Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Applying SEP's latest tricks to the multiple suppression problem

Two methods for suppressing multiples are proposed. In the first, multiple suppression is expressed as a signal to noise separation problem. The problem is solved in the time domain using space-varying Prediction Error Filters (PEFs). The second method shows how greater separation between primaries and multiples can be obtained by velocity space inversion using a Huber functional rather than the standard L2 functional. Early results of both methods are encouraging.
Cervical epidural anaesthesia in carotid artery surgery

The successful anaesthetic management using a cervical epidural technique is reported in three patients undergoing carotid artery surgery. Adequate analgesia was obtained in all cases and the adequacy of cerebral blood flow was easily judged by the patient's state of consciousness. Cervical epidural anaesthesia could be a safe and reasonable technique for the management of patients who need carotid artery surgery.
Can Social Systems Be Autopoietic? Assessing Luhmann's Social Theory

The theory of autopoiesis, that is systems that are self-producing or self-constructing, was originally developed to explain the particular nature of living as opposed to non-living entities. It was subsequently enlarged to encompass cognition and language leading to what is known as second-order cybernetics. However, as with earlier biological theories, many authors have tried to extend the domain of the theory to encompass social systems, the most notable being Luhmann. The purpose of this article is to consider critically the extent to which the theory of autopoiesis, as originally defined, can be applied to social systems – that is, whether social systems are autopoietic. And, if it cannot, whether some weaker version might be appropriate.
Asociación Española Para La Inteligencia Artificial España Time Series Classification by Boosting Interval Based Literals *

A supervised classification method for temporal series, even multivariate, is presented. It is based on boosting very simple classifiers: clauses with one literal in the body. The background predicates are based on temporal intervals. Two types of predicates are used: i) relative predicates, such as " increases " and " stays " , and ii) region predicates, such as " always " and " sometime " , which operate over regions in the dominion of the variable. Experiments on different data sets, several of them obtained from the UCI repositories, show that the proposed method is highly competitive with previous approaches.
Selecting Materialized Views based on Genetic Algorithm

As the data sets increase in data warehouse day by day, the cost used for OLAP operations becomes extremely high. One of the most effective ways to solve this problem is to build appropriate materialized views in the data warehouse. In order to select the appropriate views to be materialized with the possible minimized cost, we propose a novel approach to the materialized view selection problem based on a genetic algorithm. Experimental results show that the optimal solution for selecting materialized views can be obtained effectively using the approach presented.
A dual (IP4/IPv6) "durable storage" commercial service

In this article we describe a commercial service that will use distributed resources, such as storage or bandwidth, in a cooperative effort. We name this service "durable storage". This service is able to guarantee the existence of the data it contains in "any circumstance" at "any time". Although the solution is based on a P2P paradigm, we use a centralized approach that matches the commercial side of the service. We have designed the system with anonymity, confidentiality and security in mind. The ISP, or service provider, will not only assure several of the main junctions, such as authentication or directory maintenance, but constitutes as well the only billing point for every user. We describe the architecture or the service and the implementation of the prototype which is a dual stack IPv4/IPv6 application. Finally we point out that the solution is not only IPv6 compatible, but it could clearly benefit from an IPv6 only version.
Slavery, Freedom, and Culture among Early American Workers

Covering a chronological span from the seventeenth century to the Civil War, the book reunites black and labor history, including such major topics as the formation of slavery in the North, the American Revolution, blacks and the Workingmen's Movement, and interracial marriage before the Civil War. This book provides fascinating reading for students of American history, labor history, urban history, and black history.
Data collection and analysis of smartphone use and sleep of secondary school children

Sleeping hour and quality have been considered a key factor to human physical and mental health. Excessive smartphone use can affect the sleep performance of adolescents. This paper designed a measurement experiment system and first data analysis on the relationship between the smartphone use patterns and times to bed, wake up, and spent in bed, using MI band activity tracker and SAMS Android application. We collected and analyzed 23 first-year secondary school children for 8 weeks The results show the main use time of smartphone, defined ‘centroid time’ can have significant effects on sleep time shortage, lateness of sleep, and sleep quality, implying the late use of smartphone use effects much on sleep quality.
Određivanje bilateralne asimetrije u mamografskim slikama

