Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extracting Patient-Related Description from Medical Records in Bulgarian

This paper deals with the extraction of medical information from hospital patient records. It proposes a cascade approach for the extraction of multi-layer knowledge statements because the subject is too complex. We sketch the Information Extraction view to text analysis, where patient-related facts are recognised using predefined regular expressions and templates. A laboratory prototype for patient status extraction is presented together with the first evaluation results.
Time optimal control for quadruped walking robots

Time optimal control method for quadruped walking robots are developed and installed into a practical robot system. Each leg is modeled as a two link manipulator whose time optimal control theory has already been established by Bobrow. However, in legged robot systems, each leg supports their body weight, and the reaction forces from its ground must be inside of their friction corn. Moreover, the ZMP (zero moment point) of the robot is constrained for stable walk. Therefore, time optimal control inputs must be designed considering these constraints. SONY ERS-7 is used as a quadruped walking robot and a fundamental experiment is done. From the experimental results, the effectiveness of the developed control algorithm is verified
The Effect of Perceived Customer Orientation to Emotional Presence, Commitment and Customer Satisfaction in E-Learning

Abstract The emotional factor has not been focused in e-learning studies. But the emotions of student are very important in e-learning because it is a self-regulated learning. This study is focused on the emotional factor in e-learning. This study examines the effect of perceived customer orientation to emotional presence, commitment and customer satisfaction in e-learning. The results of this study showed that the perceived customer orientation effect to the commitment about the learning and the customer satisfaction in e-learning. Key Words : Customer Orientation, Emotional Presence, Commitment, Customer Satisfaction, E-learning 이 논문은 2010학년도 경희사이버대학교 연구년 지원에 의한 결과임 * 경희사이버대학교 경영학부 부교수논문접수: 2012년 10월 3일, 1차 수정을 거쳐, 심사완료: 2012년 11월 7일 1. 서론 e-learning 혹은 온라인 교육은 시간과 공간의 제약이 없다는 장점과 인터넷 환경의 개선으로 인해 급속히 증대되어왔고 이제는 아주 보편적인 학습방법으로 인식되고 있다. 그런데 e-learning의 많은 장점에도 불구하고 e- learning에 참여하는 학습자들은 오프라인의 학습 상황에 비해 중도 포기 가능성이 매우 높다는 단점으로 인해 e-learning의 성과에 대한 평가가 절하되는 경향이 있다. e-learning 수업에 참여하는 학습자들은 거리상으로 서로 떨어져 있고, 다른 학습자들 및 교수자와 정기적으로 얼굴을 마주보며 만날 수 있는 기회가 없기 때문에 소외감을 느끼는 경우가 많다(Gibbs, 1998). 또한 e-learning 환경에서는 어느 특정한 시간에 만나서 수업을 진행하는 것이 아니라 학습자가 스스로 수업 사이트에 접속할 때에만 수업 활동에 참여할 수 있기 때문에 바쁠 경우 수업 활동에의 참여를 쉽게 연기할 수 있다(Hiltz & Wellman, 1997). 이와 같이 e-learning에서는 학생의 중도 포기율이 높기 때문에 학생의 학습지속 의지를 어떻게 장려할
Children of Parents with Bipolar Disorder: A Metaanalysis of Risk for Mental Disorders

Objective: To compare the prevalence rates of mental disorders among children of parents with bipolar disorder and of parents with no mental disorders. Method: Seventeen studies, meeting specific selection criteria, were included in the metaanalyses. Risks for mental disorders among children were estimated by aggregating raw data from the selected studies. Results: Results indicate that in comparison with children of parents with no mental disorders, children of parents with bipolar disorder are 2.7 times more likely to develop any mental disorder and 4.0 times more likely to develop an affective disorder. The metaanalyses indicate that during childhood and adolescence, the risks for any mental disorder and for affective disorders in children are consistently but moderately related to having a parent who suffers from bipolar disorder. Conclusions: Risk factors that could account for the psychopathology observed in children of bipolar parents are explored.
Family Financial Strain and Adolescents' Depression: The Effects of Perceived Discrimination and Parent-adolescent Attachment

