Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reliability of the Pinch Strength with Digitalized Pinch Dynamometer

Objective To examine the intra-rater, inter-rater, and inter-instrumental reliability of the digitalized pinch muscle strength dynamometer. Method Thirty normal subjects were examined for pinch strength, using both the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized pinch dynamometer. The participants performed all pinch strength tests in the seated position as recommended by the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT). Three successive measurements were taken for each hand. The mean of the three trials was used for data analysis. The pinch strength tests performed used a repeated measure design and measurements were taken by each rater. Results The relationship between the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized pinch dynamometer in pinch strength was reliable (the ICC were 0.821 and 0.785 in rater 1 and rater 2 respectively). The relationship between the first session and second session in pinch strength using the digitalized pinch dynamometer was reliable (the ICC were 0.872 and 0.886 in rater A and rater B respectively). The relationship between rater A and rater B in pinch strength using the digitalized pinch dynamometer was reliable (the ICC was 0.754). Conclusion The pinch strength measurement using the digitalized pinch dynamometer is reliable within the rater and between raters. Thus, the Preston pinch gauge and the digitalized dynamometer measure grip strength equivalently, and can be used interchangeably.
Arabidopsis Myosin XI-K Localizes to the Motile Endomembrane Vesicles Associated with F-actin

Plant myosins XI were implicated in cell growth, F-actin organization, and organelle transport, with myosin XI-K being a critical contributor to each of these processes. However, subcellular localization of myosins and the identity of their principal cargoes remain poorly understood. Here, we generated a functionally competent, fluorescent protein-tagged, myosin XI-K, and investigated its spatial distribution within Arabidopsis cells. This myosin was found to associate primarily not with larger organelles (e.g., Golgi) as was broadly assumed, but with endomembrane vesicles trafficking along F-actin. Subcellular localization and fractionation experiments indicated that the nature of myosin-associated vesicles is organ- and cell type-specific. In leaves, a large proportion of these vesicles aligned and co-fractionated with a motile endoplasmic reticulum (ER) subdomain. In roots, non-ER vesicles were a dominant myosin cargo. Myosin XI-K showed a striking polar localization at the tips of growing, but not mature, root hairs. These results strongly suggest that a major mechanism whereby myosins contribute to plant cell physiology is vesicle transport, and that this activity can be regulated depending on the growth phase of a cell.
Optimal synchronization frequency for dynamic pipelined computations on heterogeneous systems

In this paper we give a theoretical model for determining the synchronization frequency that minimizes the parallel execution time of loops with uniform dependencies dynamically scheduled on heterogeneous systems. Using this model we determine the synchronization frequency that minimizes the estimated parallel time. The accuracy of our method is validated through experiments on a heterogeneous cluster. The results show that the synchronization frequency minimizing the parallel time determined by our method, is very close to the synchronization frequency found experimentally.
Entrainment and termination of reentrant wave propagation in a periodically stimulated ring of excitable media.

Excitable media, such as nerve, heart, and the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction, exhibit a large excursion from equilibrium in response to a small but finite perturbation. Assuming a one-dimensional ring geometry of sufficient length, excitable media support a periodic wave of circulation. In analogy with earlier results found from the periodic stimulation of oscillations in ordinary differential equations, the effects of periodic stimulation of the periodically circulating wave can be described by a one-dimensional map called the Poincar\'e map. Depending on the period and intensity of the stimulation as well as its initial phase, either entrainment or termination of the original circulating wave is observed. These phenomena are directly related to clinical observations concerning periodic stimulation of a class of cardiac arrhythmias caused by reentrant wave propagation in the human heart. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Distributed data mining in credit card fraud detection

Credit card transactions continue to grow in number, taking an ever-larger share of the US payment system and leading to a higher rate of stolen account numbers and subsequent losses by banks. Improved fraud detection thus has become essential to maintain the viability of the US payment system. Banks have used early fraud warning systems for some years. Large scale data-mining techniques can improve the state of the art in commercial practice. Scalable techniques to analyze massive amounts of transaction data that efficiently compute fraud detectors in a timely manner is an important problem, especially for e-commerce. Besides scalability and efficiency, the fraud-detection task exhibits technical problems that include skewed distributions of training data and nonuniform cost per error, both of which have not been widely studied in the knowledge-discovery and data mining community. In this article, we survey and evaluate a number of techniques that address these three main issues concurrently. Our proposed methods of combining multiple learned fraud detectors under a "cost model" are general and demonstrably useful; our empirical results demonstrate that we can significantly reduce loss due to fraud through distributed data mining of fraud models.
FAST: A fuzzy semantic sentence similarity measure

