Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prognostic Prediction based on Temporal Dependencies

Data mining techniques have been increasingly more relevant in the healthcare domain, supporting physicians in the decision making process. The most common goal is automatic diagnosis, where those techniques have been used with success. When dealing with prognosis, however the results are much less successful. In this paper, we argue that the reason for this dissimilarity is the inability of the techniques used to consider the inherent temporal dependencies present in the data. Moreover, we propose an alternative approach where we turn the problem of prognosis into to a diagnosis problem. We do this by using the temporal sequence values of every feature, to estimate their future values and performing diagnosis on those. We end this paper by discussing the results obtained by estimating the values through the use of both tabular classifiers and Hidden Markov Models.
Developmental Perspectives on Morningness-Eveningness and Social Interactions

Developmental perspectives on sleep/wake rhythmicity have been neglected in research, yet evidence from chronobiological sources, infant sleep data, and adult light treatment studies suggest continuities in individual differences in internal synchronization to light-dark cycles. Developmental systems suggest maintenance through strong contextual constraints, perturbed only by unusual alterations in social demands and light exposure, such as shift work. Retrospective data from university students, employing the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), supported predicted continuity of sleep/wake patterns and associated states of alertness and fatigue as a function of time of day as well as relations with different patterns of social interactions with parents over daily routines in childhood and adolescence. Eveningness is related to greater difficulty meeting familial and social demands for morning performance than Morningness.
AUDIT MARKET CONCENTRATION – EVIDENCE FROM CROATIA

Statutory audit is designated to protect the public interest and has a significant impact on the overall economy. There are concerns that the Big Four audit firms have become too dominant and that the collapse of one of these firms would disrupt the whole financial system. In terms of revenues received, the total market share of the Big Four audit firms for listed companies exceeds 90% in a vast majority of European Union Member States. Prior studies have shown that high audit market concentration limits the choice of auditor for large companies and sets a high barrier of entry for mid-tier audit firms, while the effect on audit quality and audit fees is still unclear. Therefore, the regulators are considering reforms to dilute the Big Four's dominance and improve competition in the audit market. The paper reviews the proposed and implemented measures that are the most common, together with their advantages and drawbacks. In addition, the characteristics of the audit market in Croatia are investigated, with a focus on market concentration measured by standard measures such as the Concentration rate, the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index and the Gini coefficient. According to market shares based on total clients’ assets and revenues, the audit market for listed companies is moderately to highly concentrated, with a decrease in the five-year period (2013 compared to 2008). Keywords: Audit, audit concentration, Big Four audit firms, audit market reforms, audit market in Croatia
Thermal state of transiently accreting neutron stars

We study thermal states of transiently accreting neutron stars (with mean accretion rates u M ∼ 10 −14 −10 −9 Myr −1 ) determined by the deep crustal heating of accreted matter sinking into stellar interiors. We formalize a direct correspondence of this problem to the problem of cooling neutron stars. Using a simple toy model we analyze the most important factors which affect the thermal states of accreting stars: a strong superfluidity in the cores of low-mass stars and a fast neutrino emission (in nucleon, pion-condensed, kaon-condensed, or quark phases of dense matter) in the cores of high-mass stars. We briefly compare the results with the observations of soft X-ray transients in quiescence. If the upper limit on the quiescent thermal luminosity of the neutron star in SAX J1808.4-3658 (Campana et al. 2002) is associated with deep crustal heating, it favors the model of nucleon neutron-star cores with switched-on direct Urca process.
Frontostriatal connectivity and its role in cognitive control in parent-child dyads with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE Many studies have linked the structure and function of frontostriatal circuitry to cognitive control deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Few studies have examined the role of white matter tracts between these structures or the extent to which white matter tract myelination and regularity correlate in family members with the disorder. METHOD Functional imaging maps from a go/nogo task were used to identify portions of the ventral prefrontal cortex and striatum involved in suppressing an inappropriate action (i.e., cognitive control) in 30 parent-child dyads (N=60), including 20 dyads (N=40) with ADHD and 10 dyads (N=20) without ADHD. An automated fiber-tracking algorithm was used to delineate white matter fibers adjacent to these functionally defined regions based on diffusion tensor images. Fractional anisotropy, an index of white matter tract myelination and regularity derived from diffusion tensor images, was calculated to characterize the associations between white matter tracts and function. RESULTS Fractional anisotropy in right prefrontal fiber tracts correlated with both functional activity in the inferior frontal gyrus and caudate nucleus and performance of a go/nogo task in parent-child dyads with ADHD, even after controlling for age. Prefrontal fiber tract measures were tightly associated between ADHD parents and their children. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these findings support previous studies suggesting heritability of frontostriatal structures among individuals with ADHD and suggest disruption in frontostriatal white matter tracts as one possible pathway to the disorder.
Multiple Voices of Democracy in a Cosmopolis

