Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Meta-analysis of how well measures of bone mineral density predict occurrence of osteoporotic fractures

Abstract Objective: To determine the ability of measurements of bone density in women to predict later fractures. Design: Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies published between 1985 and end of 1994 with a baseline measurement of bone density in women and subsequent follow up for fractures. For comparative purposes, we also reviewed case control studies of hip fractures published between 1990 and 1994. Subjects: Eleven separate study populations with about 90000 person years of observation time and over 2000 fractures. Main outcome measures: Relative risk of fracture for a decrease in bone mineral density of one standard deviation below age adjusted mean. Results: All measuring sites had similar predictive abilities (relative risk 1.5 (95% confidence interval 1.4 to 1.6)) for decrease in bone mineral density except for measurement at spine for predicting vertebral fractures (relative risk 2.3 (1.9 to 2.8)) and measurement at hip for hip fractures (2.6 (2.0 to 3.5)). These results are in accordance with results of case-control studies. Predictive ability of decrease in bone mass was roughly similar to (or, for hip or spine measurements, better than) that of a 1 SD increase in blood pressure for stroke and better than a 1 SD increase in serum cholesterol concentration for cardiovascular disease. Conclusions: Measurements of bone mineral density can predict fracture risk but cannot identify individuals who will have a fracture. We do not recommend a programme of screening menopausal women for osteoporosis by measuring bone density. Key messages Measuring bone mineral density has been suggested as a method of identifying individuals at high risk of fracture in a preventive context Our meta-analysis of prospective studies showed that all studies measuring bone density at any site had similar predictive ability for a decrease of 1 SD in bone density except for measurements at hip and spine, which have better predictive ability for fractures in hip and spine respectively Predictive ability of decrease in bone mass was roughly similar to (or, for hip or spine measurements, better than) that of a 1 SD increase in blood pressure for stroke and better than a 1 SD increase in serum cholesterol concentration for cardiovascular disease Although bone mineral density measurements can predict fracture risk, they cannot identify individuals who will have a fracture, and a screening programme for osteoporosis cannot be recommended
Technology Standards Pros Aid Homeland Security

On 15 November 2001, the executive board of the International Committee for Information Technology Standards approved a new CD-based geographic information standard. Security experts consider this standard to be integral to homeland security because military facilities and commercial airports will use it in key functions such as site and environmental planning. Two weeks later, the INCITS executive board announced the formation of a new technical committee, MI, devoted to biometrics standards. In this case, standards professionals and other subject matter experts will directly support the US Patriot Act through their work. These two examples show how de jure standards work through a streamlined process that enables emerging technologies to solve urgent problems. They belie a popular notion that market-driven, relevant standards must come from consortia formed on the fly.
Implementation of firmware on SPC switching systems

The recent trend toward distributed processing in stored-program-controlled (SPC) switching systems has resulted in increased use of firmware. The impact of firmware on SPC switching system reliability and maintainability, after sale of the product to user companies, can be substantial. The author examines both life cycle practices for firmware and the impact of firmware on switching systems, and he suggests means to lessen this impact. He examines present firmware technologies, which indicate a trend toward electrically erasable/programmable firmware devices; shows the importance of parallel development methodologies for firmware and software; shows the advantages of loose coupling between firmware and software; shows a relationship between the quality of firmware product and the quality of service a telephone company provides; and suggest a classification of firmware devices. >
Managing Software Security Risks

Most organizations manage computer security risk reactively by investing in technologies designed to protect against known system vulnerabilities and monitor intrusions as they occur. However, firewalls, cryptography, and antivirus protection address the symptoms, not the root cause, of most security problems. Buying and maintaining a firewall, for example, is ineffective if external users can access remotely exploitable Internet-enabled applications through it. Because hackers attack software, improving computer security depends on proactively managing risks associated with software and software development. The current "penetrate and patch" approach of fixing broken software only after it has been compromised is insufficient to control the problem.
A Comparison of Loratadine, a New Nonsedating Antihistamine, with Clemastine and Placebo in Patients with Fall Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis

