Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Double-blinded infliximab dose escalation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective: To determine the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of infliximab dose escalation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an inadequate response to 3 mg/kg infliximab treatment or whose disease flared after initially responding. Methods: Patients with active RA, despite receiving methotrexate, received infliximab 3 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, 6 and 14 in one of the three arms of the START trial. Beginning at week 22, patients had their infliximab dose increased in a double-blind fashion in increments of 1.5 mg/kg if the total tender and swollen joint count did not improve by at least 20% from baseline (lack of response) or the improvement at week 22 or later worsened by 50% or more (criterion for flare). Results: Of the 329 evaluable patients, 100 (30.4%) patients required dose escalation at or after week 22 because of flare or lack of response. The majority of patients (>80%) who received up to three dose escalations showed ⩾20% improvement in the total tender and swollen joint count after their last dose escalation. Patients who required dose escalations generally had lower preinfusion serum infliximab concentrations than those who did not require them. The incidences of adverse events and serious adverse events for the patients who received dose escalation(s) were similar to those of patients who did not receive dose escalation. Conclusion: Fewer than one-third of patients required a dose escalation. The majority of patients showed improvement after receiving increased doses of infliximab, without an increased risk of adverse events.
Tracking , Segmentation and Optical Flow

Two difficult issues in optical flow are motion discontinuities and large interframe motion. We present an algorithm that addresses both issues by first performing feature tracking and motion segmentation and then warping one of the images to reduce the interframe motion and avoid the motion discontinuities. The algorithm consists of three major phases: 1) feature selection, 2) feature tracking and segmentation 3) optical flow. We used the Lucas and Kanade algorithm to compute the flow. The experiments on real images as well as synthetic images with ground truth showed that this method is very accurate. Ke ywords: Motion, Segmentation, Tracking, Optical Flow
A population of hematopoietic stem cells derives from GATA4-expressing progenitors located in the placenta and lateral mesoderm of mice

GATA transcription factors are expressed in the mesoderm and endoderm during development. GATA1–3, but not GATA4, are critically involved in hematopoiesis. An enhancer (G2) of the mouse Gata4 gene directs its expression throughout the lateral mesoderm and the allantois, beginning at embryonic day 7.5, becoming restricted to the septum transversum by embryonic day 10.5, and disappearing by midgestation. We have studied the developmental fate of the G2-Gata4 cell lineage using a G2-Gata4Cre;R26REYFP mouse line. We found a substantial number of YFP+ hematopoietic cells of lymphoid, myeloid and erythroid lineages in embryos. Fetal CD41+/cKit+/CD34+ and Lin−/cKit+/CD31+ YFP+ hematopoietic progenitors were much more abundant in the placenta than in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros area. They were clonogenic in the MethoCult assay and fully reconstituted hematopoiesis in myeloablated mice. YFP+ cells represented about 20% of the hematopoietic system of adult mice. Adult YFP+ hematopoietic stem cells constituted a long-term repopulating, transplantable population. Thus, a lineage of adult hematopoietic stem cells is characterized by the expression of GATA4 in their embryonic progenitors and probably by its extraembryonic (placental) origin, although GATA4 appeared not to be required for hematopoietic stem cell differentiation. Both lineages basically showed similar physiological behavior in normal mice, but clinically relevant properties of this particular hematopoietic stem cell population should be checked in physiopathological conditions.
Spatiotemporal segmentation of moving video objects over MPEG compressed domain

We propose an approach to unsupervised segmentation of moving video objects (VOs) over the MPEG compressed domain. The proposed algorithm utilizes the homogeneity property of the spatiotemporally localized VO's information (macroblock motion vectors (MVs) and DCT's DC coefficients) in order to achieve segmentation with an accuracy of 8/spl times/8 DCT block size. First, macroblock MVs are utilized to identify the locations of moving VOs. DC coefficients are then exploited to achieve finer boundary segmentation. For achieving both objectives, a maximum entropy fuzzy clustering algorithm is proposed to classify MVs and DC coefficients into homogeneous regions, respectively. Experimental results show that the developed algorithm can accurately segment VOs with an accuracy of 8/spl times/8 DCT block size without any user intervention.
A timed Petri-net model for fine-grain loop scheduling

Efficient execution of loops is one of the most important obstacles facing high-performance computer architectures. Loop scheduling involves handling a partially ordered set of operations which are to be performed repetitively over a number of iterations.In this paper we study loop scheduling using Petri nets, due to their unique power for modeling both partial orders and cycles. The behavior of loops can be modeled by constructing, at compile time, a Petri-net behavior graph which exhibits a repetitive firing sequence known as a cyclic frustum. From a cyclic frustum, a time-optimal schedule for the corresponding loop can be derived. A polynomial time bound for such a cyclic frustum to occur has been established. Simulation results on a number of Livermore loops, both with and without loop-carried dependences, have demonstrated the feasibility of determining the cyclic frustum at compile time.
Rhinitis in 10‐year‐old children and early life risk factors for its development

