Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bayesian Parameter Estimation for Latent Markov Random Fields and Social Networks

Undirected graphical models are widely used in statistics, physics, and machine vision. However, Bayesian parameter estimation for undirected models is extremely challenging, since evaluation of the posterior typically involves the calculation of an intractable normalizing constant. This problem has received much attention, but very little of this has focused on the important practical case where the data consist of noisy or incomplete observations of the underlying hidden structure. This article specifically addresses this problem, comparing two alternate methodologies. In the first of these approaches, particle Markov chain Monte Carlo (Andrieu, Doucet, and Holenstein) is used to efficiently explore the parameter space, combined with the exchange algorithm (Murray, Ghahramani, and MacKay) for avoiding the calculation of the intractable normalizing constant (a proof showing that this combination targets the correct distribution is given in Appendix A available in the online supplementary materials). This approach is compared with approximate Bayesian computation (Pritchard et al.). Applications to estimating the parameters of Ising models and exponential random graphs from noisy data are presented. Each algorithm used in the article targets an approximation to the true posterior due to the use of Markov chain Monte Carlo method (MCMC) to simulate from the latent graphical model, in lieu of being able to do this exactly, in general. Appendix B (online supplementary materials) also describes the nature of the resulting approximation. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Increased expression of the chemoattractant cytokines eotaxin, monocyte chemotactic protein-4, and interleukin-16 in induced sputum in asthmatic patients.

BACKGROUND Induced sputum from asthmatic patients has been recently used to assess inflammatory cells. We have previously reported an increased expression of Th-2-type cytokines in induced sputum of asthmatic patients. C-C chemokines, particularly eotaxin and monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-4, are associated with eosinophilic infiltration. Interleukin (IL)-16 is associated with chemotactic activity for CD4+ cells. Chemokine expression in BAL and bronchial biopsy specimens has been demonstrated in asthmatic airways, but not in induced sputum. METHODS We examined whether eotaxin, MCP-4, and IL-16 expression could be detected in induced sputum of asthmatic patients (n = 10), and whether the expression was increased compared to normal control subjects (n = 9). Eotaxin, MCP-4, and IL-16 immunoreactivity were determined by immunocytochemistry. In addition, inflammatory cells were investigated using markers for T cells (CD3), eosinophils (major basic protein [MBP]), macrophages (CD68), neutrophils (elastase), and epithelial cells (cytokeratin). RESULTS Our results showed that there was a significant difference in the percentages of MBP-positive and epithelial cells between asthmatic patients and normal control subjects (p < 0.05). However, there was no difference between these two groups in the percentage of CD3-, elastase-, and CD68-positive cells. Immunoreactivity for eotaxin, MCP-4, and IL-16 was expressed in the induced sputum of all asthmatic patients, and expression of these chemotactic cytokines was significantly greater than in control subjects (p < 0.001, p < 0.005, and p < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that induced sputum could be used to detect chemokines in patients with bronchial asthma, and that the upregulation of chemotactic cytokines in the airways can be seen using noninvasive techniques.
Binocular Integration of Pattern Motion Signals by MT Neurons and by Human Observers

Analysis of the movement of a complex visual stimulus is expressed in the responses of pattern-direction-selective neurons in area MT, which depend in turn on directionally selective inputs from area V1. How do MT neurons integrate their inputs? Pattern selectivity in MT breaks down when the gratings comprising a moving plaid are presented to non-overlapping regions of the (monocular) receptive field. Here we ask an analogous question, is pattern selectivity maintained when the component gratings are presented dichoptically to binocular MT neurons? We recorded from single units in area MT, measuring responses to monocular gratings and plaids, and to dichoptic plaids in which the components are presented separately to each eye. Neurons that are pattern selective when tested monocularly lose this selectivity when stimulated with dichoptic plaids. When human observers view these same stimuli, dichoptic plaids induce binocular rivalry. Yet motion signals from each eye can be integrated despite rivalry, revealing a dissociation of form and motion perception. These results reveal the role of monocular mechanisms in the computation of pattern motion in single neurons, and demonstrate that the perception of motion is not fully represented by the responses of individual MT neurons.
The model of hierarchical complexity as a measurement system

