Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New reachability trees for unbounded Petri nets

Reachability is an important dynamic property of Petri nets. Its determination given an unbounded net and initial marking has remained an open problem since 1960s. Due to its extreme difficulty, a great deal of research has been focused on some subclasses of unbounded nets. For arbitrary ones, this work intends to propose a new reachability tree (NRT), which consists of only but all reachable markings from its initial marking. Furthermore, an NRT-based method to decide deadlocks of unbounded nets is presented. An example is provided to show the new results.
Quantifying the Burden of Rhodesiense Sleeping Sickness in Urambo District, Tanzania

Background Human African trypanosomiasis is a severely neglected vector-borne disease that is always fatal if untreated. In Tanzania it is highly focalised and of major socio-economic and public health importance in affected communities. Objectives This study aimed to estimate the public health burden of rhodesiense HAT in terms of DALYs and financial costs in a highly disease endemic area of Tanzania using hospital records. Materials and Methods Data was obtained from 143 patients admitted in 2004 for treatment for HAT at Kaliua Health Centre, Urambo District. The direct medical and other indirect costs incurred by individual patients and by the health services were calculated. DALYs were estimated using methods recommended by the Global Burden of Disease Project as well as those used in previous rhodesiense HAT estimates assuming HAT under reporting of 45%, a figure specific for Tanzania. Results The DALY estimate for HAT in Urambo District with and without age-weighting were 215.7 (95% CI: 155.3–287.5) and 281.6 (95% CI: 209.1–362.6) respectively. When 45% under-reporting was included, the results were 622.5 (95% CI: 155.3–1098.9) and 978.9 (95% CI: 201.1–1870.8) respectively. The costs of treating 143 patients in terms of admission costs, diagnosis, hospitalization and sleeping sickness drugs were estimated at US$ 15,514, of which patients themselves paid US$ 3,673 and the health services US$ 11,841. The burden in terms of indirect non-medical costs for the 143 patients was estimated at US$ 9,781. Conclusions This study shows that HAT imposes a considerable burden on affected rural communities in Tanzania and stresses the urgent need for location- and disease-specific burden estimates tailored to particular rural settings in countries like Tanzania where a considerable number of infectious diseases are prevalent and, due to their focal nature, are often concentrated in certain locations where they impose an especially high burden.
The Analysis of the Inflorescence miRNome of the Orchid Orchis italica Reveals a DEF-Like MADS-Box Gene as a New miRNA Target

Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, regulatory non-coding RNAs involved in a wide range of biological processes, from organ development to response to stimuli. In recent years, an increasing number of studies on model plant species have highlighted the evolutionary conservation of a high number of miRNA families and the existence of taxon-specific ones. However, few studies have examined miRNAs in non-model species such as orchids, which are characterized by highly diversified floral structures and pollination strategies. Therefore, we analysed a small RNA library of inflorescence tissue of the Mediterranean orchid Orchis italica to increase the knowledge on miRNAs in a non-model plant species. The high-throughput sequencing and analysis of a small RNA library of inflorescence of O. italica revealed 23 conserved and 161 putative novel miRNA families. Among the putative miRNA targets, experimental validation demonstrated that a DEF-like MADS-box transcript is cleaved by the homolog of miR5179 of O. italica. The presence of conserved miRNA families in the inflorescence of O. italica indicates that the basic developmental flower regulatory mechanisms mediated by miRNAs are maintained through evolution. Because, according to the “orchid code” theory, DEF-like genes exert a key function in the diversification of tepals and lip, the cleavage-mediated inhibitory activity of miR5179 on a OitaDEF-like transcript suggests that, in orchids, miRNAs play an important role in the diversification of the perianth organs.
The relationship between stock price, book value and residual income: A panel error correction approach

In this paper we examine the short and long-term relations between stock price, book value and residual income. We employ a panel error correction model, estimated with Engle & Granger’s (1987) two-step procedure and the single equation methodology. The models are estimated with FE-OLS and the MG-estimator. We find that stock prices adjust previous periods equilibrium error. Further, we find that book value has short and long-term effects on stock prices. Finally, this paper finds mixed results regarding residual incomes impact on stock prices. The MG-estimator finds evidence for a short-term relationship, while the FE-OLS provides insignificant or weak support for short-term effects. FE-OLS and MG-estimator find insignificant or weak support regarding residual incomes long-term effects.
Microtubule protofilament number is modulated in a stepwise fashion by the charge density of an enveloping layer.

