Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risky Decision Making Across Three Arenas of Choice: Are Younger and Older Adults Differently Susceptible to Framing Effects?

In the present study, the authors investigated the effects of framing of options on risky decision making in groups of younger adults (M = 23.8 years, n = 192) and older adults (M = 69.1 years, n = 192). The participants were assigned to one of three scenarios varying in the goods at stake (human lives, paintings, money). The authors observed a majority preference in favor of the risky options after negative, but not positive framing. They also found, as they had predicted, that the type of framing effect varied across scenarios, with a bidirectional framing effect for the life-death scenario and unidirectional (risk averse) framing effects when public property (paintings) or personal property (money) were at stake. It is important to note that these choice preference patterns were highly similar across the age groups, which reinforced the conclusion that younger and older adults are equally susceptible to framing effects.
Design and implementation of a vision-based hovering and feature tracking algorithm for a quadrotor

This paper demonstrates an approach to the vision-based control of the unmanned quadrotors for hover and object tracking. The algorithms used the Speed Up Robust Features (SURF) algorithm to detect objects. The pose of the object in the image was then calculated in order to pass the pose information to the flight controller. Finally, the flight controller steered the quadrotor to approach the object based on the calculated pose data. The above processes was run using standard onboard resources found in the 3DR Solo quadrotor in an embedded computing environment. The obtained results showed that the algorithm behaved well during its missions, tracking and hovering, although there were significant latencies due to low CPU performance of the onboard image processing system.
Natural Vision for Artificial Systems, Active Vision and Thought

The visual system in animals and humans consists of a number of information processing units that are here called visual routines. These routines are specialized in handling different cognitive tasks, for example, object recognition, motion, stereo, color, texture, and optic flow. together, these routines contribute to the internal representation of the visual world. On the top of this network of interconnected units, language is grounded. The thesis covers several fields in vision research and aims at presenting an overview of how the different fields may be connected. The thesis attempts to describe a construction of an artificial vision system that is based on what we know about natural seeing processes. The aim is to build a complete vision system that includes even the cognitive aspects of vision, for example, how language can exploit visual representations. According to the proposed construction, the visual process is not finished when an object centered representation is attained. Such a representation is argued to be only one among many visual aspects of the scene. Beyond a single object centered identification of an object, a focused content is also formed, which means that some aspects of the object are highlighted. A visual object is not simply constructed as a statical content of properties, but an object can always change its content. What the content will be depends on external as well as on internal factors. For example, sometimes an object A that looks similar to an object B can change so that it looks more similar to the object C. In that case the content of the focused properties has changed so that object B share more common properties with object C. Processing language requires that such a mechanism dynamically forms the internal object that is in focus. Language understanding is a process that interactively adapts the internal object in focus between the two communicators so that it will fit their internal knowledge data-bases of object categories. (Less)
System level design space exploration for MPSoC : methods, algorithms and new infrastructure

A medida que la capacidad de integracion en chip aumenta, los sistemas en chip (SoC) se vuelven cada vez mas complejos, siendo bastante habitual en la actualidad encontrarnos con SoCs que integran una gran variedad de elementos de procesamiento, memorias, dispositivos I/O y elementos de comunicacion. Para hacer frente a la complejidad de diseno de los modernos SoCs, los disenadores de sistemas propusieron elevar el nivel de abstraccion del proceso de diseno al nivel de sistema, donde la exploracion del espacio de diseno (DSE) se ha convertido en una pieza clave en el proceso de diseno a nivel de sistema (SLD). Sin embargo, cabria preguntar en este contexto si las metodologias de diseno existentes permiten al disenador explotar todo el beneficio potencial de la DSE a nivel de sistema, o si se deberian plantear nuevas metodologias y/o tecnicas alternativas para sacar el maximo provecho del SLD. Esta tesis pretende precisamente responder a dicha cuestion. Concretamente, hemos desarrollo nuevas metodologias y novedosos algoritmos con el objetivo de aminorar el esfuerzo del disenador de sistemas y lograr eficientes DSE en la etapa temprana del proceso de diseno. Asimismo, con el fin de validar nuestras tecnicas y esquemas de trabajo, tambien hemos presentado una importante cantidad de experimentos de DSE en esta tesis. Estos resultados experimentales demuestran que, en comparacion con las metodologias tradicionales, nuestras propuestas no solo pueden mejorar la productividad del disenador y la eficiencia de DSE a nivel de sistema, sino que tambien son capaces de obtener soluciones de disenos de mayor calidad.
Pediatric mental health problems and associated burden on families

