Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Oscillator Injection Locking Through Phase-Domain Impulse-Response

This paper presents a novel approach to the analysis of oscillator injection locking due to weak external signals. From the intuitive concept of impulse-sensitivity function, a phase-domain macromodel is deduced which is able to capture high-order synchronization effects. Novel closed-form expressions for the synchronization regions are thus presented. The proposed phase-domain macromodel and the expressions derived for synchronization-regions are very general since they apply to any oscillator topology.
Computational Complexity on the Blackboard

This paper is an introduction to the computational complexity theory. I believe that the standard courses in complexity theory make some things much more important than they really are, while things which I find extremely interesting are marginalized. Thus, it can be seen as my subjective view on what is important and interesting in computational complexity, and what is not. We state the basic facts from computational complexity theory using the blackboard computations (one-dimensional cellular automata) as the standard computation model; we argue the benefits of such approach. This article is somewhat based on my series of talks from Warsztaty Logiczne 2014 in Białka Tatrzańska, although these talks covered more topics, such as NL=coNL, and links between BPP and the polynomial hierarchy.
Tumour lysis syndrome: new therapeutic strategies and classification

Tumour lysis syndrome (TLS) describes the metabolic derangements that occur with tumour breakdown following the initiation of cytotoxic therapy. TLS results from the rapid destruction of malignant cells and the abrupt release of intracellular ions, nucleic acids, proteins and their metabolites into the extracellular space. These metabolites can overwhelm the body's normal homeostatic mechanisms and cause hyperuricaemia, hyperkalaemia, hyperphosphaetemia, hypocalcaemia and uraemia. TLS can lead to acute renal failure and can be life‐threatening. Early recognition of patients at risk and initiation of therapy for TLS is essential. There is a high incidence of TLS in tumours with high proliferative rates and tumour burden such as acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and Burkitt's lymphoma. The mainstays of TLS prophylaxis and treatment include aggressive hydration and diuresis, control of hyperuricaemia with allopurinol prophylaxis and rasburicase treatment, and vigilant monitoring of electrolyte abnormalities. Urine alkalinization remains controversial. Unfortunately, there have been few comprehensive reviews on this important subject. In this review, we describe the incidence, pathophysiological mechanisms of TLS and risk factors for its development. We summarise recent advances in the management of TLS and provide a new classification system and recommendations for prophylaxis and/or treatment based on this classification scheme.
The Grand Challenges of the Gates Foundation: What Impact on Global Child Health?

Millions of children in poor countries die each year from preventable diseases.1 This is not news. Since their inception, international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN), have dedicated countless hours and millions of dollars to alleviating this problem. More recently, a number of private foundations have become active in the work of childhood survival. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the leading financial supporters of global health, recently announced over US$ 450 million to be distributed in grants to 43 projects that address the Foundation's 14 Grand Challenges (Box 1). 2 The programme aims to stimulate the creation of novel ways to prevent, treat and cure the diseases that kill millions of people each year in developing countries. In this paper we will explore the potential impact of some of goals of the Grand Challenges for global child health within the context of current international health initiatives including the Integrated Management of Child Diseases created by the WHO and UNICEF, the UN's Millennium Development Goals, and the Bellagio Study Group's assessment of the current state of global child survival in the developing world.
Effects of phase transition of a lipid bilayer on dynamics of bubble liposomes

Five types of gas-encapsulated liposomes (bubble liposomes) were produced and their stability was studied under static pressure and dynamic pressure conditions. Five types of phosphatidylcholine, DOPC, POPC, DMPC DPPC and DSPC, with different transition temperatures between liquid-crystalline and gel phases in the range from −22°C to +55°C were used as a main component of the liposomes. Static stability of these BLs was evaluated by observations of turbidity of their suspension, and dynamic stability was evaluated by measurements of pressure-dependent ultrasound transmission. The results showed that both stabilities have strong dependence on temperature of bubble suspensions, suggesting that the phase of the shell material is one of the main parameters to determine bubble stabilities. Bubbles with shells in gel phase have higher stability under exposure to ultrasound, suggesting that the intact shell in this phase can be restored immediately after bubble oscillation.
Attitudes of Roma toward smoking: qualitative study in Slovenia.