A problem in the field of semantic sentence similarity is the inability of sentence similarity measures to accurately represent perception based (fuzzy) words that are commonly used in natural language. This paper presents a new sentence similarity measure that attempts to solve this problem. The new measure, Fuzzy Algorithm for Similarity Testing (FAST) is an ontology based similarity measure that uses concepts of fuzzy and computing with words to allow for the accurate representation of fuzzy based words. Through human experimentation fuzzy sets were created for six categories of words based on their levels of association with particular concepts. These fuzzy sets were then defuzzified and the results used to create new ontological relations between the words. Using these relationships allows for the creation of a new ontology based semantic text similarity algorithm that is able to show the effect of fuzzy words on computing sentence similarity as well as the effect that fuzzy words have on non-fuzzy words within a sentence. Experiments on FAST were conducted using a new fuzzy dataset, the creation of which is described in this paper. The results of the evaluation showed that there was an improved level of correlation between FAST and human test results over two existing sentence similarity measures.
Do Dividend Clienteles Exist? Evidence on Dividend Preferences of Retail Investors

We study stock holdings and trading behavior of more than 60,000 households and find evidence consistent with dividend clienteles. Retail investor stock holdings indicate a preference for dividend yield that increases with age and decreases with income, consistent with age and tax clienteles, respectively. Trading patterns reinforce this evidence: Older, low-income investors disproportionally purchase stocks before the ex-dividend day. Furthermore, among small stocks, the ex-day price drop decreases with age and increases with income, consistent with clientele effects. Finally, consistent with the behavioral "attention" hypothesis, we document that older and low-income investors purchase stocks following dividend announcements. Copyright 2006 by The American Finance Association.
The Spectrum of the Damped Wave Operator for a Bounded Domain in R 2

The spectrum of the damped wave operator for a bounded domain in R 2 is shown to be related to the asymptotic average of the damping function by the geodesic flow. This allows the calculation of an asymptotic expression for the distribution of the imaginary parts of the eigenvalues for a radially symmetric geometry. Numerical simulations confirm the theoretical model. In addition, we are able to exhibit the beautiful structure of the spectrum and the close links between the eigenfunctions, the raysof geometrical optics, and the geometry of the damping region. The MATLAB code used in this paper is provided.
Correspondence and Component Analysis

CORRESPONDENCE AND COMPONENT ANALYSIS JAN DE LEEUW, GEORGE MICHAILIDES, AND DEBORAH Y. WANG Abstract. This paper is a non-standard introduction to (mul- tiple) correspondence analysis and nonlinear principal component analysis. We start with a brief introduction to the classical (ge- ometrical) motivation for the technique. We then restart from scratch, using the problem of maximizing an aspect of a multivari- able or its correlation matrix. Some general algorithmic consider- ations are brieﬂy discussed, and then we specialize our criteria in such a way that they deﬁne principal component analysis. Next, we introduce two diﬀerent ways of deﬁning multidimensionality. Various properties of the techniques derived in this way are stud- ied. 1. Correspondence Analysis Correspondence Analysis can be introduced in many diﬀerent ways, which is probably the reason why it was reinvented many times over the years. We do not repeat the various derivations in this paper, instead we refer to the extensive discussion in the books by Greenacre [1984], Giﬁ [1990], and Benz´ cri [1992]. e Usually, correspondence analysis is motivated in graphical language. It is often said, in this context, that “A picture is worth a thousand numbers. ” Complicated multivariate data are made more accessible by displaying the main regularities of the data in scatterplots. This graphical approach is outlined in considerable detail in the books men- tioned above, and in the review articles by Hoﬀman and de Leeuw [1992] or Michailides and de Leeuw [1996]. We merely give a brief in- troduction, which diﬀers in some important aspects from earlier ones, because it emphasizes the graph plot and the star plots (deﬁned be- low). We think these plots introduction nicely capture the essential geometric characteristics of the technique. We have to choose one of the many names the technique has had over the years (see de Leeuw [1973, 1983] for an historical overview). The most widely used name seems to be (Multiple) Correspondence Analysis or MCA, and this is what we shall use as well. Date: December 15, 1997.
Shear wave elastography combined with the thyroid imaging reporting and data system for malignancy risk stratification in thyroid nodules

