Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
COPD_A_198288 799..808

Chenxi Li Wenke Cheng Jin Guo Wei Guan 1Department of Respiratory, Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qinghai University, Xining, People’s Republic of China Background: Long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMAs) and long-acting β2–agonists (LABAs) are the mainstay of maintenance therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although previous studies have supported inhaled long-acting bronchodilators (ILABs) for overall cardiovascular safety, the risk of specific cardiovascular outcomes such as arrhythmia, heart failure and stroke is still unknown. Materials and methods: We systematically searched from PubMed, the Embase database and the Cochrane Library for published studies on ILABs and COPD, from its inception to November 10, 2018, with no language restrictions. The RRs and corresponding 95% CIs were pooled to evaluate ILAB/placebo. Results: Finally, 43 randomized controlled trials were included. Compared with placebo, ILABs do not increase the risk of overall and specific cardiovascular adverse events (AEs); on the contrary, they can reduce the incidence of hypertension (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55–0.98; I19.9%; P= 0.221). However, when stratified according to the specific agents of ILABs, olodaterol might reduce the risk of overall cardiovascular adverse events (OCAEs) (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49–0.88;I27.5%; P= 0.000), and the protective effect of lowing blood pressure disappeared. Similarly, the use of inhaled LABA might increase the risk of cardiac failure (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.04–2.84;I0%; P= 0.538), but this risk disappeared when stratified according to the specific agents of LABA. Besides, formoterol might decrease the risk of cardiac ischemia (RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.32–0.91; I0%; P= 0.676). Conclusions: Overall, the use of ILABs was not associated with overall cardiovascular AEs in patients with stable COPD. When stratified according to the specific agents of LABA, olodaterol might reduce the risk of OCAE; and formoterol might decrease the risk of cardiac ischemia. LABA might reduce the incidence of hypertension, but might increase the risk of heart failure. Therefore, COPD patients with a history of heart failure should use it with caution.
Environmental Report 2004

venting global warming because it improves fuel economy, thereby reducing exhaust gas emissions. In particular, further reduction in the weight of automotive steel sheets is needed, as these account for the largest percentage by mass of auto structural materials. At the same time, improved crashworthiness is also required to ensure passenger safety during collisions. High tensile strength steel sheets (HITEN) are extremely effective for both weight reduction and crashworthiness because the same strength can be secured with thinner material. However, press formability, weldability, and fatigue characteristics, all tend to deteriorate in high strength steel sheets, limited their applicability. JFE Steel was among the first steel makers to take up this problem, and has developed a wide range of innovative high strength steel sheets using the company’s own technologies. For example, “SFG HITEN,” which offers extremely high formability and attractive surface appearance, was the first 390 MPa and 440 MPa grade steel sheet in the world used in auto side panels, enabling a 10 kg weight reduction, while 980 MPa HITEN sheets manufactured with JFE Steel’s proprietary continuous annealing process are used in the seat frame and various reinforcing members, reducing weight by 15-20 kg. JFE Steel has also developed and commercialized many other high quality, high strength steel sheets for a wide range of applications, including “NANO HITEN” (p. 51) and “BHT steel sheets. ” Contributing to Auto Weight Reduction High Tensile Strength Automotive Steel Sheets (HITEN)
Handwritten Arabic Text Recognition using Principal Component Analysis and Support Vector Machines

In this paper, an offline holistic handwritten Arabic text recognition system based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers is proposed. The proposed system consists of three primary stages: preliminary processing, feature extraction using PCA, and classification using the polynomial, linear, and Gaussian SVM classifiers. In this proposed system, text skeleton is first extracted and the images of the text are normalized into uniform size for extraction of the global features of the Arabic words using PCA. Recognition performance of this proposed system was evaluated on version 2 of the IFN/ENIT database of handwritten Arabic text using the polynomial, linear, and Gaussian SVM classifiers. The classification results of the proposed system were compared with the results produced by a benchmark. TRS that is depending on the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) method using numerous normalization sizes of Arabic text images. The experimental testing results support the effectiveness of the proposed system in holistic recognition of the handwritten Arabic text.
Fixing Mislabeling by Human Annotators via Conflict Resolution and the Exploitation of Prior Knowledge

