Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE PHASE PROTEINS ON SERUM ALBUMIN, TRANSFERRIN AND HAEMOGLOBIN IN HAEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

In the present study, the effects of C‐reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin on serum albumin, transferrin and haemoglobin (Hb) were assessed to investigate the relationship between inflammation, hypoalbuminaemia and anaemia in haemodialysis patients. A total of 117 patients who were followed at three haemodialysis units in Kocaeli were enrolled. The mean age was 47.83 ± 16.85 years. The median time on dialysis was 26 (minimum 1, maximum 209) months. Serum CRR albumin and ferritin concentrations were measured in our laboratory and transferrin, urea reduction ratio (URR) and KW were calculated. There was significant inverse correlation between serum CRP level and albumin (p<0.001), serum CRP and Hb (p<0.001), and serum transferrin and ferritin (p<0.05). There was significant positive correlation between serum albumin and Hb (p<0.001), serum CRP and ferritin (p<0.05), and transferrin and URR (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that inflammation is a contributor in the development of hypoalbuminaemia and anaemia in haemodialysis patients as well as malnutrition and inadequate dialysis.
3D variational brain tumor segmentation on a clustered feature set

Tumor segmentation from MRI data is a particularly challenging and time consuming task. Tumors have a large diversity in shape and appearance with intensities overlapping the normal brain tissues. In addition, an expanding tumor can also deflect and deform nearby tissue. Our work addresses these last two difficult problems. We use the available MRI modalities (T1, T1c, T2) and their texture characteristics to construct a multi-dimensional feature set. Further, we extract clusters which provide a compact representation of the essential information in these features. The main idea in this paper is to incorporate these clustered features into the 3D variational segmentation framework. In contrast to the previous variational approaches, we propose a segmentation method that evolves the contour in a supervised fashion. The segmentation boundary is driven by the learned inside and outside region voxel probabilities in the cluster space. We incorporate prior knowledge about the normal brain tissue appearance, during the estimation of these region statistics. In particular, we use a Dirichlet prior that discourages the clusters in the ventricles to be in the tumor and hence better disambiguate the tumor from brain tissue. We show the performance of our method on real MRI scans. The experimental dataset includes MRI scans, from patients with difficult instances, with tumors that are inhomogeneous in appearance, small in size and in proximity to the major structures in the brain. Our method shows good results on these test cases.
Shades of grey in the informal economy

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the influence of the national minimum wage (NMW) in the UK to small business owners operating in the informal economy.Design/methodology/approach – Using the clothing and restaurant sectors as a context, the responses of ethnic minority employers operating in the informal economy are examined in the light of market and regulatory change (notably, the NMW). Case studies are undertaken with 17 business owners and their workers. Given the sensitivity of the information required (reasons for non‐compliance; avoidance strategies; labour use), industry “insiders” were deployed to gain access.Findings – The findings highlight considerable diversity in employer responses, despite the focus on two comparative narrow market sectors. This has implications for both neo‐liberal approaches to the informal economy, and the so‐called “marginalisation” thesis.Research limitations/implications – Provides an insight into a neglected segment of the informal economy. Future studies should.
Redoubling the Helix: Space—Time and the Critical Social Theory of Anthony Giddens (Review Essay)

For more than a decade Anthony Giddens has been spiralling toward a critical reconceptualization of social theory in a remarkably linked sequence of books which have established him as one of the foremost contemporary interpreters of social theory writing in English. From his first critical reviews of the origins of sociology to his most recent theoretical syntheses, Giddens's project has evolved in the form of a helix. His arguments persuasively move forward through the accumulated antinomies which have traditionally divided social science and philosophy, but always curve back again to gain new perspective on the historical roots of sociological theory and analysis. This distinctive trajectory and style were set in his earliest works, where he attempted to recast social theory around a syncretic and critical appropriation and modernization of the classical theoretical programs of Durkheim, Weber, and Marx. With each new advance in his thinking Giddens almost dutifully returns to evoke and reconsider this continental European inheritance from a different vantage point, somewhat more distant, but never so far as to be lost sight of completely. In New Rules of Sociological Method (1976), for example, Giddens condensed his evolving critique around an analytical theory of meaning and action built upon a constructive revaluation of 'interpretive sociology' or hermeneutics. The helix path cut through broad realms of twentieth-century humanisms and action philosophies to center on the creative force of human agency and praxis. It then curved back again to excoriate persistent functionalism (a recurrent theme in Giddens's work), resift through the Durkheimian legacy, and exorcise once more the ghost of Talcott Parsons, whose enervating theory of action so powerfully shaped postwar academic sociology and lingers in the background of most of Giddens's work. In Central Problems in Social Theory (1979) an important shift occurred. Giddens engaged his invigorated action theory with a sympathetic critique of the main currents of structuralist thought. Through this inflammatory conjunction of human agency and determinative structure, Giddens drew together two theoretical discourses which had developed through the twentieth century in explosive and unreconciled opposition, extensions of the procrustean dualisms which have historically surrounded the subject-object relation, subjectivity versus objectivity, the individual versus the societal. In Central Problems the dialectical engagement of agency and structure was assertively placed at the core of social theory, reconceptualized by Giddens in a theory of structuration which situates praxis and social reproduction in "time and space as a continuous flow of conduct" (page 2). This comprehensive confluence of ideas marked, for Giddens, the culmination of one spiral of critical reinterpretation and the beginning of another, more committed and constructive than the first, a presentation of self relatively unprotected by the shielding effects of other social theorists.
Marfan syndrome in children and adolescents: an adjusted nomogram for screening aortic root dilatation

