Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selection Problems in the Presence of Implicit Bias

Over the past two decades, the notion of implicit bias has come to serve as an important component in our understanding of discrimination in activities such as hiring, promotion, and school admissions. Research on implicit bias posits that when people evaluate others -- for example, in a hiring context -- their unconscious biases about membership in particular groups can have an effect on their decision-making, even when they have no deliberate intention to discriminate against members of these groups. A growing body of experimental work has pointed to the effect that implicit bias can have in producing adverse outcomes. Here we propose a theoretical model for studying the effects of implicit bias on selection decisions, and a way of analyzing possible procedural remedies for implicit bias within this model. A canonical situation represented by our model is a hiring setting: a recruiting committee is trying to choose a set of finalists to interview among the applicants for a job, evaluating these applicants based on their future potential, but their estimates of potential are skewed by implicit bias against members of one group. In this model, we show that measures such as the Rooney Rule, a requirement that at least one of the finalists be chosen from the affected group, can not only improve the representation of this affected group, but also lead to higher payoffs in absolute terms for the organization performing the recruiting. However, identifying the conditions under which such measures can lead to improved payoffs involves subtle trade-offs between the extent of the bias and the underlying distribution of applicant characteristics, leading to novel theoretical questions about order statistics in the presence of probabilistic side information.
Distinct inflammatory profile underlies pathological increases in creatinine levels associated with Plasmodium vivax malaria clinical severity

Background Although Plasmodium vivax infection is a frequent cause of malaria worldwide, severe presentations have been more regularly described only in recent years. In this setting, despite clinical descriptions of multi-organ involvement, data associating it with kidney dysfunction are relatively scarce. Here, renal dysfunction is retrospectively analyzed in a large cohort of vivax malaria patients with an attempt to dissect its association with disease severity and mortality, and to determine the role of inflammation in its progression. Methods A retrospective analysis of a databank containing 572 individuals from the Brazilian Amazon, including 179 patients with P. vivax monoinfection (161 symptomatic malaria, 12 severe non-lethal malaria, and 6 severe lethal disease) and 165 healthy controls, was performed. Data on levels of cytokines, chemokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, creatinine, hepatic enzymes, bilirubin levels, free heme, and haptoglobin were analyzed to depict and compare profiles from patients per creatinine levels. Results Elevated creatinine levels were found predominantly in women. Vivax malaria severity was highly associated with abnormal creatinine increases, and nonsurvivors presented the highest values of serum creatinine. Indication of kidney dysfunction was not associated with parasitemia levels. IFN-γ/IL-10 ratio and CRP values marked the immune biosignature of vivax malaria patients, and could distinguish subjects with elevated creatinine levels who did not survive from those who did. Patients with elevated serum creatinine or severe vivax malaria displayed indication of cholestasis. Biomarkers of hemolysis did not follow increases in serum creatinine. Conclusion These findings reinforce the hypothesis that renal dysfunction is a key component in P. vivax malaria associated with clinical severity and mortality, possibly through intense inflammation and immune imbalance. Our study argues for systematic evaluation of kidney function as part of the clinical assessment in vivax malaria patients, and warrants additional studies in experimental models for further mechanism investigations.
Pregnant Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient: Successful Outcome

