Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complying with ethical principles in elderly and frail patients with advanced chronic kidney disease

Introduction: In 2016, in Europe (EU), 27.3 million people were aged > 80 (the so-called “elderly people”), and this value will likely increase up to 7 million more in ten years time. Portugal follows that world trend and has presently the fifth highest proportion of elderly people in the EU. According to the data records from the Portuguese Society of Nephrology, the cohort of dialysis patients aged > 80 years appears in the tables as an individualized group with a significant and increasing prevalence since 2015. Overtreatment of elderly patients ESRD has gained attention in professional journals and the lay mediafueled by disturbing outcome data. Therefore, it is imperative to review the application of dialysis treatment. Patients should be informed about the options of treatment, including the more conservative, non-dialytic ones and the implications of the different options for their lives. Aims: To analyze ethically the problems faced in renal replacement therapy resulting from the aging of the population in Portugal. Materials and methods: A critical review and analysis was conducted to discuss the dilemmas and challenges to deal with the above critical situation, namely the approach dialysis versus conservative treatments. Results: The basis for all processes involved are, namely: (i) the ethics´ principles that are the key support to guide the care providers through the treatment options; (ii) the estimation of prognosis and shared decision-making and (iii) the palliative care, which is an area where the awareness of clinicians needs to be urgently improved. Conclusions: It is crucial the presentation to the patients of the several options of treatment aiming to achieve a better balance between risks and benefits and the best possible response to the goals and expectations of the patients.
Des explications transitives questionnables au service de l'élicitation de préférences additives

Résumé On considère un modèle additif de décision multicri-tère dans lequel les critères sont évalués sur une échelle binaires. Le décideur fournit une information préférentielle ( PI ) sur la base de laquelle une relation de préférence néces-saire est établie. Nous proposons d’expliquer une paire de cette préférence nécessaire par une chaîne transitive compo-sée de swaps nécessaires, d’éléments de la PI , et de swaps non-nécessaires. Une telle explication est appelée explication transitive questionnable. Nous proposons une méthode de calcul de telles explications et montrons comment de telles explications peuvent s’insérer naturellement dans une procédure d’élicitation de préférences. Abstract We consider an additive multi-criteria decision model in which the criteria are evaluated on a binary scale. The decider provides preferential information ( PI ) on the basis of which a necessary preference relation is established. We propose to explain a pair of this necessary preference by a transitive chain composed of necessary swaps, elements of the PI , and non-necessary swaps. Such an explanation is called questionable transitive explanation. We propose a method for the computation of such explanations and show how such explanations can fit naturally into a preference elicitation procedure.
Analyzing Exception Flows of Aspect-Oriented Programs *

The goal of exception handling mechanisms is to make programs more reliable and robust. However, the integration of exception handling mechanisms with aspect-oriented languages raises unique issues. This paper presents a PhD work whose goal was to investigate such issues. The main contributions of this work were the following: (i) to perform the first exploratory study aiming at assessing the error proneness of AOP mechanisms on exception flows of programs; (ii) the development of SAFE (Static Analysis for the Flow of Exceptions), an exception-flow analysis tool for AspectJ programs; (iii) the identification of a set of bug patterns on the exception handling code of AO systems; and (iii) the definition of an approach that enables the developer to find faults on the exception handling code statically.
Towards scalable real-time analytics. An architecture for scale-out of OLxP workloads

We present an overview of our work on the SAP HANA Scale-out Extension, a novel distributed database architecture designed to support large scale analytics over real-time data. This platform permits high performance OLAP with massive scale-out capabilities, while concurrently allowing OLTP workloads. This dual capability enables analytics over real-time changing data and allows ﬁne grained user-speciﬁed service level agreements (SLAs) on data freshness. We advocate the decoupling of core database components such as query processing, concurrency control, and persistence, a design choice made possible by advances in high-throughput low-latency networks and storage devices. We provide full ACID guarantees and build on a logical times-tamp mechanism to provide MVCC-based snapshot isolation, while not requiring synchronous updates of replicas. Instead, we use asynchronous update propagation guaranteeing consistency with timestamp validation. We provide a view into the design and development of a large scale data management platform for real-time analytics, driven by the needs of modern enterprise customers.
Relationships Between Landscape Features and Nutrient Concentrations in an Agricultural Watershed in Southwestern Georgia: An Integrated Geographic Information Systems Approach