Objective To construct an adjusted nomogram for the echocardiographic screening of aortic root diameter in children with possible Marfan disease. Design In 91 children (42 boys, 49 girls, age range 3.2 to 18.4 years) undergoing Marfan screening from 1983 until 1996, the diagnosis Marfan syndrome and any other aortic pathology was definitely ruled out. These served as a control population to set appropriate reference standards. Results Compared with a standard Dutch reference population, body surface area of the control subjects (mean (SD)) was above the 50th centile (boys 0.09 (0.20) m2, range −0.28 to 0.69 m2; girls 0.09 (0.17) m2, range −0.17 to 0.69 m2). Echocardiographically determined aortic root diameter and body surface area showed a linear relation and a greater variability of aortic root diameter in these relatively tall subjects (n = 91,R 2 = 0.62) than in the standard nomogram (n = 56, R 2 = 0.93). In 24% of cases (n = 22), the aortic root exceeded the upper limit of normal in the standard nomogram, by 2.2 (2.0) mm. An adjusted nomogram was constructed with a higher upper limit. Conclusions A Marfan screening population differs from the unselected population in body surface area and aortic root size variability. An adjusted nomogram should therefore be used to detect a truly enlarged aortic root.
Diachronic Framing Effects in Competitive Opinion Environments

Although theoretical models understand framing as a process that evolves over time, most prior studies were designed to measure the immediate effects of news frames. We theorize that framing effects are diachronic in nature; that is, framing effects at some given point in time can be diminished or reversed at a later point in time. It is argued that the longevity of framing effects depends on how certain people are when they form their initial opinions. If the effects of frames lead to opinions that are held with low certainty, future exposure to competing frames can alter opinions in directions opposite to the original frame. In contrast, when people hold rather strong opinions as a result of initial frame exposure, these framing effects are likely to persist over time. Two studies support the claim that the longevity of framing effects is conditional on opinion certainty.
Detecting Lies in the Financial Industry: A Survey of Investment Professionals' Beliefs

Research suggests that interpersonal deception is a common phenomenon in many settings. However, to date no research has examined lying and lie detection in the financial industry. This paper presents an empirical examination of investment professionals' beliefs about deception. We obtained survey data from 607 CFA Institute charter holders across the world. Three aspects of deception were included in the survey. First, respondents' beliefs about the behavioral characteristics of lying were examined. Second, perceptions of the prevalence of lies in professional and everyday life were mapped. Third, respondents were asked to estimate their ability to distinguish between lies and truths. The results showed that respondents subscribed to common misconceptions about deceptive behavior, in particular the beliefs that liars are gaze aversive and fidgety. Respondents believed that lying occurs on a daily basis, and that their accuracy in detecting lies exceeds 65%. Previous research suggests that this estimate may be overconfident. Implications of these results and directions for future research on deception in the financial industry are discussed.
Investigation of Light Extraction by Refractive Index of an Encapsulant, a Package Structure, and Phosphor

The effects of the refractive index of an encapsulant on the light-extraction efficiency (LEE) of white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are studied. A dome-type blue LED with a high-refractive-index encapsulant (HRE) shows a higher LEE compared to that of a low-refractive-index encapsulant (LRE). In a flat-type surface-mounted device (SMD) package, however, an LED with LRE shows a higher LEE than an LED with the HRE. These results stem from differences in the total internal reflection at the interfaces between the encapsulant and the air. In an SMD package, the LEE at the interface between an LED chip and an HRE is higher than that between an LED chip and an LRE, whereas the LEE at the interface between an HRE and air is lower than that between an LRE and air. The simulation results based on Monte Carlo ray tracing agree well with the experimental results. On the contrary, when a flat-type white LED is fabricated with a high concentration of phosphors, the optical power with LRE is lower than that with HRE because the optical paths within an LED package are modified by phosphor.
An Analysis of Three Study Skills: Notetaking, Summarizing, and Rereading1

