Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The random case of Conley's theorem: III. Random semiflow case and Morse decomposition

In the first part of this paper, we generalize the results of the author (Liu 2006 Nonlinearity 19 277–91, 2007 Nonlinearity 20 1017–30) from the random flow case to the random semiflow case, i.e. we obtain the Conley decomposition theorem for infinite dimensional random dynamical systems. In the second part, by introducing the backward orbit for random semiflow, we are able to decompose the invariant random compact set (e.g. global random attractor) into random Morse sets and connecting orbits between them, which generalizes the Morse decomposition of invariant sets originated from Conley (Conley 1978 Isolated Invariant sets and the Morse Index (Conf. Board Math. Sci. vol 38) (Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society)) to the random semiflow setting and gives a positive answer to an open problem put forward by Caraballo and Langa (Caraballo and Langa 2002 Stochastic Partial Differential Equations and Applications (Trento, 2002) (Lecture Notes in Pure and Applied Mathematics) vol 227 (New York: Dekker) pp 89–104).
Interpretation of Computed Tomography of the Head: Emergency Physicians versus Radiologists

Background Many patients are brought to crowded emergency departments (ED) of hospitals every day for evaluation of head injuries, headaches, neurologic deficits etc. CT scan of the head is the most common diagnostic measure used to search for pathologies. In many EDs the initial interpretation of images are performed by emergency physicians (EP). Since most decisions are made based on the initial interpretation of the images by emergency physicians and not the radiologists, it is necessary to assess the accuracy of interpretations made by the former group. Objectives The objective of this study was to compare the findings reported in the interpretation of head CTs by emergency physicians and compare to radiologists (the gold standard). Materials and Methods This was a prospective cross sectional study conducted from March to May 2009 in a teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. All non-contrast head CTs obtained during the study period were copied on DVDs and sent separately to a radiologist, 6 emergency medicine (EM) attending physicians and 14 senior EM residents for interpretation. Clinical information pertaining to each patient was also sent with each CT. The radiologist’s interpretation was considered as the gold standard and reference for comparison. Data from EM physicians and residents were compared with the reference as well as with each other and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 18.5. Results Out of 544 CT scans, EM physicians had 35 false negatives and 53 false positives compared with radiologist’s interpretations (P < 0.0001). EM residents had 74 false negatives and 12 false positives compared with radiologist’s interpretations (P < 0.0001). Conclusions Both EPs and ER residents either missed or falsely called a significant number of pathologies in their interpretations. The interpretations of EPs and ER residents were more sensitive and more specific, respectively. These findings revealed the need for increased training time in head CT reading for residents and the necessity of attending continuing medical education workshops for emergency physicians.
Chlamydia Pneumoniae‐Specific Circulating Immune Complexes in Patients With Chronic Coronary Heart Disease

Background. An association of chronic Chlamydia pneumoniae infection to coronary heart disease has been suggested recently. In a recent study, we demonstrated circulating immune complexes containing chlamydial genus‐specific lipopolysaccharide in patients with coronary heart disease. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether C. pneumoniae species‐specific immune complexes are present in chronic coronary heart disease. Methods and Results. The presence of Chlamydia‐specific circulating immune complexes was studied in 46 patients with chronic coronary heart disease and in control subjects. Chlamydial lipopolysaccharide‐containing immune complexes were detected with the antigen‐specific capture method, and they were present in 41% of patients and 15% of control subjects (p<0.01). The presence of C. pneumoniae antibodies in circulating immune complexes was studied by testing the specificity of antibodies derived from isolated and dissociated immune complexes by microimmunofluorescence testing and immunoblotting. The C. pneumoniae indexes based on the relative amount of immune complex‐derived antibodies and free antibodies were significantly higher among patients compared with control subjects (median, 1/8 versus 1/16;p<0.001). Immune complex bound antibodies showed specificity for 98‐kd and 42‐kd proteins of C. pneumoniae. Conclusions. The results suggest that the majority of the patients with chronic coronary heart disease have a chronic C. pneumoniae infection in which chlamydial components have an easy access to circulation to form immune complexes with preexisting antibodies. These findings give further evidence for the association of chronic C. pneumoniae infection with coronary heart disease. (Circulation 1993;87:1130‐1134)
EXPLORING THE ENERGETICS OF INTRACLUSTER GAS WITH A SIMPLE AND ACCURATE MODEL

