memberships. We assume that for each node $1 \leq i \leq n$, there is a probability mass function $\pi_i$ defined over $\{1, 2, \ldots, K\}$ such that \[ \pi_i(k) = \mbox{the weight of node $i$ on community $k$}, \qquad 1 \leq k \leq K. \] The goal is to estimate $\{\pi_i, 1 \leq i \leq n\}$ (i.e., membership estimation). We model the network with the {\it degree-corrected mixed membership (DCMM)} model \cite{Mixed-SCORE}. Since for many natural networks, the degrees have an approximate power-law tail, we allow {\it severe degree heterogeneity} in our model. For any membership estimation $\{\hat{\pi}_i, 1 \leq i \leq n\}$, since each $\pi_i$ is a probability mass function, it is natural to measure the errors by the average $\ell^1$-norm \[ \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i = 1}^n \| \hat{\pi}_i - \pi_i\|_1. \] We also consider a variant of the $\ell^1$-loss, where each $\|\hat{\pi}_i - \pi_i\|_1$ is re-weighted by the degree parameter $\theta_i$ in DCMM (to be introduced). We present a sharp lower bound. We also show that such a lower bound is achievable under a broad situation. More discussion in this vein is continued in our forthcoming manuscript. The results are very different from those on community detection. For community detection, the focus is on the special case where all $\pi_i$ are degenerate; the goal is clustering, so Hamming distance is the natural choice of loss function, and the rate can be exponentially fast. The setting here is broader and more difficult: it is more natural to use the $\ell^1$-loss, and the rate is only polynomially fast.
Changes in HOXB6 homeodomain protein structure and localization during human epidermal development and differentiation

HOX homeodomain proteins are master developmental regulators, which are now thought to function as transcription factors by forming cooperative DNA binding complexes with PBX or other protein partners. Although PBX proteins exhibit regulated subcellular localization and function in the nucleus in other tissues, little data exists on HOX and PBX protein localization during skin development. We now show that the HOXB6 protein is expressed in the suprabasal layer of the early developing epidermis and throughout the upper layers of late fetal and adult human skin. HOXB6 signal is cytoplasmic throughout fetal epidermal development, but substantially nuclear in normal adult skin. HOXB6 protein is also partially nuclear in hyperproliferative skin conditions, but appears to be cytoplasmic in basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Although all three PBX genes are expressed in fetal epidermis, none of the three PBX proteins exhibit nuclear co‐localization with HOXB6 in either fetal or adult epidermis. RNA and protein data suggest that a truncated HOXB6 protein, lacking the homeodomain, is expressed in undifferentiated keratinocytes and that the full‐length protein is induced by differentiation. GFP‐fusion proteins were used to demonstrate that the full‐length HOXB6 protein is localized to the nucleus while the truncated protein is largely cytoplasmic. Taken together, these data suggest that during epidermal development the truncated HOXB6 isoform may function by a mechanism other than as DNA binding protein, and that most of the nuclear, homeodomain‐containing HOXB6 protein does not utilize PBX proteins as DNA binding partners in the skin. Published 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
What Causes Uneven Aerosol Deposition in the Bronchoconstricted Lung? A Quantitative Imaging Study.

BACKGROUND A previous PET-CT imaging study of 14 bronchoconstricted asthmatic subjects showed that peripheral aerosol deposition was highly variable among subjects and lobes. The aim of this work was to identify and quantify factors responsible for this variability. METHODS A theoretical framework was formulated to integrate four factors affecting aerosol deposition: differences in ventilation, in how air vs. aerosol distribute at each bifurcation, in the fraction of aerosol escaping feeding airways, and in the fraction of aerosol reaching the periphery that is exhaled. These factors were quantified in 12 of the subjects using PET-CT measurements of relative specific deposition sD*, relative specific ventilation sV* (measured with dynamic PET or estimated as change in expansion between two static HRCTs), average lobar expansion FVOL, and breathing frequency measured during aerosol inhalation fN. RESULTS The fraction of the variance of sD* explained by sV* (0.38), by bifurcation effects (0.38), and by differences in deposition along feeding airways (0.31) were similar in magnitude. We could not directly estimate the contribution of aerosol that was exhaled. Differences in expansion did not explain any fraction of the variability in sD* among lobes. The dependence of sD* on sV* was high in subjects breathing with low fN, but weakened among those breathing faster. Finally, sD*/sV* showed positive dependence on FVOL among low fN subjects, while the dependence was negative among high fN subjects. CONCLUSION The theoretical framework allowed us to analyze experimentally measured aerosol deposition imaging data. When considering bronchoconstricted asthmatic subjects, a dynamic measurement of ventilation is required to evaluate its effect on aerosol transport. The mechanisms behind the identified effects of fN and FVOL on aerosol deposition need further study and may have important implications for aerosol therapy in subjects with heterogeneous ventilation.
Metastatic type 1 gastric carcinoid: a real threat or just a myth?