AIM To understand the reasons for widespread smoking behavior among Roma in Slovenia for the purpose of developing successful smoking cessation interventions. METHOD A qualitative focus group approach using a combination of pre-structured and open-ended questions was applied to collect the data from the representative members of the Roma community in southern Slovenia. The discussions were audiotaped and transcribed, and the collected data analyzed according to qualitative content analysis theory. RESULTS The content analysis revealed that smoking was a strong part of the cultural, ethnic, and individual identity of the Roma. Even children smoked. Doctor's advice to quit smoking was usually not followed and the attempts to quit were usually unsuccessful. Difficult financial situation was never mentioned as a possible motive to quit. Roma held a tenacious belief that the harmful effects of smoking were in the hands of destiny and did not associate the smoking-related illness with the habit. CONCLUSIONS Traditional strategies for smoking cessation are largely ineffective among the Roma because of their different attitudes toward smoking. Therefore, innovative and culturally acceptable methods need to be developed.
Does simulator training for medical students change patient opinions and attitudes toward medical student procedures in the emergency department?

OBJECTIVES To determine how simulator training impacts patients' preferences about medical student procedures in the emergency department. METHODS A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 151 of 185 patients approached (82% participation) seen in the emergency department of a midwestern teaching hospital. The questionnaire asked how many procedures they would prefer a medical student have performed after mastering the procedure on a simulator before allowing the medical student to perform this procedure on them. The procedures included venipuncture, placement of an intravenous line, suturing the face or arm, performing a lumbar puncture, placement of a central line, placement of a nasogastric tube, intubation, and cardioversion. These results were compared with those of a similar study asking about the same procedures without the stipulation that the skill had been mastered on a simulator. RESULTS A high of 57% (venipuncture) and a low of 11% (placement of a central line) would agree to be a student's first procedure after simulator training. Except for intubating and suturing, participants were more likely (p < 0.05) to allow a medical student to perform a procedure on them after simulator training than without simulator training. Many patients prefer not to have a medical student perform a procedure no matter how many procedures the student has done (low of 21% for venipuncture, high of 55% for placement of a central line). CONCLUSIONS Patients are more accepting of medical students performing procedures if the skill has been mastered on a simulator. However, many patients do not want a medical student to perform a procedure on them regardless of the student's level of training.
Importance of EU regional support programmes for firm performance*

This paper investigates the effects of EU regional support on firm productivity, the number of employees and other performance indicators. We use a rich firm-level dataset for Latvia – the country, where investment activities are largely affected by the availability of EU funding. After controlling for the fact that more productive and larger firms are more likely to acquire EU finds, we find that participation in projects co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) increases firms’ employment, turnover and capital stock per employee immediately, while it raises their productivity only two years after the launch of the projects. ERDF beneficiaries that are initially less productive, larger, less capital intensive and more financially leveraged enjoy larger productivity gains.
An effective recommender attack detection method based on time SFM factors

Users Preference information has significant impact on the recommendations. It makes recommender system vulnerable. To make detection and discrimination of attack users accurate and recommendations objective, time intervals of user's rates was taken into consideration. After a series of Rate-time pretreatment, SFM factors short for span, frequency and Mount properties were summed up, representing time attributes of user behaviors. An effective attack detection method based on time SFM factors is proposed to more effectively prevent their interferences with TopN recommendation lists for users. Experiment results support the conclusion.
Do Men and Women Respond Differently to Competition? Evidence from a Major Education Reform

This paper provides new evidence of gender differences in response to increased competition, focusing on important life tasks performed in a regular social environment. The analysis takes advantage of a major education reform in Ontario that exogenously increased competition for university grades. Comparing students prereform and postreform using rich administrative data, I find that male average grades and the proportion of male students graduating “on time” increased relative to females. Further, the evidence indicates that these changes were due to increased relative effort rather than self-selection. The findings have implications for the delivery of education and incentive provision more generally.
Microarray Analysis of Interferon-regulated Genes in SLE

Altered regulation of interferon-α (IFNα) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was first demonstrated nearly 25 years ago. However, only recently has due attention been directed towards the central role of this cytokine family in SLE. Several laboratories have used large-scale microarray technology to study global gene expression patterns in heterogeneous populations of peripheral blood cells from lupus patients and control subjects. The results of these studies demonstrate that IFN-regulated genes are among the most significantly overexpressed in SLE mononuclear cells. In view of the protean effects of IFNs on immune system function, increased activity of IFNs may account for many of the immune system alterations that characterize SLE and contribute to autoimmunity. Definition of the nature of the major IFNs, or other factors, that drive the IFN-regulated gene expression signature noted in SLE is an important area for investigation that may lead to new approaches to targeted therapy of SLE.
Which skills, competencies and attitudes are employers looking for in recruitment process in Latvia?

