Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Passivity Analysis of Neural Networks With Time Delay

The passivity conditions for delayed neural networks (DNNs) are considered in this paper. We firstly derive the passivity condition for DNNs without uncertainties, and then extend the result to the case with time-varying parametric uncertainties. The proposed approach is based on a Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional construction. The passivity conditions are presented in terms of linear matrix inequalities, which can be easily solved by using the effective interior-point algorithm. Numerical examples are also given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Predictors of successful percutaneous coronary intervention in chronic total coronary occlusions

Introduction Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of chronic total coronary occlusions (CTOs) is one of the most challenging procedures of interventional cardiology and is associated with increased risk of significant complications. However, debate continues in regard to which factors adversely influence the success rate of PCI and whether the benefits of revascularization of CTO outweigh the risks and challenges. Aim To analyze the relationship between lesion characteristics and overall success rates as well as in-hospital outcomes after PCI for CTO. Material and methods We retrospectively examined the procedural outcomes of 173 consecutive native coronary artery CTO PCIs performed from February 2012 to March 2013 (78% men; mean age: 60.3 ±12.1 years). Results The CTO target vessel was the right coronary artery (53.8%), circumflex (10.4%) and left anterior descending artery (35.8%), respectively. The retrograde approach was used in 13.9% of all procedures. Successful revascularization was achieved in 83.2% of patients. Major complications occurred in 13.3% of patients. In multivariate analysis, bridge collaterals, severe calcification and tortuosity as well as tandem occlusions were independent predictors of procedural failure, whereas existence of micro-channels was the only predictor of procedural success. Conclusions Revascularization of coronary CTOs may be performed with high success and low major complication rates. Bridge collaterals, severe calcification and tortuosity, tandem/multiple occlusions and micro-channels were independent predictors of successful CTO revascularization.
Effects of Sudden and Dramatic Events on Travel Desire and Risk Judgments

This paper reports results from two quasi experiments and one field experiment. The first study was performed before and during the Iraq war (Spring 2003), applying a within-subjects design. Participants rated their desire to undertake trips to various destinations and they estimated risks linked to these destinations and trips. The preferences were subjected to factor analysis, yielding 12 various holiday forms. Study 2 was conducted before and after the terror attacks in Madrid (Spring 2004), applying a within-subjects design and addressing the same issues as in the first study. The third study used a between-subjects design, and focused on risk judgments in tourists to Mallorca before and after the terror attacks in London (July 2005). Results from Study 1 indicated that the desire to travel decreased during the initial stages of the Iraq war. It was observed that risk judgments for various holiday forms remained unchanged. Results from Study 2 indicated that desire to travel and subjective risk judgments for various holiday forms did not change following the terrorist bombs in Madrid, but that Madrid was judged to be more risky following the terror. Results from Study 3 indicated that the terror bombs in London had no effect on risk judgments for various holiday forms, but that the events resulted in higher judgments for specific destinations such as for example London. Interestingly, retrospectively respondents in both Study 2 and Study 3 judged the world as such as well as tourist destinations to have become more risky and less safe since the “War on terror” was launched.
Is a home-care network necessary to access the Medicare hospice benefit?

OBJECTIVE To test whether the presence of an informal or formal care network in the home leads to different hospice utilization patterns near death. To examine how the informal care relationship affects hospice use patterns. DATA SOURCES Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS), 1997-2001. STUDY DESIGN Using logistic regression and ordinary least squares, we examine the association between a person's in-home network of care and the use of Medicare hospice services in the last year of life. We also examine whether the care-dyad relationship is associated with different hospice use patterns. DATA EXTRACTION All individuals in the MCBS who lived at home at the time of the interview and who died between 1998 and 2001, 1404 persons. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS People receiving formal home care had a much higher chance of enrolling in hospice prior to death. Informal care did not influence the likelihood of hospice but was associated with longer use among hospice users. Daughter caregivers increased the likelihood and duration of hospice use whereas sons significantly decreased the likelihood. CONCLUSIONS Because formal care is associated with increased use of hospice, future work should examine whether patients without an in-home network faced access barriers. Caregiver relationships had large effects on length of hospice stays, yet we do not know whether changes moved a patient closer to or further away from their optimum use of the benefit.
The Role of Family Communication in Consumer Socialization of Children and Adolescents

While studies of communication effects on consumer behavior of the young have focused mainly on the effects of mass media (advertising in particular), little research has examined the effects of interpersonal communication. One finds relatively little theoretical and empirical work regarding the role of interpersonal communication in the development of consumer behavior of young people. This article deals with one important type of interpersonal communication—family communication. It conceptualizes the family communication processes and effects, reviews literature regarding the role of family communication in consumer learning of children and adolescents, develops a set of propositions on the basis of theory research, and suggests directions for future research.
Intestinal polyparasitism in a rural Kenyan community.

