Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a symptom expectation questionnaire for minor head injury

Background and objectiveExpectations and beliefs are important predictors of outcome following minor head injury. In this paper, the primary purpose is to develop a simple symptom expectation questionnaire for minor head injury for use in future research studies.MethodsAn existing database of 179 injury-naive subjects who completed a 56-item checklist of expected symptoms for minor head injury was analyzed to determine which items could correctly identify an a priori case definition of an expecter (a subject who expected at least one of these symptoms would remain chronic following minor head injury). A total of six of the 56 items were found to be discriminatory, and these were tested in additional subject groups against the original questionnaire.ResultsFrom the original database of 179 subjects completing a 56-item symptom expectation checklist, 135 expected that at least one of the 56 symptoms would be chronic following minor head injury. The 135 expecters, however, all chose at least one of six items: headache, anxious or worried, depressed, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, and neck pain. Using these six items, in two new groups of subjects, all those who endorsed one of the 56 symptoms as likely to be chronic following minor head injury (expecters) could also be identified on the 6-item checklist.ConclusionsA shortened (6-item) symptom expectation checklist of commonly reported symptoms following minor head injury (headache, anxious or worried, depressed, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, and neck pain) correctly identifies subjects who expect that at least one symptom will be chronic following minor head injury (i.e., an expecter).
Distance-Dependent Scaling of Calcium Transients Evoked by Backpropagating Spikes and Synaptic Activity in Dendrites of Hippocampal Interneurons

Although interactions between backpropagating action potentials and synaptic stimulations have been extensively studied in pyramidal neurons, dendritic propagation and the summation of these signals in interneurons are not nearly as well known. In this study, two-photon imaging was used to explore the basic properties of dendritic calcium signaling in CA1 stratum radiatum interneurons. In contrast to hippocampal pyramidal neurons, the backpropagating action potential-evoked calcium transients in dendrites of interneurons underwent a distance-dependent increment. Although, in proximal dendrites, an increment could be attributed to a smaller dendrite diameter, distal dendrites did not show such dependence. Calcium responses in interneurons had a smaller amplitude, slower rise time, and decay than in pyramidal neurons. To explore the factors underlying the difference, we compared the calcium-binding capacity in interneurons and in pyramidal neurons. Our finding that endogenous calcium buffers had a higher level in interneurons may primarily explain the different kinetics and amplitudes of calcium transients. Synaptic stimulation-evoked calcium transients were also larger at distant dendritic locations. The spread of these signals was restricted to 12-13 μm long dendritic compartments. Supporting the reported lack of long-term potentiation in these interneurons, we found only sublinear or linear summations of calcium responses to coincident synaptic inputs and backpropagating spikes.
Designing Iterative Decoding Schemes with the Extrinsic Information Transfer Chart

Since the discovery of parallel concatenated (turbo) codes, iterative decoding has become a vital field of research in digital communications. Applications of the “turbo principle” to many detection and decoding problems have been found. While most studies have focused on designing code concatenations with respect to maximum likelihood decoding performance, the convergence properties of iterative decoding schemes have gained a considerable amount of interest just recently. In this paper we use the extrinsic information transfer chart (EXIT chart) to illuminate the convergence properties of bit– interleaved coded modulation, equalization, and serially concatenated binary codes. The EXIT chart leads to new design ideas like inner and outer doping, facilitating the construction of code concatenations with iterative decoders operating close to the capacity limit.
In Vitro and in Vivo Pharmacological Characterization of the Neuropeptide S Receptor Antagonist [d-Cys(tBu)5]Neuropeptide S

