Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extreme programming: a survey of empirical data from a controlled case study

Extreme programming (XP) is a well known agile software development method. While a number of experience reports have been published in recent years, agile software development in general and XP in particular have strongly been criticized for the lack of empirical data. This paper reports a survey of the empirical data obtained from a controlled case study on extreme programming in practical settings. Thus, no hypotheses were set a priori. Four software engineers were acquired to implement a Web-based system (7698 Locs, 820 hours) for data management in a delivery schedule of eight weeks. Development environment was close to the agile home ground. Collected empirical data is grounded on three basic data points: time, size and defects. Data is organized around five system releases, each which were tested by 17 customer testers. System release defect-density was 1.43 defects/KLOC, team overall productivity 16.90 Locs/hour and rework costs were 9.8% of the total development effort. The implications of this study are discussed.
Chaplain Documentation and the Electronic Medical Record: A Survey of ACPE Residency Programs

This study explores the extent to which chaplaincy departments at ACPE-accredited residency programs make use of the electronic medical record (EMR) for documentation and training. Survey data solicited from 219 programs with a 45% response rate and interview findings from 11 centers demonstrate a high level of usage of the EMR as well as an expectation that CPE residents document each patient/family encounter. Centers provided considerable initial training, but less ongoing monitoring of chaplain documentation. Centers used multiple sources to develop documentation tools for the EMR. One center was verified as having created the spiritual assessment component of the documentation tool from a peer reviewed published model. Interviews found intermittent use of the student chart notes for educational purposes. One center verified a structured manner of monitoring chart notes as a performance improvement activity. Findings suggested potential for the development of a standard documentation tool for chaplain charting and training.
Mobbinghandlungen bei KundInnen einer Mobbingberatungsstelle in Abhängigkeit von Alter und Geschlecht

The purpose of the study was to identify different classes for mobbing and to investigate the role of gender and age. Data were analyzed from 1,084 persons, who attended mobbing consultants. The analysis was based on protocols of the sessions. 16 different classes of mobbing were identified by content analysis techniques. In addition, gender and age differences emerged. Female mobbing victims have been attacked more often by »verbal attacks« than male mobbing victims. Women have been attacked by mobbing more often than males. Persons in the age group »31 up to 40 years « and »41 up to 50 years« are more often in the mobbing category than younger persons.
The Endothelin Receptor Antagonist SB 217242 Reduces Cerebral Focal Ischemic Brain Injury

Summary: Previously, we demonstrated that cerebral focal ischemic tissue exhibits a significant increase in immunoreactive endothelin (ET). Because increased ET might exacerbate the consequences of cerebral ischemia, we evaluated the effects of the orally active ETA/B receptor antagonist SB 217242 on middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). SHRs were treated b.i. d. with vehicle or with 3 or 15 mg/kg SB 217242 p.o. for 7 days. Permanent MCAO was performed on day 7 and animals were sacrificed on day 8. Forebrains were stained and the extent of cerebral (i.e., cortical) infarction was determined using image analysis. Hemispheric swelling (%), hemispheric infarct (%), and infarct volume (mm3) were quantitated for each animal. SB 217242 treatment produced a significant decrease in ischemic brain injury. Hemispheric infarction and infarct volume were reduced after the 15 mg/kg treatment (12.0 ± 1.1% and 69 ± 6 mm3) compared to vehicle (17.3 ± 1.5% and 99 ± 8 mm3) (p < 0.05). No significant effects on hemispheric swelling were observed. This is the first demonstration of an ET receptor antagonist exhibiting efficacy in cerebral focal ischemia. The fact that a 30% reduction in ischemic brain injury can be demonstrated after oral administration of SB 217242 suggests that ET antagonists may be of therapeutic utility in focal stroke.
Multi-query Stream Processing on FPGAs

We present an efficient multi-query event stream platform to support query processing over high-frequency event streams. Our platform is built over reconfigurable hardware -- FPGAs -- to achieve line-rate multi-query processing by exploiting unprecedented degrees of parallelism and potential for pipelining, only available through custom-built, application-specific and low-level logic design. Moreover, a multi-query event stream processing engine is at the core of a wide range of applications including real-time data analytics, algorithmic trading, targeted advertisement, and (complex) event processing.
Exchange Rate Forecasters' Performance: Evidence of Skill?

