Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PHYLOGENETIC STUDIES OF COADAPTATION: PREFERRED TEMPERATURES VERSUS OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE TEMPERATURES OF LIZARDS

The view that behavior and physiological performance are tightly coadapted is a central principle of physiological ecology. Here, we test this principle using a comparative study of evolutionary patterns in thermal preferences and the thermal dependence of sprinting in some Australian skinks (Lygosominae). Thermal preferences (Tp) differ strikingly among genera (range 24° to 35°C), but critical thermal maxima (CTMax) (range 38° to 45°C) and optimal temperatures for sprinting (To, 32° to 35°C) vary less. Diurnal genera have relatively high Tp, To, and CTMax. In contrast, nocturnal genera have low Tp but have moderate to high To and CTMax. Both nonphylogenetic and phylogenetic (minimum‐evolution) approaches suggest that coadaptation is tight only for genera with high Tp. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that low Tp and, thus, partial coadaptation are evolutionarily derived, indicating that low thermal preferences can evolve, even if this results in reduced performance. In one instance, thermal preferences and the thermal dependence of sprinting may have evolved in opposite directions, a phenomenon we call “antagonistic coadaptation. ” We speculate on factors driving partial coadaptation and antagonistic coadaptation in these skinks.
Improving Service Diagnosis through Increased Monitoring Granularity

Due to their loose coupling and highly dynamic nature, service-oriented systems offer many benefits for realizing fault tolerance and supporting trustworthy computing. They enable automatic system reconfiguration in case that a faulty service is detected. Spectrum-based fault localization (SFL) is a statistics-based diagnosis technique that can effectively be applied to pinpoint problematic services. It works by monitoring service usage in system transactions and comparing service coverage with pass/fail observations. SFL exhibits poor performance in diagnosing faulty services in cases when services are tightly coupled. In this paper, we study how and to which extent an increase in monitoring granularity can help to improve correct diagnosis of tightly coupled faulty services. We apply SFL in a real service-based system, for which we show that 100% correct identification of faulty services can be achieved through an increase in the monitoring granularity.
Long-Term Intracerebroventricular Infusion of Insulin, but Not Glucose, Modulates Body Weight and Hepatic Insulin Sensitivity by Modifying the Hypothalamic Insulin Signaling Pathway in Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Background/Aims: It has been reported that the short-term injection of insulin and glucose into the hypothalamus modulates body weight and hepatic glucose production in non-diabetic rats. However, the effect of hypothalamic insulin and glucose on peripheral glucose metabolism in diabetic animals remains uncertain. We investigated how intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of insulin and glucose modified body weight and peripheral glucose homeostasis in 90% pancreatectomized rats that exhibited symptoms of mild and non-obese type 2 diabetes. Methods: The diabetic rats that were fed a high fat diet were ICV administered with either insulin (0.3 U/day), glucose (10 mg/day), insulin plus glucose (insulin+glucose), or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (control) by means of osmotic pumps for 4 weeks. Results: Central insulin and insulin+glucose reduced body weight with a slight decrease of food intake compared to the control and glucose groups in diabetic rats. In addition, during euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp, ICV infusion of insulin and insulin+glucose increased glucose infusion rates and decreased hepatic glucose production compared to the control and glucose groups. The improvement of insulin sensitivity was associated with the activation of both hypothalamic and hepatic insulin signaling cascades. Central glucose did not affect hypothalamic insulin action in diabetic rats. Conclusion: Long-term central infusion of insulin enhanced energy metabolism and hepatic glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetic rats partly via potentiating hypothalamic insulin signaling. However, central glucose infusion did not modulate the central and peripheral metabolism.
ERA-AQUA version 2.0, technical description and manual : a decision support system for the environmental risk assessment of veterinary medicines applied in pond AQUAculture

