Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bayesian analysis of the differences of count data

Paired count data usually arise in medicine when before and after treatment measurements are considered. In the present paper we assume that the correlated paired count data follow a bivariate Poisson distribution in order to derive the distribution of their difference. The derived distribution is shown to be the same as the one derived for the difference of the independent Poisson variables, thus recasting interest on the distribution introduced by Skellam. Using this distribution we remove correlation, which naturally exists in paired data, and we improve the quality of our inference by using exact distributions instead of normal approximations. The zero‐inflated version is considered to account for an excess of zero counts. Bayesian estimation and hypothesis testing for the models considered are discussed. An example from dental epidemiology is used to illustrate the proposed methodology. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quality of life as an outcome variable in the management of cancer pain

Valid measurement tools are needed by oncology researchers to help in the evaluation of the effectiveness of pain relief methods used in the treatment of cancer patients. A study was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of a tool designed to evaluate quality of life as a measure of pain management outcome in the individual patient. Items in the tested quality of life survey represented the areas of psychologic well‐being, physical well‐being, general and specific symptom control, and degree of social support. Using the test instrument, two oncology nurses interviewed subjects in three groups, each consisting of 50 subjects: cancer patients with pain, cancer patients without pain, and subjects with no cancer. Statistical analysis of the interview results revealed that the instrument has test‐retest reliability, internal consistency, and interrater reliability, as well as content and construct validity for the major factors, psychologic well‐being, worry, and nutrition. Further revision of the instrument is needed to restructure its subscales. The quality of life tool will enable researchers to evaluate a treatment regarding not only its effect on pain intensity but also its impact on the total individual.
Assortative Mating for Personality Traits, Educational Level, Religious Affiliation, Height, Weight, and Body Mass Index in Parents of a Korean Twin Sample

Abstract The degree of assortative mating for psychological and physical traits in Asian societies is relatively unknown. The present study examined assortative mating for educational level, personality traits, religious affiliation, height, weight, and body mass index in a Korean sample. Age-adjusted spouse correlations were high for educational level (r = .63) and religious affiliation (r = .67), modest for most personality traits (rs = −.01 to .26), and trivial for height (r = .04), weight (r = .05), and body mass index (r = .11). These results were remarkably similar to those found from the western samples. Implications of the present findings in behavior genetic studies and human mating patterns were briefly discussed.
PID: A Queue Management Scheme for Improving Network Resilience Under Worm Attacks

In this paper, we propose PID (per inefficiency dropping), a queue management scheme that can not only preserve bandwidth for normal traffic when a worm is spreading fast but also significantly reduce the spreading rate of the worm. PID preferentially drops packets of inefficient applications that generate large numbers of invalid packets according to the bandwidth impact of the invalid packets. Thus bandwidth can be preserved for normal efficient applications. Simulations show that PID can significantly slow the propagation of scanning worms. They also show that worm traffic only has limited impact on normal traffic even after all vulnerable nodes in the simulated network have been infected.
Single-Scan Monochromatic Photonic Capacitance-Voltage Technique for Extraction of Subgap DOS Over the Bandgap in Amorphous Semiconductor TFTs

We report a novel technique for simultaneous extraction of subgap donor- and acceptor-like density of states [g<sub>D</sub>(E) and g<sub>A</sub>(E)] over the subgap energy range (E<sub>V</sub> <;E<;E<sub>C</sub>) using a single-scan monochromatic photonic capacitance-voltage technique in n-channel amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors. In the proposed technique, we applied two different equivalent circuit models for the photoresponsive carriers excited from g<sub>D</sub>(E) and g<sub>A</sub>(E) under depletion (V<sub>GS</sub> <; V<sub>FB</sub>) and accumulation (V<sub>GS</sub> <; V<sub>FB</sub>) bias by employing a sub-bandgap optical source that includes a relation between photon energy (E<sub>ph</sub>) and bandgap energy (E<sub>g</sub>) as h<sub>v</sub> = E<sub>ph</sub> <; E<sub>g</sub>.
Two Cooperating Manipulators with Fractional Controllers