This paper sheds new light on a long-standing puzzle in the international finance literature, namely, that exchange rate expectations appear inaccurate and even irrational. We find for a comprehensive dataset that individual forecastersâ€™ performance is skill-based. â€˜Superiorâ€™ forecasters show consistent ability as their forecasting success holds across currencies. They seem to possess knowledge on the role of fundamentals in explaining exchange rate behavior, as indicated by better interest rate forecasts. Superior forecasters are more experienced than the median forecaster and have fewer personnel responsibilities. Accordingly, foreign exchange markets may function in less puzzling and irrational ways than is often thought.
PPIExtractor: A protein-protein interaction Extractor for biomédical literature

Knowledge about protein-protein interactions (PPIs) unveils the molecular mechanisms of biological processes. In this paper, we present a PPI extraction system, termed PPIExtractor, which automatically extracts PPIs from biomedical text and visualizes them. Given a Medline record dataset, PPIExtractor first applies Feature Coupling Generalization (FCG) to tag protein names, next uses the extended semantic similarity-based method to normalize them, then combines feature-based, convolution tree and graph kernels to extract PPIs, and finally visualizes the PPI network. Experimental evaluations show that PPIExtractor can achieve state-of-the-art performance on a DIP subset with respect to comparable evaluations. PPIExtractor is freely available for academic purposes at: http://202.118. 75.18:8080/PPIExtractor/.
Weight-bearing exercise training and lumbar bone mineral content in postmenopausal women.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of weight-bearing exercise training and subsequent detraining on lumbar bone mineral content in postmenopausal women. DESIGN Non-randomized, controlled, short-term (9 months) trial and long-term (22 months) exercise training and detraining (13 months). SETTING Section of applied physiology at a university school of medicine. PATIENTS Thirty-five healthy, sedentary postmenopausal women, 55 to 70 years old. All women completed the study. There was 90% compliance with exercise training. INTERVENTIONS All women were given calcium, 1500 mg daily. The exercise group did weight-bearing exercise (walking, jogging, stair climbing) at 70% to 90% of maximal oxygen uptake capacity for 50 to 60 min, 3 times weekly. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Bone mineral content increased 5.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0% to 8.4%; P = 0.0037) above baseline after short-term training whereas there was no change (-1.4%) in the control group. After 22 months of exercise, bone mineral content was 6.1% (95% CI, 3.9% to 8.3% above baseline; P = 0.0001) in the long-term training group. After 13 months of decreased activity, bone mass was 1.1% above baseline in the detraining group. CONCLUSIONS Weight-bearing exercise led to significant increases above baseline in bone mineral content which were maintained with continued training in older, postmenopausal women. With reduced weight-bearing exercise, bone mass reverted to baseline levels. Further studies are needed to determine the threshold exercise prescription that will produce significant increases in bone mass.
SELF organized UAV swarm planning optimization for search and destroy using swarmfare simulation

As military interest continues to grow for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capabilities, the Air Force is exploring UAV autonomous control, mission planning and optimization techniques. The SWARMFARE simulation system allows for Evolutionary Algorithm computations of swarm based UAV Self Organization (SO). Through Swarmfare, the capability exists to evaluate guiding behaviors that allow autonomous control via independent agent interaction with its environment. Current results show that through an implementation of ten basic rules the swarm forms and moves about a space with reasonable success. The next step is to focus on optimization of the formation, traversal of the search space and attack. In this paper we cover the capabilities, initial research results, and way ahead for this simulation. Overall the SWARMFARE tool has established a sandbox in which it is possible to optimize these and build new behaviors.
Insatisfacción con la imagen corporal e influencia del modelo estético de delgadez en un grupo de adolescentes mujeres

