Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparing Measures of Sparsity

Sparsity of representations of signals has been shown to be a key concept of fundamental importance in fields such as blind source separation, compression, sampling and signal analysis. The aim of this paper is to compare several commonly-used sparsity measures based on intuitive attributes. Intuitively, a sparse representation is one in which a small number of coefficients contain a large proportion of the energy. In this paper, six properties are discussed: (Robin Hood, Scaling, Rising Tide, Cloning, Bill Gates, and Babies), each of which a sparsity measure should have. The main contributions of this paper are the proofs and the associated summary table which classify commonly-used sparsity measures based on whether or not they satisfy these six propositions. Only two of these measures satisfy all six: the pq-mean with p les 1, q > 1 and the Gini index.
Exercise-related sudden cardiac arrest in London: incidence, survival and bystander response

Objective The study aimed to (1) establish the incidence of exercise-related sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in London, (2) investigate survival from exercise-related SCA and (3) examine factors related to survival. Method This retrospective observational study examined 2 years’ data from the London Ambulance Service (LAS) cardiac arrest registry for patients in whom resuscitation was attempted following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), a cardiac cause was presumed and the arrest occurred during or within 1 h of exercise. Results The incidence of exercise-related SCA in London was estimated to be 0.6 per 100 000 person-years which equated to 0.5% of all OHCA, and 1.5% of all OHCA with presumed cardiac aetiology and resuscitation attempted. The majority of cases were male and the incidence increased from age 40 years. Just under one-third of patients survived to hospital discharge. Survival in the Utstein comparator group (cases with presumed cardiac aetiology, resuscitation attempted, bystander witnessed and a presenting cardiac rhythm of ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia) was higher at 42%. Survival was significantly associated with initial cardiac rhythm (χ2=17.5, df=2, p<0.001) and bystander defibrillation (Fisher's exact test, p<0.05). Conclusions Incidence of exercise-related SCA in the general population in London is rare. Survival following exercise-related SCA was considerably higher than survival for all OHCA with presumed cardiac aetiology and resuscitation attempted attended by the LAS during the same period. The major limitation of the study is the likely under identification of cases of exercise-related SCA.
Research on geomagnetic-matching localization algorithm for unmanned underwater vehicles

This paper presents a new algorithm for underwater geomagnetic-matching localization. The idea is rooted from image registration and workpiece localization problem. One essential elements of the new algorithm is an algorithm to solve transformation between two point sets. A related problem to this is fitting of two point sets (FTPS). In this paper, FTPS is first introduced and formulated to a least-squares problem. Then four algorithms used to solve FTPS are introduced. Another essential element of the new algorithm is iteration. The iteration method in ICCP is adopted. Based on above two aspects, the main steps of the new method are given. Simulation experiments are designed to evaluate the performance of the new algorithm. The results show that the new algorithm can solve geomagnetic-matching localization satisfactorily.
Multiple gene genealogies and AFLPs suggest cryptic speciation and long‐distance dispersal in the basidiomycete Serpula himantioides (Boletales)

Serpula himantioides (Boletales, Basidiomycota) produces thin resupinate basidiocarps on dead coniferous wood worldwide and causes damage in buildings as well. In this study, we present evidence for the existence of at least three phylogenetically defined cryptic species (referred to as Sib I–III) within the morphospecies S. himantioides, a conclusion based on analyses of sequence data from four DNA regions and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPS). A low degree of shared sequence polymorphisms was observed among the three lineages indicating a long‐lasting separation. The AFLPs revealed two additional subgroups within Sib III. Results from mating studies were consistent with the molecular data. In Sib III, no correspondence between genetic and geographical distance was observed among isolates worldwide, presumably reflecting recent dispersal events. Our results indicate that at least two of the lineages (Sib II and Sib III) have wide sympatric distributions. A population genetic analysis of Sib III isolates, scoring sequence polymorphisms as codominant SNP markers, indicates that panmictic conditions exist in the Sib III group. This study supports the view that cryptic speciation is a common phenomenon in basidiomycete fungi and that phylogenetic species recognition can be a powerful inference to detect cryptic species. Furthermore, this study shows that AFLP data are a valuable supplement to DNA sequence data in that they may detect a finer level of genetic variation.
Diffusion-Weighted Imaging of the Head and Neck in Healthy Subjects: Reproducibility of ADC Values in Different MRI Systems and Repeat Sessions