Sažetak Karcinom dojke najčešći je oblik karcinoma kod žena. Rana detekcija i dijagnoza karcinoma dojke omogućene mamografskim pregledima omogućuju pravovremeno liječenje i povećavaju mogućnosti potpunog izlječenja. Kako bi se radiolozima pomoglo u donošenju ispravne i pravovremene dijagnoze razvijaju se računalni programi koji analiziraju mamografske slike te detektiraju promjene u dojkama. Jedna od promjena koje upućuju na postojanje karcinoma u ranim stadijima njegovog razvoja je bilateralna asimetrija, tj. asimetrija tkiva lijeve i desne dojke. U ovom radu prikazani su algoritmi razvijeni za određivanje bilateralne asimetrije. Navedeni su algoritmi za poravnanje mamografske slike lijeve i desne dojke koji u nekim slučajevima predstavljaju prvi korak u postupku određivanja bilateralne asimetrije. Prikazane su metode za usporedbu mamografske slike lijeve i desne dojke i njihovih značajki što čini osnovni dio svakog sustava za određivanje bilateralne asimetrije.
Scrutinising NICE: The impact of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Guidelines on the provision of counselling and psychotherapy in primary care in the UK

This article explores the key assumptions that underpin the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) approach to guideline development and describes how those assumptions have led to the current reduction in the range of available therapies in primary care. This reduction, it is argued, conflicts with the government's recent commitment to increase patient choice. It is suggested that we are witnessing a paradigm war between those who seek to treat psychotherapy and counselling as if it was a drug and those who regard it fundamentally as a dialogue. Further, it is contended that though NICE may acknowledge the serious debates concerning the relevance and appropriateness of its approach, by subjecting issues of mental well-being to a biomedical model of research it is effectively ignoring those debates. NICE's process is deconstructed and areas of contradiction and ambiguity within NICE's own work are highlighted. The case is made for NICE to move beyond its use of strict diagnostic categories and follow the lead of the American Psychological Association (APA) in adopting a pluralistic approach to psychotherapeutic and counselling research evidence.
Management of diabetic complications through fruit flavonoids as a natural remedy

ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus is a global disorder, and a major issue for health care systems. The current review outlooks the use of fruit flavonoids as natural remedy in the prevention of diabetes mellitus. The onset of diabetes mainly depends upon genetics and lifestyle issues. Currently used therapeutic options for the control of diabetes, like dietary amendments, oral hypoglycemic drugs, and insulin, have their own limitations. Fruit flavonoids possess various antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant potentials and act on various cellular signaling pathways in pancreas, white adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and liver function, which in result induces antidiabetic effects. Recently, antidiabetic effect of fruit flavonoids has been studied using various animal models and clinical trials. Research studies revealed a statistically significant potential of fruit flavonoids in managing the altered glucose and oxidative metabolisms in diabetes. Unlike synthetic antidiabetic agents, fruit flavonoids manage diabetes without compromising cellular homeostasis thereby posing no side effects. Further studies are required in purification and characterization of different fruit flavonoids with respect to their beneficial effect for diabetic patients.
“Not the ‘Grim Reaper Service’”: An Assessment of Provider Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions Regarding Palliative Care Referral Barriers in Heart Failure

Background Although similar to cancer patients regarding symptom burden and prognosis, patients with heart failure (HF) tend to receive palliative care far less frequently. We sought to explore factors perceived by cardiology, primary care, and palliative care providers to impede palliative care referral for HF patients. Methods and Results We conducted semistructured interviews regarding (1) perceived needs of patients with advanced HF; (2) knowledge, attitudes, and experiences with specialist palliative care; (3) perceived indications for and optimal timing of palliative care referral in HF; and (4) perceived barriers to palliative care referral. Two investigators analyzed data using template analysis, a qualitative technique. We interviewed 18 physician, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant providers from 3 specialties: cardiology, primary care, and palliative care. Providers had limited knowledge regarding what palliative care is, and how it can complement traditional HF therapy to decrease HF‐related suffering. Interviews identified several potential barriers: the unpredictable course of HF; lack of clear referral triggers across the HF trajectory; and ambiguity regarding what differentiates standard HF therapy from palliative care. Nevertheless, providers expressed interest for integrating palliative care into traditional HF care, but were unsure of how to initiate collaboration. Conclusions Palliative care referral for HF patients may be suboptimal due to limited provider knowledge and misperceptions of palliative care as a service reserved for those near death. These factors represent potentially modifiable targets for provider education, which may help to improve palliative care referral for HF patients with unresolved disease‐related burden.
Fasting Indicators of Insulin Sensitivity: Effects of Ethnicity and Pubertal Status