This study examined the influence of landscape features on stream nutrient concentrations within the Ichawaynochaway Creek watershed in southwestern Georgia. Baseflow concentrations of both dissolved (SRP, NO3, NH4) and total (TN, TP) nutrients were measured at 17 sampling sites monthly for a period of six months (July 2012 to January 2013). A long-term dataset (January 2008 to March 2012) was also analyzed for baseflow/stormflow comparisons of dissolved nutrient concentrations. Relationships among land-use, geology, soils, physiographic features and nutrients were analyzed at both the subwatershed and riparian corridor scales. SRP concentrations were lower and NO3 concentrations higher than reported in previous studies of the region. Due to dry conditions during the sampling period, nutrient input was likely limited to groundwater contributions and land-use effects were minimal. Trends among water quality variables varied between the upper and lower portions of the watershed, suggesting differences in nutrient transport pathways due to spatial variation. INDEX WORDS: Agricultural watershed, Baseflow stormflow comparison, GIS, Landscape water quality relations, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Ichawaynochaway Creek RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LANDSCAPE FEATURES AND NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS IN AN AGRICULTURAL WATERSHED IN SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA: AN INTEGRATED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPROACH
Use of convolutional neural networks for semantic image segmentation across different computing systems

The advent of powerful computing platforms coupled with deep learning architectures have resulted in novel approaches to tackle many traditional computer vision problems in order to automate the interpretation of large and complex geospatial data. Such tasks are particularly important as data are widely available and UAS are increasingly being used. This document presents a workflow that leverages the use of CNNs and GPUs to automate pixel-wise segmentation of UAS imagery for faster image processing. GPU-based computing and parallelization is explored on multi-core GPUs to reduce development time, mitigate the need for extensive model training, and facilitate exploitation of mission critical information. VGG-16 model training times are compared among different systems (single, virtual, multi-GPUs) to investigate each platform’s capabilities. CNN results show a precision accuracy of 88% when applied to ground truth data. Coupling the VGG-16 model with GPU-accelerated processing and parallelizing across multiple GPUs decreases model training time while preserving accuracy. This signifies that GPU memory and cores available within a system are critical components in terms of preprocessing and processing speed. This workflow can be leveraged for future segmentation efforts, serve as a baseline to benchmark future CNN, and efficiently support critical image processing tasks for the Military.
Probabilistic Type Theory and Natural Language Semantics

Type theory has played an important role in specifying the formal connection between syntactic structure and semantic interpretation within the history of formal semantics. In recent years rich type theories developed for the semantics of programming languages have become influential in the semantics of natural language. The use of probabilistic reasoning to model human learning and cognition has become an increasingly important part of cognitive science. In this paper we offer a probabilistic formulation of a rich type theory, Type Theory with Records (TTR), and we illustrate how this framework can be used to approach the problem of semantic learning. Our probabilistic version of TTR is intended to provide an interface between the cognitive process of classifying situations according to the types that they instantiate, and the compositional semantics of natural language.
The Term Structure of Interest Rates

This paper consolidates and interprets the literature on the term structure, as it stands today. Definitions of rates of return, forward rates and holding returns for all time intervals are treated here in a uniform manner and their interrelations, exact or approximate, delineated. The concept of duration is used throughout to simplify mathematical expressions. Continuous compounding is used where possible, to avoid arbitrary distinctions based on compounding assumptions. Both the theoretical and the empirical literature are treated. The attached tables by J. Huston McCulloch give term structure data for U. S. government securities 1946-1987. The tables give discount bond yields, forward rates and par bond yields as defined in the paper. The data relate to the concepts in the paper more precisely than does any previously published data series.
Let’s get real: new continental philosophy’s methodological imperative

ABSTRACT This paper elucidates the implications of the ontological turn within continental philosophy for social researchers. In my literature review, I focus on the work of Žižek, Badiou, and Ferraris, and I identify three challenges which we must address. First, their work demands increasingly realist approaches to social research. Building on this, the second challenge is to find a methodology which can serve this realist approach; here, I argue that critique of the critical theory tradition is most appropriate. The third and final challenge is to identify appropriate concrete methods. I do so and then provide an example of how these methods could be applied in the study of sustainable food production. Ultimately, I argue that the most important intervention is an ethical one, as this tradition compels us to produce knowledge which benefits the comparatively disadvantaged in society. I conclude with specific implications for my own field of consumer research.
Population Therapeutics & Clinical Pharmacology

Stock Market value prediction is changing into a well-liked and vital topic in financial and educational studies. From previous couple of decades, there's associate explosive increase in the average person’s interest for stock exchange. The goal of stock market prediction is to foresee the stock price of a specific company over the long term. Accurate prediction of exchange value may be a terribly difficult task due to its unstable and non-linear nature of the stock markets. With the introduction of computer science Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Advanced Machine Learning strategies of prediction have proved to be efficient in predicting the stock costs. In this Paper, Linear Regression and LSTM techniques are used for predicting the longer-term stock value of two corporations of totally different fields of operation. In order to forecast the stock prices over the long run, these machine learning algorithms employ a dataset of stock prices from previous years. These datasets were obtained from Yahoo Finance with values of Date, Open, High, Low, Close, Volume value. Though share market will never be foretold with hundred Percent accuracy, because of its unstable and imprecise nature, this paper aims at proving the potency of LSTM model for predicting the longer-term stock costs with most possible accuracy.
Hedging Inflation Risk in a Developing Economy