Two robots carrying a common object are a logical alternative for the case in which a single robot is not able to handle the load. The choice of a robotic mechanism depends on the task or the type of work to be performed and, consequently, is determined by the position of the robots and by their dimensions and structure. In general, the selection is done through experience and intuition; nevertheless, it is important to measure the manipulation capability of the robotic system (Y. C. Tsai & A.H Soni., 1981) that can be useful in the robot operation. In this perspective it was proposed the concept of kinematic manipulability measure (T. Yoshikawa, 1985) and its generalization to dynamical manipulability (H. Asada, 1983) or, alternatively, the statistical evaluation of manipulation (J. A. Tenreiro. Machado & A. M. Galhano, 1997). Other related aspects such as the coordination of two robots handling 15
Measurement of ambient PAHs in Kumamoto: Differentiating local and transboundary air pollution

ABSTRACTWe developed an index to investigate the effect of transboundary air pollution (TAP) on the air quality of Kumamoto City, Japan. We estimated the effect of TAP by using the index and positive matrix factorization (PMF). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and trace metals were analyzed from the daily samples of the Total Suspended Particles (TSPs) collected seasonally from Oct. 2014 to Aug. 2015. These chemical components exhibited high concentrations in spring and winter, which is consistent with the data in the literature. Pb was identified as the TAP tracer owing to its high concentrations in winter and spring. Indeno(1, 2, 3-cd)pyrene (IcdP) was used as the local emission tracer in Kumamoto on the basis of previous studies. We applied the IcdP/Pb ratio as the index. The index enables the detection of TAP in daily data sets. PMF identified six factors: soil and road dust, biomass and waste burning, heavy oil combustion, fishing boats, vehicle emission, and coal combustion. The average contribution of TAP on the days when transboundary pollution was high was evaluated as being 46%.
Annotation Guidelines

For this task, there are 90 excerpts from specific sections of the product labels of a number of different drugs. Specifically, there are 27 excerpts from clinical pharmacology sections, 27 excerpts from drug interaction sections, and 38 paragraphs randomly selected from “older” product labels that do not include a specific drug interaction or clinical pharmacology section. All of the text present in each excerpt qualifies for annotation.
Nonlinear graphene plasmonics

The rapid development of graphene has opened up exciting new fields in graphene plasmonics and nonlinear optics. Graphene's unique two-dimensional band structure provides extraordinary linear and nonlinear optical properties, which have led to extreme optical confinement in graphene plasmonics and ultrahigh nonlinear optical coefficients, respectively. The synergy between graphene's linear and nonlinear optical properties gave rise to nonlinear graphene plasmonics, which greatly augments graphene-based nonlinear device performance beyond a billion-fold. This nascent field of research will eventually find far-reaching revolutionary technological applications that require device miniaturization, low power consumption and a broad range of operating wavelengths approaching the far-infrared, such as optical computing, medical instrumentation and security applications.
Oral Manifestations of Ionizing Radiation

A SERIES of three experiments was performed to observe, among other things, the effects of a single dose of irradiation on growing incisor teeth of white rats during a relatively long period of time following irradiation (100 days). In the first experiment, the animals were divided into three groups, and different doses were given to each group. This was done to determine what dosage level might have an effect on the growth of the incisor teeth and still provide an adequate number of surviving animals for observation during the selected study period. An indication of the dosage range to be tried was obtainable from previous related studies on dental growth, made by Leist,1 Burstone,2 and Medak, Schour, and Klauber.3 However, since we used different physical factors of radiation, with local head radiation only, using our own strain of rats, an actual trial was necessary. The second and third experiments were made to verify the changes observed in the 1,500 r. group of the pilot study.
Shingled Writer Design for 10 ${\rm Tb/in}^{2}$ Patterned Media Recording

This paper explores the shingled writing head designs for making 10 Tb/in2 patterned media data storage more feasible. The relationship between the writing ability improvement of the shingled writing head and the tip width is discussed. The results reveal that a small rounded corner design would be beneficial for improving the writing performance of the writing head. A corner gap, which is slightly smaller than the shield gap, will give the best writing performance.
A Highly Noise-Immune Capacitive Touch Sensing System Using an Adaptive Chopper Stabilization Method

