Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fractional Max-Pooling

Convolutional networks almost always incorporate some form of spatial pooling, and very often it is max-pooling with = 2. Max-pooling act on the hidden layers of the network, reducing their size by an integer multiplicative factor . The amazing by product of discarding 75% of your data is that you build into the network a degree of invariance with respect to translations and elastic distortions. However, if you simply alternate convolutional layers with max-pooling layers, performance is limited due to the rapid reduction in spatial size, and the disjoint nature of the pooling regions. We have formulated a fractional version of max-pooling where is allowed to take non-integer values. Our version of maxpooling is stochastic as there are lots of different ways of constructing suitable pooling regions. We find that our form of fractional max-pooling reduces overfitting on a variety of datasets: for instance, we improve on the state of the art for CIFAR-100 without even using dropout.
A Comparison of Libor to Other Measures of Bank Borrowing Costs

Libor is a survey-based measure of bank borrowing costs that plays a central role in fixed-income markets. There is an active discussion about how well Libor summarized funding conditions during the recent financial crisis. In this paper we match and compare bank Libor survey responses to two novel measures of borrowing rates: 1) bank bids at the Federal Reserve Term Auction Facility and 2) inferences of term borrowing from Fedwire payments data. We find that Libor survey responses broadly track these alternative measures between 2007-09, although Libor lies below them at certain times, particularly at the height of the crisis. Libor quotes are also less diffuse than rates from the matched TAF and Fedwire data. We discuss a range of factors that could account for these differences. We also find that other public data beyond Libor are moderately informative about bank funding costs.
Identification Accuracy of Adolescent Eyewitnesses: The Role of Familiarity and Lineup Procedure

The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of familiarity and lineup procedure on eyewitness identification accuracy. Familiarity was manipulated wherein adolescent participants (N = 623): (1) met with and directly interacted with a confederate, (2) indirectly interacted with a confederate, or (3) did not meet a confederate, before they viewed a crime video in which the confederate was the perpetrator. Three commonly used lineup procedures (i.e., simultaneous, sequential, and elimination-plus) were used, and the presence of the target also was manipulated. Overall, familiarity and lineup procedure impacted identification accuracy, such that in target-present lineups, witnesses were more likely to make a correct identification when they were more familiar (i.e., had direct interaction) with the perpetrator and the sequential procedure was used. Furthermore, in target-absent lineups, witnesses were more likely to make a correct rejection when they were more familiar (i.e., had direct interaction) with the perpetrator and the simultaneous or elimination-plus procedure was used. Taken together, these findings suggest that familiarity, in terms of having a direct interaction with a perpetrator before the commission of a crime, positively influences identification accuracy. Furthermore, these findings provide new, important information regarding the simultaneous-sequential debate and the utility of commonly used lineup procedures when the witness is familiar with the perpetrator.
Economic and Statistical Significance of Disposition Effect and Momentum in the US Stock Market

Disposition effect is the tendency of investors to ride losses and lock in gains. Capital gains overhang is a quantity used in prior literature to construct hypothesis tests for the existence of the disposition effect using publicly available stock market data. This quantity estimates the difference between the current price of a stock and the average price at which the currently held shares of the stock have been purchased by their current owners. Momentum effect is the tendency of the recent price trends to persist. We construct a number of trading strategies based on the capital gains overhang and momentum. We use the US stock market data to show that these strategies were consistently profitable during 1980-2013, and negatively correlated with the market. These conclusions hold even after eliminating small-cap and small-price stocks that may be difficult to trade, and after introducing a realistic trading cost for every transaction. We find a high empirical correlation between the strategies based on momentum and on the capital gains overhang, and argue that the former may be preferable for practitioners because of better performance and simpler implementation. These results also suggest that, rather than measuring the disposition effect, the capital gains overhang may simply be a proxy for momentum. Our findings would be of interest to portfolio managers, quantitative traders, researchers who analyze financial signals, as well as ordinary investors seeking to avoid common investor biases.
Preparation and Characterization of New Geopolymer-Epoxy Resin Hybrid Mortars

The preparation and characterization of metakaolin-based geopolymer mortars containing an organic epoxy resin are presented here for the first time. The specimens have been prepared by means of an innovative in situ co-reticulation process, in mild conditions, of commercial epoxy based organic resins and geopolymeric slurry. In this way, geopolymer based hybrid mortars characterized by a different content of normalized sand (up to 66% in weight) and by a homogeneous dispersion of the organic resin have been obtained. Once hardened, these new materials show improved compressive strength and toughness in respect to both the neat geopolymer and the hybrid pastes since the organic polymer provides a more cohesive microstructure, with a reduced amount of microcracks. The microstructural characterization allows to point out the presence of an Interfacial Transition Zone similar to that observed in cement based mortars and concretes. A correlation between microstructural features and mechanical properties has been studied too.
Observation of Helium Two-Phase Flows in a Pipe

