Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk of myocardial infarction in patients taking cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors or conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: population based nested case-control analysis

Abstract Aims To determine the comparative risk of myocardial infarction in patients taking cyclo-oxygenase-2 and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in primary care between 2000 and 2004; to determine these risks in patients with and without pre-existing coronary heart disease and in those taking and not taking aspirin. Design Nested case-control study. Setting 367 general practices contributing to the UK QRESEARCH database and spread throughout every strategic health authority and health board in England, Wales, and Scotland. Subjects 9218 cases with a first ever diagnosis of myocardial infarction during the four year study period; 86 349 controls matched for age, calendar year, sex, and practice. Outcome measures Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for myocardial infarction associated with rofecoxib, celecoxib, naproxen, ibuprofen, diclofenac, and other selective and non-selective NSAIDS. Odds ratios were adjusted for smoking status, comorbidity, deprivation, and use of statins, aspirin, and antidepressants. Results A significantly increased risk of myocardial infarction was associated with current use of rofecoxib (adjusted odds ratio 1.32, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 1.61) compared with no use within the previous three years; with current use of diclofenac (1.55, 1.39 to 1.72); and with current use of ibuprofen (1.24, 1.11 to 1.39). Increased risks were associated with the other selective NSAIDs, with naproxen, and with non-selective NSAIDs; these risks were significant at < 0.05 rather than < 0.01 for current use but significant at < 0.01 in the tests for trend. No significant interactions occurred between any of the NSAIDs and either aspirin or coronary heart disease. Conclusion These results suggest an increased risk of myocardial infarction associated with current use of rofecoxib, diclofenac, and ibuprofen despite adjustment for many potential confounders. No evidence was found to support a reduction in risk of myocardial infarction associated with current use of naproxen. This is an observational study and may be subject to residual confounding that cannot be fully corrected for. However, enough concerns may exist to warrant a reconsideration of the cardiovascular safety of all NSAIDs.
What Does Consciousness Bring to CTS?

Striving in the real world is more and more what artificial agents are required to do, and it is not a simple task. Interacting with humans in general, and with students in specific, requires dealing with a great number of information sources, and high volumes of data, in real-time, to adapt to the environment (and other agents). «Consciousness» mechanisms can help and sustain an apt artificial tutor, allowing it to consider various sources of information in diagnosing and guiding learners. We show in the present paper how they effectively support theses processes in the specific context of astronauts training on the manipulation of the Space Station Robotic Manipulation System, Canadarm2.
A Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity Examination of the Relationship between Trading Volume and Conditional Volatility in the Tunisian Stock Market: Evidence for the Information Flow Paradigm

This paper empirically examines the relationship between trading volume and conditional volatility of returns in the Tunisian stock market within the framework of the mixture of distribution hypothesis (MDH) and the sequential information arrival hypothesis (SIAH). Through this study, we especially aim to test the volatility persistence degree without volume, with contemporaneous volume, and with lagged volume. Our empirical analysis is based on daily data related to the 43 most active and dynamic securities traded from January 2, 2008 to June 29, 2012. Our daily analysis reveals several results. Firstly, we confirm the strong positive relationship between trading volume and returns conditional volatility issued from generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH (1,1)) model. Secondly, according to the theoretical predictions of the MDH, we show that including contemporaneous trading volume in the conditional variance equation significantly reduces volatility persistence. Thirdly, through the addition of the lagged volume in the conditional variance equation, we show that volatility persistence remains in the whole at a high level and close to that obtained from the GARCH (1,1) model without trading volume, and also at a higher level than that resulting from the addition of the contemporaneous volume. Our results thus do not support the implications of the SIAH.
Spatial Regulation of Inflammation by Human Aortic Endothelial Cells in a Linear Gradient of Shear Stress

Objective: Atherosclerosis is a focal disease that develops at sites of low and oscillatory shear stress in arteries. This study aimed to understand how endothelial cells sense a gradient of fluid shear stress and transduce signals that regulate membrane expression of cell adhesion molecules and monocyte recruitment. Methods: Human aortic endothelial cells were stimulated with TNF‐α and simultaneously exposed to a linear gradient of shear stress that increased from 0 to 16 dyne/cm2. Cell adhesion molecule expression and activation of NFκ B were quantified by immunofluorescence microscopy with resolution at the level of a single endothelial cell. Monocyte recruitment was imaged using custom microfluidic flow chambers. Results: VCAM‐1 and E‐selectin upregulation was greatest between 2–4 dyne/cm2 (6 and 4‐fold, respectively) and above 8 dyne/cm2 expression was suppressed below that of untreated endothelial cells. In contrast, ICAM‐1 expression and NFκ B nuclear translocation increased with shear stress up to a maximum at 9 dyne/cm2. Monocyte recruitment was most efficient in regions where E‐selectin and VCAM‐1 expression was greatest. Conclusions: We found that the endothelium can sense a change in shear stress on the order of 0.25 dyne/cm2 over a length of ∼ 10 cells, regulating the level of protein transcription, cellular adhesion molecule expression, and leukocyte recruitment during inflammation.
Fabrication and accelerated hermeticity testing of an on-wafer package for RF MEMS

