Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HazeEst: Machine Learning Based Metropolitan Air Pollution Estimation From Fixed and Mobile Sensors

Metropolitan air pollution is a growing concern in both developing and developed countries. Fixed-station monitors, typically operated by governments, offer accurate but sparse data, and are increasingly being augmented by lower fidelity but denser measurements taken by mobile sensors carried by concerned citizens and researchers. In this paper, we introduce HazeEst—a machine learning model that combines sparse fixed-station data with dense mobile sensor data to estimate the air pollution surface for any given hour on any given day in Sydney. We assess our system using seven regression models and tenfold cross validation. The results show that estimation accuracy of support vector regression (SVR) is similar to decision tree regression and random forest regression, and higher than extreme gradient boosting, multi-layer perceptrons, linear regression, and adaptive boosting regression. The air pollution estimates from our models are validated via field trials, and results show that SVR not only yields high spatial resolution estimates that correspond well with the pollution surface obtained from fixed and mobile sensor monitoring systems, but also indicates boundaries of polluted area better than other regression models. Our results can be visualized using a Web-based application customized for metropolitan Sydney. We believe that the continuous estimates provided by our system can better inform air pollution exposure and its impact on human health.
Influence of Processing Methods on Proximate Composition and Dieting of Two Amaranthus Species from West Cameroon

The effects of various processing methods on the proximate composition and dieting of Amaranthus hybridus and Amaranthus cruentus from West Cameroon were investigated in this study. Both amaranths leaves were subjected to same treatments (sun-dried and unsliced, sliced and cooked), milled, and analysed for their mineral and proximate composition. Thirty-Six Wistar albino rats of 21 to 24 days old were distributed in six groups and fed for 14 days with 10% protein based diets named D0 (protein-free diet), DI (egg white as reference protein), DII (sun-dried and unsliced A. hybridus), DIII (cooked and sliced A. hybridus), DIV (sun-dried and unsliced A. cruentus), and DV (cooked and sliced A. cruentus). The protein bioavailability and haematological and biochemical parameters were assessed in rats. The results showed that K, P, Mg, Zn, and Fe had the higher content in both samples regardless of processing method. The sun-dried and unsliced A. cruentus contained the highest value of crude protein 32.22 g/100 g DM (dry matter) while the highest crude lipid, 3.80 and 2.58%, was observed, respectively, in sun-dried and unsliced A. hybridus and cooked and sliced A. cruentus. Cooked and sliced A. hybridus and A. cruentus contained high crude fiber of 14 and 12.18%, respectively. Rats fed with diet DIII revealed the best protein bioavailability and haematological parameters whereas 100% mortality rate was recorded with group fed with diet DIV. From this study, it is evident that cooked and sliced A. hybridus and A. cruentus could play a role in weight reduction regimes.
Modeling video traffic using M/G/∞ input processes: a compromise between Markovian and LRD models

Statistical evidence suggests that the autocorrelation function p(k) (k=0,1,.) of a compressed-video sequence is better captured by p(k)=e/sup -/spl beta//spl radic/k/ than by p(k)=k/sup -/spl beta//=e/sup -/spl beta/logk/ (long-range dependence) or p(k)=e/sup -/spl beta/k/ (Markovian). A video model with such a correlation structure is introduced based on the so-called M/G//spl infin/ input processes. In essence, the M/G//spl infin/ process is a stationary version of the busy-server process of a discrete-time M/G//spl infin/ queue. By varying G, many forms of time dependence can be displayed, which makes the class of M/G//spl infin/ input models a good candidate for modeling many types of correlated traffic in computer networks. For video traffic, we derive the appropriate G that gives the desired correlation function p(k)=e/sup -/spl beta//spl radic/k/. Though not Markovian, this model is shown to exhibit short-range dependence. Poisson variates of the M/G//spl infin/ model are appropriately transformed to capture the marginal distribution of a video sequence. Using the performance of a real video stream as a reference, we study via simulations the queueing performance under three video models: our M/G//spl infin/ model, the fractional ARIMA model (which exhibits LRD), and the DAR(1) model (which exhibits a Markovian structure). Our results indicate that only the M/G//spl infin/ model is capable of consistently providing acceptable predictions of the actual queueing performance. Furthermore, only O(n) computations are required to generate an M/G//spl infin/ trace of length n, compared to O(n/sup 2/) for an F-ARIMA trace.
Is Barrett's esophagus characterized by more pronounced acid reflux than severe esophagitis?

