Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Migraine without aura: A population‐based twin study

To investigate the importance of genetic and environmental factors to the etiology of migraine without aura and to compare the symptomatology of migraine without aura in monozygotic and dizygotic twins, 2,680 twin pairs were recruited from the population‐based Danish Twin Registry. Monozygotic (MZ) and same‐sex dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs, where at least one twin had self‐reported migraine or self‐reported severe headache with accompanying symptoms, were telephone interviewed by a physician. The participation rate in the telephone interview was 90%. The pairwise concordance rate was significantly higher in MZ than in DZ twin pairs (28% vs 18%). The probandwise concordance rate was 40% (95% CI, 33–48%) in MZ and 28% (95% CI, 23–33%) in DZ twin pairs. The pairwise concordance rates for the different pain characteristics and accompanying symptoms were not significantly different in MZ and DZ twin pairs. However, comparing all of the pairwise concordance rates of pain characteristics and accompanying symptoms together, MZ twin pairs were significantly more concordant than DZ twin pairs. Our data demonstrate a significant genetic factor in migraine without aura. The size of this factor is modest and the demonstration of susceptibility genes is predicted to be laborious and difficult.
Les trolls sont-ils incomptents ? Enqute sur les financiers amateurs

Les trolls sont-ils incompetents ? Enquete sur les financiers amateurs ; Vincent-Antonin Lepinay, Fabrice Rousseau ; Le recent developpement de sites Internet d'acces direct aux marches financiers, qui semble connaitre un certain succes, s'accompagne de l'apparition en bourse d'actionnaires apparemment etrangers aux « logiques financieres ». Autant attaches a des exigences morales ou politiques qu'au profit monetaire, ces traders amateurs presentent des representations particulierement heterodoxes de la finance et de son fonctionnement. A partir de quelques cas exemplaires, cet article tente de decrire la mise en œuvre d'activites financieres de marche par ces amateurs depourvus des competences institutionnelles standard. Confrontes a la diversite des agents economiques qui leur sont accessibles, ils ont developpe des strategies cognitives originales qui articulent des moments de recensement et d'exploration auquel ce papier s'interesse tout particulierement. Pratiquant l'achat et la vente de titres non seulement pour realiser des profits, mais egalement pour tenter de comprendre les dynamiques economiques et financieres, ces financiers amateurs - autrement nommes traders-on-line ou trolls - paraissent au final pourvus de competences comparables a celles des professionnels. Un continuum s'esquisse entre ces deux poles, dont les variations semblent principalement tenir aux contraintes institutionnelles qui pesent sur ces operateurs.
Usefulness of autosomal STR polymorphisms beyond forensic purposes: data on Arabic- and Berber-speaking populations from central Morocco

Background:This work describes, for the first time, the profile of Middle Atlas Berbers and Arabic-speaking central Moroccans for 15 autosomal STR loci widely used in forensic sciences. Aim: The main objectives were to determine the degree of heterogeneity among different Moroccan samples to identify geographic or linguistic patterns and to evaluate the usefulness of forensic STRs in anthropological studies. Subjects and methods: Blood samples were collected from 71 Arabic-speakers and 75 Berbers from the regions of Doukkala (central-west coast) and Khenifra (Middle Atlas), respectively. The AmpFlSTR Identifier kit was used to genotype 15 autosomal STR in both samples. Results: Middle Atlas Berbers showed slightly higher genetic variation values compared to Arabic-speakers, both in the number of alleles and heterozygosity. In order to assess population relationships, data from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Palestine, Syria, South-Spain and Turkey were included in the analysis. Within Morocco, genetic distances followed a clear geographic pattern. In the Arabic-speaking sample the genetic proportion of ‘Arabian’ admixture was estimated in 13%. Conclusion: The low value of admixture suggests that the Arabization of Morocco had a reduced demographic impact, which should be taken with caution because it is based on autosomal STRs with low inter-population variation levels.
Effect on convergence patterns by the use of line current measurements on power system state estimation

The paper presents a study of the convergence characteristics and an assessment of the performance of the algorithm used to solve power system state estimation problems. The algorithm is studied to determine and compare the convergence patterns using several measurement sets consisting of line flows, bus injections, voltage magnitudes and line currents. The algorithm was tested on different IEEE test systems. Results related to the test with IEEE 14 bus bar system are presented
A benchmark on stereo disparity estimation for humanoid robots

This paper presents the experimental evaluation of a dense disparity estimation algorithm, focusing on the most relevant aspects for humanoid robots: real-time functionality and ability to deal with calibration errors. The method and its real time implementation are briefly described and several tests show its performance and the quality of its output as a function of the design parameters. Benchmark tests illustrate the computational cost of the method, implemented in C++ on a standard desktop computer, with open source libraries.
Aging: Overview

