Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SHOX gene and conserved noncoding element deletions/duplications in Colombian patients with idiopathic short stature

SHOX gene mutations or haploinsufficiency cause a wide range of phenotypes such as Leri Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD), Turner syndrome, and disproportionate short stature (DSS). However, this gene has also been found to be mutated in cases of idiopathic short stature (ISS) with a 3–15% frequency. In this study, the multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA) technique was employed to determine the frequency of SHOX gene mutations and their conserved noncoding elements (CNE) in Colombian patients with ISS. Patients were referred from different centers around the county. From a sample of 62 patients, 8.1% deletions and insertions in the intragenic regions and in the CNE were found. This result is similar to others published in other countries. Moreover, an isolated case of CNE 9 duplication and a new intron 6b deletion in another patient, associated with ISS, are described. This is one of the first studies of a Latin American population in which deletions/duplications of the SHOX gene and its CNE are examined in patients with ISS.
DiamondHelp : A Graphical User Interface Framework for Human-Computer Collaboration

DiamondHelp is a reusable Java framework for building graphical user interfaces based on the collaborative paradigm of human-computer interaction. DiamondHelp’s graphical design combines a generic conversational interface, adapted from online chat programs, with an application-specific direct manipulation interface. DiamondHelp provides ”a things to say” mechanism for use without spoken language understanding; it also supports extensions to take advantage of speech technology. DiamondHelp’s software architecture factors all applicationspecific content into two modular plug-ins, one of which includes Collagen and a task model. International Workshop on Smart Appliances and Wearable Computing, IEEE International Conference on Distributed Computing Systems Workshops This work may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part for any commercial purpose. Permission to copy in whole or in part without payment of fee is granted for nonprofit educational and research purposes provided that all such whole or partial copies include the following: a notice that such copying is by permission of Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.; an acknowledgment of the authors and individual contributions to the work; and all applicable portions of the copyright notice. Copying, reproduction, or republishing for any other purpose shall require a license with payment of fee to Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright c © Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc., 2004 201 Broadway, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 DiamondHelp: A Graphical User Interface Framework for Human-Computer Collaboration Charles Rich, Candy Sidner, Neal Lesh, Andrew Garland, Shane Booth, Markus Chimani Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories 201 Broadway Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA rich@merl.com
Improving the Reliability of Wireless Networks Using Cognitive Radios

To ensure widespread deployment and popularity, next generation wireless services will require a Quality of Service (QoS), and particularly a reliability, that is independent of the radio transmission medium. However, because of the failure-prone nature of wireless networks, providing a reliable communication link and guaranteeing a consistent QoS to users become key issues. In this tutorial, we describe the most common source of failures in wireless networks and provide a systematic failure classification procedure. Drawing from the vast literature on reliability in wireline networks, we then explain how cognitive radios can use their inherent capabilities to implement efficient prevention and recovery mechanisms to combat failures and thereby provide reliable communications and consistent QoS under all circumstances.
Repertory hypergrids: an application to clinical practice guidelines

Creation and maintenance of links in large hypermedia documents is difficult. Motivated by an application to a federal clinical practice guideline for cancer pain management, we have developed and evaluated a repertory grid-based linking scheme we call repertory hypergrids. Harnessing established knowledge acquisition techniques, the repertory hypergrid assigns each “knowledge chunk” a location in “context space”. A chunk links to another chunk if they are both close in context space. To evaluate the scheme, we conducted a protocol analysis. Six users of the guideline addressing typical cancer pain management tasks made 30 explicit links. The repertory hypergrid using a neighborhood size of 16 captures 24 of these links. With optimization, the repertory hypergrid captures 27 of the links with a neighborhood size of 13.
Interference in the Perception of Two-Population Scatterplots.

The visual system represents correlation in much the same way that it represents simple visual quantities such as density or brightness (Rensink 2014). For example, just noticeable differences (jnds) show linear behavior closely approximating Weber's law. But until recently, testing was done using only single populations of data. However, displaying two or more populations in a single graph is a common practice. Participants completed a two-condition correlation discrimination task, which was counterbalanced to control for order effects. The first condition closely resembled the original task from Rensink & Baldridge (2010); observers viewed two side-by-side scatterplots, each containing a single data population. They were instructed to select the plot with the higher correlation. The second condition had two data populations, each of a different color. As in the first condition, observers chose the higher correlation of the first (target) population, but were now required to ignore the second (distractor) population. Results from the first condition replicated earlier findings (Rensink, 2014). However, results from the second condition showed that when a distractor population was present, strong violations of Weber's law appeared. Jnds were now larger overall, and deviated from the linear pattern most when the correlations of target and distractor populations were the same. This suggests that the perception of correlation in scatterplots with two populations differs from the process underlying the perception a single population. These findings also stand in contrast to assertions that color feature selection, even with distinct colors, aids tasks such as visual search and target discrimination. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015.
The SMC complexes, DNA and chromosome topology: right or knot?

