Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Collective Decision Making

The focus of the article is on the dominating assumptions in theories of decision making and the relationship between decisions and change. This discussion is used to understand strategic decision making in Danish companies in which, since 1973, employees have been able to elect representatives to the board of directors. It is the authors' observation that employers and employees develop joint perspectives on the realities facing their company and also try to influence the decision from the point of view of their respective interests. To understand these processes, it is claimed that interest and identities must be treated as endogenous rather than exogenous variables, that these processes need to be understood in a social constructivist rather than a social realist paradigm, and that a relational paradigm must replace the dominant substantialist paradigm. These positions challenge dominant assumptions in traditional decision-making theory. The authors work toward formulating a decision-making theory based on a relational perspective.
Changes in prevalence and load of airway bacteria using quantitative PCR in stable and exacerbated COPD

Background Prevalence and load of airway bacteria in stable and exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been previously studied using microbiological culture. Molecular techniques, such as quantitative PCR (qPCR), may be more informative. Methods In this study, 373 sputum samples from 134 COPD outpatients were assessed for prevalence and load of typical airway bacteria (Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis) by multiplex qPCR, with 176 samples analysed for atypical bacteria. Paired stable and exacerbation typical bacteria data were compared in 52 patients. We compared routine culture with qPCR in 177/373 samples. Results Typical bacteria were more prevalent in exacerbation than stable-state paired samples: 30/52 (57.7%) vs. 14/52 (26.9%); p=0.001. In patients who were bacteria-positive at both time points, mean (±1 SEM) load was significantly higher at exacerbation than stable state (108.5(±0.3) vs. 107.2(±0.5) cfu/ml), constituting a 20-fold increase (p=0.011). qPCR was more discriminatory at detecting typical bacteria than microbiological culture (prevalence 59.3% vs. 24.3%; p<0.001). At stable state, higher airway bacterial load correlated with more severe airflow limitation (FEV1%predicted) (r=−0.299; p=0.033) and higher inhaled corticosteroid dosage (r=0.382; p=0.008). Mean C-reactive protein was higher in bacterial-associated exacerbations (35.0 Vs 25.1 mg/L; p=0.032). Conclusions Airway bacterial prevalence and load increase at COPD exacerbations and are an aetiological factor. qPCR is more discriminatory than culture, identifying higher airway bacterial prevalence. Exacerbations associated with bacterial detection showed a higher mean C-reactive protein level. In the stable state, airway bacterial load is related to more severe airflow limitation and higher inhaled corticosteroid dosage used.
Remote sensing of ecological responses to changes in the hydrological cycles of the tonle sap, Cambodia

The Tonle Sap or Great Lake of Cambodia is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, exhibiting large changes in spatial extent between the wet and dry seasons. The extensive wetlands around the Tonle Sap support a high level of biodiversity of great importance not only to the Tonle Sap but to the entire Mekong river system. Time-series of MODIS 500 m 8 day surface reflectance product imagery covering the period 2000-2005 were used to establish seasonal flooding cycles and flooding extents, and ASTER surface reflectance product was used to map vegetation distributions. Water resource use on the Mekong upstream of the Tonle Sap is reducing and moderating the monsoonal flood pulse which sustains the lake and floodplain system. This can be linked to the timing of large dam construction within the Mekong River basin. There is an urgent need to develop more effective cross-border management plans and cooperation for the water resources of the Mekong system before the unique and economically important Tonle Sap region slips into further decline.
Markov Blanket Feature Selection for Support Vector Machines

Based on Information Theory, optimal feature selection should be carried out by searching Markov blankets. In this paper, we formally analyze the current Markov blanket discovery approach for support vector machines and propose to discover Markov blankets by performing a fast heuristic Bayesian network structure learning. We give a sufficient condition that our approach will improve the performance. Two major factors that make it prohibitive for learning Bayesian networks from high-dimensional data sets are the large search space and the expensive cycle detection operations. We propose to restrict the search space by only considering the promising candidates and detect cycles using an online topological sorting method. Experimental results show that we can efficiently reduce the feature dimensionality while preserving a high degree of classification accuracy.
Lipopolysaccharide Induces Expression of Genes Encoding Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and the Elastin-Degrading Enzyme, Cathepsin S, in Human Cervical Smooth-Muscle Cells

