Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal requantization of deep grayscale images and Lloyd-Max quantization

The classic signal quantization problem was introduced by Lloyd. We formulate another, similar problem: The optimal mapping of digital fine grayscale images (such as 9-13 bits-per-pixel medical images) to a coarser scale (e.g., 8 bits per pixel on conventional computer monitors). While the former problem is defined basically in the real signal domain with smoothly distributed noise, the latter refers to an essentially digital domain. As we show in this paper, it is this difference that makes the classic quantization methods virtually inapplicable in typical cases of requantization of the already digitized images. We found experimentally that an algorithm based on dynamic programming provides significantly better results than Lloyd's method.
Theory of Knowledge for Literature Reviews: An Epistemological Model, Taxonomy and Empirical Analysis of IS Literature

Literature reviews play an important role in the development of knowledge. Yet, we observe a lack of theoretical underpinning of and epistemological insights into how literature reviews can contribute to knowledge creation and have actually contributed in the IS discipline. To address these theoretical and empirical research gaps, we suggest a novel epistemological model of literature reviews. This model allows us to align different contributions of literature reviews with their underlying knowledge conversions - thereby building a bridge between the previously largely unconnected fields of literature reviews and epistemology. We evaluate the appropriateness of the model by conducting an empirical analysis of 173 IS literature reviews which were published in 39 pertinent IS journals between 2000 and 2014. Based on this analysis, we derive an epistemological taxonomy of IS literature reviews, which complements previously suggested typologies.
Vitamin D and Its Effects on Glucose Homeostasis, Cardiovascular Function and Immune Function

In recent years there has been increasing interest in the non-skeletal effects of vitamin D. It has been suggested that vitamin D deficiency may influence the development of diabetes, cardiovascular dysfunction and autoimmune diseases. This review focuses on the current knowledge of the effects of vitamin D and its deficiency on cardiovascular function, glucose homeostasis and immune function, with a particular focus on children. Although, there is good evidence to show that there is an association between vitamin D deficiency and an abnormality of the above systems, there is little evidence to show that vitamin D supplementation leads to an improvement in function, especially in childhood.
Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization Credit Risk in Islamic Joint Venture Bond

This paper focuses on Islamic joint venture (IJV) bonds and examines whether conventional structural credit risk models capture Islamic bonds' underlying risk. Their various extensions have first been adjusted for the IJV bonds' unique characteristics and then tested through simulations to identify any appraisal issues. The models are then used to assess data from 52 Malaysian Islamic bond issuers. We find that conventional structural models and their Islamic extensions misevaluate IJV bonds and so afford them lower credit ratings.
Isolation of MECP2-null Rett Syndrome patient hiPS cells and isogenic controls through X-chromosome inactivation

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental autism spectrum disorder that affects girls due primarily to mutations in the gene encoding methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2). The majority of RTT patients carry missense and nonsense mutations leading to a hypomorphic MECP2, while null mutations leading to the complete absence of a functional protein are rare. MECP2 is an X-linked gene subject to random X-chromosome inactivation resulting in mosaic expression of mutant MECP2. The lack of human brain tissue motivates the need for alternative human cellular models to study RTT. Here we report the characterization of a MECP2 mutation in a classic female RTT patient involving rearrangements that remove exons 3 and 4 creating a functionally null mutation. To generate human neuron models of RTT, we isolated human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells from RTT patient fibroblasts. RTT-hiPS cells retained the MECP2 mutation, are pluripotent and fully reprogrammed, and retained an inactive X-chromosome in a nonrandom pattern. Taking advantage of the latter characteristic, we obtained a pair of isogenic wild-type and mutant MECP2 expressing RTT-hiPS cell lines that retained this MECP2 expression pattern upon differentiation into neurons. Phenotypic analysis of mutant RTT-hiPS cell-derived neurons demonstrated a reduction in soma size compared with the isogenic control RTT-hiPS cell-derived neurons from the same RTT patient. Analysis of isogenic control and mutant hiPS cell-derived neurons represents a promising source for understanding the pathogenesis of RTT and the role of MECP2 in human neurons.
Dragonfly flight: free-flight and tethered flow visualizations reveal a diverse array of unsteady lift-generating mechanisms, controlled primarily via angle of attack