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship of fasting indicators of insulin sensitivity with a more invasive measure of insulin sensitivity (frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test [FSIVGTT]) and the effect of Tanner stage and ethnicity on that relationship. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data were analyzed from 149 overweight girls (97 Hispanic and 52 African American) who were either in the early stages of maturation defined by Tanner stages 1 or 2 (52 Hispanic and 18 African American) or in the later stages of maturation defined by Tanner stages 4 and 5 (45 Hispanic and 34 African American). Fasting indicators of insulin sensitivity (IS) included fasting insulin and glucose and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). IS was derived from an FSIVGTT with minimal modeling. RESULTS In Tanner stages 1 and 2, all fasting indicators were significantly associated with IS: (fasting insulin: r = −0.67, P < 0.01; HOMA: r = −0.66, P < 0.01) with no significant influence of ethnicity on these relationships. In Tanner stages 4 and 5, however, all fasting indicators were associated with IS in African American girls (fasting insulin: r = −0.55, P < 0.01; HOMA: r = −0.47, P < 0.01), but none of the indicators were significantly associated with IS in Hispanic girls. CONCLUSIONS Fasting indicators were reflective of IS for girls in Tanner stages 1 and 2, regardless of ethnicity and may provide a clinical measure of future risk for type 2 diabetes. In the latter stages of maturation, however, more invasive measures are warranted to adequately determine IS in clinical practice.
Identification of replication origins in prokaryotic genomes

The availability of hundreds of complete bacterial genomes has created new challenges and simultaneously opportunities for bioinformatics. In the area of statistical analysis of genomic sequences, the studies of nucleotide compositional bias and gene bias between strands and replichores paved way to the development of tools for prediction of bacterial replication origins. Only a few (about 20) origin regions for eubacteria and archaea have been proven experimentally. One reason for that may be that this is now considered as an essentially bioinformatics problem, where predictions are sufficiently reliable not to run labor-intensive experiments, unless specifically needed. Here we describe the main existing approaches to the identification of replication origin (oriC) and termination (terC) loci in prokaryotic chromosomes and characterize a number of computational tools based on various skew types and other types of evidence. We also classify the eubacterial and archaeal chromosomes by predictability of their replication origins using skew plots. Finally, we discuss possible combined approaches to the identification of the oriC sites that may be used to improve the prediction tools, in particular, the analysis of DnaA binding sites using the comparative genomic methods.
Temperature dependence of water content of stratum corneum

The water content of human stratum corneum has been measured gravimetrically in vitro in relation to relative humidity (RH) and temperature. Water content increased with increasing RH. Stratum corneum water content increased 50% when the temperature was raised from 20 to 35°C at RH below 60%. Temperature dependence decreased with increasing RH until there was essentially no temperature dependence at 90% RH. The conclusion is that temperature changes could significantly affect water content in vivo and pliability of skin at RH below 60%.
Risk of Prostate Cancer in Lynch Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

It has been controversial that men carrying a DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutation (Lynch syndrome) are at heightened risk of prostate cancer given that an increased risk is likely to be modest and the prevalence of prostate cancer is high. We used PubMed to search for “molecular studies” that reported MMR-deficiency status of prostate cancer tumors in men with an MMR gene mutation, and “risk studies” that reported prostate cancer risk for men known or suspected to have an MMR gene mutation relative to that for noncarriers or the general population. Of the six molecular studies, 32 of 44 [73%, 95% confidence intervals (CI), 57%–85%] prostate cancer tumors in carriers were MMR deficient, which equates to carriers having a 3.67-fold increased risk of prostate cancer (95% CI, 2.32–6.67). Of the 12 risk studies, we estimated a 2.13-fold increased risk of prostate cancer (95% CI, 1.45–2.80) for male carriers in clinic-based retrospective cohorts, 2.11 (95% CI, 1.27–2.95) for male carriers with a prior diagnosis of colorectal cancer, and 2.28 (95% CI, 1.37–3.19) for all men from mutation-carrying families. The combination of evidence from molecular and risk studies in the current literature supports consideration of prostate cancer as part of Lynch syndrome. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(3); 437–49. ©2014 AACR.
Effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on platelet recovery in patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

BACKGROUND A relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) has previously been reported. We determined the prevalence of H pylori infection in Japanese patients with chronic ITP and the effect of its eradication on platelet count. METHODS The study population comprised 53 Japanese adults with chronic ITP and a platelet count of less than 100 x 10(3)/ micro L. A (13)C-urea breath test was performed to determine H pylori infection status. Those patients who were H pylori positive gave written informed consent and received eradication therapy. The effect of H pylori eradication on platelet count was evaluated up to 6 months after therapy. Clinical parameters were compared between responders to the therapy (increase in platelet count) and nonresponders, as well as between H pylori-positive and -negative patients. RESULTS Of the 53 patients with chronic ITP in the study, 39 (74%) were H pylori positive. Of the 32 infected patients who received treatment, H pylori was successfully eradicated in 27 patients (84%). In 10 (37%) of these patients, this resulted in a favorable platelet response. A partial response was seen in 5 additional patients (19%). A significant (P<.001) increase in platelet count was demonstrated in patients in whom H pylori was successfully eradicated but not in patients who were unsuccessfully treated or in untreated patients. Current corticosteroid therapy was reported more often in nonresponders than in responders. CONCLUSION Eradication of H pylori may prove effective in increasing platelet count in H pylori-positive patients with chronic ITP.
Algorithm-level Optimization for Real-time H.264/AVC Encoder