Aim: To study the prevalence, characteristics of and risk factors for childhood rhinitis. Methods: In a whole population birth cohort study (n= 1456) the prevalence and characteristics of rhinitis among 10‐y‐old children were examined. At this age 1373 children (94%) completed standardized questionnaires, 1043 (72%) skin‐prick testing, 953 (65%) serum inhalant immunoglobulin E antibody screening and 784 (54%) methacholine bronchial challenges. Results: At the age of 10 y the prevalence of hayfever ever was 18.6% and current nasal symptoms (rhinitis) 22.6%. Rhinitis at 10 y was largely seasonal and associated with low morbidity, although 62.7% of cases required pharmacological treatment. Atopy (positive skin test) and other allergic states were associated with rhinitis (p > 0.001). Wheeze or diagnosed asthma was higher with coexistent rhinitis. Among wheezing children physician‐diagnosed asthma (p > 0.024) and inhaled corticosteroid use (p > 0.001) were greater with the presence of rhinitis. Significant bronchial hyperresponsiveness (methacholine concentration giving a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 s >4.0 mg ml‐1) was greater if rhinitis was present even when the child did not wheeze (p > 0.001). Risk factor analysis for rhinitis identified the independent significance for atopy (p > 0.001) and eczema (p= 0.009) at the age of 4 y plus paternal rhinitis (p > 0.001), maternal rhinitis (p= 0.033) and maternal food allergy (p= 0.016).
L'influence dans la stratégie des entreprises

L’influence dans la strategie des entreprises depasse la simple valorisation des informations et des relations. Les pratiques de l’influence peuvent etre decisives lors de situations d’incertitude ou d’ambiguite. Ces pratiques peuvent aussi bien catalyser l’attention, faconner les esprits, qu’utiliser au mieux les liens de dependance pour obtenir de l’autonomie par rapport aux autres acteurs d’un environnement. Le role de l’influence gagne encore en coherence lorsque la strategie d’entreprise veille a ce que ses pratiques renforcent son identite et sa reputation. © 2011 Lavoisier SAS. All rights reserved
Numerical density of nuclei in the sheep placenta

A method is described for estimating the number of nuclei of different cell types in the sheep placenta. The method was applied to the study of six placentas of different ages and the results have been correlated with data on the chemical composition and the physiology of the ovine placenta. In agreement with studies of placental DNA content, there is no demonstrable increase in the total number of placental nuclei in the last two months of gestation. However, the number of fetal mesenchymal nuclei decreases and there is a concomitant increase of fetal endothelial nuclei from 80 days to term. These changes correlate with a decrease in volume of the core of the placental villi and increase in umbilical blood flow.
Can imperfect delayed CSIT be as useful as perfect delayed CSIT? DoF analysis and constructions for the BC

In the setting of the two-user broadcast channel, where a two-antenna transmitter communicates information to two single-antenna receivers, recent work by Maddah-Ali and Tse has shown that perfect knowledge of delayed channel state information at the transmitter (perfect delayed CSIT) can be useful, even in the absence of any knowledge of current CSIT. Similar benefits of perfect delayed CSIT were revealed in recent work by Kobayashi et al., Yang et al., and Gou and Jafar, which extended the above to the case of perfect delayed CSIT and imperfect current CSIT. Motivated by the difficulty of communicating CSIT over feedback channels with limited capacity and limited reliability, the work here considers the general problem of communicating, over the aforementioned broadcast channel, with imperfect delayed and imperfect current CSIT, and reveals that even substantially degraded and imperfect delayed-CSIT is in fact sufficient to achieve the aforementioned gains previously associated to perfect delayed CSIT. The work proposes novel multiphase broadcasting schemes that properly utilize knowledge of imperfect delayed and imperfect current CSIT, to match in many cases the optimal degrees-of-freedom (DoF) region achieved with perfect delayed CSIT. In addition to the theoretical limits and explicitly constructed precoders, the work applies towards gaining practical insight as to when it is worth improving CSIT quality.
A Quasi-Optimal Leader Election Algorithm in Radio Networks with Log-Logarithmic Awake Time Slots