Neuropeptide S (NPS) was identified as the endogenous ligand of an orphan receptor now referred to as the NPS receptor (NPSR). In the frame of a structure-activity study performed on NPS Gly5, the NPSR ligand [d-Cys(tBu)5]NPS was identified. [d-Cys(tBu)5]NPS up to 100 μM did not stimulate calcium mobilization in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells stably expressing the mouse NPSR; however, in a concentration-dependent manner, the peptide inhibited the stimulatory effects elicited by 10 and 100 nM NPS (pKB, 6.62). In Schild analysis experiments [d-Cys(tBu)5]NPS (0.1–100 μM) produced a concentration-dependent and parallel rightward shift of the concentration-response curve to NPS, showing a pA2 value of 6.44. Ten micromolar [d-Cys(tBu)5]NPS did not affect signaling at seven NPSR unrelated G-protein-coupled receptors. In the mouse righting reflex (RR) recovery test, NPS given at 0.1 nmol i.c. v. reduced the percentage of animals losing the RR in response to 15 mg/kg diazepam and their sleeping time. [d-Cys(tBu)5]NPS (1–10 nmol) was inactive per se but dose-dependently antagonized the arousal-promoting action of NPS. Finally, NPSR-deficient mice were similarly sensitive to the hypnotic effects of diazepam as their wild-type littermates. However, the arousal-promoting action of 1 nmol NPS could be detected in wild-type but not in mutant mice. In conclusion, [d-Cys(tBu)5]NPS behaves both in vitro and in vivo as a pure and selective NPSR antagonist but with moderate potency. Moreover, using this tool together with receptor knockout mice studies, we demonstrated that the arousal-promoting action of NPS is because of the selective activation of the NPSR protein.
Reframing the frame : reflections of a community service psychologist

The paper offers a narrative description of a clinical psychologist's community service year from an experience-near vantage point. The socio-historical context of the placement, clinical populations encountered and very real limitations of undertaking brief psychodynamic work at the primary health care level are explored. Case material is drawn on to illustrate helpful aspects of thinking about the clinical work from a self psychology perspective. Elements of the psychoanalytic frame such as space, privacy and consistency are suggested as significant to patients' self-experiences. Modifying the psychoanalytic frame for community service, while still holding the frame in mind together with a sensitivity to context, offers the possibility of doing meaningful work despite challenges. The therapist's attempts at empathic immersion, her role as a self-object and her ability to think are potentially mutative, but such settings also require a capacity for self-care.
Post-traumatic growth among veterans in the USA: results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

Background There is increasing recognition that, in addition to negative psychological consequences of trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), some individuals may develop post-traumatic growth (PTG) following such experiences. To date, however, data regarding the prevalence, correlates and functional significance of PTG in population-based samples are lacking. Method Data were analysed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a contemporary, nationally representative survey of 3157 US veterans. Veterans completed a survey containing measures of sociodemographic, military, health and psychosocial characteristics, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form. Results We found that 50.1% of all veterans and 72.0% of veterans who screened positive for PTSD reported at least ‘moderate’ PTG in relation to their worst traumatic event. An inverted U-shaped relationship was found to best explain the relationship between PTSD symptoms and PTG. Among veterans with PTSD, those with PTSD reported better mental functioning and general health than those without PTG. Experiencing a life-threatening illness or injury and re-experiencing symptoms were most strongly associated with PTG. In multivariable analysis, greater social connectedness, intrinsic religiosity and purpose in life were independently associated with greater PTG. Conclusions PTG is prevalent among US veterans, particularly among those who screen positive for PTSD. These results suggest that there may be a ‘positive legacy’ of trauma that has functional significance for veterans. They further suggest that interventions geared toward helping trauma-exposed US veterans process their re-experiencing symptoms, and to develop greater social connections, sense of purpose and intrinsic religiosity may help promote PTG in this population.
Spoken Interactive ODQA System: SPIQA

We have been investigating an interactive approach for Open-domain QA (ODQA) and have constructed a spoken interactive ODQA system, SPIQA. The system derives disambiguating queries (DQs) that draw out additional information. To test the efficiency of additional information requested by the DQs, the system reconstructs the user's initial question by combining the addition information with question. The combination is then used for answer extraction. Experimental results revealed the potential of the generated DQs.
GLT-1 Transport Stoichiometry Is Constant at Low and High Glutamate Concentrations when Chloride Is Substituted by Gluconate

