Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Support Vector Machines with Applications

Support vector machines (SVMs) appeared in the early nineties as optimal margin classiers in the context of Vapnikis statistical learning theory. Since then SVMs have been successfully applied to real-world data analysis problems, often providing improved results compared with other techniques. The SVMs operate within the framework of regularization theory by minimizing an empirical risk in a well-posed and consistent way. A clear advantage of the support vector approach is that sparse solutions to classi- cation and regression problems are usually obtained: only a few samples are involved in the determination of the classication or regression functions. This fact facilitates the application of SVMs to problems that involve a large amount of data, such as text processing and bioinformatics tasks. This paper is intended as an introduction to SVMs and their applications, emphasizing their key features. In addition, some algorithmic extensions and illustrative real-world applications of SVMs are shown.
Dynamics simulation of humanoid robots with position-controlled joints and closed kinematic chains

This paper presents a dynamics simulator that can handle complex robotic systems including position-controlled joints and closed kinematic chains. We first extend our prevous algorithm for linear-time forward dynamics algorithm to handle closed kinematic chains. The extended algorithm is formally presented for the first time. We then present another extension that allows position-controlled joints, whose angles exactly follow the reference by perfect servo controllers. This feature is often useful for simple trial simulations only using joint angle commands because the user does not have to design low-level servo controllers for simulation. The simulation can also be performed without precise friction parameters. The algorithm is tested on a humanoid robot having toe joints with four-bar linkage structure.
H∞ Design of Periodically Nonuniform Interpolation and Decimation for Non-Band-Limited Signals

In this paper, we consider signal interpolation of discrete-time signals which are decimated nonuniformly. A conventional interpolation method is based on the sampling theorem, and the resulting system consists of an ideal filter with complex-valued coefficients. While the conventional method assumes band limitation of signals, we propose a new method by sampled-data H∞ optimization. By this method, we can remove the band-limiting assumption and the optimal filter can be with real-valued coefficients. Moreover, we show that without band-limited assumption, there can be the optimal decimation patterns among ones with the same ratio. By examples, we show the effectiveness of our method.
Cooperativity of Nkx3.1 and Pten loss of function in a mouse model of prostate carcinogenesis

Mouse models have provided significant insights into the molecular mechanisms of tumor suppressor gene function. Here we use mouse models of prostate carcinogenesis to demonstrate that the Nkx3.1 homeobox gene undergoes epigenetic inactivation through loss of protein expression. Loss of function of Nkx3.1 in mice cooperates with loss of function of the Pten tumor suppressor gene in cancer progression. This cooperativity results in the synergistic activation of Akt (protein kinase B), a key modulator of cell growth and survival. Our findings underscore the significance of interactions between tissue-specific regulators such as Nkx3.1 and broad-spectrum tumor suppressors such as Pten in contributing to the distinct phenotypes of different cancers.
Thiazide Diuretics, Potassium, and the Development of Diabetes: A Quantitative Review

National guidelines and a recent clinical trial have supported the use of thiazide diuretics as the preferred initial pharmacological treatment for hypertension. However, evidence from this and other clinical trials have also found an increased incidence of new onset diabetes among those patients receiving thiazide diuretics. The mechanisms responsible for the increased incidence of diabetes with thiazide diuretics have not been fully elucidated. This article provides a review of intervention studies that included data on the relation between thiazide-induced hypokalemia and glucose intolerance. We conducted a literature search from 1966 to June 2004 to identify clinical trials using thiazide diuretics where the metabolic effects on potassium and glucose are reported. A total of 59 clinical trials constituting 83 thiazide diuretic study arms were identified. Trial size, length, type of thiazide diuretic, and dose varied substantially among the studies. The association between average changes in potassium and glucose in the study arms is considered jointly in a weighted statistical model. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient, weighted by study sample size, for the relationship between glucose and potassium was −0.54 (95% CI, −0.67 to −0.36; P<0.01). A sensitivity analysis, which considered subset analyses and effect of covariates, as well as inverse-variance weighting, supported this finding. These data suggest that thiazide-induced hypokalemia is associated with increased blood glucose. Treatment of thiazide-induced hypokalemia may reverse glucose intolerance and possibly prevent the future development of diabetes.
Improving Social Inclusion at the Local Level Through the Social Economy: Report for Slovenia

This report has been prepared as part of the Improving Social Inclusion at the Local Level through the Social Economy (CFE/LEED (2008)9/REV1) project. A team of OECD experts visited Korea in May 2009 for a five-day study visit, to examine the role, both real and potential, of the social economy, and the support which could be given to the social economy to allow it to fulfil its potential. This report is based significantly on the available statistics and on material gathered from the study visit, as well as research conducted both prior to, and after, the study visit.
Negative body experience in women with early childhood trauma: associations with trauma severity and dissociation