Radio networks (RN) are distributed systems (\textit{ad hoc networks}) consisting in $n \ge 2$ radio stations. Assuming the number $n$ unknown, two distinct models of RN without collision detection (\textit{no-CD}) are addressed: the model with \textit{weak no-CD} RN and the one with \textit{strong no-CD} RN. We design and analyze two distributed leader election protocols, each one running in each of the above two (no-CD RN) models, respectively. Both randomized protocols are shown to elect a leader within $\BO(\log{(n)})$ expected time, with no station being awake for more than $\BO(\log{\log{(n)}})$ time slots (such algorithms are said to be \textit{energy-efficient}). Therefore, a new class of efficient algorithms is set up that matchthe $\Omega(\log{(n)})$ time lower-bound established by Kushilevitz and Mansour.
Telomerase activity in plasma cell dyscrasias

Activation of telomerase is essential for in vitro cellular immortalization and tumorigenesis. In the present study, we investigated telomerase activation and its implications in plasma cell dyscrasias including monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), multiple myeloma (MM) and plasma cell leukaemia (PCL). All 5 patients with MGUS exhibited normal levels of telomerase activity in their plasma cells. Elevated telomerase activity was found in the samples from 21/27 patients with MM and 4/4 with PCL. In addition, 4 myeloma cell lines all expressed high levels of telomerase activity. The expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and telomerase RNA template (hTER) was positively associated with the levels of telomerase activity in MM/PCL. Tankyrase expression was upregulated, concomitant with the induction of hTERT and activation of telomerase in MM/PCL. The present findings indicate that MGUS cells may not be immortalized and that activation of telomerase plays a role in the malignant transformation from MGUS to MM. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign
An ADMM + consensus based distributed algorithm for dynamic economic power dispatch in smart grid

In this paper, we propose a distributed algorithm for the dynamic economic dispatch problem (DEDP) in a smart grid scenario. Different from the static economic dispatch problem (SEDP), the DEDP aims at minimizing the aggregate operating costs of a group of generators over a time period with ramp rate constraints. The proposed algorithm is based on the average consensus algorithm on undirected graphs and the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). Our algorithm is distributed in the sense that no leader or master nodes are needed, while all the nodes (generators) conduct local computation and merely communicate with their neighbors. Convergence analysis shows that the proposed algorithm converges to the optimal solution.
WFC3 TV3 Testing: Quantum Yield of the UVIS CCDs

We measure the quantum yield (technically, the true quantum yield plus the Fano factor) from a large set of monochromatic narrowband post-TV3 flatfie lds taken with WFC3 in the UVIS channel. Our analysis results show that the quantum yield is∼30% less than predicted, in good agreement with earlier results based on a sm ll set of broadband UV filters (Baggett 2008).
Interactions User behavior Coding Assigning codes to activities Coding scheme Iterative refinement Iterative refinement

Investigating user behavior involves abstracting low-level events to higher-level concepts. This requires an analyst to study individual user activities, assign codes which categorize behavior, and develop a consistent classification scheme. To better support this reasoning process of an analyst, we suggest a novel visual analytics approach which integrates rich user data including transcripts, videos, eye movement data, and interaction logs. Word-sized visualizations embedded into a tabular representation provide a spaceefficient and detailed overview of user activities. An analyst assigns codes, grouped into code categories, as part of an interactive process. Filtering and searching helps to select specific activities and focus an analysis. A comparison visualization summarizes results of coding and reveals relationships between codes. Editing features support efficient assignment, refinement, and aggregation of codes. We demonstrate the practical applicability and usefulness of our approach in a case study and describe expert feedback.
Changing Preservice Teacher Perceptions of Minority Schools

This study compared education students’ attitudes toward working in urban schools as they entered teacher preparation and later after student teaching. Given descriptions of four schools differing in demographic makeup, students rated interest and comfort levels for teaching in each situation. Respondents also ranked 14 school characteristics according to importance when considering a teaching position. Attitudes shifted more favorably toward urban school teaching among students whose field placements provided positive urban teaching experiences. School security and parental support ranked as highly important both initially and later. Socioeconomic and ethnic diversity became more important later. Written comments illuminated students’ ratings and helped inform a professional development school project.
Retrospective and Prospective Thoughts About Infrahumanization

The birth of infrahumanization is linked to essentialism. Ingroups were said to be the only ones with a full human essence. It was meant that ingroups were paragons of humanity. Almost like the Holy Spirit, essence has different definitions and can only be approached indirectly. The present paper insists on the fundamental (essential) differences between groups. It is proposed that if differences change, the groups (their essences) are seen as transformed. The second part of the paper looks for what makes differences crucial or essential. Variables are examined or proposed in terms of sufficiency and necessity. ‘Which outgroups are infrahumanized’ will remain an unsolved problem until sufficient and necessary conditions are discovered.
Aided eyes: eye activity sensing for daily life