To retrospectively evaluate the diagnostic performance of shear wave elastography (SWE) and thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) in differentiating malignant and benign thyroid nodules. A total of 313 thyroid nodules in 227 patients were included. All thyroid nodules were underwent SWE and TI-RADS before fine needle aspiration biopsy and/or surgery. SWE elasticity indices of the maximum (Emax), mean (Emean), minimum (Emin) and elastic ratio (ER) in thyroid nodules were measured. Nodules with solid component, marked hypoechogenicity, poorly defined margins, micro-calcifications, and a taller-than-wide shape were classified as suspicious at gray-scale ultrasonography. The level of TI-RADS was determined according to the number of suspicious ultrasonography features. The combined methods of SWE and TI-RADS in thyroid nodules were calculated. In the 313 nodules, 194 were malignant, and 119 were benign. SWE and TI-RADS were significantly higher in malignant nodules than benign nodules (P < 0.001). The most accurate SWE cut-off value, 51.95 kPa for Emax, achieved a sensitivity of 81.44% and a specificity of 83.19% for discriminating malignant nodules from benign nodules. There are two methods in combination with SWE and TI-RADS. The one is “tandem” method, which has a higher specificity (95.80%), positive likelihood ratio (18.16) and positive predictive value (96.73%). The other one is “parallel” method, which shows sensitivity (94.85%), negative likelihood ratio (0.07) and negative predictive value (90.00%). We believe that the methods could be used as a simple tool to stratify the risk of thyroid nodules accurately.
Phase II Enzymes Induction Blocks the Enhanced IgE Production in B Cells by Diesel Exhaust Particles1

Oxidant pollutants such as diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) can initiate and exacerbate airway allergic responses through enhanced IgE production. These effects are especially pronounced in individuals in whom phase II antioxidant enzyme responses are impaired. We confirmed that DEPs and DEP extracts (DEPX) can act directly on B lymphocytes and showed that DEPX could enhance IgH ε germline transcription in a B cell line and in PBMCs. We therefore studied the regulation in B cells of NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) as a typical model phase II enzyme and its role in modulating DEPX-enhanced IgE responses. DEPX increased NQO1 mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner. NQO1 protein induction by DEPX was confirmed by Western blot. DEPs induced activity of the antioxidant response element located in the NQO1 gene promoter. Induction of both NQO1 mRNA and protein expression could be blocked by coculture with an antioxidant and partly repressed by inhibitors of PI3K and p38 MAPK, but not by inhibitors of MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK/ERK) or protein kinase C. The ability of DEPX to enhance IgE production was blocked by the induction of phase II enzymes, including NQO1 in B cells by the chemical sulforaphane. These findings suggest that a natural protective mechanism in B cells from oxidant pollutants such as diesel particles is the expression of phase II enzymes through induction of antioxidant response elements and support the approach of overexpression of these enzymes as a potential future chemopreventative strategy.
Proglacial sediment dynamics from daily to seasonal scales in a glaciated Alpine catchment (Bossons glacier, Mont Blanc massif, France)

The sediment yields of Alpine catchments are commonly determined from streamload measurements made some distance downstream from glaciers. However, this approach indiscriminately integrates erosion processes occurring in both the glacial and proglacial areas. A specific method is required to ascertain the respective inputs from (i) subglacial and supraglacial sediments, (ii) proglacial hillslopes and (iii) proglacial alluvial areas or sandurs. This issue is addressed here by combining high‐resolution monitoring (2 min) of suspended sediment concentrations at different locations within a catchment with discharge gauging and precipitation data. This methodological framework is applied to two proglacial streams draining the Bossons glacier (Mont Blanc massif, France): the Bossons and Crosette streams. For the Bossons stream, discharge and suspended load data were acquired from June to October 2013 at 1.15 and 1.5 km from the glacial terminus, respectively upstream and downstream from a small valley sandur. These hydro‐sedimentary data are compared with the Crosette stream dataset acquired at the outlet of the Bossons glacier subglacial drainage system. A fourfold analysis focusing on seasonal changes in streamload and discharge, multilinear regression modelling, evaluation of the sandur flux balance and probabilistic uncertainty assessment is used to determine the catchment sediment budget and to explain the proglacial sediment dynamics. The seasonal fluctuation of the sediment signal observed is related to the gradual closing of the subglacial drainage network and to the role of the proglacial area in the sediment cascade: the proglacial hillslopes appear to be disconnected from the main channel and the valley sandur acts as a hydrodynamic sediment buffer both daily and seasonally. Our findings show that an understanding of proglacial sediment dynamics can help in evaluating paraglacial adjustment and subglacial erosion processes. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Recovery of vertex orderings in dynamic graphs

Many networks in the real world are dynamic in nature: nodes enter, exit, and make and break connections with one another as time passes. Several random graph models of these networks are such that nodes have well-defined arrival times. It is natural to ask if, for a given random graph model, we can recover the arrival order of nodes, given information about the structure of the graph. In this work, we give a rigorous formulation of the problem in a statistical learning framework and tie its feasibility, for a broad class of models, to several sets of permutations associated with the symmetries of the random graph model and graphs generated by it. Moreover, we show how the same quantities are fundamental to the study of the information content of graph structures. We then apply our general results to the special cases of the Erdoos-Renyi and preferential attachment models to derive strong inapproximability results.
An Analysis of Multiple Criteria and Setups for Bluetooth Smartphone-Based Indoor Localization Mechanism