The state of the hot gas in clusters of galaxies is investigated with a set of model clusters, created by assuming a polytropic equation of state (Γ = 1.2) and hydrostatic equilibrium inside gravitational potential wells drawn from a dark matter (DM) simulation. Star formation, energy input, and nonthermal pressure support are included. To match the gas fractions seen in nonradiative hydrodynamical simulations, roughly 5% of the binding energy of the DM must be transferred to the gas during cluster formation; the presence of nonthermal pressure support increases this value. In order to match X-ray observations, scale-free behavior must be broken. This can be due to either variation of the efficiency of star formation with cluster mass M500, or the input of additional energy proportional to the formed stellar mass MF. These two processes have similar effects on X-ray scalings. If 9% of the gas is converted into stars, independent of cluster mass, then feedback energy input of 1.2 × 10−5MFc2 (or ∼1.0 keV per particle) is required to match observed clusters. Alternatively, if the stellar mass fraction varies as ∝M−0.26500 then a lower feedback of 4 × 10−6MFc2 is needed, and if the stellar fraction varies as steeply as ∝M−0.49500 then no additional feedback is necessary. The model clusters reproduce the observed trends of gas temperature and gas mass fraction with cluster mass, as well as observed entropy and pressure profiles; thus they provide a calibrated basis with which to interpret upcoming Sunyaev–Zeldovich surveys. One consequence of the increased gas energy is that the baryon fraction inside the virial radius is ≲90% of the cosmic mean, even for the most massive clusters.
Analytical modeling for what-if analysis in complex cloud computing applications

Modern cloud applications are complex distributed systems with tens or hundreds of interacting software components. An important management task in cloud computing platforms is to predict the impact of a certain workload or reconfiguration change on the performance of the application. Such predictions require the design of "what-if" models of the application that take as input hypothetical changes in the application's workload or environment and estimate its impact on performance. We present a workload-based what-if analysis system that uses commonly available monitoring information in large scale systems to enable the administrators to ask a variety of workload-based "what-if" queries about the system. We use a network of queues to analytically model the behavior of large distributed cloud applications. Our system automatically generates node-level queueing models and then uses model composition to build system-wide models. We employ a simple what-if query language and an intelligent query execution algorithm that employs on-the-fly model construction and a change propagation algorithm to efficiently answer queries on large scale systems. We have built a prototype and have used traces from two large production cloud bapplications from a financial institution as well as real-world synthetic applications to evaluate its what-if modeling framework. Our experimental evaluation validates the accuracy of our node-level resource usage, latency and workload models and then shows how our system enables what-if analysis in four different cloud applications.
Conditional Probabilities, Relative Operating Characteristics, and Relative Operating Levels

Abstract The relative operating characteristic (ROC) curve is a highly flexible method for representing the quality of dichotomous, categorical, continuous, and probabilistic forecasts. The method is based on ratios that measure the proportions of events and nonevents for which warnings were provided. These ratios provide estimates of the probabilities that an event will be forewarned and that an incorrect warning will be provided for a nonevent. Some guidelines for interpreting the ROC curve are provided. While the ROC curve is of direct interest to the user, the warning is provided in advance of the outcome and so there is additional value in knowing the probability of an event occurring contingent upon a warning being provided or not provided. An alternative method to the ROC curve is proposed that represents forecast quality when expressed in terms of probabilities of events occurring contingent upon the warnings provided. The ratios used provide estimates of the probability of an event occurring give.
Institute for International Integration Studies Tax Competition in an Expanding European Union Tax Competition in an Expanding European Union Tax Competition in an Expanding European Union

Disclaimer Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and not those of the IIIS. All works posted here are owned and copyrighted by the author(s). Papers may only be downloaded for personal use only. Abstract: This paper empirically examines whether expansion of the EU has increased international tax competition. To do so, we use a simple model of tax competition to determine how a given country weights the taxes of others when choosing its own tax. This indicates that the market potential of a country (which includes both domestic consumption and exports) is the appropriate weight. This is an improvement on the ad-hoc and often endogenous weighting schemes used elsewhere. Unlike those studies, we find robust evidence for tax competition. In particular, our estimates suggest that EU membership affects responses with EU members responding more to the tax rates of other members. This lends credence to the above-noted concerns.
Dopamine D1 Receptor Modulates Hippocampal Representation Plasticity to Spatial Novelty