A hermetic silicon micromachined on-wafer dc-to-40-GHz packaging scheme for RF microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switches is presented. The designed on-wafer package has a deembedded insertion loss of 0.03 dB per transition up to 40 GHz (a total measured loss of 0.3 dB including a 2.7-mm-long through line) and a return loss below -18dB up to 40 GHz. The hermeticity of the packaged is tested using an autoclave chamber with accelerated conditions of 130/spl deg/C, 2.7 atm of pressure, and 100% relative humidity. The fabrication process is designed so as to be completely compatible with the MEMS switch process, hence, allowing the parallel fabrication of all the components on a single wafer. The on-wafer proposed packaging approach requires no external wiring to achieve signal propagation and, thus, it has the potential for lower loss and better performance at higher frequencies.
Assisting solution of traffic congestion at sags using inter-vehicle communication with heterogeneous wireless systems

Traffic congestions that occur at sags caused by slowdown at uphill are one of prominent problems to be solved. Though there have been extensive studies on reducing congestion due to slowdown, they basically address velocity control of vehicles upstream in the congestion vehicle group. This paper presents a scheme to largely improve the traffic flow to avoid congestion where each vehicle detects the initial state of congestion and alerts all the vehicles running in the whole target area. Upon receiving alert information, a vehicle at the head of the congestion vehicle group and those behind the group perform different velocity control to increase traffic flow. Performance evaluation by simulation using trace data of velocity collected at the highway shows that the proposed scheme improves average velocity by about 50% at maximum compared to the case with no velocity control is applied.
Depth dependence of permeability in the Oregon cascades inferred from hydrogeologic, thermal, seismic, and magmatic modeling constraints

JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. ? , XXXX, DOI:10.1029/, Depth Dependence of Permeability in the Oregon Cascades Inferred from Hydrogeologic, Thermal, Seismic, and Magmatic Modeling Constraints M. O. Saar Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA M. Manga Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA M. O. Saar, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, 2534 C.C. Little Building, 425 E. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1063, USA. (msaar@umich.edu) M. Manga, Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, 173 McCone Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-4767, USA. (manga@eps.berkeley.edu) Also at Earth Science Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA. D R A F T January 27, 2004, 4:59pm D R A F T
Novel irregular LDPC codes and their application to iterative detection of MIMO systems

Low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are among the best performing error correction codes currently known. For higher performing irregular LDPC codes, degree distributions have been found which produce codes with optimum performance in the infinite block length case. Significant performance degradation is seen at more practical short block lengths. A significant focus in the search for practical LDPC codes is to find a construction method which minimises this reduction in performance as codes approach short lengths. In this work, a novel irregular LDPC code is proposed which makes use of the SPA decoder at the design stage in order to make the best choice of edge placement with respect to iterative decoding performance in the presence of noise. This method, a modification of the progressive edge growth (PEG) algorithm for edge placement in parity-check matrix (PCM) construction is named the DOPEG algorithm. The DOPEG design algorithm is highly flexible in that the decoder optimisation stage may be applied to any modification or extension of the original PEG algorithm with relative ease. To illustrate this fact, the decoder optimisation step was applied to the IPEG modification to the PEG algorithm, which produces codes with comparatively excellent performance. This extension to the DOPEG is called the DOIPEG. A spatially multiplexed coded iteratively detected and decoded multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system is then considered. The MIMO system to be investigated is developed through theory and a number of results are presented which illustrate its performance characteristics. The novel DOPEG code is tested for the MIMO system under consideration and a significant performance gain is achieved.
Incentive-compatible pricing strategies in noncooperative networks

The complexity of modern networks calls for decentralized control schemes where each user makes its control decisions independently based on some individual performance objectives. The operating points of such noncooperative networks are the Nash equilibria of the underlying control game. Nash equilibria are generically inefficient and lead to suboptimal network performance. Using routing as a control paradigm, a methodology is devised for overcoming this inefficiency based on pricing mechanisms. Assuming that the price for usage of each link's proportional to the congestion level at the link, is shown that the provider can enforce any operating point it deems efficient by offering the capacity of the various links at discount prices. The incentive compatible discount vector is shown to be unique to the extent of a multiplicative constant, and its structure is specified explicitly. An adaptive algorithm for distributed computation of the incentive compatible discount vector is introduced. The applicability of the results in various practical scenarios is investigated by means of a prototype that implements the routing game as a Web-based game.
High-sensitivity stress sensor based on Bragg grating in BDK-doped photosensitive polymer optical fiber