ABSTRACT Background: A crucial but often overlooked impact of early life exposure to trauma is its far-reaching effect on a person’s relationship with their body. Several domains of body experience may be negatively influenced or damaged as a result of early childhood trauma. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate disturbances in three domains of body experience: body attitude, body satisfaction, and body awareness. Furthermore, associations between domains of body experience and severity of trauma symptoms as well as frequency of dissociation were evaluated. Method: Body attitude was measured with the Dresden Body Image Questionnaire, body satisfaction with the Body Cathexis Scale, and body awareness with the Somatic Awareness Questionnaire in 50 female patients with complex trauma and compared with scores in a non-clinical female sample (n = 216). Patients in the clinical sample also filled out the Davidson Trauma Scale and the Dissociation Experience Scale. Results: In all measured domains, body experience was severely affected in patients with early childhood trauma. Compared with scores in the non-clinical group, effect sizes in Cohen’s d were 2.7 for body attitude, 1.7 for body satisfaction, and 0.8 for body awareness. Associations between domains of body experience and severity of trauma symptoms were low, as were the associations with frequency of dissociative symptoms. Conclusions: Early childhood trauma in women is associated with impairments in self-reported body experience that warrant careful assessment in the treatment of women with psychiatric disorders.
Mnemonic coding of visual space in the monkey's dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

1. An oculomotor delayed-response task was used to examine the spatial memory functions of neurons in primate prefrontal cortex. Monkeys were trained to fixate a central spot during a brief presentation (0.5 s) of a peripheral cue and throughout a subsequent delay period (1-6 s), and then, upon the extinction of the fixation target, to make a saccadic eye movement to where the cue had been presented. Cues were usually presented in one of eight different locations separated by 45 degrees. This task thus requires monkeys to direct their gaze to the location of a remembered visual cue, controls the retinal coordinates of the visual cues, controls the monkey's oculomotor behavior during the delay period, and also allows precise measurement of the timing and direction of the relevant behavioral responses. 2. Recordings were obtained from 288 neurons in the prefrontal cortex within and surrounding the principal sulcus (PS) while monkeys performed this task. An additional 31 neurons in the frontal eye fields (FEF) region within and near the anterior bank of the arcuate sulcus were also studied. 3. Of the 288 PS neurons, 170 exhibited task-related activity during at least one phase of this task and, of these, 87 showed significant excitation or inhibition of activity during the delay period relative to activity during the intertrial interval. 4. Delay period activity was classified as directional for 79% of these 87 neurons in that significant responses only occurred following cues located over a certain range of visual field directions and were weak or absent for other cue directions. The remaining 21% were omnidirectional, i.e., showed comparable delay period activity for all visual field locations tested. Directional preferences, or lack thereof, were maintained across different delay intervals (1-6 s). 5. For 50 of the 87 PS neurons, activity during the delay period was significantly elevated above the neuron's spontaneous rate for at least one cue location; for the remaining 37 neurons only inhibitory delay period activity was seen. Nearly all (92%) neurons with excitatory delay period activity were directional and few (8%) were omnidirectional. Most (62%) neurons with purely inhibitory delay period activity were directional, but a substantial minority (38%) was omnidirectional. 6. Fifteen of the neurons with excitatory directional delay period activity also had significant inhibitory delay period activity for other cue directions. These inhibitory responses were usually strongest for, or centered about, cue directions roughly opposite those optimal for excitatory responses. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Voting by Successive Elimination and Strategic Candidacy

We study the impact of strategic choices of self-interested candidates of whether or not to enter an election. We focus on strategic candidacy in the context of the tree and binary voting procedures used by small groups such as committees. We offer a comprehensive analysis for the special but important case of voting by successive elimination. Strategic candidacy slightly enlarges the set of candidates that can be equilibrium outcomes relative to the traditional analysis which takes the set of candidates as fixed. Pareto-dominated candidates can be elected in equilibrium under voting by successive elimination when strategic candidacy is considered, in contrast with a fixed set of candidates. Journal of Economic Litterature Classification Numbers: D71, D72.
Average-case complexity of shortest-paths problems

