Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gatherplots : Extended Scatterplots for Categorical Data

Scatterplots are a common tool for exploring multidimensional datasets, especially in the form of scatterplot matrices (SPLOMs). However, scatterplots suffer from overplotting when categorical variables are mapped to one or two axes, or the same continuous variables are used for both axes. Previous methods such as histograms or violin plots for these cases aggregate marks, which makes brushing and linking difficult. To improve this, we propose gatherplots, an extension of scatterplots to manage overplotting for categorical data, while keeping individual object identities. In gatherplots, every data point that maps to the same position coalesces to form a stacked entity, thereby making it easier to see the overview of data groupings. The size and aspect ratio of data points can also be changed dynamically to make it easier to compare the composition of different groups. In the case of a categorical variable vs. a categorical variable, we propose a heuristic to decide bin sizes for optimal space usage. This means that make better use of visual space to show the overall distribution. To validate our work, we conducted a crowdsourced user study that shows that gatherplots enable users to judge the relative portion of subgroups more quickly and more correctly than when using jittered scatterplots.
An intelligent approach for robust detection and recognition of multiple color and font styles automobiles license plates: A feature-based algorithm

This paper presents a robust real time feature based algorithm for localization and recognition of multiple color and font style license plates. The algorithm uses digitized license plate images for robust detection and recognition. The resolution of the captured image is adjusted and the brightness and contrast are set to appropriate levels. An optimal threshold is applied to detect white regions of the enhanced image. The algorithm uses segmentation and component labeling to create candidate regions intelligently. For localization of the license plate, features of each region are extracted and analyzed by rectangularity percentage of the automobile's license plate. The use of color filter renders the algorithm more robust on license plate localization. Moreover, we use HSV color space to find the specific color regions. After localization of license plate in small sized image, the proposed algorithm uses rapid intelligent method for localization of license plate form the original image. The localized license plate image is cropped and processed by the recognition algorithm. Each character's region is identified by using segmentation algorithm based on the profile which includes character dilation and resizing for subsequent operations. In this paper, correlation optical character recognition and multi-layer perception neural networks techniques are used for recognizing the characters. The performance of the proposed algorithm is acceptable even in low-quality or bad light images.
Supernode-Based Multiring P2P Middleware for the Global Contentifier

As peer-to-peer applications are becoming ubiquitous for content distribution and communication, modern artists reflect on and incorporate P2P technologies in their work. The novel Global Contentifier installation art project uses P2P technology to drive an interactive audio sculpture interconnecting users and enabling the exchange of personal wishes of political concern, while visualising the geographical and logical network topology and the content flow therein to create an interactive experience. This dissertation strives to realise the technical requirements of the Global Contentifier and is part of a project of larger scale. A supernode-based P2Pmiddleware for buildingmultiring overlay networks is designed and implemented. The multiring topology consists of the outer and inner rings. The latter interconnects the more powerful supernodes which provide a number of services for the P2P overlay, such as bootstrapping, security mechanisms, as well as geo-location of nodes and content. The design addresses the issues of security, survivability and scalability. An existing ring protocol is adapted to the requirements. The network component of the Global Contentifier application is built on top of the middleware. The designed application realises a serial content
Automatic Knowledge Acquisition for Creating Nuclear Juridical Lexica

Abstract Knowledge acquisition constitutes the bottleneck for the creation of legal expert systems. Our prototype CONCAT deals with the problem that the information is formalised to a certain degree by use of legal language. This task is performed in that the process of creating a selective thesaurus for a nuclear juridical lexicon is supported which can be used for automatic indexing and document classification. This selectivity is obtained by distinguishing between precise legal terms and words with fuzzy meanings. The resulting thesaurus can thus represent automatically the expert knowledge of a lawyer about legal terminology. Therefore, CONCAT can be used as a tool for the semi-automatic creation of a legal knowledge base for the automatic representation of the structure and the contents of the documents. As structuring techniques we applied cluster analysis and neural networks. The cluster algorithm creates satisfying results but turned out to be very sensitive as concerns the fine tuning of parameters. The neural network achieves comparable quality without the need for any adaptation.
Loyalty of Web 2.0 Sites: The Role of Sense of Belonging

The research investigates the factors leading to user loyalty of Web 2.0 sites. Survey of users in a popular Web 2.0 site in Taiwan was conducted. Results show that sense of belonging and service quality have direct effect while trust affects loyalty indirectly via sense of belonging. In addition, service quality also affects loyalty through trust and sense of belonging. One surprising finding is that trust has non-significant direct effect on loyalty as originally proposed. Another interesting finding comes from light user group. Among light users, service quality has no direct effect on loyalty, making sense of belonging the only direct impact on loyalty.
Lazy Arc Consistency