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter, but prolonged exposure even at micromolar concentrations causes neuronal death. Extracellular glutamate is maintained at nanomolar level by glutamate transporters, which, however, may reverse transport and release glutamate. If and when the reverse occurs depends on glutamate transport stoichiometry (GTS). Previously we found that in the presence of chloride, the coupled GLT-1 glutamate transporter current and its relationship to radiolabeled glutamate flux significantly decreased when extracellular glutamate concentration increased above 0.2 mM, which implies a change in GTS. Such high concentrations are feasible near GLT-1 expressed close to synaptic release site during excitatory neurotransmission. The aim of this study was to determine GLT-1 GTS at both low (19–75 μM) and high (300–1200 μM) glutamate concentration ranges. GTS experiments were conducted in the absence of chloride to avoid contributions by the GLT-1 uncoupled chloride conductance. Mathematical analysis of the transporter thermodynamic equilibrium allowed us to derive equations revealing the number of a particular type of ion transported per elementary charge based on the measurements of the transporter reversal potential. We found that GLT-1a expressed in COS-7 cells co-transports 1.5 Na+, 0.5 Glu-, 0.5 H+ and counter-transports 0.6 K+ per elementary charge in both glutamate concentration ranges, and at both 37°C and 26°C temperatures. The thermodynamic parameter Q 10 = 2.4 for GLT-1 turnover rate of 19 s-1 (37°C, -50 mV) remained constant in the 10 μM–10 mM glutamate concentration range. Importantly, the previously reported decrease in the current/flux ratio at high glutamate concentration was not seen in the absence of chloride in both COS-7 cells and cultured rat neurons. Therefore, only in the absence of chloride, GLT-1 GTS remains constant at all glutamate concentrations. Possible explanations for why apparent GTS might vary in the presence of chloride are discussed.
Antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 and efficacy of amodiaquine in Gabonese children with P. falciparum malaria.

The relationship between the efficacy of amodiaquine for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria and preexisting antibodies against merozoite surface protein (MSP)-1, a blood-stage P. falciparum antigen, was investigated. The immunoglobulin G antibody response to different MSP-1 recombinant proteins was evaluated in plasma samples from Gabonese children with uncomplicated malaria who were treated with amodiaquine. The prevalence of anti-MSP-1 antibodies was similar among patients with either parasitological and clinical cure after treatment (n=102) or treatment failure (n=51) by day 28 (83% in both groups). However, associations between antibody responses to K1 and MAD20 allelic families and therapeutic success were found (P< .001 and P= .034, respectively). A high proportion of plasma samples recognizing several antigens was found in the cured group. This association was significant even when data were stratified by age, particularly for the K1 family antigens (P= .029). These results suggest that humoral immune responses play a supportive role in the efficacy of amodiaquine treatment.
Reducing Partial Equivalence to Partial Correctness

Two programs P and Q are partially equivalent if, when both terminate on the same input, they end up with equivalent outputs. Establishing partial equivalence is useful in, e.g., Compiler verification, when P is the source program and Q is the target program, or in compiler optimisation, when P is the initial program and Q is the optimised program. A program R is partially correct if, when it terminates, it ends up in a "good" state. We show that, somewhat surprisingly, the problem of establishing partial equivalence can be reduced to the problem of showing partial correctness in an aggregated language, where programs R consist of pairs of programs 〈P, Q〉. Our method is crucially based on the recently-introduced matching logic, which allows to faithfully define the operational semantics of any language. We show that we can construct the aggregated language mechanically, from the semantics of the initial languages. Furthermore, matching logic gives us for free a proof system for partial correctness for the resulting language. This proof system can then be used to prove partial equivalence.
Financial fraud detection by using Grammar-based multi-objective genetic programming with ensemble learning

