Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological features of non-culprit plaques on optical coherence tomography and integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

AIMS We sought to compare the morphological features of non-culprit plaques with >50% diameter stenosis in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) with those of culprit plaques in patients with ACS and stable angina pectoris (SAP) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IB-IVUS). METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 150 culprit and non-culprit coronary plaques (non-culprit vessels) in 150 patients with coronary artery disease were interrogated by OCT before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients were categorized as follows: 73 culprit plaques in patients with ACS (ACS-C), 32 non-culprit plaques in patients with ACS (ACS-NC), and 45 culprit plaques in patients with SAP. The fibrous cap thickness was thinner in the ACS-C and ACS-NC groups than in the SAP group and was thinnest in the ACS-C group (ACS-C vs. ACS-NC vs. SAP, 60 vs. 82 vs. 114 μm, P < 0.001). IB-IVUS sub-analysis of 95 patients demonstrated that % lipid volume was greater and % fibrous volume was lower in the ACS-NC group than those in the SAP group (ACS-C vs. ACS-NC vs. SAP, 56.3 ± 11.0 vs. 59.9 ± 11.2 vs. 50.1 ± 13.9%, P < 0.05 and 39.5 ± 9.0 vs. 35.0 ± 9.0 vs. 43.9 ± 11.3%, P < 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION Plaques of non-culprit vessels in patients with ACS had a thinner fibrous cap and a higher percentage of lipid content than culprit plaques in patients with SAP. However, the fibrous cap thickness was thinner in the culprit lesions in patients with ACS than in the non-culprit lesions in patients with ACS, while plaque compositions were not significantly different between the groups.
Answering questions about consciousness by modeling perception as covert behavior

Two main open questions in current consciousness research concern (i) the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) and (ii) the relationship between neural activity and first-person, subjective experience. Here, possible answers are sketched for both of these, by means of a model-based analysis of what is required for one to admit having a conscious experience. To this end, a model is proposed that allows reasoning, albeit necessarily in a simplistic manner, about all of the so called “easy problems” of consciousness, from discrimination of stimuli to control of behavior and language. First, it is argued that current neuroscientific knowledge supports the view of perception and action selection as two examples of the same basic phenomenon, such that one can meaningfully refer to neuronal activations involved in perception as covert behavior. Building on existing neuroscientific and psychological models, a narrative behavior model is proposed, outlining how the brain selects covert (and sometimes overt) behaviors to construct a complex, multi-level narrative about what it is like to be the individual in question. It is hypothesized that we tend to admit a conscious experience of X if, at the time of judging consciousness, we find ourselves acceptably capable of performing narrative behavior describing X. It is argued that the proposed account reconciles seemingly conflicting empirical results, previously presented as evidence for competing theories of consciousness, and suggests that well-defined, experiment-independent NCCs are unlikely to exist. Finally, an analysis is made of what the modeled narrative behavior machinery is and is not capable of. It is discussed how an organism endowed with such a machinery could, from its first-person perspective, come to adopt notions such as “subjective experience,” and of there being “hard problems,” and “explanatory gaps” to be addressed in order to understand consciousness.
A color-based tracking by Kalman particle filter

In this paper, a method for real-time tracking of moving objects is proposed. We applied Kalman particle filter (KPF) to color-based tracking. This KPF is a particle filter including the principle of Kalman filter, and it was adopted to the object contour tracking. We modified this KPF for color-based tracking. This modified KPF can approximate the probabilistic density of the position of the tracked object properly and needs fewer particles for tracking than conventional particle filters. We made experiments to confirm the effectiveness of this method.
Using higher order statistics and time structure to separate source signals

The aim of this paper is to solve the blind source separation (BSS) problem using the temporal independent component analysis (ICA) model. In contrast to ordinary ICA, except for independent assumption, the temporal structure of the source components is taken into account. After combing the virtues of both high order statistics and the temporal second-order information of the source signals, we can get the novel strengthened BSS algorithm-STICA algorithm by using the joint approximate diagonalisation of eigen-matrices (JADE) method. The proposed STICA can not only separate the spatial independent random variables but also the spatial independent time series or both of them exist simultaneously, especially when the sources have non-symmetric distributed time series.
A citation-based system to assist prize awarding

