Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling the Hourly Distribution of Population at a High Spatiotemporal Resolution Using Subway Smart Card Data: A Case Study in the Central Area of Beijing

The accurate estimation of the dynamic changes in population is a key component in effective urban planning and emergency management. We developed a model to estimate hourly dynamic changes in population at the community level based on subway smart card data. The hourly population of each community in six central districts of Beijing was calculated, followed by a study of the spatiotemporal patterns and diurnal dynamic changes of population and an exploration of the main sources and sinks of the observed human mobility. The maximum daytime population of the six central districts of Beijing was approximately 0.7 million larger than the night-time population. The administrative and commercial districts of Dongcheng and Xicheng had high values of population ratio of day to night of 1.35 and 1.22, respectively, whereas Shijingshan, a residential district, had the lowest value of 0.84. Areas with a high population ratio were mainly concentrated in Dongcheng, Xicheng, West Chaoyang, and Southeast Haidian. The daytime population distribution showed a hierarchical spatial pattern of planar centers and second scattered centers as opposed to multiple scattered centers during the night-time. This was because most people moved inward from the areas with a low–high to high–low population ratio of day to night from night-time to daytime, which can be explained by the process of commuting between residential areas and workplaces. Several distinctive phenomena (e.g., the distribution of new industrial parks, the so-called old residential areas, and colleges and universities) in the development of China are reflected by the spatiotemporal pattern of the distribution of population. The general consistency of the population ratios of day to night, population distribution, population variation of typical communities, and population mobility pattern with previous research suggests that the subway smart card data has potential in analyzing dynamic diurnal variations of urban population. This method can be easily duplicated to calculate hourly dynamic changes in population at the community level. These results can be used to estimate the potential hourly number of evacuees under different temporal scenarios of disasters and to support future urban planning in Beijing.
The influence of non-native language proficiency on speech perception performance

The present study examined to what extent proficiency in a non-native language influences speech perception in noise. We explored how English proficiency affected native (Swedish) and non-native (English) speech perception in four speech reception threshold (SRT) conditions, including two energetic (stationary, fluctuating noise) and two informational (two-talker babble Swedish, two-talker babble English) maskers. Twenty-three normal-hearing native Swedish listeners participated, age between 28 and 64 years. The participants also performed standardized tests in English proficiency, non-verbal reasoning and working memory capacity. Our approach with focus on proficiency and the assessment of external as well as internal, listener-related factors allowed us to examine which variables explained intra- and interindividual differences in native and non-native speech perception performance. The main result was that in the non-native target, the level of English proficiency is a decisive factor for speech intelligibility in noise. High English proficiency improved performance in all four conditions when the target language was English. The informational maskers were interfering more with perception than energetic maskers, specifically in the non-native target. The study also confirmed that the SRT’s were better when target language was native compared to non-native.
Evaluation of How Gene-Job Strain Interaction Affects Blood Pressure in the PAMELA Study

Objective: To see whether there is interaction between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) belonging to candidate genes for hypertension and job strain and its components (job demand and job control) in an accurately phenotyped Italian cohort (Pressioni Arteriose Monitorate E Loro Associazioni). Methods: From the Pressioni Arteriose Monitorate E Loro Associazioni cohort, we sampled 924 employed men and women who had completed a modified version of the Karasek questionnaire and for whom deoxyribonucleic acid information was available. We selected 1,510 common tagging and putative functional SNPs in 92 candidate autosomal genes involved in sympathetic nervous system, oxidative stress, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and sodium balance. The interaction of each candidate SNP with the perceived job stress scores on ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressures was evaluated by adding product terms to a multiple regression linear model, adjusted for sex, age, total cholesterol, and body mass index. Results: Among all the SNPs tested, the interaction of SNP rs11210278 located on the endothelin 2 gene and job control was statistically significant after controlling for multiple testing, using false discovery rate (unadjusted p = .0004661; p adjusted for false discovery rate = .0085), indicating an inverse association with systolic blood pressure for the homozygous wild-type allele (C/C) and a positive association for the variant genotypes (C/T and T/T). Conclusions: We show that the hypertensive response to job strain is present only in carriers of the rs11210278 wild-type genotype. The phenomenon is discussed in relationship to the controversial results of field studies on job strain and hypertension.BMI = body mass index; BP = blood pressure; CI = confidence interval; DBP = diastolic blood pressure; EDN2 = endothelin 2; FDR = false discovery rate; MONICA = MONItoring CArdiovascular diseases; MOPSY = MOnica PSYchosocial; PAMELA = Pressioni Arteriose Monitorate E Loro Associazioni; SBP = systolic blood pressure; SNP = single nucleotide polymorphism
Trust and Satisfaction, Two Stepping Stones for Successful E-Commerce Relationships: A Longitudinal Exploration

