Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Five reasons why megaregional planning works against sustainability

Author(s): Wheeler, SM | Abstract: © John Harrison and Michael Hoyler 2015. For the past decade ‘megaregions’ - very large-scale constellations of urban regions - have been a popular focus of attention at academic conferences. They have also attracted the attention of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) specializing in urban and regional planning as well as governmental agencies at multiple levels. It is easy to see why. Thinking at a (relatively) new scale generates intellectual excitement as well as new research and funding opportunities. Researchers have been able to create intriguing maps showing the new urban geographies. This larger scale of planning brings into play attractive technologies such as high-speed rail. Equally importantly, it provides a respite from the challenge of dealing with the gridlocked politics and often ineffective institutions at other levels. As a result of such factors, efforts at megaregional planning and infrastructure development are gaining speed, with few voices raised in opposition. However, rather than helping bring about more sustainable societies this new scale of planning is likely to accelerate what some climate change scientists have labeled BAU (‘business-as-usual’) forms of development. If conducted primarily to coordinate new infrastructure or to promote globalized forms of economic development, the consequences of megaregional planning are likely to be disastrous. The result may well be to facilitate the physical sprawl of urban development between cities, to increase the amount that people travel and associated greenhouse gas emissions, to worsen disparities between different populations and communities, and to strengthen economic globalization trends that undermine local place and global sustainability.
A high performance hybrid algorithm for text classification

The high computational complexity of text classification is a significant problem with the growing surge in text data. An effective but computationally expensive classification is the k-nearest-neighbor (kNN) algorithm. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) has commonly been used as a preprocessing phase to reduce the dimensionality followed by kNN. However, though the dimensionality is reduced, the algorithm requires all the vectors in the projected space to perform the kNN. We propose a new hybrid algorithm that uses PCA & kNN but performs kNN with a small set of neighbors instead of the complete data vectors in the projected space, thus reducing the computational complexity. An added advantage in our method is that we are able to get effective classification using a relatively smaller number of principal components. New text for classification is projected into the lower dimensional space and kNN is performed only with the neighbors in each axis based on the principal that vectors that are closer in the original space are closer in the projected space and also along the projected components. Our findings with the standard benchmark dataset Reuters show that the proposed model significantly outperforms kNN and the standard PCA-kNN hybrid algorithms while maintaining similar classification accuracy.
Progesterone receptor loss identifies Luminal B breast cancer subgroups at higher risk of relapse.

BACKGROUND The immunohistochemical (IHC) evaluation of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), Ki-67 and HER2 is considered a surrogate means for identifying the molecular subtypes of breast cancer with different prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS We explored patterns of recurrence in 4837 women with breast cancer defined as Luminal B (ER-positive and/or PgR-positive, HER2 positive and/or Ki-67≥14%) by IHC classification. We evaluated four subgroups within the Luminal B subtype according to HER2 expression and PgR status. RESULTS Patients within the ER+/PgR+/HER2- subgroup presented a 5-year breast cancer-related survival (BCS) of 97% (95% confidence interval (CI), 96-97) and overall survival (OS) of 95% [95% CI, 95-96], the best survivals of the Luminal B subgroups. In the multivariate analysis, the ER+/PgR-/HER2- subgroup was associated with a reduced BCS (HR 1.71; 95%CI, 1.25-2.35) and OS (HR 1.47; 95%CI, 1.10-1.96) when compared with the ER+/PgR+/HER2- subgroup. Also patients within the ER+/PgR-/HER2+ subgroup had a reduced BCS (HR 1.93; 95%CI, 1.32-2.83) and OS (HR 1.62; 95%CI, 1.14-2.30) when compared with ER+/PgR+/HER2- subgroup. On the other hand, no statistically significant differences were found with regard to BCS and OS among patients with ER+/PgR+/HER2+ and patients with ER+/PgR+/HER2- disease. CONCLUSIONS PgR loss identifies Luminal B breast cancer subgroups at higher risk of relapse and death, both with HER-2-positive and HER-2-negative disease.
Human Escherichia coli O157:H7 Genetic Marker in Isolates of Bovine Origin