The model of hierarchical complexity (mhc) is a mathematical model based on the “Theory of Measurement” that has gone through a number of iterations as a measurement system (Commons, Goodheart, Pekker, et al., 2005; Commons & Pekker, 2008; Commons & Richards, 1984a, 1984b; Commons, Trudeau, Stein, et all, 1998). It sets forth the measurement system by which actions are put into a hierarchical order and each order is assigned an ordinal number. In this paper, the components of the model will be described: actions and tasks, measurement and operations, and the axioms, followed by an articulation of emerging properties from axioms, and then a description of orders of hierarchical complexity of tasks. These are a reworked smaller set of axioms, which are more measurement-theoretical in nature. They also parallel the informal conditions underlying the kind of complexity that the mhc entails.
Enhancing the Power of Genetic Association Studies through the Use of Silver Standard Cases Derived from Electronic Medical Records

The feasibility of using imperfectly phenotyped “silver standard” samples identified from electronic medical record diagnoses is considered in genetic association studies when these samples might be combined with an existing set of samples phenotyped with a gold standard technique. An analytic expression is derived for the power of a chi-square test of independence using either research-quality case/control samples alone, or augmented with silver standard data. The subset of the parameter space where inclusion of silver standard samples increases statistical power is identified. A case study of dementia subjects identified from electronic medical records from the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) network, combined with subjects from two studies specifically targeting dementia, verifies these results.
When Domains Spill Over

Life is filled with the demands of work and family. When conflict exists in one domain, research indicates it can spill over and affect the other. In corrections, many workplace factors have been shown to affect the organizational commitment of staff. As staff are the most valuable resource in this labor intensive field, this study focused on the effects of two types of organizational commitment (affective and continuance) on three work–family conflict variables (time based, strain based, and behavior based). Using ordinary least squares regression analysis of survey data from 160 correctional staff at a Midwest private prison, the results indicated that as affective commitment rises, all three work-on-family conflict variables decreased. Conversely, when continuance commitment rose, all three work-on-family conflict variables increased as well. Surprisingly, both forms of commitment had nonsignificant associations with family-on-work conflict. The only significant control variable was age, which revealed that older staff had less conflict between work and family.
Gender and Status Asthmaticus

Background. Adult women may be more susceptible to asthma than men. Hypothesis. Women are more likely to develop status asthmaticus (SA) requiring critical care. Methods. The medical records of patients admitted to our medical intensive care unit (ICU) for SA between 1994 and 2000 were examined. A number of demographic and physiologic variables were extracted from the medical records. Results. Of 103 total admissions, 53 (of 37 patients) were age <50 years and had clinical evidence suggesting SA. Among these 37 patients, the average (±SE) age was 30.8 ± 1.0 y with average acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II of 9.5 ± 0.8. Seventeen patients were Hispanic, 13 were black, and 7 were white. Twenty-four patients (accounting for 37 admissions) were female and 13 patients (16 admissions) were male. Although women accounted for a greater absolute number of endotracheal intubations (ETI; 17 vs. 12) and were more likely to be admitted to ICU more than once (7 vs. 3), men had a higher incidence of ETI (RR = 1.6; 95%CI = 1.04–2.6). The need for using therapeutic permissive hypercapnia and lengths of stay (ventilator, ICU, and hospital) were similar between men and women. Two patients, both women, died of causes not related to treatment of SA. Conclusions. These data suggest that although women accounted for more ICU admissions for SA, men were more likely to require ETI.
Poised to prosper? A cross-system comparison of climate change effects on native and non-native species performance.

Climate change and biological invasions are primary threats to global biodiversity that may interact in the future. To date, the hypothesis that climate change will favour non-native species has been examined exclusively through local comparisons of single or few species. Here, we take a meta-analytical approach to broadly evaluate whether non-native species are poised to respond more positively than native species to future climatic conditions. We compiled a database of studies in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems that reported performance measures of non-native (157 species) and co-occurring native species (204 species) under different temperature, CO(2) and precipitation conditions. Our analyses revealed that in terrestrial (primarily plant) systems, native and non-native species responded similarly to environmental changes. By contrast, in aquatic (primarily animal) systems, increases in temperature and CO(2) largely inhibited native species. There was a general trend towards stronger responses among non-native species, including enhanced positive responses to more favourable conditions and stronger negative responses to less favourable conditions. As climate change proceeds, aquatic systems may be particularly vulnerable to invasion. Across systems, there could be a higher risk of invasion at sites becoming more climatically hospitable, whereas sites shifting towards harsher conditions may become more resistant to invasions.
Salvianolic acid A reverses the paclitaxel resistance and inhibits the migration and invasion abilities of human breast cancer cells by inactivating transgelin 2