BACKGROUND Polyparasitism seems to be a common feature in human populations in sub-Saharan Africa. However, very little is known about its epidemiological significance, its long term impact on human health or the types of interactions that occur between the different parasite species involved. OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence and co-occurrence of intestinal parasites in a rural community in the Kibwezi, Makueni district, Kenya. DESIGN A cross sectional study. SETTING Kiteng'ei village, Kibwezi, Makueni district, between May and September 2006. SUBJECTS One thousand and forty five who comprised of 263 adult males, 271 adult females > 15 years of age and 232 boys, and 279 girls <15 years of age. INTERVENTIONS All infected members of the community were offered Praziquantel (at dosages of 40 mg/kg body weight) for Schistosomiasis and Albendazole (600 mg) for soil transmitted helminths. RESULTS A total of ten intestinal parasite species (five protozoan and five helminth parasite species) were present in this community and polyparasitsm was common in individuals 5-24 years of age with no gendar related differences. Most of the infections were mild. The protozoan parasites of public health significance present were Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia with prevalence of 12.6% and 4.2%, respectively. The helminth parasites of public health significance in the locality were Schistosoma mansoni with a prevalence of 28%, and hookworms prevalence of 10%. About 53% of the study population harboured intestinal parasite infections, with 31% of the infected population carrying single parasite species infections, and 22% harbouring two or more intestinal parasite species per individual. Significant positive associations (p values <0.05) were observed between S. mansoni and hookworms, hookworms and Hymenolepis. nana and Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba coli. CONCLUSION Intestinal polyparasitism was common in the Kiteng'ei community, particularly in individuals aged of 5-24 years old. An integrated control programme of approach would be recommended for the control of S. mansoni, hookworms and Entamoeba histolytica for this community.
Distributed Spatial Semantics

The “local semantics” approach to the analysis of the meaning of locative particles (e.g. spatial prepositions) is examined, criticized and rejected. An alternative, distributed approach to spatial relational semantics and its linguistic expression is argued for. In the first part of the paper, it is argued that spatial relational semantic information is not exclusively carried in languages such as English by the locative particle, and that “item-specific meanings plus selectional restrictions” cannot save the localist approach. In the second part of the paper, the “covertly” distributed spatial relational semantics of languages such as English is contrasted with the “overtly” distributed spatial relational semantics characterizing many other languages. Some common assumptions relating to the universality of the expression of spatial relational meaning by closed syntactic classes are criticized. A change of perspective from “local” to “distributed” semantics permits the re-analysis of polysemy and item-bound “use-type” in terms of the distributed expression of language-specific spatial relational semantic types.
CoSFuC: A Cost Sensitive Fuzzy Clustering Approach for Medical Prediction

A fuzzy clustering approach named CoSFuC was proposed in this paper for computer-aided diagnosis. Due to the predication in medical analysis was cost imbalance, and collects a large number of carefully labeled or diagnosed cases will be expensive, CoSFuC was emphasized on minimizing the misclassification cost instead of maximizing the classification accuracy, which also use the labeled and unlabeled data together to decrease the data collection burden. Experiments on eight UCI data sets (including 3 medical data sets) showed that, this method work effectively and could be used as an assistant approach for medical analysis in some circumstances.
An Empirically Based Selection and Evaluation System for Collegiate Football.

Using a content validity approach, including job analysis, a model was developed for the selection and appraisal of college football players. Evaluation instruments were developed for offensive lineman, quarterback, running back, receiver, defensive lineman, linebacker, and defensive secondary. Criterion related validity studies were then conducted by sending the evaluation instruments to a nation-wide sample of college football coaches who evaluated players at each position. Criterion data (e.g., passing and rushing performance statistics) were collected on the evaluated players. Multiple linear regression analyses conducted by position revealed numerous significant relationships between the predictor variables and the criterion measures. The usefulness of the evaluation instruments was enhanced by developing a simple and cost effective model that generated performance predictions for each position. Strengths and weaknesses of the present system were discussed as well as the role that sport management ma.
Comparison of Stress Level and HPA axis Activity of Internet Game Addiction vs. Non-addiction in Adolescents