Abstract: Aging is a universal process that began with the origination of life about 3.5 billion years ago. Accumulation of the diverse deleterious changes produced by aging throughout the cells and tissues progressively impairs function and can eventually cause death. Aging changes can be attributed to development, genetic defects, the environment, disease, and an inborn process—the aging process. The chance of death at a given age serves as a measure of the average number of aging changes accumulated by persons of that age, that is, of physiologic age, and the rate of change of this measure as the rate of aging. Chances for death are decreased by improvements in general living conditions. As a result, during the past two millennia average life expectancy at birth (ALE‐B), determined by the chances for death, of humans has risen from 30 years, in ancient Rome, to almost 80 years today in the developed countries. Chances for death in the developed countries are now near limiting values and ALE‐Bs are approaching plateau values that are 6‐9 years less than the potential maximum of about 85 years. Chances for death are now largely determined by the inherent aging process after age 28. Only 1.1% of female cohorts in Sweden die before this age; the remainder die off at an exponentially increasing rate with advancing age. The inherent aging process limits ALE‐B to around 85 years, and the maximum life span (MLS) to about 122 years. Past efforts to increase ALE‐B did not require an understanding of aging. Such knowledge will be necessary in the future to significantly increase ALE‐B and MLS, and to satisfactorily ameliorate the medical, economic, and social problems associated with advancing age. The many theories advanced to account for aging should be used, to the extent it is feasible, to help with these important practical problems, including applications of the free radical theory of aging. Past measures evolved by societies to ensure adequate care for older individuals are rapidly becoming inadequate because of changes in life style, the growing percentage of older people, declining fertility rates, and the diminishing size of the work forces to provide for the elderly. Measures are being advanced to help with this problem. Prospects are bright for further increases in the span of functional life and improvements in the lives of the elderly.
Semi-Global Output Feedback Stabilization of Non-Minimum Phase Nonlinear Systems

We solve the problem of output feedback stabilization of a class of nonlinear systems, which may have unstable zero dynamics. We allow for any globally stabilizing full state feedback control scheme to be used as long as it satisfies a particular ISS condition. We show semi-global stability of the origin of the closed-loop system and also the recovery of the performance of an auxiliary system using a full-order observer. This observer is based on the use of an extended high-gain observer to provide estimates of the output and its derivatives plus a signal used by an extended Kalman filter to provide estimates of the remaining states. Finally, we provide a simulation example that illustrates the design procedure.
Escalas de avaliação da identidade sociomoral e civica: i - estrutura psicométrica

Descrevem-se tres escalas originalmente construidas para avaliar as orientacoes cognitivas, sociais e politicas de estudantes do ensino superior: a Escala de Identidade Sociomoral (EISM), a Escala de Sensibilidade Sociomoral (ESSM) e a Escala de Democraticidade (ED). A analise psicometrica teve por base uma amostra de 860 estudantes do ensino superior (Goncalves, 2005). Os dados obtidos indicam que as escalas possuem uma estrutura factorial clara e as diversas subescalas sao internamente consistentes. Em dois artigos subsequentes, serao apresentados os estudos de validade e as investigacoes substantivas envolvendo os contructos subjacentes as escalas aqui descritas.
Reaching and Grasping a Glass of Water by Locked-In ALS Patients through a BCI-Controlled Humanoid Robot

Locked-in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) patients are fully dependent on caregivers for any daily need. At this stage, basic communication and environmental control may not be possible even with commonly used augmentative and alternative communication devices. Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology allows users to modulate brain activity for communication and control of machines and devices, without requiring a motor control. In the last several years, numerous articles have described how persons with ALS could effectively use BCIs for different goals, usually spelling. In the present study, locked-in ALS patients used a BCI system to directly control the humanoid robot NAO (Aldebaran Robotics, France) with the aim of reaching and grasping a glass of water. Four ALS patients and four healthy controls were recruited and trained to operate this humanoid robot through a P300-based BCI. A few minutes training was sufficient to efficiently operate the system in different environments. Three out of the four ALS patients and all controls successfully performed the task with a high level of accuracy. These results suggest that BCI-operated robots can be used by locked-in ALS patients as an artificial alter-ego, the machine being able to move, speak and act in his/her place.
Genotype to Phenotype: Physiological Control of Trait Size and Scaling in Insects1