Objective: Vaginal and amniotic infection with gram-negative bacteria is associated with preterm birth. We previously reported that human cervical smooth-muscle cells (CSMC) respond to pro-inflammatory cytokines by expressing enzymes that degrade the extracellular matrix. Our objective was to characterize the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli (E coli), Bacteroides fragilis, (B frag) and Fusobacterium nucleatum (F nac) on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the elastindegrading enzyme, cathepsin S, in human CSMC. Methods: Human CSMC were exposed to LPS and the expression of mRNAs encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines and cathepsin S, and selected matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) was analyzed by Northern blotting. The effect of cytokine-neutralizing antibodies on LPS-induced cathepsin S mRNA expression also was determined. Results: E coli LPS increased expression of cathepsin S 12.5-fold after 12 hours; MMP-1 and MMP-3 mRNAs also were increased 2.9- and 3.5-fold, respectively. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL-1)α, and IL-1β mRNAs were markedly up-regulated after 3 hours of LPS treatment. B frag and F nuc LPS also induced TNF-α and cathepsin S mRNAs. E coli LPS caused a sevenfold increase in TNF-α secretion after 5 to 8 hours. Antihuman TNF-α monoclonal antibody, but not a monoclonal antibody to the low-density lipoprotein receptor,r educed the LPS-induced increase in cathepsin S mRNA by 27%, whereas neutralizing antibodies against IL-1α and IL-1β did not suppress the response. Human CSMC were shown to express the toll-like receptor (TLR-2) and TLR-4 genes, which mediate the action of LPS. TLR-2 mRNA was up-regulated by TNF-α. Conclusion: CSMC respond to LPS with increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cathepsin S. Increases in catehpsin S mRNA result only in part from the rapid induction of TNF-α gene expression. TNF-α may also augment the CSMC response to LPS by increasing expression of the LPS signaling receptor, TLR-2, which probably directly mediates LPS action. These observations provide a mechanism by which gram-negative bacteria can precipitate cervical changes associated with pretenn birth.
Non‐furosemide‐related renal calcifications in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Renal calcification is a known complication of long‐term furosemide therapy in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). In a prospective study the clinical course and long‐term renal sequelae of renal calcifications of 19 consecutive premature neonates (birthweight < 1250 g) with bronchopulmonary dysplasia who did not receive furosemide were examined. Infants were divided into two different groups on the basis of ultrasound evidence of renal calcifications (RC group) or absence of renal calcifications (NRC group). Serial examinations, performed at the age of 1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, showed that 12 infants at the mean age of 68.5 ± 12.8 days of life had renal calcifications (63%), and 3 of them had nephrolithiasis; 8 had bilateral renal calcifications. Among the 9 survivors, 2 had chronic renal calcifications at the age of 9 months; however, all normalized at the age of 12 months. Twelve infants received hydrochlorothiazide and spironolactone (63%), 17 had prolonged courses of xanthines and dexamethasone (89.5%), while furosemide was not part of the routine pharmacological administration. Statistical analysis showed that birthweight, gestational age, Apgar score and length of parenteral nutrition were comparable in the RC and NRC group infants. Mean serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, fractional sodium excretion and urinary calcium excretion values during the 12‐month study period were comparable in the RC and NRC groups. Mechanical ventilation and hospital stay length were instead associated with renal calcification occurrence. The strongest indicator of renal calcification risk for this high‐risk population is the severity of the unresolved acute lung disease, where different facets of respiratory management, other than the addition of furosemide, represent sufficient stimuli and renal injury to potentiate stone formation.
Improving the Reliability of the Plagiarism Detection System - Lab Report for PAN at CLEF 2010

In this paper we describe our approach at the PAN 2010 plagiarism detection competition. We refer to the system we have used in PAN'09. We then present the improvements we have tried since the PAN'09 competition, and their impact on the results on the development corpus. We describe our experiments with intrinsic plagiarism detection and evaluate them. We then discuss the com- putational cost of each step of our implementation, including the performance data from two different computers.
Experiential Planning: A Practitioner's Account of Vancouver's Success