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the stress level and HPA axis activity of an internet game addiction group and non-addiction group in adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was performed with 140 male high school students from 9 vocational high schools at W city. Data were collected from July to September, 2012, using a questionnaire for measuring internet game addiction and stress level, blood samples for serum ACTH, and cortisol level for HPA axis activity. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, -test, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient with SPSS/WIN 15.0. Results: The stress level of the internet game addicted group was significantly higher than that of the non-addicted group (p
Addressing Cultural Barriers to the Successful Use of Insulin in Hispanics with Type 2 Diabetes

Hispanics experience a higher rate of diabetes than non-Hispanic whites and tend to have worse glycemic control and a greater risk of diabetes-related complications. Once oral antidiabetic agents become insufficient, insulin plays an important role in achieving glycemic goals. However, many Hispanic patients are resistant to initiating insulin therapy or hesitant to increase doses, as necessary, to control their glucose levels. Barriers to insulin therapy include socioeconomic issues (eg, cost, insurance status), language difficulties, poor health literacy, and cultural beliefs that impact the patient-provider relationship and negatively affect patients' perceptions of diabetes and insulin. Healthcare providers can help overcome these issues and improve patient-provider communication by practicing culturally competent care. Implementation of a simple titration regimen using once-daily basal insulin may enable Hispanic patients to maintain glycemic control and improve outcomes.
Knowledge about Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A comparison of in‐service and preservice teachers

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder, yet relatively little research has assessed teachers' knowledge of this disorder or how teacher characteristics affect such knowledge. There also is a dearth of research comparing in-service and preservice teachers' knowledge about ADHD. The aims of this study were (a) to investigate the relationships between various teacher characteristics and teachers' knowledge about ADHD, and (b) to compare perceived and actual ADHD knowledge across in-service and preservice primary-school teachers. Participants included 120 primary-school teachers and 45 final-year education undergraduates who were asked to complete a questionnaire. Two of the five hypotheses were supported: (a) that knowledge would be significantly correlated with experience in teaching a child with ADHD and (b) that in-service teachers would obtain higher scores than preservice teachers on the actual knowledge (about ADHD) questionnaire. Implications stemming from this research include ensuring that teachers receive more training about ADHD and greater exposure to students with ADHD in the classroom. Overall, this study highlighted that deficits in teachers' knowledge about ADHD are common for both in-service and preservice teachers.
Teaching Leadership: The Art of the Possible

This paper presents a model course outline for an introductory course in leadership. It addresses the concept of leadership from the perspective of the liberal arts, drawing from the disciplines of history, literature, political science, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology, as well as from management studies and organizational behavior. It proceeds from a consideration of the concept of leadership to an analysis of its essential elements--leader, followers and context. The proposed course of study next turns to a consideration of the process of leadership, and an introduction to some of the skills needed to operate effectively in a leadership situation. The course ends with a discussion of the moral and ethical obligations of leadership.
In search of nonvisual motor images

Abstract Jeannerod's target article and a number of commentators stressed the necessity of distinguishing between motor representation and perceptual images. A patient with a lesion of the central somatosensory pathways allowed us to test for this distinction. The outcome suggests that motor images may not be visual and that the “pragmatic” framework proposed by Jeannerod for vision can apply to other sensory modalities.
Designing motivational features for sustainable urban mobility

This paper describes the User-Centred Design process followed within the SUPERHUB project in order to investigate requirements, elicit user feedback and refine motivational features of a mobile app fostering the adoption of sustainable behaviors for urban mobility. We report the main lessons learnt from focus groups, participatory design sessions, and low-mid fidelity prototyping of the motivational features designed. These lessons are currently informing our implementation work in SUPERHUB and could be of interest for designers in the eco-sustainability field.
Predicting popularity dynamics of online contents using data filtering methods