Financial fraud is a criminal act, which violates the law, rules or policy to gain unauthorized financial benefit. The major consequences are loss of billions of dollars each year, investor confidence or corporate reputation. A study area called Financial Fraud Detection (FFD) is obligatory, in order to prevent the destructive results caused by financial fraud. In this study, we propose a new method based on Grammar-based Genetic Programming (GBGP), multi-objectives optimization and ensemble learning for solving FFD problems. We comprehensively compare the proposed method with Logistic Regression (LR), Neural Networks (NNs), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Bayesian Networks (BNs), Decision Trees (DTs), AdaBoost, Bagging and LogitBoost on four FFD datasets. The experimental results showed the effectiveness of the new approach in the given FFD problems including two real-life problems. The major implications and significances of the study can concretely generalize for two points. First, it evaluates a number of data mining techniques by the given real-life classification problems. Second, it suggests a new method based on GBGP, NSGA-II and ensemble learning.
LES COMPÉTENCES-CLÉS DANS LES STRATÉGIES ET LA PERFORMANCE DES FILIALES D'ENSEIGNE INTERNATIONALES: Le cas des distributeurs internationaux en Chine

Cette these s'inscrit dans le domaine de l’internationalisation de la distribution. Son objectif est d’expliquer les facteurs de succes ou d’echec de la filiale etrangere du distributeur international. L’analyse de la litterature met en evidence l’existence d’une large palette de perspectives theoriques divergentes. Afin de construire un cadre conceptuel coherent, notre travail se fonde sur un modele integre d’origine industrielle combinant les approches SCP (« Structure-Conduct-Performance »), RBV (« Resource-Based-View ») et la theorie des capacites dynamiques de la firme, que nous adaptons aux specificites de la distribution. Le modele est construit et presente a partir du concept central de « competences-cles », applique au distributeur, il s’agit de comprendre de quelle maniere les competences cles de la filiale internationale de distribution influencent ses choix strategiques et sa performance. Cette recherche nous conduit a clarifier une serie de notions ayant un lien etroit avec les competences-cles. Nous pouvons observer indirectement les « competences-cles » du distributeur international au travers des activites et capacites distinctives de sa filiale dans un pays donne. Le terrain choisi est la Chine, qui, tant par sa taille que par sa vitesse de developpement economique et commercial, represente un veritable laboratoire des transformations a l’oeuvre dans les pays emergents. En termes de methodologie, nous avons retenu une approche qualitative basee sur la « Grounded Theory ». Les resultats, obtenus par l’analyse des entretiens de vingt un dirigeants de filiale etrangere font apparaitre d’une part, que la typologie des competences-cles de la filiale du distributeur international repose sur deux types de competences: les competences de base et les competences architecturales, d’autre part, le modele integre emprunte au domaine industriel est valide dans le domaine de la distribution sachant que les facteurs environnementaux jouent dans ce dernier cas un role plus important.
Move more, sit less: a first-line, public health preventive strategy?