Microtubules are able to adjust their protofilament (PF) number and, as a consequence, their dynamics and function, to the assembly conditions and presence of cofactors. However, the principle behind such variations is poorly understood. Using synchrotron x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy, we studied how charged membranes, which under certain conditions can envelop pre-assembled MTs, regulate the PF number of those MTs. We show that the mean PF number, , is modulated primarily by the charge density of the membranes. decreases in a stepwise fashion with increasing membrane charge density. does not depend on the membrane-protein stoichiometry or the solution ionic strength. We studied the effect of taxol and found that increases logarithmically with taxol/tubulin stoichiometry. We present a theoretical model, which by balancing the electrostatic and elastic interactions in the system accounts for the trends in our findings and reveals an effective MT bending stiffness of order 10-100 k(B)T/nm, associated with the observed changes in PF number.
Beijing Sublineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Differ in Pathogenicity in the Guinea Pig

ABSTRACT The Beijing family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains is part of lineage 2 (also known as the East Asian lineage). In clinical studies, we have observed that isolates from the sublineage RD207 of lineage 2 were more readily transmitted among humans. To investigate the basis for this difference, we tested representative strains with the characteristic Beijing spoligotype from four of the five sublineages of lineage 2 in the guinea pig model and subjected these strains to comparative whole-genome sequencing. The results of these studies showed that all of the clinical strains were capable of growing and causing lung pathology in guinea pigs after low-dose aerosol exposure. Differences between the abilities of the four sublineages to grow in the lungs of these animals were not overt, but members of RD207 were significantly more pathogenic, resulting in severe lung damage. The RD207 strains also induced much higher levels of markers associated with regulatory T cells and showed a significant loss of activated T cells in the lungs over the course of the infections. Whole-genome sequencing of the strains revealed mutations specific for RD207 which may explain this difference. Based on these data, we hypothesize that the sublineages of M. tuberculosis are associated with distinct pathological and clinical phenotypes and that these differences influence the transmissibility of particular M. tuberculosis strains in human populations.
Addressing the threats to tourism sustainability using systems thinking: a case study of Cat Ba Island, Vietnam

Tourism is a dynamically complex system. Planning for sustainability is therefore difficult because past system behaviour is often not a good indicator of future behaviour. Despite this, tourism planning is mainly based on forecasting methods that rely on historical data to predict future trends with the assumption that tomorrow's world will be much like today's. To properly manage dynamically complex systems it is necessary to understand the underlying system structures that influence current as well as future system behaviour. This is the domain of systems thinking, which is not a forecasting method, rather a method used to understand the feedback mechanisms that influence system behaviour over time. This study describes the link between tourism development and systems thinking theory, and uses this to identify underlying systems structures likely to influence tourism development and sustainability within Cat Ba Island, Vietnam. We show that current policies promoting rapid tourism growth on Cat Ba Island are likely to be fixes that fail due to unintended consequences that ultimately undermine sustainability. To ensure sustainability, the policy focus must switch from growth to planning for limits to growth before tourism carrying capacity is undermined, which could ultimately lead to tourism decline.
Parental Investment in Children: Differential Pathways of Parental Education and Mental Health

This article examines pathways through which parental characteristics might affect children’s cognitive and behavioural outcomes. Using the 2004 Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, I show that more educated and mentally healthier parents are likely to have children with better outcomes. Educated parents are more frequently engaged in education-oriented activities with their children, whereas mentally healthier parents exhibit more favourable parenting practices. To the extent that these results reflect causal relationships, they suggest that parental education and mental health affect children’s outcomes through different pathways.
THE ERA OF STAR FORMATION IN GALAXY CLUSTERS