Topology is the study of geometric properties that are preserved during bending, twisting and stretching of objects. In the context of the genome, topology is discussed at two interconnected and overlapping levels. The first focuses the DNA double helix itself, and includes alterations such as those triggered by DNA interacting proteins, processes which require the separation of the two DNA strands and DNA knotting. The second level is centered on the higher order organization of DNA into chromosomes, as well as dynamic conformational changes that occur on a chromosomal scale. Here, we refer to the first level as “DNA topology”, the second as “chromosome topology”. Since their identification, evidences suggesting that the so called structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) protein complexes are central to the interplay between DNA and chromosome topology have accumulated. The SMC complexes regulate replication, segregation, repair and transcription, all processes which influence, and are influenced by, DNA and chromosome topology. This review focuses on the details of the relationship between the SMC complexes and topology. It also discusses the possibility that the SMC complexes are united by a capability to sense the geometrical chirality of DNA crossings.
On the workspace of suspended cable-driven parallel robots

Workspace calculation for cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) differs from the one for robots with rigid legs as the main limiting factor is the satisfaction of the mechanical equilibrium, being given a model for the cable behavior. We are considering here 6-dof CDPR with n ≥ 6 cables and are investigating the calculation of horizontal cross-sections of the workspace under the assumption that the orientation of the platform is constant. We show that for non deformable or elastic mass-less cables it is possible to calculate the border of the workspace under the constraints τmin ≤ τ ≤ τmax where τ is the cable tension and τmin, τmax are constant thresholds. For sagging cables the calculation is much more complex: we present however a preliminary, computer intensive algorithm that allow to obtain an approximation of the cross-section as a set of boxes. We also emphasize that for CDPR the definition of the workspace as the set of poses that can be reached has to be considered stricto sensu and cannot be used for other purpose: for example the inclusion of a trajectory in the workspace is not a proof of the feasibility of this trajectory.
Risk Taking in Financial Decisions as a Function of Age, Gender: Mediating Role of Loss Aversion and Regret

The present study investigated how age and gender affect risk taking ability of the investors in their financial decisions through psychological biases such as loss aversion and regret. A total of 450 investors (372 Males, 93 Females) of two age groups (25-40 years and 41-55 years) from northern part of India participated in the study. Conceptual framework was formulated and tested using AMOS 20 to understand the relationship of age, gender and risk taking ability through loss aversion and regret. The results supported our proposed hypotheses. Main results have confirmed the proposed model of analysis, pointing that the impact of age, gender on risk taking ability operates through behavioral biases (loss aversion and regret) of the investors.
Overcoming Alpha-Beta Limitations Using Evolved Artificial Neural Networks

In order to give the computer the ability to play against human opponents, one could utilize the Alpha-Beta algorithm. However, this algorithm has several limitations restricting its playing capabilities. Over the years, many variants of this algorithm were developed, among them a couple that make use of neural networks: a neural network to focus the search in the game tree, and a neural network trained without expert knowledge that substitutes the heuristic function in the Alpha-Beta algorithm. In this paper the weaknesses of the Alpha-Beta algorithm are reviewed alongside its variants that use neural networks. It is explained how each approach overcomes different limitations of the Alpha-Beta algorithm, and an attempt to overcome its weaknesses by the use of a combination of the neural network algorithms is presented. The proposed hybrid algorithm, which was developed using Evolutionary Strategies, still keeps the advantages of each of the individual neural algorithms, and shows a significant improvement in play against them.
Associations between Siblings' Differential Family Experiences and Differences in Psychological Adjustment

The goal of this paper was to further our understanding of adolescents’ adjustment by studying multiple components of siblings’ unique family environments using the difference score methodology. Self-report data about marital conflict, parent-child hostility and adolescents’ adjustment were obtained from 114 sibling pairs (mean ages = 14 and 16 years) and their parents. Results indicated that adolescents who had higher appraisals of self-blame for marital conflict than their siblings also had more hostile parent-child relationships than their siblings. In addition, siblings’ differential experiences of their family environments were associated with differences in siblings’ externalizing, but not internalizing, problems. When considered together, differences in parent-child hostility, appraisals of self-blame and exposure to marital conflict predicted independent variance in differences in siblings’ externalizing problems. Results are discussed in the context of using difference scores as a method to study siblings’ unique experiences.
Regularized Zero-Forcing for Multiantenna Broadcast Channels with User Selection