The antiterminator Q gene of bacteriophage 933W (Q933) was identified upstream of the stx2 gene in 90% of human disease–origin Escherichia coli O157:H7 isolates and in 44.5% of bovine isolates. Shiga toxin production was higher in Q933-positive isolates than Q933-negative isolates. This genetic marker may provide a useful molecular tool for epidemiologic studies.
Electron density and electron neutral collision frequency in the ionosphere using plasma impedance probe measurements

[1] Swept Impedance Probe measurements in a sporadic E layer observed during the Sudden Atomic Layer (SAL) sounding rocket mission are analyzed to obtain absolute electron densities and electron neutral collision frequencies accurately. Three sets of upleg and downleg impedance data are selected for the analysis. Initial estimates of the plasma parameters are obtained through a least mean square fit of the measured impedance data against the analytical impedance formula ZB(f) of Balmain (1969). These initial parameters are used as a starting point to drive a finite difference computational model of an antenna immersed in a plasma called PF-FDTD. The parameters are then tuned until a close fit is obtained between the measured impedance data and the numerical impedance data calculated by the PF-FDTD simulation. The electron densities obtained from the simulation were close to those obtained from the IRI 2001 model. The electron neutral collision frequencies obtained from the more accurate PF-FDTD simulation were up to 20% lower than the values predicted by Balmain's formula. The obtained collision frequencies are also lower than the quiet time values predicted by Schunk and Nagy (2000) when used in conjunction with neutral densities and electron temperature from the Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter Radar Extended-90 model.
An Early Evaluation Method for Social Presence in Serious Game

In recent years, there has been increasing interest, both in the potential of computer games as learning and teaching tools, and in research into their use. However, most frameworks for serious games evaluation do not explicitly consider social aspects. On the contrary, we believe that social aspects have to be considered as an essential component of the 'virtual' life of most current users. For this reason, in this paper we propose a framework able to analyze serious games social aspects and give an early evaluation of the designed application. The evaluation framework is based on four elements: identity, space, persistence and actions. These elements (and the behaviors they let to emerge) can be used as markers in order to evaluate if or not our systems is able to facilitate the feeling of social presence and then social learning. The result of such an evaluation can be useful to designers in order to understand if the systems lack of functionalities before starting the implementation and thus return on the phase of design to add missing elements.
Age of resolution from IgE-mediated wheat allergy.

BACKGROUND The natural history of wheat allergy varies among different countries. OBJECTIVE To study the age of resolution from IgE-mediated wheat allergy and to define the predictors of wheat tolerance. METHODS Patients with a history of immediate reactions after wheat ingestion were enrolled. Skin prick test (SPT) and measurement of serum specific IgE (sIgE) to wheat and ω-5 gliadin were performed. Oral challenge to wheat was performed to determine wheat tolerance. RESULTS Fifty-five patients, aged 6 months to 12 years, were studied. The median age of wheat tolerance was 76 months (range 37-114 months). The percentage of children with wheat tolerance was 14.7% at age 2 years, 27% by age 4, 45.7% by age 5 and 69% by age 9. Predictors for wheat tolerance were SPT for wheat less than 3 mm of wheal diameter (hazard ratio 8.9), sIgE levels of wheat and ? -5 gliadin less than 0.35 (HR 4.3) and 0.35 kAU/L (HR 44), respectively, duration of onset of symptoms to time of physician diagnosis less than 36 months (HR 7.6) and no history of allergic rhinitis (HR 4.8). CONCLUSIONS Forty percent of children with IgE-mediated wheat allergy develop tolerance by the age of 5 years. Size of SPT, IgE level of wheat and ω-5 gliadin, time from onset of symptoms to physician diagnosis and history of allergic rhinitis are helpful for predicting wheat tolerance.
Composite Subscription and Matching Algorithm for RFID Applications

