Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The quasistationary distribution of the stochastic logistic model

The stochastic logistic model has been studied in various contexts, including epidemiology, population biology, chemistry and sociology. Among the model predictions, the quasistationary distribution and the mean time to extinction are of major interest for most applications, and a number of approximation formulae for these quantities have been derived. In this paper, previous approximation formulae are improved for two mathematically tractable cases: at the limit of the number of individuals N → ∞ (with relative error of the approximations of the order 𝒪(1/N)), and at the limit of the basic reproduction ratio R 0 → ∞ (with relative error of the approximations of the order 𝒪(1/R 0)). The mathematically rigorous formulae are then extended heuristically for other values of N and R 0 > 1.
Predictive neural fields for improved tracking and attentional properties

Predictive capabilities are added to the competition mechanism known as the Continuum Neural Field Theory, in order to improve and extend its attentional properties. In order to respect the distributed and bio-inspired nature of the model, the prediction is introduced as an internal stimulation, directly determined by the past field activity. Building on mathematical developments and optimization techniques, performance is ascertained on a 2D tracking application where the system must robustly focus on a target despite rapid movements, noise and distracters. In addition to a consistent gain on previously observed capabilities, the extended model can also track stimuli with full occlusions and static obstacles on the trajectory.
Using dimensional models of externalizing psychopathology to aid in gene identification.

CONTEXT Twin studies provide compelling evidence that alcohol and drug dependence, childhood conduct disorder, adult antisocial behavior, and disinhibitory personality traits share an underlying genetic liability that contributes to a spectrum of externalizing behaviors. However, this information has not been widely used in gene identification efforts, which have focused on specific disorders diagnosed using traditional psychiatric classification systems. OBJECTIVE To test the utility of using a multivariate externalizing phenotype in (1) linkage analyses and (2) association analyses to identify genes that contribute broadly to a spectrum of externalizing disorders. DESIGN Data were analyzed from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. Linkage analyses were conducted using data from a genome-wide 10-cM microsatellite scan. Association analyses were conducted on 27 single-nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped across a candidate gene, the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M2 gene (CHRM2). SETTING Six centers across the United States. OTHER PARTICIPANTS Approximately 2300 individuals from 262 families. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Lifetime symptom counts of alcohol dependence, illicit drug dependence, childhood conduct disorder, and adult antisocial personality disorder and novelty seeking, sensation seeking, and general externalizing component scores consisting of a composite of the previous 6 variables. RESULTS Principal component analyses indicated that the 6 individual variables loaded on a single externalizing factor. Linkage analyses using the resultant component scores identified a region on chromosome 7 consistent with a gene that broadly predisposes individuals to externalizing behavior. Association analyses of a candidate gene, CHRM2, previously of interest in the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism, suggest that it is involved in a general externalizing phenotype. CONCLUSIONS Broader conceptualizations of psychiatric disorders, such as studying a spectrum of externalizing psychopathology, may aid in identifying susceptibility genes and understanding the pathways through which genetic factors affect vulnerability for a variety of poor outcomes.
Methacholine challenge: comparison of two methods.

BACKGROUND Guidelines for the 2-min tidal-breathing and the five-breath dosimeter methods for methacholine challenge have recently been published by the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Although subjects are exposed to twice as much aerosol at any given concentration during the tidal-breathing method compared to the dosimeter method, they were thought to give equivalent results. OBJECTIVE To compare the 2-min tidal-breathing and the five-breath dosimeter methacholine challenges. SETTING Tertiary care university-based bronchoprovocation laboratory. PATIENTS Forty subjects with currently symptomatic asthma. INTERVENTIONS The two methacholine tests were done in random order on separate days at the same time of day at 1- to 7-day intervals. RESULTS The dosimeter provocation concentration of methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV(1) (PC(20)) was almost twice that of the tidal-breathing PC(20): 2.4 mg/mL vs 1.3 mg/mL (paired t test, p < 0.00005). The difference was greater in those with mild airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) [PC(20) > 1.0 mg/mL; 3.2-fold] compared to those with moderate AHR (PC(20) < 1.0 mg/mL; 1.6-fold) [p = 0.04]. Three subjects with mild asthma and mild AHR (tidal-breathing PC(20), 1.9 to 4.3 mg/mL) had a nonmeasurable PC(20) (> 32 mg/mL) with the dosimeter. CONCLUSIONS The tidal-breathing method, which exposes the subject to twice as much aerosol at each concentration, produced approximately twice the response. The total lung capacity maneuvers with breathhold during the dosimeter method may inhibit the response in some patients with asthma.
The Rise of Statutory Wills and the Limits of Best Interests Decision‐Making in Inheritance

