Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of the Coping With Depression (CWD) course for older adults provided by the community-based mental health care system in the Netherlands: a randomized controlled field trial

Background: The Dutch version of the Coping With Depression (CWD) course for older adults has been implemented in the prevention arm of the community-based mental health care system in the Netherlands. The study group included older adults with subclinical depression as well as those with a major depressive disorder; all were enrolled into the course by mental health care professionals. The effectiveness (immediate and long-term) of the course for this heterogeneous population was studied in an effectiveness trial. Method: Participants were self-referred, responding to media announcements. A total of 119 participants aged 55–85 years (69% female), with subclinical depression and major depression, were randomized to either the CWD course (N = 61) or the waiting list (N = 58). Results: Nine participants dropped out of the course. According to a diagnostic interview based on the DSM-IV, 39% had a major depressive disorder (MDD), 69% had had a previous MDD, and 45% had an anxiety disorder. Older adults in the intervention group showed a significant decrease in depression symptoms. Gains were maintained over 14 months. In the intervention condition 83% had a pre-treatment score ≥ 16 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D); at post-treatment 62% still scored ≥ 16. Conclusions: The course was beneficial for participants with mild or severe depression, and treatment acceptability was high. It should be fitted into a stepped-care protocol that varies intervention intensity according to clinical needs, using the post-treatment level of functioning as an indication for the next step.
Shortened Linear Codes From APN and PN Functions

Linear codes generated by component functions of perfect nonlinear (PN for short) and almost perfect nonlinear (APN for short) functions and the first-order Reed-Muller codes have been an object of intensive study in coding theory. The objective of this paper is to investigate some binary shortened codes of two families of linear codes from APN functions and some <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$p$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-ary shortened codes associated with PN functions. The weight distributions of these shortened codes and the parameters of their duals are determined. The parameters of these binary codes and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$p$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-ary codes are flexible. Many of the codes presented in this paper are optimal or almost optimal. The results of this paper show that the shortening technique is very promising for constructing good codes.
Telomere shortening impairs organ regeneration by inhibiting cell cycle re‐entry of a subpopulation of cells

Telomere shortening limits the regenerative capacity of primary cells in vitro by inducing cellular senescence characterized by a permanent growth arrest of cells with critically short telomeres. To test whether this in vitro model of cellular senescence applies to impaired organ regeneration induced by telomere shortening in vivo, we monitored liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in telomerase‐deficient mice. Our study shows that telomere shortening is heterogeneous at the cellular level and inhibits a subpopulation of cells with critically short telomeres from entering the cell cycle. This subpopulation of cells with impaired proliferative capacity shows senescence‐associated β‐galactosidase activity, while organ regeneration is accomplished by cells with sufficient telomere reserves that are capable of additional rounds of cell division. This study provides experimental evidence for the existence of an in vivo process of cellular senescence induced by critical telomere shortening that has functional impact on organ regeneration.
A randomised controlled trial of self-help interventions in patients with a primary care diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome

Introduction: Functional abdominal symptoms are very common and account for nearly two million primary care consultations in Britain every year and produce significant morbidity. The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of two self-help interventions on consultation rates and symptom severity in patients with a primary care diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome. Methods: A total of 420 patients from 54 primary care centres were randomised either to receive self-help information in the form of a guidebook or the guidebook plus a “self-help” group meeting or to be in a control group receiving neither intervention. Data were collected using questionnaires and primary care records. Results: At one year, patients in the guidebook group had a 60% reduction in primary care consultations (p<0.001) and a reduction in perceived symptom severity (p<0.001) compared with controls. Allocation to the self-help group conferred no additional benefit. Actual symptom scores did not change significantly in any group. Costs per patient were reduced by £73 (confidence interval £43, £103) or 40% per year. Conclusion: Introduction of a self-help guidebook results in a reduction in primary care consultations, a perceived reduction in symptoms, and significant health service savings. This suggests that patients attending their primary care physician with functional abdominal symptoms should be offered self-help information as part of their management.
The phenomenon of P3 community for IT support: a crowd-support case study

Organisations are increasingly considering the establishment of virtual peer-to-peer problem solving (P3) communities as a channel to provide support services to their customers. Such service support models promise organisations benefits over traditional models but there are uncertainties around their success due to the possible risks and negative outcomes. There is a scarcity of studies that empirically investigate the risks and negative outcomes of P3 adoption initiatives. This case study of an established P3 community, Telstra's CrowdSupport, provides some preliminary evidence of the extent of penetration of such initiatives as well as some of the pitfalls, e.g. Public airing of complaints. The discussion highlights the innovative integration of crowd, cloud, social and gaming elements and calls for further research into the P3 adoption-decision, community member motivation and engagement.
Algoritmos genéticos aplicados a la retroalimentación por relevancia