Veterinary medicinal products are applied in aquaculture production for treating and preventing diseases in the cultured species. Veterinary medicines may enter the environment by effluent discharges, posing a potential risk for surrounding aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, human health and the trade of the aquaculture produce can be negatively affected by the presence of residues of veterinary medicines in the cultured organisms. The ERA-AQUA Decision Support System was developed to estimate risks of veterinary medicinal products applied in pond aquaculture for the targeted produce, surrounding aquatic ecosystems, consumers and trade. The risk assessment is expressed by risk quotients, which are calculated by dividing the predicted exposure concentration by the predicted no effect concentration calculated for each endpoint. This report provides a mathematical description of the processes incorporated in the ERA-AQUA Decision Support System and a user’s manual.
Uniform tightness for time-inhomogeneous particle systems and for conditional distributions of time-inhomogeneous diffusion processes

In this article, we consider time-inhomogeneous diffusive particle systems, whose particles jump from the boundary of a bounded open subset of $\R^d$, $d\geq 1$. We give a sufficient criterion for the family of empirical distributions of such systems to be uniformly tight, independently of the jump location of the particles. As an application, we show that the conditional distribution of a family of time-inhomogeneous and environment-dependent diffusions conditioned not to hit the boundary of a bounded open subset of $\R^d$ is uniformly tight.
Implicit Sequence Learning with Competing Explicit Cues

Previous research has shown that the expression of implicit sequence learning is eliminated in a choice reaction time task when an explicit cue allows participants to accurately predict the next stimulus (Cleeremans, 1997), but that two contingencies predicting the same outcome can be learned and expressed simultaneously when both of them remain implicit (Jiménez & Méndez, 1999). Two experiments tested the hypothesis that it is the deliberate use of explicit knowledge that produces the inhibitory effects over the expression of implicit sequence learning. However, the results of these experiments do not support this hypothesis, rather showing that implicit learning is acquired and expressed regardless of the influence of explicit knowledge. These results are interpreted as reinforcing the thesis about the automatic nature of both the acquisition and the expression of implicit sequence learning. The contradictory results reported by Cleeremans are attributed to a floor effect derived from the use of a special type of explicit cue.
NICE neonatal early onset sepsis guidance: greater consistency, but more investigations, and greater length of stay

Background In August 2012, new national guidance (National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) CG149) for management of early onset sepsis (EOS) was introduced in the UK. The guidance outlined a consistent approach for septic screens in newborn infants based on risk factors, and suggested biochemical and clinical parameters to guide management. In particular, it advised a second C-reactive protein level (CRP) 18–24 h into treatment to help determine length of antibiotic course, need for lumbar puncture (LP), and suggested review of blood culture at 36 h. Objective We evaluated impact of this guidance in our neonatal unit. Methods We compared two time periods, before and following the guidance. We evaluated length of stay, second CRP 18–24 h into treatment, percentage of babies having LP and duration of antibiotics. Results Before NICE guidance, 38.1% of screened babies stayed <72 h. This reduced to 18.4% following guidance. Before guidance, 20.9% babies stayed >5 days, which increased to 27.7% following NICE recommendations. Repeat CRP measurements increased from 45% to 97%. In 58% of these babies, repeat CRPs influenced management and hospital stay. An increase in LPs performed from 14% to 23% was noted. There were no positive blood cultures or LP results. Conclusions We envisaged shorter hospital stays with new NICE standards, particularly, with the aim of 36 h blood culture reporting. However, repeat CRP led to further investigations, increased LPs and longer durations of treatment and stay. This, in turn, impacted on workload and cost, and influenced parental experience in the first few days of life.
Learning a Structural and Functional Representation for Gene Expressions: To Systematically Dissect Complex Cancer Phenotypes