This paper proposes a capacitive touch sensing system (CTSS) using an adaptive chopper stabilization (ACS) method to achieve high noise immunity. The proposed ACS method quickly detects and adaptively filters out external noises, thereby achieving high noise immunity in the proposed CTSS. To verify the proposed ACS method, a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) was fabricated using a 0.35- $\mu \text{m}$ CMOS process technology with 18 V high-voltage devices and was measured using a 46-in capacitive touch sensor (CTS). When no external noises are induced into the CTS, the measured signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the ROIC is 45.8 dB at a reporting rate of 120 Hz. When external noises are induced into the CTS, the measured SNR of the ROIC using the ACS method is 44.5 dB, which is improved by 22.0 dB compared with the SNR achieved without using the ACS method. Therefore, the proposed ACS method effectively eliminates external noises induced into the CTS of the CTSS.
A dynamic distention protocol for whole‐organ bladder decellularization: histological and biomechanical characterization of the acellular matrix

A combined physical–chemical protocol for whole full‐thickness bladder decellularization is proposed, based on organ cyclic distention through repeated infusion/withdrawal of the decellularization agents through the urethra. The dynamic decellularization was intended to enhance cell removal efficiency, facilitating the delivery of detergents within the inner layers of the tissue and the removal of cell debris. The use of mild chemical detergents (hypotonic solution and non‐ionic detergent) was employed to limit adverse effects upon matrix 3D ultrastructure. Inspection of the presence of residual DNA and RNA was carried out on decellularized matrices to verify effective cell removal. Histological investigation was focused on assessing the retention of adequate structural and functional components that regulate the biomechanical behaviour of the acellular tissue. Biomechanical properties were evaluated through uniaxial tensile loading tests of tissue strips and through ex vivo filling cystometry to evaluate the whole‐organ mechanical response to a physiological‐like loading state. According to our results, a dynamic decellularization protocol of 17 h duration with a 5 ml/min detergent infusion flow rate revealed higher DNA removal efficiency than standard static decellularization, resulting in residual DNA content < 50 ng/mg dry tissue weight. Furthermore, the collagen network and elastic fibres distribution were preserved in the acellular ECM, which exhibited suitable biomechanical properties in the perspective of its future use as an implant for bladder augmentation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Direct G/T Measurement for Satellite Broadcasting Receivers

A new G/T measurement method for receivers which are used for direct broadcasting from a satellite is proposed. By this method, G/T can be obtained without measuring G and T values separately. Therefore, this method, which can be called a direct method, can be adopted for the G/T measurement for integrated antennas, wherein an antenna and a receiver are unseparably combined, while the conventional method can not be adopted nder these circumstances. Besides,-o special test equipment is required for this method. This method can achieve more accurate G/T data because the result is independent from noise bandwidth or signal time response of test equipments. This paper describes the principle of the method, practical test procedure and some notes on how to avoid measurement errors. Some experimental results are also presented, which show that G/T values determined by this method agree with those obtained by the conventional method within 0.4 dB.
Poor performance in physical education – a risk factor for bully victimization. A case‐control study

Aim: Poor social skills are a risk factor for becoming bullied, which could explain why this frequently occurs to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Poor social skills tend to coexist with clumsiness. According to a pilot study, poor performance in physical education (PE) was correlated with bully victimization.
Dynamics of an upland stream fish community over 40 years: trajectories and support for the loose equilibrium concept.

Previous theoretical models and empirical studies suggested that communities can exist in a "stochastic" or "loose" equilibrium, diverging transiently but eventually returning toward earlier or average structure, in what we call here the "loose equilibrium concept" (LEC). We sampled the fish communities at 12 local stream reaches spaced broadly throughout a relatively undisturbed watershed in the Ozark Mountains of northern Arkansas, USA, in 11 surveys from 1972 to 2012 at a scale of decades, and at a subset of five of these local sites in a total of 16 surveys, allowing tests of the LEC at different spatial and temporal scales. Multivariate analyses of the dynamics of communities over the 40-year period provided support for the LEC at both "global" and "local" scales within the watershed. At the broadest spatial scale, core species numerically dominated the community, and most common species remained so across all decades. In spite of two extraordinary floods, and interannual variation in abundance of some species, the 12-site and five-site global communities and eight of 12 local communities repeatedly returned toward average positions in multivariate space. Trajectories of the global and local fish communities varied relative to model hypothetical trajectories that were based on gradual vs. saltatory changes, and prevalence of returns toward average community structure. Beta diversity among sites was variable across time, but beta partitioning consistently showed that pure spatial turnover dominated over nestedness, because many common species were consistently distributed either upstream or downstream. This study suggests that vertebrate communities in relatively undisturbed environments may display dynamics consistent with the LEC. The LEC, combined with quantification of community trajectory patterns, can help to clarify whether systems are moving about within ranges of conditions that reflect expected noise, or, conversely, have moved so far out of previous bounds, as a result of climate change or human intervention, that they are permanently changed or "novel. "
β1 integrin targeting to enhance radiation therapy