We study both upper and lower bounds on the average-case complexity of shortestpaths algorithms. It is proved that the all-pairs shortest-paths problem on n-vertex networks can be solved in time O(n2 logn) with high probability with respect to various probability distributions on the set of inputs. Our results include the first theoretical analysis of the average behavior of shortest-paths algorithms with respect to the vertex-potential model, a family of probability distributions on complete networks with arbitrary real arc costs but without negative cycles. We also generalize earlier work with respect to the common uniform model, and we correct the analysis of an algorithm with respect to the endpoint-independent model. For the algorithm that solves the all-pairs shortest-paths problem on networks generated according to the vertex-potential model, a key ingredient is an algorithm that solves the single-source shortest-paths problem on such networks in time O(n) with high probability. All algorithms mentioned exploit that with high probability, the single-source shortest-paths problem can be solved correctly by considering only a rather sparse subset of the arc set. We prove a lower bound indicating the limitations of this approach. In a fairly general probabilistic model, any algorithm solving the single-source shortest-paths problem has to inspect Ω(n logn) arcs with high probability. Kurzzusammenfassung. In dieser Arbeit werden sowohl obere als auch untere Schranken für die average-case-Komplexität von Kürzeste-Wege-Algorithmen untersucht. Wir beweisen für verschiedene Wahrscheinlichkeitsverteilungen auf Netzwerken mit n Knoten, dass das all-pairs shortestpaths problem mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit in Zeit O(n2 logn) gelöst werden kann. Insbesondere können wir dieses Laufzeit für einen Algorithmus beweisen, dessen Eingaben gemäß des vertexpotential model erzeugt werden, einer Familie von Wahrscheinlichkeitsverteilungen auf vollständigen Netzwerke mit reellen Kantenkosten, die jedoch keine negative Kreise besitzen. Theoretische Ergebnisse für dieses Eingabemodell waren bislang nicht bekannt. Wir verallgemeinern außerdem frühere Arbeit bezüglich des uniform model und korrigieren die Laufzeit-Analyse eines Algorithmus bezüglich des endpoint-independent model. Der Algorithmus, der das all-pairs shortest-paths problem auf Netzwerken löst, die gemäß des vertex-potential model erzeugt werden, baut entscheidend darauf auf, dass wir auch einen Algorithmus entwickeln, der das single-source shortest-paths problem auf solchen Netzwerken mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit in Zeit O(n) löst. Alle bislang erwähnten Algorithmen nutzen aus, dass das single-source shortest-paths problem auch dann mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit korrekt gelöst werden kann, wenn wir nur einen Teil der Kantenmenge betrachten. Wir beweisen eine untere Schranke, die die Grenzen dieses Reduktionsansatzes belegt. Auf einer Klasse von Netzwerken mit ganzzahligen Kantenkosten muss jeder Algorithmus mit hoher Wahrscheinlichkeit Ω(n logn) Kanten inspizieren, um das single-source shortest-paths problem zu lösen.
Intraductal mass on breast ultrasound: final outcomes and predictors of malignancy.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the final outcomes of intraductal masses on breast ultrasound and determine the clinical and radiologic variables associated with malignancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A database search (2006-2008) was performed to find patients who had an intraductal mass on breast ultrasound. Histopathologic or ultrasound follow-up (> 24 months) data were available from 147 women (mean age, 49.8 years) with 163 intraductal masses. Clinical and radiologic variables (age, symptom, personal and family history, lesion size, and distance from the nipple) and pathologic results were collected. Ultrasound features of the intraductal masses were reviewed by two radiologists in consensus and classified into three morphologic types: mass incompletely filling the duct, mass completely filling the duct, and mass extending outside the duct. Involvement of a branch duct was also analyzed. Associations between variables and final outcomes were analyzed using chi-square tests and Student t tests. RESULTS Thirteen (8%) of the 163 intraductal masses were malignant (10 ductal carcinomas in situ and three invasive ductal carcinomas). Malignancy was significantly associated with symptoms (p = 0.008) and personal history of breast cancer (p < 0.007). Malignant intraductal masses were larger than benign intraductal masses (1.4 cm vs 0.9 cm, p = 0.02). Malignant intraductal masses tended to fill the duct more completely or extend outside the duct (p < 0.001), and they more frequently involved the branch duct (p < 0.001) than did the benign intraductal masses. CONCLUSION Our study showed that 8% of intraductal masses are malignant. Symptoms, personal history, lesion size, and ultrasound features can be possible predictors of malignancy.
The Role of Multiple Marks in Epigenetic Silencing and the Emergence of a Stable Bivalent Chromatin State

We introduce and analyze a minimal model of epigenetic silencing in budding yeast, built upon known biomolecular interactions in the system. Doing so, we identify the epigenetic marks essential for the bistability of epigenetic states. The model explicitly incorporates two key chromatin marks, namely H4K16 acetylation and H3K79 methylation, and explores whether the presence of multiple marks lead to a qualitatively different systems behavior. We find that having both modifications is important for the robustness of epigenetic silencing. Besides the silenced and transcriptionally active fate of chromatin, our model leads to a novel state with bivalent (i.e., both active and silencing) marks under certain perturbations (knock-out mutations, inhibition or enhancement of enzymatic activity). The bivalent state appears under several perturbations and is shown to result in patchy silencing. We also show that the titration effect, owing to a limited supply of silencing proteins, can result in counter-intuitive responses. The design principles of the silencing system is systematically investigated and disparate experimental observations are assessed within a single theoretical framework. Specifically, we discuss the behavior of Sir protein recruitment, spreading and stability of silenced regions in commonly-studied mutants (e.g., sas2 , dot1 ) illuminating the controversial role of Dot1 in the systems biology of yeast silencing.
Integrating biogeographic and genetic approaches to investigate the history of bioluminescent colour alleles in the Jamaican click beetle, Pyrophorus plagiophthalamus

