Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Finding Waldo, or focus of attention using local color information

A method is presented to locate an object in a color image, or more precisely, to select a set of likely locations for the object. The model is assumed to be of known color, which permits the use of color-space processing. A new method is presented, which exploits more information than the previous backprojection algorithm of Swain and Ballard at a competitive complexity. The new algorithm is based on matching local histograms with the model, instead of directly replacing pixels with a confidence that they belong to the object. It is proved that a simple version of this algorithm degenerates into backprojection in the worst case. The authors show how to estimate the scale of the model. The use of co-occurrence histograms is proposed to deal with cases where important color variations can be expected. <<ETX>>
The metabolic syndrome and 11-year risk of incident cardiovascular disease in the atherosclerosis risk in communities study.

OBJECTIVE To assess the magnitude of the association between the National Cholesterol Education Program's Third Adult Treatment Panel Report (ATP III) definition of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease (CVD). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cox regression was used to estimate the relative risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke among 12,089 black and white middle-aged individuals in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. RESULTS The metabolic syndrome was present in approximately 23% of individuals without diabetes or prevalent CVD at baseline. Over an average of 11 years of follow-up, 879 incident CHD and 216 ischemic stroke events occurred. Among the components of the metabolic syndrome, elevated blood pressure and low levels of HDL cholesterol exhibited the strongest associations with CHD. Men and women with the metabolic syndrome were approximately 1.5 and 2 times more likely to develop CHD than control subjects after adjustment for age, smoking, LDL cholesterol, and race/ARIC center (sex interaction P < 0.03). Similar associations were found between the metabolic syndrome and incident ischemic stroke. Comparison of receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that the metabolic syndrome did not materially improve CHD risk prediction beyond the level achieved by the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). CONCLUSIONS Individuals without diabetes or CVD, but with the metabolic syndrome, were at increased risk for long-term cardiovascular outcomes, although statistical models suggested that most of that risk was accounted for by the FRS. Nevertheless, identification of individuals with the metabolic syndrome may provide opportunities to intervene earlier in the development of shared disease pathways that predispose individuals to both CVD and diabetes.
Relative Contributions of Arterial Stiffness and Hypertension to Cardiovascular Disease: The Framingham Heart Study

Background The presence and implications of abnormal arterial stiffness, a potential independent predictor of outcomes, in community‐dwelling treated hypertensives is unknown. Furthermore, limited data exist regarding the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with arterial stiffness across the entire range of blood pressure. Methods and Results We measured carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and classical CVD risk factors in 2127 community‐dwelling participants (mean age 60 years, 57% women) of The Framingham Offspring Cohort. The participants were divided into 4 groups according to hypertension (yes/no, defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg or use of antihypertensive treatment) and PWV status (high/low based on age‐ and sex‐specific median values) and followed up for CVD events (CVD death, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, heart failure, and stroke). Sixty percent (233 of 390) of controlled and 90% (232 of 258) of uncontrolled treated hypertensives had high PWV. The multivariable‐adjusted risk for CVD events (n=248, median follow‐up 12.6 years) rose from normotension with low PWV (reference) to normotension with high PWV (hazard ratio 1.29, 95% CI 0.83–2.00) and from hypertension with low PWV (hazard ratio 1.54, 95% CI 1.01–2.36) to hypertension with high PWV (hazard ratio 2.25, 95% CI 1.54–3.29). Conclusions A substantial proportion of treated hypertensives have high arterial stiffness, a finding that may explain some of the notable residual CVD risk associated with even well‐controlled hypertension. High PWV is associated with a trend towards increasing CVD risk in both nonhypertensives and hypertensives, a finding that may support the use of arterial stiffness measurements in both populations.
User Motivations and Incentive Structures in an Online Recommender System

Ratings-based recommender systems are one type of online community that relies on user contributions. We present an overview of the implicit incentive structures that motivate rating behavior in one such system, MovieLens. We conducted a survey of MovieLens users to determine their motivations, and formalized these findings in a parameterized economic model. We found that users are motivated to rate by different factors. Some rate to improve their recommendations, others rate because it is fun. We are currently investigating the effects of introducing explicit incentives in the form of personalized messages that compare users with one another.
Denoising filter to improve the quality of CT images

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of different noise reduction filters on computed tomography (CT) images. In particular, a denoising filter based on a combination of Gaussian and Prewitt operators is proposed. Simulation results show that the technique proposed increases the image quality, and then allows using low radiation dose protocol in CT examinations. This work was carried out in collaboration with "G.Moscati" Hospital of Taranto (Italy), that supplied all the images and technical materials used in the proposed algorithm.
Using a mobile phone for 6 DOF mesh editing