A massive literature documents the positive association between family financial strain and adolescents' depression,but the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation are still under-investigated. A survey with a sample of 703 middle school students was conducted to explore the mediating and moderating effects of perceived discrimination and parent-adolescent attachment in the relationship between family financial strain and depression among Chinese adolescents. Results were as follows:(1) After controlling for gender and grade,family financial strain significantly contributed to adolescents' depression;(2) Consistent with the mediation hypothesis,perceived discrimination played a mediating role in the relationship between family financial strain and depression;(3) Parent-adolescent attachment moderated the mediated path through perceived discrimination,such that this mediating effect was only significant for adolescents with insecure parent-adolescent attachment.
Lymphoproliferative responses to Borrelia burgdorferi in circumscribed scleroderma

Summary Humoral immune responses to Borrelia hurgdorferi (Bb) have been reported to occur in certain patients with circumscribed scleroderma (CS) (morphoea). Together with the isolation of spiro‐chaetes from CS skin biopsies, this finding was taken to suggest Bb as the aetiological agent of CS. Since there is cellular immunoreactivity to Bb in patients with chronic Lyme borreliosis (LB). Bb‐specific lymphocytic responses were tested in patients with CS. For this purpose, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from CS patients and. as controls, from patients with various manifestations of LB, and from healthy volunteers without any evidence of Bb infection, were exposed to Bb organisms for 5 days and then assayed for DNA synthesis. Stimulation indices (SI)> 10 were scored positive. By performing lymphocyte proliferation tests we found: (i) that not only patients with various manifestations of LB but also a considerable percentage of seropositive (five of 13 = 38%) and seronegative (six of 26 = 23%) CS patients exhibit an elevated Bb‐induced lymphocyte proliferation; (ii) that the magnitude of the cellular response seen in CS patients is comparable to that encountered in patients with established Bb manifestations; and (iii) that, within a given patient, antibiotic therapy can result in a significant reduction of this response. These results support a causative role of Bb in at least some CS patients. Bb‐induced lymphocyte responses were also seen in both seropositive and seronegative erythema chronicum migrans patients. These findings show that the pattern of Bb‐specific immune responses is more complex than previously thought, and underscore the importance of lymphocyte function assays in evaluating the diagnosis of potential Bb infection in seronegative patients.
Influence of barn drying of fodder on respiratory symptoms and function in dairy farmers of the Doubs region of France.

BACKGROUND--A previous study showed there to be fewer microorganisms (especially thermophilic actinomycetes) on farms with artificial barn drying of fodder than on those using traditional storage methods. A cross sectional study was performed to see whether barn drying provides protection against respiratory problems in dairy farmers. METHODS--The respiratory symptoms and function of a group of 123 farmers with daily exposure to cattle foddering from farms which had had a barn drying system for at least three years were compared with those of a representative sample of 274 farmers working in farms with traditional storage in five districts in the Doubs region of France. RESULTS--Both groups were comparable for mean age, weight, height, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, past history of respiratory disease, history of allergy, geographical location of the farm, and length of exposure. Retrospectively estimated exposure to fodder was greater in the group using a barn drying system than in the group working with traditional storage. Acute symptoms at exposure (rhinitis, eye irritation, dry cough, asthma symptoms) and chronic symptoms all tended to be less frequent in the barn drying group, although not individually significantly so. Mean (SD) respiratory function parameters were higher in the barn drying group than in the traditional group: % vital capacity (VC) 104 (14) v 102 (15); % forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 99 (14) v 94 (18); % FEV1/VC 96 (11) v 92 (16); % forced mid expiratory flow (FEF25-75) 87 (24) v 79 (25). CONCLUSION--The results of this cross sectional study suggest that barn drying of fodder may protect respiratory function in dairy farmers.
Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter Inhibition Prevents Oxidative Stress in the Kidney of Diabetic Rats