Bioluminescent colour in the Jamaican click beetle, Pyrophorus plagiophthalamus, is an ideal system for studies moving from gene to landscape to gain a holistic understanding of the molecular, ecological, and historical bases for adaptation. Previous studies have established the genetics of bioluminescent colour variation in the beetle to the level of the nucleotide base pair in the target gene luciferase. Three different luciferase colour alleles affecting ventral light organ colour [yellow‐green (vYG), yellow (vYE), and orange (vOR)] were found segregating in P. plagiophthalamus populations. These alleles differ from each other in a number of replacement mutations (14 total), the majority of which (11) have a measurable effect on colour. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a long‐term adaptive trend on Jamaica towards longer wavelength bioluminescence, culminating in the most recently derived vOR allele. Here, we further investigate the historical and geographic context of adaptive colour evolution by testing a vicariance model for the origins of the extant ventral light organ polymorphism: that the vOR allele arose and differentiated in an isolated deme on the east side of Jamaica before spreading westward. Comparisons of colour phenotypes, luciferase coding sequences, the third intron of the gene, mtDNA, and microsatellite data provided evidence for past population subdivision on Jamaica and ongoing gene flow, as has been found for other island endemics. However, the pattern of differentiation supported the allopatric divergence of vYG and vYE alleles. The vOR gene appears to have arisen relatively recently from a vYE precursor and postdates the period of major biogeographic isolation. We discuss the implications of the results for discerning ecological causation in the adaptive sequence from nucleotide to landscape to population change for bioluminescent colour.
National Intellectual Capital Index : A United Nations Initiative for the Arab Region

The intellectual capital of a nation (or a region of nations as is the case for this paper) requires the articulation of a system of variables that helps to uncover and manage the invisible wealth of a country. Most importantly, an emphasis on human capital allows for a better understanding of the hidden values, individuals, enterprises, institutions, and communities that are both current and potential future sources of intellectual wealth. This paper endeavours to address the following five research questions: 1) What is the current state of intellectual capital development in the Arab region? 2) What is the current state of the sub-components of intellectual capital development in the Arab region including human capital and structural capital (i.e., market capital, process capital and renewal capital)? 3) What are the dominant metrics and measures that identify and explain intellectual capital development in the region? 4) What are the antecedents and outcomes that explain the patterns of intellectual capital development in the region? and 5) What are the implications for future development of intellectual capital in the region? The main outcomes of this paper are the development of a national intellectual capital measurement methodology and index. The NICI is also used within a structural equation model to test several hypotheses related to national intellectual capital development.
Individual differences in oscillatory brain activity in response to varying attentional demands during a word recall and oculomotor dual task

Every day, we face situations that involve multi-tasking. How our brain utilizes cortical resources during multi-tasking is one of many interesting research topics. In this study, we tested whether a dual-task can be differentiated in the neural and behavioral responses of healthy subjects with varying degree of working memory capacity (WMC). We combined word recall and oculomotor tasks because they incorporate common neural networks including the fronto-parietal (FP) network. Three different types of oculomotor tasks (eye fixation, Fix-EM; predictive and random smooth pursuit eye movement, P-SPEM and R-SPEM) were combined with two memory load levels (low-load: five words, high-load: 10 words) for a word recall task. Each of those dual-task combinations was supposed to create varying cognitive loads on the FP network. We hypothesize that each dual-task requires different cognitive strategies for allocating the brain’s limited cortical resources and affects brain oscillation of the FP network. In addition, we hypothesized that groups with different WMC will show differential neural and behavioral responses. We measured oscillatory brain activity with simultaneous MEG and EEG recordings and behavioral performance by word recall. Prominent frontal midline (FM) theta (4–6 Hz) synchronization emerged in the EEG of the high-WMC group experiencing R-SPEM with high-load conditions during the early phase of the word maintenance period. Conversely, significant parietal upper alpha (10–12 Hz) desynchronization was observed in the EEG and MEG of the low-WMC group experiencing P-SPEM under high-load conditions during the same period. Different brain oscillatory patterns seem to depend on each individual’s WMC and varying attentional demands from different dual-task combinations. These findings suggest that specific brain oscillations may reflect different strategies for allocating cortical resources during combined word recall and oculomotor dual-tasks.