Objective:Barrett's esophagus is related to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, only a small fraction of patients with GERD develop Barrett's esophagus. We evaluated whether gastroesophageal acid reflux is more pronounced in Barrett's patients than in patients with moderate or severe endoscopic esophagitis.Methods:Retrospective evaluation of results of esophageal manometry and 24 hour ambulatory pH monitoring performed between 1990 and 1996 at the Leiden University Medical Center in those patients who also underwent endoscopy ≤3 months before pH-metry. Included were 51 patients with Barrett's esophagus, 30 patients with severe esophagitis, 45 patients with moderate esophagitis, and 24 healthy control subjects.Results:Patients with Barrett's esophagus had significantly increased acid reflux time (p < 0.01–0.05) compared to patients with moderate, but not compared to patients with severe esophagitis. Distal esophageal body motility and LES pressure were significantly (p < 0.01–0.05) reduced in patients with Barrett's esophagus compared to patients with moderate esophagitis but not compared to those with severe esophagitis.Conclusion:Although acid reflux is increased in patients with Barrett's esophagus and esophageal motility is impaired, other factors apart from acid exposure and motility contribute to the development of Barrett's esophagus.
PBB fed to immature chickens: its effect on organ weights and function and on the cardiovascular system.

In a series of polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) feeding trials in White Leghorn cockerel chicks, the effects of PBB on various physiological parameters and organ weights were determined. These measurements included: growth, thyroid function, ECG, cardiac output, blood pressure, hematocrit, erythropoietin levels, and spleen, bursa of Fabricius, thyroid, testes, comb, liver weights. In addition, tissues were histologically examined. PBB, in the commercial grade form of hexabromobiphenyl, was administered continuously in the diet at levels ranging from 50 to 250 ppm. Pair-feeding studies were conducted to ascertain the effects of the drug per se since preliminary trials indicated that PBB administration resulted in decreased feed intake. Chronic administration resulted in depressed body weight as a result of decreased feed intake; decreased comb, testes, spleen, and bursa weights; increased liver and thyroid weight; hydropericardium and ascites; decreased hematological values due to depressed plasma erythropietin levels; decreased heart rate, packed cell volume, hemoglobin and cardiac output; decreased voltage amplitude of the ECG and a shift in the mean electrical axis. No significant differences were found in blood pressure (mean arterial and pulse pressure), stroke volume, or respiratory rate. ImagesFIGURE 4. AFIGURE 4. BFIGURE 4. CFIGURE 5. AFIGURE 5. BFIGURE 5. CFIGURE 6. AFIGURE 6. B
Gender and Grade Differences in Elementary School Children's Descriptive and Evaluative Self-Statements and Self-Esteem

Gender and developmental differences in self-description, self-evaluation and self-esteem were investigated using 957 elementary school children in grades 3 to 7. Gender differences were found for six of the seven descriptive statements and for five of the seven evaluative statements. The major gender stereotypical findings from previous studies were replicated. Boys reported higher scores than girls on descriptive and evaluative statements about their physical abilities and mathematics, while girls reported higher scores on descriptive and evaluative statements about reading. Declines over time were noted for all self-evaluations except having good relations with peers and for global self-esteem, providing some support for the notion that the decline in self-concepts and self-esteem may be attributed to the children's perceptions of themselves becoming more accurate and less egocentric in line with their cognitive capacity to integrate external feedback realistically.
Implicit Cooperation in Conflict Resolution for Simple Agents

