Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interrater and Intrarater Reliability of Common Clinical Standing Balance Tests for People With Hip Osteoarthritis

Background Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is a common musculoskeletal condition affecting older individuals. Clinical balance tests are frequently used to assess standing balance in these people. There is insufficient information regarding the reliability of these tests. Objective The aim of this study was to estimate reliability and measurement error of 4 common clinical standing balance tests in people with hip OA. Design A prospective study was conducted with repeated measures between 2 independent raters within 1 session and within 1 rater over a 1-week interval. Methods Thirty people with hip OA were evaluated. Reliability was estimated for the Four-Square Step Test, Step Test, Functional Reach Test, and Timed Single-Leg Stance Test using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC [2,1]). Measurement error was expressed as standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change. Results The Four-Square Step Test, Step Test, and Timed Single-Leg Stance Test were sufficiently reliable between raters (ICC=.85–.94, lower 1-sided 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=.71–.89), whereas the Step Test (standing on study limb) and Timed Single-Leg Stance Test (standing on nonstudy limb) were sufficiently reliable within a rater over a 1-week interval (ICC=.91, lower 1-sided 95% CI=.80–.83). The Step Test (standing on study limb) and Timed Single-Leg Stance Test (standing on nonstudy limb) achieved optimal levels of reliability (ICC >.90, lower 1-sided 95% CI >.70), with acceptable measurement error (<10%) for clinical outcome measures. The Functional Reach Test was not sufficiently reliable. A ceiling effect was detected for the Timed Single-Leg Stance Test. Limitations Reliability was assessed only between 2 raters during a single session and within 1 rater over a 1-week interval, which limits generalizability. Conclusions The Step Test (standing on study limb) is recommended as a highly reliable test with acceptable measurement error for assessing standing balance in people with hip OA.
Admissibility Analysis and Control Synthesis for T–S Fuzzy Descriptor Systems

The problem of admissibility analysis and control synthesis for Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy descriptor systems is investigated. First, based on Nonquadratic fuzzy Lyapunov function and fully using the information of fuzzy membership functions, a new relaxed sufficient condition ensuring a fuzzy descriptor system to be admissible (regular, impulse-free, and stable) is proposed, in which it is not necessary to require every fuzzy subsystem to be stable. Second, the other sufficient condition for the admissibility is obtained without the information of time derivatives of fuzzy membership functions. Following the analysis, both parallel and nonparallel distributed compensation controllers are designed, linear matrix inequalities conditions are given to construct the controllers. Finally, some examples are provided to illustrate the main results in this paper less conservative than some earlier related results.
CONTENT ANALYSIS OF APPEAL IN JAPANESE TELEVISION ADVERTISEMENTS

Although research shows that Japanese consumers’ purchase intensions and favorability depends more on the emotional than informational appeal of advertisements for vegetables, a typical low-involvement product, there exists no detailed research into high-involvement products. Therefore, we quantitatively measured the effect of emotional vs. informational appeal on purchase intentions and favorability for two high-involvement products, OTC drugs and laptops. Participants having viewed and evaluated the appeal of TV advertisements, a multiple regression analysis indicated that informational appeal such as “product features” enabled the prediction of purchase intentions for laptops, while “product features” and “feeling of safety” were both significantly correlated to purchase intentions for OTC drugs. Favorability for these two categories was also significantly correlated to the “interesting” variable. Finally we examined consumer reliability across different media choices. Consumers relied heavily on internet advertising when purchasing laptops, while considering TV advertising to be the most reliable information source for OTC drugs.
A MODIFIED LEAST ACTION PRINCIPLE ALLOWING MASS CONCENTRATIONS FOR THE EARLY UNIVERSE RECONSTRUCTION PROBLEM

