Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On granular derivatives and the solution of a granular initial value problem

Perceptions about function changes are represented by rules like “If X is SMALL then Y is QUICKLY INCREASING . ” The consequent part of a rule describes a granule of directions of the function change when X is increasing on the fuzzy interval given in the antecedent part of the rule. Each rule defines a granular differential and a rule base defines a granular derivative. A reconstruction of a fuzzy function given by the granular derivative and the initial value given by the rule is similar to Euler’s piecewise linear solution of an initial value problem. The solution method is based on a granulation of the directions of the function change, on an extension of the initial value in directions and on a propagation of fuzzy constraints given in antecedent parts of rules on possible function values. The proposed method is illustrated with an example.
ADIABATIC DECOMPOSITION OF THE -DETERMINANT OF THE DIRAC LAPLACIAN. I. THE CASE OF AN INVERTIBLE TANGENTIAL OPERATOR

ABSTRACT We discuss the decomposition of the ζ-determinant of the square of the Dirac operator into the contributions coming from the different parts of the manifold. The result was announced in the Note Ref. [16]. The proof sketched in the Note was based on results of Brüning and Lesch (see Ref. [4]). In the meantime we have found another proof, more direct and elementary, and closer to the spirit of the original papers which initiated the study of the adiabatic decomposition of the spectral invariants (see Refs. [7] and [21]). We discuss this proof in detail. We study the general case (non-invertible tangential operator) in forthcoming work (see Refs. [17] and [18]). In the Appendix we present the computation of the cylinder contribution to the ζ-function of the Dirac Laplacian on a manifold with boundary, which we need in the main body of the paper. This computation is also used to show the vanishing result for the ζ-function on a manifold with boundary.
Symmetry-preserving observers for some water tank problems: theory and application to a shallow water model

In this paper we consider a tank containing fluid and we want to estimate the horizontal currents when the fluid surface height is measured. The fluid motion is described by shallow water equations in two horizontal dimensions. We build a simple non-linear observer which takes advantage of the symmetries of fluid dynamics laws. As a result its structure is based on convolutions with smooth isotropic kernels, and the observer is remarkably robust to noise. We prove the convergence of the observer around a steady-state. In numerical applications local exponential convergence is expected. The observer is also applied to the problem of predicting the ocean circulation. Realistic simulations illustrate the relevance of the approach compared with some standard oceanography techniques.
IRREGULAR BIDDING FROM OPPORTUNISM: AN EXPLORATION OF SHILLING IN ONLINE AUCTIONS

In electronic markets, seller information is often obscured or unavailable, which current theories of reputation and opportunism contend will motivate opportunistic behavior. We investigate how reputable and opportunistic behaviors are motivated in online auctions. This exploratory study examines irregular bidding, which occurs when a bidder makes a bid for an item in an auction, yet that bidder could have won with the same bid or a lower bid in a different auction that is selling an identical item at the same time. Two possible motivations for irregular bidding are (1) shill bidding, where a seller secretly bids on his own item irrespective of other identical items that are available to opportunistically increase revenues, and (2) seller preference, where sellers build good reputations and buyers are willing to pay price premiums for these sellers’ products. Rare coin auction data were collected in 2001, with 5,031 bids in 1,313 auctions from 2,015 bidders and 480 sellers, and in 2005-2006, with 25,029 bids in 1,802 auctions from 5,850 bidders and 342 sellers. Our bidder-level and seller-level analysis suggest that that irregular bidding is primarily driven by reserve price shilling, a type of shilling that occurs when sellers shill to avoid auction house fees.
EXPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE RENDERING: INTRODUCING PERFORMANCE CONTEXT

Wepresent aperformance renderingsystem thatuses aprobabilistic network to model dependencies between score and performance. The score context of a note is used to predict the corresponding performance characteristics. Two extensions to the system are presented, which aim at incorporating the current performance context into the prediction, which should result in more stable and consistent predictions. In particular we generalise the Viterbi-algorithm, which works on discrete-state Hidden Markov Models, to continuous distributions and use it to calculate the overall most probable sequence of performance predictions. The algorithms are evaluated and compared on two very large data-setsofhumanpianoperformances: 13completeMozart Sonatas and the complete works for solo piano by Chopin.
Treatment of Laryngoceles: What Is the Progress over the Last Two Decades?