from England the authors showed that there was a lack of knowledge and understanding in the women of reproductive age about their disease, medication and effects of these on pregnancy. It is important to discuss the issues related to pregnancy and conception either at diagnosis or when medication is initially prescribed. In our experience some pregnant women tend to stop their medication in fear of the side effect of the drugs on the developing foetus, with an inherent risk of disease flare up. A questionnaire study by Mountfield et al found that a large proportion of subjects (84%) reported concerns that IBD medications would harm their pregnancy, whereas only 19% women reported concerns about the effect of active IBD on pregnancy. The author reported that patients with active disease had higher risks of adverse outcome with a better outcome if they are in remission (Mountfield, 2010). It is estimated that more than 50% of pregnancies are not planned hence as soon as the diagnosis is made this issue should be brought up. See table 1, for general pre-pregnancy recommendations. Folic acid is an important vitamin that should be taken prior to conception since neural tube defect occurs as soon as conception is discovered. It is interesting in the British abstract only 43 women (65.15%) knew the beneficial effect of folic acid pre-conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy (Chakrabarty & Poullis, 2011). The patient, her partner and her physician should discuss the possibility of disease exacerbation during pregnancy while off treatment and the necessary courses of action in such an event. Treatment choices depend on individual preference, disease severity and potential for drug toxicity. Risks and benefits of maintenance therapies during pregnancy with the best available evidence should be addressed. In addition, breastfeeding should be presented as a favourable option since it confers numerous benefits to both mother and child. The likelihood of medication secretion in breast milk and impact on foetal wellbeing should be approached and encouraged. General advice pre pregnancy 1. Discuss potential pregnancy outcome, breast feeding, and drug therapy 2. Diet and nutrition 3. Folic acid supplementation 5 mg daily
Calpain, not caspase, is the causative protease for hypoxic damage in cultured monkey retinal cells.

PURPOSE Cell death occurring in human retina during AMD, high IOP, and diabetic retinopathy could be caused by activation of calpain or caspase proteolytic enzymes. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether calpains and/or caspase-3 were involved in cell death during retinal hypoxia in a monkey model. METHODS Dissociated monkey retinal cells were cultured for two weeks and subjected to 24-hour hypoxia/24-hour reoxygenation. TUNEL staining and immunostaining for Müller and photoreceptor markers were used to detect which retinal cell types were damaged. RESULTS Culturing dissociated monkey retina cells for two weeks resulted in proliferation of Müller cells and maintenance of some rod and cone photoreceptor cells, as identified by vimentin, recoverin, and rhodopsin immunocytochemical staining. Hypoxia/reoxygenation increased the number of cells staining positive for TUNEL. Immunoblotting showed that the calpain-specific 145 kDa α-spectrin breakdown product (SBDP) increased in hypoxic cells, but no caspase-specific 120 kDa α-spectrin breakdown product was detected. TUNEL staining and proteolysis were significantly reduced in the retinal cells treated with 10 and 100 μM calpain inhibitor SNJ-1945. Caspase inhibitor, z-VAD, did not inhibit cell damage from hypoxia/reoxygenation. Intact pro-caspase-3 was in fact cleaved by activated calpain during hypoxia/reoxygenation to pre 29 kDa caspase-3 and 24 kDa inactive fragments. No 17 and 12 kDa fragments, which form the active caspase-3 hetero-dimer, were detected. Calpain-induced cleavage of caspase was inhibited by SNJ-1945. CONCLUSIONS Calpain, not caspase-3, was involved in hypoxic damage in cultured monkey retinal cells.
Geographic variations of jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) based on gladius morphology: Supplementary Table

1 College of Marine Sciences Shanghai Ocean University 999 Huchenghuan Road Shanghai, 201306, China 2 The Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources Ministry of Education 999 Huchenghuan Road Shanghai 201306, China 3 National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries Shanghai Ocean University 999 Huchenghuan Road Shanghai 201306, China 4 National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education Shanghai Ocean University 999 Huchenghuan Road Shanghai 201306, China
Differential Involvement of the Dentate Gyrus in Adaptive Forgetting in the Rat

How does the brain discriminate essential information aimed to be stored permanently from information required only temporarily, and that needs to be cleared away for not saturating our precious memory space? Reference Memory (RM) refers to the long-term storage of invariable information whereas Working Memory (WM) depends on the short-term storage of trial-unique information. Previous work has revealed that WM tasks are very sensitive to proactive interference. In order to prevent such interference, irrelevant old memories must be forgotten to give new ones the opportunity to be stabilized. However, unlike memory, physiological processes underlying this adaptive form of forgetting are still poorly understood. Here, we precisely ask what specific brain structure(s) could be responsible for such process to occur. To answer this question, we trained rats in a radial maze using three paradigms, a RM task and two WM tasks involving or not the processing of interference but strictly identical in terms of locomotion or motivation. We showed that an inhibition of the expression of Zif268 and c-Fos, two indirect markers of neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity, was observed in the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampus when processing such interfering previously stored information. Conversely, we showed that inactivating the dentate gyrus impairs both RM and WM, but improves the processing of interference. Altogether, these results strongly suggest for the first time that the dentate gyrus could be a key structure involved in adaptive forgetting.
Family Coping as a Protective Factor for Poor Children