Abstract For almost a century, biologists have used trait scaling relationships (bi-variate scatter-plots of trait size versus body size) to characterize phenotypic variation within populations, and to compare animal shape across populations or species. Scaling relationships are a popular metric because they have long been thought to reflect underlying patterns of trait growth and development. However, the physiological mechanisms generating animal scaling are not well understood, and it is not yet clear how scaling relationships evolve. Here we review recent advances in developmental biology, genetics, and physiology as they pertain to the control of growth of adult body parts in insects. We summarize four mechanisms known to influence either the rate or the duration of cell proliferation within developing structures, and suggest how mutations in these mechanisms could affect the relative sizes of adult body parts. By reviewing what is known about these four processes, and illustrating how they may contribute to patterns of trait scaling, we reveal genetic mechanisms likely to be involved in the evolution of insect form.
Exposure Evaluation of Airborne Titanium Dioxide from Use in Spray Sunscreens

In this study, we simulated consumer application of a spray sunscreen containing nanoscale TiO2 to determine the nature of consumer TiO2 exposure from the product’s use (e.g. form of TiO2 [primary particle, aggregate/agglomerate], size of TiO2 and air concentration). Air samples were collected within the breathing zone of a mannequin using a Dekati Low Pressure Impactor (DLPI), which allows for size fractionation of the particles across 13 stages to facilitate size-specific exposure assessment. Samples from all stages were analyzed for the presence of titanium (as a marker for TiO2) and resulting air concentrations were calculated by size fraction. Upon determination of stages where TiO2 was detected, subsequent analysis by field emission scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the form and morphology of the TiO2 particles. This paper presents the results of this study along with interpretation with respect to the potential for health risk from this consumer product.
The Relationship Between Levels of Moral Reasoning and Transformational Leadership Behaviors of West Virginia Public School Administrators

The Relationship Between Levels of Moral Reasoning and Transformational Leadership Behaviors of West Virginia Public School Administrators Cynthia L. Daniel The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between levels of moral reasoning and the use of transformational leadership behaviors of public school administrators in West Virginia. The Defining Issues Test-2 was used to measure levels of moral reasoning. Transformational leadership behaviors were measured by the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5x. The population for the study consisted of 55 superintendents; 62 deputy, assistant, or associate superintendents and 250 randomly selected principals. A total of 103 administrators participated in the study. A one-shot case study design was used. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation, T-Test for independent samples, and one-way analysis of variance were used for purposes of data analysis. An alpha level of . 05 served as the level of significance. Data were entered and manipulated using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software. Results of the study indicated no statistically significant relationship between the administrators’ levels of moral reasoning and their use of transformational leadership behaviors. Additionally, there was no significant difference between the moral reasoning and transformational leadership behaviors of male and female administrators.
Performance of the EP-MBCJR algorithm in time dispersive MIMO office environments

This work investigates the performance of a new reduced-complexity trellis decoding algorithm (termed the EP-MBCJR algorithm) when employed for the task of equalization in an indoor multiple input multiple output wireless environment. The algorithm is a generic approximate reduced-state variation of the BCJR algorithm modeled after the conventional M-BCJR algorithm. Instead of choosing the active states based on the filtered distribution of states in the forward recursion, the EP-MBCJR algorithm selects the active states based on "beliefs" on the states. This can be seen as an application of the concept of "expectation propagation" and leads to identical forward and backward recursions which can be iterated to improve system performance. A receiver architecture comprising of channel estimation, sampling phase selection and turbo equalization is proposed and its performance evaluated through computer simulations. For the simulation of channels closely resembling the physical environment, we have used channels generated in accordance with the IEEE 802.11n TGn channel models
Treatment options in bulky stage IB cervical carcinoma

Cervical cancer is the most common female cancer in the developing countries. Treatments of bulky stage IB cervical cancer have been challenged as the local control is relatively poor compared to smaller stage I disease, whether treated by radical surgery or irradiation. The treatment options are definitive concurrent chemoradiation therapy or radical surgery with or without neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy. The treatment decision is based on the patients' status and preferences, tumor characteristics, and experiences of clinician. This study will review and compare the treatment modalities and rationales of a combination of treatment including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy for bulky stage IB cervical carcinoma.
Elaborative Evaluation of RGB-D based Point Cloud Registration for Personal Robots