We analyze the star formation properties of 16 infrared-selected, spectroscopically confirmed galaxy clusters at 1 < z < 1.5 from the Spitzer/IRAC Shallow Cluster Survey (ISCS). We present new spectroscopic confirmation for six of these high-redshift clusters, five of which are at z > 1.35. Using infrared luminosities measured with deep Spitzer/Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer observations at 24 μm, along with robust optical + IRAC photometric redshifts and spectral-energy-distribution-fitted stellar masses, we present the dust-obscured star-forming fractions, star formation rates, and specific star formation rates in these clusters as functions of redshift and projected clustercentric radius. We find that z ∼ 1.4 represents a transition redshift for the ISCS sample, with clear evidence of an unquenched era of cluster star formation at earlier times. Beyond this redshift, the fraction of star-forming cluster members increases monotonically toward the cluster centers. Indeed, the specific star formation rate in the cores of these distant clusters is consistent with field values at similar redshifts, indicating that at z > 1.4 environment-dependent quenching had not yet been established in ISCS clusters. By combining these observations with complementary studies showing a rapid increase in the active galactic nucleus (AGN) fraction, a stochastic star formation history, and a major merging episode at the same epoch in this cluster sample, we suggest that the starburst activity is likely merger-driven and that the subsequent quenching is due to feedback from merger-fueled AGNs. The totality of the evidence suggests we are witnessing the final quenching period that brings an end to the era of star formation in galaxy clusters and initiates the era of passive evolution.
Sustainability: A Philosophy of Adaptive Ecosystem Management

While many disciplines contribute to environmental conservation, there is little successful integration of science and social values. Arguing that the central problem in conservation is a lack of effective communication, Bryan Norton shows in "Sustainability" how current linguistic resources discourage any shared, multidisciplinary public deliberation over environmental goals and policy. In response, Norton develops a new, interdisciplinary approach to defining sustainability - the corner-stone of environmental policy - using philosophical and linguistic analyses to create a nonideological vocabulary that can accommodate scientific and evaluative environmental discourse. Emphasizing cooperation and adaptation through social learning, Norton provides a practical framework that encourages an experimental approach to language clarification and problem formulation, as well as an interdisciplinary approach to creating solutions. By moving beyond the scientific arena to acknowledge the importance of public discourse, "Sustainability" offers an entirely novel approach to environmentalism.
Swim Positioning and its Influence on Triathlon Outcome

Questions have been raised regarding which of the three legs of a triathlon influences the final finishing position. Some coaches subjectively believe that the swim and run are more important than the cycle, especially since the introduction of drafting during the cycle. This study analysed race position shifts between each of the three disciplines to assess the importance of the swim finish position and final finish position during draft legal Olympic distance triathlon events. Ten male and 10 female triathlon world cup events during one season were analysed. The results suggested that the triathlon swim leg is important because the winner exited the water in the first pack in 90% of elite male and 70% of elite female races. Correlations were also derived from finishing order for the whole triathlon and a finishing order that included the swim only, cycle only or run only time. For men, the average correlations for final finishing order with each of the swim, cycle and run, respectively, were 0.49, 0.67 and 0.86 and for the women; average correlations were 0.39, 0.67 and 0.85. Hence, this indicated that it was important to exit the water in the first pack and run well after cycling to achieve a successful final finishing position.
The Corporate Context of Lobbying Activity

Despite extensive research on political activity on the part of corporations, clear and consistent findings remain elusive. We identify three reasons for this failure. First, most of the empirical literature on corporate political activity simply studies the wrong phenomena by examining political action committees rather than lobbying more generally. Second, the literature studies an excessively narrow sample of organizations that might engage in lobbying, focusing almost always on extremely large corporations, which inevitably attenuates variance on many of the variables hypothesized to influence engagement in political activity. And third, prior work is rarely attentive to the diversity of corporate activities, narrowly conceptualizing vital aspects of the business context that might influence decisions to engage in political activity. Based on this critique, we develop and test new models of corporate political activity, finding that the diversity of the economic context within which firms work and firm size matter a great deal, if in ways somewhat different from those reported in prior work.
Ex-ante versus ex-post assessments of the economic benefits of Free Trade Agreements: Lessons from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Much of the current discussion about the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is focused on the potential welfare and employment effects. Supporters of TTIP often support their argument by highlighting the optimistic results of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models. CGE-models are the methodological backbone of most ex-ante impact assessments of free-trade agreements, as for instance published by the European Commission. The objective of this paper is to assess the accurateness of ex-ante studies by scrutinizing the example of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The analysis suggests that a considerable gap exists between ex-ante projections and ex-post evaluations with regard to NAFTA's effects on welfare, wages and employment. Most exante models had a tendency to overestimate the benefits and underestimate the costs of free-trade. The experience of NAFTA reveals the weak credibility of ex-ante simulations. Policy makers should thus treat the formers' results with the appropriate skepticism.
1 Comparison of Compressive Stress-Relaxation Behavior 2 in Osteoarthritic ( ICRS Graded ) Human Articular 3 Cartilage 4