Inflation shocks are one of the pitfalls of developing economies and are usually difficult to hedge. This paper examines the optimal strategic asset allocation for a Brazilian investor seeking to hedge inflation risk at different horizons, ranging from one to 30 years. Using a vector-autoregressive specification to model inter-temporal dependency across variables, we measure the inflation hedging properties of domestic and foreign investments and carry out a portfolio optimisation. Our results show that foreign currencies complement traditional assets very efficiently when hedging a portfolio against inflation : around 70% of the portfolio should be dedicated to domestic assets (equities, inflation-linked (IL) bonds and nominal bonds), whereas 30% should be invested in foreign currencies, especially the US dollar and the euro.
The Review of Regional Studies

Although Swedish housing standards are high and young adults leave the parental home relatively early, there are indications that for certain groups housing has, in recent years, become less accessible. We analyse how housing characteristics affect intermunicipal mobility for different age cohorts and estimate a panel data gravity model that models migration as a function of origin and destination characteristics. The results suggest that new construction in the past two decades has negatively affected migration within commuting regions more than migration between commuting regions. For metropolitan areas, there are considerable negative effects on net migration from other commuter regions because new construction has not kept pace with population growth. The effects are stronger for young adults (20-44) compared to older adults (45-74). Further, we find that, while new construction stimulates mobility for all age cohorts, the estimated relationship is weaker for the youngest adults; indicating a need for more variation in new construction to satisfy different needs. Also, we find that the decreased share of rentals since 1992 have negatively affected the short-distance mobility of the youngest adults while the effect is weaker or even positive for the remaining age cohorts.
Marine cleaning mutualisms provide new insights in biological market dynamics

Most mutually beneficial social interactions (cooperation within species, mutualism between species) involve some degree of partner choice. In an analogy to economic theory as applied to human trading practices, biological market theory (BMT) focusses on how partner choice affects payoff distributions among non-human traders. BMT has inspired a great diversity of research, including research on the mutualism between cleaner fish Labroides dimidiatus and other marine fish, their ‘clients’. In this mutualism, clients have ectoparasites removed and cleaners obtain food in return. We use the available data on L. dimidiatus cleaner – client interactions to identify avenues for future expansion of BMT. We focus on three main topics, namely how partner quality interacts with supply-to-demand ratios to affect service quality, the role of threats and forms of forceful intervention, and the potential role of cognition. We consider it essential to identify the specifics of each biological market as a basis for the development of more sophisticated BMT models.
Returnees: unwanted citizens or cherished countrymen

This article examines Polish and Estonian social policy experts’ narratives on returnees and their access to welfare. We examine discourses on migration by drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews with 14 Polish and Estonian social policy and welfare experts. We use discourses as a way of understanding return migration and national attitudes towards return migration. Consequently, our analysis provides new insights into the discursive construction of an ideal returnee. Unlike much of the existing literature that explores returnees’ perspectives on return, including their decision-making as regards their return, we explore policy experts’ viewpoint on return migration. Although return migration has long been subject to various analyses, most of the literature focuses on who returns, when and why (Dustmann and Görlach, 2016). Our article contributes to the literature on return migration by exploring social policymakers’ perspectives on returnees
Psychological therapies for the management of chronic pain ( excluding headache ) in adults – a Cochrane review update

Amanda C de Williams, Emma Fisher, Les Hearn, Christopher Eccleston Research Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK Cochrane Pain, Palliative and Supportive Care Group, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK. Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, UK Pain Research and Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
ScholarWorks @ UTRGV ScholarWorks @ UTRGV

—Cell tower locations are not publicly available due to business interests of wireless providers. Very often wireless providers provide exaggerated coverage maps that may mislead the public. In addition to providing a neutral check on the coverage maps, prediction of cell tower locations hosting multiple operators’ access nodes could also be helpful in disaster communications and public safety in general. The localization of the disaster-affected towers can be very conducive to respond and reach to the victims. Further, victims’ devices could utilize this knowledge to initiate device-to-device (D2D) or unmanned aerial vehicular (UAV) communications as alternatives to the damaged cellular infrastructure. Publicly available crowdsourced cell (base station) locations and FCC’s sites can be used to predict the cell tower/site locations in the United States. In this work, we utilized a weighted k -means algorithm to predict cell tower locations from OpenCellid crowdsourced dataset and implemented a mapping algorithm to locate nearest physical towers. We map the predicted towers to two different sources of physical towers. Our comparison shows a signiﬁcant accuracy in predicting tower locations regardless of sources of physical towers. The technique can be used to predict the tower locations in other countries as well.
Properties of selected soils in the Douglas and Katherine Regions