The present investigation seeks to find greater empirical support for the association between body image dissatisfaction and the influence of the aesthetic model of thinness in female adolescents. The sample consisted of 180 adolescent girls between 11 and 17 years belonging to a public school of Lima. Data was gathered using the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and the Questionnaire of Sociocultural Influences on the Aesthetic Body Model (CIMEC -26). As for the results, it was found that the level of body dissatisfaction and influence of the aesthetic model of thinness are associated with age / grade and the quality of the relationship reported with parents. The greater risk of low satisfaction with body image and the greater influence of the model presented appeared at age 14. Finally, we found a strong and direct correlation between the variables, which highlights the importance of the link between socio-cultural factors and the emergence of body dissatisfaction. These findings also suggest that the more concern about weight gain or being overweight or obese, leads to more interest in articles, reports, books and discussions related to thinness. Based on these results, we discuss the implications for the issue and propose guidelines for future research.
Supervisory control for modal specifications of services

Abstract In the service oriented architecture framework, a modal specification, as defined by Larsen in [5], formalises how a service should interact with its environment. More precisely, a modal specification determines the events that the server may or must allow at each stage in an interactive session. In this paper, we investigate the adaptation of the supervisory control theory of Ramadge and Wonham to enforce a modal specification (with final states marking the ends of the sessions) on a system modelled by a finite LTS. We prove that there exists at most one most permissive solution to this control problem. We also prove that this solution is regular and we present an algorithm for the effective computation of the corresponding controller.
Effects of methylene blue on postoperative low-back pain and functional outcomes after lumbar open discectomy: a triple-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE Despite advances in surgical and anesthesiology techniques, many patients continue to experience postoperative pain after lumbar disc operations. This study aims to investigate the effects of methylene blue (MB) on preventing postoperative low-back pain (LBP) with or without radicular pain and improving the quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing lumbar open discectomy. METHODS This is a prospective, randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, which was conducted at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences between July 2011 to January 2012. Of a total of 130 patients, 115 were eligible for participation; 56 received 1 ml of MB solution at a concentration of 0.5% (MB group) and 59 received an equivalent volume of normal saline (control group). Primary outcomes were the control of LBP with or without radicular pain, which was evaluated preoperatively and at 24 hours and 3 months after surgery with the use of a visual analog scale (VAS), and the improvement of QOL, which was assessed preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively by means of the Persian translation of the Oswestry Disability Index questionnaire. RESULTS The mean VAS scores for LBP were significantly lower in the MB group compared with the control group at 24 hours (1.25 ± 0.97 vs 2.80 ± 0.69, p < 0.001) and 3 months (1.02 ± 1.29 vs 2.07 ± 1.10, p = 0.019) after treatment. The mean radicular pain scores decreased significantly in the 2 groups at 24 hours after surgery, but the mean radicular pain score was significantly lower in the MB-treated patients than the control group. However, the difference between radicular pain scores in the MB group (1 ± 1.1) and the control group (1.2 ± 1) was not statistically significant (p = 0.64). The reduction in LBP was greater in the MB group than the control group (8.11 ± 1.74 vs 6.07 ± 1.52, p = 0.023, CI 95% -1.37 to -0.10). The functional QOL improved significantly 3 months after the operation in both groups (p < 0.001). Moderate disability occurred more frequently in the control group than in the MB group (14.5% vs 7.7%, p = 0.004). No toxicity, adverse effects, or complications were found in the group of patients treated with MB injection. CONCLUSIONS A single dose of MB (1 ml 0.5%) for coating the dura and surrounding tissues (facet and muscle) shows promising results in terms of safety, reduction of postoperative pain, and functional outcome compared with placebo.
Coarse-Grained Models Reveal Functional Dynamics – II. Molecular Dynamics Simulation at the Coarse-Grained Level – Theories and Biological Applications