Arc consistency filtering is widely used in the framework of binary constraint satisfaction problems: with a low complexity inconsistency may be detected and domains are filtered. In this paper, we show that when detecting inconsistency is the objective, a systematic domain filtering is useless and a lazy approach is more adequate. Whereas usual arc consistency algorithms produce the maximum arc consistent subdomain, when it exists, we propose a method, called LAC7, which only looks for any arc consistent sub-domain. The algorithm is then extended to provide the additional service of locating one variable with a minimum domain cardinality in the maximum arc consistent sub-domain, without necessarily computing all domain sizes. Finally, we compare traditional AC enforcing and lazy AC enforcing using several benchmark problems, both randomly generated CSP and real life problems.
Hemodynamic Changes of the Middle Hepatic Vein in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Using Echocardiography

The aim of this study was to analyze the changes of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) spectra in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) caused by congenital heart disease (CHD) and determine the proper parameters of MHV to predict PH. Eighty patients with CHD were included, whose pulmonary artery pressure was measured via right heart catheterization, and the MHV spectra were detected via echocardiography. The peak value of velocity (V) and velocity time integral (VTI) of the waves, including S wave, D wave and A wave, were measured at the end of inspiration. The values of the MHV parameters that were predictive of PH were evaluated and their cut-off points were determined. Compared with the control group, V of S wave (S), VTI of S wave (SVTI), V of D wave (D), VTI of D wave (DVTI) decreased and V of A wave (A), VTI of A wave (AVTI), A/S, AVTI/SVTI, A/(S+D), AVTI/ (SVTI+DVTI) increased in the PH group. These differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). A correlation analysis determined that the ratios of A/S, A/(S+D), AVTI/(SVTI+DVTI) were positively correlated with pulmonary artery mean pressure (r=0.529,0.575,0.438,P<0.001). An ROC curve analysis determined that the diagnostic effect of A/(S+D) was superior to the other two parameters. On the ROC curve, when the ratio of A/(S+D) was 0.30, the sensitivity was 85.37% and specificity was 75.00% for predicting PH. The spectral parameters of MHV, including the ratios of A/S, A/(S+D) and AVTI/(SVTI+DVTI), increased with increasing pulmonary pressure in CHD patients. When the ratio of A/(S+D) was 0.30 in MHV spectra, it had sufficient sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing PH, and this method could be used as a new non-invasive complementary echocardiographic parameter for predicting PH.
Tessling on My Brain: The Future of Lie Detection and Brain Privacy in the Criminal Justice System

Le système de justice pénale a besoin de moyens fiables pour déterminer le vrai du faux. Grâce à une gamme de nouvelles technologies en neuro-imagerie, on peut évaluer et surveiller l'activité du cerveau sans avoir à entrer dans la boîte crânienne. Sans tenir compte des indicateurs physiologiques externes de la malhonnêteté sur lesquels reposaient les anciennes techniques de détection des mensonges, certains experts en neuro-imagerie croient que la scintigraphie cérébrale serait un moyen fiable de détecter les mensonges en justice pénale. Comme les dispositifs en neurotechnologie deviennent de plus en plus petits et perfectionnés, permettent des lectures à plus longue portée et pourraient un jour être en mesure d'interfacer avec des puces implantables, certains de ces experts croient aussi qu'il sera possible de surveiller subrepticement le cerveau à distance. Dans l'article, les auteurs examinent ces possibilités et affirment que la démarche actuelle des tribunaux canadiens pour protéger la vie privée ne permet pas de répondre facilement aux défis posés par ces nouvelles technologies. Dans l'article, on commence par examiner les normes déterminant les « attentes raisonnables en matière de protection de la vie privée » adoptées par la Cour suprême du Canada. Les auteurs font valoir que diverses cours au Canada ont mal compris et mal appliqué la décision dans l'affaire Tessling à cause d'une analogie inadéquate. Après une description des systèmes de détection des mensonges par scintigraphie cérébrale, les auteurs examinent l'emploi par les cours de l'analogie Tessling dans le contexte du respect du cerveau. En plus de démontrer les dangers inhérents à une proposition judiciaire généralisée selon laquelle il n'est pas raisonnable de s'attendre à la protection de renseignements confidentiels provenant d'un lieu public, dans un espace public, les auteurs suggèrent qu'il faut de meilleurs rapports sur le respect du cerveau et proposent différentes sources de lois possibles pouvant servir à cet égard.
NURR1 Involvement in Recombinant Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator Treatment Complications After Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— Despite the effectiveness of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (r-tPA) during the acute phase of ischemic stroke, the therapy remains limited by a narrow time window and the occurrence of occasional vascular side effects, particularly symptomatic hemorrhages. Our aim was to investigate the mechanisms underlying the endothelial damage resulting from r-tPA treatment in ischemic-like conditions. Methods— Microarray analyses were performed on cerebral endothelial cells submitted to r-tPA treatment during oxygen and glucose deprivation to identify novel biomarker candidates. Validation was then performed in vivo in a mouse model of thromboembolic stroke and culminated in an analysis in a clinical cohort of patients with ischemic stroke treated with thrombolysis. Results— The transcription factor NURR1 (NR4A2) was identified as a downstream target induced by r-tPA during oxygen and glucose deprivation. Silencing NURR1 expression reversed the endothelial-toxicity induced by the combined stimuli, a protective effect attributable to reduced levels of proinflammatory mediators, such as nuclear factor-kappa-beta 2 (NF-&kgr;-B2), interleukin 1 alpha (IL1&agr;), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), SMAD family member 3 (SMAD3), colony stimulating factor 2 (granulocyte-macrophage; CSF2). The detrimental effect of delayed thrombolysis, in conditions in which NURR1 gene expression was enhanced, was confirmed in the preclinical stroke model. Finally, we determined that patients with stroke who had a symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation after r-tPA treatment exhibited higher baseline serum NURR1 levels than did patients with an asymptomatic or absence of cerebral bleedings. Conclusions— Our results suggest that NURR1 upregulation by r-tPA during ischemic stroke is associated with endothelial dysfunction and inflammation and the enhancement of hemorrhagic complications associated to thrombolysis.
Motivational Pattern of Librarians and Information Workers in India