This study examined family influences on coping and adjustment among 90 low-income Latino middle school children (46% Female; Average age = 11.38, SD = .66) and their primary caregivers (93% Female; Average age = 36.12, SD = 6.13). All participants identified as Hispanic/Latino, with 75% of families identifying as Mexican-origin Latino, 77% of parents identifying as immigrants, and 32% of children identifying immigrants. All children participating in the study were receiving free or reduced lunch, a poverty indicator. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that family reframing is related to fewer symptoms of psychopathology and that familism enhances the protective effect of family reframing, while passive appraisal is linked to worse functioning. Path analyses showed that family reframing also has indirect effects on symptoms through child primary control coping. Additional analyses identified family mobilizing support and family ethnic socialization as potential contributors to child secondary control coping. Family mobilizing support may also be helpful for single-parent families, while family spiritual support is helpful for immigrant families. Qualitative findings from an initial focus group and from the larger sample are also discussed. Results are discussed with regard to the implications of this research for preventive interventions with families in poverty. Understanding the protective links of family coping and cultural strengths to mental health outcomes of poor children can influence intervention or prevention programming and policy targeting at-risk youth and families.
[O iii] λ5007 AND X-RAY PROPERTIES OF A COMPLETE SAMPLE OF HARD X-RAY SELECTED AGNs IN THE LOCAL UNIVERSE

We study the correlation between the [O iii] λ5007 and X-ray luminosities of local active galactic nuclei (AGNs), using a complete, hard X-ray (>10 keV) selected sample in the Swift/BAT 9-month catalog. From our optical spectroscopic observations at the South African Astronomical Observatory and the literature, a catalog of [O iii] λ5007 line flux for all 103 AGNs at Galactic latitudes of ∣ b ∣ > 15 ° ? > is compiled. Significant correlations with intrinsic X-ray luminosity ( L X ? > ) are found for both observed ( L [ O III ] ? > ) and extinction-corrected ( L [ O III ] cor ? > ) luminosities, separately for X-ray unabsorbed and absorbed AGNs. We obtain the regression form of L [ O III ] ? > ∝ L 2 − 10 keV 1.18 ± 0.07 ? > and L [ O III ] cor ? > ∝ L 2 − 10 keV 1.16 ± 0.09 ? > from the whole sample. The absorbed AGNs with low (<0.5%) scattering fractions in soft X-rays show on average smaller L [ O III ] / L X ? > and L [ O III ] cor / L X ? > ratios than the other absorbed AGNs, while those in edge-on host galaxies do not. These results suggest that a significant fraction of this population is buried in tori with small opening angles. By using these L [ O III ] ? > versus L X ? > correlations, the X-ray luminosity function (LF) of local AGNs (including Compton-thick AGNs) in a standard population synthesis model gives much better agreement with the [O iii] λ5007 LF derived from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey than previously reported. This confirms that hard X-ray observations are a very powerful tool to find AGNs with high completeness.
Diuretic activity of the aqueous crude extract and hot tea infusion of Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.) Cufod. leaves in rats

Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.) Cufod. is a medicinal plant that has been used for the treatment of different ailments such as hypertension and diabetes in Ethiopia. This study aims to assess the diuretic activity of the aqueous crude extract and hot tea infusion of M. stenopetala leaves in saline-loaded rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into ten groups (n = 5). The control group received distilled water (5 mL/kg), whereas the reference group received Furosemide (10 mg/kg). Groups III–X orally received different doses of aqueous crude extract (62.5, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg) and hot tea infusion (1, 2, 4, and 6 teaspoons [Tsp]) based on community use. Urine volume was recorded every hour until the end of the 5th hour, and total urine volume of each animal was calculated. The diuretic activity and diuretic action were determined based on the urine output. Additionally, concentration of urinary sodium, chloride, and potassium ions was determined. The urinary Na+/K+ ratio and carbonyl anhydrase activity (Cl−/(Na+/K+)) were also assessed. The findings verified that the aqueous crude extract as well as the hot tea infusion of the leaves of M. stenopetala possesses significant (P < 0.01) diuretic, natriuretic, and kaliuretic effects. The aqueous crude extract (125 mg/kg) and hot tea infusion (2 Tsp) displayed the highest diuretic activity (101% and 96%, respectively) comparable to the reference drug, Furosemide (10 mg/kg). They also displayed a good natriuretic activity. The aqueous crude extract and hot tea infusion revealed a significant Na+ urinary excretion (P < 0.001) and Na+/K+ ratio (P < 0.05) at all test doses. There was also a significant (P < 0.01) Cl− urinary excretion at all test doses of aqueous crude extract except 62.5 mg/kg and all test doses of hot tea infusion except higher doses (4 and 6 Tsp). Thus, the aqueous crude extract as well as the hot tea infusion of the leaves of M. stenopetala causes a plausible increase in the urine volume and concentration of urinary electrolytes in rats.
Event Detection Using Multi-level Relevance Labels and Multiple Features

We address the challenging problem of utilizing related exemplars for complex event detection while multiple features are available. Related exemplars share certain positive elements of the event, but have no uniform pattern due to the huge variance of relevance levels among different related exemplars. None of the existing multiple feature fusion methods can deal with the related exemplars. In this paper, we propose an algorithm which adaptively utilizes the related exemplars by cross-feature learning. Ordinal labels are used to represent the multiple relevance levels of the related videos. Label candidates of related exemplars are generated by exploring the possible relevance levels of each related exemplar via a cross-feature voting strategy. Maximum margin criterion is then applied in our framework to discriminate the positive and negative exemplars, as well as the related exemplars from different relevance levels. We test our algorithm using the large scale TRECVID 2011 dataset and it gains promising performance.
Quality competition and hospital mergers—An experiment

On the basis of a Salop model with regulated prices, we investigate quality provision behaviour of competing hospitals before and after a merger. For this, we use a controlled laboratory experiment where subjects decided on the level of treatment quality as head of a hospital. We find that the post-merger average quality is significantly lower than the average pre-merger quality. However, for merger insiders and outsiders, average quality choices are significantly higher than predicted for pure profit-maximising hospitals. This upward deviation is potentially driven by altruistic behaviour towards patients. Furthermore, we find that in the case where sufficient cost synergies are realised by the merged hospitals, there is a significant increase in average quality choices compared to the scenario without synergies. Finally, we find that our results do not change when comparing individual decisions to team decisions.
Biogeosciences Predicting photosynthesis and transpiration responses to ozone : decoupling modeled photosynthesis and stomatal conductance

Plants exchange greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and water with the atmosphere through the processes of photosynthesis and transpiration, making them essential in climate regulation. Carbon dioxide and water exchange are typically coupled through the control of stomatal conductance, and the parameterization in many models often predict conductance based on photosynthesis values. Some environmental conditions, like exposure to high ozone (O 3) concentrations, alter photosynthesis independent of stomatal conductance, so models that couple these processes cannot accurately predict both. The goals of this study were to test direct and indirect photosynthesis and stomatal conductance modifications based on O 3 damage to tulip poplar ( Liriodendron tulipifera) in a coupled Farquhar/Ball-Berry model. The same modifications were then tested in the Community Land Model (CLM) to determine the impacts on gross primary productivity (GPP) and transpiration at a constant O 3 concentration of 100 parts per billion (ppb). Modifying the Vcmax parameter and directly modifying stomatal conductance best predicts photosynthesis and stomatal conductance responses to chronic O3 over a range of environmental conditions. On a global scale, directly modifying conductance reduces the effect of O3 on both transpiration and GPP compared to indirectly modifying conductance, particularly in the tropics. The results of this study suggest that independently modifying stomatal conductance can improve the ability of models to predict hydrologic cycling, and therefore improve future climate predictions.
Changes in Refractive Errors Related to Spectacle Correction of Hyperopia