This paper describes how a mobile phone can be used as a six degree of freedom interaction device for 3D mesh editing. Using a video see-through Augmented Reality approach, the mobile phone meets several design guidelines for a natural, easy to learn, 3D human computer interaction device. We have developed a system that allows a user to select one or more vertices in an arbitrary sized polygon mesh and freely translate and rotate them by translating and rotating the device itself. The mesh is registered in 3D and viewed through the device and hence the system provides a unified perception-action space. We present the implementation details and discuss the possible advantages and disadvantages of this approach.
Towards a Component-based Description of Business Models: A State-of-the-Art Analysis

Since the mid-1990s, in the course of the raising commercial use of modern ICT and the transformation of traditional to digital business, the business model concept has emerged as a promising unit of analysis in business practice that has attracted increasing interest in research. To describe business models, they are usually broken down to single business model components. Unfortunately, no uniform framework of business model components has been established so far. Thus, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of business model components proposed in literature as well as harmonizes and categorizes them by constructing an overall framework.
A Tablet Annotation Tool for Endoscopic Videos

We present a tool for mobile browsing and annotation tailored for endoscopic videos. Professional users can utilize this tablet app for patients debriefings or educational purposes. It supports text input, free-hand and shape drawing as well as angle measurements, e.g. for comparing instrument orientation. It is possible to annotate single frames as well as user-defined video sections. Moreover, it provides easy and efficient navigation via a zoom-able navigation bar that is based on frame stripes. Frame stripes are created by extracting a single, one pixel wide vertical stripe from every keyframe. The stripes are then arranged next to each other to form a uniform bar. This gives users great overview of the content of a given video. Furthermore, the app supports creation of custom reports based on the entered annotations that can be directly mailed or printed for further usage.
The calculus of consent : logical foundations of constitutional democracy

THE CALCULUS OF CONSENT was co-authored by Buchanan with Gordon Tullock, with whom Buchanan collaborated on many books and academic enterprises throughout their careers. As Robert D Tollison states in the foreword: (this book) is a radical departure from the way democracies conduct their business. The 'Calculus' is already a book for the ages. This classic work analyses the political organisation of a free society through the lens of the economic organisation of society. The authors acknowledge their unease as economists in analysing the political organisation, but they take the risk of forging into unfamiliar territory because they believe the benefits of their perspective will bear much fruit. As the authors state, their objective in this book is "to analyze the calculus of the rational individual when he is faced with questions of constitutional choice.We examine the (choice) process extensively only with reference to the problem of decision-making rules. " The authors describe their approach as 'economic individualism'. They believe that economists have explored individual choice extensively in the market sector while social scientists have largely ignored the dynamics of individual decision-making in the dynamics of forming group action in the public sector. Written in the early 1960s, THE CALCULUS OF CONSENT has become a bulwark of the public choice movement for which James M Buchanan is so justly famous.
ALIMENTARY TRACT: CLINICAL REVIEW Cyclo-Oxygenase Inhibition in Colorectal Adenomas and Cancer

Increasing evidence indicates that Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), compounds that inhibit the enzymatic activity of cyclooxygenase (COX), can reduce the number and size of adenomas in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis as well as the incidence of colorectal cancer. The COX enzyme family consists of the classic COX-1 and a second enzyme, COX-2, which is induced by various stimuli, such as mitogens and cytokines. While it is well proven that COX-2 overexpression is a central event in colorectal carcinogenesis, that prostaglandins (PGs) can contribute to tumorigenesis, and that COX-2 selective inhibitors are active chemopreventive agents, the molecular mechanisms by which NSAIDs exert their chemopreventive effect is not fully understood. However, significant advances have been made in understanding the interference of NSAIDs with the pathways that control cell growth and survival even independently from their COX-inhibiting properties, making their use attractive both alone and in combination with standard therapies in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. In addition, the recently recognized anti-angiogenic and radiosensitizer properties of COX-2 inhibitors support, further suggest their use in the adjuvant
Genomic Heterogeneity of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Associated with Variation in Severity of Illness among Children with Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis

Introduction The association between severity of illness of children with osteomyelitis caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and genomic variation of the causative organism has not been previously investigated. The purpose of this study is to assess genomic heterogeneity among MRSA isolates from children with osteomyelitis who have diverse severity of illness. Materials and Methods Children with osteomyelitis were prospectively studied between 2010 and 2011. Severity of illness of the affected children was determined from clinical and laboratory parameters. MRSA isolates were analyzed with next generation sequencing (NGS) and optical mapping. Sequence data was used for multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood (PAML), and identification of virulence genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) relative to reference strains. Results The twelve children studied demonstrated severity of illness scores ranging from 0 (mild) to 9 (severe). All isolates were USA300, ST 8, SCC mec IVa MRSA by MLST. The isolates differed from reference strains by 2 insertions (40 Kb each) and 2 deletions (10 and 25 Kb) but had no rearrangements or copy number variations. There was a higher occurrence of virulence genes among study isolates when compared to the reference strains (p = 0.0124). There were an average of 11 nonsynonymous SNPs per strain. PAML demonstrated heterogeneity of study isolates from each other and from the reference strains. Discussion Genomic heterogeneity exists among MRSA isolates causing osteomyelitis among children in a single community. These variations may play a role in the pathogenesis of variation in clinical severity among these children.
PPCare: A Personal and Pervasive Health Care System for the Elderly

Over the past decade, the ageing of population has increasingly become a serious social issue all over the world. Accordingly, the market demand for health care monitoring of the elderly has greatly emerged. However, existing health care systems yet cannot provide convenient and comprehensive health care services for the elderly. This paper presents a mobile phone based personal and pervasive health care system for the elderly to monitor their daily life and physiological indexes. The whole system consists of four major functions, including sport planning, calories consumption estimation, fall alert and physiological indexes monitoring. PPCare system has been deployed and applied to the elderly in two communities for trial use and some constructive feedbacks have been collected for further system improvement.
Acquired pure red cell aplasia in Japan

Abstract: We reviewed the clinical features of 150 patients with acquired pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) in Japan. There were 35 patients with acute type and 115 with chronic type PRCA. Of the acute PRCA patients, 17 had human parvovirus B19 infection. Drug‐induced PRCA was demonstrated in 7 patients. Of the 115 patients with chronic PRCA, 51 patients were classified as primary and 64 cases were associated with miscellaneous diseases such as thymoma, a variety of hematological disorders and collagen diseases. Among the hematological disorders, PRCA was most frequently seen in granular lymphocyte proliferative disorders (GLPD). The erythroid colony growth patterns from bone marrow were variable. The serum erythropoietin level was high in most patients. Various kinds of treatment were tried for the chronic PRCA cases. Cyclosporin A (CyA) was the most effective form of treatment and the response rate was 82% (31/38). Twenty‐three of 37 patients (62%) responded to bolus methylprednisolone therapy. The largest number of patients were treated with oral prednisolone, and the therapy was effective in 27 of the 55 (49%). The response rate to cyclophosphamide was only 29% (5/17), but in combination with prednisolone, half of the patients (7/14) responded to the therapy. CyA is recommended as the first‐line therapy for acquired chronic PRCA.
Field-Based High-Throughput Plant Phenotyping Reveals the Temporal Patterns of Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Stress-Responsive Traits in Cotton

The application of high-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP) to continuously study plant populations under relevant growing conditions creates the possibility to more efficiently dissect the genetic basis of dynamic adaptive traits. Toward this end, we employed a field-based HTPP system that deployed sets of sensors to simultaneously measure canopy temperature, reflectance, and height on a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) recombinant inbred line mapping population. The evaluation trials were conducted under well-watered and water-limited conditions in a replicated field experiment at a hot, arid location in central Arizona, with trait measurements taken at different times on multiple days across 2010–2012. Canopy temperature, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), height, and leaf area index (LAI) displayed moderate-to-high broad-sense heritabilities, as well as varied interactions among genotypes with water regime and time of day. Distinct temporal patterns of quantitative trait loci (QTL) expression were mostly observed for canopy temperature and NDVI, and varied across plant developmental stages. In addition, the strength of correlation between HTPP canopy traits and agronomic traits, such as lint yield, displayed a time-dependent relationship. We also found that the genomic position of some QTL controlling HTPP canopy traits were shared with those of QTL identified for agronomic and physiological traits. This work demonstrates the novel use of a field-based HTPP system to study the genetic basis of stress-adaptive traits in cotton, and these results have the potential to facilitate the development of stress-resilient cotton cultivars.
Localization of vascular resistance changes during hypertension.

