Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of venlafaxine compared with other antidepressants and the risk of sudden cardiac death or near death: a nested case-control study

Objective To assess whether use of the antidepressant venlafaxine is associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death or near death compared with other commonly used antidepressants. Design Population based observational study. Setting We did a nested case-control analysis within a new user cohort formed using the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database. Participants New users of venlafaxine, fluoxetine, citalopram, or dosulepin on or after 1 January 1995, aged 18 to 89 years, with a diagnosis of depression or anxiety. Participants were followed-up until February 2005, or the occurrence of sudden cardiac death or near death, identified from medical records indicating non-fatal acute ventricular tachyarrhythmia, sudden death due to cardiac causes, or out of hospital deaths from acute ischaemic cardiac events. For each case, 30 controls were selected matched for age, sex, calendar time, and indication. We used conditional logistic regression to calculate the adjusted odds ratio of sudden cardiac death or near death associated with current use of venlafaxine compared with current use of fluoxetine, citalopram or dosulepin. Results 207 384 participants were followed-up for an average of 3.3 years. There were 568 cases of sudden cardiac death or near death, which were matched to 14 812 controls. The adjusted odds ratio of sudden cardiac death or near death associated with venlafaxine use was 0.66 (95% confidence interval 0.38 to 1.14) relative to fluoxetine use, whereas compared with citalopram it was 0.89 (0.50 to 1.60) and with dosulepin 0.83 (0.46 to 1.52). Conclusions In this large, population based study, the use of venlafaxine was not associated with an excess risk of sudden cardiac death or near death compared with fluoxetine, dosulepin, or citalopram, in patients with depression or anxiety.
Stability Analysis of GI/G/c/K Retrial Queue with Constant Retrial Rate

We consider a GI/G/c/K-type retrial queueing system with constant retrial rate. The system consists of a primary queue and an orbit queue. The primary queue has $c$ identical servers and can accommodate the maximal number of $K$ jobs. If a newly arriving job finds the full primary queue, it joins the orbit. The original primary jobs arrive to the system according to a renewal process. The jobs have general i.i. d. service times. A job in front of the orbit queue retries to enter the primary queue after an exponentially distributed time independent of the orbit queue length. Telephone exchange systems, Medium Access Protocols and short TCP transfers are just some applications of the proposed queueing system. For this system we establish minimal sufficient stability conditions. Our model is very general. In addition, to the known particular cases (e.g., M/G/1/1 or M/M/c/c systems), the proposed model covers as particular cases the deterministic service model and the Erlang model with constant retrial rate. The latter particular cases have not been considered in the past. The obtained stability conditions have clear probabilistic interpretation.
Interfaces beyond the surface: a structural approach to embodiment

This work aims to contribute to the theory and practice of embodied interaction. It criticizes that its underlying term of Embodiment has not been defined sufficiently, and is, consequently, used inconsistently. It also argues that this circumstance is a problematic one. It presents an attempt to provide more clarity to the theory of embodiment, as a basis for the practice of designing embodied interaction in Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs). It proposes a purely structural approach, derived from Heidegger's works around 'Being and Time' [3]. Aspects and criteria of Embodiment (as which Heideggerian Dinglichkeit is interpreted) in the literature are reviewed in this work, and applied to the design practice of Embodied Interaction.
Are Real-World Place Recommender Algorithms Useful in Virtual World Environments?

Large scale virtual worlds such as massive multiplayer online games or 3D worlds gained tremendous popularity over the past few years. With the large and ever increasing amount of content available, virtual world users face the information overload problem. To tackle this issue, game-designers usually deploy recommendation services with the aim of making the virtual world a more joyful environment to be connected at. In this context, we present in this paper the results of a project that aims at understanding the mobility patterns of virtual world users in order to derive place recommenders for helping them to explore content more efficiently. Our study focus on the virtual world SecondLife, one of the largest and most prominent in recent years. Since SecondLife is comparable to real-world Location-based Social Networks (LBSNs), i.e., users can both check-in and share visited virtual places, a natural approach is to assume that place recommenders that are known to work well on real-world LBSNs will also work well on SecondLife. We have put this assumption to the test and found out that (i) while collaborative filtering algorithms have compatible performances in both environments, (ii) existing place recommenders based on geographic metadata are not useful in SecondLife.
Coordination Failures and the Lender of Last Resort: Was Bagehot Right after All?