The human hippocampus is critical for learning and memory. In rodents, hippocampal pyramidal neurons fire in a location-specific manner, forming relational representations of environmental cues. The importance of glutamatergic systems in learning and in hippocampal neural synaptic plasticity has been shown. However, the role of dopaminergic systems in the response of hippocampal neural plasticity to novel and familiar spatial stimuli remains unclear. To clarify this important issue, we recorded hippocampal neurons from dopamine D1 receptor knock-out (D1R-KO) mice and their wild-type (WT) littermates under the manipulation of distinct spatial cues in a familiar and a novel environment. Here we report that in WT mice, the majority of place cells quickly responded to the manipulations of distal and proximal cues in both familiar and novel environments. In contrast, the influence of distal cues on spatial firing in D1R-KO mice was abolished. In the D1R-KO mice, the influence of proximal cues was facilitated in a familiar environment, and in a novel environment most of the place cells were less likely to respond to changes of spatial cues. Our results demonstrate that hippocampal neurons in mice can rapidly and flexibly encode information about space from both distal and proximal cues to cipher a novel environment. This ability is necessary for many types of learning, and lacking D1R can radically alter this learning-related neural activity. We propose that D1R is crucially implicated in encoding spatial information in novel environments, and influences the plasticity of hippocampal representations, which is important in spatial learning and memory.
Quantifying the Amount of Heterogeneity in Meta-Analysis : A Comparison of Methods

In random effects meta-analysis, several confidence intervals on the between-trial variance have been proposed. These confidence intervals can be broadly categorized in two classes. Hardy and Thompson (1996) as well as Biggerstaff and Tweedie (1997) propose two intervals based on likelihood approaches. Biggerstaff and Tweedie (1997) and Knapp et al. (2006) consider appropriate quadratic forms in the treatment effects estimates and propose intervals based on approximate distributions of their quadratic forms. The performance of the confidence intervals with respect to actual confidence coefficient and average length rather differs for different effect size. Knapp et al. (2006) and Viechtbauer (2006) have conducted simulation studies for the effect sizes mean difference and log odds ratio for the above mentioned confidence interval. In the present paper, further results for normal and binary outcome measures will be provided with focus on the effect size standardized mean difference and risk difference.
Can text structure be incompatible with rhetorical structure?

Scott and Souza (1990) have posed the problem of how a rhetorical structure (in which propositions are linked by rhetorical relations, but not yet arranged in a linear order) can be realized by a text structure (in which propositions are ordered and linked up by appropriate discourse connectives). Almost all work on this problem assumes, implicitly or explicitly, that this mapping is governed by a constraint on compatibility of structure. We show how this constraint can be stated precisely, and present some counterexamples which seem acceptable even though they violate compatibility. The examples are based on a phenomenon we call extraposition, in which complex embedded constituents of a rhetorical structure are extracted and realized separately.
Person-Environment Interactions and Adolescent Substance Use: The Role of Sensation Seeking and Perceived Neighborhood Risk

ABSTRACT Aims: This longitudinal study investigated person-environment interactions and adolescent substance use by examining whether, and if so how, early temperamental quality of sensation seeking interacted with current neighborhood characteristics to shape underage smoking, drinking, and marijuana use. Sample: Participants consisted of a community-representative sample of 352 adolescents. Methods: Early temperament was assessed when adolescents were between seven and 13 years of age, and current neighborhood characteristics (as perceived by participants and their mothers) and current adolescent substance use (self-reported smoking, drinking, and marijuana use in the past 30 days) were assessed approximately three years later. Results: The results from a zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) regression revealed a potent negative effect of the perceived neighborhood risk, such that riskier neighborhoods were associated with both a greater probability for any substance use among adolescents, and a greater frequency of substance use among those who were engaging in these behaviors. High sensation seeking was a risk factor only for frequency of substance use among adolescent extant users, but not for the likelihood of any use. In addition, a significant interaction between sensation seeking and neighborhood risk revealed that adolescent sensation seekers engaged in smoking, drinking, and marijuana use primarily under conditions of elevated neighborhood risk and increased opportunity for such behaviors. Conclusion: Underage substance use was affected by synergistic effects between personal and community risk factors.
A spectral characterization of the behavior of discrete time AR-representations over a finite time interval

In this paper we investigate the behavior of the discrete time AR (Auto Regressive) representations over a finite time interval, in terms of the finite and infinite spectral structure of the polynomial matrix involved in the AR-equation. A boundary mapping equation and a closed formula for the determination of the solution, in terms of the boundary conditions, are also given.
I.v. intraoperative ketoprofen in small children during adenoidectomy: a dose-finding study.