The H.264 standard achieves higher compression efficiency than previous video coding standards with the rate-distortion optimized (RDO) method for mode decision. The outstanding coding performance of H.264, however, comes at the cost of significantly increased complexity. In this paper, we present algorithm-level optimization methods: input parameter selection, fast inter-mode decision, and efficient combination of motion estimation and mode decision. Simulation results show that our optimized H.264 encoder achieves realtime encoding for video graphics array (VGA) and extended graphics array (XGA) on a commercial personal computer without introducing serious quality degradations.
Leakage power reduction by dual-Vth designs under probabilistic analysis of Vth variation

Low-power circuits are especially sensitive to the increasing levels of process variability and uncertainty. In this paper we study the problem of leakage power minimization through dual Vth design techniques in the presence of significant Vth variation. For the first time we consider the optimal selection of Vth under a statistical model of threshold variation. Probabilistic analytical models are introduced to account for the impact of Vth uncertainty on leakage power and timing slack. Using this model, we show that the non-probabilistic analysis significantly (by 3/spl times/) underestimates the leakage power. We also show that in the presence of variability the optimal value of the second Vth must be about 30mV higher compared to the variation-free scenario. In addition, this model provides a way to compute the optimal value of the second Vth for a variety of process conditions.
Interplay between Subthreshold Oscillations and Depressing Synapses in Single Neurons

In this paper we analyze the interplay between the subthreshold oscillations of a single neuron conductance-based model and the short-term plasticity of a dynamic synapse with a depressing mechanism. In previous research, the computational properties of subthreshold oscillations and dynamic synapses have been studied separately. Our results show that dynamic synapses can influence different aspects of the dynamics of neuronal subthreshold oscillations. Factors such as maximum hyperpolarization level, oscillation amplitude and frequency or the resulting firing threshold are modulated by synaptic depression, which can even make subthreshold oscillations disappear. This influence reshapes the postsynaptic neuron’s resonant properties arising from subthreshold oscillations and leads to specific input/output relations. We also study the neuron’s response to another simultaneous input in the context of this modulation, and show a distinct contextual processing as a function of the depression, in particular for detection of signals through weak synapses. Intrinsic oscillations dynamics can be combined with the characteristic time scale of the modulatory input received by a dynamic synapse to build cost-effective cell/channel-specific information discrimination mechanisms, beyond simple resonances. In this regard, we discuss the functional implications of synaptic depression modulation on intrinsic subthreshold dynamics.
Parental Provision of Early Literacy Environment as Related to Reading and Educational Outcomes Across the Academic Lifespan

SYNOPSIS Objective. The quantity of time mothers read to their young children and the print environment in their homes were examined for their relations to reading achievement and intrinsic motivation across the school years and to educational attainment in adulthood. Design. Data from the 28-year Fullerton Longitudinal Study were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results. Controlling for mothers’ education and the direct relation between mothers’ and children’s education at comparable chronological ages, time invested in reading to young children, rather than the print environment per se, related to reading achievement and motivation, which in turn related to educational attainment. Conclusion. The specific experience of being read to during the early years has long-term educational benefits that traverse the academic lifespan.
Can There Ever Be a Non‐Specific Adaptation? A Response to Simon J. Hampton

Recently Hampton (2004) has argued that natural selection could have equipped the human mind with a set of adaptations for nothing in particular. In this way Hampton challenges the current orthodoxy of Evolutionary Psychology, which claims the mind is a collection of domain-specific cognitive mechanisms. This paper outlines the core of Hampton’s thesis as well as the key commitments of Evolutionary Psychology. This is followed by a discussion of the principal levers of Hampton’s argument, which are the problems of uncertain futures and of social novelty. Both of these problems pertain to flexibility in the face of new inputs, and Hampton claims that our ability to deal with such situations is indicative of an underdetermined, yet evolved, cognitive architecture. This paper rejects these problems on the grounds that they are misconstrued; a system that can process an input can only do so if it is prepared to do so, therefore true novelty would defeat an organism. This rejection is more formally expressed in terms of information theory, and the various consequences of this conception are drawn out. The paper concludes with some comments about the appropriate grain of analysis for evolutionary theory within the behavioural sciences.
Quantitative 13C NMR Characterization of Lignin 1. A Methodology for High Precision

It was established that various peak ratios in C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of an acetylated milled wood lignin can be measured with a precision within ± 3% for large samples (700 mg) in 6 hour runs, and a precision within ± 10% for l hour runs, For small samples (70 mg), a precision of ± 10% required 22 hour runs. This was accomplished by using spectral widths (SW) about three times larger than the minimum required for the lignin resonances, and 45° tip angles rather than more typical SW and 90° tip angles, and by the use of an improved Integration methodology.