SUMMARY Here we show, by qualitative free- and tethered-flight flow visualization, that dragonflies fly by using unsteady aerodynamic mechanisms to generate high-lift, leading-edge vortices. In normal free flight, dragonflies use counterstroking kinematics, with a leading-edge vortex (LEV) on the forewing downstroke, attached flow on the forewing upstroke, and attached flow on the hindwing throughout. Accelerating dragonflies switch to in-phase wing-beats with highly separated downstroke flows, with a single LEV attached across both the fore- and hindwings. We use smoke visualizations to distinguish between the three simplest local analytical solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations yielding flow separation resulting in a LEV. The LEV is an open U-shaped separation, continuous across the thorax, running parallel to the wing leading edge and inflecting at the tips to form wingtip vortices. Air spirals in to a free-slip critical point over the centreline as the LEV grows. Spanwise flow is not a dominant feature of the flow field – spanwise flows sometimes run from wingtip to centreline, or vice versa – depending on the degree of sideslip. LEV formation always coincides with rapid increases in angle of attack, and the smoke visualizations clearly show the formation of LEVs whenever a rapid increase in angle of attack occurs. There is no discrete starting vortex. Instead, a shear layer forms behind the trailing edge whenever the wing is at a non-zero angle of attack, and rolls up, under Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, into a series of transverse vortices with circulation of opposite sign to the circulation around the wing and LEV. The flow fields produced by dragonflies differ qualitatively from those published for mechanical models of dragonflies, fruitflies and hawkmoths, which preclude natural wing interactions. However, controlled parametric experiments show that, provided the Strouhal number is appropriate and the natural interaction between left and right wings can occur, even a simple plunging plate can reproduce the detailed features of the flow seen in dragonflies. In our models, and in dragonflies, it appears that stability of the LEV is achieved by a general mechanism whereby flapping kinematics are configured so that a LEV would be expected to form naturally over the wing and remain attached for the duration of the stroke. However, the actual formation and shedding of the LEV is controlled by wing angle of attack, which dragonflies can vary through both extremes, from zero up to a range that leads to immediate flow separation at any time during a wing stroke.
Evidence for effectiveness of treatment of loudness, rate, or prosody in dysarthria: a systematic review

CRD summary The review assessed interventions for global aspects of speech in individuals with dysarthria. The authors concluded that there was limited evidence of efficacy, with the exception of modification of loudness in individuals with Parkinson's disease hypokinetic dysarthria, for which there was some evidence of effectiveness. The review methodology and results were poorly reported and the reliability of the conclusion cannot be determined.
Metabolic Characteristics in Meal of Black Rapeseed and Yellow-Seeded Progeny of Brassica napus–Sinapis alba Hybrids

Breeding of yellow-seeded rapeseed (Brassica napus) is preferred over black-seeded rapeseed for the desirable properties of the former. This study evaluated the metabolites and nutritive values of black-seeded rapeseed meal and yellow-seeded meal from the progeny of a B. napus–Sinapis alba hybrid. Yellow-seed meal presented higher protein (35.46% vs. 30.29%), higher sucrose (7.85% vs. 7.29%), less dietary fiber (26.19% vs. 34.63%) and crude fiber (4.56% vs. 8.86%), and less glucosinolates (22.18 vs. 28.19 μmol/g) than black-seeded one. Amounts of ash (3.65% vs. 4.55%), phytic acid (4.98% vs. 5.60%), and total polyphenols (2.67% vs. 2.82%) were decreased slightly in yellow-seeded meal compared with black-seeded meal. Yellow-seeded meal contained more essential amino acids than black-seeded meal. Levels of the mineral elements Fe, Mn, and Zn in yellow-seeded meal were higher than black-seeded meal. By contrast, levels of P, Ca, and Mg were lower in yellow-seeded meal. Moreover, yellow-seeded meal showed lower flavonol (kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin, and their derivatives) content than black-seeded meal. Comparison of metabolites between yellow and black rapeseed confirmed the improved nutritional value of meal from yellow-seeded B. napus, and this would be helpful to the breeding and improvement of rapeseed for animal feeding.
Hypertension Through Mechanisms Involving Nitric Oxide Synthases

Objective: To test the hypothesis that acupuncture on stomach 36 point (ST-36) reduces hypertension by activating nitric oxide synthase signaling mechanisms. Methods: The authors used the two-kidney, one-clip renal hypertension (2K1C) hamster model with electroacupuncture treatment. Results: Thirty-minute daily electroacupuncture treatment for 5 days reduced mean arterial pressure from 160.0 ± 7.6 to 128.0 ± 4.3 mmHg (mean ± SEM), compared to 115.0 ± 7.2 mmHg in sham-operated hamsters. Electroacupuncture increased periarteriolar NO concentration from 309.0 ± 21.7 nM to 417.9 ± 20.9 nM in the 2K1C hamster cheek pouch microcirculation when measured with NO-sensitive microelectrodes. Hypertension reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) proteins relative to the sham-operated control, as measured by Western blotting. Electroacupuncture prevented the reduction of eNOS and nNOS associated with hypertension and showed even higher eNOS and nNOS expressions than sham-operated control in stomach and cheek pouch tissues, which are on the stomach meridian. Analysis of liver tissue, a nonstomach-meridian organ, indicated that electroacupuncture did not have a significant benefit in terms of enhanced expressions of eNOS and nNOS in the treated 2K1C hypertensive group. Conclusions: Activation of eNOS and nNOS is one of the mechanisms through which ST-36 electroacupuncture reduces blood pressure; this reduction works through the stomach meridian. Microcirculation (2006) 13, 577–585. doi:10.1080/10739680600885210
Anomalous magnetic field activity during a bioenergy healing experiment

