Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Safety of shrimp peptide concentrate as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Abstract Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on shrimp peptide concentrate as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The NF is a peptide mixture obtained by an enzymatic proteolysis from northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) shells and heads. The information provided on the composition, specifications, batch‐to‐batch variability, stability and production process of the NF is sufficient and does not raise safety concerns. The intention of the applicant is to use this NF as an ingredient in food supplements and to market it to adult consumers at a maximum proposed level of intake of 1,200 mg/day (corresponding to 17 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day for a 70 kg person). There are no concerns with regard to genotoxicity. The available human data do not raise safety concerns. Considering the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 2,000 mg/kg bw per day from a 90‐day repeated‐dose oral toxicity study, the maximum proposed level of intake and the nature of the NF, the Panel concludes that the margin of exposure (of 117) is sufficient. The Panel concludes that the NF, shrimp peptide concentrate, is safe to be used as a food supplement at the proposed maximum dose of 1,200 mg/day. The target population is adults. The Panel considered that the conclusion on the safety of the NF could not have been reached without the data from the unpublished study report on repeated‐dose 90‐day oral toxicity and from the unpublished study reports on two human studies.
Gastroprotection among new chronic users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: a study of utilization and adherence in the Netherlands*

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the use of gastroprotection (GP) among new chronic users of NSAIDs in the Netherlands by gastrointestinal (GI) risk factor (RF) score. Methods: Data for this retrospective follow-up study were extracted from the PHARMO database. We selected new chronic users of COX-2 inhibitors (coxibs) or traditional NSAIDs (tNSAIDs) between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2004. GP strategies were defined as: use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI), coxibs or both. GI RF score at index date was based on: history of GI drug use, high dose of NSAIDs, age > 60 years, use of corticosteroids/anticoagulants/SSRIs, rheumatoid arthritis, heart failure or diabetes, with each condition accounting for one factor. Switching was assessed among those with ≥ 1 GI RF during the first year of follow-up. Results: Among 58 770 new chronic NSAID users at index date, 80% used tNSAIDs alone, 8% used tNSAID + PPI, 10% used a coxib alone and 2% used coxib + PPI. Mean (SD) number of GI RF among these groups was 1.6 (2.1), 3.1 (1.3), 1.5 (1.5) and 2.8 (1.3), respectively. Among 48 390 patients (82.3%) with a GI RF score of ≥ 1, 20.9% used a GP strategy, this increased with number of GI RFs. Within the first year, 5.3% (n = 2067) and 4.8%(n = 1 843) of tNSAID users with ≥ 1 GI RF switched to tNSAID+PPI and coxib alone, respectively. Conclusions: Gastroprotection in users of tNSAIDs was inadequate. Over 80% of NSAID users with ≥ 1 GI RF did not receive any gastroprotection, and even when prescribed, a PPI is used only half the time. More research should show if gastroprotection was used for prevention.
Parallel and distributed processing in high speed traffic monitoring

This thesis presents a parallel and distributed approach for the purpose of processing network traffic at high speeds. The proposed architecture provides the processing power required to run one or more traffic processing applications at line rates by means of processing full packets at multi-gigabits speeds using a parallel and distributed processing environment. Moreover, the architecture is flexible and scalable to future needs by supporting heterogeneous processing nodes such as different hardware architectures or different generations of the same hardware architecture. In addition to the processing, flexibility, and scalability features, our architecture provides an easy-to-use environment with the help of a new programming language, called FPL, for traffic processing in a distributed environment. The language and its compiler come to hide specific programming details when using heterogeneous systems and a distributed environment.
Aortic Valve Endocarditis Due to Lactobacillus casei Complicated by Stroke and Vertebral Osteomyelitis: A Case Report