Problem: Vancouver, BC, has achieved international acclaim for its livability and compact urban form, making it one model of good planning practice. What techniques and strategies contributed to effective planning practice in the city? Purpose: This article shares stories from a prominent practitioner in Vancouver, illuminating some of the techniques and processes planners used to help develop consensus around building a socially responsible and progressive city. Methods: The article presents results from interviews with Larry Beasley, the former director of current planning with the City of Vancouver. Excerpts from the interviews illustrate his locally situated theory of planning practice. Results and conclusions: Beasley's stories of practice are not those of a heroic planner, but affirmations of basic planning principles: good processes, practical ethics, and effective organization. Beasley's model of “experiential planning” pursues good city form and function using socially just and politically responsive participatory processes. Vancouver planners helped build consensus by framing meaningful visions based on the everyday experiences and aspirations of residents. This model holds promise for further development. Takeaway for practice: As we search practitioners' success stories for strategies and outcomes to emulate, it is important to identify which factors made a difference to outcomes. Those seeking to copy Vancouver's success will find some elements of the Vancouver case unique. However, Vancouver planners also developed engagement techniques and management strategies with wide applicability. Research support: This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
RESEARCH AND PRACTICE: The Great Divide in Substance Abuse Treatment.

The substance abuse treatment community and empirically oriented academics concerned with substance abuse treatment share the common goal of reducing the harm caused by substance abuse. Yet, these two communities are deeply divided. They tend to see the causes of the problem and its possible solutions in dramatically different ways. This narrative describes my experiences in the terrain between the two communities, first while working for an insurance company as a substance abuse utilization reviewer, and later as a professor teaching substance abuse treatment to graduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Reflections : Narratives of Professional Helping is the property of Cleveland State University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Simulation of cell motility that reproduces the force–velocity relationship

Many cells crawl by extending an actin-rich pseudopod. We have devised a simulation that describes how the polymerization kinetics of a branched actin filament network, coupled with excluded volume effects, powers the motility of crawling cells such as amoebae and fish keratocytes. Our stochastic simulation is based on the key fundamental properties of actin polymerization, namely growth, shrinkage, capping, branching, and nucleation, and also includes contributions from the creation and breaking of adhesive contacts with the substrate together with excluded volume effects related to filament packing. When reasonable values for appropriate constants were employed, this simulation generated a force–velocity relationship that resembled closely that observed experimentally. Our simulations indicated that excluded volume effects associated with actin filament branching lead to a decreased packing efficiency and resultant swelling of the cytoskeleton gel that contributes substantially to lamellipod protrusion.
Improvements of LEACH Protocol in Wireless Sensor Networks

In recent years, with the developments of wireless sensor networks technology, how to prolong the lifetime of WSN and reduce energy consumption by the sensor nodes becomes a hot topic. This article analyzes the mechanism of clustering in LEACH protocol and presents improved approaches based on energy of sensor node and the distance between the node and the base satation, then compares their performances. Results of simulation indicate that the improved protocols can balance the network load and prolong the network lifetime.
Assessment of cardiac function and synchronicity in subjects with isolated bundle branch block using Doppler imaging

Background Using tissue Doppler imaging and conventional echocardiographic technique, we examined the cardiac function and synchronicity in individuals with isolated right bundle branch block (RBBB) or left bundle branch block (LBBB) and assessed the relationship between QRS duration and synchronicity. Methods Subjects with isolated RBBB (n=20), LBBB (n=10) and normal controls (n=20) were studied with conventional echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging. The difference between aortic and pulmonary preejection intervals was defined as interventricular delay. Parameters in septum and lateral wall were measured using tissue Doppler imaging, including peak sustained systolic velocity (SM), peak early (EM) and late (AM) diastolic velocities as well as time to peak velocities (TS, TE and TA). Results Subjects with LBBB had lower SM and longer TS than did the RBBB and control groups (P<0.05, P<0.001 respectively). A significant difference was observed in EM, being the lowest in the LBBB and the highest in the control group (P<0.05). Moreover, TE was longer in the LBBB group compared with the other two groups (P<0.001). Both AM and TA were similar among three groups (P>0.05). In the bundle branch block groups, one ventricle lagged about 40 ms behind the other. A significant correlation was found between interventricular delay and QRS duration (r =0.713, P<0.001). Conclusions Cardiac ventricles were not well synchronized with one ventricle lagging about 40 ms behind the other in subjects with LBBB or RBBB, even though only LBBB group showed barely perceptible, impaired cardiac function. In addition, QRS duration and cardiac asynchronicity were positively correlated.
Correcting Korean vowel speech recognition errors with limited lip features