A few studies have reported magnetic fi eld changes during bio- energy healing. In a pilot experiment, we examined magnetic fi eld activity during hands-on healing and distant healing of mice with experimentally in- duced tumors. During healing sessions, we observed distinct magnetic fi eld oscillations adjacent to the mice cages, which were similar in appearance to those reported by Zimmerman (1985). The magnetic fi eld oscillations began as 20-30 Hz oscillations, slowing to 8-9 Hz, and then to less than 1 Hz, at which point the oscillations reversed and increased in frequency, with an over- all symmetrical appearance resembling a "chirp wave. " The waves ranged from 1-8 milliGauss peak-to-peak in strength and 60-120 sec in duration. Evidence to date suggests that bioenergy healing may be detectable with DC gaussmeters, although we have not ruled out an artifactual basis for the oscil- lations reported here.
Enhanced Arctic Sea Ice Drift Estimation Merging Radiometer and Scatterometer Data

Satellites enable daily and global coverage of the polar oceans and provide a unique monitoring capability of sea ice dynamics. Sea ice drift maps can be estimated in Arctic from several satellite sensors, particularly from scatterometers and radiometers. This study presents the benefits of combining single drift fields at the same resolution into a “merged” field, built at three- and six-day lags during winters with a 62.5-km resolution. It is shown that combining these drift fields not only increases the reliability of the displacement estimation and the number of estimated vectors to almost a full ice covered area but also expands the time period over which these estimations are reliable from freeze until the melt onset. The autumn-winter-spring sea ice drift fields presented here are systematically produced at Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer/Centre d'Exploitation et de Recherche Satellitaire, the sea ice drift 1992-2011 time series is available, and the processing is ongoing. These data are available for operational use and for the scientific community.
Clinical characteristics of childhood guillain-barré syndrome.

OBJECTIVES To find the incidence, clinical pattern and outcome of Guillain-Barre syndrome in the Sultanate of Oman in children less than 15 years of age. METHODS All children under fifteen years with acute flaccid paralysis were admitted to identify the underlying cause. The diagnosis of Gullain Barre syndrome was made by clinical criteria, cerebrospinal fluid findings and nerve conduction studies. Intravenous immunoglobulins were given to all and two needed plasmapharesis. RESULTS Sixty-one children were diagnosed as Guillan-Barré syndrome and constituted 20% of cases of acute flaccid paralysis. Males 39 (63.9%) outnumbered females (36.1%). The annual incidence below 15 years was 0.45/100,000. Cranial nerves were involved in 31 (50.8%) children. Albumino-cytological dissociation in cerebrospinal fluid was seen in 42/45(93.3%) cases. Acute relapse was seen in six (9.8%) cases. Eleven children (18.3%) needed ventilation. Complete recovery was seen in 45 to 310 days (mean 69.1 days). Three children (4.9%) were left with minimal residual deficit. There was no mortality. CONCLUSIONS Guillain Barre syndrome is a serious disease, although recovery is the rule in children. The disease is associated with very low mortality and long term morbidity. Immunoglobulins have reduced the duration of hospital stay and the total time needed for recovery.
Gender and Childbearing Experiences: Revisiting O'Brien's Dialectics of Reproduction

In her analysis of the dialectical structure of reproductive consciousness, Mary O'Brien argued that the physical labor involved in women's reproductive experiences affirms women's connections with their children and integration in the human species, whereas men's discontinuous experiences negate such connections and integration. Patriarchy enables the reconciliation of this negation for men by allowing them to claim ownership of the products of women's reproductive labor. Drawing on interview data with eighteen postpartum women, this paper re-examines O'Brien's central argument in conjunction with empirical data. The findings support O'Brien's assertions that (1) labor is viewed by some women as an essential component of childbearing and (2) childbearing results in a sense of greater connectedness and integration in the human species for some women. However, women also emphasized the importance of another element of childbearing—an indescribable, incomprehensible, experiential component—that is missing from O'Brien's analysis and much feminist literature on reproduction. This paper concludes by merging the current findings with O'Brien's analysis and discussing the implications in relation to men's roles in reproduction.
RETHINKING ‘TRADITIONAL MASCULINITY’ AS CONSTRUCTED, MULTIPLE, AND ≠ HEGEMONIC MASCULINITY

