Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social Structure of a Semi-Free Ranging Group of Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx): A Social Network Analysis

The difficulty involved in following mandrills in the wild means that very little is known about social structure in this species. Most studies initially considered mandrill groups to be an aggregation of one-male/multifemale units, with males occupying central positions in a structure similar to those observed in the majority of baboon species. However, a recent study hypothesized that mandrills form stable groups with only two or three permanent males, and that females occupy more central positions than males within these groups. We used social network analysis methods to examine how a semi-free ranging group of 19 mandrills is structured. We recorded all dyads of individuals that were in contact as a measure of association. The betweenness and the eigenvector centrality for each individual were calculated and correlated to kinship, age and dominance. Finally, we performed a resilience analysis by simulating the removal of individuals displaying the highest betweenness and eigenvector centrality values. We found that related dyads were more frequently associated than unrelated dyads. Moreover, our results showed that the cumulative distribution of individual betweenness and eigenvector centrality followed a power function, which is characteristic of scale-free networks. This property showed that some group members, mostly females, occupied a highly central position. Finally, the resilience analysis showed that the removal of the two most central females split the network into small subgroups and increased the network diameter. Critically, this study confirms that females appear to occupy more central positions than males in mandrill groups. Consequently, these females appear to be crucial for group cohesion and probably play a pivotal role in this species.
Sharp bounds for learning a mixture of two gaussians

We consider the problem of identifying the parameters of an unknown mixture of two arbitrary d-dimensional Gaussians from a sequence of random samples. Our main result is a computationally efficient moment-based estimator with an optimal convergence rate thus resolving a problem introduced by Pearson (1894). Denoting by σ the variance of the unknown mixture, we prove that Θ(σ) samples are necessary and sufficient to estimate each parameter up to constant additive error when d = 1. Our upper bound extends to arbitrary dimension d > 1 up to a (necessary) logarithmic loss in d using a novel—yet simple—dimensionality reduction technique. Strikingly, our estimator turns out to be very similar to the one Pearson proposed in 1894 which reduces the one-dimensional problem to solving and analyzing a tractable system of polynomial equations. Our result greatly improves on the exponent in the sample size of the best previous estimator due to Kalai, Moitra and Valiant (2010).
Curiously Fast Convergence of some Stochastic Gradient Descent Algorithms

1 Context Given a finite set of m examples z 1 ,. , z m and a strictly convex differen-tiable loss function ℓ(z, θ) defined on a parameter vector θ ∈ R d , we are interested in minimizing the cost function min θ C(θ) = 1 m m i=1 ℓ(z i , θ). One way to perform such a minimization is to use a stochastic gradient algorithm. Starting from some initial value θ[1], iteration t consists in picking an example z[t] and applying the stochastic gradient update θ[t + 1] = θ[t] − η t ∂ℓ ∂θ ℓ(z[t], θ[t]) , where the sequence of positive scalars η t satisfies the well known Robbins-Monro conditions t η t = ∞ and t η 2 t < ∞. We consider three ways to pick the example z[t] at each iteration: • Random Examples are drawn uniformly from the training set at each iteration. • Cycle Examples are picked sequentially from the randomly shuffled training set, that is, z[km + t] = z σ(t) , where σ is a random permuta-• Shuffle Examples are still picked sequentially but the training set is shuffled before each pass, that is, z[km + t] = z σ k (t) , where the σ k are random permutations of {1, .
Multi-agent systems: overview of a new paradigm for distributed systems

Novel opportunities and challenges are emerging in the near future, such as Electronic commerce (e-commerce), due to the convergence of computers and telecommunication. Successful e-commerce requires rapid adaptation and excellent timing for service providers and users with guaranteed quality of service. Agent based technologies represent one of the most promising technological paradigm for distributed service system to meet these requirements. The aim of the current paper is to briefly review the agent systems basic architecture, with emphasize on agent communication languages. Two most popular agent communication languages, namely FIPA ACL and KQML have been briefly reviewed. The paper summarizes standardization activity of the agent system from the perspective of FIPA and OMG reference models. The relationship between FIPA and OMG has been given with a short discussion.
Collateralized Debt as the Optimal Contract

In a simple risk-sharing environment with ex post private information, conditions are found under which a collateralized debt contract is the optimal allocation. The critical condition for optimality is that the borrower values the collateral good more highly than does the lender; otherwise the optimal contract does not resemble debt. Limited collateral can give rise to an endogenous borrowing constraint, driving a further wedge between the intertemporal marginal rates of substitution of the borrower and the lender. I argue that perhaps all debt contracts are implicitly collateralized.
Power savings with opportunistic decode and forward over in-home PLC networks