AbstractLactobacillus species are facultative gram-positive, catalase-negative anaerobic bacilli that are part of the normal bacterial flora of the human gastrointestinal mucosa. They are rarely considered a pathogen but have been reported to cause bacteremia with or without endocarditis among other infections including vertebral osteomyelitis, liver or pelvic abscesses, meningitis, and pneumonia. They can cause disease in patients who are immunocompetent and immunocompromised. Recommended treatment of choice for severe infections due to Lactobacillus species endocarditis is high-dose penicillin in combination with an aminoglycoside.
Cognitive applicability. The Natural History of the Unicorn from Ctesias to TV News

Le storie naturali degli antichi non possono essere considerate, in senso stretto, testi tecnici. In esse, solo raramente si presenta il problema del passaggio dalla regola o dall’istruzione scritte alla messa in pratica nell’ambito della realta extra-linguistica. Tuttavia anche per questa tipologia di opere si puo parlare di un problema di “applicabilita” che potremmo definire “cognitiva”. Questi testi in genere utilizzano una serie di strategie del discorso sostitutive delle immagini e delle illustrazioni (similitudini, analogie) che servono a rendere visualizzabili una serie di esseri “invisibili” (o talvolta inesistenti) come quelli che si trovano, ad esempio, nelle eschatiai. Si tratta, appunto, di capire se – e quando, e come – queste descrizioni sono “applicabili”. Un esploratore che si trovi per le mani, ad esempio, i brani di Plinio che descrivono il camelopardo o il corocotta, riuscirebbe a riconoscerli se dovesse, per caso, avvistarli? Esemplare e in tal senso la vicenda dell'asino indiano unicorno. Dopo essere stato menzionato da Erodoto (IV 191 e VII 86), l'animale viene descritto per la prima volta da Ctesia (FGrHist 688 F. 45) come un ferocissimo essere a forma equina con un solo corno policromo sulla fronte. Il tipo cognitivo di quello che era verosimilmente un animale fantastico che il medico di Cnido aveva visto raffigurato alla corte del re di Persia finira tuttavia, nel corso della storia dell’Occidente antico e moderno, per subire diverse variazioni e, di conseguenza, per essere “applicato” a referenti extralinguistici – reali e immaginari – di varia foggia e natura.
Indexing and Abstracting on the World Wide Web: An Examination of Six Web Databases

Web databases, commonly known as search engines or web directories, are currently the most useful way to search the Internet. In this article, the author draws from library literature to develop a series of questions that can be used to analyze these web searching tools. Six popular web databases are analyzed using this method. Using this analysis, the author creates three categories for web databases and explores the most appropriate searches to perform with each. The work concludes with a proposal for the ideal web database.
Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 1772-1844 : a visionary naturalist

A professor at twenty-one and member of the Napoleon's Egyptian expedition at twenty-six, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire was a man of one idea, which he formulated when he was twenty-four. Nature, he thought, had formed all living beings with one single plan. This was a revolutionary idea and one vigorously opposed by Geoffroy's colleague Georges Cuvier, a great anatomist and one of the giants of French science. In 1830, their long-running disagreement erupted into furious public debate. Geoffroy argued that all vertebrates shared the same basic body plan not just with each other but with insects as well. Cuvier strenuously disputed this idea, which he saw as tantamount to a belief in "transformism" arguing instead that each species had its own special and permanent form. With "Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire," Herve Le Guyader provides an analysis not only of that infamous debate but also of Geoffroy's bold intuitions about anatomy and development. Featuring Geoffroy's published version of the 1830 debates translated into English for the first time the book also illustrates how Geoffroy's prescient insights foreshadowed some of the most recent discoveries in evolutionary and developmental biology. "
DESIGN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF RELIABLE AND SECURE TRANSMISSION OF MEDICAL IMAGES

The transmission of digital image data now a day’s become a routine and necessity of our society . The amount of digital medical data is increasing rapidly on internet. Now it is become necessity of the secure and reliable digital image data transfer for the fast and efficient diagnosis in the medical world. A lot of data is to be transferred between hospital where the major portion of the data is the medical images, patient history, and pervious diagnosis record. Digital Imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM) standard are used to solve this problem where the patient records are attached. To make the transmission robust the patient record are embedded in the medical image using digital water marking technique for the reliable and secure transmission. The various type of noise may corrupt the medical image data during transmission and even storage media may also be affected. Using Error Control Coding Techniques to Encode the medical images may one of the possible solutions for this problem.
Diana Vreeland after Diana Vreeland