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation has remained the most indispensable tool in studying equilibrium/non-equilibrium conformational dynamics since its advent 30 years ago. With advances in spectroscopy accompanying solved biocomplexes in growing sizes, sampling their dynamics that occur at biologically interesting spatial/temporal scales becomes computationally intractable; this motivated the use of coarse-grained (CG) approaches. CG-MD models are used to study folding and conformational transitions in reduced resolution and can employ enlarged time steps due to the a bsence of some of the fastest motions in the system. The Boltzmann-Inversion technique, heavily used in parameterizing these models, provides a smoothed-out effective potential on which molecular conformation evolves at a faster pace thus stretching simulations into tens of microseconds. As a result, a complete catalytic cycle of HIV-1 protease or the assembly of lipid-protein mixtures could be investigated by CG-MD to gain biological insights. In this review, we survey the theories developed in recent years, which are categorized into Folding-based and Molecular-Mechanics-based. In addition, physical bases in the selection of CG beads/time-step, the choice of effective potentials, representation of solvent, and restoration of molecular representations back to their atomic details are systematically discussed.
Pattern Of Presentation Among Adults Hospitalized With Dengue Disease.

BACKGROUND Dengue is a mosquito born viral infection that has rapidly spread in the world particularly in Southeast Asia. The aim of this hospital based study was to see the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics in adults with dengue infection in Hazara region of Northern Pakistan. METHODS This is a descriptive study. Clinical, laboratory and demographic information were collected from adult patients with suspected dengue infection (n=100) and then managed in one of medical units of tertiary care hospital in Abbottabad from August to October 2015. RESULTS Total number of patients was 100, 78 were male and 22 were female. 49 patients were in age group from 21 to 40 years. Most patients were from Mansehra district (69), followed by Haripur (11), Abbottabad (11), Battagram (06) and Kohistan (03). Common clinical features were fever (100%), body aches (95%), headache (94%), chills (87%), and anorexia (86%), haemorrhagic tendencies (12%), rash (05%), and sore throat (03%). Thrombocytopenia was observed in 98%, leucopoenia in 25%, high Aminotransferases (ALT) in 67%, Ns1 antigen positive 66%, negative 18% and unknown 16%. IgM Antibodies against Dengue Virus was positive 67%, negative 19% and were unknown in 14%, IgG antibodies positive in 54%, negative 32% and were unknown in 14%. CONCLUSIONS We concluded in our study that presentation of dengue infection is same as in other Southeast Asian countries; however, the disease is more prevalent in cities located on plain than hilly areas.
Megakaryocyte ploidy and platelet changes in human diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Altered platelet morphology and function have been reported in patients with diabetes. They are likely to be associated with the pathological processes and increased risk of vascular disease seen in these patients. Mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet count, and megakaryocyte (MK) ploidy (DNA content) were measured in (1) nondiabetics with normal coronary arteries, (2) nondiabetics with coronary artery atherosclerosis, (3) diabetics without evidence of vascular complications, and (4) diabetics with vascular disease. The platelet count (+/- SD) was increased in all groups but only significantly in the diabetics with vascular disease (236 +/- 65 versus 250 +/- 54 versus 257 +/- 64 versus 295 +/- 90 [P < or = .05] x 10(9)/L, for groups, I, II, II, and IV, respectively). The MPV was significantly increased in patients with atherosclerosis (7.0 +/- 0.4 versus 8.0 +/- 1.2 [P < or = .05] versus 7.2 +/- 0.9 versus 8.1 +/- 0.9 [P < or = .05] IL). Geometric mean MK ploidy was significantly increased in all groups compared with controls (16 +/- 1.5 versus 18.7 +/- 1.8 [P < or = .05] versus 19.8 +/- 1.6 [P < or = .05] versus 20.1 +/- 2.7 [P < or = .05]). Furthermore, some patients with vascular disease and/or diabetes had a modal ploidy shift from 16 (the normal mammalian modal ploidy) to 32, with a concomitant reduction of MKs in the 8 and 16 ploidy classes. This shift was seen particularly in the diabetics with vascular disease (P = .007). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were measured and were elevated in patients with atherosclerosis; the highest levels were found in the diabetic patients (0.7 +/- 0.9 versus 5.3 +/- 5.5 [P < or = .05] versus 2.5 +/- 2.8 versus 6.7 +/- 5.5 [P < or = .05] ng/L). In the diabetic patients with atherosclerosis, fibrinogen levels were also increased (2.85 +/- 0.76 versus 3.34 +/- 1.32 versus 2.43 +/- 1.50 versus 5.59 +/- 1.72 [P < or = .05] g/L). Furthermore, IL-6 levels correlated with MK ploidy (r = .45, P = .009) and fibrinogen levels (r = .5, P = .0001). This study demonstrates that patients with vascular disease, particularly diabetics, have an altered MK ploidy distribution, showing a shift toward higher ploidy in association with an increased platelet mass (count x volume). Changes in platelets in diabetes probably reflect MK changes, which themselves are a response to systemic change.
Review of Different Methods Used for Large-Scale Urban Road Networks Traffic State Estimation

