Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial frequency domain imaging of port wine stain biochemical composition in response to laser therapy: A pilot study

Objective methods to assess port wine stain (PWS) response to laser treatment have been the subject of various research efforts for several years. Herein, we present a pilot study using a newly developed, light emitting diode (LED) based spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) device to record quantitatively biochemical compositional changes in PWS after laser therapy.
Transductive Learning for the Identification of Word Sense Temporal Orientation

The ability to capture the time information conveyed in natural language is essential to many natural language processing applications such as information retrieval, question answering, automatic summarization, targeted marketing, loan repayment forecasting, and understanding economic patterns. In this paper, we propose a graph-based semi-supervised classification strategy that makes use of WordNet definitions or ‘glosses’, its conceptual-semantic and lexical relations to supplement WordNet entries with information on the temporality of its word senses. Intrinsic evaluation results show that the proposed approach outperforms prior semi-supervised, nongraph classification approaches to the temporality recognition of word senses, and confirm the soundness of the proposed approach.
Auditory Awakening Thresholds and Dream Recall in NREM Sleep

Whereas earlier research had shown that Ss with lower auditory awakening thresholds (AATs) reported more dreams on awakenings from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, this study of 4 Ss over several nights each indicated no relationship between Stage 2 NREM dreaming and within-subject, within-night variations in AAT. Subjectively “deep” Stage 2 sleep was associated with high AATs and with reports of Stage 2 dreaming. AATs declined over successive nights of laboratory sleep. Earlier reports of similar AATs for Stage REM and Stage 2, a decrease in AAT with time of night, and no relationship between AAT and time since last awakening were all confirmed. Stage 2 awakenings made close together in time yielded more reports with similar manifest content.
Oral Cholinesterase Inhibitor Add-on Therapy for Cognitive Enhancement in Schizophrenia: A Quantitative Systematic Review, Part I

Rationale: Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is associated with outcomes affecting social function and vocational performance. Cognitive enhancement is thus recognized as fundamental in the treatment of schizophrenia. Some clinical trials have used acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) add-on therapy to test the cognitive-enhancing effects of these kinds of medication, which is usually prescribed for indications other than schizophrenia. Objective: To perform a quantitative systematic review of the effects of AChEI on various cognitive domains (attention, language, and motor and executive functions) in schizophrenia. Data Source: Exhaustive electronic search engines, hand searches, cross-referencing of studies, and contacts with investigators were carried out. Data Selection: The studies included compared neurocognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia before and after AChEI treatment in randomized controlled trials and crossover and open trials of AChEI in people with schizophrenia. Results: Our findings reveal a small, but significant, homogeneous effect estimate of AChEI on attention before and after treatment. A small nonsignificant heterogeneous effect estimate was yielded for motor performance after AChEI treatment. However, no significant change appears in language performance or executive functions after AChEI treatment, independently of the type of AChEI. After AChEI treatment, when patients were compared with control groups, no difference appears in attention and executive functions. Nevertheless, the analysis reveals that the control groups performed better on language tasks than patients after AChEI treatment but worse on motor tasks. Conclusions: Despite an extensive investigation of the electronic and gray literature, few data appropriate for the meta-analysis were found. The results reveal a small improvement in attention and a trend on motor tasks after AChEI medication in schizophrenia. No clear conclusion can yet be reached concerning the cognitive-enhancing effects of AChEI considering the small number of studies available. This finding needs to be substantiated by larger trials. This systematic review complements a meta-analysis focusing on memory, which showed a small improvement with a cocktail of antipsychotics and AChEIs.
Classification of Movement and Inhibition Using a Hybrid BCI

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are an emerging technology that are capable of turning brain electrical activity into commands for an external device. Motor imagery (MI)—when a person imagines a motion without executing it—is widely employed in BCI devices for motor control because of the endogenous origin of its neural control mechanisms, and the similarity in brain activation to actual movements. Challenges with translating a MI-BCI into a practical device used outside laboratories include the extensive training required, often due to poor user engagement and visual feedback response delays; poor user flexibility/freedom to time the execution/inhibition of their movements, and to control the movement type (right arm vs. left leg) and characteristics (reaching vs. grabbing); and high false positive rates of motion control. Solutions to improve sensorimotor activation and user performance of MI-BCIs have been explored. Virtual reality (VR) motor-execution tasks have replaced simpler visual feedback (smiling faces, arrows) and have solved this problem to an extent. Hybrid BCIs (hBCIs) implementing an additional control signal to MI have improved user control capabilities to a limited extent. These hBCIs either fail to allow the patients to gain asynchronous control of their movements, or have a high false positive rate. We propose an immersive VR environment which provides visual feedback that is both engaging and immediate, but also uniquely engages a different cognitive process in the patient that generates event-related potentials (ERPs). These ERPs provide a key executive function for the users to execute/inhibit movements. Additionally, we propose signal processing strategies and machine learning algorithms to move BCIs toward developing long-term signal stability in patients with distinctive brain signals and capabilities to control motor signals. The hBCI itself and the VR environment we propose would help to move BCI technology outside laboratory environments for motor rehabilitation in hospitals, and potentially for controlling a prosthetic.
Reconfigurable antenna for wireless communication bands