We consider a cooperative system to provide power saving, quality of service, and coverage extension over in-home power line communications (PLC) networks. We focus on a cooperative relay scheme, where the communication between source and destination nodes follows an opportunistic time division decode and forward (ODF) protocol. At the physical layer we assume the use of a multi-carrier scheme. We show that the joint problem of power and time slot allocation for the multi-carrier time division decode and forward (DF) protocol is not convex. To reduce the complexity, we propose an heuristic algorithm that considers two convex sub-problems. The validation of the algorithm is done over statistically representative in-home PLC networks. Through extensive numerical results, we show that the use of relaying allows for saving several dBs of transmitted power, yet achieving the same rate of the direct transmission. Furthermore, over multiple sub-topologies networks interconnected through circuit breakers, e.g., a multi-floor house, the relay increases the network coverage.
Inactivation of Semicarbazide-Sensitive Amine Oxidase Stabilizes the Established Atherosclerotic Lesions via Inducing the Phenotypic Switch of Smooth Muscle Cells

Given that the elevated serum semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) activity is associated with the severity of carotid atherosclerosis in clinic, the current study aims to investigate whether SSAO inactivation by semicarbazide is beneficial for established atherosclerotic lesions in LDLr knockout mice on a high-fat/high- cholesterol Western-type diet or after dietary lipid lowering. Despite no impact on plasma total cholesterol levels, the infiltration of circulating monocytes into peripheral tissues, and the size of atherosclerotic lesions, abrogation of SSAO activity resulted in the stabilization of established lesions as evidenced by the increased collagen contents under both conditions. Moreover, SSAO inactivation decreased Ly6Chigh monocytosis and lesion macrophage contents in hypercholesterolemic mice, while no effect was observed in mice after normalization of hypercholesterolemia by dietary lipid lowering. Strikingly, abrogation of SSAO activity significantly increased not only the absolute numbers of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), but also the percent of SMCs with a synthetic phenotype in established lesions of mice regardless of plasma cholesterol levels. Overall, our data indicate that SSAO inactivation in vivo stabilizes the established plaques mainly via inducing the switch of SMCs from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. Targeting SSAO activity thus may represent a potential treatment for patients with atherosclerosis.
Influences on the Stock Market: Examination of the Effect of Economic Variables on S&P 500

It’s the economy stupid! ” This slogan from Bill Clinton’s 1992 Presidential campaign acknowl edges the importance of the U.S. economy in American politics. This slogan might also resonate loudly on Wall Street and among investors across the world. In many ways the performance of the economy influences the success of the stock market and vice versa. This study will examine the impact that various economic factors have on the stock market. Specifically, it will ask the question, “How do interest rates, real GDP, and the Fisher Effect impact the S&P 500? ”. In addition, this study will assess the impact of these economic factors on various industries including a utilities, transportation, financial, and technology index. The results of this study will help investors understand just how important these economic variables are in influencing both the overall market and major industries. This article is available in The Park Place Economist: http://digitalcommons.iwu. edu/parkplace/vol9/iss1/20
Wellsprings of Creation: How Perturbation Sustains Exploration in Mature Organizations

Organizations struggle to balance simultaneous imperatives to exploit and explore, yet theorists differ as to whether exploitation undermines or enhances exploration. The debate reflects a gap: the missing theoretical mechanism by which organizations break free of old routines and discover new ones. We propose that the missing link is perturbation: novel stimuli that disrupt the execution of specialized routines. Perturbation creates opportunities for organizations to invoke exploratory, general-purpose problem-solving routines. In mature organizations, exogenous perturbations become increasingly scarce to the point that exploration is stifled and inertia sets in. We theorize that mature organizations can sustain exploration by deliberately inducing perturbations in their own processes. Our theory yields testable hypotheses about the relationships between exploitation, perturbation, and exploration. We provide illustrations from The Toyota Motor Company to show how deliberate perturbation enables efficient exploration in the midst of intense exploitation.
On the political economy of international climate agreements

We empirically test the role of membership rules and voting schemes for climate change coalitions with the STAbility of COalitions model (STACO). The model comprises twelve world regions and captures long-run effects of greenhouse gas accumulation. We apply three stability concepts that capture the notion of open membership and exclusive membership with majority and unanimity voting. We show that exclusive membership leads to superior outcomes than open membership and that unanimity voting is preferable to majority voting in welfare and environmental terms. Our results suggest restricting membership in future international environmental agreements and they provide a rationale for unanimity voting as applied in many international organizations. * This chapter is a modified version of Finus, M. , Altamirano-Cabrera, J.-C. , and E.C. van Ierland (2005). The Effect of Membership Rules and Voting Schemes on the Success of International Climate Agreements. Public Choice, 125: 95-127.
The Macroeconomics of Austerity in the European Union