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: DWI is typically performed with EPI sequences in single-center studies. The purpose of this study was to determine the reproducibility of ADC values in the head and neck region in healthy subjects. In addition, the reproducibility of ADC values in different tissues was assessed to identify the most suitable reference tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 7 healthy subjects, with EPI and TSE sequences, on 5 MR imaging systems at 3 time points in 2 institutions. ADC maps of EPI (with 2 b-values and 6 b-values) and TSE sequences were compared. Mean ADC values for different tissues (submandibular gland, sternocleidomastoid muscle, spinal cord, subdigastric lymph node, and tonsil) were used to evaluate intra- and intersubject, intersystem, and intersequence variability by using a linear mixed model. RESULTS: On 97% of images, a region of interest could be placed on the spinal cord, compared with 87% in the tonsil. ADC values derived from EPI-DWI with 2 b-values and calculated EPI-DWI with 2 b-values extracted from EPI-DWI with 6 b-values did not differ significantly. The standard error of ADC measurement was the smallest for the tonsil and spinal cord (standard error of measurement = 151.2 × 10−6 mm/s2 and 190.1 × 10−6 mm/s2, respectively). The intersystem difference for mean ADC values and the influence of the MR imaging system on ADC values among the subjects were statistically significant (P < .001). The mean difference among examinations was negligible (ie, <10 × 10−6 mm/s2). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the spinal cord was the most appropriate reference tissue and EPI-DWI with 6 b-values was the most reproducible sequence. ADC values were more precise if subjects were measured on the same MR imaging system and with the same sequence. ADC values differed significantly between MR imaging systems and sequences.
THE ROLE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL MODELS IN PATIENT ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT

The management of gait abnormalities in persons with cerebral palsy is a challenging issue. Theoretically, gait abnormalities can be diminished by first identifying the biomechanical factors that contribute to abnormal movement and then either decreasing the muscle forces that disrupt normal movement (e.g. via muscle-tendon lengthening or botulinum toxin injections), and/or increasing the muscle and ground reaction forces that have the potential to improve movement (e.g. via strengthening exercises, orthoses, or derotational osteotomies). However, different patients with cerebral palsy exhibit varying degrees of neurologic impairment, spasticity, weakness, muscle contracture and bone deformity, suggesting that gait deviations arise from a variety of sources, each requiring a different treatment. Treatment planning is further complicated because there is currently no scientific basis for determining how patients’ neuro-musculoskeletal impairments contribute to abnormal movement. The static muscle tests performed during a patient’s physical exam (Chapter 5) and the kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic (EMG) data obtained from gait analysis (Chapters 6–9) are not always sufficient to identify the biomechanical source of a patient’s abnormal gait or to predict the consequences of treatments. This limitation exists, in part, because the transformation from EMG patterns to motion is extremely complex (Fig. 11.1) and because the effects of common surgical procedures on muscle-tendon mechanics and musculoskeletal geometry are not easily measured. This chapter describes how computer simulations of the musculoskeletal system can be used, in combination with gait analysis, to enhance our understanding of movement abnormalities and to provide a theoretical basis for planning treatments. Imagine the following hypothetical scenario. A child with a troublesome gait abnormality visits a cerebral palsy clinic. The child undergoes a routine physical exam, a gait analysis, and perhaps a medical imaging study. A computer model of the child’s musculoskeletal system is created that characterizes the force-generating capacity of the muscles, the geometric relationships between the muscles, tendons and bones, the kinematics of the joints, and the inertial properties of the body (see the shaded region of Fig. 11.1). The model is driven by a set of muscle excitation signals, and the resulting motion of the model is governed by mathematical equations that describe the activation dynamics of muscle, the contraction dynamics of muscle, and the multi-joint dynamics of the body during walking. The muscle excitation signals are specified such that the computer model “walks”
Soluble CD163 promotes recognition, phagocytosis and killing of Staphylococcus aureus via binding of specific fibronectin peptides

CD163 is a multi‐ligand scavenger receptor exclusively expressed by monocytes and macrophages, which is released after their activation during sepsis (sCD163). The biological relevance of sCD163, however, is not yet clear. We now demonstrate that sCD163 exhibits direct antimicrobial effects by recognizing a specific subfragment (6F11F22F27F1) of fibronectin (FN) bound to staphylococcal surface molecules. Moreover, contact with staphylococci promotes sCD163‐shedding from monocyte surface via induction of metalloproteinases ADAM10 and ADAM17. sCD163 subsequently binds to Staphylococcus aureus via FN peptides and strongly amplifies phagocytosis as well as killing by monocytes and to a lesser extend by neutrophils. This mechanism exhibits additional paracrine effects because staphylococci additionally opsonized by sCD163 induce higher activation and more efficient killing activity of non‐professional phagocytes like endothelial cells. Targeting pathogen‐bound FN by sCD163 would be a very sophisticated strategy to attack S. aureus as any attempt of the pathogen to avoid this defence mechanism will automatically bring about loss of adherence to the host protein FN, which is a pivotal patho‐mechanism of highly invasive staphylococcal strains. Thus, we report a novel function for sCD163 that is of particular importance for immune defence of the host against S. aureus infections.
Electrochemical Determination of Caffeine Content in Ethiopian Coffee Samples Using Lignin Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

