Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toward Understanding EDAs Based on Bayesian Networks Through a Quantitative Analysis

The successful application of estimation of distribution algorithms (EDAs) to solve different kinds of problems has reinforced their candidature as promising black-box optimization tools. However, their internal behavior is still not completely understood and therefore it is necessary to work in this direction in order to advance their development. This paper presents a methodology of analysis which provides new information about the behavior of EDAs by quantitatively analyzing the probabilistic models learned during the search. We particularly focus on calculating the probabilities of the optimal solutions, the most probable solution given by the model and the best individual of the population at each step of the algorithm. We carry out the analysis by optimizing functions of different nature such as Trap5, two variants of Ising spin glass and Max-SAT. By using different structures in the probabilistic models, we also analyze the impact of the structural model accuracy in the quantitative behavior of EDAs. In addition, the objective function values of our analyzed key solutions are contrasted with their probability values in order to study the connection between function and probabilistic models. The results not only show information about the internal behavior of EDAs, but also about the quality of the optimization process and setup of the parameters, the relationship between the probabilistic model and the fitness function, and even about the problem itself. Furthermore, the results allow us to discover common patterns of behavior in EDAs and propose new ideas in the development of this type of algorithms.
A Regularized Method for Selecting Nested Groups of Relevant Genes from Microarray Data

Gene expression analysis aims at identifying the genes able to accurately predict biological parameters like, for example, disease subtyping or progression. While accurate prediction can be achieved by means of many different techniques, gene identification, due to gene correlation and the limited number of available samples, is a much more elusive problem. Small changes in the expression values often produce different gene lists, and solutions which are both sparse and stable are difficult to obtain. We propose a two-stage regularization method able to learn linear models characterized by a high prediction performance. By varying a suitable parameter these linear models allow to trade sparsity for the inclusion of correlated genes and to produce gene lists which are almost perfectly nested. Experimental results on synthetic and microarray data confirm the interesting properties of the proposed method and its potential as a starting point for further biological investigations.
Identifying combination of friction stir welding parameters to maximize strength of lap joints of AA2014-T6 aluminium alloy

Abstract AA2014 aluminium alloy (Al–Cu alloy) has been widely utilised in fabrication of lightweight structures like aircraft structures, demanding high strength to weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. The fusion welding of these alloys will lead to solidification problems such as hot cracking. Friction stir welding is a new solid-state welding process, in which the material being welded does not melt and recast. Lot of research works have been carried out by many researchers to optimise process parameters and establish empirical relationships to predict tensile strength of friction stir welded butt joints of aluminium alloys. However, very few investigations have been carried out on friction stir welded lap joints of aluminium alloys. Hence, in this investigation, an attempt has been made to optimise friction stir lap welding parameters to attain maximum tensile strength using statistical tools such as design of experiment, analysis of variance, response graph and contour plots. By this method, it is found that maximum tensile shear fracture load of 12.76 kN can be achieved if a joint is made using tool rotational speed of 900 rpm, welding speed of 110 mm/min, tool shoulder diameter of 12 mm and tool tilt angle of 1.5°.
Carriage of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae by children in day-care centers during an intervention program in Malmo, Sweden.

BACKGROUND An increasing incidence of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRP) was detected in Malmo in 1994. OBJECTIVE To evaluate clonality and factors facilitating the spread of PRP among children in day-care centers (DCCs). METHODS We used phenotypic and DNA-fingerprinting methods in conjunction with epidemiologic data from the South Swedish Pneumococcal Intervention Project's investigation of 63 DCCs during a 3-year period (1995 to 1997) in the Malmo region. RESULTS A questionnaire about building and hygiene standards disclosed no statistically significant risk factor for carriage of pneumococci. However, age younger than the mean age at the DCC or in the child group was positively associated with carriage. Contrary to expectations no association with the number of children, either at the DCC or in the individual groups, was found. Of 2912 investigated children 1224 (42%) were carriers of S. pneumoniae, and 373 (12.8%) were PRP carriers (MIC > or = 0.1 microg/ml). Among isolates with MIC > or = 0.5 microg/ml 9 serogroups and 30 genetic types were found. Two clones in serogroups 9 (33%) and 19 (24%) were dominant in most municipality districts, and dominance was sustained during the whole study period. The previously internationally recognized serotype 9V clone seemed to be very stable, with a single DNA type and resistance pattern during the study period. In contrast the serogroup 19 isolates and other serogroups had diverse DNA types and resistance patterns, supporting the hypothesis that DCCs have a unique microenvironment facilitating the recombination of penicillin-binding protein genes among streptococci. In five DCCs we found PRP isolates with two different serogroups but an identical genetic type, indicating that serotype shift may be a common phenomenon in DCCs. CONCLUSION Multivariate logistic regression of risk factors disclosed that young age of the children in the child groups was a significant risk factor for carriage of S. pneumoniae.
Reliability, Responsiveness, and Validity of the Kansas University Standing Balance Scale