Applications using cryogenic fluid generally encounter obstacles or complex pipe shapes such as an orifice or a converging-diverging nozzle. Therefore, a flow visualization study on two-phase cryogenic flow passing through a convergent-divergent nozzle or an orifice nozzle installed in a horizontal pipe is carried out to clarify the fundamental characteristics of the transient growth process of helium cloud cavitation. The pipe is filled with pressurized cryogenic liquid and flow immediately occurs when the on-off valve is opened. The transient growth process of the cloud cavitation induced by flow through the throat is observed from high-speed video images. Comparisons between the high-speed observations and the pressure measurements indicates that the transient growth process can be divided into two different steps by taking into account the transition point based on the observational results. Furthermore, it is confirmed that there are two types of the pressure instability in blowdown tests: one is the instability induced by density wave oscillation and the other is that induced by acoustic wave oscillation.
A new departure in the japanese minimum wage legislation

The Minimum Wages Act underwent a major revision in 2007 as the issue of the working poor heightened public interest in the theme. The revision streamlined the entire minimum wage system, placing the regional minimum wages established by the prefectures clearly at the core. It also required that the amounts of these minimum wages be consistent with public assistance policies. Under the revised Act, the new regional minimum wages were set and entered effect in each prefecture from autumn 2008. This article explores the significance of this new minimum wage legislation.
An Overview of the Evidence for Psychological Interventions for Psychosis: Results From Meta-Analyses

There are numerous psychological approaches to psychosis that differ in focus, specificity and formats. These include psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive-behavioural and third-wave-approaches, psychoeducation, various types of training-based approaches and family interventions. We briefly describe the main aims and focus of each of these approaches, followed by a review of their evidence-base in regard to improvement in symptoms, relapse and functioning. We conducted a systematic search for meta-analyses dating to 2017 for each of the approaches reviewed. Where numerous meta-analyses for an approach were available, we selected the most recent, comprehensive and methodologically sound ones. We found convincing short- and long-term evidence for cognitive behavioural approaches if the main aim is to reduce symptom distress. Evidence is also strong for psychoeducative family interventions that include skills training if the main aim is to reduce relapse and rehospitalisation. Acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, meta-cognitive and social skills training, as well as systemic family interventions, were also found to be efficacious, depending on the outcome of interest, but meta-analyses for these approaches were based on a comparatively lower number of outcome studies and a narrower selection of outcome measures. We found no convincing evidence for psychodynamic approaches, humanistic approaches or patient-directed psychoeducation (without including the family). An array of evidence-based psychological therapies is available for psychotic disorders from which clinicians and patients can choose, guided by the strength of the evidence and depending on the outcome area focused on. Increased effort is needed in terms of dissemination and implementation of these therapies into clinical practice. Meta-analyses show convincing evidence for CBT if the main target is psychotic symptoms. Meta-analyses show convincing evidence for family interventions if the main target is relapse. Effects are promising for ACT, mindfulness-based and systemic approaches, but more research is needed. The array of effective approaches allows clinicians and patients to select the most appropriate one. Meta-analyses show convincing evidence for CBT if the main target is psychotic symptoms. Meta-analyses show convincing evidence for family interventions if the main target is relapse. Effects are promising for ACT, mindfulness-based and systemic approaches, but more research is needed. The array of effective approaches allows clinicians and patients to select the most appropriate one.
Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling Strength Determines Target Gene Expression Profile in Human Keratinocytes

Transforming Growth Factor(TGF ) maintains keratinocyte homeostasis, and induces epithelial-tomesenchymal transition (EMT) in response to tissue injury. To investigate how these two TGF responses might become uncoupled during malignant transformation, we examined the TGF -regulated gene expression programs and cellular responses in human keratinocytes as a function of TGF type I receptor (T R-I) kinase activity and TGF level. The TGF mediated homeostatic gene response program and cellular growth arrest were extremely sensitive to a reduction in receptor kinase activity, while much stronger inhibition of TGF receptor activity was needed to inhibit the tissue injury response gene expression program and EMT. Both endogenous TGF and high exogenous levels of TGF induced the homeostatic response, while only high levels of TGF induced EMT. These results suggest that a reduction in receptor signaling activity may be sufficient for keratinocytes to escape from TGF ’s tumor suppressor function, while higher levels of TGF associated with tumor progression are pro-invasive/metastatic. These findings have important implications for the optimal use of TGF /Smad signaling antagonists as anti-cancer therapeutics.
Terminology of vocational training policy: a multilingual glossary for an enlarged Europe