This article addresses ‘statutory wills’ executed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) for persons with impaired mental capacity. The article provides an overview of the historical development of statutory wills, before exploring their rising contemporary significance. It considers the shift from the previous ‘hypothetical substituted judgment’ test to the contemporary ‘best interests’ orientation of the MCA. The article assesses the problems that the best interests approach raises in this area, and its (in)compatibility with the right to equal recognition before the law under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, arguing that the pervasive reach of best interests in contemporary mental capacity law requires reconsideration. The paper concludes by suggesting that a more limited framing of the power to execute statutory wills is required in order to appropriately balance the rights of individuals with disabilities with practical considerations around the distribution of assets on death.
Face Detection Using Rotated Asymmetric Haar Features

We have obtained encouraging results in our previous work which consists in feeding the group of Haar-like features created by Viola and Jones by others rotated by any angle. This motivated us to re-feed this group of features by others which are asymmetric. To test the performance of this method, we used the two UMIST and CMU-PIE bases of images, which are among the most widely used in the field of face detection and recognition.
American Ginseng Stimulates Insulin Production and Prevents Apoptosis through Regulation of Uncoupling Protein-2 in Cultured β Cells

American ginseng root displays the ability to achieve glucose homeostasis both experimentally and clinically but the unknown mechanism used by ginseng to achieve its therapeutic effects on diabetes limits its application. Disruption in the insulin secretion of pancreatic β cells is considered the major cause of diabetes. A mitochondrial protein, uncoupling protein-2 (UCP-2) has been found to play a critical role in insulin synthesis and β cell survival. Our preliminary studies found that the extracts of American ginseng inhibit UCP-2 expression which may contribute to the ability of ginseng protecting β cell death and improving insulin synthesis. Therefore, we hypothesized that ginseng extracts suppress UCP-2 in the mitochondria of pancreatic β cells, promoting insulin synthesis and anti-apoptosis (a programmed cell-death mechanism). To test the hypothesis, the serum-deprived quiescent β cells were cultured with or without interleukin-1β (IL-1β), (200 pg ml−1, a cytokine to induce β cell apoptosis) and water extracts of American ginseng (25 μg per 5 μl administered to wells of 0.5 ml culture) for 24 h. We evaluated effects of ginseng on UCP-2 expression, insulin production, anti-/pro-apoptotic factors Bcl-2/caspase-9 expression and cellular ATP levels. We found that ginseng suppresses UCP-2, down-regulates caspase-9 while increasing ATP and insulin production/secretion and up-regulates Bcl-2, reducing apoptosis. These findings suggest that stimulation of insulin production and prevention of β cell loss by American ginseng extracts can occur via the inhibition of mitochondrial UCP-2, resulting in increase in the ATP level and the anti-apoptotic factor Bcl-2, while down-regulation of pro-apoptotic factor caspase-9 occurs, lowering the occurrence of apoptosis, which support the hypothesis.
Characterizing mucous cell remodeling in cystic fibrosis: relationship to neutrophils.