Approximately 20% of children in the United States have mental health problems. The factors associated with childhood mental health problems and the associated burdens on families are not well understood. Therefore, our goals were to profile mental health problems in children to identify disparities, and to quantify and identify correlates of family burden. We used the National Survey of Children's Health, 2003 (n = 85,116 children aged 3–17 years) for this analysis. The prevalence, unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of mental health problems and family burden were calculated for children by child-, family- and health systems-level characteristics. The prevalence of mental health problems among children aged 3–17 years was 18%. The odds of mental health problems were higher for boys, older children, children living in or near relative poverty, those covered by public insurance, children of mothers with fair or poor mental health, children living in homes without two parents, children without a personal doctor or nurse and children with unmet health care needs. Among families with children with mental health problems, 28% reported family burden. Correlates of family burden included white race, severity, older age, higher income, non-two-parent family structure and having a mother with mental health problems. In conclusion, childhood mental health problems are common, and disproportionally affect children with fewer family and health care resources. Families frequently report burden, especially if the mental health problem is moderate to severe, but the correlates of family burden are not the same correlates associated with mental health problems. Understanding those highest at risk for mental health problems and family burden will help assist clinicians and policy makers to ensure appropriate support systems for children and families.
Localisation of optic disc in fundus images by using clustering and histogram techniques

Optic Disc (OD) is considered as one of the main features of a retinal fundus image. Segmenting the OD can be used for automatic extraction of anatomical structures. The change in the shape, color or depth of optic disc is an indicator of various ophthalmic pathologies. Before segmenting the optic disc, the position of OD has to be found. This paper proposes a new method for OD localization based on clustering and histogram approaches. In this method, first the candidate regions are determined by clustering the brightest pixels in red plane of the fundus image. Then three OD candidate pixels are determined within the candidate region of green plane by using three independent methods namely maximum difference method, maximum variance method and Gaussian low pass filtering method. Three sub images with center of these three OD candidate pixels are selected. Histogram of each of the sub images is found. Finally center of OD is located by selecting a sub image with large number of brighter pixel in blue plane. The algorithm is validated with MESSIDOR database which shows that the proposed technique can locate the optic disc even in blurred images.
th Seismic Research Review : Ground-Based Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Technologies 894

A finite difference (FD) method is derived for the frequency-domain acoustic and acousto-gravity equations as expressed in cylindrical coordinates. First, it is shown analytically that for an isovelocity atmosphere in which the density decreases exponentially with altitude, the acoustic wave equations (i.e., neglecting gravity) indicate that (1) the pressure varies with the square root of the density and (2) the acoustic wavelength depends not only on the frequency and velocity but also on the rate of exponential decrease of the density with altitude. Discretization of the linear equations relating acoustic particle velocities and pressures is straightforward except near the source. At r = 0, a singularity exists for the acoustic wave equation as expressed in cylindrical coordinates. In this case, l’Hopital’s rule is used to transform the singularity at r = 0 into a determinate form. The FD equations must be solved simultaneously, which requires the solution of a very large, sparse matrix equation, which is accomplished using a quasi-minimum residual method. The resulting FD algorithms can be used to solve for sound intensities in arbitrarily complex models that may include high material contrasts and arbitrary topography. The FD method is also extended to handle the effects of gravity on the acoustic wavefields. It is shown that the acousto-gravity equations require the simultaneous solution of the pressure and density perturbations caused by the passage of a sound wave. Acousto-gravity waves are relevant at very low frequencies, especially in the upper atmosphere where densities are very low. 28th Seismic Research Review: Ground-Based Nuclear Explosion Monitoring Technologies
Régression Bêta PLS

De nombreuses variables d'interet, comme par exemple des resultats experimentaux, des rendements ou des indicateurs economiques, s'expriment naturellement sous la forme de taux, de proportions ou d'indices dont les valeurs sont necessairement comprises entre zero et un ou plus generalement deux valeurs fixes connues a l'avance. La regression Beta permet de modeliser ces donnees avec beaucoup de souplesse puisque les fonctions de densite des lois Beta peuvent prendre des formes tres variees. Toutefois, comme tous les modeles de regression usuels, elle ne peut s'appliquer directement lorsque les predicteurs presentent des problemes de multicolinearite ou pire lorsqu'ils sont plus nombreux que les observations. Ces situations se rencontrent frequemment de la chimie a la medecine en passant par l'economie ou le marketing. Pour circonvenir cette difficulte, nous formulons une extension de la regression PLS pour les modeles de regression Beta. Celle-ci, ainsi que plusieurs outils comme la validation croisee et des techniques bootstrap, est disponible pour le langage \R dans la bibliotheque plsRbeta.
Range-Doppler processing via fourier coefficients: The path to a sub-Nyquist SAR