Trust and satisfaction are essential ingredients for successful business relationships in business-to-consumer electronic commerce. Yet there is little research on trust and satisfaction in e-commerce that takes a longitudinal approach. Drawing on three primary bodies of literature, the theory of reasoned action, the extended valence framework, and expectation-confirmation theory, this study synthesizes a model of consumer trust and satisfaction in the context of e-commerce. The model considers not only how consumers formulate their prepurchase decisions, but also how they form their long-term relationships with the same website vendor by comparing their prepurchase expectations to their actual purchase outcome. The results indicate that trust directly and indirectly affects a consumer's purchase decision in combination with perceived risk and perceived benefit, and also that trust has a longer term impact on consumer e-loyalty through satisfaction. Thus, this study extends our understanding of consumer Internet transaction behavior as a three-fold (prepurchase, purchase, and postpurchase) process, and it recognizes the crucial, multiple roles that trust plays in this process. Implications for theory and practice as well as limitations and future directions are discussed.
Passivity Index for Switched System Design Technical Report of the ISIS Group at the University of Notre Dame ISIS-09-002 May , 2009

This paper presents a framework for control design of general nonlinear switched systems using passivity and two passivity indexes. Background material will be presented on traditional passivity for continuously varying systems, the concept of a passivity index, and passivity theory for switched systems. The passivity index concept will then be generalized to apply to switched systems to measure the degree of passivity in a system. It will be shown that when the passivity indexes exist, controllers can be designed to yield stable systems using the indexes. Two special cases are given for designing controllers for linear switched systems. The final result will then be presented showing that the passivity indexes can be used to design controllers for general nonlinear switched systems.
Evaluation of Ken Wilber's Integral Psychology From a Scientific Perspective

Ken Wilber's integral psychology (WIP) is a combination of a coherent spiritual philosophy and an abstract psychological theory. WIP sets development as a key element and it aims to synthesize a wide range of ethical, epistemological, and philosophical approaches as well as psychological theories and traditions. The authors distinguish metatheoretical and theoretical parts of WIP, and suggest that the theoretical part of WIP is implicitly individual, neglecting important notions of social psychology. Further, it is claimed that spiral dynamics, a core element of WIP, contains idealistic, arbitrary, and moralizing categories, which in turn imposes a strong limitation over the whole work and confines it to remain a closed system. WIP in general lacks the methods for validation and/or falsification failing, therefore to fulfill the criteria of scientific theories and the ground for scientific research. Yet by identifying the central elements of various abstract psychological theories in a coherent system and by offering a coherent categorization, the authors believe that WIP may deliver value to epistemology, sociology of science, and spiritual philosophy.
How have M&As changed? Evidence from the sixth merger wave