Citation analysis is performed to evaluate the impact of scientific collections (journals and conferences), publications and scholar authors. In this paper we investigate alternative methods to provide a generalized approach to rank scientific publications. We use the SCEAS system [12] as a base platform to introduce new methods that can be used for ranking scientific publications. Moreover, we tune our approach along the reasoning of the prizes 'VLDB 10 Year Award' and 'SIGMOD Test of Time Award', which have been awarded in the course of the top two database conferences. Our approach can be used to objectively suggest the publications and the respective authors the are more likely to be awarded in the near future at these conferences.
The Fusarium graminearum Genome Reveals a Link Between Localized Polymorphism and Pathogen Specialization

We sequenced and annotated the genome of the filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum, a major pathogen of cultivated cereals. Very few repetitive sequences were detected, and the process of repeat-induced point mutation, in which duplicated sequences are subject to extensive mutation, may partially account for the reduced repeat content and apparent low number of paralogous (ancestrally duplicated) genes. A second strain of F. graminearum contained more than 10,000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms, which were frequently located near telomeres and within other discrete chromosomal segments. Many highly polymorphic regions contained sets of genes implicated in plant-fungus interactions and were unusually divergent, with higher rates of recombination. These regions of genome innovation may result from selection due to interactions of F. graminearum with its plant hosts.
Choosing Qualitative Methods for Entrepreneurial Cognition Research: A Canonical Development Approach

This article presents a structured, manageable approach to the complex problem of how to choose, from the vast arsenal loosely labeled “qualitative methods,” sets of techniques appropriate to advancement of the emerging field of entrepreneurial cognition. Summary consideration is given to four key issues of philosophical context as a necessary predicate to presentation of a “canonical development” approach, stylized in diagrammatic form. The approach is able to accommodate due regard for both methodological controversy and operational complexity without being overwhelmed by either. Three illustrative examples indicate how use of the approach can stimulate a researcher to create productive matches between questions evolved from the entrepreneurial cognition canon and techniques selected from the complex array of qualitative methods.
Students' Views on Physical Development and Physical Self-Concept in Adventure-Physical Education.

This study investigated 10th-grade students’ views concerning the physical effects of an adventure-physical education curriculum and the potential of such a curriculum to enhance components of a multidimensional model of physical self-concept. Semistructured interviews were used to obtain students’ views and participant observations were conducted to corroborate those views. Open coding was used to analyze the data. Students viewed adventure activities as an alternative way to be physically active that was more fun and motivating than traditional forms of exercise. Students expressed how the adventure activities helped them build strength and endurance particularly in their arms and legs. Students felt seven components (body fat, coordination, endurance/fitness, flexibility, physical activity, sports competence, and strength) of physical self-concept were relevant to adventure-physical education and two components (appearance and health) were not. Implications for designing activities and employing teachi.
The impact of postprogram reflection on recreation program outcomes.

When developing, implementing, and evaluating programs, recreation practitioners and researchers often focus solely on the participant phase without considering the pre- and postprogram stages of involvement. The adoption of a more holistic program perspective could facilitate the enhancement and longevity of program impacts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the postprogram phase of program involvement with a specific focus on the role of reflection and its relationship to postprogram outcome trajectories. Reflection has long been considered an essential element of recreation experiences. Although a sizeable literature related to reflection exists and a variety of reflection facilitation strategies have been developed, these efforts have focused primarily on either unstructured activities or within program reflection. In attempt to address this gap in the literature, a mixed-methods approach was employed to examine postprogram reflection within the context of an adolescent international immersion program. The program is an enrichment-based recreation experience. The qualitative findings suggested postprogram reflection was perceived to be important because there was not enough time to fully reflect upon the experience while it occurred. Additionally, adult leaders questioned whether youth participants possessed the maturity to process the experience and if it would take additional time for the full impact of the experience to become manifest. The youth reported facing constraints to postprogram reflection including difficulties communicating the experience to nonparticipants and the weakening of program impacts after returning home. Despite these constraints many youth took intentional steps to facilitate more frequent reflection on the experience through the use and display of mementos (e.g., pictures, journals, etc.) from the trip. Quantitative findings suggested a positive connection between the degree to which participants engaged in postprogram reflective activities and changes in their perceived teamwork scores between postprogram and follow-up survey assessments. The findings present practitioners with several implications. First, intentionally facilitating postprogram reflection may be a way to prolong a program’s impact. Second, research and experience suggest the more individuals positively reflect upon an experience the more likely they are to become repeat participants. Research is needed to better understand the efficacy of various postprogram reflection facilitating strategies. Although work remains in order to fully understand processes associated with the post-participation program phase, this study’s findings support the need for both practitioners and researchers to expand their conception of the program experience.
Influence of Ethnicity on Health-Related Quality of Life of Hemodialysis Patients in Singapore