Conflicts over resources can be resolved in many ways, from fighting to sharing. We introduce here a very simple mechanism for implicitly taking turns, the 2-turntaking rule. Agents adjust their tendencies to fight over a resource based on previous encounter outcomes. Agents possessing this mechanism are shown to be effective in competition with agents lacking the mechanism, indicating that there is some benefit to fairness, particularly when it comes at such a low computational cost.
The European Economy Since 1945.Coordinated Capitalism and Beyond (P.Barucci)

In 1945, many Europeans still heated with coal, cooled their food with ice, and lacked indoor plumbing. Today, things could hardly be more different. Over the second half of the twentieth century, the average European's buying power tripled, while working hours fell by a third. The European Economy since 1945 is a broad, accessible, forthright account of the extraordinary development of Europe's economy since the end of World War II. Barry Eichengreen argues that the continent's history has been critical to its economic performance, and that it will continue to be so going forward. Challenging standard views that basic economic forces were behind postwar Europe's success, Eichengreen shows how Western Europe in particular inherited a set of institutions singularly well suited to the economic circumstances that reigned for almost three decades. Economic growth was facilitated by solidarity-centered trade unions, cohesive employers' associations, and growth-minded governments--all legacies of Europe's earlier history. For example, these institutions worked together to mobilize savings, finance investment, and stabilize wages. However, this inheritance of economic and social institutions that was the solution until around 1973--when Europe had to switch from growth based on brute-force investment and the acquisition of known technologies to growth based on increased efficiency and innovation--then became the problem. Thus, the key questions for the future are whether Europe and its constituent nations can now adapt their institutions to the needs of a globalized knowledge economy, and whether in doing so, the continent's distinctive history will be an obstacle or an asset.
A Model for the Optimization of the Maintenance Support Organization for Offshore Wind Farms

Maintenance of offshore wind power plants is known to be extensive and costly. This paper presents a model for optimizing the maintenance support organization of an offshore wind farm: the location of maintenance accommodation, the number of technicians, the choice of transfer vessels, and the use of a helicopter. The model includes an analysis of a transportation strategy using alternative transportation means, a queuing model of maintenance activities, and an economic model of the maintenance support organization. An example based on a generic 100 wind turbine 5-MW wind farm is used to demonstrate the application of the model. The results show the benefit of the production losses of the different options, which enables the identification of an optimal maintenance support organization based on the reliability, logistic costs, and electricity price. The most cost-efficient maintenance support organization in the case study consists of an offshore accommodation with technicians on service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The solution suggests transportation by use of a crew transfer vessel equipped with a motion compensated access system.
End-of-life caregivers' perception of medical and psychological support during the final weeks of glioma patients: a questionnaire-based survey.

BACKGROUND The prognosis for glioma remains dismal, and little is known about the final disease phase. To obtain information about this period, we surveyed caregivers of patients who were registered in the German Glioma Network and who died from the disease. METHODS A questionnaire with 15 items, focusing on medical, logistic, and mental health support and symptom control during the final 4 weeks, was sent to caregivers. For some of the questions, a scale from 1 (inadequate) to 10 (excellent) was used. RESULTS Of 1655 questionnaires, 605 were returned (36.6%) and evaluated. We found that 67.9% of the patients were taken care of at home for the last 4 weeks; 47.7% died at home, 22.6% died in hospitals, and 19.3% died in hospice facilities. Medical support was provided by general practitioners in 72.3% of cases, by physicians affiliated with a nursing home or hospice in 29.9%, and by general oncologists in 17%. Specialized neuro-oncologists were involved in 6%. The caregivers ranked the medical support with a mean of 7.2 (using a 10-point scale), nursing service with 8.1, and mental health support with 5.5. In 22.9% of cases, no support for the caregivers themselves was offered by medical institutions. CONCLUSIONS Although these data reflect the caregivers' subjective views, they are useful in understanding and improving current patterns of care. While patients and their caregivers are supported mainly by neuro-oncologists for most of the disease phase, the end-of-life phase is managed predominantly by general practitioners and specialists in palliative care. Close cooperation between these specialties is necessary to meet the specific needs of glioma patients.
Remote Preparation of Photon Polarization State via Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Channel