The classical doctrine of the Lender of Last Resort, elaborated by Thornton (1802) and Bagehot (1873), asserts that the Central Bank should lend to 'illiquid but solvent' banks under certain conditions. Several authors have argued that this view is now obsolete: when interbank markets are efficient, a solvent bank cannot be illiquid. This Paper provides a possible theoretical foundation for rescuing Bagehot's view. Our theory does not rely on the multiplicity of equilibria that arises in classical models of bank runs. We build a model of banks' liquidity crises that possesses a unique Bayesian equilibrium. In this equilibrium, there is a positive probability that a solvent bank cannot find liquidity assistance in the market. We derive policy implications about banking regulation (solvency and liquidity ratios) and interventions of the Lender of Last Resort as well as on the disclosure policy of the Central Bank.
Feedback from Galaxy Formation: Escaping Ionizing Radiation from Galaxies at High Redshift

Several observational and theoretical arguments suggest that starburst galaxies may rival quasars as sources of metagalactic ionizing radiation at redshifts z > 3. Reionization of the intergalactic medium (IGM) at z > 5 may arise, in part, from the first luminous massive stars. To be an important source of radiative feedback from star formation, a substantial fraction (~1%-10%) of the ionizing photons must escape the gas layers of the galaxies. Using models of smoothly distributed gas confined by dark matter (DM) potentials, we estimate the fraction, ⟨fesc⟩ , of Lyman-continuum flux that escapes the halos of spherical galaxies as a function of their mass and virialization redshift. The gas density profile is found by solving the equation of hydrostatic equilibrium for the baryonic matter in the potential well of a DM halo with the density profile found by Navarro et al. We then perform a parametric study to understand the dependence of ⟨fesc⟩ on redshift, mass, baryonic fraction, star formation efficiency (SFE), stellar density distribution, and OB association luminosity function. We give useful analytical formulas for ⟨fesc(z,MDM)⟩. Using the Press-Schechter formalism, we find that stellar reionization at z ~ 7 is probably dominated by small galactic subunits, with MDM ≲ 107 M☉ and SFE ~ 10 times that in the Milky Way. This may affect the distribution of heavy elements throughout the intergalactic medium.
Controlling Unfairness due to Physical Layer Capture and Channel Bonding in 802.11n+s Wireless Mesh Networks

This paper analyzes the effect of physical layer capture (PLC) and channel bonding over high throughput wireless mesh backbone network built over IEEE 802.11n+s standard. With the help of PLC, a signal can be recovered from channel noise and interference if the difference between the received signal strengths is more than a predefined threshold. It is well known that PLC can affect fairness during channel access by biasing towards the link with better signal strength. In this paper, we show that in the presence of channel bonding, high throughput links always suffer due to PLC, that ensues severe unfairness in a mesh backbone network. As a consequence, the performance of the network drops significantly from its actual capacity. This paper presents an adaptive bonding opportunity and channel reservation scheme to mitigate from network unfairness in an IEEE 802.11n+s mesh network. The performance of the proposed scheme is analyzed and evaluated using a 13 node mesh networking testbed. It has been observed that the adaptive bonding opportunity and channel reservation performs significantly better in terms of fairness compared to the standard, and results in a notable performance improvement for end-to-end flow parameters.
The Effect of Input Lattice Structure on Estimates of Power Consumption in CMOS Circuits

A correlation has been established between the planar properties of circuit input data and the accuracy of the power estimates obtained when employing a Monte Carlo technique. This structure may be easily viewed in 2or 3-dimensional space using a variety of co-ordinate systems which reveal the inherent relationship between successive vectors in the input stream. In higher dimensions, a theoretical test of the generator properties, the spectral test, is required to analyse the hyper-planar relationships present. This test has been used to obtain useful generators for the purpose of obtaining uniform white noise (UWN) power estimates of CMOS circuits. Results for some typical CMOS circuits are presented and are compared to those obtained using a known good generator.
A Network of FitzHugh { Nagumo Oscillators for

Segmentation Abderrahim Labbi Ruggero Milanese Holger Bosch Dept. of Computer Science University of Geneva 24, Rue du G en eral Dufour 1211 Geneva 4 { Switzerland labbi, milanese, bosch@cui.unige. ch Abstract| This paper adresses the problem of modeling object segmentation in the visual cortex using oscillations. The proposed architecture is based on a network of locally connected FitzHugh-Nagumo oscillators which receive graded external input. We show the suitability of such a network to encode the stimulus since the amplitude of oscillations increases monotonically as a function of the input in the neighborhood of a bifurcation, while the frequency remains nearly constant. However, due to the di usive e ects of the Laplacian connectivity, the oscillators tend to be in phase even when they represent di erent objects. Therefore a desynchronization mechanism, which represents spatial information about the objects, is added. The overall dynamics are described and simulation results on real images are shown.
QUERY EXPANSION USING AN INTRANET-BASED SEMANTIC NET