AIM To describe disease characteristics and treatment modalities in a group of rare patients with metastatic gastric carcinoid type 1 (GCA1). METHODS Information on clinical, biochemical, radiological, histopathological findings, the extent of the disease, as well as the use of different therapeutic modalities and the long-term outcome were recorded. Patients' data were assessed at presentation, and thereafter at 6 to 12 monthly intervals both clinically and biochemically, but also endoscopically and histopathologically. Patients were evaluated for the presence of specific symptoms; the presence of autoimmune disorders and the presence of other gastrointestinal malignancies in other family members were also recorded. The evaluation of response to treatment was defined using established WHO criteria. RESULTS We studied twenty consecutive patients with a mean age of 55.1 years. The mean follow-up period was 83 mo. Twelve patients had regional lymph node metastases and 8 patients had liver metastases. The primary tumor mean diameter was 20.13 ± 10.83 mm (mean ± SD). The mean Ki-67 index was 6.8% ± 11.2%. All but one patient underwent endoscopic or surgical excision of the tumor. The disease was stable in all but 3 patients who had progressive liver disease. All patients remained alive during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION Metastatic GCA1 carries a good overall prognosis, being related to a tumor size of ≥ 1 cm, an elevated Ki-67 index and high serum gastrin levels.
Team-building Competencies, Personal Effectiveness and Job Satisfaction: The Mediating Effect of Transformational Leadership and Technology

The study examined the relationship of team-building competencies with personal effectiveness and job satisfaction, and the mediating role of leadership and technology. The data were collected from 307 executives using survey instruments from public and private sector banks across hierarchy. The study was carried out in a confirmatory framework to examine the causal linkage among the variables. The results showed a positive relationship between team-building competencies and outcome variables suggesting that team competencies play a vital role in determining the employee effectiveness and satisfaction. Further, the study shows the emergence of leadership style and technology as mediators in enhancing effectiveness and job satisfaction among employees. The study has implications for the management of banking sector that they need to develop team competencies, follow transformational leadership style and make use of latest information technology to facilitate higher bank performance and greater job satisfaction among employees.
A Different Look at Lenin's Legacy: Trust, Risk, Fairness and Cooperativeness in the Two Germanies

What are the long-term effects of Communism on economically relevant notions such as social trust? To answer this question, we use the reunification of Germany as a natural experiment and study the post-reunification trajectory of convergence with regard to individuals’ trust and risk, as well as perceived fairness and cooperativeness. Our hypotheses are derived from a model of German reunification that incorporates individual responses both to incentives and to values inherited from earlier generations as recently suggested in the literature. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel, we find that despite twenty years of reunification East Germans are still characterized by a persistent level of social distrust. In comparison to West Germans, they are also less inclined to see others as fair or helpful. Implied trajectories can be interpreted as evidence for the passing of cultural traits across generations and for cooperation being sustained by values rather than by reputation. Moreover, East Germans are found to be more risk loving than West Germans. In contrast to trust and fairness, full convergence in risk attitude is reached in recent years.
Adaptive speed tracking control for autonomous land vehicles in all‐terrain navigation: An experimental study