Objectives. To review surgical techniques used in the treatment of laryngoceles over the last two decades and point out developments and trends. Materials and Methods. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the JBI Library of Systematic Reviews were searched using the term “laryngocele. ” Demographic data, type of laryngocele, presence of a laryngopyocele, type of treatment and need for a tracheotomy were assessed. Results. Overall, data on 86 patients were analyzed, culled from 50 articles, of which 41 were case reports and 9 were case series. No single systematic review or meta-analysis or randomized controlled trial has been published on the topic. Altogether, 71 laryngoceles in 63 patients met the criteria for further analysis focusing on surgical treatment. An external approach was selected in 25/29 (86.2%) cases of combined laryngoceles. Microlaryngoscopic resection using a CO2 laser was performed in three cases and endoscopic robotic surgery in one case. The majority of patients with an internal laryngocele, 31/42 (73.8%), were treated using the microlaryngoscopy approach. Conclusions. Microlaryngoscopy involving the use of a CO2 laser has become the main therapeutic procedure for the treatment of internal laryngoceles during the past 20 years. An external approach still remains the main therapeutic approach for the treatment of combined laryngoceles.
Principles of agonist recognition in Cys-loop receptors

Cys-loop receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that are activated by a structurally diverse array of neurotransmitters, including acetylcholine, serotonin, glycine, and GABA. After the term “chemoreceptor” emerged over 100 years ago, there was some wait until affinity labeling, molecular cloning, functional studies, and X-ray crystallography experiments identified the extracellular interface of adjacent subunits as the principal site of agonist binding. The question of how subtle differences at and around agonist-binding sites of different Cys-loop receptors can accommodate transmitters as chemically diverse as glycine and serotonin has been subject to intense research over the last three decades. This review outlines the functional diversity and current structural understanding of agonist-binding sites, including those of invertebrate Cys-loop receptors. Together, this provides a framework to understand the atomic determinants involved in how these valuable therapeutic targets recognize and bind their ligands.
In the developing rat hippocampus adenosine down regulates giant depolarizing potentials by exerting a negative control on glutamatergic inputs

Adenosine is a widespread neuromodulator which can be directly released in the extracellular space during sustained network activity or can be generated as the breakdown product of ATP. Whole cell patch clamp recordings were performed from CA3 principal cells and interneurons in hippocampal slices obtained from P2-P7 neonatal rats in order to study the modulatory effects of adenosine on giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) which constitute the hallmark of developmental networks. We found that GDPs were extremely sensitive to the inhibitory action of adenosine (IC50= 0.52 μM). Adenosine contributed also to the depressant effect of ATP as indicated by DPCPX-sensitive changes of ATP-induced reduction of GDPs frequency. Similarly, adenosine exerted a strong inhibitory action on spontaneous glutamatergic synaptic events recorded from GABAergic interneurons and on interictal bursts which developed in CA3 principal cells after blockade of GABAA receptors with bicuculline. All these effects were prevented by DPCPX indicating the involvement of inhibitory A1 receptors. In contrast, GABAergic synaptic events were not changed by adenosine. Consistent with the endogenous role of adenosine on network activity, DPCPX per se, increased the frequency of GDPs, interictal bursts and spontaneous glutamatergic synaptic events recorded from GABAergic interneurons. Moreover, the adenosine transport inhibitor NBTI and the adenosine deaminase blocker EHNA decreased GDPs frequency thus providing further evidence that endogenous adenosine exerts a powerful control on GDPs generation. We conclude that, in the neonatal rat hippocampus, the inhibitory action of adenosine on GDPs is due to the negative control of glutamatergic, but not GABAergic inputs.
Changes in Neisseria meningitidis disease epidemiology in the United States, 1998-2007: implications for prevention of meningococcal disease.

BACKGROUND In January 2005, a quadrivalent (serogroups A, C , Y, and W-135) meningococcal conjugate vaccine was licensed for use in adolescents. This report describes the epidemiologic features of meningococcal disease in the United States from January 1998 through December 2007, before and during implementation of adolescent quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccination. METHODS Data were collected from active surveillance for invasive Neisseria meningitidis conducted through the Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) sites during 1998-2007. Isolates from cases were serogrouped at the ABCs site and confirmed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimates of the incidence and number of cases in the 50 states were calculated, standardizing for race and age group. RESULTS In the period 1998-2007, a total of 2262 cases of meningococcal disease were reported from ABCs sites; 11.3% of these cases were fatal. The estimated United States average annual incidence of meningococcal disease was 0.53 cases per 100,000 population (95% confidence interval, 0.51-0.55), and an estimated 1525 (95% confidence interval, 1470-1598) cases occurred annually. The annual incidence decreased 64.1%, from 0.92 cases per 100,000 population in 1998 to 0.33 cases per 100,000 population in 2007. Infants aged <1 year have the highest incidence of meningococcal disease (5.38 cases per 100,000 population). After introduction of the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine, no significant decrease in serogroup C or Y meningococcal disease was seen among those aged 11-19 years in 2006-2007, compared with 2004-2005. CONCLUSIONS Before the introduction of the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine, the incidence of meningococcal disease in the United States decreased to a historic low. However, meningococcal disease still causes a substantial burden of disease among all age groups. Future vaccination strategies may include targeting infants and preventing serogroup B meningococcal disease.
International Students in Community Colleges: On-Campus Services Used and Its Affect on Sense of Belonging