We address the early universe reconstruction (EUR) problem (as considered by Frisch and coauthors in [26]), and the related Zeldovich approximate model [46]. By substituting the fully nonlinear Monge–Ampere equation for the linear Poisson equation to model gravitation, we introduce a modified mathematical model ("Monge-Ampere gravitation/MAG"), for which the Zeldovich approximation becomes exact. The MAG model enjoys a least action principle in which we can input mass concentration effects in a canonical way, based on the theory of gradient flows with convex potentials and somewhat related to the concept of self-dual Lagrangians developed by Ghoussoub [29]. A fully discrete algorithm is introduced for the EUR problem in one space dimension.
Y‐chromosome O3 Haplogroup Diversity in Sino‐Tibetan Populations Reveals Two Migration Routes into the Eastern Himalayas

The eastern Himalayas are located near the southern entrance through which early modern humans expanded into East Asia. The genetic structure in this region is therefore of great importance in the study of East Asian origins. However, few genetic studies have been performed on the Sino‐Tibetan populations (Luoba and Deng) in this region. Here, we analyzed the Y‐chromosome diversity of the two populations. The Luoba possessed haplogroups D, N, O, J, Q, and R, indicating gene flow from Tibetans, as well as the western and northern Eurasians. The Deng exhibited haplogroups O, D, N, and C, similar to most Sino‐Tibetan populations in the east. Short tandem repeat (STR) diversity within the dominant haplogroup O3 in Sino‐Tibetan populations showed that the Luoba are genetically close to Tibetans and the Deng are close to the Qiang. The Qiang had the greatest diversity of Sino‐Tibetan populations, supporting the view of this population being the oldest in the family. The lowest diversity occurred in the eastern Himalayas, suggesting that this area was an endpoint for the expansion of Sino‐Tibetan people. Thus, we have shown that populations with haplogroup O3 moved into the eastern Himalayas through at least two routes.
LXRα fuels fatty acid-stimulated oxygen consumption in white adipocytes[S]

Liver X receptors (LXRs) are transcription factors known for their role in hepatic cholesterol and lipid metabolism. Though highly expressed in fat, the role of LXR in this tissue is not well characterized. We generated adipose tissue LXRα knockout (ATaKO) mice and showed that these mice gain more weight and fat mass on a high-fat diet compared with wild-type controls. White adipose tissue (WAT) accretion in ATaKO mice results from both a decrease in WAT lipolytic and oxidative capacities. This was demonstrated by decreased expression of the β2- and β3-adrenergic receptors, reduced level of phosphorylated hormone-sensitive lipase, and lower oxygen consumption rates (OCRs) in WAT of ATaKO mice. Furthermore, LXR activation in vivo and in vitro led to decreased adipocyte size in WAT and increased glycerol release from primary adipocytes, respectively, with a concomitant increase in OCR in both models. Our findings show that absence of LXRα in adipose tissue results in elevated adiposity through a decrease in WAT oxidation, secondary to attenuated FA availability.
Vegetation modelling for height inversion using InSAR/Pol-InSAR data.

The random volume over ground model has been extensively used for forest height inversion using Pol-InSAR data. Two different forest models are proposed to better represent the forest structure for height inversion using Pol-InSAR. The first one takes into account a vertically varying mean extinction coefficient and the second one considers contributions localized in a finite height interval.
An essential role for stromal interaction molecule 1 in neointima formation following arterial injury.