We examine the characteristics of the sixth merger wave that started in 2003 and came to an end approximately in late 2007. The drivers of this wave lie primarily in the availability of abundant liquidity, in line with neoclassical explanations of merger waves. Acquirers were less overvalued relative to targets, and merger proposals comprised higher cash elements. Moreover, the market for corporate control was less competitive, acquirers were less acquisitive, managers displayed less over-optimism and offers involved significantly lower premiums, indicating more cautious and rational acquisition decisions. Strikingly, however, deals destroyed at least as much value for acquiring shareholders as in the 1990s.
Theoretical models of DNA topology simplification by type IIA DNA topoisomerases

It was discovered 12 years ago that type IIA topoisomerases can simplify DNA topology—the steady-state fractions of knots and links created by the enzymes are many times lower than the corresponding equilibrium fractions. Though this property of the enzymes made clear biological sense, it was not clear how small enzymes could selectively change the topology of very large DNA molecules, since topology is a global property and cannot be determined by a local DNA–protein interaction. A few models, suggested to explain the phenomenon, are analyzed in this review. We also consider experimental data that both support and contravene these models.
Quantification of the perceived training load and its relationship with changes in physical fitness performance in junior soccer players

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between perceived respiratory and muscular training load (TL) and changes in physical fitness in elite and non-elite junior soccer players. Twenty-eight elite (n = 14, 17.6 ± 0.6 years, 70.3 ± 4.4 kg, 179.7 ± 5.6 cm) and non-elite (n = 14, 17.5 ± 0.5 years, 71.1 ± 6.5 kg, 178.1 ± 5.6 cm) soccer players belonging to a Spanish first and third division football academies and competing in junior Spanish first division (2012–2013) participated in the study. Countermovement jump (CMJ), CMJ arm swing, 5 and 15 m sprints and the Université de Montreal endurance test were performed in January and 9 weeks later in March. In order to quantify TLs, after each training session and match, players reported their session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) separately for respiratory (sRPEres) and leg musculature (sRPEmus). Elite players accumulated greater weekly training volume (361 ± 14 vs. 280 ± 48 min; effect sizes (ES) = 5.23 ± 1.74; most likely), and perceived respiratory (1460 ± 184 vs. 1223 ± 260 AU; ES = 1.12 ± 0.79; very likely) and muscular (1548 ± 216 vs. 1318 ± 308 AU; ES = 0.99 ± 0.84; likely) TL than did non-elite players. Training volume, sRPEres-TL and sRPEmus-TL were positively and largely correlated (r = 0.67–0.71) with the changes in aerobic fitness. The present results suggest that a low training volume and TL can impair improvement in aerobic fitness in junior soccer players during the in-season period.
Visualization of retrovirus budding with correlated light and electron microscopy

We have used correlated scanning EM (SEM) and multiphoton fluorescence microscopy to visualize budding of virus-like particles (VLPs) of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and HIV type 1 (HIV-1). When the Gag structural protein was expressed alone as a GFP fusion, most budding particles appeared morphologically aberrant, but normal assembly could be rescued by coexpression of untagged Gag protein. Imaging of live cells allowed budding to be seen in real time as the disappearance of fluorescent spots from the dorsal cell surface. The disappearance of very bright spots containing clusters of VLPs often occurred in a stepwise fashion. Even after imaging times >1 h, only a minority of the spots disappeared, suggesting that some might be budding-incompetent complexes. On individual cells, we enumerated both the fluorescent puncta and the budding structures visible by SEM and compared these numbers for WT Gag proteins and for Gag proteins that were blocked at the last step in budding by a late domain mutation. For the mutant HIV-1 and RSV proteins, almost all of the fluorescent spots corresponded to budding structures. For WT RSV, the dorsal side of cells showed 3-fold more fluorescent spots than budding structures, suggesting that formation of the polymerized Gag shell precedes bulging out of the membrane. For WT HIV-1, most fluorescent spots corresponded with budding structures, consistent with the slower budding rate of this virus. Combining these two types of microscopy will allow innovative approaches for elucidating the mechanism of retrovirus budding.
Effects of Fear Appeals on Communicating Potential Health Risks of Unregulated Dietary Supplements to College Students