Lignin film was deposited at the surface of glassy carbon electrode potentiostatically. In contrast to the unmodified glassy carbon electrode, an oxidative peak with an improved current and overpotential for caffeine at modified electrode showed catalytic activity of the modifier towards oxidation of caffeine. Linear dependence of peak current on caffeine concentration in the range 6 × 10−6 to 100 × 10−6 mol L−1 with determination coefficient and method detection limit (LoD = 3 s/slope) of 0.99925 and 8.37 × 10−7 mol L−1, respectively, supplemented by recovery results of 93.79–102.17% validated the developed method. An attempt was made to determine the caffeine content of aqueous coffee extracts of Ethiopian coffees grown in four coffee cultivating localities (Wonbera, Wolega, Finoteselam, and Zegie) and hence to evaluate the correlation between users preference and caffeine content. In agreement with reported works, caffeine contents (w/w%) of 0.164 in Wonbera coffee; 0.134 in Wolega coffee; 0.097 in Finoteselam coffee; and 0.089 in Zegie coffee were detected confirming the applicability of the developed method for determination of caffeine in a complex matrix environment. The result indicated that users' highest preference for Wonbera and least preference for Zegie cultivated coffees are in agreement with the caffeine content.
Author Response

7 Friedrich M, Gittler G, Arendasy M, Friedrich KM. Long-term effect of a combined exercise and motivational program on the level of disability of patients with chronic low back pain. Spine. 2005; 30:995–1000. 8 Turk DC. A cognitive-behavioral perspective on the treatment of chronic pain patients. In: Turk DC, Gatchel RJ. eds. Psychological Approaches to Pain Management: A Practitioner’s Handbook. New York, NY: Guilford Press; 2002:138–158.
The Cost-Effectiveness of Biodiversity Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes

The worsening global biodiversity crisis combined with limited resources for conservation makes the prioritisation of cost-effective actions critical, particularly in agricultural landscapes where multiple conservation actions are available that vary widely in their effectiveness and cost. In such situations, understanding the complexities and drivers of the cost-effectiveness can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of future conservation investments. In this thesis I present the results of a multidisciplinary investigation of cost-effectiveness in the conservation of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, focussing on two key themes. The first involved the cost-effectiveness of agri-environment schemes, where farmers receive financial incentives for biodiversity outcomes, a major policy mechanism that accounts for billions of dollars in public conservation expenditure globally. I include three chapters (Papers I-III) from a book I cowrote and edited on the lessons learned from agri-environment schemes in Australia, in which I discuss the various environmental and economic factors that influence cost-effectiveness. I applied the principles and practices identified through this research in an evaluation of the costeffectiveness of an Australian agri-environment scheme (Paper IV). I found that the total cost per hectare of habitat restored through the scheme was less than half that achieved using conventional designs such as windbreak plantings. Despite such clear benefits of considering cost-effectiveness, through a review of the global agri-environmental literature I show that the integration of economic factors in evaluations of biodiversity outcomes is still lacking and shows little evidence of improving; fewer than 15% of the 239 studies reviewed include any measure of cost-effectiveness (Paper V). The second key theme emphasized the equal importance of combining appropriate measures of effectiveness with detailed financial costs, and focused on two specific actions commonly employed in the conservation of birds in agricultural landscapes: revegetation of cleared land, and the passive restoration of remnant vegetation. Through field evaluations of 84 habitat restoration sites in southeastern New South Wales, I found significantly higher gains in bird species richness, including woodland birds, following revegetation than those from protection of remnant vegetation (Paper VI). Despite the higher cost of revegetation, I show the superior cost-effectiveness of this approach where remnant vegetation is unlikely to cleared under the counterfactual (Paper VII) and the strong influence of site design factors such as geometry in determining cost-effectiveness. In another study (Paper VIII), I demonstrate improved cost-effectiveness of habitat restoration through the integration of economic data in a systematic conservation planning approach that accounted for the temporal dynamics of threatened birds. The third theme explored the potential environmental and
Global Generalized Bianchi Identities for Invariant Variational Problems on Gauge-natural Bundles