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the macroeconomic dynamics and stability of an artificial monetary union consisting of two industrialized economies with the similar economic structure (for the sake of concreteness, Germany and France) under a stylized debt brake rule using an estimated semi-structural dynamic macroeconomic model. The rationales for fiscal budgetary rules are briefly discussed and the functioning of a particular type of budgetary rule–the German debt-brake–is explained in detail. In this context, the two main pitfalls of such a rule are discussed: the accurate estimation of potential output and the international dimension of the implementation of such a rule in the context of the euro area. Next, a stylized two-country macroeconomic model of a monetary union along the lines of Flaschel et al. (2008) and Proaño (2009) is discussed and implemented for the evaluation in terms of macroeconomic stabilization of a stylized debt rule under the assumption that the fiscal authorities do not directly observe the actual output gap of the economy. Finally, conclusions are drawn from this study.
Understanding Underachievement: Mindset, Perfectionism, and Achievement Attitudes Among Gifted Students

The current study compared differences between mindset beliefs about intelligence (fixed vs. growth), dimensions of perfectionism (Concern Over Mistakes, Doubt of Action, Personal Standards, Organization), and achievement attitudes among gifted underachievers (n = 15) and gifted achievers (n = 169) in Grades 6 to 8 and examined the relationship between mindset beliefs and dimensions of perfectionism. Gifted underachievers had higher fixed mindset beliefs about intelligence (d = .79), lower scores on Organization (d = −1.01), and lower Self-Regulation/Motivation (d = −1.17) when compared with gifted achievers. These factors also were statistically significant in logistic regression models predicting achievement status. In addition, for the entire sample of gifted students (N = 264), fixed mindset beliefs predicted both dimensions of Evaluative Concerns Perfectionism (Concern Over Mistakes, β = .35, p < .0001; Doubt of Action, β = .28, p < .0001), while growth mindset beliefs predicted both dimensions of Positive Strivings Perfectionism (Personal Standards, β = .35, p < .0001, and Organization, β = .21, p = .001). Our findings provide a clearer picture of the relationships among underachievement, perfectionism, implicit theories of intelligence, and achievement attitudes, providing guidance for affective interventions.
Determinants of Default in P2P Lending

This paper studies P2P lending and the factors explaining loan default. This is an important issue because in P2P lending individual investors bear the credit risk, instead of financial institutions, which are experts in dealing with this risk. P2P lenders suffer a severe problem of information asymmetry, because they are at a disadvantage facing the borrower. For this reason, P2P lending sites provide potential lenders with information about borrowers and their loan purpose. They also assign a grade to each loan. The empirical study is based on loans’ data collected from Lending Club (N = 24,449) from 2008 to 2014 that are first analyzed by using univariate means tests and survival analysis. Factors explaining default are loan purpose, annual income, current housing situation, credit history and indebtedness. Secondly, a logistic regression model is developed to predict defaults. The grade assigned by the P2P lending site is the most predictive factor of default, but the accuracy of the model is improved by adding other information, especially the borrower’s debt level.
Lung Hypoplasia in Congenital Pulmonary Valve Stenosis

The pulmonary function of ten adult patients with congenital pulmonary valvular stenosis was investigated. The patients clearly showed smaller lungs than healthy control subjects of equivalent age and height; lung elastic recoil pressure was normal at any given percentage of measured total lung capacity, indicating that postnatal parenchymal damage is not the cause of the small lungs. The lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide was reduced, reflecting the anatomical alterations of the pulmonary vascular bed. Finally, the maximal flow-static recoil curves showed a fixed (not dynamic) reduction of airway dimensions: the critical transmural pressure in the collapsible flowlimiting segment (Ptm') was normal, but the conductance of the S segment was lowered. These abnormalities most likely reflect inadequate development of the lung and suggest that pulmonary blood pressure may be an important determinant of lung growth in the postnatal period.
Renal histologic changes and the outcome in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND The progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) is frequently determined by clinical parameters; however, the predictive value of histologic lesions remains largely unknown. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between histologic changes and renal outcome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS A total of 396 patients with T2DM and biopsy-proven DN who received follow-up for at least 1 year were recruited. The severity of different histologic lesions was assessed using the pathologic classification established by the Renal Pathology Society. Renal outcomes were defined by progression to end-stage renal disease and doubling of serum creatinine. The influence of histologic findings on renal outcomes was assessed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression. RESULTS A univariate Cox regression showed that the severity of glomerular and interstitial lesions had a significant impact on renal outcomes (P < 0.001). Scores of vascular lesions demonstrated no association with renal outcomes (P > 0.05). A multivariate COX analysis demonstrated that the glomerular classes and scores of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy were significantly associated with renal outcomes when adjusting for baseline proteinuria, mean arterial pressure and estimated glomerular filtration rate (P < 0.05). The glomerular and interstitial lesions correlated significantly among each other. However, in several patients, the severity of interstitial lesions did not correlate with glomerular lesions. CONCLUSION These findings indicated that the severity of glomerular and interstitial lesions were significantly associated with renal outcomes in patients with DN, whereas the vascular indexes did not have any impact on renal outcomes.
Measures Matter