RFID technology facilitates monitoring and managing products. In most RFID applications, users pay much attention to temporal and logical event patterns, which is further strengthened by highly temporal RFID data. If RFID events or other kinds of events are disseminated to users through Pub/Sub service, visibility of product states will be greatly increased and fast processing these events will become possible. However, the traditional Pub/Sub systems cannot support composite events involving abundant temporal constraints. Therefore, they cannot fully meet the needs of RFID applications. Aiming at RFID-related application scenarios, this paper designs a composite subscription language embedded with diversified temporal operators and proposes a matching algorithm for detecting composite events which has been implemented in our Pub/Sub system OncePubSub. Performance evaluation results indicate our algorithm is more efficient than the two systems based on Siena and JESS respectively.
Raising the Black Flag : state capacity, geography, international law, and the resurgence of maritime crime

viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 Defining Maritime Piracy and Maritime Armed Robbery . 4 1.2 Overview of the Existing Literature . 7 1.3 Theoretical Framework – Opportunity and Willingness . 10 1.4 Dissertation Structure . 13 CHAPTER 2: THE EVOLVING DEFINITIONS OF PIRACY AND MARITIME SOVEREIGNTY 17 2.
Infection of Semen-Producing Organs by SIV during the Acute and Chronic Stages of the Disease

Background Although indirect evidence suggests the male genital tract as a possible source of persistent HIV shedding in semen during antiretroviral therapy, this phenomenon is poorly understood due to the difficulty of sampling semen-producing organs in HIV+ asymptomatic individuals. Methodology/Principal Findings Using a range of molecular and cell biological techniques, this study investigates SIV infection within reproductive organs of macaques during the acute and chronic stages of the disease. We demonstrate for the first time the presence of SIV in the testes, epididymides, prostate and seminal vesicles as early as 14 days post-inoculation. This infection persists throughout the chronic stage and positively correlates with blood viremia. The prostate and seminal vesicles appear to be the most efficiently infected reproductive organs, followed by the epididymides and testes. Within the male genital tract, mostly T lymphocytes and a small number of germ cells harbour SIV antigens and RNA. In contrast to the other organs studied, the testis does not display an immune response to the infection. Testosteronemia is transiently increased during the early phase of the infection but spermatogenesis remains unaffected. Conclusions/Significance The present study reveals that SIV infection of the macaque male genital tract is an early event and that semen-producing organs display differential infection levels and immune responses. These results help elucidate the origin of HIV in semen and constitute an essential base to improving the design of antiretroviral therapies to eradicate virus from semen.
Introducing Mood Self-Tracking at Work