Many of today’s web search engine users submit single word queries resulting in an imprecise and overwhelming result set. This paper describes the implementation of a query expansion application prototype, i.e., a tool to augment the original query with more, and hopefully, relevant terms. The prototype uses a semantic net to represent relationships between words and concepts used on a corporate intranet. The aim has been to increase precision and prevent receiving too many documents. The result, compared to that of an unmodified search, shows a gain in precision at the cost of lower recall. Another major thing the experiment teaches us is that the knowledge acquisition cost required to manually build the semantic net may be too high. The paper closes with a discussion about the pros and cons of a query expansion program such as a semantic net.
Noninvasive ventilation for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND In patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, noninvasive ventilation may be used in an attempt to avoid endotracheal intubation and complications associated with mechanical ventilation. METHODS We conducted a prospective, randomized study comparing noninvasive pressure-support ventilation delivered through a face mask with standard treatment in patients admitted to five intensive care units over a 15-month period. RESULTS A total of 85 patients were recruited from a larger group of 275 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease admitted to the intensive care units in the same period. A total of 42 were randomly assigned to standard therapy and 43 to noninvasive ventilation. The two groups had similar clinical characteristics on admission to the hospital. The use of noninvasive ventilation significantly reduced the need for endotracheal intubation (which was dictated by objective criteria): 11 of 43 patients (26 percent) in the noninvasive-ventilation group were intubated, as compared with 31 of 42 (74 percent) in the standard-treatment group (P < 0.001). In addition, the frequency of complications was significantly lower in the noninvasive-ventilation group (16 percent vs. 48 percent, P = 0.001), and the mean (+/- SD) hospital stay was significantly shorter for patients receiving noninvasive ventilation (23 +/- 17 days vs. 35 +/- 33 days, P = 0.005). The in-hospital mortality rate was also significantly reduced with noninvasive ventilation (4 of 43 patients, or 9 percent, in the noninvasive-ventilation group died in the hospital, as compared with 12 of 42, or 29 percent, in the standard-treatment group; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS In selected patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, noninvasive ventilation can reduce the need for endotracheal intubation, the length of the hospital stay, and the in-hospital mortality rate.
Removal of Obstacles in Devanagari Script for Efficient Optical Character Recognition

There are different defining problems are still need to resolve for the high accuracy of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of Devanagari script. The more prominent number of font availability in Devanagari script is a challenge for the character detection in India. Therefore to conquer this problem, here is proposed a system for identification of diverse font of characters which helps to improve the OCR system accuracy. The adequacy technique for recognition of character for number of font styles in Hindi script is shown by this methodology. The proposed methodology is suitable for handling script styles information for Devanagari script is indicated by the outcomes. A procedure for enhancing the recognition accuracy of Devanagari OCR System by creating idea for discovery emphasis words such as Bold, Italic and underline words is exhibited in this work. We have taken most generally utilized Devanagari font styles, for example, kruti Dev 714, DevLys 240, and Alekh for our benchmark testing. Recognition of text style in Hindi script record enhances the execution of Hindi OCR framework.
On the Concept of Attractor in Community-Dynamical Processes

We introduce a notion of attractor to community-dynamical processes as they are studied in biological models and their computer simulations. This attractor concept is modeled after the Conley-Ruelle attractor. It incorporates the fact that in an immigration-free community-dynamical process populations can go extinct at low values of their densities.
Making window requirements for controlled switching application

Switching transients in power systems are always a matter of concern, which results into electrical and mechanical stresses and sometimes may lead to equipment failure. High current transients associated with uncontrolled energization of capacitors can cause voltage sags and harmonics on the primary system, which may create problems with power system equipment and customer processes. Controlled switching has become an economical substitute for a closing resistor and is commonly used to reduce switching surges. The success of controlled closing depends on the accuracy of making instant prediction. If the making instant is missed then there can be a huge inrush current in case of capacitor energization and huge DC offset in case of reactor energization. Making window requirement study gives the clear idea about the circuit breaker selection criteria. Based on this making window requirements one can definitely decide whether the circuit breaker is suitable for the required controlled making application or not.
Development of Virtual World Risk Perception Scale (VWRPS)

DOI: Bu calismanin amaci, Bilisim Teknolojileri alaninda onemli yer tutan sanal ortamlar (sosyal medya, sanal aglar) cercevesinde farkli liselerde ogrenim goren lise ogrencilerinin bu ortamlara iliskin algilamis olduklari risk durumlarini tespit etmek amaciyla gecerli ve guvenilir bir olcek gelistirmektir. Yerli ve yabanci alanyazinda yer alan calismalarin incelenmesiyle 250’nin uzerinde oncul madde hazirlanarak gruplandirma ve olcek ifadesine donusturme islemi yapilmis ve 34 madde belirlenmistir. Olcek cesitli liselerde ogrenim goren 390 lise ogrencisine 2016-2017 egitim ogretim yilinda uygulanmistir. Acimlayici Faktor Analizi neticesinde 5 faktorde toplanan ve faktorlerde yeterli faktor yukune (>.40) sahip 26 madde secilmistir. Elde edilen 26 maddelik olcegin bir genel yapisi (sanal risk algisi) ve uzmanlar tarafindan isimlendirilen bes alt boyutu (sanal yozlasma, sanal yipranma (cokuntu), sanal olanak, sanal firsat ve sanal farkindalik) olcup olcmedigine iliskin yapi gecerligi calismasi Dogrulayici Faktor Analizi ile gerceklestirilmistir. Olcegin tamami ve alt boyutlarin guvenirlikleri icin Cronbach Alpha, Guttmann Split Half ve Sperman Brown degerleri hesaplanmistir. Neticede bes alt faktor ve 26 maddeden olusan ve yapilan analizler neticesinde gecerli ve guvenilir olduguna karar verilen Sanal Dunya Risk Algisi Olcegi (SDRAO)’nin, gelistirilmeye acik, kullanilabilir duzeyde ve ilgili alanyazinda boslugu dolduran bir olcek olmasi beklenmektedir.
Developing a Cloud Computing Charging Model for High-Performance Computing Resources