RATIONALE Relatively few studies have characterized mucous cells or mucins in detail in cystic fibrosis (CF), and the relationship between mucous cell abnormalities and neutrophilic inflammation is uncertain. OBJECTIVES To characterize mucous cell phenotypes and mucin profiles in CF and to determine if neutrophils accumulate around goblet cells in the epithelium and gland acini in the submucosa. METHODS Bronchial biopsies were collected from 7 subjects with CF and 15 control subjects, and the morphology of mucous cells was measured. Immunostains for gel-forming mucins and neutrophil elastase were quantified. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Goblet cell size was increased in CF (p = 0.004), but the number of goblet cells was normal. The volume of submucosal glands was fourfold higher than normal (p = 0.031), but the proportion of mucous and serous cells in CF glands was normal. The patterns of expression of gel-forming mucins in epithelial and submucosal compartments in CF were similar to normal. Although neutrophil elastase immunostaining was intense in the epithelium in CF, neutrophils were largely absent around gland acini in the submucosa. CONCLUSION The most prominent pathologic feature in the CF airway is an increase in submucosal gland volume, but serous cell transdifferentiation to mucous cells does not occur, nor are gland acini inflamed with neutrophils. The mechanism for increased submucosal gland volume in CF deserves further study.
Minimizing data collection latency in wireless sensor network with multiple mobile elements

This paper considers the problem of computing the optimal trajectories of multiple mobile elements (e.g. robots, vehicles, etc.) to minimize data collection latency in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). By relying on slightly different assumption, we define two interesting problems, the k-traveling salesperson problem with neighborhood (k-TSPN) and the k-rooted path cover problem with neighborhood (k-PCPN). Since both problems are NP-hard, we propose constant factor approximation algorithms for them. Our simulation results indicate our algorithms outperform their alternatives.
Proteomics Analysis of Human Amniotic Fluid *S

Amniotic fluid is a dynamic and complex mixture that reflects the physiological status of the developing fetus. In this study, the human amniotic fluid (AF) proteome of a 16–18-week normal pregnancy was profiled and analyzed to investigate the composition and functions of this fluid. Due to the complexity of AF, we utilized three different fractionation strategies to provide greater coverage. Two types of two-dimensional LC/MS/MS as well as an LC-SDS-PAGE-LC-MS/MS platform were used. A total of 16 AF samples between gestational ages of 16 and 18 weeks from women carrying chromosomally normal fetuses were analyzed by one of the three fractionation methods followed by a common reverse phase LC-MS/MS step. Mascot and The Global Proteome Machine engines were used to search the International Protein Index human database for peptide sequence identification. The list of proteins was generated by combining the results of both engines through the PeptideProphet of Scaffold software. All identified proteins were combined to generate the AF proteome comprising 1,026 unique gene matches or 842 non-redundant proteins. This list includes most of the currently used biomarkers for pregnancy-associated pathologic conditions such as preterm delivery, intra-amniotic infection, and chromosomal anomalies of the fetus. The subcellular localization, tissue expression, functions, and networks of the AF proteome were analyzed by various bioinformatic tools. These data will contribute to the better understanding of amniotic fluid function and to the discovery of novel biomarkers for prenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormalities.
Enzymatic Strategies and Carbon Use Efficiency of a Litter-Decomposing Fungus Grown on Maize Leaves, Stems, and Roots

Soil microorganisms can control the soil cycles of carbon (C), and depending on their C-use efficiency (CUE), these microorganisms either contribute to C stabilization in soil or produce CO2 when decomposing organic matter. However, little is known regarding the enzyme investment of microbial decomposers and the effects on their CUE. Our objective was to elucidate the strategies of litter-decomposing fungi as a function of litter quality. Fungal biosynthesis and respiration were accounted for by quantifying the investment in enzyme synthesis and enzyme efficiency. The basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium was grown on the leaves, stems, and roots of maize over 126 days in controlled conditions. We periodically measured the fungal biomass, enzyme activity, and chemical composition of the remaining litter and continuously measured the evolved C–CO2. The CUE observed for the maize litter was highest in the leaves (0.63), intermediate in the roots (0.40), and lowest in the stems (0.38). However, the enzyme efficiency and investment in enzyme synthesis did not follow the same pattern. The amount of litter C decomposed per mole of C-acquiring hydrolase activity was 354 μg C in the leaves, 246 μg C in the roots, and 1541 μg C in the stems (enzyme efficiency: stems > leaves > roots). The fungus exhibited the highest investment in C-acquiring enzyme when grown on the roots and produced 40–80% less enzyme activity when grown on the stems and leaves (investment in enzymes: roots > leaves > stems). The CUE was dependent on the initial availability and replenishment of the soluble substrate fraction with the degradation products. The production of these compounds was either limited because of the low enzyme efficiency, which occurred in the roots, or because of the low investments in enzyme synthesis, which occurred in the stems. Fungal biosynthesis relied on the ability of the fungus to invest in enzyme synthesis and the efficient interactions between the enzymes and the substrate. The investment decreased when N was limited, whereas the efficiency of the C-acquiring enzymes was primarily explained by the hemicellulose content and its embedment in recalcitrant lignin linkages. Our results are crucial for modeling microbial allocation strategies.
Universal Psychometrics Tasks: difficulty, composition and decomposition