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 4.0 beacons will play a major role in the deployment of energy-efficient indoor localization mechanisms. Since BLE4.0 is highly sensitive to fast fading impairments, numerous ongoing studies are currently exploring the use of supervised learning algorithm as an alternative approach to exploit the information provided by the indoor radio maps. Despite the large number of results reported in the literature, there are still many open issues on the performance evaluation of such approach. In this paper, we start by identifying, in a simple setup, the main system parameters to be taken into account on the design of BLE4.0 beacons-based indoor localization mechanisms. In order to shed some light on the evaluation process using supervised learning algorithm, we carry out an in-depth experimental evaluation in terms of the mean localization error, local prediction accuracy, and global prediction accuracy. Based on our results, we argue that, in order to fully assess the capabilities of supervised learning algorithms, it is necessary to include all the three metrics.
A calcium-redox feedback loop controls human monocyte immune responses: The role of ORAI Ca2+ channels

Monocytes adjust deadly reactive oxygen species production by altering the subunit composition of the ORAI calcium channel. Keeping monocytes in business When monocytes of the immune system encounter a bacterial pathogen, they activate a calcium signaling pathway called SOCE, which is mediated by the ORAI/STIM complex. ORAI subunits form the Ca2+ channel; STIM is its activating partner. This calcium signal activates a plasma membrane enzyme that produces toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill the bacteria. Given that ROS also inactivate ORAI channels, how do the monocytes maintain signaling? Saul et al. found that human monocytes respond by altering the composition of the ORAI channel. ROS inhibit ORAI channels composed of ORAI1 subunits; however, if just one of the six channel subunits is ORAI3, then the channel resists this ROS-mediated inactivation. Human monocytes exposed to bacterial peptides in culture and phagocytes isolated from mice infected with bacteria increased the amount of ORAI3 and reduced the amount of ORAI1. This change in the ORAI3/ORAI1 ratio meant that more ROS-insensitive channels were present and the cells could continue to produce the appropriate calcium signal and mediate bacterial killing. In phagocytes, pathogen recognition is followed by Ca2+ mobilization and NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2)–mediated “oxidative burst,” which involves the rapid production of large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We showed that ORAI Ca2+ channels control store-operated Ca2+ entry, ROS production, and bacterial killing in primary human monocytes. ROS inactivate ORAI channels that lack an ORAI3 subunit. Staphylococcal infection of mice reduced the expression of the gene encoding the redox-sensitive Orai1 and increased the expression of the gene encoding the redox-insensitive Orai3 in the lungs or in bronchoalveolar lavages. A similar switch from ORAI1 to ORAI3 occurred in primary human monocytes exposed to bacterial peptides in culture. These alterations in ORAI1 and ORAI3 abundance shifted the channel assembly toward a more redox-insensitive configuration. Accordingly, silencing ORAI3 increased the redox sensitivity of the channel and enhanced oxidation-induced inhibition of NOX2. We generated a mathematical model that predicted additional features of the Ca2+-redox interplay. Our results identified the ORAI-NOX2 feedback loop as a determinant of monocyte immune responses.
Statistical issues concerning computerized analysis of brainwave topography

There has been a rapid development in neurology of new diagnostic techniques that use computers for data acquisition and manipulation. Computer analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) or evoked potentials (EPs) and positron emission tomography (PET) involve large amounts of data and variables requiring sophisticated statistical techniques for analysis. Problems arise either when the large numbers of variables
Ant Community Structure in Citrus Orchards in the Mediterranean Basin: Impoverishment as a Consequence of Habitat Homogeneity

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the structure and composition of ant communities in citrus orchards in Catalonia (northeast Spain) and compares them with the ant fauna found in natural communities of the region. In the citrus orchards considered in this study, the most abundant species were Lasius niger and Pheidole pallidula, which are behaviorally dominant species. Two other dominant species, Linepithema humile and Tetramorium caespitum, were also abundant, although only in one orchard. Species richness and diversity in the studied orchards were low compared with natural communities: although in orchards, there were few species and low diversity values, in natural communities, the number of species was higher and diversity also increased. This reduction of species richness and diversity was not modified by edge effects: only light and local differences were found between the inner part of the orchards and the orchard margins, and differences among orchards were greater than differences between inner parts and edges. The activity peaks of the different ant species actively foraging on these citrus orchards were distributed throughout the whole activity period of ants. Overall, the composition of ant communities present in the citrus orchards of this study was extremely poor. This agrees with the fact that monocultures are ecosystems associated with an inevitable loss of biodiversity and abundance of insect populations.