Building upon existing measures, four new brief acculturation scales are presented, measuring sociocultural adaptation, psychological adaptation, perceived cultural distance, and acculturation orientation. Following good scale reliability in initial samples, the English scales were translated into nine different languages (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, and Turkish). The translated scales were administered to a large sample of sojourners (N = 1,929), demonstrating good reliability and adequate structural equivalence across languages. In line with existing theory, sociocultural adaptation and psychological adaptation were positively correlated, and showed a negative association with perceived cultural distance. General measures of well-being were correlated with adaptation and distance, with better adaptation relating to higher well-being, and more distance relating to lower well-being. Acculturation orientation toward the home and host culture were measured separately and a weak negative correlation was found between the two, supporting their independence. Arguing against dichotomization, these subscales were analyzed as continuous variables. Regression analysis showed sojourners to be better adapted, if they were oriented more toward the host culture and less toward the home culture. These new scales are proposed as alternatives to existing measures.
Fiber Fuse Propagation and Its Suppression in Hole-Assisted Fibers

We examined the characteristics of fiber fuse propagation in hole-assisted fibers (HAF). The fiber fuse propagated in the same way as in conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) when the diameter of an inscribed circle linking the air holes (c) was much larger than the diameter of the melted area (Dmelted). The melted area is caused by fiber fuse propagation and Dmelted is assumed to be almost the same size as the plasma. However, when c was much smaller than Dmelted, the fiber fuse did not propagate in HAF with input powers above 15W at 1480 and 1550nm. This result indicates that the threshold power of fiber fuse propagation in HAF can be at least 10 times larger than that in conventional SMF in the optical communication band. We also observed the dynamics of fiber fuse termination at a splice point between HAF and a conventional fiber by using a high-speed camera, when c was much smaller than Dmelted. We consider that the reduction in gas density caused by the air holes results in fiber fuse termination. When c was almost the same as Dmelted, we observed a new propagation mode and its dynamics for a fiber fuse with a damage track whose period was approximately 30 times longer than that in conventional SMF. We also made the first observation of a new threshold power (upper threshold) for a fiber fuse.
Discovery of the galaxy counterpart of HDF 850.1, the brightest submillimetre source in the Hubble Deep Field

Despite extensive observational efforts, a convincing optical/infrared identification of the brightest submm source in the Hubble Deep Field, HDF 850.1, has remained elusive after almost four years. This failure is all the more notable given the availability of supporting mul- tifrequency data of unparalleled depth, and subarcsec positional accuracy for the submm/mm source. Consequently, HDF 850.1 has become a test case for the possibility that the most vio- lently star-forming objects in the Universe are too red and/or distant to be seen in the deepest optical images. Here we report the discovery of the galaxy counterpart of HDF 850.1. This object has been revealed by careful analysis of a new, deep Kimage of the HDF obtained with the Subaru 8.2-m telescope. Its reality is confirmed by a similar analysis of the HST NICMOS F160W image of the same region. This object is extremely faint (K � 23.5), clumpy (on subarcsec scales) and very red (I − K > 5.2; H − K = 1.4 ± 0.35). The likelihood that it is the correct galaxy counterpart is strongly reinforced by a reanalysis of the combined MERLIN+VLA 1.4-GHz map of the field, which provides a new radio detection of HDF 850.1 only 0.1 arcsec from the new near-infrared counterpart, and with sufficient positional accuracy to exclude all previously considered alternative optical candidates. We have calculated new confidence limits on the estimated redshift of HDF 850.1 in the light of the new radio detection, and find z = 4.1 ± 0.5. We have also determined the scalelength, and hence estimated the mass of the apparently nearby (0.5 arcsec distant) z � 1 elliptical galaxy 3−586.0. From this we calculate that the flux density of HDF 850.1 has been boosted by a factor of � 3 through gravitational lensing by this intervening elliptical, consistent with predictions that a small but significant fraction of blank-field submm sources are lensed by foreground galaxies. We discuss the wider implications of these results for the submm population and cosmic star formation history.