The benefits of self-tracking have been thoroughly investigated in private areas of life, like health or sustainable living, but less attention has been given to the impact and benefits of self-tracking in work-related settings. Through two field studies, we introduced and evaluated a mood self-tracking application in two call centers to investigate the role of mood self-tracking at work, as well as its impact on individuals and teams. Our studies indicate that mood self-tracking is accepted and can improve performance if the application is well integrated into the work processes and matches the management style. The results show that (i) capturing moods and explicitly relating them to work tasks facilitated reflection, (ii) mood self-tracking increased emotional awareness and this improved cohesion within teams, and (iii) proactive reactions by managers to trends and changes in team members’ mood were key for acceptance of reflection and correlated with measured improvements in work performance. These findings help to better understand the role and potential of self-tracking at the workplace, and further provide insights that guide future researchers and practitioners to design and introduce these tools in a work setting.
Vertical and Horizontal Corneal Epithelial Thickness Profile Using Ultra-High Resolution and Long Scan Depth Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose To determine the vertical and horizontal thickness profiles of the corneal epithelium in vivo using ultra-long scan depth and ultra-high resolution spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Methods A SD-OCT was developed with an axial resolution of ∼3.3 µm in tissue and an extended scan depth. Forty-two eyes of 21 subjects were imaged twice. The entire horizontal and vertical corneal epithelial thickness profiles were evaluated. The coefficient of repeatability (CoR) and intraclass correlation (ICC) of the tests and interobserver variability were analyzed. Results The full width of the horizontal epithelium was detected, whereas part of the superior epithelium was not shown for the covered super eyelid. The mean central epithelial corneal thickness was 52.0±3.2 µm for the first measurement and 52.3±3.4 µm for the second measurement (P>.05). In the central zone (0–3.0 mm), the paracentral zones (3.0–6.0 mm) and the peripheral zones (6.0–10.0 mm), the mean epithelial thickness ranged from 51 to 53 µm, 52 to 57 µm, and 58 to 72 µm, respectively. There was no difference between the two tests at both meridians and in the right and left eyes (P>.05). The ICCs of the two tests ranged from 0.70 to 0.97 and the CoRs ranged from 2.5 µm to 7.8 µm from the center to the periphery, corresponding to 5.6% to 10.6% (CoR%). The ICCs of the two observers ranged from 0.72 to 0.93 and the CoRs ranged from 4.5 µm to 10.4 µm from the center to the periphery, corresponding to 8.7% to 15.2% (CoR%). Conclusions This study demonstrated good repeatability of ultra-high resolution and long scan depth SD-OCT to evaluate the entire thickness profiles of the corneal epithelium. The epithelial thickness increases from the center toward the limbus.
Effects of Head Circumference and Metabolic Syndrome on Cognitive Decline

Background: Brain volume progressively decreases with an increase in atrophy, and the brain becomes more susceptible to degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Metabolic syndrome has also been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline in the elderly. Aims: In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of head circumference and metabolic syndrome on cognitive decline. Methods: This study was part of a longitudinal study conducted on Koreans aged 60 years or older. We analyzed a final sample of 596 Korean participants with complete baseline and 2-year follow-up data. The cognitive function of the subjects was assessed using the Korean version of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Head circumference was measured from the glabella to the occipital protuberance using a measuring tape. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the NCEP-ATP III standards. Central obesity was assessed on the basis of waist-circumference values, in accordance with the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region report on Asians. We used a longitudinal factorial design in which the MMSE score was the dependent variable, and head circumference and metabolic syndrome were considered as factors. Results: After adjusting the results for age, gender, education, height, weight, baseline MMSE, and number of follow-up years, we observed that smaller head circumference and the presence of metabolic syndrome were independently associated with rapid cognitive decline. Conclusion: All these findings suggest that smaller head circumference and the presence of metabolic syndrome have additive effects on cognitive decline.
Angiotensin II modulates the intrarenal effects of atrial natriuretic peptide.

The mechanism by which atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) increases renal water and solute excretion is not fully understood. We studied the renal effects of ANP and angiotensin II (ANG II) separately and together in uninephrectomized conscious dogs (n = 7) in sodium metabolic balance (80 meq/day). Exogenous ANG II and ANP were without measurable systemic effects as demonstrated by absence of changes in blood pressure, plasma aldosterone concentration, and plasma renin activity. The quantity of ANG II that had significant renal effects that were without measurable systemic effects was 0.2 pmol.kg-1.min-1. Three infusion rates of ANP had significant renal effects (1, 10, and 20 pmol.kg-1.min-1). These quantities of ANP caused significant diuresis, natriuresis, kaliuresis, and increased glomerular filtration rate without significant changes in renal plasma flow. ANG II alone caused significant antidiuresis, antinatriuresis, and decreased glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow. When ANG II and ANP were given together, no change in urinary flow rate, urinary sodium or potassium excretion, or renal plasma flow was observed, whereas glomerular filtration rate increased. Filtration fraction increased significantly with ANG II and ANP separately and together. Intrarenal ANP prevents the ANG II-induced decrement in urinary sodium excretion and urine flow rate. ANP may play an important role in escape from the sodium-retaining action of intrarenal ANG II.
Health informatics