The increasing demand for wide swath, high-resolution, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, requires high sampling rates which are difficult to attain in practice. Consequently, sampling rate reduction is of high practical value in radar imaging. In this paper, we introduce a new algorithm, equivalent to the well-known Range-Doppler method, to process SAR data using the Fourier coefficients of the raw signals. We then demonstrate how to exploit the new algorithm features, particularly, the relationship between the processed signals before and after Range Cells Migration Correction (RCMC), to reduce sampling rate at the acquisition stage and process the signals effectively at sub-Nyquist rates. Beyond sampling rate reduction, the proposed fast recovery algorithm forms a new CS-SAR imaging method that can be applied to high-quality and high-resolution real SAR imaging data acquired at sub-Nyquist rates. The performance of the algorithms is assessed using simulated data sets.
CORTICAL THINNING IN IBS: IMPLICATIONS FOR HOMEOSTATIC, ATTENTION, AND PAIN PROCESSING

Chronic pain may be accompanied by abnormal functioning in pain, attention, or homeostatic systems. We recently identified abnormal rectal-evoked functional MRI responses in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in brain regions associated with such systems, including the insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). 1 However, it is not known whether structural brain abnormalities contribute to these responses. We tested the hypothesis that abnormal cortical responses in IBS are at least partly due to structural differences within the insula and ACC. ### Methods. Right-handed healthy control subjects (n = 11, 7 women, 4 men; 24 to 50 years old) and patients with IBS (n = 9, 6 women, 3 men; 30 to 58 years old) provided written consent to procedures approved by the University Health Network Research Ethics Board. Control subjects were excluded if they had a history of bowel disorders, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, diabetes, or psychiatric illness. Patients were recruited from the Toronto Western Hospital Gastrointestinal Unit, met Rome III criteria2 for diagnosis of IBS, and had mild to moderate symptoms and pain for more than 2 years. Exclusion criteria were a history of …
Late‐onset Leclercia adecarboxylata bacteraemia in a premature infant in the NICU

Late‐onset sepsis is a unique entity in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), as organisms involved are, by definition, nosocomial. As such, a limited number of microbes are characteristically involved. Leclercia adecarboxylata is a gram‐negative bacillus rarely cultured in a clinical context, with the few published cases primarily involving immunocompromised adults. We present an ex‐26‐week newborn girl who developed late‐onset sepsis with Leclercia adecarboxylata bacteraemia in the NICU. The infection was successfully treated with gentamicin and cefotaxime. This is the fifth paediatric report of Leclercia adecarboxylata infection, and the first in a neonate. The case raises the possibility that prior courses of antibiotics may have predisposed this individual to a rare infection essentially limited to immunocompromised individuals.
Introduction to cell–hydrogel mechanosensing

The development of hydrogel-based biomaterials represents a promising approach to generating new strategies for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In order to develop more sophisticated cell-seeded hydrogel constructs, it is important to understand how cells mechanically interact with hydrogels. In this paper, we review the mechanisms by which cells remodel hydrogels, the influence that the hydrogel mechanical and structural properties have on cell behaviour and the role of mechanical stimulation in cell-seeded hydrogels. Cell-mediated remodelling of hydrogels is directed by several cellular processes, including adhesion, migration, contraction, degradation and extracellular matrix deposition. Variations in hydrogel stiffness, density, composition, orientation and viscoelastic characteristics all affect cell activity and phenotype. The application of mechanical force on cells encapsulated in hydrogels can also instigate changes in cell behaviour. By improving our understanding of cell–material mechano-interactions in hydrogels, this should enable a new generation of regenerative medical therapies to be developed.
Inhibition of SCD1 impairs palmitate-derived autophagy at the step of autophagosome-lysosome fusion in pancreatic β-cells[S]

Autophagy is indispensable for the proper architecture and flawless functioning of pancreatic β-cells. A growing body of evidence indicates reciprocal communication between autophagic pathways, apoptosis, and intracellular lipids. The way in which elevated levels of free saturated or unsaturated FAs contribute to progressive β-cell failure remains incompletely understood. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD)1, a key regulatory enzyme in biosynthesis of MUFAs, was shown to play an important role in regulation of β-cell function. Here, we investigated whether SCD1 activity is engaged in palmitate-induced pancreatic β-cell autophagy. We found augmented apoptosis and diminished autophagy upon cotreatment of INS-1E cells with palmitate and an SCD1 inhibitor. Furthermore, we found that additional treatment of the cells with monensin, an inhibitor of autophagy at the step of fusion, exacerbates palmitate-induced apoptosis. Accordingly, diminished SCD1 activity affected the accumulation, composition, and saturation status of cellular membrane phospholipids and neutral lipids. Such an effect was accompanied by aberrant endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial injury, and decreases in insulin secretion and cell proliferation. Our data reveal a novel mechanism by which the inhibition of SCD1 activity affects autophagosome-lysosome fusion because of perturbations in cellular membrane integrity, thus leading to an aberrant stress response and β-cell failure.
Obstetric Vesicouterine Fistulas: About 26 Cases Managed at Cocody’s University Hospital (Abidjan-Cote d’Ivoire)