ABSTRACT While the enrollment trends of international students studying in universities and four-year colleges have been well documented over the recent years, there is evidence that international students are also enrolling at higher rates in community colleges. Although the issues and student service needs and trends of international students studying at four-year universities and colleges have received much attention in the literature over the years, there appears to be a dearth of literature that focuses on international students studying in community colleges. Thus, in response to this gap in the training literature, this study examined the prevalence of on-campus services used and their contribution to the development of sense of belonging for international students studying in US community colleges. Utilizing the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) as our data collection instrument, results of this study suggest that services used by international students in US community colleges are varied. Furthermore, results of multiple regression analyses indicate that academic advising services most contributed to international students’ sense of belonging on US community college campuses. Based on the findings of this study, recommendations on working with international students are provided for community college faculty and student affairs personnel including special recommendations and counseling considerations for college counselors who work with international students.
Gene expression profiling in breast cancer.

With the advent of array-based technology and the sequencingof the human genome, comprehensive analysis of thetranscriptional variation at the genomic level has becomepossible and the knowledge derived from gene expressionproﬁlingstudiesisalreadyimpressive intermsof improvingourunderstanding of the basic biology of breast cancer. Thereby,these discoveries have also challenged the currently usedclassiﬁcation of breast cancer and the existing theories aroundmetastatic progression. The ﬁndings of some key studies andtheir implication for clinical practice are discussed below.
Digitalkoot: Making Old Archives Accessible Using Crowdsourcing

In this paper, we present Digitalkoot, a system for fixing errors in the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) process of old texts through the use of human computation. By turning the work into simple games, we are able to attract a great number of volunteers to donate their time and cognitive capacity for the cause. Our analysis shows how untrained people can reach very high accuracy through the use of crowdsourcing. Furthermore we analyze the effect of social media and gender on participation levels and the amount of work accomplished.
Performance Outcomes of Investing Slack Resources in Corporate Social Responsibility

Our study examined relationships among slack resources, investment in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm performance, finding that accounting and market returns respond differently to investments of slack in CSR. Although accounting returns to both financial and organizational CSR investment were positive, equity markets reward organizational slack but punish financial slack investments. Moreover, distinguishing among forms of CSR indicates that both accounting and market returns respond much more positively to investment in stakeholder protection than to investment in stakeholder improvement. Finally, risk, strategy, and governance are mediating mechanisms partially explaining CSR effects but not to the extent we expected.
Large-Scale Quality Analysis of Published ChIP-seq Data

ChIP-seq has become the primary method for identifying in vivo protein–DNA interactions on a genome-wide scale, with nearly 800 publications involving the technique appearing in PubMed as of December 2012. Individually and in aggregate, these data are an important and information-rich resource. However, uncertainties about data quality confound their use by the wider research community. Recently, the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project developed and applied metrics to objectively measure ChIP-seq data quality. The ENCODE quality analysis was useful for flagging datasets for closer inspection, eliminating or replacing poor data, and for driving changes in experimental pipelines. There had been no similarly systematic quality analysis of the large and disparate body of published ChIP-seq profiles. Here, we report a uniform analysis of vertebrate transcription factor ChIP-seq datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository as of April 1, 2012. The majority (55%) of datasets scored as being highly successful, but a substantial minority (20%) were of apparently poor quality, and another ∼25% were of intermediate quality. We discuss how different uses of ChIP-seq data are affected by specific aspects of data quality, and we highlight exceptional instances for which the metric values should not be taken at face value. Unexpectedly, we discovered that a significant subset of control datasets (i.e., no immunoprecipitation and mock immunoprecipitation samples) display an enrichment structure similar to successful ChIP-seq data. This can, in turn, affect peak calling and data interpretation. Published datasets identified here as high-quality comprise a large group that users can draw on for large-scale integrated analysis. In the future, ChIP-seq quality assessment similar to that used here could guide experimentalists at early stages in a study, provide useful input in the publication process, and be used to stratify ChIP-seq data for different community-wide uses.
Tumor Markers in Breast Cancer – European Group on Tumor Markers Recommendations