Loratadine is a new nonsedating long-acting H1-antagonist which has been shown to be effective at various doses in controlling symptoms of spring seasonal allergic rhinitis. In this multicenter, double-blind, parallel study, 313 adolescent and adult patients with moderate to severe, skin-test positive, fall seasonal rhinitis were randomized to receive either loratadine, 10 mg, in the morning and placebo in the evening, clemastine 1 mg. b.i. d. , or placebo b.i. d. for 2 weeks. Patients maintained daily diaries of nasal and ocular symptoms and of adverse effects. They were evaluated before and 7 and 14 days after starting treatment. The mean symptom scores on days 7 and 14 showed greater improvement with both loratadine and clemastine treatments than with placebo. The incidence of somnolence in the loratadine group by comparison with the placebo group was not statistically different, whereas clemastine caused significantly more drowsiness than did placebo. We conclude that loratadine, 10 mg, once a day is as effective as clemastine b.i. d. in decreasing the symptoms of fall seasonal rhinitis and the incidence of somnolence with loratadine is not statistically different from that with placebo.
NASA Advances Robotic Space Exploration

NASA's successful exploration of space has uncovered vast amounts of new knowledge about the Earth, the solar system and its other planets, and the stellar spaces beyond. To continue gaining new knowledge has required - and will continue to require - new capabilities in onboard processing hardware, system software, and applications such as autonomy. For example, initial robotic space exploration missions functioned, for the most part, as large flying cameras. These instruments have evolved over time to include more sophisticated imaging radar, multispectral imagers, spectrometers, gravity wave detectors, a host of prepositioned sensors and, most recently, rovers.
The Art of Requirements Triage

Driven by an increasingly competitive market, companies add features and compress schedules for the delivery of every product, often creating a complete mismatch of requirements and resources that results in products failing to satisfy customer needs. Triage is the process of determining which requirements a product should satisfy given the time and resources available. The author presents three product development case studies and 14 recommendations for practicing this neglected art.
Trace element loss in urine and effluent following traumatic injury.

BACKGROUND Few data are available to establish recommendations for trace element supplementation during critical illness. This study quantified the loss of several elements and assessed the adequacy of manganese and selenium in parenteral nutrition (PN). METHODS Men with traumatic injuries were grouped by renal status: adequate (POLY; n = 6), acute failure with continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH; n = 2), or continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration (CVVHD; n = 4). PN supplied 300 microg/d manganese and 60 microg/d selenium. Urine and effluent (from artificial kidneys) were collected for 3 days and analyzed for boron, manganese, nickel, and silicon using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, and for selenium using atomic absorption spectrometry. RESULTS POLY manganese and selenium excretion averaged (standard deviation [SD]) 7.9 (3.3) microg/d and 103.5 (22.4) microg/d, respectively. All elements except selenium were detected in dialysate (prior to use). CVVHD effluent contained 3.5 and 7.3 times more manganese and nickel than CVVH ultrafiltrate, respectively. Loss of manganese averaged 2.6%, 21%, and 73% of PN amounts for POLY, CVVH, and CVVHD groups, respectively. DISCUSSION Minimal loss of manganese compared with the amount in PN suggests that excessive amounts are retained. POLY patients excreted more selenium than was in PN, indicating negative balance. POLY losses of boron and silicon were less than that published for healthy adults, reflecting less than typical intake, whereas loss during CVVH was in the normal reference range, possibly because of added intake from boron contamination of replacement fluids. All patients lost more nickel than amounts published for healthy adults. CONCLUSIONS Current guidelines of 60-100 microg/d of parenteral manganese may be excessive for trauma patients. The uptake of manganese and nickel from contaminants in CVVHD dialysate should be investigated.
On the architecture and performance of a hybrid image rejection receiver

This paper describes a hybrid image rejection receiver. The hybrid image rejection receiver contains a modified Hartley (1928) image rejection mixer and a digital image rejection processor. The modified Hartley image rejection mixer performs similarly to an original Hartley image rejection receiver but provides two digital outputs. In one output it enhances the desired signal and in the other output it enhances the image signal. The digital image rejection processor first measures the mismatching effect in the analog devices and then suppresses the image signal by compensating for the mismatching effect. We also propose a simplified implementation method for the hybrid image rejection receiver to reduce its computation complexity. Computer simulation was used to evaluate the performance of this simplified implementation method to include the quantization effect introduced by the A/D converters. Simulation results show that the proposed hybrid image rejection receiver achieves much better performance than the original Hartley image rejection receiver. This architecture greatly relaxes the matching requirements of the analog devices and has a low complexity for an IC implementation.
Past stimulant abuse is associated with reduced basal ganglia and hippocampal integrity in older HIV+ adults: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and current stimulant abuse have both been shown to damage basal ganglia and hippocampus. While the effects of current stimulant abuse on neurological functioning is well- documented, whether residual damage can be detected in patients with a distant history of past stimulant abuse/ dependence remains to be understood. Given that past stimulant abuse is common among HIV-infected individuals; this is a question of considerable clinical significance. The present study employed Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and structural MRI to examine brain integrity (as measured by FA and MD) and volume in the basal ganglia (BG) and hippocampus among older HIV-infected adults with histories of stimulant abuse. Lower fractional anisotropy and greater diffusivity (representative of microstructural breakdown) in basal ganglia and hippocampal structures were documented among former stimulant abusers compared to stimulant-naive individuals. Length of abstinence was also associated with BG integrity, such that those with shorter abstinence periods demonstrated greater MD of the BG. Our findings suggest that past stimulant abuse is associated with neurological dysfunction, though this improves with increasing abstinence.
Will Gesture-Recognition Technology Point the Way?