A reconfigurable antenna covering three bands of frequencies WLAN, WiMAX, LTE Communication bands is designed. This antenna operates between these bands with the activation of two switches. The proposed antenna has small size and low profile design and occupies a volume of 18×20×0.5 mm3. The results include analysis of return loss and peak gain of antenna. High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) software was used to simulate the designed antenna.
Molecular analysis of haemoglobin E in Southeast Asian populations

Abstract Haemoglobin (Hb) E is the most common Hb variant in Asia where its gene frequency approaches 0.3 in some areas. We studied genetic background of Hb E genes among Southeast Asian populations. This study examined β-globin gene haplotypes linked to haemoglobin E (Hb E) in diverse groups of Southeast Asian populations. The study was conducted on southern Thai (22 alleles), Cambodian (84 alleles), Laotian (120 alleles), Vietnamese (87 alleles) and Burmese (one allele) subjects. Results were compared with those of previous studies in northeast Thailand, the Yunnan of China, West India and Europe. Ten different haplotypes were observed. The four most common haplotypes were haplotypes 1 (– + – + + + –) and 2 (+ – – – – + –) on chromosomes with framework 2 and haplotypes 6 (– + – + + – +) and 7 (+ – – – – – +) on chromosomes with framework 3 variety. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that haplotype 1 is a relatively recent haplotype found in all populations, whereas haplotype 6 is found predominately in Cambodians. The results indicate that at least two genetic origins of Hb E are responsible for the high prevalence and spread of Hb E among Southeast Asian populations.
Trandolapril decreases prevalence of ventricular ectopic activity in middle-aged SHR.

BACKGROUND Although severe arrhythmias are still a major problem in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), the relationship between ventricular remodeling and its regression or prevention, and the prevalence of ventricular premature beats (VPB) or more sustained arrhythmias are still poorly explored in hypertensive heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS Holter monitoring was used to quantify supraventricular premature beats and VPB and heart rate (HR) in middle-aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar rats treated for 3 months with trandolapril (ACE inhibitor, 0.3 mg/kg per day). Hypertrophy and fibrosis were morphometrically determined. Statistical analysis was performed with the use of simple regression and multivariate data analysis (cluster and correspondence analysis). SHR have higher cardiac mass and fibrosis, more VPB, and a decreased HR. Cluster analysis demonstrated that trandolapril was only effective in SHR. Trandolapril significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and VPB incidence and increased the HR. Simple regression analysis showed that VPB incidence correlated to both hypertrophy and fibrosis. Correspondence analysis evidenced a strong correlation between hypertrophy, fibrosis, and VPB, but only for severe hypertrophy, and the correlation disappeared for moderate hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS After trandolapril treatment, the regression of VPB incidence not only is linked to hypertrophy and fibrosis, but additional causal factors also are involved including the myocardial phenotype and new calcium metabolism. Our model of Holter monitoring in conscious middle-aged SHR and multivariate data analysis might be useful in correlating myocardial structural modifications and ectopic activity.
Low-overhead range-based 3D localization technique for underwater sensor networks

Underwater acoustic networks hold the promise to support a wide variety of applications; however, many desirable network services still remain unavailable to application designers. One such service is on-line node localization, which is useful both to many routing algorithms as well as to a number of sensing applications. The main contribution of this work is a range-based low-overhead localization technique, LOTUS, for underwater sensor networks. Unlike earlier range-based 3D localization techniques that required distance estimates from at least four reference nodes to localize any node, our scheme can approximate locations with two references. This enables our scheme to work in low density deployment cases and allows more nodes to be localized. Once localized, nodes exchange their locations in regular packets to further improve the estimates. We evaluate LOTUS using simulation and show that it has a good performance vs. overhead trade-off.
The role of flow regimes for sediment transport and flooding potential of river catchments