Bragg grating in a single-mode photosensitive polymer optical fiber (POF) with benzil dimethyl ketal (BDK)-doped in core has been inscribed through the Sagnac ring interference method. The Bragg wavelength of grating is about 1570nm. The stress and strain response of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) has been studied respectively. By fitting the experimental result, the strain sensitivity of FBG in POF has been found to be almost same to that of conventional silica fiber Bragg gratings. However, the stress sensitivity of FBG in POF is measured to be 421pm/MPa, which is 28 times higher than FBG in silica fiber. And such high stress sensitivity makes Bragg grating in a single-mode BDK-doped POF appear to be very attractive for constructing stress sensor with high resolution.
Lowermost Cambrian Ichnofabrics from the Chapel Island Formation, Newfoundland: Implications for Cambrian Substrates

Abstract Bioturbation long has been ‘blamed’ for eliminating late Proterozoic-style sedimentary structures and fabrics. While the presence of diverse and complex burrows in lowermost Cambrian strata is indisputable, analysis of Precambrian–Cambrian successions in southeast Newfoundland demonstrate that this burrowing style did not produce typical Phanerozoic-style ichnofabrics. Three hundred meters of the siltstone/sandstone facies of member 2 of the Chapel Island Formation were examined in the area of the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary stratotype. Gyrolithes, Planolites, and Skolithos occur as sand infills ubiquitously throughout siltstone beds, most commonly without direct contact with an overlying sandstone bed, as if “floating” in the siltstone. In contrast, Treptichnus pedum occurs as sand infills adhering onto the base of thin sandstone beds that have different grain size and texture than the burrow infills. Both of these burrow types represent a style of preservation in which the burrows are unattached to an overlying bed of the casting sediment. These styles of preservation occur frequently in the Treptichnus pedum Zone and continue into the Rusophycus avalonensis Zone in spite of an increase in trace fossil diversity. The sandstone beds are bioturbated only very rarely. The resultant fabric produced by floating and, in particular, adhering burrows in these shallow marine deposits appears to be characteristic of many Lower Cambrian rocks. Silt layers appear to have been firm enough to have supported open burrows, likely as a result of a negligible mixed layer. This line of reasoning would predict that preservation of this type would be uncommon in younger strata deposited in open marine settings.
Interim Rank, Risk Taking, and Performance in Dynamic Tournaments

We empirically study the impact of interim rank on risk taking and performance using data on professionals competing in tournaments for large rewards. As we observe both the intended action and the performance of each participant, we can measure risk taking and performance separately. We present two key findings. First, risk taking exhibits an inverted-U relationship with interim rank. Revealing information on relative performance induces individuals trailing just behind the interim leaders to take greater risks. Second, competitors systematically underperform when ranked closer to the top, despite higher incentives to perform well. Disclosing information on relative ranking hinders interim leaders.
The Changing Structure of US Corporate Boards: 1997-2003

We document changes in board characteristics in public US firms between 1997 and 2003. We find significant changes in board independence, committee independence, board size, interlocking directorships, director occupation and multiple directorships. Most of the changes occur between 2000 and 2003. In general, these changes appear both in small and large firms. However, changes in board size and in multiple directorships are statistically significant in large firms only. We find weaker trends in the financial stake of independent directors and in separating CEOs from the chairman position. In 2003 many independent directors have small holdings in the firms they direct and CEOs chair around two-thirds of the boards in our sample. Together, these results shed light on the types of board structures that have recently become the norm in US public firms.
A Web Page Classification Algorithm Based on Link Information

Effective classification of web pages can improve the quality of information retrieval. The traditional classification algorithms are basically based on the analysis of Web content, but the content of the web page is complicated, filled with a large number of false, erroneous information, has seriously affected the accuracy of the classification of network information. To solve this problem, this paper presents a web page classification algorithm, Link Information Categorization(LIC). Based on the K nearest neighbor method, it combines information on the website features, to implement the Web page link to information classification. Experiments show that the algorithm can get higher efficiency and accuracy on the Web page classification.
Investor’s Sentiments and Stock Market Volatility: an empirical evidence from emerging stock market