According to the “human in the loop" paradigm, machine learning algorithms can improve when leveraging on human intelligence, usually in the form of labels or annotation from domain experts. However, in the case of research areas such as ubiquitous computing or lifelong learning, where the annotator is not an expert and is continuously asked for feedback, humans can provide significant fractions of incorrect labels. We propose to address this issue in a series of experiments where students are asked to provide information about their behavior via a dedicated mobile application. Their trustworthiness is tested by employing an architecture where the machine uses all its available knowledge to check the correctness of its own and the user labeling to build a uniform confidence measure for both of them to be used when a contradiction arises. The overarching system runs through a series of modes with progressively higher confidence and features a conflict resolution component to settle the inconsistencies. The results are very promising and show the pervasiveness of annotation mistakes, the extreme diversity of the users’ behaviors which provides evidence of the impracticality of a uniform fits-it-all solution, and the substantially improved performance of a skeptical supervised learning strategy.
Functional MRI of the Spinal Cord

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of the central nervous system has found broad clinical and research applications. The main principle to visualise the activity of the cerebral cortex is the so called Blood Oxygenation Level Dependant (BOLD) contrast. This effect is based on perfusion changes which are generally considered to reflect neuronal activity, that in turn lead to regional enhancements in the venous oxygenation concentration . These alterations in oxygen concentration can be visualised using susceptibility based MR sequences, e.g. T2*. In recent years various groups have shown that BOLD fMRI is possible also within the cervical spinal cord .
INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF GENDER AND LEVEL OF EDUCATION IN PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF MOCK-INSULTS AS EMBARRASSMENT AMONG NORTHERN NIGERIANS

Intercultural and inter gender communication have been core interests of sociolinguistic researchers. Notably, perception of mock-insults is one those phenomena that is reported to be gender-based. While some findings from past studies reported that females often negatively perceive mock-insults, even when it is meant to be a compliment or solidarity, others reported otherwise. To further understand this phenomenon, this study investigates the role of gender and level of education in the perception of mock-insults, using embarrassment as its measuring construct, among Fulfulde-speaking Nigerians. A survey questionnaire is administered to 352 respondents, using stratified systematic sampling to collect their respective perception data. A twoway Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) method was used for the statistical data analysis, and the results showed that neither gender nor level of education influences public perception of mock-insults as embarrassment.
Imaging Case Study of the Month; Frontoethmoid Osteoma

CASE REPORT A 69-year-old man was referred from the Department of Ophthalmology with a 6-month history of right-sided epiphora. He had no proptosis, diplopia, or visual disturbance. An ophthalmological examination yielded essentially normal findings, but a firm mass could just be palpated at the right inner canthus. A coronal computed tomography (CT) scan was arranged, and this demonstrated a large bony mass in the medial orbital wall (see Figure, A). The mass was not impinging on the eye, but had displaced the nasolacrimal duct laterally and was obstructing the frontal recess, leading to a secondary mucocele of the right frontal sinus (see Figure, B). The lesion was seen to extend up as far as the cribriform plate, but there was no intracranial component (see Figure, C). A provisional diagnosis was made of frontoethmoid osteoma.
Assessment of the Anterior Chamber Angle afterTrabectome Glaucoma Surgery by Optical Coherence Tomography, Histopathology,Ultrasound Biomicroscopy, and Scanning Electron Microscopy

To provide high resolution in vitro and in vivo characterization of the post-trabectome anterior chamber angle. We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to obtain high resolution images of the post-trabectome angle in cadaver eyes. We then characterized trabecular meshwork strips removed during the procedure using histopathology. Finally,we imaged the post-Trabectome angle in two patients using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and ultrasound biomicroscopy(UBM).
Partially Preordered Inconsistent Lightweight Ontologies in Possibility Theory

In the context of DL-Lite, a family of lightweight fragments of description logics, this paper introduces an extension of standard possibilistic DL-Lite to the case where the knowledge base is partially preordered. We consider the assertional base, a.k. a. ABox, to be represented as a symbolic weighted base and we assume a strict partial preorder is applied on the weights. We introduce a tractable method for computing a single repair for a partially preordered weighted ABox. Basi-cally, this repair is computed from possibilistic repairs associated with compatible bases of a partially preordered ABox, which intuitively encode all possible extensions of a partial preorder. We provide an equivalent characterization using the notion of π -accepted assertions, which ensures that the pos-sibilistic repair is computed in polynomial time.
The effects of smoking and prenatal care on birth outcomes: evidence from quantile estimation on panel data∗