The hyperglycemia triggers several chronic diabetic complications mediated by increased oxidative stress that eventually causes diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study was to examine if the sodium-glucose cotransporter (SGLT2) inhibition prevents the oxidative stress in the kidney of diabetic rats. Methods. The diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg). The inhibition of SGLT2 was induced by daily subcutaneous administration of phlorizin (0.4 g/kg). Oxidative stress was assessed by catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and by immunohistochemical analysis of 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT). Results. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes caused hyperglycemia and lower body weight. The CAT activity decreased in cortex and medulla from diabetic rats; in contrast, the GPx activity increased. Furthermore the 3-NT staining of kidney from diabetic rats increased compared to control rats. The inhibition of SGLT2 decreased hyperglycemia. However, significant diuresis and glucosuria remain in diabetic rats. The phlorizin treatment restores the CAT and GPX activities and decreases 3-NT staining. Conclusion. The inhibition of SGLT2 by phlorizin prevents the hyperglycemia and oxidative stress in kidney of diabetic rats, suggesting a prooxidative mechanism related to SGLT2 activity.
Parenting a child with an autism spectrum disorder: a review of parent mental health and its relationship to a trauma-based conceptualisation

The impact on parental psychological functioning as a result of living with disruptive, challenging, and dangerous behaviours exhibited by some children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is investigated. Core features of ASD along with aggression, elopement, self-injury, and suicidal ideation can cause significant parental distress. This parenting experience may be associated with depression, anxiety, somatisation, and anger-hostility. It is proposed that a traumatic stress framework may assist in conceptualising some parents’ experiences and psychological symptomatology. A systematic review revealed only one study that had explored posttraumatic stress symptoms amongst parents of children with ASD. Consequently, a narrative literature review has been conducted to explore this emerging area of enquiry. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (fifth edition) recognises direct experience as well as witnessing actual or threatened serious injury as a traumatic event that can lead to trauma-related psychopathology. Despite some parents of children with ASD experiencing traumatic events (e.g. their child engaging in self-injurious behaviours), prevalence rates of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder amongst this population are unknown. Further research is required to determine the validity of adopting a traumatic stress framework when considering parent symptomatology, and if such a framework were valid, there would be significant implications for optimising support and intervention for parents.
Role of endothelin a receptor in colon cancer metastasis: In vitro and in vivo evidence

The endothelin (ET)‐1/endothelin A receptor (ETAR) axis is reportedly involved in tumor cell invasion, survival, and metastasis. However, the role of ETAR in colon cancer metastasis and the underlying mechanisms have not been defined. In the present study, we assessed the role of ETAR in colon cancer metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Overexpression and knockdown of ETAR were respectively performed in SW480 and SW620 human colon cancer cells. Overexpression of ETAR in SW480 cells significantly increased cell survival against cisplatin, cell invasion, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 expression, which was strengthened by exogenous ET‐1 and abolished by selective ETAR antagonist BQ123 and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002. Knockdown of ETAR in SW620 cells markedly decreased cell survival against cisplatin, cell invasion, and MMP‐2 expression, which was strengthened by BQ123 and LY294002, and partially rescued by exogenous ET‐1. In a colon cancer liver metastasis mouse model, while ETAR overexpression promoted colon cancer liver metastases, ETAR knockdown markedly decreased liver metastases. In conclusion, our in vitro data demonstrate that ETAR mediates the promoting effects of ET‐1 on colon cancer cell survival, invasion and MMP‐2 expression by a PI3K‐mediated mechanism. Our in vivo data indicate that ETAR markedly promotes colon cancer liver metastasis. This study provides direct evidence for a critical role of ETAR in colon cancer metastasis, which suggests that ETAR antagonism could benefit patients with metastatic colon cancer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
SND1 Transcription Factor–Directed Quantitative Functional Hierarchical Genetic Regulatory Network in Wood Formation in Populus trichocarpa[C][W]