This article describes an action research process to solve problems of democracy in neighborhoods in a modern European city. A relational constructionist approach has been used as the theoretical basis for this work. The methodological framework is based on action research, survey feedback and search conferences. The article begins by describing the historical and cultural context of democracy in the city. Special attention is paid to the development of the relationship between researchers and members of neighborhood associations on the one hand, and to the building of a mutual consensus on the problems, focus and methodology of action research on the other. Multiple voices of democracy start to make themselves heard in a process of data gathering and feedback. New futures and strategies for the associations were developed at a search conference. After the search conference had taken place new relationships were established in a communal dialogue with neighborhood councils. An evaluation of the process focuses on lessons learned by members of the associations in terms of strategy formulation; the establishment of relationships during the process; the multiple voices of democracy in a modern city; the effectiveness of the combination of a start up conference, survey feedback and search conference; and the way representative democracy can be improved in a relational process of social construction.
A LOGIT MODEL FOR THE EFFECT OF TELECARDIOLOGY ON ACUTE NEWBORN TRANSFERS

The deregionalization of neonatal intensive care in the United States has shifted the site of care for many newborn infants away from academic medical centers where subspecialty support is available. Objective: To investigate the effect of immediate echocardiogram interpretation via telemedicine on rates of neonatal transfer to academic medical centers. Methods: A logit model was developed to predict the probability of transfer from two regional level 3 neonatal intensive care units to academic medical centers. One of these units implemented a telecardiology program and the other acted as a comparison institution with on-site cardiology expertise. The telecardiology intervention began 18 months into the 36-month study period. Subjects: Infants (n = 2,142) admitted to neonatal intensive care at either of the two institutions during calendar years 1994 through 1996. Results: A statistically significant reduction in the rate of transfer to academic medical centers was observed. Telecardiology was associated with a 58% reduction of such transfers (p = .001, 95% CI = 30%, 75%). No such reduction was noted at the comparison institution. It is estimated that approximately 30 transfers were eliminated during the study period, resulting in the elimination of approximately $150,000 in hospital charges. In addition, the infants that were transferred after the adoption of telemedicine were more often transferred to their telemedicine partner institution (p < .02).
Effect of the additional first ray osteotomy on hindfoot alignment after calcaneal osteotomy for the correction of mild-to-moderate adult type pes plano-valgus

Purpose: To determine the effect of the additional first ray osteotomy on hindfoot alignment for the correction of pes plano-valgus. Methods: Data obtained from 37 consecutive patients recruited from 2006 to 2014 who underwent medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy (MDCO) alone (group H) or MDCO followed by medial cuneiform opening wedge osteotomy (MCOWO) (group HF) with a minimum 1-year follow-up were reviewed retrospectively. The mean follow-up periods were 34 and 32 months. Results: Degree of decrease of Talonavicular coverage angle (TNCA) via surgery or postoperative TNCA on standing foot AP radiographs were not significantly different between group H and HF (p = 0.287). The calcaneal pitch angle and medial cuneiform height on the standing foot lateral radiographs was significantly increased after operation in group HF (p = 0.01), there was a significant difference with group H as well (p = 0.033). In group HF, the Meary’s angle was significantly decreased after operation, a significant difference compared to group H (p = 0.009). Hindfoot alignment angle on the hindfoot alignment view was decreased after operation in both groups but was not significantly different between both groups (p = 0.410). Hindfoot alignment ratio was also increased after the operation in both groups, but was not different between two groups (p = 0.783). Conclusion: The additional first ray osteotomy using MCOWO had no correctional power for hindfoot correction, although it caused improvement in some radiographic parameters.
Melanoma of the Hand: Current Practice and New Frontiers

Melanoma of the hand represents a complicated clinical entity. Anatomic features of the hand create challenges in successful management of melanoma not encountered elsewhere in the body. The objectives of this article are to outline current standards for managing melanoma of the hand including diagnosis, surgical, and chemotherapeutic management. Particular emphasis will be placed on currently debated topics of the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy, the role of Mohs micrographic surgery, tissue sparing management of subungual melanoma, and the consideration of melanoma of the hand as a distinct entity based on clinical and molecular studies.
Continuous-discrete interactions in chemical processing plants