Unobserved heterogeneity among childbearing women makes it difficult to isolate the causal effects of smoking and prenatal care on birth outcomes (such as birthweight). Whether or not a mother smokes, for instance, is likely to be correlated with unobserved characteristics of the mother. This paper controls for such unobserved heterogeneity by using state-level panel data on maternally linked births. A quantile-estimation approach, motivated by a correlated random-effects model, is used in order to estimate the effects of smoking and other observables (number of prenatal-care visits, years of education, etc.) on the full distribution of birth outcomes. ∗Bill O’Brien, Patricia Starzyk, and Dr. Beth Mueller offered invaluable assistance in providing access to the Washington State Longitudinal Birth Database. The authors are also grateful to Christopher Mrela of the Arizona Department of Health Services for providing birth data. The terms of the data-sharing agreements with these two states do not allow release of this data. The authors would also like to thank Roger Koenker and Daniel Morillo, who wrote the RQ 1.0 package for Ox that was used as the starting point for the quantile estimation in this paper. The first author received financial support for this research from a Kinley Trust Grant through Purdue University. †Address: Department of Economics, Purdue University, 403 W. State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2056; e-mail: abrevaya@purdue.edu and dahlcm@purdue.edu.
Open block scheduling in optical communication networks

In this paper the process of data transmission in star coupled optical communication networks is modelled as a shop-type scheduling problem, where channels (wavelengths) are treated as machines. We formulate an Open Block problem with the minimum makespan objective (OB||Cmax) in which a relation of a new type between the operations of each job is introduced: any two operations of a job have identical processing times and may be processed either simultaneously (in a common block) or, alternatively, at disjoint time intervals. We show that the problem is polynomially solvable for 4 machines, NP-hard for 6 machines and strongly NP-hard for a variable number of machines. For the case of a variable number of machines we present a polynomial time √ 2-approximation algorithm and prove that there is no polynomial time -approximation algorithm with < 11/10, unless P= NP. For the case when the number of machines is fixed, we show that the problem admits a linear time PTAS. In addition, we show that the two-machine problem with release dates is NP-hard in the strong sense. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Stop Invasion! The Electoral Tipping Point in Anti-Immigrant Voting

Why do anti-immigrant political parties have more success in areas that host fewer immigrants? Using regression discontinuity design, structural breaks search methods and data from a sample of Italian municipalities, we show that the relationship between the vote shares of anti-immigrant parties and the share of immigrants follows a U-shaped curve, which exhibits a tipping-like behavior around a share of immigrants equal to 3.35 %. We estimate that the vote share of the main Italian anti-immigrant party (Lega Nord) is approximately 6 % points higher for municipalities below the threshold. Using data on local labor market characteristics and on the incomes of natives and immigrants, we provide evidence which points at the competition in the local labor market between natives and immigrants as the more plausible explanation for the electoral success of anti-immigrant parties in areas with low shares of immigrants. Alternative stories find less support in the data.
Localization Limitations of ARCore, ARKit, and Hololens in Dynamic Large-scale Industry Environments

: Augmented Reality (AR) systems are envisioned to soon be used as smart tools across many Industry 4.0 scenarios. The main promise is that such systems will make workers more productive when they can obtain additional situationally coordinated information both seemlessly and hands-free. This paper studies the applicability of today’s popular AR systems (Apple ARKit, Google ARCore, and Microsoft Hololens) in such an industrial context (large area of 1,600 m 2 , long walking distances of 60 m between cubicles, and dynamic environments with volatile natural features). With an elaborate measurement campaign that employs a sub-millimeter accurate optical localization system, we show that for such a context, i.e., when a reliable and accurate tracking of a user matters, the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) techniques of these AR systems are a showstopper. Out of the box, these AR systems are far from useful even for normal motion behavior. They accumulate an average error of about 17 m per 120 m , with a scaling error of up to 14.4 cm / m that is quasi-directly proportional to the path length. By adding natural features, the tracking reliability can be improved, but not enough.
21st International Research/Expert Conference

There are more than 100 performance measurement ratios in the literature for evaluating the performance of the investment instruments. One of the most commonly used one is the Sharpe ratio. However, Sharpe ratio assumes that the returns of the portfolios have normal distribution which doesn’t need to be the case all the time and it takes into account all returns positive and negative. Adjusted Sharpe ratio considers non-normal distributed returns and Sortino ratio considers downside risk. Therefore, these ratios were used in this study to compare possible different scenarios. In this paper it was investigated that whether Sharpe, Adjusted Sharpe and Sortino ratios reveal similar rankings or not when measuring the performances of equity funds. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to examine the ranking of each ratio. An investment simulation was created to see the differences in the returns of the portfolios that were created according to each ratio. Results indicate that Sharpe, Adjusted Sharpe and Sortino (when minimum target return is selected as zero) ratios give similar rankings when evaluating the performances of equity funds. However, selecting different minimum target return, as mean or zero, when calculating the Sortino ratio, creates a difference. Therefore, investors should be careful in selecting the proper minimum target return for the Sortino ratio.
Exergy Analysis of Bio-polymer Flooding in Clastic Reservoirs