Se conocen sobradamente las deficiencias existentes en la primera peticion que realiza un usuario a un sistema de recuperacion de informacion, De ahi la importancia que han adquirido las tecnicas que permiten adaptar las peticiones del usuario para optimizar las preguntas de modo que se puedan obtener mejores resultados. Una de estas tecnicas es la Retroalimentacion por Relevancia. Por otro lado, recientemente han aparecido aplicaciones de Algoritmos Geneticos a la Recuperacion de informacion, la mayor parte de ellos aplicados a la retroalimentacion por relevancia. Sin embargo, no se han realizado evaluaciones de los mismos de forma que se puedan comparar entre si y con otras tecnicas de retroalimentacion. En este trabajo implementamos los distintos algoritmos geneticos existentes en la literatura y algunos de diseno propio, y se ha realizado una evaluacion utilizando el metodo de la coleccion residual, segun varios autores el mas adecuado para la evaluacion de tecnicas de retroalimentacion por relevancia. Tambien se han comparado los resultados de los distintos algoritmos geneticos con los obtenidos por el metodo de Ide dec-hi, uno de los metodos tradicionales que mejores resultados obtienen. En cuanto a los resultados, estos varian mucho dependiendo de la funcion de adaptacion utilizada, pero en general son muy prometedores: uno de los algoritmos geneticos disenados por nosotros obtuvo una mejora del 127%, superando incluso a la mejora conseguida con el metodo tradicional de Ide dec-hi. De lo que se puede concluir que mediante estos algoritmos geneticos se puede obtener una mejora considerable de la pregunta original, implementando la tecnica de retroalimentacion por relevancia (en una sola iteracion), con lo que prometen ser una tecnica de gran ayuda para implementar un sistema de recuperacion de informacion eficaz.
Preconstruction restoration of myocardial single photon emission computed tomography images

A restoration scheme for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images that performs restoration before reconstruction (preconstruction restoration) from planar (projection) images is presented. A comparison is performed between results obtained in this study and those obtained by a method reported previously where the restoration is performed after reconstruction (postreconstruction restoration). The filters investigated are the Wiener and power spectrum equalization filters. These filters are applied to SPECT images of a hollow cylinder phantom and a cardiac phantom acquired on a Siemens Rota camera. Quantitative analyses of the results are performed through measurements of contrast ratios and root mean squared errors. The preconstruction restored images show a significant decrease in the root mean squared error and an increase in contrast over the postconstruction restored images.
Optimization of regulated LTR-mediated expression.

Retroviral vectors are ideally suited to the study of gene function, allowing efficient, stable expression. Many biological systems (e.g., cell cycle, apoptosis) require the use of regulated expression systems. We therefore developed a regulated retroviral vector system, TRA99, based on a tetracycline transactivator-dependent LTR, where the MMLV enhancer was replaced with a tetracycline-response element. Using fluorescence-activated flow cytometric analysis of a destabilized green fluorescent protein to monitor expression levels, we optimized the minimal promoter configuration with respect to both activated and repressed transcription. The TRA99 vectors demonstrate regulated expression with activated levels comparable to those of standard retroviral vectors and repressed levels indistinguishable from background. This was achieved without using an internal promoter cassette, thus retaining the cis-packaging elements requisite for helper-mediated transfer.
Management Control System for Company X

In this globalization era, the competition between businesses are getting unimaginable tighter. Customer nowadays demand more and more – they want better, faster, and cheaper products. For these reasons, many businesses suffers in regards to losing sales and brand awareness. As one of the leading market researcher, Company X is also facing the same problem. Their customers demand market research results that are both valid and reliable. This demand is hard to fulfil by Company X because there are many factors that affect the quality of market research results. The purpose of this dissertation is to come up with a set of management control system that can be implemented by Company X to improve the quality of their market research results. Qualitative research method will be used by the writer by conducting interview with Company X's manager and employee to find out the current management control system that is present in the company. The findings of this research gives a better control for Company X to make sure high quality market research results.
Persistent differences between canonical and grand canonical averages in mesoscopic ensembles: Large paramagnetic orbital susceptibilities.