AbstractCollege students read a 2,000-word text with or without taking notes. Afterwards, one-half of the learners wrote passage summaries without referring to the text, while the remainder completed a spatial relations task. Subjects then either reread the original passage or engaged in placebo work. All subjects subsequently took both a 30- item immediate test and a seven-day delayed test composed of equal numbers of factual and idea questions. Both notetaking and rereading strategies improved recall; however, these effects were nonadditive. Participants recalled more substantive information, but rereading increased factual recall. The time and conditional probability analyses supported these findings. The authors concluded that the presence of the original text was essential to further learning.
Derecruitment of filtration surface area in paraquat-injured isolated dog lungs.

The capillary filtration coefficient (Kf,c) is a sensitive and specific index of vascular permeability if surface area remains constant, but derecruitment might affect Kf,c in severely damaged lungs with high vascular resistance. We studied the effect of high and low blood flow rates on Kf,c in papaverine-pretreated blood-perfused isolated dog lungs perfused under zone 3 conditions with and without paraquat (PQ, 10(-2) M). Three Kf,cs were measured successively at hourly intervals for 5 h. These progressed sequentially from isogravimetric blood flow with low vascular pressure (I/L) to high flow with low vascular pressure (H/L) to high flow with high vascular pressure (H/H). The blood flows of H/L and H/H were greater than or equal to 1.5 times that of I/L. There were no significant changes in Kf,c in lungs without paraquat over a 50-fold range of blood flow rates. At 3 h after PQ, I/L-Kf,c was significantly increased and both isogravimetric capillary pressure and total protein reflection coefficient were decreased from base line. At 4 and 5 h, H/L-Kf,c was significantly greater than the corresponding I/L-Kf,c (1.01 +/- 0.22 vs. 0.69 +/- 0.09 and 1.26 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.79 +/- 0.10 ml.min-1.cmH2O-1.100 g-1, respectively) and isogravimetric blood flow decreased to 32.0 and 12.0% of base line, respectively. Pulmonary vascular resistance increased to 12 times base line at 5 h after PQ. We conclude that Kf,c is independent of blood flow in uninjured lungs. However, Kf,c measured at isogravimetric blood flow underestimated the degree of increase in Kf,c in severely damaged and edematous lungs because of a high vascular resistance and derecruitment of filtering surface area.
Influence of Family History of Diabetes on Health Care Provider Practice and Patient Behavior Among Nondiabetic Oregonians

Introduction People with a family history of diabetes are at increased risk of developing diabetes; however, the effect of family history of diabetes on health care provider practice and patient behavior has not been well defined. Methods We analyzed data from the 2005 Oregon Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a state-based, random-digit–dialed telephone survey, to evaluate, among people with diabetes, associations between family history of diabetes and 1) patients' reports of health care provider practices, 2) patients' perceived risk of developing diabetes, and 3) patients' behaviors associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes. Results Compared with respondents at average risk, respondents with a positive family history (strong or moderate familial risk for diabetes) were more likely to report that their health care provider collects family history information about diabetes, discusses the risk of developing diabetes or other chronic conditions, and makes recommendations to change their diet or exercise behaviors to reduce the chance of developing diabetes. Respondents with a strong family history of diabetes were 5 times more likely to be very or somewhat worried about developing diabetes than were people at average risk (odds ratio [OR], 5.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.0-6.2). Compared with respondents at average risk, respondents with a strong family history were more likely to report making changes in diet and exercise (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.4-2.1). Conclusion Integrating family history of diabetes into clinical practice offers opportunities to improve the effectiveness of diabetes detection and to promote interventions aimed at preventing or delaying the development of diabetes in people at high risk.
Modeling and Analyzing Publish-Subscribe Architecture using Petri Nets

Software architecture is the foundation for the development of software systems. Its correctness is important to the quality of the software systems that have been developed based on it. Formally modeling and analyzing software architecture is an effective way to ensure the correctness of software architecture. However, how to effectively verify software architecture and use the results from formal modeling and analysis is important to the application of the approach. In this paper, software architecture is modelled using high level Petri nets, and the model is then checked with a model based testing tool called MISTA, and bounded model checking tool Alloy to ensure the correctness of the model. The approach is designed as a two-phase process consisting of model-based testing and bounded model checking to ensure it is both practical and rigorous for analyzing software architecture. We illustrated the idea and procedure via modeling and analyzing the PublishSubscribe architecture. The result has shown that combining bounded model checking with model based testing is an effective extension to ensure the development quality. Keywordssoftware architecture; Petri net; model checking; model based software testing; publish-subscribe architecture
Some Notes on Linguistic Theory and Language Development: The Case of Root Infinitives