This paper discusses important hybrid aspects of chemical processing plants. It is outlined that discrete phenomena occur both on the physical level and in the control of these plants. As the dynamics of the transformations of energy and material are predominantly continuous, large and complex hybrid systems arise. We focus on three different aspects of dealing with such systems: (1) Modeling and simulation of hybrid systems for the design and optimization of plants, controllers and operating strategies. We present powerful simulation environments that have been developed in recent years. (2) Validation of plant instrumentation and discrete controllers. These systems are largely responsible for the safe and economic operation of chemical plants and the protection of the workforce, and the environment. Techniques for the verification of discrete controllers for continuous processes are discussed, which are based on a discrete approximation of the continuous dynamics. (3) Scheduling of batch plants. For plants that are operated in a discontinuous fashion, the timing and sequencing of the operations are very important for the efficient use of the equipment. This leads to large mixed-integer optimization problems. For a typical example, we show how the process and the constraints can be modeled and describe an efficient solution algorithm.
Early Admission: Opinion versus Evidence

conserving the productive life of children? Despite these unresolved questions, studies of early admissions programs have, in general, suggested that children who are admitted early do as well as, or better than, their older classmates. A survey by Nation's Schools found that more than 50 per cent of the school superintendents in the USA were favorably disposed toward early admission (1). Yet, a study by the National Education Association found that less than
Renewal of Extinguished Lever-Press Responses upon Return to the Training Context

Abstract Two experiments with rats explored renewal effects in operant conditioning preparations. When pressing a lever was trained in one context and then extinguished in a second context, the responding was renewed by returning to the original context (ABA renewal) in Experiment 1. This finding was replicated in Experiment 2 with discriminative operant performance signaled by a localized light cue. In spite of the successful demonstration of ABA renewal effect in these experiments, AAB renewal was detected in neither experiment: When the responses had been extinguished in the context of acquisition, testing the rats in a second context did not renew the responses. The demonstration of ABA renewal but no AAB renewal suggests that extinction in another context and/or a return to the original context are critical for renewal of extinguished operant performance.
Anthropomorphism in Robotics Engineering for Disabled People

In its attempt to offer new ways into autonomy for a large population of disabled people, assistive technology has largely been inspired by robotics engineering. Recent human-like robots carry new hopes that it seems to us necessary to analyze by means of a specific theory of anthropomorphism. We propose to distinguish a functional anthropomorphism which is the one of actual wheelchairs from a structural anthropomorphism based on a mimicking of human physiological systems. If functional anthropomorphism offers the main advantage of eliminating the physiological systems interdependence issue, the highly link between the robot for disabled people and their human-built environment would lead to privilege in the future the anthropomorphic structural way. In this future framework, we highlight a general interdependence principle : any partial or local structural anthropomorphism generates new anthropomorphic needs due to the physiological systems interdependency, whose effects can be evaluated by means of specific anthropomorphic criterions derived from a set theory-based approach of physiological systems. Keywords—Anthropomorphism, Human-like machines, Systems theory, Disability.
[Pharmacogenomics study of 620 whole-exome sequencing: focusing on aspirin application].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the allele frequencies of aspirin-response-related variants in different population. METHOD The allele frequencies of reported clinically significant aspirin-response-related variants were evaluated based on 620 whole exome sequencing (WES) data collected from 2013 to 2016 in Children's Hospital of Fudan University.Then the local allele frequencies were compared with 1 000 Genomes project database, and χ(2) test was used. RESULT Thirty-eight aspirin-response-related variants that had clinical significance had been detected in the 620 WES data.Ten (26%) of them were related with drug efficacy while 28 (74%) were related with toxicity or adverse drug reaction (ADR). These variants were distributed in 33 genes.There were 23 aspirin-related variants further analysised, and the frequency of 7 (rs1050891, rs6065, rs7862221, rs1065776, rs3818822, rs3775291 and rs1126643) had no significant difference compared with frequency of European and East Asian population of 1 000 Genome project (P>0.01 for both), 10 (rs2228079, rs1613662, rs4523, rs28360521, rs1131882, rs1047626, rs3856806, rs2768759, rs7572857 and rs1126510) of them had no significant difference compared with East Asian but were significantly different from European population, 1 (rs2075797) had no significant difference compared with frequency of European and different with frequency of East Asian, and 5 variants(rs10279545, rs730012, rs16851030, rs1353411, rs1800469)were different from frequency of both East Asian(0.019, 0.058, 0.167, 0.452, 0.340 vs. 0.100, 0.151, 0.396, 0.568, 0.453, χ(2)=21.798, 20.400, 67.543, 16.531, 15.807, P all<0.01) and European population(0.531, 0.312, 0.037, 0.179, 0.688, χ(2)=325.799, 92.877, 144.811, 156.471, 174.533, P all<0.01). CONCLUSION Most variants that have clinical significance in aspirin response are related with drug efficacy or drug toxicity or ADR, indicating the urgency of variants screen in clinical practice.Significant population-specificity is detected in local 620 WES data in aspirin-response-related variants.
Topographic-Specific Axon Branching Controlled by Ephrin-As Is the Critical Event in Retinotectal Map Development