This paper examines the economics of cloud computing charging from the perspective of a supercomputing resource provider offering its own resources. To evaluate the competitiveness of our computing center with cloud computing resources, we develop a comprehensive system utilization charging model similar to that used by Amazon EC2 and apply the model to our current resources and planned procurements. For our current resource, we find that charging for computational time may be appropriate, but that charging for data traffic between the supercomputer and the storage/front-end systems would result in negligible additional revenue. Similarly, charging for data storage capacity at currently typical commercial rates yields insufficient revenue to offset the acquisition and operation of the storage. However, when we extend the analysis to a capacity cluster scheduled for deployment in the first half of 2010 that will be made available to users through batch, Grid, and cloud interfaces, we find that the resource will be competitive with current and anticipated cloud rates.
Formal semantics and verification of AADL modes in Timed Abstract State Machine

AADL (Architectural Analysis & Design Language) is an architecture description language standard for embedded real-time systems, and it is widely used in aerospace and other safety-critical applications. However, the AADL standard lacks at present a formal semantics. This paper proposes a formal semantics and a verification framework of AADL models with regard to mode change. The precise semantics of AADL mode change protocol is defined by a translation into the TASM (Timed Abstract State Machine) formalism. Then the translational semantics is automated in the AADL2TASM tool, which provides model checking and simulation for AADL models. Finally, the approach is validated with a case study of an automotive cruise control system.
Honest Lies

We report data from a two-stage prediction game, where the accuracy of predictions (in the first stage) regarding die roll outcomes (in the second stage) is rewarded using a proper scoring rule. Thus, given the opportunity to self-report the die roll outcomes, participants have an incentive to bias their predictions to maximize elicitation payoffs. However, we find participants to be surprisingly unresponsive to this incentive, despite clear evidence that they cheated when self-reporting die roll outcomes. These data lend support to Akerlof's (1983) suggestion that people may prefer to appear honest without actually being honest. In particular, the vast majority (95%) of our subjects were willing to incur a cost to preserve an honest appearance. At the same time, only 44% exhibited intrinsic preference for honesty. Moreover, we found that after establishing an honest appearance people cheat to the greatest possible extent. These results suggest that "incomplete cheating" behavior frequently reported in the literature can be attributed more to a preference for maintaining appearances than an intrinsic aversion to maximum cheating.
Clinical Implications of Real-Time Visualized Ultrasound-Guided Injection for the Treatment of Ulnar Neuropathy at the Elbow: A Pilot Study

Objective To investigate the feasibility of ultrasound (US)-guided steroid injection by in-plane approach for cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS), based on symptomatic, morphologic and electrophysiological outcomes. Methods A total of 10 patients, who were clinically diagnosed as CuTS and confirmed by an electrodiagnostic study, participated in this study. US-guided injection into the cubital tunnel was performed with 40 mg triamcinolone and 2 mL of 1% lidocaine. Outcomes of the injections were evaluated at pre-injection, 1st week and 4th week after injection. Visual analog scale, self-administered questionnaire of the ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (SQUNE), and McGowan classification were used for clinical evaluation. Cross-sectional area of the ulnar nerve by US and the electrophysiological severity scale through a nerve conduction study were utilized in the evaluation of morphologic and electrophysiological changes. The cross-sectional area of the ulnar nerve was measured at 3 points of condylar, proximal, and distal level of the cubital tunnel. Results No side effects were reported during the study period. The visual analog scale and cross-sectional area showed a significant decrease at 1st week and 4th week, as compared to baseline (p<0.05). The electrophysiological severity scale was significantly decreased at the 4th week, as compared with baseline and 1st week (p<0.05). Among the quantitative components of the scale, there were statistically significant improvements with respect to the conduction velocity and block. Conclusion The new approach of US-guided injection may be a safe tool for the treatment of CuTS. Symptomatic and morphologic recoveries preceded the electrophysiological improvement.