The effective discharge constitutes a key concept in river science and engineering. Notwithstanding many years of studies, a full understanding of the effective discharge determinants is still challenged by the variety of values identified for different river catchments. The present paper relates the observed diversity of effective discharge to the underlying heterogeneity of flow regimes. An analytic framework is proposed, which links the effective ratio (i.e. the ratio between effective discharge and mean streamflow) to the empirical exponent of the sediment rating curve and to the streamflow variability, as resulting from climatic and landscape drivers. The analytic formulation predicts patterns of effective ratio versus streamflow variability observed in a set of catchments of the continental United States, and helps in disentangling the major climatic and landscape drivers of sediment transport in rivers. The findings highlight larger effective ratios of erratic hydrologic regimes (characterized by high flow variability) compared to those exhibited by persistent regimes, which are attributable to intrinsically different streamflow dynamics. The framework provides support for the estimate of effective discharge in rivers belonging to diverse climatic areas.
Selection of RNAs that bind to duplex DNA at neutral pH.

RNA that are capable of binding duplex DNA in a site-specific manner have potential applications in gene therapy strategies. Such RNAs might be targeted to DNA sequences in a gene promoter and prevent initiation of transcription by occluding transcription factors and/or RNA polymerases. RNA oligonucleotides that bind homopurine/homopyrimidine DNA sequences by forming triple-helical complexes involving T.A. T and C+. G.C base-triplets can be rationally designed. However, the formation of such pyrimidine motif triple helices typically requires mildly acidic conditions. In addition, the proper oligonucleotide sequence must be optimally presented within a longer RNA transcript if it is to be synthesized in vivo. To address these issues, RNAs were selected from pools of random sequences for binding to a homopurine/homopyrimidine DNA sequence. RNAs selected for binding the duplex DNA target between pH 6.5 and pH 7.4 were characterized by sequence analysis and binding studies. All RNAs isolated by selection and amplification were found to contain a pyrimidine recognition sequence for binding the duplex DNA target via conventional triple helix formation. The selected approximately 85 nt RNAs have dissociation constants that approach, but do not surpass, the binding affinity of a 21 nt RNA oligonucleotide that binds the DNA target sequence by forming a canonical triple helix. The presence of a pyrimidine recognition sequence within a longer RNA transcript is not sufficient for high affinity. Experimental data and secondary structure predictions suggest that the context of the pyrimidine recognition sequence within selected RNAs is a very important determinant of DNA binding affinity. These studies provide insight into the development of RNA transcripts that may function as gene-specific repressors by forming triple helices with DNA in vivo.
Receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand protein expression in UMR‐106 cells is differentially regulated by parathyroid hormone and calcitriol

Expression of the cytokine, receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL), is stimulated by both parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitriol in osteoblasts. Most studies have examined the effects on RANKL mRNA, and less information is available on the protein products. We have determined the effects of PTH, the adenylate cyclase stimulator forskolin, and calcitriol, alone and in combination, on endogenous RANKL protein expression in UMR‐106 rat osteoblastic osteosarcoma cells by Western blotting and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). PTH and forskolin dose dependently increased a ∼52 kDa band in whole cell lysates that was detected by both C‐ and N‐terminal directed RANKL antibodies. Calcitriol treatment produced little or no expression of this ∼52 kDa band, but markedly increased the expression of a ∼32 kDa band that was only detected with an antibody directed to the N‐terminus of RANKL. An EIA based on RANKL binding to OPG detected a large increase in RANKL expression following calcitriol treatment, and much smaller increases with PTH or forskolin. The combination of PTH and calcitriol or forskolin and calcitriol elicited effects similar to those of PTH and forskolin alone, as detected by both Western blotting and EIA. In contrast to the effects on protein, all agents increased RANKL mRNA expression, with the greatest effects seen with the co‐treatments. The results indicate that PTH, likely through effects on cyclic AMP, has a different effect on RANKL processing than calcitriol. The ∼52 and ∼32 kDa RANKL products appear to interact differently with OPG, which could affect responses to the agents in target cells. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Memory efficient factored abstraction for reinforcement learning

Classical reinforcement learning techniques are often inadequate for problems with large state-space due to curse of dimensionality. If the states can be represented as a set of variables, it is possible to model the environment more compactly. Automatic detection and use of temporal abstractions during learning was proven to be effective to increase learning speed. In this paper, we propose a factored automatic temporal abstraction method based on an existing temporal abstraction strategy, namely extended sequence tree algorithm, by taking care of state differences via state variable changes. The proposed method has been shown to provide significant memory gain on selected benchmark problems.
Findings of Bruneian Senior Government Executives' Use of the Internet