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disorder found mostly in elderly people. The role 21 of mechanical behavior in the progression of OA is complex and remains unclear. The 22 stress-relaxation behavior of human articular cartilage in clinically defined osteoarthritic stages 23 may have importance in diagnosis and prognosis of OA. In this study we investigated differences 24 in the biomechanical responses among human cartilage of ICRS grades I, II and III using polymer 25 dynamics theory. We collected 24 explants of human articular cartilage (eight each of ICRS grade I, 26 II and III) and acquired stress-relaxation data applying a continuous load on the articular surface of 27 each cartilage explant for 1180 s. We observed a significant decrease in Young’s modulus, 28 stress-relaxation time, and stretching exponent in advanced stages of OA (ICRS grade III). The 29 stretch exponential model indicated that significant loss in hyaluronic acid polymer might be the 30 reason for the loss of proteoglycan in advanced OA. This work encourages further biomechanical 31 modelling of osteoarthritic cartilage utilizing these data as input parameters to enhance the fidelity 32 of computational models aimed at revealing how mechanical behaviors play a role in pathogenesis 33 of OA. 34
Shearlet-based regularized reconstruction in region-of-interest computed tomography

Region of interest (ROI) tomography has gained increasing attention in recent years due to its potential to reducing radiation exposure and shortening the scanning time. However, tomographic reconstruction from ROI-focused illumination involves truncated projection data and typically results in higher numerical instability even when the reconstruction problem has unique solution. To address this problem, both ad hoc analytic formulas and iterative numerical schemes have been proposed in the literature. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach for ROI tomographic reconstruction, formulated as a convex optimization problem with a regularized term based on shearlets. Our numerical implementation consists of an iterative scheme based on the scaled gradient projection method and it is tested in the context of fan-beam CT. Our results show that our approach is essentially insensitive to the location of the ROI and remains very stable also when the ROI size is rather small.
Waterpipe use in adolescents in Northern Sweden: Association with mental well-being and risk and health behaviours

Aims: There is a lack of studies examining the association between waterpipe smoking and mental well-being among adolescents. This study sought to determine whether waterpipe smoking is associated with mental well-being and other risk and health behaviours in adolescents. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 1006 adolescents in grades 9–12 (with a response rate of >95%), containing questions on measures of stress, mental energy and sleep. In addition, the questionnaire assessed risk and health behaviours, including use of a waterpipe, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, snus, alcohol, narcotics, gambling and exercise. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with waterpipe use. Results: Thirty-seven per cent (n=371) of the participants had used a waterpipe at some point. Waterpipe use was associated with lower mental energy (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81–0.99), higher stress (OR = 1.10, 95% CI 1.02–1.20) and use of cigarettes (OR = 3.82, 95% CI 2.33–6.03), e-cigarettes (OR = 3.26, 95% CI 2.12–4.99), snus (OR = 2.29, 95% CI 2.12–4.99), alcohol (OR = 1.92, 95% CI 1.07–3.44) and narcotics (OR = 3.64, 95% CI 1.75–7.58). Waterpipe use was not significantly associated with gambling, exercise or sleep quality. Conclusions: Waterpipe use in adolescents is associated with worse mental well-being, as well as use of other nicotine products, alcohol and narcotics. Prospective studies are needed to delineate causal and temporal relationships further between waterpipe use and mental well-being and its relationship to other risky behaviours in order to design effective prevention programs.
Daggy Shirts, Daggy Slogans? Marketing Unions to Young People

In light of declining trade union density, specifically among young workers, this article explores how trade unions recruit, service and organize young people. Our focus is the way in which trade unions market their services to the young. We use, as a lens of analysis, the services and social marketing literature and the concept of an ‘unsought, experience good’ to explore trade union strategy. Based on interviews with a number of union officials in the state of Queensland, it is clear that unions see the issue of recruitment of young people as significant, and that innovative strategies are being used in at least some unions. However, the research also indicates that despite union awareness, strategies are uneven and resource allocation is patchy. While the research was carried out in one state, the results and conclusion are broadly applicable to the Australian labour movement as a whole, and have implications for union movements in other Anglophone countries.