Our eyes collect a considerable amount of information when we use them to look at objects. In particular, eye movement allows us to gaze at an object and shows our level of interest in the object. In this research, we propose a method that involves real-time measurement of eye movement for human memory enhancement; the method employs gaze-indexed images captured using a video camera that is attached to the user's glasses. We present a prototype system with an infrared-based corneal limbus tracking method. Although the existing eye tracker systems track eye movement with high accuracy, they are not suitable for daily use because the mobility of these systems is incompatible with a high sampling rate. Our prototype has small phototransistors, infrared LEDs, and a video camera, which make it possible to attach the entire system to the glasses. Additionally, the accuracy of this method is compensated by combining image processing methods and contextual information, such as eye direction, for information extraction. We develop an information extraction system with real-time object recognition in the user's visual attention area by using the prototype of an eye tracker and a head-mounted camera. We apply this system to (1) fast object recognition by using a SURF descriptor that is limited to the gaze area and (2) descriptor matching of a past-images database. Face recognition by using haar-like object features and text logging by using OCR technology is also implemented. The combination of a low-resolution camera and a high-resolution, wide-angle camera is studied for high daily usability. The possibility of gaze-guided computer vision is discussed in this paper, as is the topic of communication by the photo transistor in the eye tracker and the development of a sensor system that has a high transparency.
Software quality and the Capability Maturity Model

A bout the time Fred Brooks was warning us there was not likely to be a single, “silver bullet” solution to the essential difficulties of developing software [3], Watts Humphrey and others at the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) were busy putting together the set of ideas that was to become the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for Software. The CMM adopted the opposite of the quick-fix silver bullet philosophy. It was intended to be a coherent, ordered set of incremental improvements, all having experienced success in the field, packaged into a roadmap that showed how effective practices could be built on one another in a logical progression (see “The Capability Maturity Model for Software” sidebar). Far from a quick fix, it was
Distributed Estimation and Detection under Local Information

Abstract This work considers the problem of obtaining optimal estimates via distributed computation in a large scale system. The electric power system, the transportation system, and generally any computer or network system, are examples of large scale systems: a decentralized estimation of signals based on observations acquired by spatially distributed sensors is the basis for a wide range of important applications. In this work, we focus on the problem of reconstructing the initial state of a linear network in the presence of process and measurement noise. We consider a local model information setup, in which the entire dynamical and measurement model is nowhere available and cannot be reconstructed for the computation. Our estimation procedure relies upon a novel technique to solve a consistent system of linear equations, for which we prove correctness and convergence. In the second part of the paper we consider the problem of detecting anomalies in a large scale network driven by noise. Despite the theoretical advances in this field of research, the currently available procedures to enforce security in large scale systems are computationally inefficient and numerically unreliable. Using our optimal estimation scheme, we describe a distributed procedure with performance guarantees that only requires local knowledge of the system model.
Integrating Abduction and Induction

Lately, the relationship and integration between abduction and induction have received much attention and have been the subject of a series of ECAI and IJCAI workshops since 1996 [4]. In the context of Logic Programming, the two inference processes are studied, respectively, in the research elds of Abductive Logic Programming (ALP for short) [5] and Inductive Logic Programming (ILP for short) [9]. Even if the de nitions of abduction and induction are still subject of debate, we will adopt the rather established de nitions for abduction and induction that are given in ALP and ILP. Abduction is the process of inferring explanations for observations. In ALP, explanations are obtained from abductive theories of the form T = hP;A; ICi where P is a logic program, A is a set of abducible predicates and IC is a set of integrity constraints in the form of denials. The problem of abduction can then be stated as follows [5]: given an abductive theory T = hP;A; ICi and an observation O, nd an explanation for the observation such that it contains only atoms of abducible predicates, it entails O together with P (P [ j= O) and it is consistent with integrity constraints (P [ j= IC). In this case we say that T abductively entails O with abductive explanation and we write T j=A O. In ALP, deafult negation is modelled through abduction by considering negative literals as new abducible literals of the form not p and by including constraints of the form p; not p. Induction, instead, is the process of inferring general rules from examples. In ILP, the problem of induction can be stated as follows [9]: given a logic program B (background knowledge), a set of positive and negative examples E and E and a hypothesis space P, nd a logic program P 2 P such that B [ P entails every positive example and no negative one. We propose an approach for the integration of abduction and induction that consists in extending an Inductive Logic Programming system with abductive reasoning capabilities. In the resulting system, abduction is used to make assumptions in order to cover positive examples and avoid the coverage of negative ones. The assumptions generated can then be generalized in their turn. The integration thus increases the power of both inference processes: abduction helps induction by generating atomic hypotheses that can be used as new training examples or to complete an incomplete background knowledge, while induction helps abduction by generalizing abductive explanations. The system is able to perform the following tasks: learn-