Objectives The association between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and ethnicity has been studied among hemodialysis (HD) patients in several countries with varying results. However, the effect of ethnicity on the HRQoL of HD patients in the Asian context has yet to be evaluated. This study seeks to examine the HRQoL of HD patients in Singapore and to understand the influence of ethnicity on their HRQoL. Methods A census-style survey inclusive of the KDQoL-SF. The AMA was conducted among all HD patients from 22 dialysis centers across Singapore. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the influence of ethnicity on each SF-36 scale while adjusting for the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) factors and other determinants of HRQoL. Results Data from 1,249 HD patients were analyzed. Response rate was 63.3%. Compared with other ethnicities, Chinese were most likely to report lower HRQoL. After adjusting for sex, age, and other possible determinants of HRQoL, the influence of ethnicity on HRQoL persisted, with significant mean differences in role-physical, general health, role-emotional, and physical component summary scales. Conclusions After adjusting for demographic, SES, and other factors, ethnicity remained an important factor influencing HRQoL of Singaporean HD patients. Further studies are needed to identify modifiable factors that might explain the interethnic differences in HRQoL among HD patients.
Relationship between Heberden’s nodes and underlying radiographic changes of osteoarthritis

Objective: To determine whether clinically determined Heberden’s nodes (HN) and Bouchard’s nodes (BN) are associated with underlying individual radiographic changes of osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: 232 index patients with symptomatic large joint and/or hand OA, and 257 of their first degree relatives were included. HN were graded 0–2; BN were scored as present/absent. Joint space narrowing (JSN) and osteophyte (OST) were each scored 0–3 using the OARSI atlas. A weighted κ test was used to examine intraobserver reproducibility. Odds ratio (OR) was estimated for the relationship between nodes and associated JSN and OST. Results: The adjusted OR of HN for underlying JSN in the same digit was 1.72 (95% CI 1.47 to 2.02), whereas for OST it was higher at 5.15 (95% CI 4.37 to 6.08). A similar trend was seen with BN and underlying OA, with OST having a higher OR (OR = 2.98, 95% CI 2.55 to 3.47) than JSN (OR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.37 to 1.91). Conclusion: There is a positive relationship between HN/BN and underlying radiographic changes of OA, especially OST. Nodes do appear to link pathologically to OA in interphalangeal joints.
A Fast and Specific Alignment Method for Minisatellite Maps

Background Variable minisatellites count among the most polymorphic markers of eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes. This variability can affect gene coding regions, like in the prion protein gene, or gene regulation regions, like for the cystatin B gene, and be associated or implicated in diseases: the Creutzfeld-Jakob disease and the myoclonus epilepsy type 1, for our examples. When it affects neutrally evolving regions, the polymorphism in length (i.e., in number of copies) of minisatellites proved useful in population genetics. Motivation In these tandem repeat sequences, different mutational mechanisms let the number of copies, as well as the copies themselves, vary. Especially, the interspersion of events of tandem duplication/contraction and of punctual mutation makes the succession of variant repeats much more informative than the sole allele length. To exploit this information requires the ability to align minisatellite alleles by accounting for both punctual mutations and tandem duplications. Results We propose a minisatellite maps alignment program that improves on previous solutions. Our new program is faster, simpler, considers an extended evolutionary model, and is available to the community. We test it on the data set of 609 alleles of the MSY1 (DYF155S1) human minisatellite and confirm its ability to recover known evolutionary signals. Our experiments highlight that the informativeness of minisatellites resides in their length and composition polymorphisms. Exploiting both simultaneously is critical to unravel the implications of variable minisatellites in the control of gene expression and diseases. Availability Software is available at http://atgc.lirmm. fr/ms_align/
Simple AVC-based codecs with spatial scalability

Proposed is a coder that produces a layered video representation with layers corresponding to different spatial resolutions. A coder consists of based subcoders with independent motion estimation and compensation. Improved motion-vector encoding is provided for the enhancement layer. Other codec features include adaptive interpolation from the base layer, full AVC-compatibility of the base layer and syntax compatibility of the enhancement-layer bitstream. Interpolated reconstructed base-layer frames are used as additional reference frames in the enhancement layer. The respective prediction modes are embedded into prediction strategy of AVC. Experimental results prove that improved motion-vector encoding results in bitrate reduction of up to 13% of the enhancement-layer bitrate for motion vectors. As measured for all layers together, compression efficiency is significantly higher than for simulcast, but scalable codec complexity is only slightly higher than complexity of the respective simulcast codec.
Rapid dynamics of general transcription factor TFIIB binding during preinitiation complex assembly revealed by single-molecule analysis