When playing most video games, speed is of the essence. Manipulating a joystick, mouse, or other input device slows a player's reaction time. Players prefer to control game activities by movements or gestures. Gesture-recognition systems identify human gestures and use them to convey information such as input data or to control devices and applications such as computers, games, PDAs, browsers, cell phones, and MP3 audio players. Researchers continue to improve gesture-recognition technology - for example, by making algorithms faster, more robust, and more accurate.
Guidelines for the management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration by the European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is still referred to as the leading cause of severe and irreversible visual loss world-wide. The disease has a profound effect on quality of life of affected individuals and represents a major socioeconomic challenge for societies due to the exponential increase in life expectancy and environmental risks. Advances in medical research have identified vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as an important pathophysiological player in neovascular AMD and intraocular inhibition of VEGF as one of the most efficient therapies in medicine. The wide introduction of anti-VEGF therapy has led to an overwhelming improvement in the prognosis of patients affected by neovascular AMD, allowing recovery and maintenance of visual function in the vast majority of patients. However, the therapeutic benefit is accompanied by significant economic investments, unresolved medicolegal debates about the use of off-label substances and overwhelming problems in large population management. The burden of disease has turned into a burden of care with a dissociation of scientific advances and real-world clinical performance. Simultaneously, ground-breaking innovations in diagnostic technologies, such as optical coherence tomography, allows unprecedented high-resolution visualisation of disease morphology and provides a promising horizon for early disease detection and efficient therapeutic follow-up. However, definite conclusions from morphologic parameters are still lacking, and valid biomarkers have yet to be identified to provide a practical base for disease management. The European Society of Retina Specialists offers expert guidance for diagnostic and therapeutic management of neovascular AMD supporting healthcare givers and doctors in providing the best state-of-the-art care to their patients. Trial registration number NCT01318941.
Legacy Systems: Coping with Success

Legacy systems may be defined informally as "large software systems that we don't know how to cope with but that are vital to our organization". Legacy software was written years ago using outdated techniques, yet it continues to do useful work. Migrating and updating this baggage from our past has technical and nontechnical challenges, ranging from justifying the expense in dealing with outside contractors to using program understanding and visualization techniques. >
Probabilistic spatial context models for scene content understanding

Scene content understanding facilitates a large number of applications, ranging from content-based image retrieval to other multimedia applications. Material detection refers to the problem of identifying key semantic material types (such as sky, grass, foliage, water, and snow in images). In this paper, we present a holistic approach to determining scene content, based on a set of individual material detection algorithms, as well as probabilistic spatial context models. A major limitation of individual material detectors is the significant number of misclassifications that occur because of the similarities in color and texture characteristics of various material types. We have developed a spatial context-aware material detection system that reduces misclassification by constraining the beliefs to conform to the probabilistic spatial context models. Experimental results show that the accuracy of materials detection is improved by 13% using the spatial context models over the individual material detectors themselves.
Enough About Process: What We Need are Heroes

All software managers are faced with three P's when software is to be built: people, problem, and process. Should each of the three P's be given equal weight? Should one be elevated to a more important role than the others? Are managers focusing too much attention on the wrong P? The author offers answers to these questions and argues in favour of software heroism. >
Support vector machines

My first exposure to Support Vector Machines came this spring when heard Sue Dumais present impressive results on text categorization using this analysis technique. This issue's collection of essays should help familiarize our readers with this interesting new racehorse in the Machine Learning stable. Bernhard Scholkopf, in an introductory overview, points out that a particular advantage of SVMs over other learning algorithms is that it can be analyzed theoretically using concepts from computational learning theory, and at the same time can achieve good performance when applied to real problems. Examples of these real-world applications are provided by Sue Dumais, who describes the aforementioned text-categorization problem, yielding the best results to date on the Reuters collection, and Edgar Osuna, who presents strong results on application to face detection. Our fourth author, John Platt, gives us a practical guide and a new technique for implementing the algorithm efficiently.
Dosimetric characterization of a multileaf collimator for a new four-dimensional image-guided radiotherapy system with a gimbaled x-ray head, MHI-TM2000a).