Multidrug resistance and tumor migration and invasion are the major obstacles to effective breast cancer chemotherapy, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the potential of transgelin 2 and salvianolic acid A to modulate the resistance and the migration and invasion abilities of paclitaxel-resistant human breast cancer cells (MCF-7/PTX). MCF-7/PTX cells were found to exhibit not only a high degree of resistance to paclitaxel, but also strong migration and invasion abilities. Small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of TAGLN2 sensitized the MCF-7/PTX cells to paclitaxel, and inhibited their migration and invasion abilities. In addition, we also observed that combined salvianolic acid A and paclitaxel treatment could reverse paclitaxel resistance, markedly inhibit tumor migration and invasion, and suppress the expression of transgelin 2 in MCF-7/PTX cells. These findings indicate that salvianolic acid A can reverse the paclitaxel resistance and inhibit the migration and invasion abilities of human breast cancer cells by down-regulating the expression of transgelin 2, and hence could be useful in breast cancer treatments
Comment on Activation of Visual Pigments by Light and Heat (Science 332, 1307-312, 2011)

It is known that the Arrhenius equation, based on the Boltzmann distribution, can model only a part (e.g. half of the activation energy) for retinal discrete dark noise observed for vertebrate rod and cone pigments. Luo et al (Science, 332, 1307-312, 2011) presented a new approach to explain this discrepancy by showing that applying the Hinshelwood distribution instead the Boltzmann distribution in the Arrhenius equation solves the problem successfully. However, a careful reanalysis of the methodology and results shows that the approach of Luo et al is questionable and the results found do not solve the problem completely. One Sentence Summary: Retinal discrete dark noise cannot be completely explained by thermal activation based on the approach of Luo et al.
Layer moduli during HVS testing : comparing laboratory results with backcalculations from FWD and MDD deflections ”

During Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) testing of four flexible pavement sections at University of California, Berkeley, Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) tests were carried out, both on the test sections and on non-loaded areas. Deflections were also measured under the rolling wheel of the HVS, at several depths, using Multi Depth Deflectometers (MDD). At the same time, extensive laboratory testing was performed on the different layer materials to determine their mechanical properties.
Docosahexaenoic acid lowers cardiac mitochondrial enzyme activity by replacing linoleic acid in the phospholipidome

Cardiac mitochondrial phospholipid acyl chains regulate respiratory enzymatic activity. In several diseases, the rodent cardiac phospholipidome is extensively rearranged; however, whether specific acyl chains impair respiratory enzyme function is unknown. One unique remodeling event in the myocardium of obese and diabetic rodents is an increase in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels. Here, we first confirmed that cardiac DHA levels are elevated in diabetic humans relative to controls. We then used dietary supplementation of a Western diet with DHA as a tool to promote cardiac acyl chain remodeling and to study its influence on respiratory enzyme function. DHA extensively remodeled the acyl chains of cardiolipin (CL), monolyso-CL, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine. Moreover, DHA lowered enzyme activities of respiratory complexes I, IV, V, and I + III. Mechanistically, the reduction in enzymatic activities was not driven by a dramatic reduction in the abundance of supercomplexes. Instead, replacement of tetralinoleoyl-CL with tetradocosahexaenoyl-CL in biomimetic membranes prevented formation of phospholipid domains that regulate enzyme activity. Tetradocosahexaenoyl-CL inhibited domain organization due to favorable Gibbs free energy of phospholipid mixing. Furthermore, in vitro substitution of tetralinoleoyl-CL with tetradocosahexaenoyl-CL blocked complex IV binding. Finally, reintroduction of linoleic acid, via fusion of phospholipid vesicles to mitochondria isolated from DHA-fed mice, rescued the major losses in the mitochondrial phospholipidome and complexes I, IV, and V activities. Altogether, our results show that replacing linoleic acid with DHA lowers select cardiac enzyme activities by potentially targeting domain organization and phospholipid–protein binding, which has implications for the ongoing debate about polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiac health.
The process of deinstitutionalization: an international overview

The process of deinstitutionalization has led to the closing or downsizing of former asylums and to the development of community-based mental health care models in many countries, most notably in Western Europe, North America and Australia/New Zealand. The quality of the resulting community mental care systems varies substantially across countries worldwide, depending on various factors such as financial resources and social acceptance of deinstitutionalization. Confinement of those with dangerous behaviours, the right of mentally ill people as members of the community, their successful integration in the community and access to employment and housing are some of the challenges facing countries with advanced deinstitutionalization. In others, the process of de-hospitalization is still under way. Future research may utilize international comparisons to analyse deinstitutionalization processes from a sociological and historical perspective and focus on evaluating new forms of institutionalized care in the community, in particular, models of supported housing.
Dispersion Compensation