This multilingual glossary, published in collaboration with the European Training Foundation (ETF), provides definitions of a selection of terms used in the field of vocational education and training (VET) policy in Europe. It is the result of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training’s (Cedefop’s) 2003 work program and is aimed at supporting the integration of new Member States into the European Union (EU). The glossary is aimed at researchers and practitioners involved in VET policy in Europe. It is in the three working languages of the institutions of the EU (English, French and German) and the three new EU languages (Czech, Hungarian and Polish).
Matching and the Properties of Accounting Earnings Over the Last 40 Years

This paper presents a theory and empirical evidence that investigate the effects of poor matching on the properties of accounting earnings. The key intuition of this theory is that poor matching manifests as noise in the economic relation between revenues and expenses. As a result, poor matching decreases the correlation between contemporaneous revenues and expenses and increases the correlation between non-contemporaneous revenues and expenses. With regards to earnings effects, poor matching increases earnings volatility, decreases earnings persistence, and induces a negative autocorrelation in earnings changes. Since poor matching resolves over time, we expect that all of these effects are less pronounced over longer-horizon definitions of earnings. The empirical tests concentrate on documenting the effects of matching and the associated properties of earnings in a sample of the 1,000 largest U.S. firms over the last 40 years. We find a clear and economically substantial trend of declining contemporaneous correlation between revenues and expenses, while the correlation between revenues and non-contemporaneous expenses is increasing. We also find strong evidence of increased volatility of earnings, declining persistence of earnings, and increased negative autocorrelation in earnings changes. As expected, these trends are less pronounced for longer-horizon definitions of earnings. Based on this evidence we conclude that accounting matching has become worse over time and that this trend has produced a pronounced effect on the properties of the resulting earnings. This evidence also suggests that the FASB's stated goal of moving away from matching and towards more fair-value accounting is likely to continue and deepen the identified trends in the properties of earnings.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics 9-nc-loaded Folate-conjugated Polymer Micelles as Tumor Targeted Drug Delivery System: Preparation and Evaluation in Vitro

In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: Keywords: Folate-conjugated polymer micelles 9-Nitro-camptothecin In vitro Anti-tumor Avoid the macrophages Folate receptor mediated a b s t r a c t In this study, folate-conjugated polymer micelles were synthesized by mixing folate-poly(ethylene glycol)-distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (FA-PEG-DSPE) and methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (MPEG-DSPE) to encapsulate anticancer agent 9-nitro-camptothecin (9-NC). Formulations were characterized by critical micellization concentration (CMC) values of copolymers, micelle particle size, zeta-potential, encapsulation efficiency and drug loading efficiency. The molar ratio of FA-PEG-DSPE and MPEG-DSPE was chosen to avoid the macrophages and at the same time express highly active targeting ability. The targeting ability of folate-conjugated polymer micelles was investigated against three kinds of tumor cell lines (HeLa, SGC7901 and BXPC3). The drug efficacy in vitro of folate-conjugated polymer micelles was evaluated by using the methylthiazolete-trazolium (MTT) method. The results showed that the CMC values of MPEG-DSPE and FA-PEG-DSPE were 0.97 × 10 −5 M and 1.0 × 10 −5 M, respectively. The average size of folate-conjugated micelle was about 21–24 nm and the micelle size distribution of both empty and drug-loaded micelles were rather narrow. The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading efficiency were 97.6% and 4.64%, respectively. The drug-loaded micelles were stable during storage at 4 • C for 4 weeks. Micelles maintain the similar size and did not show 9-NC leakage. The best molar ratio of FA-PEG-DSPE and MPEG-DSPE in folate-conjugated micelles was 1:100 which can effectively solubilize 9-NC, avoid the macrophages in vitro and has a higher anti-tumor activity than both drug-loaded MPEG-DSPE micelles and free anticancer agents. The folate-conjugated polymer micelle which can avoid the macrophages is a kind of promising carrier for poorly soluble anticancer agents via folate receptor (FR) that mediated endocytosis to target tumor cells.
An image steganography algorithm using Haar Discrete Wavelet Transform with Advanced Encryption System