We derive both local and global generalized Bianchi identities for classical Lagrangian field theories on gauge-natural bundles. We show that globally defined generalized Bianchi identities can be found without the a pri- ori introduction of a connection. The proof is based on a global decomposition of the variational Lie derivative of the generalized Euler-Lagrange morphism and the representation of the corresponding generalized Jacobi morphism on gauge-natural bundles. In particular, we show that within a gauge-natural invariant Lagrangian variational principle, the gauge-natural lift of infinites- imal principal automorphism is not intrinsically arbitrary. As a consequence the existence of canonical global superpotentials for gauge-natural Noether conserved currents is proved without resorting to additional structures.
A global investigation of key turning points in business process maturity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on the results of research into the precedence of the maturity factors, or key turning points in business process maturity (BPM) implementation efforts. A key turning point is a component of BPM that stabilizes within an organization and leads to the next maturity level.Design/methodology/approach – Several years of data from over 1,000 companies in the USA, Europe, China, and Brazil that have completed a BPM assessment are analyzed to identify which components of BPM stabilize, when and in what order. Different analysis methods are employed in order to identify global commonalities and differences.Findings – The paper identifies key turning points from several different perspectives using several different approaches and develops some conclusions common to all methods used in this research.Research limitations/implications – The relationship between the components (dependencies) is only suggested but not statistically analyzed. Several data sets are also o.
RESPONSE GRADIENT ESTIMATION USING MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING MODELS OF DISCRETE-EVENT SYSTEM SAMPLE PATHS

This paper illustrates the use of mathematical programming in computing gradient estimators. Consistency property of these estimators is established under the usual assumptions for IPA gradient estimator consistency. A finite difference tolerance limit is introduced. For complex discrete-event systems, more concise linear programming representations are developed. These new representations provide a direct way of calculating gradient estimates.
A channeled tRNA cycle during mammalian protein synthesis.

In earlier studies it was shown that the mammalian translation system is highly organized in vivo and that the intermediates in the process, aminoacyl-tRNAs, are channeled--i.e., they are directly transferred from the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases to the elongation factor to the ribosomes without dissociating into the cellular fluid. Here, we examine whether spent tRNAs leaving the ribosome enter the fluid phase or are transferred directly to their cognate aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases to complete a channeled tRNA cycle. Using a permeabilized CHO cell system that closely mimics living cells, we find that there is no leakage of endogenous tRNA during many cycles of translation, and protein synthesis remains linear during this period, even though free aminoacyl-tRNA is known to rapidly equilibrate between the inside and outside of these cells. We also find that exogenous tRNA and periodate-oxidized tRNA have no effect on protein synthesis in this system, indicating that they do not enter the translation machinery, despite the fact that exogenous tRNA rapidly distributes throughout the cells. Furthermore, most of the cellular aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases function only with endogenous tRNAs, although a portion can use exogenous tRNA molecules. However, aminoacylation of these exogenous tRNAs is strongly inhibited by oxidized tRNA; this inhibitor has no effect on endogenous aminoacylation. On the basis of these and the earlier observations, we conclude that endogenous tRNA is never free of the protein synthetic machinery at any stage of the translation process and, consequently, that there is a channeled tRNA cycle during protein synthesis in mammalian cells.
Roles of the C-terminal domains of topoisomerase IIα and topoisomerase IIβ in regulation of the decatenation checkpoint

Abstract Topoisomerase (topo) IIα and IIβ maintain genome stability and are targets for anti-tumor drugs. In this study, we demonstrate that the decatenation checkpoint is regulated, not only by topo IIα, as previously reported, but also by topo IIβ. The decatenation checkpoint is most efficient when both isoforms are present. Regulation of this checkpoint and sensitivity to topo II-targeted drugs is influenced by the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the topo II isoforms and by a conserved non-catalytic tyrosine, Y640 in topo IIα and Y656 in topo IIβ. Deletion of most of the CTD of topo IIα, while preserving the nuclear localization signal (NLS), enhances the decatenation checkpoint and sensitivity to topo II-targeted drugs. In contrast, deletion of most of the CTD of topo IIβ, while preserving the NLS, and mutation of Y640 in topo IIα and Y656 in topo IIβ inhibits these activities. Structural studies suggest that the differential impact of the CTD on topo IIα and topo IIβ function may be due to differences in CTD charge distribution and differential alignment of the CTD with reference to transport DNA. Together these results suggest that topo IIα and topo IIβ cooperate to maintain genome stability, which may be distinctly modulated by their CTDs.
An Incremental High-Utility Mining Algorithm with Transaction Insertion

Association-rule mining is commonly used to discover useful and meaningful patterns from a very large database. It only considers the occurrence frequencies of items to reveal the relationships among itemsets. Traditional association-rule mining is, however, not suitable in real-world applications since the purchased items from a customer may have various factors, such as profit or quantity. High-utility mining was designed to solve the limitations of association-rule mining by considering both the quantity and profit measures. Most algorithms of high-utility mining are designed to handle the static database. Fewer researches handle the dynamic high-utility mining with transaction insertion, thus requiring the computations of database rescan and combination explosion of pattern-growth mechanism. In this paper, an efficient incremental algorithm with transaction insertion is designed to reduce computations without candidate generation based on the utility-list structures. The enumeration tree and the relationships between 2-itemsets are also adopted in the proposed algorithm to speed up the computations. Several experiments are conducted to show the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of runtime, memory consumption, and number of generated patterns.