Photon is desirable carrier for quantum information transfer owing to its robustness against decoherence mechanism during long-distance transmission. Currently, photon polarization is the primary method applied for quantum coding. In this paper, we realize remote state preparation (RSP) with photon polarization state through Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) entanglement. We give experimental proposals for our RSP schemes with optical devices including half wave plate (HWP), quarter wave plate (QWP), and Faraday mirror; then definitely get corresponding polarization for the second photon through detection of first photon with proper local operation and classical communication (LOCC). Descriptions of optical devices in real experiments are also discussed. This practical protocol can be applied for network infrastructure and distant communication. Keywords-polarization entanglement, remote state preparation, Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen pair
Macrophage Resistance to HIV-1 Infection Is Enhanced by the Neuropeptides VIP and PACAP

It is well established that host factors can modulate HIV-1 replication in macrophages, critical cells in the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection due to their ability to continuously produce virus. The neuropeptides VIP and PACAP induce well-characterized effects on macrophages through binding to the G protein-coupled receptors VPAC1, VPAC2 and PAC1, but their influence on HIV-1 production by these cells has not been established. Here, we describe that VIP and PACAP reduce macrophage production of HIV-1, acting in a synergistic or additive manner to decrease viral growth. Using receptor antagonists, we detected that the HIV-1 inhibition promoted by VIP is dependent on its ligation to VPAC1/2, whereas PACAP decreases HIV-1 growth via activation of the VPAC1/2 and PAC1 receptors. Specific agonists of VPAC2 or PAC1 decrease macrophage production of HIV-1, whereas sole activation of VPAC1 enhances viral growth. However, the combination of specific agonists mimicking the receptor preference of the natural neuropeptides reproduces the ability of VIP and PACAP to increase macrophage resistance to HIV-1 replication. VIP and PACAP up-regulated macrophage secretion of the β-chemokines CCL3 and CCL5 and the cytokine IL-10, whose neutralization reversed the neuropeptide-induced inhibition of HIV-1 replication. Our results suggest that VIP and PACAP and the receptors VPAC2 and PAC1 could be used as targets for developing alternative therapeutic strategies for HIV-1 infection.
Prognostic factors related to recurrent low-back pain and sickness absence.

OBJECTIVES This study aimed at determining the prognostic factors related to the recurrence of low-back pain and future sickness absence due to low-back pain. METHODS Data were used from a prospective cohort study in a working population with a 3-year follow-up period. They were collected with annual questionnaires. A generalized estimating equation model was used to study the relation between pain characteristics, individual characteristics, and work-related factors and the recurrence of low-back pain or sickness absence due to low-back pain in the following year. Adjustments were made for potential confounders. RESULTS All the pain characteristics [odds ratios (OR) varying from 1.4 to 2.4], flexion and rotation of the upper part of the body [OR 1.6, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.1-2.5], low decision authority (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.6), and low job satisfaction (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.3), increased the risk of recurrent low-back pain. High disability due to low-back pain (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.7), low co-worker support (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.6-10.5), and low job satisfaction (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.3-4.5) were predictors of sickness absence due to low-back pain. Lifting weights did not influence the risk of recurrences or sick leave. CONCLUSIONS According to this study, high disability due to low-back pain is a prognostic factor for recurrent low-back pain and future sickness absence due to low-back pain. In addition, the following work-related factors predict a poor prognosis of low-back pain: flexion or rotation of the trunk, low job satisfaction, low decision authority, and low social support.
Biological Variation in Tests of Hemostasis