With the widespread availability of health-oriented digital and virtual devices and software (apps), healthcare organizations are shifting their approaches to recognize how patients wish to communicate, manage their health, and share their health information. The shift in digital and virtual health is designed to improve healthcare access and quality—particularly in underserved populations, geographies, and specialties. This course will present the current and emerging digital and virtual health services, as well as the beneﬁts and drawbacks of these technologies. This course will address various forms of telehealth, apps, portable devices, and remote monitoring strategies, as well as the role of artiﬁcial and augmented intelligence in enhancing digital and virtual experiences. After a broad review of the digital and virtual health ﬁeld, this course will focus on evaluating, sustaining, and leading a digital or virtual program. Each lecture will discuss regulatory issues such as privacy, security, FDA review/approval, and when digital and virtual health services can be reimbursed. In addition to these regulatory issues, the course will instruct how to conduct a needs assessment, evaluate digital and virtual health products, implement different business models, and evaluate best practices for implementation and adoption. Preferred Prerequisite: HINF 4301.
Understanding Ancient Hominin Dispersals Using Artefactual Data: A Phylogeographic Analysis of Acheulean Handaxes

Background Reconstructing the dispersal patterns of extinct hominins remains a challenging but essential goal. One means of supplementing fossil evidence is to utilize archaeological evidence in the form of stone tools. Based on broad dating patterns, it has long been thought that the appearance of Acheulean handaxe technologies outside of Africa was the result of hominin dispersals, yet independent tests of this hypothesis remain rare. Cultural transmission theory leads to a prediction of a strong African versus non-African phylogeographic pattern in handaxe datasets, if the African Acheulean hypothesis is to be supported. Methodology/Principal Findings Here, this prediction is tested using an intercontinental dataset of Acheulean handaxes and a biological phylogenetic method (maximum parsimony). The analyses produce a tree consistent with the phylogeographic prediction. Moreover, a bootstrap analysis provides evidence that this pattern is robust, and the maximum parsimony tree is also shown to be statistically different from a tree constrained by stone raw materials. Conclusions/Significance These results demonstrate that nested analyses of behavioural data, utilizing methods drawn from biology, have the potential to shed light on ancient hominin dispersals. This is an encouraging prospect for human palaeobiology since sample sizes for lithic artefacts are many orders of magnitude higher than those of fossil data. These analyses also suggest that the sustained occurrence of Acheulean handaxe technologies in regions such as Europe and the Indian subcontinent resulted from dispersals by African hominin populations.
WAND: a meta-data maintenance system over the internet

WAND is a meta-data management system that provides a file-system tree for users of an internet based P2P network. The tree is robust and retains its structure even when nodes (peers) enter and leave the network. The robustness is based on a concept of virtual folders that are automatically created to retain paths to lower level folders whenever a node hosting a higher-level folder moves away. Other contributions of the WAND system include its novel approach towards managing root directory information and handling network partitions.
The Integration of the Dadia Eco-Tourism Area in SOUFLI\Dadia Settlement: Suggestions

The tourism sector, which provides employment opportunities for the local population and which has significance in the economic development of the region, has entered into a rapid change process with the concept of “sustainability. ” The sector, which gives importance to the evaluation of the physical and socio-cultural environment within protection-usage balance, tends towards “eco-tourism,” looking out for the future generations by protecting ecological balances, highlighting the social valueidentity, increasing the regional income, and suggesting the sustainability of local development. Suggestions are developed for the integration of the “Dadia EcoTourism Area” in the Dadia Forests in the city of Soufli in Greece in the Dadia settlement. Following the literature review regarding eco-tourism, environmental analyses of the Dadia settlement and Dadia eco-tourism area have been given a place. The physical potentials of the areas have been determined as a result of analyses, including on-site observation, interviews with users, photographing and mapping works. Within the scope of these potentials, suggestions regarding the economic and social integration have been developed, such as the inclusion of the settlement within the parkour routes, assessment of unused building stock, and increasing the sportive-cultural action variety.