Novel methods were developed and demonstrated for the discovery of genetic regulatory networks in wood-forming tissues. Transfection of protoplasts from differentiating xylem with the transcription factor gene Ptr-SND1-B1 and novel computational analysis revealed a three-level hierarchical genetic regulatory network that was verified by ChIP and Ptr-SND1-B1 overexpression in transgenic plants. Wood is an essential renewable raw material for industrial products and energy. However, knowledge of the genetic regulation of wood formation is limited. We developed a genome-wide high-throughput system for the discovery and validation of specific transcription factor (TF)–directed hierarchical gene regulatory networks (hGRNs) in wood formation. This system depends on a new robust procedure for isolation and transfection of Populus trichocarpa stem differentiating xylem protoplasts. We overexpressed Secondary Wall-Associated NAC Domain 1s (Ptr-SND1-B1), a TF gene affecting wood formation, in these protoplasts and identified differentially expressed genes by RNA sequencing. Direct Ptr-SND1-B1–DNA interactions were then inferred by integration of time-course RNA sequencing data and top-down Graphical Gaussian Modeling–based algorithms. These Ptr-SND1-B1-DNA interactions were verified to function in differentiating xylem by anti-PtrSND1-B1 antibody-based chromatin immunoprecipitation (97% accuracy) and in stable transgenic P. trichocarpa (90% accuracy). In this way, we established a Ptr-SND1-B1–directed quantitative hGRN involving 76 direct targets, including eight TF and 61 enzyme-coding genes previously unidentified as targets. The network can be extended to the third layer from the second-layer TFs by computation or by overexpression of a second-layer TF to identify a new group of direct targets (third layer). This approach would allow the sequential establishment, one two-layered hGRN at a time, of all layers involved in a more comprehensive hGRN. Our approach may be particularly useful to study hGRNs in complex processes in plant species resistant to stable genetic transformation and where mutants are unavailable.
Blind Spots: Small Rural Communities and High Turnover in the Superintendency

This article examines high superintendency turnover through rural community members’ perceptions of such attrition in their districts. Findings indicate that community members perceived high turnover as negative and believed that turnover was created by financial pressures, rural community resistance to educational trends, and bias against minorities and/or “outsiders. ” Interestingly, most community members talked about superintendent turnover as “just the way things are around here,” attributing high turnover to what they considered external financial conditions (the superintendents’ low salary and the state funding sources) and unwittingly putting themselves in a position of helplessness, or as victims, even when they controlled the amount of salary that they offered candidates.
Propagation of Low-Frequency Spoof Surface Plasmon Polaritons in a Bilateral Cross-Metal Diaphragm Channel Waveguide in the Absence of Bandgap

In this work, spoof surface plasmon polaritons in a novel subwavelength periodic bilateral cross-metal diaphragm channel waveguide are theoretically and experimentally investigated. It is found that the propagation frequency range can be broadened due to the absence of the bandgap between the fundamental band and the second guiding band by tuning the geometric parameters. In addition, the dispersion curve of the second band can pass through the light line and then enter into the radiation region, leading to a frequency-based beam steering radiation. We also find that, below the light line, there exists an anomalous linear dispersion such that the guiding mode propagation length can be extended up to around 200λ. Good agreement has been achieved between experimental and numerical results.
Deep molecular response is reached by the majority of patients treated with imatinib, predicts survival, and is achieved more quickly by optimized high-dose imatinib: results from the randomized CML-study IV.