Recommendations are presented for the routine clinical use of serum and tissue-based markers in the diagnosis and management of patients with breast cancer. Their low sensitivity and specificity preclude the use of serum markers such as the MUC-1 mucin glycoproteins (CA 15.3, BR 27.29) and carcinoembryonic antigen in the diagnosis of early breast cancer. However, serial measurement of these markers can result in the early detection of recurrent disease as well as indicate the efficacy of therapy. Of the tissue-based markers, measurement of estrogen and progesterone receptors is mandatory in the selection of patients for treatment with hormone therapy, while HER-2 is essential in selecting patients with advanced breast cancer for treatment with Herceptin (trastuzumab). Urokinase plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 are recently validated prognostic markers for lymph node-negative breast cancer patients and thus may be of value in selecting node-negative patients that do not require adjuvant chemotherapy.
A Two-Phase Trust and Reputation Based Multi-Agent System (MAS) e-Loan Negotiation System

Agent Technology has seen its appLication in mainstream critical systems increase with the technology's maturity in the past decade. e-Commerce appLications have benefited from agent technology with systems being developed by Banks for onLine marketing and sales. Banks' substantial business share stems from lending which brings to the fore risks as risk-neutral borrowers may take off and cause financial losses on the Bank's portfoLio. The Bank's interaction with cLients calls for trust and reputation investigation. Trust and reputation are social notions that could represent reLiabiLity, utiLity and risk certainty. The estabLishment of Credit Reference Bureaus in most countries goes to give ratings to cLient trustworthiness. Agent Technology provides a means to implement a virtual loan marketplace for loan shoppers to window-shop and strategically and methodically negotiate their self-interest loan terms. The loan shoppers have access to all the loan products of other Banks hence quickening product selection and decision making.
Internal Structure and Item Characteristics of the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening in Spanish for Preschool

We used multidimensional item response theory to test the internal structure of the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening in Spanish for Preschool and test for item parameter drift. The measure is aligned with the simple view of reading, which defines reading as consisting of two equally important dimensions: decoding and language comprehension. It involves 134 items grouped into nine different tasks. We administered a pilot version of the measure to 677 students in 2014 and a final version to 968 students in 2015. We did not find evidence that code-related skills and oral language are distinct but correlated dimensions among preschoolers. Rather, a single general dimension of early literacy with task-related specific dimensions fit best. A benefit of our modeling approach is that we can examine the internal structure while also evaluating the difficulty and discrimination of individual items. Results suggest a stable ordering of items within tasks and that some Spanish letters are learned more easily than others.
The Earnings Consequences of Worker Displacement in Reunified Germany

Does the structure of a labor market help to determine how displaced workers fare? This study analyzes the costs associated with worker displacement in post-reunification Germany. It first compares the reemployment probabilities with findings from America. By and large, the characteristics that affect the likelihood of reemployment after displacement are similar in the two countries. Of those workers who find reemployment, German workers experience substantially smaller wage changes than American displaced workers. The findings show that union coverage in Germany affects the magnitude of wage changes significantly, a finding that is not common in American studies. Overall this study concludes that labor market structure does affect the repercussions of displacement. Acknowledgements: I would like to sincerely thank my advisor, Professor John Pencavel, who guided and encouraged me from the very beginning. Also, many thanks to Christina Gathmann for the invaluable assistance with the data and statistical program. Finally, I am grateful to my amazing family and friends for their support throughout this entire process.
Pengaruh Motivasi dan Stres Kerja terhadap Kinerja Pegawai

This research was aimed for knowing the influence between motivation and work stress against the employees' performance of staffing and Organization General Bureau, staffing and Organization the Ministry of Tourism. This research used a quantitative approach through survey to 40 employees. All population is used as sample. Hypothesis test (t test) result that shows that the variable compensation affect significantly to these performance proved by t value about 2.693n which is more than t table. But the variable of work stress do not affect significantly with t value about 1.994 which is less than t table.n The conclusion of this research is motivation is the most dominant variable over the performance of the employees. This means that increasing performance of the emplooyees can be seen from the way the institutions provide motivation to employees. n Keywords: motivation, work stress, employee's performance
Current Limitations of Murine Models in Oncology for Ascorbate Research

The role of vitamin C (ascorbate) in cancer prevention, tumor growth, and treatment is of intense public interest. Clinical trial data have been sparse, contradictory, and highly controversial, and robust pre-clinical data are required for progress. This paper reviews pre-clinical models and their limitations with respect to ascorbate research. Most studies have utilized animals able to synthesize ascorbate and thus are not ideal models of the human condition. More recently, genetically modified mouse models have become available; yet, all studies compared healthy and scorbutic mice. The majority of investigations to date concluded that increased ascorbate led to decreased tumor growth, but data on mechanisms and doses are inconclusive. Clinically relevant animal studies are still required to convince a generally sceptical medical audience of the potential worth of ascorbate as an adjunct to therapy.