This paper develops a nonparametric controller with an internal model control (IMC) structure for the longitudinal speed tracking control of autonomous land vehicles by designing a proportional and internal model control (IMC) cascade (P‐IMC) controller. An IMC architecture is employed in the inner control loop by establishing a nonparametric longitudinal dynamical model, whereas a P controller is designed for the outer control loop. An approach for estimating the terrain effects and compensating for the model errors is also introduced. The differences from other nonparametric controllers are discussed, and the stability of the P‐IMC controller is analyzed and validated experimentally. The P‐IMC controller is compared with the SpAM+PI to illustrate its advantages. The experimental results of autonomous all‐terrain driving show the effectiveness of the P‐IMC controller.
Minimally invasive diagnostic imaging using high resolution Optical Coherence Tomography

Advances in medical imaging have given researchers unprecedented capabilities to visualize, characterize and understand biological systems. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a high speed, high resolution imaging technique that utilizes low coherence interferometry to perform cross-sectional tomographic imaging of tissue in real time and in vivo. The design, development, and implementation of ultrahigh resolution OCT systems in both laboratory and clinical experiments has been pursued in this work. Biomedical imaging studies in the areas of arthroscopy, cardiology, and endoscopy have been investigated with ultrahigh resolution capability achieved through the use of broadband femtosecond oscillators such as Ti:Sapphire and Cr:Forsterite light sources. OCT image resolutions of 1-5um in tissue have been realized, an order of magnitude greater than conventional MRI or ultrasound resolutions. In addition, through the use of coherent heterodyne detection techniques, the capability to visualize pathological tissue architecture in vivo for both animal and human experimental trials has been demonstrated. Because OCT can perform such "optical biopsy" with resolutions approaching that of conventional excisional biopsy and histology, it has the potential to become a powerful diagnostic tool in the field of medical imaging. In combination with small fiber-optic catheters, endoscopes, and other imaging devices, minimally invasive OCT imaging was carried out with novel diagnostic devices also developed in this work. The development and implementation of advanced OCT systems for both research and clinical applications will be presented as well as future directions for the technology. Thesis Supervisor: James G. Fujimoto Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
A Hypervisor Approach to Enable Live Migration with Passthrough SR-IOV Network Devices

Single-Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV) is a specification that allows a single PCI Express (PCIe) device (physical function or PF) to be used as multiple PCIe devices (virtual functions or VF). In a virtualization system, each VF can be directly assigned to a virtual machine (VM) in passthrough mode to significantly improve the network performance. However, VF passthrough mode is not compatible with live migration, which is an essential capability that enables many advanced virtualization features such as high availability and resource provisioning. To solve this problem, we design SRVM which provides hypervisor support to ensure the VF device can be correctly used by the migrated VM and the applications. SRVM is implemented in the hypervisor without modification in guest operating systems or guest VM drivers. SRVM does not increase VM downtime. It only costs limited resources (an extra CPU core only during the live migration pre-copy phase), and there is no significant runtime overhead in VM network performance.
Factors influencing willingness to pay for sustainable apparel: A literature review

Abstract Using a vote count analysis that synthesizes previous works, this study reviews the pivotal factors that lead to greater willingness to pay for sustainable apparel products. Previous work generally concurs that there is a desire for sustainable apparel, even when a price premium is required. Our findings clearly indicate that consumers, when making an actual purchase, are resistant to price premiums unless they perceive a tangible benefit equivalent to the premium paid. These benefits are various, but they can all be grouped as constituting “value. ” However, that desire does not directly translate into purchasing action. We conclude that that desire is a form of theoretical rationality in the consumer’s mind. Even when value is added, the evidence indicates that the apparel will gain minimum acceptance unless the esthetic is also appealing.
Mapping of sequenced genes (700 kbp) in the restriction map of the Escherichia coli chromosome

This paper describes software (written in Pascal and running on Macintosh computers) allowing localization of unknown DNA fragments from the Escherichia coli chromosome on the restriction map established by Kohara et al. (1987). The program identifies the segment's map position using a restriction pattern analysis obtained with all, or some, of the eight enzymes used by Kohara et al. (1987). Therefore, the sequenced genes available in the EMBL library may be localized on the E. coli chromosome restriction map. This allowed correction of the map (mainly by introducing missing sites in the published maps) at the corresponding positions. Analysis of the data indicates that there is only a very low level of polymorphism, at the nucleotide level, between the E. coli K12 strains used by the various laboratories involved in DNA sequencing. The program is versatile enough to be used with other genomes.
Optimal Input and Quantization Interval for Quantized Feedback System With Variable Quantizer