Disorder-averaged thermodynamic quantities within the canonical ensemble are expressed in terms of fluctuations in the grand canonical ensemble, and are then evaluated for the diffusive regime. The particular example of persistent currents in Aharanov-Bohm geometries is addressed, and the harmonics of the disorder-averaged current (which is 1/2${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Phi}}}_{0}$ periodic) are obtained. The orbital susceptibility of a mesoscopic system, disorder averaged over the canonical ensemble, may be large and positive, even for systems which, on a larger scale, should exhibit Landau diamagnetism.
Superworkstations for Terrain Visualization: A Prospectus

Abstract : Terrain modeling and visualization is emerging as a key requirement for tactical mission planning, rehearsal, and battle management systems. This study assesses the match between commercial superworkstation computers and the needs of deployable, unit level systems for these applications. Superworkstations are shown to be functionally well suited to terrain visualization. A prototype terrain visualization system, hosted on a Silicon Graphics IRIS 4D/240GTX workstation is discussed. This prototype demonstrates the concepts developed in this study by exhibiting features such as an out-the- window perspective terrain scene synthesized from Defense Mapping Agency (DMA) databases, Landsat images inset into the geometric terrain model, head-up display (HUD) simulation, radar detection envelope representation, haze effects, lighting effects based on time of day and date, and a God's eye-view viewport display. Finally, topics for continued investigation into superworkstation and terrain visualization are covered.
The Water Tariff in a WDS Rehabilitation

The aging process in water distribution system is one of the main drivers for the reduction of performances in water distribution systems. Furthermore, this conditions usually imply an increase in the maintenance costs that the water utilities have to sustain. In this situation it is required to undertake programmatic strategies in order to guarantee the highest benefit for both the final users and the water companies. An optimal rehabilitation strategy has been proposed in order to take into account the regulatory schemes that have to be abided at the national level, in the water industry.
Employee spinoffs as the channel of knowledge leakage in tourism industry

Although the problem of knowledge transfer becomes more intensively explored in tourism related studies, the management literature only to a limited extend addresses the issue of knowledge leakage. Given that knowledge loss is considered for the most part in the context of employee mobility, the concern of knowledge disclosure and leakage refers primarily to staff outflow to other tourism businesses. A review of extant literature indicated a lack of studies on the knowledge transfer to new tourism ventures set up by ex-employees, i.e. employee spinoffs. Therefore, the aim of the article is to fill the research gap by exploring the nature of the knowledge transferred to employee spinoffs created in tourism industry and the development of parent-spinoff business relationships.
Développement de nouvelles sondes per-opératoires positon pour guider la chirurgie des tumeurs solides

L’exerese des tumeurs cancereuses est une procedure courante pour le traitement de nombreux cancers. L’enjeu est de realiser une excision la plus complete possible pour eviter les recidives tout en epargnant le plus possible les tissus sains bordant la tumeur. La detection de positons est une modalite d’imagerie particulierement adaptee au reperage de residus tumoraux lors de l'exerese car sa forte selectivite spatiale permet de s'affranchir du bruit provenant de la fixation non specifique du radiotraceur dans les tissus situes en profondeur, offrant ainsi une meilleur sensibilite et un meilleur rapport signal sur bruit que la detection de photons gamma. L’utilisation pour le controle d’exerese impose cependant une contrainte forte sur les dimensions du detecteur qui doit etre manipulable facilement par le chirurgien et pouvoir etre insere dans des plaies operatoires potentiellement etroites. Une nouvelle generation de photodetecteurs appeles photomultiplicateurs silicium (SiPM) est particulierement adaptee a cette application car ceux-ci allient la compacite et la robustesse des technologies silicium avec d'excellentes performances de detection. Mon travail de these porte sur le developpement et la caracterisation de nouvelles sondes positon basees sur ces photodetecteurs. Dans un premier temps, un travail de caracterisation des SiPMs a ete realise pour evaluer leurs performances pour la detection de positons. Deux prototypes de prototypes de detecteurs aux roles complementaires ont ensuite ete realise: le premier est un imageur, base sur l’assemblage de deux scintillateurs avec une ou deux matrices de SiPMs, qui permet de realiser rapidement l'image de la distribution de traceur sur une large surface de tissus. Le second detecteur est une sonde de comptage, constituee de fibres scintillantes couplees a des SiPMs individuels via des fibres claires et capable d'etre couplee a l'outil d'exerese. Elle permet de guider l'outil du chirurgien vers les tissus reperes prealablement avec l'imageur. La caracterisation de l’imageur a montre sa capacite a detecter des residus tumoraux de petite taille (15mg) avec une resolution submillimetrique. La sonde de comptage presente quant a elle, une efficacite de detection de 80%.
Monitoring without Indicators: An ongoing testing of the MSC approach