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to investigate the reliability, responsiveness, and concurrent validity of the Kansas University Standing Balance Scale (KUSBS). Methods: For the reliability study, the KUSBS was used twice on 2 separate days with 23 inpatient rehabilitation patients. To assess responsiveness and concurrent validity, a retrospective chart review of 25 patients was performed to examine changes in KUSBS scores and changes in FIMTM; transfer and walking scores from admission to discharge. Results: In the reliability study, the KUSBS was found to have good intra‐rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.893 for novice physical therapists, ICC = 0.765 for experienced physical therapists), and moderate inter‐rater reliability (ICC = 0.728). In comparing scores at admission and discharge to determine responsiveness, KUSBS scores were significantly different at these 2 times (p = 0.001), and the effect size was 0.58. In the concurrent validity study, changes in KUSBS scores were significantly correlated with changes in the FIMTM; transfer score (rs = 0.486, p = 0.014) but correlation with changes in the FIMTM; walking score did not reach significance (rs = 0.383, p = 0.06). Conclusion: The reliability, responsiveness, and concurrent validity of the KUSBS are promising, although further study is needed to examine this scale in different therapy settings with a larger sample.
A tripartite model of mental health and therapeutic outcomes. With special reference to negative effects in psychotherapy.

Since a judgment of "worse" is always made in relation to a standard, which presupposes a definition of "better," it is clear that the problem of what constitutes a negative effect is inextricably interwoven with a definition of mental health. Any form of psychotherapy or behavior modification is designed to move the patient toward a particular ideal or norm; the techniques used in a given form of therapy are instruments for accomplishing that purpose. Only by considering multiple perspectives will it be possible to derive a comprehensive definition of mental health and meaningful evaluations of psychotherapy outcomes. Consider the following: If, following psychotherapy, a patient manifests increased self-assertion coupled with abrasiveness, is this a good or a poor therapy outcome? If, as a result of therapy, a patient obtains a divorce, is this to be regarded as a desirable or an undesirable change? A patient may turn from homosexuality to heterosexuality or he may become more accepting of either; an ambitious, striving person may abandon pre-
Sunbed use in children aged 11-17 in England: face to face quota sampling surveys in the National Prevalence Study and Six Cities Study

Objectives To quantify the use of sunbeds in young people across England, identify geographical variation, and explore patterns of use, including supervision. Design Two random location sampling surveys. Setting National Prevalence Study in England; Six Cities Study in Liverpool, Stoke/Stafford, Sunderland, Bath/Gloucester, Oxford/Cambridge, and Southampton. Participants 3101 children aged 11-17 in the National Prevalence study and 6209 in the Six Cities study. Results In the National Prevalence Study 6.0% (95% confidence interval 5.1% to 6.8%) of those aged 11-17 had used a sunbed. Use was higher in girls than in boys (8.6% (7.2% to 10.0%) v 3.5% (2.6% to 4.4%), respectively), in those aged 15-17 compared with those aged 11-14 (11.2% (9.5% to 12.9%) v 1.8% (1.2% to 2.4%), respectively), and in those from lower rather than higher social grades (7.6% (5.7% to 9.5%) v 5.4% (4.5% to 6.3%), respectively). Sunbed use was higher in the “north” (11.0%, 8.9% to 13.0%) than in the “midlands” (4.2%, 2.5% to 5.8%) and the “south” (4.2%, 3.3% to 5.2%). In the Six Cities Study, sunbed use was highest in Liverpool and Sunderland (20.0% (17.5% to 22.4%) and 18.0% (15.6% to 20.3%), respectively), with rates especially high in girls, those aged 15-17, or from lower social grades. Mean age of first use was 14, and 38.4% (34.7% to 42.1%) of children used a sunbed at least once a week. Nearly a quarter (23.0%, 19.8% to 26.1%) of children had used a sunbed at home (including home of friends/relatives), and 24.7% (21.0% to 28.4%) said they had used sunbeds unsupervised in a tanning/beauty salon or gym/leisure centre. Conclusions Sunbed use by children is widespread in England, is often inadequately supervised, and is a health risk. National legislation is needed to control sunbed outlets.
Genetic Architecture of Hsp90-Dependent Drug Resistance

ABSTRACT Hsp90 potentiates the evolution of azole resistance in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the opportunistic pathogen Candida albicans via calcineurin. Here, we explored effectors downstream of calcineurin regulating this Hsp90-dependent trait. Using S. cerevisiae erg3 mutants as a model, we determined that both Crz1 and Hph1 modulate azole resistance.
Whole Genome Sequence Analysis of a Large Isoniazid-Resistant Tuberculosis Outbreak in London: A Retrospective Observational Study

