17 research outputs found
Computer-aided fault analysis of digital circuit
No full textTwo test pattern generation programs are developed - bd and MoDalg. The bd implements the boolean difference method, an algebraic method that manipulates boolean equations to derive a complete test set for all possible stuck-at faults in the circuit under test.Master of Engineerin
A new variant of ARFIMA1 Process and its predictive ability
No full textARFIMA models generated an enormous amount of interest in the literature about three decades ago.However, this interest vaned after Granger (1999) showed that an ARFIMA
process might have stochastic properties that do not mimic the properties of the data at all.The empirical results of our research in which we used exchange rate data for the analysis, show that a variant of an ARFIMA process indeed can beat the ARFIMA, the Random Walk and the ARMA process of the order one in out of sample forecasting.This indirectly indicates that our variant of the ARFIMA process
can be considered as the data generating process for the long memory time series
Can a simple structural time series model beat the random walk?
No full textThis paper tries to address the question that if the long run PPP holds, then there should exist a structural model which can outperform the random walk in out of sample forecasting. We propose an ARFIMA based model with log of the independent variable as an explanatory variable and make a comparison study of this structural model with the benchmark random walk model. Then, we compare our results with that as obtained by Engel and Hamilton, and by Clarida, Sarno, Taylor and Valente. We present the standard ARFIMA model and show how can make an extension of it so that it becomes a variant of ARFIMA and name it as YQ-ARFIMA, then construct a bivariate model relating the dependent variable yt and ln yt , and with that, perform an impulse response function analysis of the predictive ability of ln yt . We also transform the YQ-ARFIMA into a moving average representation, and thereafter perform the impulse response function analysis again, then make a comparison study between the standard ARFIMA and the YQARFIMA by comparing the out of sample forecasting ability of each one of them with the benchmark random walk model. After that, compare the performance of YQ-ARFIMA with that of the Markov switching model put forward by Engel and Hamilton, and the MSIH(3)-VECM as put forward by CSTV. Last, we test the robustness of the YQ-ARFIMA by fitting it into different exchange rate series spanning the five continents of the globe, then, test the consistency of the forecast by YQ-ARFIMA by a cointegration technique. By using the loss functions RMSE and MAPE, cointegration consistency in forecasts and impulse response function analysis, we have shown beyond doubt that theYQ-ARFIMA model is very much superior in forecasting ability.</jats:p
Author correction: high-sensitivity cardiac troponins in cardio-healthy subjects: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging study.
No full textA correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper
A Comparative Validation Study of Near Visual Acuity Assessment Using Different Handheld Acuity Charts
No full textObjective: To develop a conversion table and compare the cross-validity of 3 types of widely utilized near vision charts: the ETDRS near chart, the N-notation chart, and the Rosenbaum chart. Design: A prospective, cross-sectional, comparative validation study. Participants: Aged ≥40 years. Methods: A conversion table for the 3 types of near charts was created using objective character sizing based on vertical height captured using a surgical microscope with a 10× magnification. Eligible presbyopic patients had their near vision tested sequentially with 3 near charts in a randomized order. Main Outcome Measures: Pearson correlation coefficient (r) for the relationship among the near visual acuity charts. The consistency between the different charts was evaluated by Bland−Altman diagrams. Results: A total of 204 participants (129 women, 63.2%) were recruited for the study (mean age, 58.9 ± 7.1 years). For correlation, r ranged from 0.596 to 0.836 (all P < 0.001). The Rosenbaum chart had the smallest range of difference against the ETDRS chart (standard deviation [SD] = 0.12), followed by the N-notation chart (SD = 0.15). Most of the converted logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) values from the N-notation and Rosenbaum charts were between 0.0 and 0.1 higher than the ETDRS logMAR equivalent (range: 0.07–0.11), with a tendency for both the N-notation and Rosenbaum charts to overestimate logMAR at more positive values. Conclusions: We have developed a conversion table for 3 types of commonly used near vision charts. When compared with the ETDRS near chart, the Rosenbaum chart had a smaller range of difference than the N-notation chart. Both the Rosenbaum and N-notation charts tended to underestimate near vision at worse vision. Financial Disclosure(s): The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article
Are heart doses associated with survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer who received post-operative thoracic radiotherapy? A national population-based study
No full text10.1097/MD.0000000000017020MEDICINE983
The evolution of citizenship education in nation-building in Singapore and Hong Kong