The Department of Natural Resources, Environment The Arts and Sport (NRETAS) was requested by the Northern Territory Agricultural Association (NTAgA) to describe and test three soils for the “Improved Irrigation and Nutrient Management Project”, and one for the “Increasing the Productivity of Improved Pastures by Sustainable Management of Native Vegetation Regrowth Project”. NRETAS involvement was to describe, test and report on three soil pits in the Douglas/Daly area and a fourth soil in the Katherine area. The report provides reference sites for land holders, agricultural consultants and government to assist sustainable land and water management.
401(K) Plan Asset Allocation, Account Balances, and Loan Activity in 2001

This Issue Brief examines asset allocation, account balance, and loan activity of a large and representative group of 401(k) plan participants as of year-end 2001 using data gathered by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI) in their collaborative effort known as the EBRI/ICI Participant-Directed Retirement Plan Data Collection Project. The EBRI/ICI 401(k) database is the most comprehensive source of 401(k) plan participant-level data available to date, containing 14.6 million active 401(k) plan participants in 48,786 plans with $632.7 billion in assets. The 2001 database accounts for 12 percent of all 401(k) plans, 33 percent of all 401(k) participants, and about 36 percent of the assets held in 401(k) plans.
Novel skeletal effects of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor

3 : Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 8 OTU, UK 9 10 Corresponding author: 11 Chantal Chenu, PhD 12 Department of Comparative Biomedical sciences 13 Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 OTU, UK 14 cchenu@rvc.ac. uk 15 16 Short title: GLP-1 receptor agonists and bone 17 Page 1 of 37 Accepted Preprint first posted on 30 August 2017 as Manuscript JOE-17-0278
Savannas are More Responsive to Rainfall Variability than Riparian Forests

: Under the current change in precipitation regime, carbon balance in the tropics may be impacted through responses of drought-threatened vegetation. We aim to understand how forests and savannas under the same precipitation regime respond in terms of GPP to rainfall seasonality. We hypothesize that savannas respond faster to precipitation by changing their GPP inferred through the EVI2, particularly when the woody and herbaceous layer are included. We sampled tree cover in savannas and in riparian evergreen forests, at the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park (PNCV), located within the Cerrado biome, in Brazil. We calculated the coupling between time series of both EVI2 from Landsat8 and the monthly precipitation calculated from CHIRPS dataset. Forests and savannas respond differently to rainfall seasonality. We found that maximum coupling in savannas is greater than in forests. However, when only trees are considered, savannas and forests have similar responses. Nonetheless, savannas respond faster than forests to rainfall. Furthermore, riparian forests present an increasing greening during the dry season. Our results indicate that GPP of forests and savannas at the PNCV are controlled by different factors because of the differences in the response time of forest and savanna to rainfall seasonality.
Evaluation and Development of Non-Exercise Prediction Models of Maximal Oxygen Consumption in Azerbaijan–Iranian Young Men

The purpose of this study was to develop a regression equation to predict maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max ) based on non-exercise (N-EX) data and to investigate the validity of these equations in healthy young men. One hundred healthy men (age: 18-26 years) were randomly separated in two equal groups (n=50). All participants, successfully completed a maximal graded exercise test (GXT) to assess VO2 max (Mean = 45.56 ml × kg -1 × min -1 , SD = 4.14). The N-EX data collected just before the maximal GXT including participants’ age; body mass index (BMI); perceived functional ability (PFA) to walk, jog, or run given distances; and current physical activity (PA-R) level. Methodological differences among these methods (new equation and GXT in the validation group) were analyzed with Bland-Altman (1986) method. A good correlation coefficients were observed between VO 2 max and body mass index (BMI) (r = -0.50), PFA (r = 0.71) and PA-R (r = 0.70) in the development group (p< 0.05). Multiple linear regression generated the following N-EX prediction equation: VO 2 max (ml × kg -1 × min -1 ) = 47.718 – (0.38516 × BMI) + (0.8541 × PA-R) + (0.2539 × PFA). When new VO 2 max prediction equation were applied to the validation group, high agreement were also observed between measured VO2 max by GXT and predicted VO 2 max (mean±SD: 0.58±2.53) (p< 0.05). This study provided an N-EX regression model that yields relatively accurate results and it is a convenient way to predict VO2 max in Azerbaijan–Iranian young men with a similar cardiorespiratory fitness level. Authors recommend further studies to elucidate generality of the new equation