Despite the widely cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ⁄American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) exercise guidelines, the much-heralded surgeon general’s report, and the recently published ACSM ⁄American Heart Association exercise statement and federal physical activity guidelines (Table I), the conventional model for getting people to be more physically active (ie, structured exercise program) has been only marginally effective. Traditional exercise programs have typically reported dropout rates of 50% or more at 1 year, highlighting the compliance problem among those who voluntarily initiate exercise, regardless of health status. Other enrollees, who do not technically meet the criteria for ‘‘exercise dropout,’’ may continue exercising at a subthreshold intensity, frequency, or duration. According to the CDC, only 31% of American adults meet contemporary physical activity recommendations (ie, moderate-intensity activity for 30 min ⁄d, 5 or more d ⁄wk, or vigorous activity for 20 min ⁄d, 3 or more d ⁄wk), and 24% of the adult population reportedly engage in no leisure time physical activity. Men are more likely to meet the recommendation than women, and black and Hispanic or Latino persons demonstrate the lowest prevalence of regular leisure time physical activity: 25% and 23%, respectively. Morbidly obese individuals in particular are often completely sedentary. According to a recent report, morbidly obese adults (mean SD body mass index, 53.6 11.7 kg ⁄m) were asked to wear an activity sensor that monitored their caloric expenditure, minute-by-minute physical activity, and number of steps per day. The participants spent an average of 23 hours and 52 min ⁄d sleeping, sitting, lying down, or performing sedentary activities (<3 metabolic equivalents [METs; 1 MET=3.5 mL O2 ⁄kg ⁄min]). Collectively, these data suggest that structured exercise is not unlike other health-related behaviors in that only a fraction of those who initiate the behavior will continue, regardless of their age, sex, race, ethnicity, education level, or health status. To understand why people sometimes lack the motivation for a structured exercise commitment, one must first acknowledge a simple yet important fact: exercise is voluntary and time-consuming. Therefore, planned exercise may extend the day or compete with other valued interests and responsibilities of daily life. In addition, considerable time may be spent in transit, driving to and from a health club or recreation facility. In one study, coronary patients undergoing medically supervised gymnasium-based exercise training spent more time in their cars going to and from the programs than patients in a home training comparison group spent on their cycle ergometers. Other investigators have reported that structured rehabilitation exercise training is associated with a low caloric expenditure and has little impact on body weight and selected coronary risk factors.
Quantile based histogram equalization for online applications

The noise robustness of automatic speech recognition systems can be increased by transforming the signal to make the cumulative density functions of the signal’s values in recognition match the ones that where estimated on the training data. This paper describes a real–time online algorithm to approximate the cumulative density functions, after Mel scaled filtering, using a small number of quantiles. Recognition tests where carried out on the Aurora noisy TI digit strings and SpeechDat–Car databases. The average relative reduction of the word error rates was 32% on the noisy TI digit strings and 29% on SpeechDat–Car.
Indexing pharmacogenetic knowledge on the World Wide Web.

A key challenge for pharmacogenetics is the creation of databases to store, analyse and disseminate important datasets in order to catalyse research and training. Most successful databases have a limited scope: Genbank contains DNA sequences [1]; the Protein Data Bank contains the three-dimensional coordinates of macromolecules [2]; the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man contains a record of human genetic disease [3]; and PubMED contains the biomedical literature [4]. This limited scope is a great strength, because the information can be stored, searched and analysed using a few powerful tools, and the users of these databases know exactly what to expect. Databases for pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics will have much more diversity. Pharmacogenetic data involve phenotypes that are as diverse as the assays we invent to measure them. Thus, it is unclear what a user should expect from a pharmacogenetics database, and yet a public repository of pharmacogenetic data is critical to establish a core dataset for the field upon which we can build new analyses and new hypotheses [1]. Clearly, successful databases for pharmacogenetics must employ some sort of classification of phenotypes that is general purpose, yet extensible to include undefined characterizations of phenotype.
Why Word Learning is not Fast

Upon fast mapping, children rarely retain new words even over intervals as short as 5 min. In this study, we asked whether the memory process of encoding or consolidation is the bottleneck to retention. Forty-nine children, mean age 33 months, were exposed to eight 2- or-3-syllable nonce neighbors of words in their existing lexicons. Didactic training consisted of six exposures to each word in the context of its referent, an unfamiliar toy. Productions were elicited four times: immediately following the examiner’s model, and at 1-min-, 5-min-, and multiday retention intervals. At the final two intervals, the examiner said the first syllable and provided a beat gesture highlighting target word length in syllables as a cue following any erred production. The children were highly accurate at immediate posttest. Accuracy fell sharply over the 1-min retention interval and again after an additional 5 min. Performance then stabilized such that the 5-min and multiday posttests yielded comparable performance. Given this time course, we conclude that it was not the post-encoding process of consolidation but the process of encoding itself that presented the primary bottleneck to retention. Patterns of errors and responses to cueing upon error suggested that word forms were particularly vulnerable to partial decay during the time course of encoding.