Cancer is a heterogeneous disease, thus one of the central problems is how to dissect the resulting complex phenotypes in terms of their biological building blocks. Computationally, this is to represent and interpret high dimensional observations through a structural and conceptual abstraction into the most influential determinants underlying the problem. The working hypothesis of this report is to consider gene interaction to be largely responsible for the manifestation of complex cancer phenotypes, thus where the representation is to be conceptualized. Here, we report a representation learning strategy combined with regularizations, in which gene expressions are described in terms of a regularized product of meta-genes and their expression levels. The meta-genes are constrained by gene interactions thus representing their original topological contexts. The expression levels are supervised by their conditional dependencies among the observations thus providing a cluster-specific constraint. We obtain both of these structural constraints using a node-based graphical model. Our representation allows the selection of more influential modules, thus implicating their possible roles in neoplastic transformations. We validate our representation strategy by its robust recognitions of various cancer phenotypes comparing with various classical methods. The modules discovered are either shared or specify for different types or stages of human cancers, all of which are consistent with literature and biology.
OF THE AMERICAN MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY Volume 23 , Number 2 , October 1990 MULTIPLICATION OF DISTRIBUTIONS

Physics often puts in evidence products which look meaningless in a mathematical sense and appear under the form of "heuristic multiplication of distributions. " The most famous example is probably quantum electrodynamics founded in 1927; it was soon recognized that it led to "infinite quantities" in the form of divergent integrals from which much later (1947) finite predictions were extracted, see [4] for instance. Such products appear also in elasticity and elastoplasticity (shock waves; their importance is presently emphasized in elasticity and elastoplasticity by the need for numerical simulations of collisions), in acoustics (sound propagation in a medium with discontinuous characteristics), and in other domains, see [1-3, 10, 13, 14, 16]. These examples provide motivation for mathematical attempts to define and study the multiplication of distributions. The problem is difficult since L. Schwartz (1954) proved the impossibility of a straightforward extension of the product of continuous functions, see [8, 26]. Strictly speaking, the reader of this text does not need to know anything about distributions in order to follow our discussion. If Q is a nonvoid open set of the space R" we denote by ^°°(Q) or by 3f(Çl) the space of all ^°° functions on Q which are null outside of a variable compact subset of Q ; such functions exist: to provide an example consider the auxiliary function of one real variable f(x) = exp(l/(x 1)) if |JC| < 1, f(x) = 0 if \x\ > 1. ^°°(Q) is endowed with a topology and the distributions on Q are defined as the continuous linear maps from ^°°(Q) into C. Any locally integrable function ƒ on Q defines a distribution,
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 in Situ Effects of Simulated Overfishing and Eutrophication on Settlement of Benthic Coral Reef Invertebrates in the Central Red Sea

In the Central Red Sea, healthy coral reefs meet intense coastal development, but data on the effects of related stressors for reef functioning are lacking. This in situ study therefore investigated the independent and combined effects of simulated overfishing through predator/grazer exclusion and simulated eutrophication through fertilizer addition on settlement of reef associated invertebrates on light-exposed and-shaded tiles over 4 months. At the end of the study period invertebrates had almost exclusively colonized shaded tiles. Algae were superior settling competitors on light-exposed tiles. On the shaded tiles, simulated overfishing prevented settlement of hard corals, but significantly increased settlement of polychaetes, while simulated eutrophication only significantly decreased hard coral settlement relative to controls. The combined treatment significantly increased settlement of bryozoans and bivalves compared to controls and individual manipulations, but significantly decreased polychaetes compared to simulated overfishing. These results suggest settlement of polychaetes and hard corals as potential bioindicators for overfishing and eutrophication , respectively, and settlement of bivalves and bryozoans for a combination of both. Therefore, if the investigated stressors are not controlled, phase shifts from dominance by hard corals to that by other invertebrates may occur at shaded reef locations in the Central Red Sea.
Evaluating Methodologies: A Requirements Engineering Approach Through the Use of an Exemplar