A multiantenna multiuser broadcast channel with transmitter beamforming and user selection is considered. Different from the conventional works, we consider imperfect channel state information (CSI) which is a practical scenario for multiuser broadcast channels. We propose a robust regularized zero-forcing (RRZF) beamforming at the base station. Then we show that the RRZF outperforms zero-forcing (ZF) and regularized ZF (RZF) beamforming even as the number of users grows to infinity. Simulation results validate the advantage of the proposed robust RZF beamforming.
The Co-Occurrence of Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence: A Comparison of Dual-Problem Men in Substance Abuse Treatment and in a Court-Ordered Batterer Program

Substance abuse and domestic violence tend to co-occur in about half of the men seen in either substance abuse treatment or batterer intervention programs. The existence of so many dual-problem men suggests that screening for co-occurring problems should occur in all settings serving either substance abusers or batterers, but this is not the case. This study sampled 49 men in treatment at a publicly funded substance abuse treatment center who self-reported battering and 84 men adjudicated for battering who met eligibility criteria for substance abuse. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test hypotheses that dual-problem men in substance abuse treatment would show significantly greater levels of substance abuse behavior than dual-problem men in batterer intervention, but that no differences in domestic violence would be found between the 2 groups. Both hypotheses were supported. Implications for social work practice, including the need for collaboration across fields, universal screening for both.
Exploring the Planet of the APEs: a Comparative Study of State-of-the-art Methods for MT Automatic Post-Editing

Downstream processing of machine translation (MT) output promises to be a solution to improve translation quality, especially when the MT system’s internal decoding process is not accessible. Both rule-based and statistical automatic postediting (APE) methods have been proposed over the years, but with contrasting results. A missing aspect in previous evaluations is the assessment of different methods: i) under comparable conditions, and ii) on different language pairs featuring variable levels of MT quality. Focusing on statistical APE methods (more portable across languages), we propose the first systematic analysis of two approaches. To understand their potential, we compare them in the same conditions over six language pairs having English as source. Our results evidence consistent improvements on all language pairs, a relation between the extent of the gain and MT output quality, slight but statistically significant performance differences between the two methods, and their possible complementarity.
A cademic N etwork Ex plorer : Making Sense of Your Research through Interaction

Literature reading is a necessary but never easy task for researchers, especially for beginners of academia or in time limited circumstances. To make sense of literature, researchers need not only to read papers, but also to understand their context such as the authors who wrote them, where they are published and what are their impact on certain research areas. I propose a visualization system to explore and make sense of local academic network. The system, which I call Academic Network Explorer (ANEX), allows users browse and explore multiple objects like papers and authors around a seed, and also understand the relationships between these objects. ANEX is implemented with modern web based technology using a dataset of million of academic papers and authors, but ANEX is also suitable for other scholarly dataset with the same kind of information.
GENETIC CONSTRAINTS ON THE INDEPENDENT EVOLUTION OF MALE AND FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERS IN THE TRISTYLOUS PLANT LYTHRUM SALICARIA

Here we test whether the potential exists for the independent evolution of allocation to male, female, and attractive functions within a flower. We employed half‐sib and parent‐offspring regression methods in the tristylous plant Lythrum salicaria to determine whether there is additive genetic variation for characters important to male and female reproductive success and whether genetic correlations could constrain the independent evolution of male and female function. Although significance levels were not consistent among morph types or between populations, there were significant narrow‐sense heritabilities for several traits including stamen mass, pistil mass, perianth mass, petal length, and calyx length. Traits that might be under strong stabilizing selection to promote specific pollen transfer, such as stamen and style lengths, had little heritable variation. In the majority of cases in which heritable variation was present, there were positive genetic correlations among floral traits. A strong positive genetic correlation appeared between stamen and pistil mass in the short‐styled morph from one of the populations studied. This suggests that selection might not be able to act independently on biomass allocation to male and female flower parts. No evidence of negative genetic correlations appeared that would suggest trade‐offs and that could augment a selection response towards sexual specialization. The observed positive correlations could be explained if we consider the “functional architecture” that underlies the covariance structure. If there is more covariance generated by pleiotropic loci controlling overall flower size than at loci controlling male versus female allocation, it could result in the observed positive covariance. At the phenotypic level, we did find significant negative partial correlations between male and female traits when flower size was controlled, but these trade‐offs were among rather than within morphs.
A Novel Position-based Multi-hop Broadcast Protocol for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) are considered as a promising scheme to actively guarantee vehicle safety, and broadcast is a key technology for warning message dissemination in VANETs. This paper proposes a novel Position-based Multi-hop Broadcast (PMB) protocol for VANETs in view of some shortcomings of existing broadcast protocols for VANETs, such as ignoring the differences of transmission range among different nodes (vehicles), and disseminating warning messages only with the help of nodes in the one-way lane, PMB calculates waiting time to select the rebroadcast nodes based on additional coverage area of adjacent nodes considering the transmission ranges of nodes together with the inter-vehicle spacing, to guarantee less nodes used to rebroadcast warning packets. Besides, it guarantees the reliability of warning message dissemination by adopting the alternative answering mechanism named implicit ACK and explicit ACK adaptively and rebroadcast packets based on nodes in the two-way lane. The simulation results show that PMB outperforms existing broadcast protocols for warning message dissemination in VANETs in terms of suppression of broadcast redundancy, real-time performance and reliability even if all nodes have different transmission ranges.
MLH1 Promoter Methylation Frequency in Colorectal Cancer Patients and Related Clinicopathological and Molecular Features