Aincrease in the vascular resistance of virtually every organ system is a wellknown characteristic of hypertension, as modeled by spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and renovascular hypertensive rats. However, the most important issue may be where in the macrovasculature and microvasculature of a given organ the greatest increase in resistance occurs. The relevance of this issue can be considered from two perspectives. First, if a limited region of the vasculature in each organ is responsible for the bulk of the increased resistance, determining which region is predominantly involved would allow definitive evaluation of the abnormal morphological and behavioral characteristics. Second, if the overall arterial vasculature is relatively uniformly involved in elevating the vascular resistance, a general cellular or control system abnormality of the vessel wall potentially can be identified. In effect, the question to be answered is whether an isolated or generalized vascular problem contributes to the development and maintenance of hypertension.
A NEaT Design for Reliable and Scalable Network Stacks

Operating systems provide a wide range of services, which are crucial for the increasingly high reliability and scalability demands of modern applications. Providing both reliability and scalability at the same time is hard. Commodity OS architectures simply lack the design abstractions to do so for demanding core OS services such as the network stack. For reliability and scalability guarantees, they rely almost exclusively on ensuring a high-quality implementation, rather than a reliable and scalable design. This results in complex error recovery paths and hard-to-maintain synchronization code. We demonstrate that a simple and structured design that strictly adheres to two principles, isolation and partitioning, can yield reliable and scalable network stacks. We present NEaT, a system which partitions the stack across isolated process replicas handling independent requests. Our design principles intelligently partition the state to minimize the impact of failures (offering strong recovery guarantees) and to scale comparably to Linux without exposing the implementation to common pitfalls such as synchronization errors, poor locality, and false sharing.
Recurrent goiter, hyperthyroidism, galactorrhea and amenorrhea due to a thyrotropin and prolactin-producing pituitary tumor.

A 22-year-old woman with recurrent goiter, hyperthyroidism, galactorrhea, and amenorrhea due to a pituitary tumor is described. She had been treated surgically twice for recurrent goiter with tracheal compression. Despite clinical signs of hyperthyroidism and slightly elevated plasma thyroid hormone levels (T4: 11 mug/dl; T3: 189 ng/dl), without thyroid hormone replacement therapy the basal TSH level was elevated up to 23 muU/ml and could not be suppressed by exogenous thyroid hormones: even when the serum thyroid hormone levels were raised into the thyrotoxic range (T4: 16.2 mug/dl T3: 392 ng/dl), the basal TSH fluctuated between 12 and 29 muU/ml. The basal PRL level was elevated up to 6000 muU/ml. The administration of TRH (200 mug iv) led only to small increments of TSH and PRL levels. Bromocriptin (5 mg p.o.) or l-dopa (0.5 g p.o.) suppressed TSH and PRL values significantly. After transsphenoidal hypophysectomy, TSH and PRL were below normal and the patient development panhypopituitarism. The adenoma showed two cell types which could be identified as lactotrophs and thyrotrophs by electronmicroscopy and immunofluorescence. From these data we conclude that the patient had a pituitary tumor with an overproduction of thyrotropin and prolactin.
Message-Evoked Thoughts: Persuasion Research Using Thought Verbalizations

Verbalizations of the thoughts evoked by an advocacy message are used as data in many persuasion experiments. In this article, the theory and measurement principles underlying such research are examined, and a review of empirical evidence on the relationship between experimental treatments, verbalized thoughts, and ensuing topical judgments is presented. The conclusion is that verbalized thoughts may be valid indicants of some audience processing activities.
Rest and activity states in a gray whale

The behaviour of a female gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) that had been rescued 14 months previously was recorded continuously on a video‐recorder for 9 days at ‘Sea World’ in San Diego. On average, during the first six recording days, active wakefulness accounted for 37.9 ± 1.7% of each 24 h; transitional stage for 17.4 ± 1.4% and rest for 41.2 ± 1.7%. In the rest stage the whale was lying on the bottom of the pool (13.2 ± 1.7%) or hanging on the surface (28.0 ± 1.7%). During the rest stage, it was immobile most of the time and moved only for respiration. In the rest stage both eyes could be open, one eye could be open while the other was closed or, more rarely, both eyes could be closed. Characteristic jerks of the head, neck and sometimes of the whole body were observed in the whale during the rest stage. Most jerks were single and only 10% of all jerks were serial (occurring within 10 s of a prior jerk). Eyelid movements accompanied 40% of jerks. In two episodes, intense jerks followed each other continuously for 3 and 4 s and were accompanied by eyelid movements. These jerks resembled the twitches characteristic of paradoxical sleep in terrestrial mammals. During these episodes the whale was falling slowly onto its side and subsequently started to swim in the pool.