The aim of this work is to recall the etiopathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of vesicouterine fistulas. This is a prospective study of 26 cases of obstetric vesicouterine fistula cared for in Cocody University Hospital Center (Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire) between 07/09/11 and 24/04/2015. Early in the disease, patients were all in reproductive age with a different obstetrical history. The mean duration of the signs before diagnosis was 6 years. Etiologies are largely dominated by caesarean sections (69%) which four iteratives. The classic Youssef’s triad syndrome had represented 42.3%. Both hysterography and cystography were sufficient to establish the diagnosis of vesicouterine fistula in all cases. All patient underwent transperitoneal laparotomy repair. Peritoneal patch had been necessary in two cases and in four cases a hysterectomy was performed. Functional outcome was satisfactory. Vesicouterine fistula is a rare obstetric complication and very often iatrogenic. The good prognosis after repairing should not make us forget that this pathology seriously affects the quality of life of the patient. There must be a permanent and quality prevention.
Modélisation électrique de laser semi-conducteurs pour les communications à haut débit de données.

L'avancement de la communication numerique optique dans les reseaux longue distance et d'acces a declenche les technologies emergentes dans le domaine micro-ondes / ondes millimetriques. Ces systemes hybrides sont fortement influences non seulement par les deficiences de liens optiques mais aussi des effets de circuits electriques. Les effets optiques et electriques peuvent etre ainsi etudies en meme temps en utilisant des outils assistes par ordinateur en developpant des modeles de circuit equivalent de l'ensemble des composants de liaison tels que les lasers a semi-conducteurs, modulateurs, photo-detecteurs et fibre optique. Dans cette these, les representations de circuit des composants de liaison photoniques sont developpees pour etudier des architectures differentes. Depuis la source de lumiere optique est le principal facteur limitant de la liaison optique, une attention particuliere est accordee aux caracteristiques, y compris les plus importants de simples lasers en mode semi-conducteurs. Le modele de circuit equivalent de laser qui represente l'enveloppe du signal optique est modifie pour inclure les proprietes de bruit de phase du laser. Cette modification est particulierement necessaire d'etudier les systemes ou le bruit de phase optique est important. Ces systemes comprennent des systemes de telecommande heterodynes optiques et des systemes auto-heterodynes optiques. Les resultats de mesure des caracteristiques de laser sont compares aux resultats de simulation afin de valider le modele de circuit equivalent dans des conditions differentes. Il est demontre que le modele de circuit equivalent peut predire avec precision les comportements des composants pour les simulations au niveau du systeme. Pour demontrer la capacite du modele de circuit equivalent de la liaison photonique pour analyser les systemes micro-ondes / ondes millimetriques, le nouveau modele de circuit du laser avec les modeles comportementaux des autres composants sont utilises pour caracteriser differents radio sur fibre (RoF) liens tels que la modulation d'intensite - detection directe (IM-DD) et les systemes RoF heterodynes optique. Signal sans fil avec des specifications conformes a la norme de IEEE 802.15. 3c pour la bande de frequence a ondes millimetriques est transmis sur les liens RoF. La performance du systeme est analysee sur la base de l'evaluation de l'EVM. L'analyse montre que l'analyse efficace des systemes de photonique micro-ondes / ondes millimetriques est obtenue en utilisant des modeles de circuit qui nous permet de prendre en compte les comportements a la fois electriques et optiques en meme temps
The development and validation of the On-the-job Learning Styles Questionnaire for the Nursing Profession.

AIM This paper is a report of a study to develop and test the psychometric properties of the On-the-job Learning Style Questionnaire for the Nursing Profession. BACKGROUND Although numerous questionnaires measuring learning styles have been developed, none are suitable for working environments. Existing instruments do not meet the requirements for use in workplace settings and tend to ignore the influence of different learning situations. METHOD The questionnaire was constructed using a situation-response design, measuring learning activities in different on-the-job learning situations. Content validity was ensured by basing the questionnaire on interview studies. The questionnaire was distributed to 912 Registered Nurses working in different departments of 13 general hospitals in the Netherlands at the end of 2005. FINDINGS The response rate was 41% (372 questionnaires). The internal factor structure of the questionnaire was partly based on the learning activities in which nurses participate and partly on the learning situation in which they are performed. The internal consistency was good. The situation-response design of the questionnaire demonstrated its added value. Construct validity was estimated using intercorrelations between the scales, and criterion validity was estimated based on the relationships of the scales with perceived professional competence. CONCLUSION The On-the-job Learning Styles Questionnaire for the Nursing Profession is well suited to describing nurses' learning styles in on-the-job settings and has satisfactory psychometric properties.