Purpose To describe the frequency of MLH1 promoter methylation in colorectal cancer (CRC); to explore the associations between MLH1 promoter methylation and clinicopathological and molecular factors using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods A literature search of the PubMed and Embase databases was conducted to identify relevant articles published up to September 7, 2012 that described the frequency of MLH1 promoter methylation or its associations with clinicopathological and molecular factors in CRC. The pooled frequency, odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Results The pooled frequency of MLH1 promoter methylation in unselected CRC was 20.3% (95% CI: 16.8–24.1%). They were 18.7% (95% CI: 14.7–23.6%) and 16.4% (95% CI: 11.9–22.0%) in sporadic and Lynch syndrome (LS) CRC, respectively. Significant associations were observed between MLH1 promoter methylation and gender (pooled OR = 1.641, 95% CI: 1.215–2.215; P = 0.001), tumor location (pooled OR = 3.804, 95% CI: 2.715–5.329; P<0.001), tumor differentiation (pooled OR = 2.131, 95% CI: 1.464–3.102; P<0.001), MSI (OR: 27.096, 95% CI: 13.717–53.526; P<0.001). Significant associations were also observed between MLH1 promoter methylation and MLH1 protein expression, BRAF mutation (OR = 14.919 (95% CI: 6.427–34.631; P<0.001) and 9.419 (95% CI: 2.613–33.953; P = 0.001), respectively). Conclusion The frequency of MLH1 promoter methylation in unselected CRC was 20.3%. They were 18.7% in sporadic CRC and 16.4% in LS CRC, respectively. MLH1 promoter methylation may be significantly associated with gender, tumor location, tumor differentiation, MSI, MLH1 protein expression, and BRAF mutation.
Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine Dovepress Injuries and Disorders among Young Ice Skaters: Relationship with Generalized Joint Laxity and Tightness

This study retrospectively investigated 192 teenage speed and figure skaters with prior injuries documented by an athletes' questionnaire, who underwent a physical examination to assess their muscle tightness and generalized joint laxity. In all athletes, the degree of muscle tightness and joint laxity were measured by a standardized physical examination. A descriptive report of the types of injuries showed a predominance of fractures, ligament injuries, enthesitis, and lower back pain. Approximately 5% of all skaters tested positive for tightness, while 25.8% of figure skaters and 15.2% of speed skaters had generalized ligamentous laxity. Statistical testing showed an association between ankle sprains and muscle tightness, and an association between knee enthesitis and muscle tightness in skating athletes. There was also an association between lower back pain and generalized joint laxity, which held true only for the male skaters.
Zoledronate‐induced remission of acute panmyelosis with myelofibrosis

Abstract: Acute panmyelosis with myelofibrosis is a rare and aggressive form of acute myeloid leukemia. We describe a new case with a huge proliferation of megakaryocytes, blast cells and reticulin fibers. The patient was treated with zoledronate, a third‐generation bisphosphonate, and a gradual recovery from pancytopenia was observed. A new bone marrow biopsy performed 4 months later showed a surprising disappearance of the leukemic infiltration. Ten months after the diagnosis, the patient is still in healthy condition. This may support the recently described anti‐tumor activity of zoledronate.
A Philosophical Testament

Gadfly, heretic, persuasive expositor, and illuminating teacher, Marjorie Grene has been writing about philosophical issues and influencing philosophical debate since the 1930s. In this unrepentant and provocative essay, Grene brings together some of the themes in philosophy, biology, and other disciplines which have influenced her other work, together with recollections of her contacts with some of the thinkers and ideas which have most impressed her.