Background A large isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis outbreak centred on London, United Kingdom, has been ongoing since 1995. The aim of this study was to investigate the power and value of whole genome sequencing (WGS) to resolve the transmission network compared to current molecular strain typing approaches, including analysis of intra-host diversity within a specimen, across body sites, and over time, with identification of genetic factors underlying the epidemiological success of this cluster. Methods and Findings We sequenced 344 outbreak isolates from individual patients collected over 14 y (2 February 1998–22 June 2012). This demonstrated that 96 (27.9%) were indistinguishable, and only one differed from this major clone by more than five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The maximum number of SNPs between any pair of isolates was nine SNPs, and the modal distance between isolates was two SNPs. WGS was able to reveal the direction of transmission of tuberculosis in 16 cases within the outbreak (4.7%), including within a multidrug-resistant cluster that carried a rare rpoB mutation associated with rifampicin resistance. Eleven longitudinal pairs of patient pulmonary isolates collected up to 48 mo apart differed from each other by between zero and four SNPs. Extrapulmonary dissemination resulted in acquisition of a SNP in two of five cases. WGS analysis of 27 individual colonies cultured from a single patient specimen revealed ten loci differed amongst them, with a maximum distance between any pair of six SNPs. A limitation of this study, as in previous studies, is that indels and SNPs in repetitive regions were not assessed due to the difficulty in reliably determining this variation. Conclusions Our study suggests that (1) certain paradigms need to be revised, such as the 12 SNP distance as the gold standard upper threshold to identify plausible transmissions; (2) WGS technology is helpful to rule out the possibility of direct transmission when isolates are separated by a substantial number of SNPs; (3) the concept of a transmission chain or network may not be useful in institutional or household settings; (4) the practice of isolating single colonies prior to sequencing is likely to lead to an overestimation of the number of SNPs between cases resulting from direct transmission; and (5) despite appreciable genomic diversity within a host, transmission of tuberculosis rarely results in minority variants becoming dominant. Thus, whilst WGS provided some increased resolution over variable number tandem repeat (VNTR)-based clustering, it was insufficient for inferring transmission in the majority of cases.
Finding realistic dike models from interferometric synthetic aperture radar data: The February 2000 eruption at Piton de la Fournaise

Dike intrusions often cause complex ground displacements that are not sufciently explained by simple analytical models. We develop a method to nd complex and realistic dike geometries and overpressures from interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data. This method is based on a combination of a boundary element method with realistic topography and a neighbourhood algorithm inversion. Dike model geometry is roughly a quadrangle with its top reaching the ground. The inversion has two stages: search and appraisal. The appraisal stage involves calculations of model marginal probability density functions using mist val- ues calculated during the search stage. The mist function takes into account the variance and correlation of data noise. Synthetic tests show that a model is successfully retrieved within predicted narrow condence intervals. We apply the method on InSAR data of the February 2000 ank eruption at Piton de la Fournaise and get a trapezoid dike dipping seaward (61.0 n 67.3 ) with its bottom passing 800n1000 m beneath the summit. A model with a basal slip plane does not better explain observed asymmetric displacements and thus this asymmetry is solely attributed to the dipping dike. The dike lies above a narrow band of pre-eruption seis- micity, suggesting that lateral magma propagation occurred. Neglecting topography results in poor modeling at depth and in overestimations of overpressure (or opening), height (both about 30%), and volume (about 20%).
Suicide and accidental death in Australia's rural farming communities: a review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION Australia's farmers constitute a heterogeneous group within the rural population. This literature review incorporates four broad areas: an understanding of farming communities, families and individuals and the contexts in which they live and work; an exploration of the challenges to morbidity and mortality that these communities face; a description of the patterns of suicide and accidental death in farming communities; and an outline of what is missing from the current body of research. Recommendations will be made on how these gaps may be addressed. METHODS In developing this comprehensive literature review, a snowballing and saturation approach was adopted. Initial search terms included suicid*, farm*, accident*, fatal*, death, sudden death, rural OR remote, Australia and NOT Australia. Databases searched included SCOPUS, PubMed, Proquest and SafetyLit; research from 1995 onwards was examined for relevance. Earlier seminal texts were also included. Reference lists of retrieved articles were searched and citations explored for further relevant research material. The primary focus was on Australian peer-reviewed research with supplementary grey literature. International material was used as examples. RESULTS The literature variously describes farmers as members of both rural farming communities and farming families, and as individuals within an occupational classification. Within each of these classifications, there is evidence of the cumulative impact of a multiplicity of social, geographical and psychological factors relating to work, living and social arrangements that impact the health and wellbeing of Australia's farmers and their families, particularly accidental death and suicide. Research consistently demonstrates traumatic death to be at a greater rate than in the general Australian population, with reductions found more recently in some modes of farming-related accidental death. Patterns of accidental death and suicide are commonly linked to the changing shape of contemporary farming. Suicide rates are also frequently described in relation to lethality and accessibility of means. The limitations of suicide and accidental death data are considerable. CONCLUSION While there is consistent reporting of heightened levels of risk for suicide and accidental death in farming communities the limitations of the research remain significant. There are substantial gaps in current knowledge, and the body of research to date lacks clarity, inclusiveness and contextual specificity. Absent from the literature is any investigation of the impact of these frequently preventable deaths on the families and communities in which they occur. Recommendations for future research are suggested.
1.55-μm optically pumped tunable VCSEL based on a nano-polymer dispersive liquid crystal phase modulator