The information regarding to the real time traffic is widely used for system like Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for its applications such as vehicle navigation, incident detection, traffic signal control, traffic monitoring, etc. In addition to this, the system such as Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) as well as Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) also requires the current conditions of urban road traffic along with its short term evolution. Thus the main theme of this paper is about the estimation or collecting the information related to traffic state for large scale urban road networks. For estimating the traffic state of such networks, we need to have efficient and effective method in place so that overall performance will improve. There are many methods presented by different authors, however each of this method suffered from few limitations. By considering these limitations, still this is a promising area of research for researchers. As this is the first step of our research, in this paper we are presenting the different methods presented for estimating traffic state as well as advanced sensor techniques have been adopted to collect real-time traffic information. Keywords--Traffic State Estimation, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Traveler Information Systems, Advanced Traffic Management System, Large Scale Road,
Perception and Reproduction of Auditory Spatial Impression

Keywords: auditory spatial impression ; auditory perception ; stereophony ; precedence effect ; diffuse sound field ; echo threshold ; interaural correlation ; interaural coherence ; 3D upmix ; multi-channel surround sound These Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne EPFL, n° 5913 (2013)Programme doctoral Informatique, Communications et InformationFaculte informatique et communicationsInstitut de systemes de communicationLaboratoire de communications audiovisuellesJury: S. Susstrunk (presidente), S. Bech, Herre, H. Lissek Public defense: 2013-11-22 Reference doi:10.5075/epfl-thesis-5913Print copy in library catalog Record created on 2013-11-18, modified on 2017-05-12
Symmetry variation in the heart‐descending artery system of the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish

The internal anatomy of freshwater crayfish is strictly bilaterally symmetric, with the conspicuous exception of the vertically oriented descending artery (sternal artery), which originates from the heart and terminates in the subneural artery. Serial sectioning of 133 juveniles of the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish revealed that the descending artery was bilaterally symmetric in 4.5% of the specimens, right asymmetric in 45.1%, and left asymmetric in 50.4%. In the bilaterally symmetric variant two branches arise from the left and right chambers of the bulbus of the heart, run laterally around the hindgut, and fuse underneath it. The asymmetric variants have only one dorsal branch, which loops around the hindgut on either the left or the right side. Other structures of the heart, such as the paired antennary and hepatopancreatic arteries and the ostia or the unpaired anterior and posterior aortae, showed no symmetry variation. Because of the genetic identity of the experimental animals and their culture under identical environmental conditions, the variation in symmetry of the descending artery observed is interpreted as the result of developmental variation. We recommend that the marbled crayfish be considered for investigation of the epigenetic mechanisms responsible for the maintenance and breaking of bilateral symmetry in metazoans. J. Morphol. , 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.