Background Hyperopic undercorrection is a common clinical practice. However, less is known of its effect on the change in refractive errors and emmetropization throughout the later years of childhood. Objectives To evaluate the effect of spectacle correction on the change in refractive errors in hyperopic children less than 12 years of age with or without strabismus. Data Extraction A retrospective cohort study was performed by a computer based search of the hospital database of patients with hyperopia, accommodative esotropia or exotropia. A total of 150 hyperopic children under 12 years of age were included. Patients were classified into four groups: 1) accommodative esotropia with full correction of hyperopia, 2) exotropia with undercorrection of hyperopia, 3) orthotropia with full correction of hyperopia, 4) orthotropia with undercorrection of hyperopia. The 4 groups were matched by initial age on examination and spherical equivalent refractive errors (SER). The main outcome measure was the change in SER (Diopter/year) in both eyes after two years of follow-up. Results An overall negative shift in SER was noted during the follow-up period in all groups, except for the group with esotropia and full correction. The mean negative shift of hyperopia was more rapid in groups receiving undercorrection of hyperopia with or without strabismus. The amount of undercorrection of hyperopia was positively correlated to the magnitude of decrease in hyperopia in all patients (r = 0.289, P<0.001) and in the subgroup of patients with orthotropia (r = 0.304, P = 0.011). The amount of undercorrection of hyperopia was the only factor associated with a more negative shift in SER (OR, 2.414; 95% CI, 1.202–4.849; P = 0.013). Conclusions The amount of undercorrection is significantly correlated to the change in hyperopic refractive errors. Full correction of hyperopia may inhibit emmetropization during early and late childhood.
Scalable Tensor Factorizations with Missing Data

The problem of missing data is ubiquitous in domains such as biomedical signal processing, network traffic analysis, bibliometrics, social network analysis, chemometrics, computer vision, and communication networks|all domains in which data collection is subject to occasional errors. Moreover, these data sets can be quite large and have more than two axes of variation, e.g., sender, receiver, time. Many applications in those domains aim to capture the underlying latent structure of the data; in other words, they need to factorize data sets with missing entries. If we cannot address the problem of missing data, many important data sets will be discarded or improperly analyzed. Therefore, we need a robust and scalable approach for factorizing multi-way arrays (i.e., tensors) in the presence of missing data. We focus on one of the most well-known tensor factorizations, CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP), and formulate the CP model as a weighted least squares problem that models only the known entries. We develop an algorithm called CP-WOPT (CP Weighted OPTimization) using a first-order optimization approach to solve the weighted least squares problem. Based on extensive numerical experiments, our algorithm is shown to successfully factor tensors with noise and up to 70% missing data. Moreover, our approach is significantly fastermore » than the leading alternative and scales to larger problems. To show the real-world usefulness of CP-WOPT, we illustrate its applicability on a novel EEG (electroencephalogram) application where missing data is frequently encountered due to disconnections of electrodes. « less
Formal Concept Analysis on Graphics Hardware

We document a parallel non-recursive beam search GPGPU FCA CbO like algorithm written in nVidia CUDA C and test it on soft- ware module dependency graphs. Despite removing repeated calculations and optimising data structures and kernels, we do not yet see major speed ups. Instead GeForce 295 GTX and Tesla C2050 report 141072 concepts (maximal rectangles, clusters) in about one second. Future improvements in graphics hardware may make GPU implementations of Galois lattices competitive.