We present a new approach to achieve tunability on a 1.55 μm vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). Tunability is achieved thanks to an electro-optic index modulator. This electro-optic material consists in a n-PDLC phase layer introduced inside the VCSEL cavity. N-PDLC comprises nematic liquid crystal dispersed in a polymer material. This first VCSEL exhibits a 10 nm tuning range and an excellent side-mode suppression ratio higher than 20 dB over the whole spectral range. The device is formed by a conventional InP-based active region with an epitaxial and a dielectric Bragg mirror. The n-PDLC layer length, close to 6 μm, is in agreement with a tunable laser emission without mode-hopping. Another decisive advantage, compared to mechanical solutions, is the tuning response time which is close to a few 10 μs to scan the full spectral range, making this device appropriate for some access network functions. Voltage values are the main limiting factor, 170 Volts have been required to obtain 10 nm tunability, but material engineering is in progress to improve this point. We presented a first version of the device optically pumped, the next version will be electrically pumped as required for access network applications targeted here.
Digestion and digesta flow kinetics in goats fed two diets differing in forage to concentrate ratio

SUMMARY – Two complete diets consisted of chopped alfalfa hay and concentrate (barley, corn and soybean meal; 39:44:17) with forage:concentrate ratios of 80:20 (C20 diet) and 20:80 (C80 diet) were fed (1.04 kg dry matter) to four Alpine goats according to a cross-over design. Daily evolution of ruminal pH and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were measured. Digestibility was determined by total faecal collection and Cr and Co were used as markers to estimate solid (k p ) and liquid (k liquid ) digesta passage rates. Microbial nitrogen flow at the duodenum (MNFD) was estimated from the urinary excretion of purine derivatives. Apparent digestibility of organic matter was lower (P<0.05) for C20 (73%) than for C80 (85%) diet. Rumen pH was higher (P<0.05) for C20 than for C80 diet (6.69 vs 6.15, respectively). k liquid tended to be slower (P<0.10) for diet C80 than for diet C20 (0.0475 and 0.0810 h -1 , respectively), but k p was not affected (P>0.05) by diet. NMFD was higher (P<0.05) for the C80 than for the C20 diet (13.7 vs 8.9 g/d, respectively). In conclusion, goats could be fed complete diets with high grain-based concentrate levels without negatively affecting NMFD.
Scalable Load Balancing in Networked Systems: Universality Properties and Stochastic Coupling Methods

We present an overview of scalable load balancing algorithms which provide favorable delay performance in large-scale systems, and yet only require minimal implementation overhead. Aimed at a broad audience, the paper starts with an introduction to the basic load balancing scenario, consisting of a single dispatcher where tasks arrive that must immediately be forwarded to one of $N$ single-server queues. A popular class of load balancing algorithms are so-called power-of-$d$ or JSQ($d$) policies, where an incoming task is assigned to a server with the shortest queue among $d$ servers selected uniformly at random. This class includes the Join-the-Shortest-Queue (JSQ) policy as a special case ($d = N$), which has strong stochastic optimality properties and yields a mean waiting time that vanishes as $N$ grows large for any fixed subcritical load. However, a nominal implementation of the JSQ policy involves a prohibitive communication burden in large-scale deployments. In contrast, a random assignment policy ($d = 1$) does not entail any communication overhead, but the mean waiting time remains constant as $N$ grows large for any fixed positive load. In order to examine the fundamental trade-off between performance and implementation overhead, we consider an asymptotic regime where $d(N)$ depends on $N$. We investigate what growth rate of $d(N)$ is required to match the performance of the JSQ policy on fluid and diffusion scale. The results demonstrate that the asymptotics for the JSQ($d(N)$) policy are insensitive to the exact growth rate of $d(N)$, as long as the latter is sufficiently fast, implying that the optimality of the JSQ policy can asymptotically be preserved while dramatically reducing the communication overhead. We additionally show how the communication overhead can be reduced yet further by the so-called Join-the-Idle-Queue scheme, leveraging memory at the dispatcher.