Publisher's description: The fashion exhibitionist: an insightful look at Vreeland’s iconic life. One of the legenday figures of the fashion world, Vreeland began her career at Harper’s Bazaar, where her monthly column, “Why Don’t You? ,” dared her readers to take control of their lives, take risks, and live dreams they didn’t even know they had. Her talented eye introduced us to the new beauties of the 1960s: Twiggy, Anjelica Huston, Marisa Berenson and Lauren Hutton. In collaboration with the twentieth century’s major photographers—Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, David Bailey, Horst P. Horst, Bert Stern, Lord Snowdon—Vreeland paved the way for a revolutionary transformation of fashion and photography. During her leadership of Vogue, the magazine became a vehicle destined to open the eyes of people from all walks of life. The book is divided into four sections dedicated to Vreeland’s origins and her taste; to her homes and the development of her style; to the magazine years; and finally to the years spent as consultant at the Met.
A computational approach to rhythm description - Audio features for the computation of rhythm periodicity functions and their use in tempo induction and music content processing

Aquesta dissertacio tracta del ritme musical. Mes exactamente, tracta de programes informatics que extreuen automaticament descripcions ritmiques a partir de senyals musicals d'audio. Presentem nous algorismes per a la induccio del tempo, la estimacio del "tatum," la determinacio del compas, la estimacio de "swing," transformacions de "swing" i la classificacio d'estils de musica de ball. Aquests algorismes processen directament gravacions digitalitzades de senyals acustiques de musica. La base d'aquests algorismes son funcions de periodicitat ritmica: es a dir, funcions que mesuren la importancia d'una pulsacio ritmica en funcio del periode (o la frequencia) de la mateixa, calculades a partir d'atributs fisics instantanis seleccionats per a posar en evidencia aspectes ritmics del so. Aquests atributs es calculen amb una frequencia de mostreig constant sobre segments curts de la senyal d'audio. Els nostres algorismes determinen el tempo i el "tatum" de musica de diferents estils musicals, amb tempo constant, amb una precisio de mes del 80% si no insistim en trobar el nivell metric especific. Indentifiquen el compas amb una precisio del 90%, si es coneixen nivells metrics mes rapits. Classifiquen musica de ball en 8 categories amb una precisio del 80% tenint en compte unicament aspectes ritmics de la musica. Finalment, afegeixen (o substreuen) el "swing" de senyals musicals d'audio de manera automatica, conservant una alta qualitat de so. Des d'un punt de vista mes general, aquesta dissertacio contribueix de manera significativa al camp de la descripcio computacional del ritme a) en proposar un entorn unificador d'analisi funcional; b) en revisar l'arquitectura de molts sistemes existent respecte els blocs funcionals d'aquest entorn; c) en organitzar la primera evaluacio publica d'algorismes d'induccio de tempo; i d) en identificar direccions de recerca prometedores, particularment respecte a la seleccio d'atributs instantanis mes adients per al calcul de funcions de periodicitat ritmica utils i l'estrategia per a combinar i processar multiples fonts d'informacio ritmica.
ARGUMENTACIÓN Y POTENCIALIDAD EPISTÉMICA DE LA ESCRITURA. APORTES DE LA PRAGMADIALÉCTICA AL MODELO "TRANSFORMAR EL CONOCIMIENTO".