Systems development methodologies continue to be a central area of research in software engineering. As the nature of applications and systems usage move in- creasingly towards open networked environments, not only are new methodologies required, but new ways for evaluating methodologies for these new environments are also required. The agent-oriented approach to software engineering introduces concepts such as pro-activeness and autonomy to achieve more flexible and robust systems for complex applications environments. A number of AOSE methodologies have been proposed. In order to evaluate and compare these methods in depth, we pro- posed the use of a common exemplar - a detailed applica- tion setting within which each of the methodologies will be worked out. The evaluation method emphasizes a requirements engineering perspective. In this paper we show how to apply this exemplar to evaluate three agent- oriented methodologies.
Comparison of Early and Delayed Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis: Experience from A Single Center

Background: Cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstones is mainly performed after the acute cholecystitis episode settles because of the fear of higher morbidity and conversion from laparoscopic cholecystectomy to open cholecystectomy during acute cholecystitis. Aims: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis and to compare the results with delayed cholecystectomy. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective and randomized study. For patients assigned to early group, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed as soon as possible within 72 hours of admission. Patients in the delayed group were treated conservatively and discharged as soon as the acute attack subsided. They were subsequently readmitted for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy 6-12 weeks later. Results: There was no significant difference in the conversion rates, postoperative analgesia requirements, or postoperative complications. However, the early group had significantly more blood loss, more operating time, and shorter hospital stay. Conclusion: Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy within 72 hours of onset of symptoms has both medical as well as socioeconomic benefits and should be the preferred approach for patients managed by surgeons with adequate experience in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Arabidopsis ABI5 Subfamily Members Have Distinct DNA-Binding and Transcriptional Activities1

A small family of novel basic leucine zipper proteins that includes abscisic acid (ABA)-INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) binds to the promoter region of the lea class gene Dc3. The factors, referred to as AtDPBFs (Arabidopsis Dc3 promoter-binding factors), were isolated from an immature seed cDNA library. AtDPBFs bind to the embryo specification and ABA-responsive elements in the Dc3 promoter and are unique in that they can interact with cis-elements that do not contain the ACGT core sequence required for the binding of most other plant basic leucine zipper proteins. Analysis of full-length cDNAs showed that at least five different Dc3 promoter-binding factors are present in Arabidopsis seeds; one of these, AtDPBF-1, is identical to ABI5. As expected, AtDPBF-1/ABI5 mRNA is inducible by exogenous ABA in seedlings. Despite the near identity in their basic domains, AtDPBFs are distinct in their DNA-binding, dimerization, and transcriptional activity.
Capacity and Power Control for Spatial Transmit Diversity

We consider a flat fading channel with spatially separated multiple transmit antennas that can communicate via finite capacity links. We assume that perfect channel state information is available at the transmit antennas and at the receiver. Because of the finite capacity inter-antenna channel, only partial cooperation among antennas is possible. We analyze several special cases and propose a general power allocation strategy. This strategy consists of combining the optimal power allocation of the full cooperation and no cooperation scenarios.
CYP2C19 genotype plus platelet reactivity-guided antiplatelet therapy in acute coronary syndrome patients: a decision analysis