PURPOSE Deep molecular response (MR(4.5)) defines a subgroup of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who may stay in unmaintained remission after treatment discontinuation. It is unclear how many patients achieve MR(4.5) under different treatment modalities and whether MR(4.5) predicts survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients from the randomized CML-Study IV were analyzed for confirmed MR(4.5) which was defined as ≥ 4.5 log reduction of BCR-ABL on the international scale (IS) and determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in two consecutive analyses. Landmark analyses were performed to assess the impact of MR(4.5) on survival. RESULTS Of 1,551 randomly assigned patients, 1,524 were assessable. After a median observation time of 67.5 months, 5-year overall survival (OS) was 90%, 5-year progression-free-survival was 87.5%, and 8-year OS was 86%. The cumulative incidence of MR(4.5) after 9 years was 70% (median, 4.9 years); confirmed MR(4.5) was 54%. MR(4.5) was reached more quickly with optimized high-dose imatinib than with imatinib 400 mg/day (P = .016). Independent of treatment approach, confirmed MR(4.5) at 4 years predicted significantly higher survival probabilities than 0.1% to 1% IS, which corresponds to complete cytogenetic remission (8-year OS, 92% v 83%; P = .047). High-dose imatinib and early major molecular remission predicted MR(4.5). No patient with confirmed MR(4.5) has experienced progression. CONCLUSION MR(4.5) is a new molecular predictor of long-term outcome, is reached by a majority of patients treated with imatinib, and is achieved more quickly with optimized high-dose imatinib, which may provide an improved therapeutic basis for treatment discontinuation in CML.
Recovery of quantized compressed sensing measurements

Compressed Sensing (CS) is a novel mathematical framework that has revolutionized modern signal and image acquisition architectures ranging from one-pixel cameras, to range imaging and medical ultrasound imaging. According to CS, a sparse signal, or a signal that can be sparsely represented in an appropriate collection of elementary examples, can be recovered from a small number of random linear measurements. However, real life systems may introduce non-linearities in the encoding in order to achieve a particular goal. Quantization of the acquired measurements is an example of such a non-linearity introduced in order to reduce storage and communications requirements. In this work, we consider the case of scalar quantization of CS measurements and propose a novel recovery mechanism that enforces the constraints associated with the quantization processes during recovery. The proposed recovery mechanism, termed Quantized Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (Q-OMP) is based on a modification of the OMP greedy sparsity seeking algorithm where the process of quantization is explicit considered during decoding. Simulation results on the recovery of images acquired by a CS approach reveal that the modified framework is able to achieve significantly higher reconstruction performance compared to its naive counterpart under a wide range of sampling rates and sensing parameters, at a minimum cost in computational complexity.
Learning style preferences of occupational therapy students.

: Fifty-five undergraduate and 22 graduate students in occupational therapy were surveyed by using the Canfield-Lafferty Learning Styles Inventory. The results of the study indicate that their learning style preferences favor the learning conditions that permit knowing and liking the instructor personally, setting one's own objectives, and working alone and independently. The highest content and mode preferences for learning were working with people and engaging in direct experience, respectively. The lowest content and mode preferences were for working with numbers and for reading. Achievement expectations for grades were A and B. The findings are discussed.
ON LINE SELF-ORGANIZING NON-RIGID SHAPE DESCRIPTION IN MULTIPLE OBJECTS SCENES

The problem is considered of tracking and recognizing articulated and rigid dynamically interacting objects in complex scenes from a static camera. A novel approach is considered for tracking and recognition which is based on different feature selection strategies applied to an initially redundant set of significant shape points (i.e. corners). Short-term and long-term memory models are used in a cooperative scheme. The two level feature selection strategy used by long-term shape models is described: at the lower level a spatial-temporal voting method is used to assess temporal stability of spatial groups of corners; at the higher level, a supervised self-organizing scheme is used for feature selection preserving discriminating and expressive power of features related to examples of well-separated objects. It is shown that the proposed scheme fits well with requirements of a real-time surveillance system.
Performance Bounds for Cooperative Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (C-SLAM)

In this Technical Report we study the time evolution of the position estimates’ covariance in Cooperative Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (C-SLAM), and obtain analytical upper boundsfor the positioning uncertainty. The derived bounds provide descriptions of the asymptotic positioning performance of a team of robots in a mapping task, as a function of the characteristics of the proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensors of the robots, and of the graph of relative position measurements recorded by the robots. A study of the properties of the Riccati recursion which describes the propagation of uncertainty through time, yields (i) the guaranteed accuracyfor a robot team in a given C-SLAM application, as well as (ii) the maximum expected steady state uncertainty of the robots and landmarks, when the spatial distribution of features in the environment can be modeled by a known distribution.