This paper proposes a new prediction process to explain and predicts popularity evolution of YouTube videos. We exploit prior study on the classification of YouTube videos in order to predict the evolution of videos' view-count. This classification allows to identify important factors of the observed popularity dynamics. In particular, we use this classification as filtering method allowing to identify the factors responsible for this popularity evolution. Results given by extensive experiments show that the proposed prediction process is able to reduce the average prediction errors compared to a state-of-the-art baseline model. We also evaluate the impact of adding popularity criteria in the classification.
Effect of vitamin E and beta carotene on the incidence of angina pectoris. A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of supplementation with vitamin E (alpha tocopherol), beta carotene, or both on the incidence of angina pectoris in men without known previous coronary heart disease. DESIGN Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Participants in the Alpha Tocopherol, Beta Carotene Cancer Prevention Study (N=29133) were male smokers aged 50 through 69 years who were living in southern and western Finland. Of these men, 22269 were considered free of coronary heart disease at baseline and were followed up for the incidence of angina pectoris. INTERVENTION Participants were randomized to receive 50 mg/d of alpha tocopherol, 20 mg/d of beta carotene, both, or placebo in a 2x2 design. OUTCOME MEASURES An incident case was defined as the first occurrence of typical angina pectoris identified in administering the annually repeated World Health Organization (Rose) Chest Pain Questionnaire. RESULTS During a median follow-up time of 4.7 years (96427 person-years), 1983 new cases of angina pectoris were detected. Comparing alpha tocopherol-supplemented subjects with non-alpha tocopherol-supplemented subjects showed a relative risk (RR) of angina pectoris incidence of 0.91 (95% confidence interval[CI], 0.83 to 0.99; P=.04). The RR for incidence of angina pectoris for the beta carotene- supplemented subjects compared with those not receiving beta carotene was 1.06 (95% CI, 0.97 to 1.16; P=.19). Compared with those receiving placebo, the RRs for incidence of angina pectoris were 0.97 (95% CI, 0.85 to 1.10) and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.85 to 1.09) in the alpha tocopherol and alpha tocopherol plus beta carotene groups, respectively, and 1.13 (95% CI, 1.00 to 1.27) in the beta carotene group (P=.06). Baseline dietary intakes and serum levels of alpha tocopherol and beta carotene did not predict incidence of angina pectoris. CONCLUSIONS Supplementation with alpha tocopherol was associated with only a minor decrease in the incidence of angina pectoris. Beta carotene had no preventive effect and was associated with a slight increase of angina.
Effects of knowledge about remote social events on prosocial behavior, social conception, and mood.

Conducted 4 experiments with a total of 167 undergraduates to study how knowledge of remote social events affects interpersonal behavior and perception. In each experiment Ss were exposed to a news broadcast containing either prosocial or antisocial content preselected to reflect either the "best" or "worst" aspects of human nature. In Exp I, Ss played 1 round of a nonzero-sum game, and as predicted, those exposed to a "good" newscast chose cooperatively and expected others to choose cooperatively and to have cooperative goals for the game more often than those exposed to a "bad" news broadcast. Exps II, III, and IV concerned possible mediators of this behavior. Ss who heard a good newscast, in comparison with others who heard a bad one, were more inclined to believe that a relatively high percentage of people subscribed to beliefs and values concerning the well-being of others. The effects of these same newscasts on mood, as measured by the abbreviated form of the Nowlis Mood Adjective Check List, were not significant. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)
The role of developmental plasticity in evolutionary innovation

Explaining the origins of novel traits is central to evolutionary biology. Longstanding theory suggests that developmental plasticity, the ability of an individual to modify its development in response to environmental conditions, might facilitate the evolution of novel traits. Yet whether and how such developmental flexibility promotes innovations that persist over evolutionary time remains unclear. Here, we examine three distinct ways by which developmental plasticity can promote evolutionary innovation. First, we show how the process of genetic accommodation provides a feasible and possibly common avenue by which environmentally induced phenotypes can become subject to heritable modification. Second, we posit that the developmental underpinnings of plasticity increase the degrees of freedom by which environmental and genetic factors influence ontogeny, thereby diversifying targets for evolutionary processes to act on and increasing opportunities for the construction of novel, functional and potentially adaptive phenotypes. Finally, we examine the developmental genetic architectures of environment-dependent trait expression, and highlight their specific implications for the evolutionary origin of novel traits. We critically review the empirical evidence supporting each of these processes, and propose future experiments and tests that would further illuminate the interplay between environmental factors, condition-dependent development, and the initiation and elaboration of novel phenotypes.
Towards a consistent logical framework for ontological analysis

In their framework for ontological analysis, Guarino and Weltyprovide a number of insights that are useful for guiding the designof taxonomic hierarchies. However, the formal statements of theseinsights as logical schemata are flawed in a number of ways,including inconsistent notation that makes the intended semanticsof the logic unclear, false claims of logical consequence, anddefinitions that provably result in the triviality of some of theirproperty features. This paper makes a negative contribution, bydemonstrating these flaws in a rigorous way, but also makes apositive contribution wherever possible, by identifying theunderlying intuitions that the faulty definitions were intended tocapture, and attempting to formalize those intuitions in a moreaccurate way.