Purpose: Cell adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins is mediated by the integrin family and has been known to modify radiation sensitivity and resistance in several cell types, including cancer cells. In particular, β1 integrin signaling has been implicated in the progression and metastasis of various cancers and has been shown to facilitate resistance to radiation therapy. Conclusion: In this mini-review, we provide a brief overview of integrin targeting in radiation therapy. We specifically focus on the updated findings of β1 integrin-mediated signaling pathways after exposure to ionising radiation (IR) using in vitro and in vivo experimental models, which could represent promising therapeutic targets for breast cancer.
Subcutaneous ossification of the legs in chronic venous insufficiency.

The presence of subcutaneous ossification in the legs associated with chronic venous insufficiency has recently been described by one of us in a preliminary report (1). The present paper is concerned with the correlation of radiologic and clinicopathologic features and with some refinements in the roentgenographic demonstration of this condition. Chronic venous insufficiency is defined as tissue damage due to abnormalities in venous blood flow (2, a). In the lower extremities, these abnormalities are frequently caused by varicosities of the greater saphenous system or by pathologic conditions in the deep veins (obstruction or insufficiency). Less frequently, varicosities in the lesser saphenous system are contributory. Other less common causes are acquired arteriovenous fistulas and vascular malformations. Dependent edema is an important mechanism in the development of chronic venous insufficiency. Clinical manifestations of chronic venous insufficiency are chronic dermatitis and cellulitis, and atrophy o.
A Systems Perspective of Software Runtime Bloat - Origin, Mitigation and Power-Performance Implications

Large flexible software systems tend to incur “bloat”, here defined as the runtime overhead induced by the accumulation of excess functionality and objects. Removing bloat is hard as these overheads are a side-effect of the same trends that have fuelled software growth. Even defining and measuring bloat is non-trivial, as software doesn’t come with built-in labels that indicate which portions of computation are necessary for a given application and which lead to bloat. Much progress has been made in novel analysis tools that aid (human experts in) the process of finding bloat by highlighting signs of excessive activity and data flow. However, there has been very little research focus on understanding the connection between sources of bloat and its system level implications. In particular, excess resource usage due to bloat could be a significant source of powerperformance inefficiencies, but the relation between bloat and energy efficient design remains unexplored. In order to systematically devise effective mechanisms for reaping power-performance benefits through bloat mitigation, we require a deeper insight into exactly when excess features can originate bloat, when the resource overheads of bloat are most pronounced and when bloat matters for power performance. This dissertation explores the problem of software bloat and its energy efficiency implications from multiple perspectives to develop a better understanding of these connections. First, we establish the need for a whole systems perspective in assessing potential energy efficiency benefits of bloat reduction, based on a systematic empirical and analytical study that highlights a curious interplay between bloat, energy proportionality and system bottlenecks. Second, we present a novel static analysis algorithm to perform an automated code transformation for object reuse that mitigates bloat involving the generation of excess temporary objects
Predicting determinants of satisfaction with the life in a sample of elderly students through(a) structural equation model

The goal of this work is to examine the benefits of the Universities of Third Age in Portugal territory on the life of its senior students. It intends to verify if there could be any positive effect on the quality of life of these students, on their vital satisfaction and on their isolation and loneliness. Therefore, it seeks to determine the existence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in subjects. What if the activities offered by the Universities of Third Age promote the decrease of depressive and anxiety symptom. For this study, was collected a sample throughout the Portuguese territory, covering various Universities of the Third Age. The sample was composed only by elderly people who attend the University of the Third Age. The results of this study show that the Universities of the Third Age may allow the combat of social isolation and the decreasement of certain pathological symptoms, such as depression and anxiety. In general, older people who attend these institutions have a very high level of satisfaction with life, do not show feelings of loneliness and show less depressive and anxiety symptoms.
The Jikes RVM Project : Building an Open Source Research Community

This article describes the evolution of the Jikes RVM project from IBM internal research infrastructure, called Jalapeño, into an open source project. After summarizing the original goals of the project, we discuss the motivation for releasing it as an open source project, and the activities performed to ensure the success of the project. Throughout, we highlight the unique challenges of developing and maintaining an open source project designed specifically to support a research community.