AIMS There is evidence to suggest that stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) functions as a Ca2+ sensor on the endoplasmic reticulum, leading to transduction of signals to the plasma membrane and opening of store-operated Ca2+ channels (SOC). SOC have been detected in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and are thought to have an essential role in the regulation of contraction and cell proliferation. We hypothesized that knockdown of STIM1 inhibits VSMC proliferation and suppresses neointimal hyperplasia. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined the effect of the knockdown of STIM1 using a rat balloon injury model and cultured rat aortic VSMCs. Interestingly, knockdown of rat STIM1 by adenovirus delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly suppressed neointimal hyperplasia in a rat carotid artery balloon injury model at 14 days after injury. The re-expression of human STIM1 to smooth muscle reversed the effect of STIM1 knockdown on neointimal formation. Rat aortic VSMCs were used for the in vitro assays. Knockdown of endogenous STIM1 significantly inhibited proliferation and migration of VSMCs. Moreover, STIM1 knockdown induced cell-cycle arrest in G0/G1 and resulted in a marked decrease in SOC. Replenishment with recombinant human STIM1 reversed the effect of siRNA knockdown. These results suggest STIM1 has a critical role in neointimal formation in a rat model of vascular injury. CONCLUSION STIM1 may represent a novel therapeutic target in the prevention of restenosis after vascular interventions.
Punctuated Process Modelling of Information Systems Development: An Illustration from a Mid-Sized Enterprise

Building on previous research, we demonstrate how a punctuated process model can describe and analyze a specific information system development project. In this paper, we focus on an Information Systems (IS) project that was being implemented in a UK retail Small-Medium sized Enterprise (SME) where a new system was being implemented to replace the existing, failing one. Generally, the combination of these IS research models can provide us with a new, practical and valuable way in understanding Information Systems Development (ISD) as a social process. There were several contributions using our punctuated process model. We show how social-technical equilibriums were perturbed by the critical incidents that occurred externally to the project. Furthermore, the ability of the project team in dealing with unexpected events was seen as vital skill in ensuring the stability of a project. In contrast, allowing the project to drift was shown to lead to a degree of chaos. Third, patterns from past project or similar patterns from other system processes, as have been suggested the literature, have significant impacts on current project patterns. However, in practice, we found that the knowledge generated from past project patterns or similar patterns from other systems may be of only limited use: actors in our ISD drama were often reactive, not anticipatory. Despite the limitations and complexity associated with this type of research, our approach demonstrates the possibility of employing the punctuated process model in the study of ISD in a variety of organizations as a descriptive and diagnostic tool. The paper ends with suggestions for scholars in IS research as well as practitioners involved in IS projects.
Clinically relevant outcome measures for new pharmacotherapy, allergen avoidance and immunotherapy trials in allergic rhinoconjunctivitis

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a current overview on both primary and secondary measures of efficacy of therapeutic interventions for clinical trials in allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) patients. In particular, this review highlights similarities and differences regarding endpoints in trials involving allergen immunotherapy (AIT), pharmacotherapy and allergen avoidance and addresses unmet needs regarding these measures in the future. Recent findingsIn 2014, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) proposed a standard for the definition of the primary endpoint for AIT trials in ARC and, moreover, emphasized the advantages and disadvantages as well as unmet needs considering outcome measures for this treatment. Recently, as an (indirect) comparison of clinical efficacy of different interventions, the relative clinical impact (RCI) has been used to determine the percentage reduction of symptom scores in active versus placebo treatment. SummarySeveral primary and secondary clinical endpoints of therapeutic interventions for clinical trials in ARC patients such as AIT or pharmacotherapy have been proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Moreover, recommendations for the implication of these endpoints in clinical trials have been promoted by academia such as the World Allergy Organization (WAO) or the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI). However, an urgent need for the future will be a thorough international harmonization regarding the definition of clinical endpoints, timing of assessments of clinical efficacy and determination of the clinically meaningful and relevant magnitude of efficacy of therapeutic interventions for clinical trials in ARC patients.
Defining Cybernetics: Reflections on the Science of Governance

In this article, we have reconsidered the meaning of cybernetics and provided a taxonomy that can be useful for us to understand various cybernetics more clearly. We have also investigated some fundamental properties of governable or self-governable distributed systems. In particular, we believe that ontology plays a key role for a distributed system to become governable or even self-governable. We think that automatic construction of a good ontology in a distributed system is an interesting topic for further study. In fact, constructing a good ontology for a mobile communication network, a social network, a traffic control network, and any network related to our daily lives is important to make the network governable, safe, and secure. For large-scale distributed systems (e.g., the Internet), certain self-governability is also indispensable for the network to be more reliable or dependable. Of course, full self-governability of these systems may not be expected from the point of view of human beings.
Design of CMOS Tunable Image-Rejection Low-Noise Amplifier with Active Inductor