In gearing up the task of e -Government, the governments of the various economies are investing heavily in Information Technology (IT). The success of e -Government program therefore depends upon the IT literacy and skills of the senior government executives, especially in the use of the Internet. This study focuses on one hundred senior government executives of the ten different ministries of Brunei Darussalam. The results indicate that 70% of the senior executives have positive attitude about the Internet. Results further show that 50% of these senior executives are in fact using the Internet and 66% of them are underutilizing the technology by just sending and receiving e-mails. The study further develops a normative model by using Davis’s Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and by adding external variables. A Structural Equation Modeling technique is used to test the parsimony of the model. The final model has confirmed that external variables such as; PC training, PC s elf-efficacy and task variety contribute toward both the beliefs: perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Only perceived ease of use contributes in determining the attitude that further predicts the Internet use of the senior government executives.
Predicting citizens' acceptance of M-government services in Saudi Arabia an empirical investigation

In Saudi Arabia, the use of Mobile Government (M-government) services such as issuing an Exit / Re-entry visa by mobile phone is less than expected numbers. One of the biggest challenges of implementing M-government is user acceptance. This research offers theoretical and empirical insights related to the acceptance of government services via the use of the mobile phone system from a customer perspective. This paper adopts the technology acceptance model (TAM) and other theories to examine the influence on the user for accepting M-government services. In this study, TAM model was extended by adding three factors: experience, trust and time. All of these had a significant effect of the acceptance of M-government services. These factors have been reported in previous studies, but no study has incorporated all three factors. It was found that the parameters of the regression model are significant. Therefore, the variables adopted in this study play an important role in the acceptance of M-government in Saudi Arabia.
Wavelength Conversion and All-Optical Regeneration: Achievements and Open Issues

All-optical wavelength conversion and regeneration have, since 20 years, attracted a lot of interest thanks to their potential applications and sophisticated working principles; however, they have not yet led to practical products that could be deployed in the real networks. We present here a critical review of the greatest achievements and main type of solutions that have been demonstrated. We then discuss the still-open issues that should be addressed in order to see the practical implementations.
Recent improvements to NeuroCRFs for named entity recognition

We present improvements to NeuroCRFs, a combination of neural network (NN) and conditional random fields (CRF) used for sequence labelling. The NN component is used to provide feature for label transitions that are then used by the CRF component to compute the likelihood. By exploiting the similarities between labels, we were able to add parameters shared by groups of similar label transitions. We also investigated large margin training, which increases the log-likelihood of the correct hypothesis relative to the best competing hypothesis. Finally, we used ensemble learning to combine the models trained from multiple initializations. Using a combination of those approach, we obtain F1 = 88.50, a significant improvement over the 87.49 baseline on a named entities recognition task.
Moral distress: levels, coping and preferred interventions in critical care and transitional care nurses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To examine the level and frequency of moral distress in staff nurses working in two types of units in an acute care hospital and to gather information for future interventions addressing moral distress. BACKGROUND In 2008, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses published a Position Statement on Moral Distress. Nurses working in units where critically ill patients are admitted may encounter distressing situations. Moral distress is the painful feelings and/or psychological disequilibrium that may occur when taking care of patients. DESIGN An exploratory, descriptive design study was used to identify the type and frequency of moral distress experienced by nurses. The setting was an acute care hospital in which the subjects were sampled from two groups of nurses based on their unit assignment. METHODS A descriptive, questionnaire study was used. Nurses completed the 38-item moral distress scale, a coping questionnaire, and indicated their preferred methods for institutional support in managing distressing situations. A convenience sample of staff nurses was approached to complete the moral distress questionnaire. RESULTS Overall, the nurses reported low levels of moral distress. Situations creating the highest levels of moral distress were those related to futile care. A significance between group differences was found in the physician practice dimension. Specific resources were identified to help guide future interventions to recognise and manage moral distress. CONCLUSION Nurses reported lower levels and frequency of moral distress in these units but their open-ended responses appeared to indicate moral distress. Nurses identified specific resources that they would find helpful to alleviate moral distress. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE There are numerous studies that identify the situations and the impact of moral distress, but not many studies explore treatments and interventions for moral distress. This study attempted to identify nurse preferences for lessening the impact of moral distress.
Parametric yield enhancement system via circuit level device optimization using statistical circuit simulation

To achieve high yield products without degrading the performance, it is important to optimize the device condition, considering the process variation. We present a model parameter extraction methodology to extract the process variation from the E-T (Electrical Test) data. We have estimated the parametric yield of a 0.20 /spl mu/m process SRAM test chip using Monte Carlo simulation and have obtained good agreement compared to measurement. We also performed device optimization using a critical path to improve the parametric yield.