This note revisits the concepts of task and difficulty. The notion of cognitive task and its use for the evaluation of intelligent systems is still replete with issues. The view of tasks as MDP in the context of reinforcement learning has been especially useful for the formalisation of learning tasks. However, this alternate interaction does not accommodate well for some other tasks that are usual in artificial intelligence and, most especially, in animal and human evaluation. In particular, we want to have a more general account of episodes, rewards and responses, and, most especially, the computational complexity of the algorithm behind an agent solving a task. This is crucial for the determination of the difficulty of a task as the (logarithm of the) number of computational steps required to acquire an acceptable policy for the task, which includes the exploration of policies and their verification. We introduce a notion of asynchronous-time stochastic tasks. Based on this interpretation, we can see what task difficulty is, what instance difficulty is (relative to a task) and also what task compositions and decompositions are.
New Amphiphilic Neamine Derivatives Active against Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Their Interactions with Lipopolysaccharides

ABSTRACT The development of novel antimicrobial agents is urgently required to curb the widespread emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria like colistin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We previously synthesized a series of amphiphilic neamine derivatives active against bacterial membranes, among which 3′,6-di-O-[(2″-naphthyl)propyl]neamine (3′,6-di2NP), 3′,6-di-O-[(2″-naphthyl)butyl]neamine (3′,6-di2NB), and 3′,6-di-O-nonylneamine (3′,6-diNn) showed high levels of activity and low levels of cytotoxicity (L. Zimmermann et al., J. Med. Chem. 56:7691–7705, 2013). We have now further characterized the activity of these derivatives against colistin-resistant P. aeruginosa and studied their mode of action; specifically, we characterized their ability to interact with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and to alter the bacterial outer membrane (OM). The three amphiphilic neamine derivatives were active against clinical colistin-resistant strains (MICs, about 2 to 8 μg/ml), The most active one (3′,6-diNn) was bactericidal at its MIC and inhibited biofilm formation at 2-fold its MIC. They cooperatively bound to LPSs, increasing the outer membrane permeability. Grafting long and linear alkyl chains (nonyl) optimized binding to LPS and outer membrane permeabilization. The effects of amphiphilic neamine derivatives on LPS micelles suggest changes in the cross-bridging of lipopolysaccharides and disordering in the hydrophobic core of the micelles. The molecular shape of the 3′,6-dialkyl neamine derivatives induced by the nature of the grafted hydrophobic moieties (naphthylalkyl instead of alkyl) and the flexibility of the hydrophobic moiety are critical for their fluidifying effect and their ability to displace cations bridging LPS. Results from this work could be exploited for the development of new amphiphilic neamine derivatives active against colistin-resistant P. aeruginosa.
Gastrointestinal Endogenous Protein-Derived Bioactive Peptides: An in Vitro Study of Their Gut Modulatory Potential