We have investigated if a low dose of ketoprofen (0.3 mg kg-1) i.v. , provided as good analgesia with less adverse effects than higher doses (1.0 and 3.0 mg kg-1) in 220 children, aged 1-7 yr, undergoing adenoidectomy, in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study. The postoperative analgesic effect was notable even after the lowest dose of ketoprofen. However, the higher doses seemed to provide better analgesia with no increase in adverse events or intraoperative bleeding. None of the children experienced postoperative bleeding which would have required intervention or delayed discharge from hospital. This study confirms the efficacy and safety of intraoperative ketoprofen in children during adenoidectomy.
Are individuals with high levels of public service motivation satisfied in MPA degree programs?

Many scholars have suggested that public service motivation (PSM) is a defining characteristic of public and non-profit employees. However, interest and motivation alone are not the sole determinates of success in any organization. Employees must also possess the knowledge and skills that will help them accomplish the difficult tasks that arise in their chosen occupation. This study explored the relationship that PSM has to student satisfaction in MPA programs, taking into consideration program climate and number of years of government experience. The findings confirmed that while PSM is related to student satisfaction, this relationship was completely mediated by program climate. The implications of the study are discussed, in particular in terms of the contributions that an environment of support and PSM make on the attitudes of students in MPA programs.
Faraday polarization fluctuations and their dependence on post sunset secondary maximum and amplitude scintillations at Delhi

Abstract. VHF Faraday rotation (FR) and amplitude scintillation data recorded simultaneously during May 1978–December 1980 at Delhi (28.63° N, 77.22° E; Dip 42.44° N) is analyzed in order to study the Faraday polarization fluctuations (FPFs) and their dependence on the occurrence of post sunset secondary maximum (PSSM) and amplitude scintillations. It is noted that FPFs are observed only when both PSSM and scintillations also occur simultaneously. FPFs are observed only during winter and the equinoctial months of high sunspot years. FPFs events are associated with intense scintillation activity, which is characterized by sudden onsets and abrupt endings, and are observed one to three hours after the local sunset. When FPFs and scintillation data from Delhi is compared with the corresponding data from a still lower latitude station, Hyderabad (17.35° N, 78.45° E), it is found that the occurrence of FPFs and scintillations at Delhi is conditional to their prior occurrence at Hyderabad, which indicates their production by a plasma bubble and the as-sociated irregularities generated initially over the magnetic equator. In addition, FPFs and scintillation data for October 1979, when their occurrence was maximum, is also examined in relation to daytime (11:00 LT) electrojet strength (EEj) values and evening hour h’F from an equatorial location, Kodaikanal (10.3° N, 77.5° E). It is interesting to note that FPFs and scintillations are most likely observed when the EEj was 100 nT or more and h’F reaches around 500 km. These results show that EEj and evening hours h’F values over the magnetic equator are important parameters for predicting FPFs and scintillation activity at locations such as Delhi, where scintillation activity is much more intense as compared to the equatorial region due to the enhanced back-ground ionization due to the occurrence of PSSM. Key words. Ionosphere (equatorial ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities) – Radio science (ionospheric physics)
Integration of an evaluation function into the suture/ligature training system WKS-2R

Up to now, there is no widely accepted quantitative evaluation scheme. Nowadays, an objective structured clinical examination has been proposed as a modern type of examination often used in medicine to test skills such as medical procedures, etc. The assessment of skills is realized by practical exams, in which students are evaluated by experienced examiner using a check list. However, the examiner lacks of information which cannot be obtained trough the simple observation of the task. Thanks to the advances in robot technology in embedded systems, etc.; more advanced evaluation tools can be conceived. For this reason, at Waseda University, we have proposed the development of a patient robot as an advanced evaluation tool to provide more detailed information of the task. As a first approach of our long-term research target, we have proposed the development of a suture/ligature training system which provides quantitative information of the movement of a dummy skin as well as information of the quality of task. In this paper; we describe the functionalities of the newest version, the Waseda-KyotoKagaku Skin No.2 Refined (WKS-2R), which has been designed to provide quantitative information of the task. In addition, we are proposing a new evaluation function which includes performance indexes and weighting coefficients. As a first approach, the weighting coefficients were determined by using the discriminant analysis. A set of experiments were proposed to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed evaluation function. From the preliminary results, the evaluation function was useful in detecting differences among different levels of expertise as well as detecting improvements during the training process by computing the learning curve.
Structure constants of the OSP(1|2) WZNW model

We propose exact formulas for the 2- and 3-point functions of the WZNW model on the non-compact supergroup OSP(1|2). Using the path integral approach that was recently developed in arXiv:0706.1030 we show how local correlation functions in the OSP(p|2) WZNW models can be obtained from those of = p supersymmetric Liouville field theory for p = 1, 2. We then employ known results on correlators in = 1 Liouville theory to determine the structure constants of the OSP(1|2) theory.