The two components of biological variability are interindividual variability, which is the variability due to the heterogeneity of physiologic influences among subjects, and intraindividual variability, which is due to the variability in the same individual over time. Analysis of biological variation is crucial for estimating the critical difference, which corresponds with a threshold suggestive of a statistically significant difference between two consecutive results of a laboratory parameter in the same subject and is therefore unlikely attributable to casual (random) oscillation of values. Studies on biological variation of tests of hemostasis are outdated, and the published results should be confirmed by using modern, fully automated methods. Biological variation for coagulation screening tests (prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time) is low and comparable with the values registered for hematologic parameters. However, the index of individuality (ratio between intraindividual and interindividual variability) suggests that the usual preoperative screening for coagulation disorders is influenced by the between-subjects variability. Thrombin time is very constant within and between subjects. Proteins such as fibrinogen, clotting factors, and antithrombin show a low biological variability. In contrast, fibrinolytic parameters, such as plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and fibrinopeptide A, show very high variability, and their interpretation in the clinical setting must take this into consideration.
Unenhanced CT and MRI Parameters That Can Be Used to Reliably Predict Fat-Invisible Angiomyolipoma.

OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to determine unenhanced CT and MRI parameters that can be used to reliably predict fat-invisible angiomyolipoma (AML). MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 152 patients with 155 histologically proven renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and 16 patients with 18 histologically proven AMLs were included. No AML measured less than -20 HU on CT images. The tumor-to-cortex ratio was measured on unenhanced CT, T2-weighted MRI, and T1-weighted MRI to compare fat-invisible AML and RCC. On chemical-shift MRI, the signal intensity (SI) index and tumor-to-spleen ratio were calculated to compare these lesions. The unpaired t test and ROC with AUC were used for statistical analysis. The reference standard was pathologic examination. RESULTS The mean tumor-to-cortex ratios on unenhanced CT of AML and RCC were 1.37 ± 0.66 (SD) and 0.83 ± 0.47, respectively (p < 0.001). However, the tumor-to-cortex ratio on unenhanced CT of AML was not different from that of chromophobe RCC (p = 0.093). The mean tumor-to-cortex ratios on T2-weighted MRI of AML and RCC were 0.75 ± 0.15 and 1.21 ± 0.41, respectively (p < 0.001). However, the tumor-to-cortex ratio on T2-weighted MRI of AML was not different from that of papillary RCC (p = 0.161). The tumor-to-spleen ratio on chemical-shift MRI, tumor-to-cortex ratio on T1-weighted MRI, and SI index on chemical-shift MRI of AML were not different from those of RCC (p = 0.104-0.670). The AUCs of the tumor-to-cortex ratio on T2-weighted MRI and the tumor-to-cortex ratio on unenhanced CT were 0.862 and 0.835, respectively. CONCLUSION The tumor-to-cortex ratio on T2-weighted MRI and the tumor-to-cortex ratio on unenhanced CT are good parameters to differentiate fat-invisible AML from clear cell RCC. Nevertheless, percutaneous biopsy is necessary because these parameters are not reliable in differentiating fat-invisible AML from non-clear cell RCC.
Clustering and Hybrid Genetic Algorithm based Intrusion Detection Strategy

Ad hoc networks face serious security threat due to its inherent weaknesses. Intrusion detection is crucial technology in protecting the security of Ad hoc networks. Recently, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) face open issues, such as how to make use of intrusion detection technologies to excavate normal/abnormal behaviors from a lot of initialized data and dig out invasion models later for intrusion detection automatically and effectively. In this paper, we propose an enhanced algorithm combined improved clustering algorithm with Hybrid Genetic Algorithm (HGA), called Enhanced Intrusion Detection Algorithm (EIDA) for intrusion detection in Ad hoc networks. Clustering Algorithm is used to divide the normal/anomalous data from network and system behaviors. Then HGA is used to dig out the invasion rules. Our EIDA is an unsupervised anomaly detection algorithm. The experiment result shows that it is extensible and not sensitive to the sequence of the input data sets. It has the capacity to deal with different types of data and detection rate and false positive rate of intrusion detection has been improved effectively. DOI : http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v12i1. 3353