A recently proposed paradigm suggests that, like their dietary counterparts, digestion of gastrointestinal endogenous proteins (GEP) may also produce bioactive peptides. With an aim to test this hypothesis, in vitro digests of four GEP namely; trypsin (TRYP), lysozyme (LYS), mucin (MUC), serum albumin (SA) and a dietary protein chicken albumin (CA) were screened for their angiotensin-I converting (ACE-I), renin, platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitory (DPP-IV) and antioxidant potential following simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Further, the resultant small intestinal digests were enriched to obtain peptides between 3–10 kDa in size. All in vitro digests of the four GEP were found to inhibit ACE-I compared to the positive control captopril when assayed at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, while the LYS < 3-kDa permeate fraction inhibited renin by 40% (±1.79%). The LYS < 10-kDa fraction inhibited PAF-AH by 39% (±4.34%), and the SA < 3-kDa fraction inhibited DPP-IV by 45% (±1.24%). The MUC < 3-kDa fraction had an ABTS-inhibition antioxidant activity of 150 (±24.79) µM trolox equivalent and the LYS < 10-kDa fraction inhibited 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) by 54% (±1.62%). Moreover, over 190 peptide-sequences were identified from the bioactive GEP fractions. The findings of the present study indicate that GEP are a significant source of bioactive peptides which may influence gut function.
Interdependencies among interparental discord and parenting practices: The role of adult vulnerability and relationship perturbations

We examined the nature and directionality of associations between interparental discord and parenting practices in a sample of 227 mothers and fathers of kindergarten children over two measurement waves spaced 1 year apart. Cross-lagged models indicated that associations between interparental discord and maternal and paternal parenting practices (i.e., acceptance, discipline) were generally negligible with one exception: interparental discord at Time 1 predicted decreases in maternal acceptance from Time 1 to Time 2. However, consistent with the family systems conceptualization of the family as an open system, prospective associations among interparental and parent–child subsystems varied significantly as a function of parental depressive symptoms, interparental relationship insecurity, and child-rearing disagreements. The moderating role of adult characteristics commonly varied across the type of adult vulnerability (e.g., depressive symptoms, interparental relationship insecurity, child-rearing disagreements), dimension of parenting practices (e.g., maternal and paternal acceptance and inconsistent discipline), and the directionality of the paths between interparental and parent–child subsystems.This research was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (Project R01 MH 57318) awarded to Patrick T. Davies and E. Mark Cummings. Melissa L. Sturge–Apple was supported by a postdoctoral National Research Service Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (F32 MH 66596). The authors are grateful to the children, parents, teachers, and school administrators who participated in this project. Gratitude is also expressed to the staff who assisted with the project, including Courtney Forbes, Marcie Goeke–Morey, Amy Keller, Michelle Sutton, and the graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Rochester and the University of Notre Dame.
6 Three Perspectives on Team Learning: Outcome Improvement, Task Mastery, and Group Process

Abstract The emergence of a research literature on team learning has been driven by at least two factors. First, longstanding interest in what makes organizational work teams effective leads naturally to questions about how members of newly formed teams learn to work together and how existing teams improve or adapt. Second, some have argued that teams play a crucial role in organizational learning. These interests have produced a growing and heterogeneous literature. Empirical studies of learning by small groups or teams present a variety of terms, concepts, and methods. This heterogeneity is both generative and occasionally confusing. We identify three distinct areas of research that provide insight into how teams learn to stimulate cross-area discussion and future research. We find that scholars have made progress in understanding how teams in general learn, and propose that future work should develop more precise and context-specific theories to help guide research and practice in disparate task and in.
The Development and Validation of the Goal Orientation and Learning Strategies Survey (Goals-S)

This article outlines the construction and validation of the Goal Orientation and Learning Strategies Survey (GOALS-S). This 84-item survey was designed to measure students’ motivational goal orientations and their cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Results of first-order confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) supported the factorial validity of the GOALS-S scales measuring students’ goals and strategies (with goodness-of-fit indices in post-hoc models ranging from .908 to .981). In addition, higher order CFAs (HCFAs) support hierarchical structure of the GOALS-S scales (with goodness-of-fit indices ranging from .904 to .980). Finally, tests of invariance supported the factorial stability of the GOALS-S scales across gender groups (with goodness-of-fit indices ranging from .901 to .981).