The motivation for this work comes from the requirement for a robust method of generating a functional model of kitchen environments from RGB-D data. In order for mobile robots to perform useful tasks such as opening and closing of doors and drawers or retrieving objects and returning them to appropriate places a detailed 3D map is required with an accuracy to within 1cm, whereby information of the environment can be extracted and processed into a semantic and functional form for the robot [1], [2]. However in order to build up such semantic maps, it is necessary to be able to generate a reliable model of an area from sensor data without the prior knowledge of that area. An excellent candidate for recording 3D data for mapping are RGB-D cameras. These are cameras that capture RGB images as well as measure depth and associate a depth value to each image pixel, generating 3D point clouds as the output. In this work we consider building such a 3D model using a hand-held RGB-D camera. In order to build the map from such a camera, some form of SLAM system needs to be utilized [3] which attempts to both simultaneously calculate the path the camera has taken, and create a map of the area from the data. We have qualitatively evaluated three openly available algorithms for building 3D models [3], [4], [5], the first of which was selected as the go ahead tool according to the following criteria: accuracy, computational cost, memory requirement and community support. An optimal point cloud generated by [3] is depicted in Fig. 1, top1. As we see in the bottom row close up views the model is far away from the precision required for the segmentation of doors and handles and thus subsequent grasping and opening. The imperfections are mostly due to a critical component of the SLAM process, the calculation of a transformation between two camera frames by aligning respective 3D point clouds. One approach to address this problem is to take SIFT features [6], projected into 3D space using depth data, and applying random consensus to obtain a transformation between two frames. This can be a fast and accurate method under certain conditions. Another approach is to use the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) [7] algorithm, utilizing for example point to plane error metrics and the Levenberg Marquardt (LM) solver to converge the point clouds. This is also effective, however is susceptible to local minima and therefore requires initialization conditions which are
Measure-theoretic analysis of performance in evolutionary algorithms

The performance of evolutionary algorithms has been studied extensively, but it has been difficult to answer many basic theoretical questions using the existing theoretical frameworks and approaches. In this paper, the performance of evolutionary algorithms is studied from a measure-theoretic point of view, and a framework is offered that can address some difficult theoretical questions in an abstract and general setting. It is proven that the performance of continuous optimizers is in general non linear and continuous for finitely determined performance criteria. Since most common optimizers are continuous, it follows that in general there is substantial reason to expect that mixtures of optimization algorithms can outperform pure algorithms on many if not most problems. The methodology demonstrated in this paper rigorously connects performance analysis of evolutionary algorithms and other optimization methods to functional analysis, which is expected to enable new and important theoretical results by leveraging prior work in these fields.
Contributions of parental alcoholism, prenatal substance exposure, and genetic transmission to child ADHD risk: a female twin study

Background. Genetic influences have been shown to play a major role in determining the risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In addition, prenatal exposure to nicotine and/or alcohol has also been suggested to increase risk of the disorder. Little attention, however, has been directed to investigating the roles of genetic transmission and prenatal exposure simultaneously. Method. Diagnostic telephone interview data from parents of Missouri adolescent female twin pairs born during 1975–1985 were analyzed. Logistic regression models were fitted to interview data from a total of 1936 twin pairs (1091 MZ and 845 DZ pairs) to determine the relative contributions of parental smoking and drinking behavior (both during and outside of pregnancy) as risk factors for DSM-IV ADHD. Structural equation models were fitted to determine the extent of residual genetic and environmental influences on ADHD risk while controlling for effects of prenatal and parental predictors on risk. Results. ADHD was more likely to be diagnosed in girls whose mothers or fathers were alcohol dependent, whose mothers reported heavy alcohol use during pregnancy, and in those with low birth weight. Controlling for other risk factors, risk was not significantly increased in those whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. After allowing for effects of prenatal and childhood predictors, 86% of the residual variance in ADHD risk was attributable to genetic effects and 14% to non-shared environmental influences. Conclusions. Prenatal and parental risk factors may not be important mediators of influences on risk with much of the association between these variables and ADHD appearing to be indirect.
Psychiatric and social aspects of suicidal behaviour in prisons

Background. Suicidal behaviour and completed suicide are serious problems within British prisons, leading to significant morbidity and mortality, and are the focus of major efforts towards their prevention. Aim. To explore the demographic, social and psychiatric correlates of suicidal behaviour in prisons in England and Wales and their relationship with health service use; and to develop a combined psychosocial model of risk. Method. This report analyses the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in the ONS National Prison Survey, and their association with the presence of psychiatric disorders, personality disorder, substance abuse and social risk factors. These data were compared with data from the second national survey of psychiatric morbidity in adults living at home. In both surveys, a two-phase interviewing procedure was used, covering general health, health service use, assessment of psychiatric disorders, life events, social supports, suicidal behaviour, activities of daily living, sociodemographic data, substance abuse and intelligence. Results. Suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts were commoner in prisons than in the general population and these were significantly associated with higher rates of psychosis, neurosis and personality disorder in prisons. In addition, demographic and factors such as being young, single, white, leaving school early and experiencing poor social support and significant social adversity were important risk factors for suicidal thoughts. Crucially, there was no separate category of people at suicidal risk who did not have psychiatric disorders. Conclusions. The high rates of suicidal behaviour in prisons cannot be addressed without adequate attention to the high rates of psychiatric disorder and vulnerability factors in prisoners.