Using a 1-D model of polymer displacement, we analyze the exergy (maximum attainable work) balance of viscosified water, e.g. with Arabic gum. The 1-D model shows the principle how such an analysis can be done; A comparison as to the displacement efficiency is made between three scenarios, i.e., (1) pure water injection, (2) constant polymer viscosified water injection and (3) polymer slug injection (water-polymer-water) injection. A numerical solution of the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) model is obtained with COMSOL invoking the weak formulation option for solving pde’s. At the injection point we specify the injection flux of water and polymer. At the production point, we only specify the convection term. Moreover we compare the exergy of the oil (10.7 (kWh/liter)) produced to the pumping exergy for circulating the fluids, which usually approximately accounts for 80% of the exergy used for the recovery of oil. Validation of the model results is achieved with analytical solutions using the method of characteristics, In addition the integrated Darcy velocity × pressure gradient profile is used to compute the power required to circulate the fluids; we make a comparison for the three scenario’s. It is argued that this analysis, which circumvents an economic analysis, can be used to show the advantage of using polymer (e.g., Arabic gum) slugs with respect to permanent polymer injection to enhance the recovery behavior.
Assembly and Characterization of Suspensions for the ERC Speedmeter

Quantum non-demolition techniques are one way for future gravitational wave detectors to surpass the Standard Quantum Limit. A proof-of-concept experiment at the University of Glasgow seeks to show that a Sagnac speedmeter can significantly outperform a Michelson interferometer with similar design parameters when it comes to quantum noise. Multi-pendulum suspensions will need to be employed in order to isolate the speedmeter’s test masses as much as possible from external noise, and these suspensions must be carefully characterized. In this report I will discuss the work I completed in the last two months to assist in the assembly and characterization of these suspensions, as well as the scientific significance of the speedmeter proof-of-concept project as a whole.
PARENT-CHILD STRATEGIES AND PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR IN SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT: THE MEDIATION EFFECT OF PERSONALITY AND RULES INTERNALIZATION

This study explores two different parenting strategies of rules setting to test the hypothesis that an autonomy-supportive strategy would relate negatively, whereas controlling strategy would relate positively, to adolescents’ problem behaviour. Moreover, mediation analyse was explored to test whether associations among parenting strategies and adolescents’ problem behaviour could be explained by personality domains and internalization of parental rules. A cross-sectional representative dataset from elementary schools was used (N=580, M=12.51 years, SD=0.59, 51.7% of boys). Problem behaviour of adolescent were measured by 21 items scale. Autonomy-supportive and psychological control were explored as two types of parental strategies. Internalization of parenting rules consist from four separate scales (1) identification; (2) introjection; (3) external regulation and (4) rebellion. Personality domains were assessed by Children personality questionnaire. Linear regression models and mediation analyses were used. Higher autonomy-supportive strategy related with less problem behaviour. Higher controlling strategy was related to higher rates of problem behaviour. The association among autonomy–supportive and psychological control strategy and problem behaviour was partially mediated by personality and by rules internalization. The results of this study point to importance of parental strategies in adolescence period as autonomy and controlling ways of setting rules may have opposite effect on problem behaviour.
Sensitive and Selective Pathway of Total Antioxidant Capacity in Commercially Lemon, Watermelon and Mango-pineapple Cold Teas by Square Wave Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry

The present work describes a convenient method for the sensitive and selective pathway of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in lemon, watermelon and mango-pineapple cold teas by square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV) that is major electroanalytical methods on a carbon paste electrode. Anodic peak current of p-coumaric acid exhibited a well oxidation peak at 780 mV was used as a standard to evaluate TAC in tea samples. In addition, the very well-resolved and reproducible anodic processes, such as accumulation time, frequency, step potential etc. were optimized for the SWAdSV method. The potential applicability of the proposed SWAdSV was illustrated in commercial teas samples. SWAdSV proved to be a faster and easier method to calculate TAC compared to other conventional methods. Furthermore, total antioxidant amounts of commercially lemon, watermelon and mango-pineapple cold teas were found in optimum condition as equivalent to a concentration of 2050±15mg/L, 705±10 mg/L and 808±14 mg/L p-coumaric acid (n=3, 95% confidence level), respectively.