Reports the results of the study on the motivational pattern of Librarians/Information workers in India. Identifies the dominant needs and relates them to Maslow's theory. There appears to be a reversal of hierarchy. The Esteem needs are very dominant while the Social needs are less emphasised upon. An explanation of this phenomenon is attempted. Correlates the age and income of respondents with the need pattern.
The Prospect for Remote Sensing of Cirrus Clouds with a Submillimeter-Wave Spectrometer

Abstract Given the substantial radiative effects of cirrus clouds and the need to validate cirrus cloud mass in climate models, it is important to measure the global distribution of cirrus properties with satellite remote sensing. Existing cirrus remote sensing techniques, such as solar reflectance methods, measure cirrus ice water path (IWP) rather indirectly and with limited accuracy. Submillimeter-wave radiometry is an independent method of cirrus remote sensing based on ice particles scattering the upwelling radiance emitted by the lower atmosphere. A new aircraft instrument, the Far Infrared Sensor for Cirrus (FIRSC), is described. The FIRSC employs a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS), which measures the upwelling radiance across the whole submillimeter region (0.1–1.0-mm wavelength). This wide spectral coverage gives high sensitivity to most cirrus particle sizes and allows accurate determination of the characteristic particle size. Radiative transfer modeling is performed to analyze the capabili.
Employment status and sustainability of work among haemodialysis patients in Saudi Arabia

Background: Unemployment and reduced work capacity among people managing Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) receiving haemodialysis (HD) treatment is high. Whilst we know the treatment is time consuming and patients experience numerous symptoms which hinder their ability to work, there is limited research on how work is sustained and what strategies would retain people with CKD in the labour market. Aim: The thesis examines employment status, and sustainability of work among HD patients in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: A mixed method sequential explanatory approach was used. Phase one (quantitative) administered the Work Productivity Activity Impairment Tool, demographic questionnaire and SF-12: to examine employment status, functioning and wellbeing, work productivity and activity impairment. Phase two (qualitative) adopted semi-structured interviews to generate a deeper understanding of who, what, why and how HD patients continue to work, or not, alongside managing a long-term condition. The research was conducted across two study sites in Riyadh province, targeting a population of people of working age (aged 18-65 years) receiving HD. Results: 130 patients completed phase one, 51% male with a mean age 42 years. Only 25% of participants were in employment, predominantly men (91%), reflecting the male dominated labour market of KSA. Physical condition, age and gender were significant predictors for unemployment. For those people employed, 74% reported lost work productivity, and 57% reported activity impairment (employed and unemployed). A convenience sample of 16 patients were interviewed in phase two. Health condition, absence of work ethic, discrimination and policy abuse, social and cultural norms, lack of understanding and support were directly related to a person’s impaired activity and ability to sustain employment. Conclusion: This innovative study tested a measure that generated an evidence base to expose the impact of CKD on the labour market. The methodology was useful and replicable across similar countries at identifying productivity reduction and activity impairments among HD patients. In the context of KSA the study exposed unique cultural discrimination and policy abuse, highlighting the need for policy reform and introduction of alternative strategies to enable people with a long-term condition to sustain employment.
Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 2 Expression Is Upregulated by Adenosine 5’-Triphosphate in Colorectal Cancer Cells and Enhances Their Survival to Chemotherapeutic Drugs