The security of data over the internet is a crucial thing specially if this data is personal or confidential. The transmitted data can be intercepted during its journey from device to another. For that reason, we are willing to develop a simple method to secure data. Data encryption is one method to secure the messages but the intruders can still try to crack it, in order to overcome this, steganography has been used to hide the data into a cover media(i.e. audio, image or video). Recently steganography attracts many researchers as a hot topic. This paper proposes an advanced technique for encrypting data using Advanced Encryption System (AES) and hiding the data using Haar Discreet Wavelet Transform (HDWT). HDWT aims to decrease the complexity in image steganology while providing less image distortion and lesser detectability. One-forth of the image carrying the details of the image in a region and other three regions carrying a less details of the image then the cipher text is concealed at most two Least Significant Bits (LSB) positions in the less detailed regions of the carrier image, if the message doesn't fit in the first LSB only it will use the second LSB. This proposed algorithm covers almost all type of symbols and alphabets.
Computational D-module theory with singular, comparison with other systems and two new algorithms

We present the new implementation of core functions for the computational D-module theory. It is realized as a library dmod.lib in the computer algebra system Singular. We show both theoretical advances, such as the LOT and checkRoot algorithms as well as the comparison of our implementation with other packages for D-modules in computer algebra systems kan/sm1, Asir and Macaulay. The comparison indicates, that our implementation is among the fastest ones. With our package we are able to solve several challenges in D-module theory and we demonstrate the answers to these problems.
A retrospective study of antihypertensives in pemphigus: a still unchartered odyssey particularly between thiols, amides and phenols

Introduction Autoimmune pemphigus diseases comprise several entities with serious prognoses, including the pemphigus vulgaris (PV) group and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) group. Antihypertensives are suspected to be one of the factors triggering/sustaining pemphigus. Here, the data of pemphigus patients regarding arterial hypertension (AH) and taking potentially noxious drugs were statistically analyzed in a setting of a Polish university dermatology department. Material and methods Medical histories of pemphigus patients (40 admissions of 24 female patients – 13 PV, 11 PF; and 102 admissions of 38 male patients – 24 PV, 14 PF), diagnosed at both immunopathological and biochemical-molecular levels, were studied. Results Ten of 16 (62.50%) AH-positive PV patients received known PV triggers/sustainers 11 times (1–3 per patient). Fourteen of 15 (93.33%) AH-positive PF patients received known PF triggers/sustainers 21 times (1–3 per patient). No differences in numbers of patients taking potentially culprit drugs were shown between PV and PF (Fisher's exact test: p = 0.0829; Yates’ χ2 test: p = 0.1048). The most frequently used culprit drugs were ramipril in PV and enalapril in PF. On average, each PV/PF AH-positive patient received 3.161 different antihypertensives in his/her history of admissions (2.155 antihypertensives per admission). Conclusions Drug triggering should be suspected in every case of newly diagnosed or exacerbated pemphigus, as eliminating possible PV/PF triggers/sustainers may alleviate the clinical symptoms and enable the decrease of dose/range of immunosuppressants regardless of pemphigus form. Eliminating possible drug PV/PF triggers/sustainers may alleviate the clinical symptoms and enable the decrease of dose/range of immunosuppressants regardless of pemphigus form.
Plasticity in the Human Visual Cortex: An Ophthalmology-Based Perspective

Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to reorganize the function and structure of its connections in response to changes in the environment. Adult human visual cortex shows several manifestations of plasticity, such as perceptual learning and adaptation, working under the top-down influence of attention. Plasticity results from the interplay of several mechanisms, including the GABAergic system, epigenetic factors, mitochondrial activity, and structural remodeling of synaptic connectivity. There is also a downside of plasticity, that is, maladaptive plasticity, in which there are behavioral losses resulting from plasticity changes in the human brain. Understanding plasticity mechanisms could have major implications in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases, such as retinal disorders, cataract and refractive surgery, amblyopia, and in the evaluation of surgical materials and techniques. Furthermore, eliciting plasticity could open new perspectives in the development of strategies that trigger plasticity for better medical and surgical outcomes.
A Model for Incentive Regulation Utilizing the RRC-Rule with a Hierarchical Incentive Mechanism

We employ residual income as performance measure in a regulatory context utilizing the relative replacement cost rule (Rogerson, 2008, 2011). We find, in line with Rogerson (2008, 2011), that overall welfare is maximized if the regulator is aware of the data required to parameterize the model. Assuming that the required data is not available and conservative data proxies are applied results in gold plating (Westfield, 1965) and the Averch-Johnson effect (Averch & Johnson, 1962). To avoid these drawbacks we propose a hierarchical self-regulating incentive system to increase overall welfare. The advantages over traditional incentive systems are the mitigation of commonly known problems, such as the ratchet effect and the empirical problems associated with the X-factor in a price/revenue cap regulation and cost of capital, whilst at the same time increasing overall welfare.