A fully integrated CMOS tunable image-rejection low-noise amplifier (IRLNA) has been designed using Silterra's industry standard 0.18 µm RF CMOS process. The notch filter is designed using an active inductor. Measurement results show that the notch filter designed using active inductor contributes additional 1.19 dB to the noise figure of the low-noise amplifier (LNA). A better result is possible if the active inductor is optimized. Since active inductors require less die area, the die area occupied by the IRLNA is not significantly different from a conventional LNA, which was designed for comparison. The proposed IRLNA exhibits S21 of 11.8 dB, S11 of -17.8 dB, S22 of -10.7 dB, and input 1 dB compression point of -12 dBm at 3 GHz.
Partners in Caring: A Partnership for Healing

This article describes one organization's effort to create a family-friendly environment that supports the choice of patients for involvement of a family member or loved one in their care. Changing a culture requires a process that can emotionally drive the caregivers to agree with the need to change and sustain the efforts over a long period. This project, Partners in Caring, describes the philosophy, the journey of changing a culture, and the results achieved over a 7-year period. The Partners in Caring philosophy is “a commitment between a patient, care partner and healthcare team to a relationship of hands-on support based on compassion, communication and choice empowering people to heal in a nurturing manner. ” This concept laid a foundation for the development of a new model of care, which is described. The implementation has resulted in an improved patient and staff satisfaction and a decrease in patient complaints.
Expression of Myogenin during muscle development in embryos and muscle cells in primary culture of seabream (Sparus aurata). Relationship with MyoD2, Myostatin and IGF-II

Myogenesis is controlled by numerous extracellular signals together with intracellular transcriptional factors, whose coordinated expression is critical for the appropriate development of muscle fibres. Here we examine the expression pattern of several of these regulatory elements, such as the transcriptional factors MyoD2 and Myogenin, or the secreted factors Myostatin and IGF-II, in differentiating myoblasts from satellite cells to multinucleated myotubes, as well as in developing embryos during somitogenesis until hatching in seabream (Sparus aurata). Importantly, we have validated the elongation Factor 1 alpha as an appropriate house-keeping gene for primary culture of seabream muscle cells, enabling us to determine the expression patterns of the different genes by quantitative Real-Time PCR. In the embryos, Myogenin transcript was not detectable until the beginning of somitogenesis, and we found the maximal expression around the 16-somite stage (approximately 27 hpf). IGFII was expressed throughout embryo development, although the highest expression was reached at hatching. In seabream muscle cells in culture, Myogenin levels were upregulated during differentiation, whereas MyoD2 was expressed mostly during the proliferating phase. IGF-II expression was maximal at early stages and decreased along the culture, and we could not find a clear correlation between its levels and those of the analyzed MRFs. Low myostatin levels were found during the differentiation process from satellite cells to multinucleated myotubes. Together, these data help to gain insight into the molecules involved in seabream muscle development in vitro. Short title: MyoD2, Myogenin and IGF-II in developing muscle of seabream
THE INTERNATIONAL EFFECTS OF MONETARY AND FISCAL POLICY IN A TWO-COUNTRY MODEL

This paper develops a two-country dynamic general equilibrium model with slowly adjusting prices to re-examine the well known analysis by Mundell (1968 Chapter 18) on the international transmission effects of monetary and fiscal policy. We show that the critical factor governing the effects of monetary policy is the currency of export price invoicing, while the critical factor for the effects of fiscal policy is the structure of international assets markets. By contrast, the currency of invoicing is essentially irrelevant for the effects of fiscal policy, while the structure of international assets markets is quantitatively unimportant for the international effects of monetary policy. We present VAR evidence of a positive output comovement and real exchange rate depreciation between the US and the other G7 economies in response to US monetary shocks. This is shown to accord well with the model where export prices are invoiced in foreign currency. Section
Behind the scenes of IaaS implementations