No full textCitizenship Education is a highly political agenda for politicians and governments, especially those of the emerging nations studied in transitology. Political circumstances that surround the birth of ล nation are inextricably tied up with the unique economic, social and even globalisation contexts that shape the formation of that particular nation. Citizenship education mirrors the political climate of such circumstances. A ruling government's policies and ideologies are often transmitted to the masses through education in the form of citizenship education in its evolving forms that take after the political orientations of the nation. A historical-comparative study of Singapore and Hong Kong is the focus of the thesis and a combined case in point. This historical-comparative approach presents a chronological and qualitative analysis of Singapore and Hong Kong that links the past to the present, and points to future direction on how citizenship education has transformed in its focus, dimensions, content, message and values. Theories of nationalism, nation-state and national identity provide a basis for the understanding of the political, economic and social factors that impact nation- building and the subsequent evolvement of Civic and Moral Education in Singapore and Hong Kong after independence. In an analysis of the content-domain of citizenship education, Singapore’s curriculum is shown to reflect the ruling party's ideologies infused through National Education, where the Singapore story is sacrosanct and has to be mastered by all students so that the continual survival instinct is preserved at ill times. Hong Kong covers more breadth with a curriculum that includes the history of China that can be taught critically and a Chinese cultural heritage element that is infused into all the Key Learning subjects. The Life Event Approach is also more practical and relevant to the students' appreciation of the more individual-growth values learnt. Singapore is identified as an Objective/Globalised nation-state with a parallel Objective/Globalised National Identity that has a predominantly strong political leadership and economic priority in its nation-building foundation. It recognizes the need to rise up to the global challenges ahead. Hong Kong has a combination of Objective/Subjective/Globalised region-state with a parallel Objective/Subjective/Globalised National Identity with China due to its cultural heritage component inherited from China and also the need to meet global challenges. The thesis demonstrates how education can be used as a channel to serve the ideologies of the politicians who have a direct stake in shaping the focus of the political content in citizenship education in building national identity. It also illustrates how the respective political circumstances, economic reasons, social contexts and globalisation challenges drive the evolvement of the citizenship education in both Singapore and Hong Kong
Three-dimensional imaging using colocated MIMO radar and ISAR technique
No full text10.1109/TGRS.2011.2178607IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing5083189-3201IGRS
Rapamycin synergizes cisplatin sensitivity in basal-like breast cancer cells through up-regulation of p73.
No full textRecent gene expression profiling studies have identified five breast cancer subtypes, of which the basal-like subtype is the most aggressive. Basal-like breast cancer poses serious clinical challenges as there are currently no targeted therapies available to treat it. Although there is increasing evidence that these tumors possess specific sensitivity to cisplatin, its success is often compromised due to its dose-limiting nephrotoxicity and the development of drug resistance. To overcome this limitation, our goal was to maximize the benefits associated with cisplatin therapy through drug combination strategies. Using a validated kinase inhibitor library, we showed that inhibition of the mTOR, TGFβRI, NFκB, PI3K/AKT, and MAPK pathways sensitized basal-like MDA-MB-468 cells to cisplatin treatment. Further analysis demonstrated that the combination of the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and cisplatin generated significant drug synergism in basal-like MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, and HCC1937 cells but not in luminal-like T47D or MCF-7 cells. We further showed that the synergistic effect of rapamycin plus cisplatin on basal-like breast cancer cells was mediated through the induction of p73. Depletion of endogenous p73 in basal-like cells abolished these synergistic effects. In conclusion, combination therapy with mTOR inhibitors and cisplatin may be a useful therapeutic strategy in the treatment of basal-like breast cancers
Guidance on noncorticosteroid systemic immunomodulatory therapy in noninfectious uveitis: fundamentals of care for uveitis (focus) initiative
No full textTopic: An international, expert-led consensus initiative to develop systematic, evidence-based recommendations for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis in the era of biologics.
Clinical Relevance: The availability of biologic agents for the treatment of human eye disease has altered practice patterns for the management of noninfectious uveitis. Current guidelines are insufficient to assure optimal use of noncorticosteroid systemic immunomodulatory agents.
Methods: An international expert steering committee comprising 9 uveitis specialists (including both ophthalmologists and rheumatologists) identified clinical questions and, together with 6 bibliographic fellows trained in uveitis, conducted a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol systematic reviewof the literature (English language studies from January 1996 through June 2016; Medline [OVID], the Central Cochrane library, EMBASE,CINAHL,SCOPUS,BIOSIS, andWeb of Science). Publications included randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective studies with sufficient follow-up, case series with 15 cases or more, peer-reviewed articles, and hand-searched conference abstracts from key conferences. The proposed statements were circulated
among 130 international uveitis experts for review.Atotal of 44 globally representativegroupmembersmet in late 2016 to refine these guidelines using a modified Delphi technique and assigned Oxford levels of evidence.
Results: In total, 10 questions were addressed resulting in 21 evidence-based guidance statements covering the following topics: when to start noncorticosteroid immunomodulatory therapy, including both biologic and nonbiologic agents; what data to collect before treatment; when to modify or withdraw treatment; how to select agents based on individual efficacy and safety profiles; and evidence in specific uveitic conditions. Shared decision-making, communication among providers and safety monitoring also were addressed as part of the recommendations. Pharmacoeconomic considerations were not addressed.
Conclusions: Consensus guidelines were developed based on published literature, expert opinion, and practical experience to bridge the gap between clinical needs and medical evidence to support the treatment of patients with noninfectious uveitis with noncorticosteroid immunomodulatory agents