In this study, Zhang et al present a single-molecule imaging-based dynamic analysis of human RNA polymerase II preinitiation complex (PIC) assembly. They established an integrated in vitro single-molecule transcription platform reconstituted from highly purified human transcription factors and complemented by live-cell imaging and performed real-time measurements of the hierarchal promoter-specific binding of TFIID, TFIIA, and TFIIB.
Cuckoo Search Optimization for Linear Antenna Arrays Synthesis

A recently developed metaheuristic optimization algorithm, the Cuckoo search algorithm, is used in this paper for the synthesis of symmetric uniformly spaced linear microstrip antennas array. Cuckoo search is based on the breeding strategy of Cuckoos augmented by a Levy flight behaviour found in the foraging habits of other species. This metaheuristic is tested on amplitude only pattern synthesis and amplitude and phase pattern synthesis. In both case, the objective, is to determinate the optimal excitations element that produce a synthesized radiation pattern within given bounds specified by a pattern mask
Genetic structure and a selected core set of Brazilian soybean cultivars

Soybean is one of the most valuable and profitable oil crop species and a thorough knowledge of the genetic structure of this crop is necessary for developing the best breeding strategies. In this study, a representative collection of soybean cultivars recommended for farming in all Brazilian regions was genotyped using 27 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci. A total of 130 alleles were detected, with an average allelic number of 4.81 per locus. These alleles determined the core set that best represented this soybean germplasm. The Bayesian analysis revealed the presence of two clusters or subgroups within the whole collection (435 soybean cultivars) and the core set (31 entries). Cultivars of similar origin (ancestral) were clustered into the same groups in both analyses. The genetic diversity parameters, based on the SSR loci, revealed high similarity between the whole collection and core set. Differences between the two clusters detected in the core set were attributed more to the frequency of their ancestors than to their genetic base. In terms of ancestry, divergent groups were presented and a panel is shown which may foster efficient breeding programs and aid soybean breeders in planning reliable crossings in the development of new varieties.
The Optimal Distance Model of Second Language Acquisition.

The critical period hypothesis has been viewed in recent second language research as a biological or developmental phenomenon which explains the inability of learners to acquire certain aspects of a second language beyond a certain age. It is hypothesized here that such explanations are limited, and that sociocultural factors more successfully define a critical period. Research in four related areas-stages of acculturation, anomie, social distance, and perceived social distance-helps to define a socioculturally determined critical period for successful second language acquisition. This understanding of the critical period hypothesis is termed the optimal distance model of second language acquisition. Implications for teaching and further research are discussed.
Whither United Nations Economic and Social Ideas?

This article sets out a working framework to analyze the contribution of the United Nations (UN) to global economic and social policy, and to development discourse and practice, at the start of a multi-year research effort. It seeks to better understand the sources, evolution, and impact of key UN development ideas, and the role of the UN as an intellectual actor in the multilateral marketplace of ideas. The first part of the article outlines how recent literature about ideas has informed our work. The second part explores methodological debates with especial attention to the shortcomings of ideational approaches, addressing conceptual difficulties in dealing with ideas, and offering some thoughts both about what these debates may add to our understanding as well as ways that a contribution to scholarly debates will result. The third part poses key research questions and outlines how we propose analyzing the relationship between ideas and policy.
An Agent-Based Solution to the Resource Allocation Problem in Emergency Situations

Mass casualty incidents (MCI) are highly dynamic situations. In order to minimize potential losses associated primarily with human lives, it is particularly important to quickly and efficiently allocate the available limited resources. Thus, a flexible solution for rational resource allocation is needed. In this paper, we show a combination of technologies from different fields of research that have focused on the support for such an optimal solution. We describe a mathematical model and then demonstrate a prototype implementation with evaluation results of the suggested approach.
Preserving Face in Refusal Situations

Individuals often fabricate socially appropriate reasons for rejecting a request while withholding real but hurtful ones. Such synthetic obstacles to compliance become conventionalized ways of turning down requests. However, when socially appropriate reasons are the genuine basis for refusal, rejecters desiring to comply must signal to the requester that the reason is real rather than synthetic. We conducted an experiment to explore how rejecters of a dating request adapt their messages so as to convince the requester that they are interested in going out with him or her but really cannot. Although most refusals contained linguistic face-work devices, targets faced with conventional obstacles, and who wanted to pursue a relationship with the requester, expressed counteroffers and expressions of interest. Those wishing to avoid future interaction relied on apologies, statements of appreciation for the offer, and expressions of concern for the requester's feelings. Implications for both encoding and decoding refusal messages are discussed.