In the experiment, we evaluate the audio-only and the selected lip feature based visual-only speech recognition performances separately. For audio-only speech recognition, we use HTK3.2 [4], and adopt normalized log likelihood ratio (LLR) scores as the N-best confidence scores. For the visual part, we build a back propagation neural network by using SNNS 4.2 [5] based on the selected lip features. Abstract In this paper, we describe audio-visual Korean vowel recognition experiments by using a limited set of lip features. We propose the lip features extracted from a snapshot image, for each vowel speech, when the speaker’s mouth reaches maximum variation compared with its closing state. By using the only one snapshot image, the proposed lip features can be obtained in a simple and cost effective way. For the devices having limited computing power such as PDA or smart phone, easy and cost effective visual feature extraction is very important. We also present an N-best rescoring method to correct Korean vowel speech recognition errors. The experimental results show that the proposed N-best rescoring method and the selected lip features are very effective on audio-visual Korean vowel speech recognition. For the audio-only recognition in which the difference between LLRs of top 2 or 3 candidates is larger than a threshold value, we try to rescore the confidence scores by the proposed method using the N-best scores resulting from the visual part. We develop an N-best rescoring method based on the previous research [6][7][8], by considering the simple limited set of visual features and the characteristics of Korean vowel speeches. The results of experiments we have conducted show that the proposed rescoring method based on the limited set of lip features is very
When Chronic Isn't Chronic: The Moderating Role of Active Self-Aspects

The current work considered how self-concept organization moderates the consequences of chronic attributes, which are widely assumed to be always accessible and influential. In Study 1, the accessibility of participants' chronic attributes was assessed before and after activating a self-aspect that was either relevant or irrelevant to participants' chronic attributes. Results showed that chronic attributes were more accessible when they were relevant to a participant's active self-aspect than when they were irrelevant to it. In Study 2, participants read ambiguous behaviors performed by others, some of which could be interpreted in line with their own chronic attribute or an alternative attribute. Participants were more likely to interpret behaviors as consistent with their own chronic attributes, but only when a relevant self-aspect had been previously activated. These studies suggest that chronicity can be moderated by self-aspect activation, consistent with the perspective that the self consists of multiple, context-dependent self-aspects.
When communication fails: Physical aggression as a compliance‐gaining strategy

This study investigated the possibility that persuasive agents’ inability to obtain their goals symbolically is the major factor underlying their decisions to use direct coercion as a compliance‐gaining tactic. Several higher‐order interactions were tested to determine the joint effects oj persuasive agents’ communicative failure, persuasive agents’ and persuasive targets’ gender, and the nature of their relationship on agents’ decisions to use violence as a means of achieving their persuasive ends. Results confirmed the hypothesis that males were more likely than females to use violence against a noncompliant male persuasive target in a noninterpersonal relational context. Males were also more likely than females to use direct coercion against persistently noncompliant and noninterpersonal persuasive targets in relational contexts with short‐term consequences.
Partying on? Life after BZP-based party pills.

AIM This study considered whether the banning of benzylpiperazine (BZP)-based party pills was likely to increase illegal drug use. METHOD During July and August 2007, students were surveyed about their current recreational BZP and drug use, along with their future intentions to use substances that might be substituted for BZP once it became illegal. RESULTS 119 students were surveyed, with 41 indicating that they might use BZP in the future. Of those who indicated that they might use BZP in the future, around half indicated that they would be more likely to use illegal drugs (in particular, ecstasy) after the ban. Around half were also considering stockpiling party pills before the ban took effect, and a similar proportion would consider taking new legal party pills if they became available. CONCLUSIONS The withdrawal of BZP and any replacement 'party pills' from the recreational drug market may lead to an increase in the use of illegal drugs.
Color Reduction Using Local Features and a Kohonen Self-Organized Feature Map Neural Network

This paper proposes a new method for reducing the number of colors in an image. The proposed approach uses both the image color components and local image characteristics to feed a Kohonen self-organized feature map (SOFM) neural network. After training, the neurons of the output competition layer define the proper color classes. The final image has the dominant image colors and its texture approaches the image local characteristics used. To speed up the entire algorithm and reduce memory requirements, a fractal scanning subsampling technique can be used. The method is applicable to all types of color images and can be easily extended to accommodate any type of spatial characteristics. Several experimental and comparative results are presented. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 10, 404–409, 1999