Purpose – the purpose of the study is to evaluate the opinion of employers on the importance of employability competencies in recruitment in Latvia, considering increasingly global and changing labour market. Research methodology – total of 750 companies participated in this research. A list of 17 skills, competencies and attitudes, important for individual employability in changing labour markets, was rated using a four-point Likert scale. Findings – the research results show that employers value attitudes, emotional and self-management competencies the most when hiring potential employees, which are followed by social competencies. Although academic skills were assessed as the least important in the list of all competencies, the majority of employers consider academic skills important in the recruitment process. Research limitations – as this research is not sector-specific, it is limited only to those competencies that can be equally applicable to all occupations. Practical implications – research provides valuable, easily acquirable information for various stakeholders in the area of human resource planning and development, including educational institutions which aim to update programmes to facilitate graduate employability. Originality/Value – research offers three complex factors explaining the elements of individual employability, based on empirical analysis
Second-Order Cone Programming for Optimal Power Flow in VSC-Type AC-DC Grids

This paper presents a second order cone programming (SOCP) formulation of the optimal power flow problem for AC-DC systems with voltage source converter (VSC) technology. Approximation techniques have been used to derive the SOCP formulation of the AC-DC OPF problem. Later, the SOCP formulation can be solved using the interior point method (IPM) by considering the limits on AC-DC grid. The accuracy of SOCP formulation of AC OPF has been proven with numerical examples using IEEE 14-bus, IEEE 30-bus, and IEEE 57-bus example systems. The results of the SOCP formulation are compared with available commercial software. Then a DC system with VSC technology is modeled in the IEEE 30-bus example system. The SOCP formulation of AC-DC OPF is applied to the modified IEEE 30-bus example system and the results are discussed. The limitations of derived SOCP formulation are also discussed.
Pyridoxine‐dependent and pyridoxine‐responsive seizures

Pyridoxine dependency was one of the first genetically mediated seizure disorders to be recognized. However, the biochemical abnormality and gene locus are still unknown. Knowledge about the condition has come from case reports and small clinical series. However, new features are still being recognized both clinically, as well as more predictably, from the application of new imaging techniques. Early onset seizures responsive to pyridoxine exist which do not appear to be the same disorder. In some parts of the world, high-dose pyridoxine is used in the treatment of other major seizure disorders of young children such as West syndrome.
An inductive construction of (2, 1)-tight graphs

The graphs $G=(V,E)$ with $|E|=2|V|-\ell$ that satisfy $|E'|\leq 2|V'|-\ell$ for any subgraph $G'=(V',E')$ (and for $\ell=1,2,3$) are the $(2,\ell)$-tight graphs. The Henneberg--Laman theorem characterizes $(2,3)$-tight graphs inductively in terms of two simple moves, known as the Henneberg moves. Recently, this has been extended, via the addition of a graph extension move, to the case of $(2,2)$-tight simple graphs. Here an alternative characterization is provided by means of vertex-to-$K_4$ and edge-to-$K_3$ moves. This is extended to the $(2,1)$-tight simple graphs by the addition of an edge joining move.
The Path of Financial System Supports Small and Medium-sized Technology-based Enterprises

The article mainly studies the path of the financial system to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in science and technology. The main point is that the financial system can influence the development of small and medium-sized enterprises by means of financing environment and financing channels. The financing environment of small and medium-sized enterprises in China and the present situation of the financing channel are analyzed, pointing out that some problems are hindering the development of the science and technology of small and medium-sized enterprises. The effects are not obvious although the financing environment and financing channels of some small and medium-sized enterprises in China have been developed and many measures have just been implemented. If we want to solve the problems about the financing for science and technology of the small and medium-sized enterprises, we still need to accelerate the process of financial innovation. Keywords—financial system; science and technology small and medium-sized enterprises; financing environment; financing
Lack of an Association between Antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum Glycosylphosphatidylinositols and Malaria-Associated Placental Changes in Cameroonian Women with Preterm and Full-Term Deliveries

ABSTRACT Sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum parasites within the placenta often leads to an accumulation of macrophages within the intervillous space and increased production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), a cytokine associated with placental pathology and poor pregnancy outcomes. P. falciparum glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchors have been shown to be the major parasite component that induces TNF-α production by monocytes and macrophages. Antibodies against P. falciparum GPI (anti-PfGPI), however, can inhibit the induction of TNF-α and inflammation. Thus, the study was undertaken to determine whether anti-PfGPI antibodies down-regulate inflammatory-type changes in the placentas of women with malaria. Anti-PfGPI immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG levels were measured in 380 pregnant women with or without placental malaria, including those who delivered prematurely and at term. Results showed that anti-PfGPI antibody levels increased with gravidity and age and that malaria infection boosted anti-PfGPI antibodies in pregnant women. However, no association was found between anti-PfGPI antibodies and placental TNF-α levels or the presence of acute or chronic placental malaria. Furthermore, anti-PfGPI antibody levels were similar in women with preterm and full-term deliveries and were not associated with an increase in infant birth weight. Thus, these results fail to support a strong role for anti-PfGPI antibodies in the prevention of chronic placental malaria infections and malaria-associated poor birth outcomes.
Artificial neural networks for face recognition using PCA and BPNN