Numerosas investigaciones reconocen la funcion epistemica de la escritura. Sin embargo, aun no se ha intentado articular conceptos provenientes de la perspectiva pragmadialectica de la argumentacion (van Eemeren, Grootendorst y Snoeck, 2002) con el modelo “transformar el conocimiento” propuesto por Scardamalia y Bereiter (1992), que plantea la potencialidad epistemica de la escritura. En esta ponencia, nos preguntamos de que maneras la nocion pragmadialectica de discusion critica como negociacion de puntos de vista y la idea de que la argumentacion conlleva una dimension epistemica (Leitao, 2007) ayudarian a entender con mayor detalle los procesos cognitivos de construccion de conocimiento a traves de la escritura,segun este modelo.Exploramos teoricamente que rol puede jugar la argumentacion en la vinculacion de los espacios-problemas de contenido y retorico; es decir, en el proceso dialectico entre conocimiento y estrategias retoricas para producir un texto, aspectos presentes pero no desarrollados en el modelo. Argumentar exigiria que quien escribe ponga en relacion su conocimiento preexistente con el conocimiento atribuido a sus potenciales lectores. Asi, vinculamos dos propuestas teoricas que, desde disciplinas distintas, convergen al subrayar las dimensiones dialecticas y dialogicas que atraviesan los procesos de composicion escrita. Palabras Clave practicas sociales discusion critica Abstract ARGUMENTATION AND EPISTEMIC POTENTIAL OF WRITING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE PRAGMADIALECTICS TO THE “KNOWLEDGE TRANSFORMING” MODEL The epistemic function of writing is recognized by several scholars. However, research has not tried to articulate theoretically concepts from the pragmadialectical perspective of argumentation (van Eemeren,GrootendorstandSnoeck,2002)withthemodel“knowledge transforming” proposed by Scardamalia and Bereiter (1992), where the epistemic dimension of writing clearly arises. Therefore, in this paper, we highlight that the pragmadialectical notions of critical discussion understood as negotiation of points of view as well as the idea that every argument entails an epistemic dimension (Leitao, 2007) can help us to understand in greater detail the cognitive processes of knowledge construction through writing, according to this model. We explore the role the argument can play in linking the space-problem of content and rhetoric; i.e. in the dialectical process between knowledge and rhetorical strategies to produce a text, aspects present but not developed in the model.Arguing requires that the writer relates his/her pre-existing knowledge to the pre-existing knowledge attributed to the potential readers. Thus, we combine two theoretical frameworks that, from different disciplines, agree on emphasizing the dialogical and dialectical dimensions involved in the processes of written composition. Key Words social practices critical discussion
An Investigation of Survival following Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer is one of the most malignant gynaecological cancer for women. Women with ovarian cancer generally have a poor prognosis with short survival. In our study, an exploratory analysis was carried out using the data routinely collected on patients with ovarian cancer, who were diagnosed and treated in a large hospital in Sydney. Survival following the diagnosis of ovarian cancer was examined in relation to several important prognostic factors, including FIGO stage, age, residual disease and histologic type, aiming to evaluate the effect size of each factor and build up a predictive model for survival. The predicted survival provides valuable information for patients and their families, and is particularly important in helping clinician and hospital with the management of each patient with ovarian cancer.
Single and multiple stereo view navigation for planetary rovers

This thesis deals with the challenge of autonomous navigation of the ExoMars rover. The absence of global positioning systems (GPS) in space, added to the limitations of wheel odometry makes autonomous navigation based on these two techniques as done in the literature an inviable solution and necessitates the use of other approaches. That, among other reasons, motivates this work to use solely visual data to solve the robot’s Egomotion problem. The homogeneity of Mars’ terrain makes the robustness of the low level image processing technique a critical requirement. In the first part of the thesis, novel solutions are presented to tackle this specific problem. Detection of robust features against illumination changes and unique matching and association of features is a sought after capability. A solution for robustness of features against illumination variation is proposed combining Harris corner detection together with moment image representation. Whereas the first provides a technique for efficient feature detection, the moment images add the necessary brightness invariance. Moreover, a bucketing strategy is used to guarantee that features are homogeneously distributed within the images. Then, the addition of local feature descriptors guarantees the unique identification of image cues. In the second part, reliable and precise motion estimation for the Mars’s robot is studied. A number of successful approaches are thoroughly analysed. Visual Simultaneous Localisation And Mapping (VSLAM) is investigated, proposing enhancements and integrating it with the robust feature methodology. Then, linear and nonlinear optimisation techniques are explored. Alternative photogrammetry reprojection concepts are tested. Lastly, data fusion techniques are proposed to deal with the integration of multiple stereo view data. Our robust visual scheme allows good feature repeatability. Because of this, dimensionality reduction of the feature data can be used without compromising the overall performance of the proposed solutions for motion estimation. Also, the developed Egomotion techniques have been extensively validated using both simulated and real data collected at ESA-ESTEC facilities. Multiple stereo view solutions for robot motion estimation are introduced, presenting interesting benefits. The obtained results prove the innovative methods presented here to be accurate and reliable approaches capable to solve the Egomotion problem in a Mars environment. To my parents, Mari Paz and Pablo
FVP10: enhancements of VPX for SDR/HDR applications