The retinotectal projection is the predominant model for studying molecular mechanisms controlling development of topographic axonal connections. Our analyses of topographic mapping of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons in chick optic tectum indicate that a primary role for guidance molecules is to regulate topographic branching along RGC axons, a process that imposes unique requirements on the molecular control of map development. We show that topographically appropriate connections are established exclusively by branches that form along the axon shaft. Initially, RGC axons overshoot their appropriate termination zone (TZ) along the anterior–posterior (A-P) tectal axis; temporal axons overshoot the greatest distance and nasal axons the least, which correlates with the nonlinear increasing A-P gradient of ephrin-A repellents. In contrast, branches form along the shaft of RGC axons with substantial A-P topographic specificity. Topography is enhanced through the preferential arborization of appropriately positioned branches and elimination of ectopic branches. Using a membrane stripe assay and time-lapse microscopy, we show that branches form de novo along retinal axons. Temporal axons preferentially branch on their topographically appropriate anterior tectal membranes. After the addition of soluble EphA3-Fc, which blocks ephrin-A function, temporal axons branch equally on anterior and posterior tectal membranes, indicating that the level of ephrin-As in posterior tectum is sufficient to inhibit temporal axon branching and generate branching specificity in vitro. Our findings indicate that topographic branch formation and arborization along RGC axons are critical events in retinotectal mapping. Ephrin-As inhibit branching along RGC axons posterior to their correct TZ, but alone cannot account for topographic branching and must cooperate with other molecular activities to generate appropriate mapping along the A-P tectal axis.
Identifying Security Requirements Hybrid Technique

There were times when software systems and networks posed no or very little security problems. However, with expanding connectivity during last few years problem of security has been making headlines. This is due to increase in threat environment and breach of security vital to the interest of end users. Keeping in view the security requirements in the present system all the attack points which can be threatened have to be identified, analyzed and remedial measures taken at the initial stage of software development process. The use of multiple techniques is the subject of research for deriving security requirements. In this paper, we are overlapping misuse case and attack trees techniques to propose a new technique named “Hybrid Technique”. This Hybrid Technique merges the strengths of misuse cases and attack trees making the system stronger to mitigate weaknesses effectively in large and complex systems. In our approach we firstly identify threats using the concepts of threat modeling, and then map these threats into security requirements using Hybrid Technique. In the case study, we have used this technique for specifying security requirements for wireless hotspots.
A clinical study on the influence of suturing material on oral wound healing.

BACKGROUND/AIM Suture materials play an important role in healing, enabling reconstruction and reassembly of tissue separated by the surgical procedure or trauma, and at the same time facilitating and promoting healing and hemostasis. Suture materials are used daily in oral surgery, and are considered to be substances most commonly implanted in human body. The aim of this clinical study was to examine the speed of wound healing and complications incidence, after the use of three different absorbable synthetic suture materials in oral surgery (catgut, Dexon and Vicryl rapide), and to ascertain which one is the most suitable for oral surgery. METHODS The study was conducted on 96 patients undergoing root resection or surgical extraction of third molars. Each of the suture materials (catgut, Dexon and Vicryl rapide) was used for 8 root resections and 8 surgical third molar extractions in the maxilla, as well as in the mandible (a total of 32 surgical interventions for each suture material). RESULTS The faster wound healing was obtained with Vicryl rapide compared to other two suturing material tested. There was no significant difference regarding the presence of local reaction in all the three groups of patients on the 21st postoperative day. CONCLUSION The results of our clinical study point out that Vycril- rapid contributes more than catgut or Dexon to faster healing of human wounds, with fewer incidences of wound dehiscence and milder local reactions.