The Most Significant Change approach This article is about a Danish NGO’s experiences of introducing a most promising, sensible monitoring system that is especially suited for grasping social processes within the field of development cooperation. Its ‘inventor’, Dr Rick Davies, first tried the Most Significant Change methodology (MSC) in Bangladesh in 19941. Since then, a number of consultants and organisations have tried out the method to varying degrees. One can find reports depicting its use in Australia, Ethiopia, Malawi, the Philippines, Mozambique, and Zambia. VSO is now adopting it as the official impact monitoring system for their volunteer program. My organisation, MS2, is working with a partnership-based program in Africa, Asia and Central America. Like many others, MS and the partners have for years MSC approach Monitoring without indicators
Factors affecting social interaction on social network sites: the Facebook case

The purpose of this paper is to focus on understanding the factors which affect the social interaction in the case of Facebook. Many authors point out the great potential of these networks for social interaction and as conduits of information. However, studies show that the topology of the network is disconnected, consisting of small sub-networks that make Facebook unsuitable for disseminating information. This situation has created the need to introduce exogenous factors, aimed at boosting and providing cohesion to the network structure. In this context, the authors test the following question: how exogenous and endogenous factors contribute to encouraging social interaction on Facebook. ,For the analysis of social interaction on Facebook, a population consisting of all the followers of the walls of ten corporate social networks was used. From the total 269,424 users analyzed, a stratified sample of 132 followers was obtained and networks were built for each of them. The authors then proceeded to search for each follower’s friends and friends of friends to build the social network up to the fourth level, obtaining a total of 132 subnets with 1,628,074 links between them. To determine the impact of both exogenous and endogenous factors in the interaction of the network the authors performed a causal analysis. ,The results obtained from this study provide empirical evidence on the adequacy of companies’ dynamization measures used and how exogenous and endogenous factors influence the social interaction on Facebook. Thus, the results show that exogenous factors, such as the activity of the community manager and the digital marketing investment in the network, do not have a significant effect on the interaction. On the other hand, endogenous factors, such as network density and clustering, have a positive effect on the trigger of social interaction between the followers. Therefore, companies must consider the importance of the structural factors that characterize network followers, such as density or clustering coefficient, to be able to interpret and optimize them to obtain higher levels of social interaction. ,This is one of a few papers that examine interactions in social network sites (SNS), particularly in corporate network sites in Facebook. The results expose the importance for organizations to have reliable information on the patterns of interaction to properly manage the resources allocated for this purpose in SNS.
Diagnostic value of a computerized hepatorenal index for sonographic quantification of liver steatosis.

OBJECTIVE Quantification of liver steatosis is clinically relevant in various liver diseases but cannot be done by conventional sonography, which only provides a qualitative assessment with significant observer variability. The aim of this study was to assess sonography as an objective tool for the quantification of liver steatosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Files of 111 patients with chronic liver disease who were referred for sonographically guided liver biopsy were collected. A hepatorenal sonographic index was calculated on the basis of the ratio between the echogenicity of the liver and that of the right kidney cortex using histogram echo intensity. Liver steatosis was graded by histology. RESULTS A significant correlation was found between histologic steatosis and the hepatorenal sonographic index (r = 0.82, p < 0.001). The validity of the hepatorenal sonographic index for the diagnosis of fatty liver was compared with liver biopsies with a steatosis level > 5%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 99.2% (95% CI, 98-100%). The optimal hepatorenal sonographic index cutoff point for the prediction of steatosis > 5% was 1.49, with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 91%. The optimal hepatorenal sonographic index cutoff point for the prediction of steatosis >/= 25% was 1.86, with sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 90%. The optimal hepatorenal sonographic index cutoff point for the prediction of steatosis >/= 60% was 2.23, with sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 93%. CONCLUSION The hepatorenal sonographic index is a sensitive noninvasive method for steatosis quantification. It can diagnose small amounts of liver fat that would be missed by conventional sonography. It is reproducible and operator independent and can serve as an efficient tool to follow patients with steatosis and evaluate the efficacy of new treatment techniques.
A fuzzy Petri nets based mechanism for fuzzy rules reasoning

The paper presents a mechanism for normalizing fuzzy rules of a rule-based system, transforming the rules into a fuzzy Petri net, and answering queries based on the net with imprecise information. In addition, the authors present an algorithm utilizing the formalism of Petri nets to compute the degree of truth of the resulting answers to the queries. The degree of truth is computed in algebraic form based on the state equation which can be implemented in matrix computation in Petri nets.