This paper describes a study to investigate possible ways to improve the VPX codecs in the context of both 8-bit SDR video and 10-bit HDR video content, for two types of applications: streaming and high quality (near lossless) coding for content contribution editing. For SDR content, the following tools are investigated: (a) lapped biorthogonal transforms for near lossless applications; and (b) optimized resampling filter pairs for adaptive resolution coding in streaming applications. For HDR content, a data adaptive grading technique in conjunction with the VP9/VP10 encoder is studied. Both the objective metrics (measured using BD rate) and informal subjective visual quality assessments are recorded. It is asserted that useful improvements are possible in each of these categories. In particular, substantial value is offered in the coding of HDR content, and especially in creating a coding scheme offering backwards compatibility with SDR.
Design and analysis of computer experiments

In structural optimization, usually an approximation concept is introduced as interface between (FEM) structural analysis code and optimization algorithm. In some cases of opti-mm desigr. , a glcba! apprcxhaticl? ccncept car. be effectively applied. Then, apprmirnatior. model functions are built of all objective and constraint functions, whose values, for a certain design point, follow from the structural analysis calculations. In this way, the original o p timization problem is completely replaced by an explicitly known approximate optimization problem. Response-surface techniques are commonly applied to build global approximation models, especially when dealing with responses of physical experiments. For one response function, this means that a user defined model function is fitted to the response data calculated at the design sites of some experimental design. Errors between model function and experimental response values are assumed to be randomly distributed. However, in the structural optimization case, an experiment is a computer analysis with a deterministic response as a result. This rules out the statistical assumptions response-surface model building is based upon. Furthermore, it is often difficult to find model functions that approximate the true response behaviour within the desired accuracy.
Random parity coding (RPC)

Many communication environments are extremely noisy. The noise mechanism may be quite complex such as a nonstationary mix of impulsive processes, Gaussian noise, and frequency selective fading. Such "unfriendly channels" will be become ever more commonplace as communications continues to be impressed into use in challenging environments such as in factories and around other heavy machinery. It is often not possible to use familiar and efficient error control techniques against the high error rates encountered. The good news is that the amount of information that must be conveyed through a very noisy environment is often nominal and the encoding needs to be robust rather than efficient. In many cases, repetition coding is used as a stand-alone encoding or as an inner code. Repetition coding is extremely inefficient and we believe that we can do better. This paper discloses a new very low rate coding method, random parity coding, (RPC), which may be used in the transport of information over very noisy channels. RPC may be used either as a stand-alone encoding scheme or as a method of reducing the error rate so that a powerful and efficient forward error correction code can be used in conjunction with it.
The Impact of Leader Power and Behavior on Leadership Perceptions

According to Lord's categorization theory of leadership, people identify others as leaders or nonleaders based on the frequency and nature of displayed leader behaviors. Although this relationship has been empirically established, the impact of power attributions on leadership perceptions has not yet been studied. The present research employed LISREL to investigate the linkages of power and behavior to leadership impressions through cognitive schemata. Results indicated that leader behavior had direct effects on perceptions of leadership, whereas leader power did not. However, leader power did affect perceptions of leader behavior, in keeping with categorization theory. In addition, displayed leader behaviors contributed to the development of power perceptions. The practical implications of these findings are discussed at length.