ABSTRACT The concept ‘traditional masculinity’ appears frequently in research on gender from multiple, diverse contexts. Yet there sometimes appears to be a surprising lack of critical engagement with the concept in such work. Its meaning is at times taken for granted, yet the diversity of ways and contexts in which it is deployed demonstrates the importance of interrogating it. The term ‘traditional masculinity’ carries many meanings, some of which are incompatible with both a social constructionist framework of masculinity as well as a critical perspective on tradition. In this article, grounding our thinking in a rereading of some of the critical literature on tradition, we critique some of the usage of ‘traditional masculinity’, and make suggestions for thinking with and about ‘traditional masculinity’ in ways that are more congruent with critical understandings of both ‘tradition’ and ‘masculinity’. The article makes three main contentions: 1) ‘traditional masculinity’ is socially constructed, 2) there are multiple ‘traditional masculinities’, and 3) ‘traditional masculinity’ should not be uncritically equated with hegemonic masculinity. It cautions that, by failing to acknowledge some of the term's ideological functions, scholars within critical gender studies risk reproducing such meanings in ways that are incongruent with a critical perspective on masculinity and may also reflect some of the very discourses on masculinity they are seeking to challenge.
Low neutral genetic diversity in isolated Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations in northwest Wyoming

ABSTRACT Identifying small, isolated populations is a conservation priority, not only because isolation may result in negative fitness consequences, but these populations may also harbor unique genetic diversity. The Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a widespread obligate species of the sagebrush biome in western North America that has experienced range-wide contraction over the past century. To prevent local extirpation, efforts have been made to identify isolated populations. Here, we analyzed 16 microsatellite loci from 300 Greater Sage-Grouse individuals to assess genetic structure among populations in Wyoming and southeast Montana, particularly with the Jackson Hole and Gros Ventre populations in northwest Wyoming. Four genetic clusters were observed with Pinedale (central-west) and Casper (central) populations forming a cluster, Powder River Basin (central-north) and southeast Montana forming a second cluster, and both Jackson Hole and Gros Ventre forming distinct population clusters. All but the Jackson Hole and Gros Ventre genetic differentiation correspond with designated ecoregions and possessed an isolation-by-distance pattern of differentiation. Both Jackson Hole and Gros Ventre were identified as separate populations with asymmetrical dispersal into Gros Ventre. Both populations also possessed significantly reduced genetic diversity and low effective number of breeders (Nb). Because both populations are surrounded by extensive forested mountain ranges nearly devoid of sagebrush habitat, the Jackson Hole and Gros Ventre populations may have long been isolated from other Greater Sage-Grouse populations; however, only a few alleles were unique to the Jackson Hole and Gros Ventre populations. The observed genetic differentiation was largely due to allele frequency differences rather than private alleles, suggesting some historical gene flow. More work is needed to determine the timing of isolation and whether managers should focus on maintaining and increasing adequate sagebrush habitat, allowing the population to increase in size, or population supplementation to increase genetic diversity.
A Unified Gradient Regularization Family for Adversarial Examples

Adversarial examples are augmented data points generated by imperceptible perturbation of input samples. They have recently drawn much attention with the machine learning and data mining community. Being difficult to distinguish from real examples, such adversarial examples could change the prediction of many of the best learning models including the state-of-the-art deep learning models. Recent attempts have been made to build robust models that take into account adversarial examples. However, these methods can either lead to performance drops or lack mathematical motivations. In this paper, we propose a unified framework to build robust machine learning models against adversarial examples. More specifically, using the unified framework, we develop a family of gradient regularization methods that effectively penalize the gradient of loss function w.r. t. inputs. Our proposed framework is appealing in that it offers a unified view to deal with adversarial examples. It incorporates another recently-proposed perturbation based approach as a special case. In addition, we present some visual effects that reveals semantic meaning in those perturbations, and thus support our regularization method and provide another explanation for generalizability of adversarial examples. By applying this technique to Maxout networks, we conduct a series of experiments and achieve encouraging results on two benchmark datasets. In particular, we attain the best accuracy on MNIST data (without data augmentation) and competitive performance on CIFAR-10 data.
International Financial Relations between Canada and the USA : A joint testing approach

The validity of four key international parity conditions (PPP, UIP, CIP and the forward market efficiency hypothesis) is tested in a joint modelling framework, using USA and Canadian data. The joint modelling framework allows for possible interactions among prices, interest rates, exchange rates and it accounts for the effect of the expectations formation. We report evidence for the joint validity of PPP and CIP between the USA and Canada, reflecting the high links in their commodity and capital markets. The weak exogeneity tests reveal some form of a monetary policy transmission mechanism from the USA to Canada. JEL classification: C32, F31.