PURPOSE To present the dosimetric characterization of a multileaf collimator (MLC) for a new four-dimensional image-guided radiotherapy system with a gimbaled x-ray head, MHI-TM2000. METHODS MHI-TM2000 has an x-ray head composed of an ultrasmall linear accelerator guide and a system-specific MLC. The x-ray head can rotate along the two orthogonal gimbals (pan and tilt rotations) up to ±2.5°, which swings the beam up to ±41.9 mm in each direction from the isocenter on the isocenter plane perpendicular to the beam. The MLC design is a single-focus type, has 30 pairs of 5 mm thick leaves at the isocenter, and produces a maximum field size of150×150mm2. Leaf height and length are 110 and 260 mm, respectively. Each leaf end is circular, with a radius of curvature of 370 mm. The distance that each leaf passes over the isocenter is 77.5 mm. Radiation leakage between adjacent leaves is minimized by an interlocking tongue-and-groove (T&G) arrangement with the height of the groove part 55 mm. The dosimetric characterizations including field characteristics, leaf position accuracy, leakage, and T&G effect were evaluated using a well-commissioned 6 MV photon beam, EDR2 films (Kodak, Rochester, NY), and water-equivalent phantoms. Furthermore, the field characteristics and leaf position accuracy were evaluated under conditions of pan or tilt rotation. RESULTS The differences between nominal and measured field sizes were within ±0.5 mm. Although the penumbra widths were greater with wider field size, the maximum width was<5.5mm even for the fully opened field. Compared to the results of field characteristics without pan or tilt rotation, the variation in field size, penumbra width, flatness, and symmetry was within ±1 mm/1% at the maximum pan or tilt rotational angle. The leaf position accuracy was 0.0±0.1mm, ranging from -0.3 to 0.2 mm at four gantry angles of 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° with and without pan or tilt rotation. The interleaf leakage was up to 0.21%, whereas the intraleaf leakage was <0.12%. T&G decreased the doses by 10.7%, on average. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that MHI-TM2000 has the capability for high leaf position accuracy and low leakage, leading to highly accurate intensity-modulated radiotherapy delivery. Furthermore, substantial changes in the dosimetric data on field characteristics and leaf position accuracy were not observed even at the maximum pan or tilt rotation.
INDED: A Distributed Knowledge-Based Learning System

The INDED (induction-deduction, pronounced "indeed") system performs rule discovery using the techniques of inductive logic programming, and accumulates and handles knowledge using a deductive nonmonotonic reasoning engine. Using the language of logic programming, we use a hypergraph to represent the knowledge base from which rules are mined. Because the hypergraph gets inordinately large in INDED's serial version, we have devised a parallel implementation that creates smaller subhypergraphs. We investigate the integrity and meaning of decomposing data so that many processors can attempt to learn the same global pattern simultaneously (although locally, each discovered pattern is usually unique). Many data decompositions are fallacious and lead to nonsensical discovered rules. Some data, however, exhibits enough mutual exclusivity to render it partitionable among processors. This examination of partitionability of data has been the underlying driving force of this work. A great deal of work has been done in parallelizing unguided discovery of association rules. The novel aspects of our work include the parallelization of both a nonmonotonic reasoning system and an inductive logic programming learner. We describe the schemes we have explored and are exploring in this pursuit. We also present our data-partitioning algorithms that we based on data locality.
How Experienced Project Managers Assess Risk

Software development projects, given their diverse and abstract nature, offer unique challenges and risks. Although a substantial body of literature has been written to address project risk management, my experience in the field led me to question whether this literature accurately mirrors the concerns of real-world project managers. To confirm my suspicions, I surveyed 14 experienced application systems developers, all located in Ireland. All survey participants manage custom-built, software-intensive application development projects that originate from external clients. The survey focused on three major areas: (1) Which characteristics of the customer, the application, and so on, do experienced software project managers consider important when planning new development projects for new, external clients? (2) How do these characteristics relate to accepted software project risk drivers? (3) Do most project managers characterize new projects in generally the same way, or do different project managers use different perceptual lenses when viewing new projects? This survey of a homogenous group of project managers revealed a surprising diversity of risk management concerns.