The concept of efficient market hypothesis has prevailed the financial markets for a long time which says that the prices of the securities reflect all available information. This approach was mainly followed by the rational investors but with the passage of time, the concept of behavioral finance emerged due to some of the major global financial crashes. This concept states that there are investors trading in the market making decisions on the basis of sentiments not on any fundamental information. Such class of traders is called the noise traders and they are mainly responsible for any disruption in the returns of the securities. In this paper we will try to find whether these sentiments of the investors affect the returns of the securities listed on the Karachi stock exchange. We will use the investor sentiment index that uses the six proxies the data on which has been collected mainly from the Karachi stock exchange. Volatility of the stock market returns will be calculated and regressed with the sentimental equation discussed above as the independent variable. This study will help us to find out the extent to which these sentiments influence the stock market returns in weak form efficient market and also it will help us to identify the presence of such irrational noise traders in our financial market.
Health Uncertainty and Precautionary Saving : Evidence from Korea by Moon Kee Kong *

This paper considers a model of precautionary behavior under health uncertainty and derives testable equations for changes in consumption and medical expenditures. Under this framework, individuals who face future health uncertainty will exhibit precautionary behavior by depressing consumption and at the same time increasing medical care expenditures. In testing the precautionary motive, the paper uses the conditional variance of health disturbances as the direct measure of health uncertainty. Empirical findings suggest that the uncertainty about future health outcomes motivates elderly Koreans to hold down their levels of overall spending during the early years of retirement. JEL Classification: D91; I19
Low-Rank Methods for Parallelizing Dynamic Programming Algorithms

This article proposes efficient parallel methods for an important class of dynamic programming problems that includes Viterbi, Needleman-Wunsch, Smith-Waterman, and Longest Common Subsequence. In dynamic programming, the subproblems that do not depend on each other, and thus can be computed in parallel, form stages or wavefronts. The methods presented in this article provide additional parallelism allowing multiple stages to be computed in parallel despite dependencies among them. The correctness and the performance of the algorithm relies on rank convergence properties of matrix multiplication in the tropical semiring, formed with plus as the multiplicative operation and max as the additive operation. This article demonstrates the efficiency of the parallel algorithm by showing significant speedups on a variety of important dynamic programming problems. In particular, the parallel Viterbi decoder is up to 24× faster (with 64 processors) than a highly optimized commercial baseline.
Mean-Square-Error-of-Instantaneous-Frequency Detector and its performance evaluation

Based on the analysis of statistic characteristic of the instantaneous frequency sequence, a new type of robust signal detector was put forward, named Mean-Square-Error-of-Instantaneous-Frequency Detector (MSEIFD for short). The binary hypothesis testing mode of MSEIFD was indicated, and the property was analyzed by simulation and compared with that of matched filter (MF) in the same condition. The simulation result shows that MSEIFD can detect signal with many modulation forms effectively, is insensitive to Doppler shift and is also robust for the cross-interference from the same channel or the nearby channel.
SLAP: Silicone Illuminated Active Peripherals

We present SLAP, a system of tangible, translucent wid-gets for use on FTIR-based multi-touch tabletops. Our initial widgets include a SLAP keyboard, button, slider, knob, and lens. SLAP widgets add tactile feedback to multi-touch tables, improving input accuracy. They can be relabeled dynamically via table rear projection, and provide inexpensive, battery-free, and untethered augmentations for FTIR tables.
Variations in TcdB Activity and the Hypervirulence of Emerging Strains of Clostridium difficile

Hypervirulent strains of Clostridium difficile have emerged over the past decade, increasing the morbidity and mortality of patients infected by this opportunistic pathogen. Recent work suggested the major C. difficile virulence factor, TcdB, from hypervirulent strains (TcdBHV) was more cytotoxic in vitro than TcdB from historical strains (TcdBHIST). The current study investigated the in vivo impact of altered TcdB tropism, and the underlying mechanism responsible for the differences in activity between the two forms of this toxin. A combination of protein sequence analyses, in vivo studies using a Danio rerio model system, and cell entry combined with fluorescence assays were used to define the critical differences between TcdBHV and TcdBHIST. Sequence analysis found that TcdB was the most variable protein expressed from the pathogenicity locus of C. difficile. In line with these sequence differences, the in vivo effects of TcdBHV were found to be substantially broader and more pronounced than those caused by TcdBHIST. The increased toxicity of TcdBHV was related to the toxin's ability to enter cells more rapidly and at an earlier stage in endocytosis than TcdBHIST. The underlying biochemical mechanism for more rapid cell entry was identified in experiments demonstrating that TcdBHV undergoes acid-induced conformational changes at a pH much higher than that of TcdBHIST. Such pH-related conformational changes are known to be the inciting step in membrane insertion and translocation for TcdB. These data provide insight into a critical change in TcdB activity that contributes to the emerging hypervirulence of C. difficile.