Networked control systems (NCSs) have received much attention in the field of robot teleoperation, telesurgery, and other applications. In an NCS, it is important to compress data transmitted over a limited communication network while preserving the data required for control. We address a quantized feedback system in which the output of a plant is quantized with a variable quantization interval. For such a system, we present a novel optimal quantized feedback control. The proposed approach derives not only an optimal input, but also an optimal quantization interval in the quantizer simultaneously using the model predictive control. The approach also satisfies constraints on the state, input, and quantization interval. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is validated through cart-positioning experiments.
Characterization of the SAR-distribution of the Sigma-60 applicator for regional hyperthermia using a Schottky diode sheet

Introduction: Characterization of the performance of an hyperthermia applicator by phantom experiments is an essential aspect of quality assurance in hyperthermia. The objective of this study was to quantitatively characterize the energy distribution of the Sigma-60 applicator of the BSD2000 phased array system operated within the normal frequency range of 70–120 MHz. Additionally, the accuracy of the flexible Schottky diode sheet to measure E-field distributions was assessed. Material and methods: The flexible Schottky diode sheet (SDS) consists of 64 diodes mounted on a flexible 125 µm thick polyester foil. The diodes are connected through high resistive wires to the electronic readout system. With the SDS E-field distributions were measured with a resolution of 2.5 × 2.5 cm in a cylindrical phantom, diameter of 26 cm and filled with saline water (2 g/l). The phantom was positioned symmetrically in the Sigma-60 applicator. RF-power was applied to the 4-channel applicator with increasing steps from 25 W to a total output of 400 W. Results: The complete system to measure the E-field distribution worked fine and reliably within the Sigma-60 applicator. The E-field distributions measured showed that the longitudinal length of the E-field distribution is more or less constant, e.g. 21–19 cm, over the frequency range of 70–120 MHz, respectively. As expected, the radial E-field distributions show a better focusing towards the centre of the phantom for higher frequencies, e.g. from 15.3–8.7 cm diameter for 70–120 MHz, respectively. The focusing target could be moved accurately from the left to the right side of the phantom. Further it was found that the sensitivity variation of nine diodes located at the centre of the phantom was very small, e.g. <3% over the whole frequency range. Conclusion: The SAR distributions of the Sigma-60 applicator are in good agreement with theoretically expected values. The flexible Schottky diode sheet proves to be an excellent tool to make accurate, quantitative measurements of E-field distributions at low (25 W) and medium (400 W) power levels. An important feature of the SDS is that it enables one to significantly improve quantitative quality assurance procedures and to start quantitative comparisons of the performance of the different deep hyperthermia systems used by the various hyperthermia groups.
Assessing Rural Accessibility and Rural Roads Investment Needs Using Open Source Data

Rural accessibility is the only metric used in the Sustainable Development Goals to track progress toward better transport services in low- and middle-income countries. This paper estimates the rural accessibility index, defined as the proportion of the rural population who live within 2 kilometers of an all-season road, in 166 countries using open data. It then explores the cost of increasing the rural accessibility index in 19 countries, using an algorithm that prioritizes rural roads investments based on their impact on rural access and connectivity. Investment costs quickly balloon as the rural accessibility index increases, questioning the affordability of universal access to paved roads for many countries by 2030. If countries spent 1 percent of their gross domestic product annually on the upgrade of rural roads, even under optimistic assumptions on growth of gross domestic product, rural accessibility would only increase from 39 to 52 percent by 2030 across all developing countries. Alternative solutions to rural integration must thus be implemented in the short run until countries can afford to increase significantly access to all weather roads. For example, drones that supply regular food and medicine supply to remote communities are much more affordable than roads in the short term.
A reduction of the recursion scheme

The class of primitive recursive functions may be defined as the closure of certain initial functions, namely the zero, successor and identity functions, under two schemes, namely composition (sometimes called “substitution”) and recursion. For a detailed definition the reader is referred to any standard work, for instance p. 219 of [2], by Kleene.