In today's age of automation, face recognition is a vital component for authorization and security. It has received substantial attention from researchers in various fields of science such as biometrics and computer vision. In this paper, a face recognition system using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Back Propagation Neural Networks (BPNN) is analysed. A neural based algorithm is presented to recognize the frontal views of faces. The multi-variate data set of face image is reduced using the PCA technique. BPNN is used for training and learning, leading to efficient and robust face recognition. Experiments and testing were conducted over Olivetti Research Laboratory (ORL) Face database. Results indicate that PCA based execution is faster while the recognition accuracy suffers and vice versa for BPNN, thus suggesting a system incorporating both techniques is preferred.
Yogurts Choose Consumers? Estimation of Random Utility Models via Two-Sided Matching

The problem of demand inversion -- a crucial step in the estimation of random utility discrete-choice models -- is equivalent to the determination of stable outcomes in two-sided matching models. This equivalence applies to random utility models that are not necessarily additive, smooth, nor even invertible. Based on this equivalence, algorithms for the determination of stable matchings provide e ffective computational methods for estimating these models. For non-invertible models, the identifi ed set of utility vectors is a lattice, and the matching algorithms recover sharp upper and lower bounds on the utilities. For invertible models, our matching approach facilitates estimation of models that were previously dicult to estimate, such as the pure characteristics model. An empirical application to voting data from the 1999 European Parliament elections illustrates the good performance of our matching-based demand inversion algorithms in practice.
Pathogen-related oral spirochetes from dental plaque are invasive

Spirochetes that share pathogen-restricted antigens with Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum have been identified in dental plaque and diseased gingival tissues, but it is not known whether these spirochetes possess virulence characteristics. In this study, plaque spirochetes were able to transmigrate a tissue barrier in vitro and were identified on the other side by using monoclonal antibodies specific for pathogen-restricted determinants from T. pallidum subsp. pallidum. This invasive capability is shared with T. pallidum subsp. pallidum, but cultured oral and intestinal treponemes did not perforate the tissue barrier. Cocultures indicated that invasive treponemes do not create opportunities for cultivable oral treponemes to cross the barrier. These findings indicate that gingival tissues may be a port of entry for previously unrecognized invasive spirochetes in humans.
Toward a more patient-specific model of post-radiotherapy saliva secretion for head and neck cancer patients

ABSTRACT Background. Reduction of saliva secretion is a common side effect following radiotherapy (RT) for cancer of the head and neck region. The aim of this study is to predict the post-RT salivary function for individual patients prior to treatment and to recognise possible differences in individual radiosensitivity. Material and methods. A predictive model for post-RT salivary function was validated for 64 head and neck cancer patients. The input parameters for the model were salivary excretion fraction (sEF) measured by 99mTc-pertechnetate scintigraphy, total stimulated salivary flow and mean absorbed dose for the major salivary glands. SEF values after RT relative to the baseline before RT (rEF) were compared among the patients using the distance ΔrEF between single gland rEF and the corresponding expected value at the dose response curve. Results. A significant correlation (R = 0.86, p = 0.018) was found between the modelled and the measured values of stimulated salivary flow six months after RT. The average prediction error for the saliva flow rate was 6 ml/15 min. A linear relationship between ΔrEF for the left and the right parotid glands was observed both six (R = 0.53) and 12 (R = 0.79) months after RT. The average of absolute values of ΔrEF was 0.20 for parotid glands and 0.22 for submandibular glands. Conclusions. The salivary flow model was validated for 64 patients. The results imply, that one explanation for the discrepancies between the predicted and the measured salivary flow rate values and the common variations found in ΔrEF for the parotid glands may be differences in patients’ individual response to radiation. However, quantitative extraction of individual radiosensitivity would require further studies in order to take it into account in predictive models.
Mg K‐Edge XANES Spectra in Crystals and Oxide Glasses: Experimental vs. Theoretical Approaches

Experimental Mg K‐edge XANES spectra were obtained for crystals and synthetic glasses. To interpret the experiments, two different ab initio XANES calculation methods were employed. The first one is based on multiple‐scattering calculations and muffin‐tin potentials (FEFF package). The second uses a plane‐wave basis set, norm‐conserving pseudo‐potentials, periodic boundary conditions. The resulting calculations for reference models with three different Mg coordinations are used to derive the best way to analyze the experimental XANES spectra for the glasses.