Around the age of 2, language learners typically produce main declaratives with verbs in the infinitival form. It is claimed that such root infinitives are truncated structures, arising from the option of "stripping off" external clausal layers. The basic properties of the construction are shown to be amenable to the Truncation Hypothesis: Root infinitives are incompatible with wh-elements, subject critics, auxiliaries, and so forth. The virtual nonoccurrence of the construction in early Italian follows from the Truncation Hypothesis in conjunction with independent properties of Italian infinitives with respect to V-to-I movement. The Truncation Hypothesis also relates root infinitives to other properties of early grammatical systems, such as the option of omitting subjects in root contexts.
Supportive living environments: A first concept of a dwelling designed for older adults with dementia

The vast majority of older adults want to remain living independently at home, with or without a sufficient amount of professional home care, even when overall health is starting to decline. The ageing of society and the increase in the number of very old elders goes together with an increase in the number of people with dementia. About two thirds of the diagnosed people in the Netherlands live at home. Dementia has severe implications to the quality of daily life, in particular to independent functioning. This sets extra demands to living environments. Older adults with dementia and their partners ask for living environments that support independence, compensate for declining vitality, and lower the burden of family care. For this purpose, a first concept of a design for a dementia dwelling is presented in this paper, which incorporates modifications in terms of architecture, interior design, the indoor environment, and technological solutions. These design features were derived from literature search and focus group sessions. Current design guidelines are frequently based on practical experience only, and therefore, more systematic field research should be carried out to find evidence for the various design modifications. Also, it needs to be studied how the design features of the dementia dwelling can be incorporated into the existing housing stock.
Discovery of TUG-770: A Highly Potent Free Fatty Acid Receptor 1 (FFA1/GPR40) Agonist for Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

Free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFA1 or GPR40) enhances glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells and currently attracts high interest as a new target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. We here report the discovery of a highly potent FFA1 agonist with favorable physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. The compound efficiently normalizes glucose tolerance in diet-induced obese mice, an effect that is fully sustained after 29 days of chronic dosing.
Finding and improving the key-frames of long video sequences for face recognition

Face recognition systems are very sensitive to the quality and resolution of their input face images. This makes such systems unreliable when working with long surveillance video sequences without employing some selection and enhancement algorithms. On the other hand, processing all the frames of such video sequences by any enhancement or even face recognition algorithm is demanding. Thus, there is a need for a mechanism to summarize the input video sequence to a set of key-frames and then applying an enhancement algorithm to this subset. This paper presents a system doing exactly this. The system uses face quality assessment to select the key-frames and a hybrid super-resolution to enhance the face image quality. The suggested system that employs a linear associator face recognizer to evaluate the enhanced results has been tested on real surveillance video sequences and the experimental results show promising results.
Histories quantization of parameterized systems: I. Development of a general algorithm

We develop a new algorithm for the quantization of systems with first-class constraints. Our approach lies within the (History Projection Operator) continuous-time histories quantization programme. In particular, the Hamiltonian treatment (either classical or quantum) of parameterized systems is characterized by the loss of the notion of time in the space of true degrees of freedom (i.e. the `problem of time'). The novel temporal structure of the HPO theory (two laws of time transformation that distinguish between the temporal logical structure and the dynamics) persists after the imposition of the constraints, hence the problem of time does not arise. We expound the algorithm for both the classical and quantum cases and apply it to simple models.
Disobedience subjectively speaking

Book synopsis: Disobedience has been practiced and considered since time immemorial. The aim of this edited collection is to explore the concept and practice of disobedience through the prism of contemporary ideas and events. Past writings on disobedience represented it as a largely political practice that revealed the limits of government or law. It was not, for example, thought of as a subjective exigency and its discussion in relation to law and politics was tied to an unduly narrow conception of these terms. Disobedience reveals the multivalent, multidisciplinary and poly-local nature of disobedience. The essays in this volume demonstrate how disobedience operates in various terrains, and may be articulated in relation to textuality, aesthetics and subjectivity, as well as politics and law. A rich and useful guide to current legal, political and social possibilities, this book provides a fresh perspective on a subject that is of both historical importance and contemporary relevance.