Objectives We examined the cost-effectiveness of CYP2C19 genotype plus platelet reactivity-guided antiplatelet therapy (PG-PRT) from the perspective of US healthcare providers. Methods A decision-analytic model was used to simulate life-long medical costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of three antiplatelet strategies in a hypothetical cohort of 60-year-old patients with acute coronary syndrome after a percutaneous coronary intervention: (a) universal clopidogrel (75 mg daily), (b) universal alternative antiplatelet therapy (prasugrel or ticagrelor), and (c) all PG-PRT patients were genotyped. Noncarriers of the CYP2C19 loss-of-function (LOF) allele received clopidogrel 75 mg daily. CYP2C19 LOF allele(s) carriers who were poor metabolizers received prasugrel or ticagrelor. CYP2C19 LOF allele(s) carriers who were intermediate metabolizers (IM) received high-dose clopidogrel (225 mg daily) and were tested for high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR). IM patients with HTPR were switched to prasugrel or ticagrelor. Model inputs were derived from the literature. Results In base-case analysis, PG-PRT was the least costly (USD 71 887) strategy with highest QALYs gained (7.886 QALYs). Sensitivity analyses found universal clopidogrel to be the preferred strategy if the prevalence of the CYP2C19 LOF allele was less than 2.6% or the incidence of HTPR in IM patients was greater than 82.8%. In 10 000 Monte Carlo simulations, PG-PRT was less costly than universal clopidogrel by USD 91 [95% confidence interval (CI) 83–99; P=0.0499], with higher QALYs by 0.0257 (95% CI: 0.0256–0.0258; P<0.001). Compared with universal alternative antiplatelet therapy, PG-PRT was less costly by USD 2208 (95% CI: 2195–2221; P<0.001) and gained 0.0085 QALYs (95% CI: 0.0083–0.0087; P=0.0260). Conclusion PG-PRT seems to be cost-saving and effective for guiding selection of antiplatelet therapy in acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.
The influence of overall satisfaction and trust on customer loyalty

A number of researchers have reported the positive benefits of creating and maintaining customer loyalty. This study tries to clarify the concept of loyalty and examines the influence of two relationship marketing concepts, namely overall customer satisfaction and customer trust on customer loyalty in the banking sector in Romania. Business customers in Romania were surveyed using a questionnaire administered via email. A total of 78 firms provided the date for the empirical study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used in order to test the model fit and estimate the hypothesized relationships. The results of the empirical study show that overall customer satisfaction and customer trust are significantly related to both dimensions of loyalty, namely customer’s behavioral and attitudinal loyalty. Our findings also reveal that overall customer satisfaction and customer trust are positively and strongly associated. This study reinforces the importance of customer loyalty as a source of sustainable competitive advantage that secures banks with a stable position in the banking sector over time. This paper also presents the limitations of this research, discusses the implication of this study and provides directions for future research.
Resource‐Constrained Project Scheduling for Timely Project Completion with Stochastic Activity Durations

We investigate resource‐constrained project scheduling with stochastic activity durations. Various objective functions related to timely project completion are examined, as well as the correlation between these objectives. We develop a GRASP‐heuristic to produce high‐quality solutions, using so‐called descriptive sampling. The algorithm outperforms existing algorithms for expected‐makespan minimization. The distribution of the possible makespan realizations for a given scheduling policy is also studied.
Multi-camera People Tracking with Hierarchical Likelihood Grids

In this paper, we present a grid-based tracking by detection methodology, applied to 3D people tracking for multi-camera video surveillance. In particular, frame-by-frame detection is performed by means of hierarchical likelihood grids, using edge matching through the oriented distance transform on each camera view and a simple person model, followed by likelihood grids clustering in state-space. Subsequently, the tracking module performs a global nearest neighbor data association, in order to initiate, maintain and terminate tracks automatically. The proposed system can easily include additional features, such as color or background subtraction, it can be scaled to more camera views, and it can be used to track other items as well. We demonstrate it through experiments in indoor sequences, using a calibrated multi-camera setup.
Karakteristik Biologi Populasi Kerang Sepetang (Pharella acutidens) di Ekosistem Mangrove Dumai, Riau

Characteristic of population biology of the “sepetang” clam has been studied inDumai mangrove ecosystem from November 2010 to October 2011. This researchwas to study the patterns of the population growth, mortality and recruitment ofthe clam P. acutidens. Sampling was monthlyfrom plot 1 m x 1 m quadratictransects. The result showed that growth pattern of P. acutidens was negativeallometric with asymptotic length (L∞) 92.71 mm.The annual growth coefficient(K) and total mortalitywere 0.59 and 1.87 per year, respectively. The naturalmortality was probably related to environmental condition. The recruitmentoccurred every month, the peaks occurred on April (15.93%) and August(13.16%).