Extracellular adenosine 5’-triphosphate (ATP) is a signaling molecule that induces a plethora of effects ranging from the regulation of cell proliferation to modulation of cancerous cell behavior. In colorectal cancer, ATP was reported to stimulate epithelial cell proliferation and possibly promote resistance to anti-cancer treatments. However, the exact role of this danger-signaling molecule on cancerous intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in response to chemotherapeutic agents remains unknown. To address how ATP may influence the response of cancerous IECs to chemotherapeutic agents, we used Caco-2 cells, which display enterocyte-like features, to determine the effect of ATP on the expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2). Gene and protein expression were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Resistance to etoposide, cisplatin and doxorubicin was determined by MTT assays in response to ATP stimulation of Caco-2 cells and in cells for which MRP2 expression was down-regulated by shRNA. ATP increased the expression of MRP2 at both the mRNA and protein levels. MRP2 expression involved an ATP-dependent stimulation of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway that was associated with an increase in relative resistance of Caco-2 cells to etoposide. Abolition of MRP2 expression using shRNA significantly reduced the protective effect of MRP2 toward etoposide as well as to cisplatin and doxorubicin. This study describes the mechanism by which ATP may contribute to the chemoresistance of cancerous IECs in colorectal cancer. Given the heterogeneity of colorectal adenocarcinoma responses to anti-cancer drugs, these findings call for further study to understand the role of P2 receptors in cancer drug therapy and to develop novel therapies aimed at regulating P2 receptor activity.
Validation of the folate food frequency questionnaire with serum and erythrocyte folate and plasma homocysteine

The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a folate food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed to measure dietary folate equivalents. The self-administered FFQ containing 39 items and a reference period of 1 month (i.e. the previous month), was validated against three biomarkers: serum and erythrocyte (RBC) folate, and plasma homocysteine (Hcy). Subjects were women (n=99) between the ages of 21 and 87 years. The Pearson correlation coefficients for folate intake and biomarkers were 0.36, 0.34 and −0.25 for serum and RBC folate, and plasma Hcy, respectively. A principal component factor analysis was performed on the three biomarkers to calculate the folate status factor. The Pearson correlation for the folate status factor and folate intake was 0.39. The FFQ described in this study is a valid tool for measuring folate intake expressed as dietary folate equivalents in adult women and is suitable for future investigations about the relationship between folate and disease, or as an educational tool.
Does Body Mass Index in Pregnant Women Affect Laboratory Parameters in the Newborn?

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to determine the effect of body mass index (BMI) during pregnancy in laboratory parameters in the serum of the three groups of pregnant women and in their newborns. Methods This prospective study is comparison between the three groups of pregnant women and their newborns categorized according to their BMI. The study included 128 pregnant women and their newborns. In this study, the concentration of blood count, iron, ferritin, and bilirubin were analyzed in the subjects. Results The pregnant women in the three groups significantly differ in the values of blood count (p < 0.001). Statistically significant difference in iron and ferritin was not found between individual three studied groups of pregnant women (p = 0.947). The newborn of the first group of pregnant women had significantly lower values of ferritin (p < 0.001), leucocytes (p < 0.001), and bilirubin (p < 0.001). Significant positive correlation between BMI of pregnant women and leucocytes, ferritin, and bilirubin of the newborn was found (p < 0.001). Conclusion In this study, the tested pregnant women do not have biochemical signs of anemia, neither do their newborns. It was noted that there was no negative correlation between individual tested biochemical parameters for anemia in pregnant women and their newborns.
Older adult research in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, The Counseling Psychologist, and Counselling Psychology Quarterly: A 15-year review and implications for research

In preparing for an aging global population, older adults’ well-being has become an urgent priority across the world. Counseling psychologists have also called upon the field for more empirical attention on older adults. Yet, a review of the literature revealed that older adults were represented in less than 2% of all the articles in the Journal of Counseling Psychology (JCP) and The Counseling Psychologist (TCP) from 1991 to 2000. The current study presents a follow-up review of older adult research in counseling psychology literature between 2001 and 2015 in the following mainstream journals: Counselling Psychology Quarterly (CPQ), JCP, and TCQ. Results suggest a decline in the past 15 years, with less than 1% of the total articles in JCP, TCP, and CPQ devoted to older adults. Most of the studies employed cross-sectional survey research design to examine predictors of mental health. A number of studies focused on culture-specific experiences of diverse older adults. Implications and suggestions for future research on older adult issues are discussed in relation to the principles and interests rooted in the field of counseling psychology.