Open source IaaS is hot topic in cloud computing and every year a new IaaS with a different design is announced. This paper provides a closer look into three common IaaS; Eucalyptus, OpenStack & Nimbus. OpenStack is currently the best choice of public cloud providers due to its aim at standardization and scalability while Eucalyptus is more appropriate for private cloud deployments.
Analysis of long non-coding RNA expression profiles in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

To investigate the expression patterns of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the present study downloaded three human exon arrays available from the public Gene Expression Omnibus. The probes of the human exon arrays were re-annotated and the probes uniquely mapping to lncRNAs were retained at the gene level. Following the analysis of GSE53757 and GSE46699, which contained paired ccRCC cancer and normal adjacent tissue samples, 32 differentially expressed lncRNAs (adjusted P<0.01) in ccRCC were identified. Various lncRNAs, including ENSG00000177133, NR_024418, T-cell leukemia/lymphoma 6 (TCL6), growth arrest-specific transcript 5, deleted in lymphocytic leukemia 2, colorectal neoplasia differentially expressed (CRNDE) and MIR155HG, have been reported to be abnormally expressed in cancers. Of these genes, NR_24418 and TCL6 have been reported to be associated with ccRCC. Following analysis of GSE47352, which contained 4 primary metastatic and 5 non-metastatic tumor samples, the 50 top differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified in metastatic ccRCC (Mann-Whitney U test, P<0.05). Comparison with the ccRCC associated lncRNAs revealed that the lncRNA CRNDE demonstrated an increased expression in ccRCC and metastatic ccRCC samples, which suggested that CRNDE is important in the progression of ccRCC. The lncRNA ENSG00000244020 was decreased in ccRCC and metastatic ccRCC, suggesting that silencing of ENSG00000244020 may be important in ccRCC development. Overall, a set of lncRNAs was identified as differentially expressed in ccRCC and metastatic ccRCC, providing potential candidates for the discovery of novel cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets to improve diagnosis and therapy in RCC.
Occupational Lung Diseases and the Mining Industry in Mongolia

Abstract Mining production has accounted for around 50% of the gross industrial product in Mongolia since 1998. Dust-induced chronic bronchitis and pneumoconiosis currently account for the largest relative share (67.8%) of occupational diseases in Mongolia, and cases are increasing annually. In 1967–2004, medically diag-, nosed cases of occupational diseases in Mongolia numbered 7,600. Of these, 5,154 were confirmed cases of dust-induced chronic bronchitis and pneumoconiosis. Lung diseases and other mining-sector health risks pose major challenges for Mongolia. Gold and coal mines, both formal and informal, contribute significantly to economic growth, but the prevalence of occupationallung diseases is high and access to health care is limited. Rapid implementation of an effective national program of silicosis elimination and pneumoconiosis reduction is critical to ensure the health and safety of workers in this important sector of the Mongolian economy.
A memetic particle swarm optimization for constrained multi-objective optimization problems

In this paper, a new memetic algorithm for constrained multi-objective optimization problems is proposed, which combines the global search ability of particle swarm optimization with an attraction based local search operator for directed local fine-tuning. Firstly, a new particle updating strategy is proposed based on the concept of uncertain personal-best to deal with the problem of premature convergence. Secondly, an attraction based local search operator is proposed to find good local search direction for the particles. Finally, the convergence of the algorithm is proved. The proposed algorithm is examined and compared with two well known existing algorithms on five benchmark test functions. The results suggest that the new algorithm can evolve more good solutions, and the solutions are more widely spread and uniformly distributed along the Pareto front than the two existing methods. The proposed two developments are effective individually, but the combined effect is much better for these constrained multi-objective optimization problems.