D to the steady growth in demand for bandwidth, the days when optical fiber was viewed as having unlimited capacity have come to an end. Dispersion, noise, and nonlinearities pose substantial channel impairments that need to be overcome. As a result, over the last decade, signal processing has emerged as a key technology to the advancement of low-cost, high-data rate optical communication systems. The unrelenting progress of semiconductor technology exemplified by Moore’s Law provides an efficient platform for implementing signal processing techniques in the electrical domain leading to what is known as electronic dispersion compensation (EDC). In this article, we provide an overview of some of the driving factors that limit the performance of optical links and highlight some of the potential opportunities for the signal processing community to make substantial contributions.
Molecular Changes Evoked by Triethylenetetramine Treatment in the Extracellular Matrix of the Heart and Aorta in Diabetic Rats

Most patients with diabetes die from cardiac or arterial disease, for which there are limited therapeutic options. Free Cu2+ ions are strongly pro-oxidant, and chelatable-CuII is increased in the diabetic heart. We reported previously that treatment by CuII-selective chelation with triethylenetetramine (TETA) evokes elevated urinary CuII in diabetic rats and humans in whom it also improved hallmarks of established left ventricular (LV) disease. Here, we treated diabetic rats with TETA and evaluated its ability to ameliorate Cu2+-mediated LV and arterial damage by modifying the expression of molecular targets that included transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, Smad4, extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD), and heparan sulfate (HS). Eight-weeks of TETA treatment significantly improved cardiac diastolic function but not [glucose]plasma in diabetic animals. LV and aortic mRNAs corresponding to TGF-β1, Smad4, collagen types I, III, and IV, and fibronectin-1, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, were elevated in untreated diabetic animals and normalized after TETA treatment. EC-SOD mRNA and protein, and [HS]tissue were significantly decreased in diabetes and restored by drug treatment. Candidate molecular mechanisms by which TETA could ameliorate diabetic cardiac and arteriovascular disease include the suppression of an activated TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway that mediates increased ECM gene expression and restoration of normal EC-SOD and HS regulation. These findings are relevant to the restoration toward normal by TETA treatment of cardiac and arterial structure and function in diabetes.
A model of growth and migration.

"This paper contains a model with which the desirability of persistent urbanization can be examined. There are two regions: city and countryside. Joint restrictions on the technologies in each region and on preferences over the goods produced in each region are the driving force of migration. In equilibrium there is persistent migration from the countryside to the city. Even though there are externalities in production, the competitive equilibrium is Pareto optimal. " (SUMMARY IN FRE)
Against Correspondence: A Constructivist View of Experiment and the Real

Contemporary philosophical debate on realism revolves around the interpretation of theories well confirmed by experiment. This paper seeks to rebalance the debate by focussing attention upon experimental practice itself. It argues that the production of observation reports entails the interactive stabilisation of three elements: material experimental practice, instrumental modelling of that practice, and phenomenal modelling of the material world. The entanglement of these three elements is exemplified in a historical case study. Such entanglements block correspondence realism and point, instead, to an anticorrespondence realism which requires a constructivist analysis of scientific practice for its full articulation.
Thirty Years of Nursing Turnover Research

Despite the substantial amount of useful prior work on turnover among nurses, our understanding of the causal mechanisms explaining why nurses voluntarily leave their jobs is limited. The purpose of this article is to promote the development of stronger conceptual models of the causes of voluntary turnover among nurses. The author compares the nursing-specific literature to research on voluntary turnover from the general management field over the past 30 years and examines the evolution of key theories used in the nursing literature. Results of this review comparing nursing research with that in the broader field suggest that, over time, nursing research has not kept pace with conceptualizations from general management explaining why people either remain at or quit their jobs. The author argues that conceptual models of turnover among nurses can benefit significantly from drawing more effectively on particular models and concepts available in general management studies of turnover.
The Dependent Variable in Social Media Use

What is the dependent variable in social media use? From a research perspective, this is a pertinent question to help explain and understand the behaviors that underpin the widespread adoption and use of social media throughout society. From a practical perspective, the question is relevant for social media technology providers, for businesses that use social media, and community organizations that turn towards social media to reach out to their constituents. We propose the construct ‘sense of community’ as the dependent variable, which is reflected in four sub-constructs related to the behaviors of social media users. These behaviors are information seeking, hedonic activities, sustaining of strong ties and extending weak ties. Empirical evidence for these constructs comes from a survey of social media use by 18-25 year-olds in Indonesia, a country with exceptionally high utilization of social media. We outline practical implications of the findings and areas for further theoretical development.