Background: Fear appeals are commonly used in health communication to reduce risk. It is not clear, however, whether familiarity with a health topic can lessen the threat intended. The use of unregulated dietary supplements among young adults is one such area that needs study. Purpose: The study examined the effect of fear appeals on self-protective behavior when college students were informed of the risks of consuming the dietary supplement creatine. It focused on students' responses to fear appeals that varied depending on their familiarity with the product. Methods: Students were assigned to one of 3 groups based on familiarity with creatine. A total of 121 college students viewed advertisements depicting creatine consumption side effects, followed by the main questionnaire including perceived risk, attitudes, and behavioral intention measures. Results: Fear appeal messages were most effective for those least familiar with creatine. Discussion: Familiarity based on previous experience is a factor that must be considered when presenting threatening health information. Translation to Health Education Practice: Health educators and practitioners should inform young adults about risks and proper consumption of dietary supplements before they develop a strong disposition toward the product without accurate knowledge of proper dose and potential side effects.
Aspirin resistance and atherothrombosis.

Correspondence address: Sthefano Atique Gabriel. Rua Capitão Nascimento Filho, 171 apto 82. Bairro Jardim Vergueiro – Sorocaba SP. CEP: 18035-410. Tel: (0xx15) 3211-2728 or (0xx17) 9775-5645. E-mail: sthefanogabriel@yahoo.com. br Sthefano Atique GABRIEL1, Camila Baumann BETELI1, Rodrigo Seiji TANIGUCHI1, Cristiane Knopp TRISTÃO1, Edmo Atique GABRIEL2, José Roberto Pretel Pereira JOB3 Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 2007; 22(1): 96-103 REVIEW ARTICLE
How Long Do We Live

Period life expectancy is calculated from age-specific death rates using life table methods that are among the oldest and most widely employed tools of demography. These methods are rarely questioned, much less criticized. Yet changing age patterns of adult mortality in countries with high life expectancy provide a basis for questioning the conventional use of life tables. This article argues that when the mean age at death is rising, period life expectancy at birth as conventionally calculated overestimates life expectancy. Estimates of this upward bias, ranging from 1.6 years for the United States and Sweden to 3.3 years for Japan for 1980-95, are presented. A similar bias in the opposite direction occurs when mean age at death is falling. These biases can also distort trends in life expectancy as conventionally calculated and may affect projected future trends in period life expectation, particularly in the short run. Copyright 2002 by The Population Council, Inc.
Near-optimal experimental design for model selection in systems biology

Motivation: Biological systems are understood through iterations of modeling and experimentation. Not all experiments, however, are equally valuable for predictive modeling. This study introduces an efficient method for experimental design aimed at selecting dynamical models from data. Motivated by biological applications, the method enables the design of crucial experiments: it determines a highly informative selection of measurement readouts and time points. Results: We demonstrate formal guarantees of design efficiency on the basis of previous results. By reducing our task to the setting of graphical models, we prove that the method finds a near-optimal design selection with a polynomial number of evaluations. Moreover, the method exhibits the best polynomial-complexity constant approximation factor, unless P = NP. We measure the performance of the method in comparison with established alternatives, such as ensemble non-centrality, on example models of different complexity. Efficient design accelerates the loop between modeling and experimentation: it enables the inference of complex mechanisms, such as those controlling central metabolic operation. Availability: Toolbox ‘NearOED’ available with source code under GPL on the Machine Learning Open Source Software Web site (mloss.org). Contact: busettoa@inf.ethz. ch Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
H pylori-induced thrombocytopenia in a Caucasian female

We present a rare, but increasingly recognised, cause of thrombocytopenia in a 69-year-old Caucasian female. Complete haematological investigation, including blood films and autoantibody screen, did not reveal a cause for her thrombocytopenia. Omission of potentially offending medication did not improve the low platelet count. She had no features of systemic infection or inflammatory disease on history and examination. In light of persistent thrombocytopenia, Helicobacter pylori stool antigen was tested, and found to be positive. Platelet count improved after eradication therapy for H pylori. This prevented the need for steroid and immunoglobulin treatment in this patient.
The Police Use of Deadly Force in British Columbia: Mental Illness and Crisis Intervention

This article analyzes 30 documented incidents of the police use of deadly force, where police personnel in British Columbia have discharged their firearms while facing a lethal threat. In approximately 25% of these fatal shootings (n = 8) the decedent had a documented history of mental illness and/or suicidal behavior. The findings of this study suggest that frontline police officers require a comprehensive strategy when dealing with individuals who are vulnerable as a result of their mental or emotional state. During their time of crisis, these individuals may be irrational and violent due to factors that include psychosis, suicidal ideation, and emotional upheaval. In some instances, crisis intervention training and less lethal compliance tools may be able to facilitate a successful intervention to an otherwise tragic event. The findings of this study also underscore the complexities of a police shooting incident and of the precarious nature of street-level policing.
Subjective change and mental health : A self-concept theory

This study investigates the consequences of perceived improvements and perceived declines in life domain functioning. Self-concept theory suggests that perceived improvement should increase both negative and positive mental health because it violates the self-consistency standard but satisfies the self-enhancement standard. Because perceived decline violates both self-consistency and self-enhancement standards, it should strongly increase negative mental health and decrease positive mental health (the double-dose effect). These hypotheses were tested with data from a national probability sample and telephone interview with adults who evaluated change in functioning in six domains of life. More perceived improvement predicted increases in both negative and positive mental health. More perceived decline predicted increases in negative mental health and decreases in positive mental health. Perceived decline exhibited a double-dose effect on mental health. Findings suggest that subjective change produces complex mental health profiles because it is understood through multiple self-standards and is experienced through distinct reactive channels.
A randomized phase II trial of thalidomide, an angiogenesis inhibitor, in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer.

PURPOSE Thalidomide is a potent teratogen that causes dysmelia in humans. Recently, in vitro data suggested that it inhibits angiogenesis. Prostate cancer is dependent on the recruitment of new blood vessels to grow and metastasize. Based on those data, we initiated a Phase II trial of thalidomide in patients with metastatic androgen-independent prostate cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN This was an open-label, randomized Phase II study. Thalidomide was administered either at a dose of 200 mg/day (low-dose arm) or at an initial dose of 200 mg/day that escalated to 1200 mg/day (high-dose arm). RESULTS A total of 63 patients were enrolled onto the study (50 patients on the low-dose arm and 13 patients on the high-dose arm). Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decline of > or = 50% was noted in 18% of patients on the low-dose arm and in none of the patients on the high-dose arm. Four patients were maintained for > 150 days. The most prevalent complications were constipation, fatigue, neurocortical, and neurosensory. CONCLUSION Thalidomide, an antiangiogenesis agent, has some activity in patients with metastatic prostate cancer who have failed multiple therapies. A total of 27% of all patients had a decline in PSA of > or = 40%, often associated with an improvement of clinical symptoms. Because our preclinical studies had shown that thalidomide increases PSA secretion, we believe that the magnitude of PSA decline seen in our trial justifies further study.
Evaluating the Contribution of Serotonin Receptor Subtypes and ‘Binge’ 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) Exposure to the Discriminative Stimulus Effects of MDMA in Rats

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘Ecstasy’) shares psychoactive effects with drugs that possess stimulant (e.g. amphetamine, the effects of which are primarily dopaminergic) and hallucinogenic properties (e.g. LSD, which has serotonergic effects) [1]. The majority of MDMA’s distinctive effects as well as its toxicity have been linked to its actions on serotonergic neurotransmission [2]. One way in which MDMA’s serotonergic effects can be studied is to train rats to distinguish dopaminergic stimulant effects from mood and perception-altering serotonergic effects using a three-way drug discrimination paradigm [3].