Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
K-Regret Queries Using Multiplicative Utility Functions

The k-regret query aims to return a size-k subset S of a database D such that, for any query user that selects a data object from this size-k subset S rather than from database D, her regret ratio is minimized. The regret ratio here is modeled by the relative difference in the optimality between the locally optimal object in S and the globally optimal object in D. The optimality of a data object in turn is modeled by a utility function of the query user. Unlike traditional top-k queries, the k-regret query does not minimize the regret ratio for a specific utility function. Instead, it considers a family of infinite utility functions F, and aims to find a size-k subset that minimizes the maximum regret ratio of any utility function in F. Studies on k-regret queries have focused on the family of additive utility functions, which have limitations in modeling individuals’ preferences and decision-making processes, especially for a common observation called the diminishing marginal rate of substitution (DMRS). We introduce k-regret queries with multiplicative utility functions, which are more expressive in modeling the DMRS, to overcome those limitations. We propose a query algorithm with bounded regret ratios. To showcase the applicability of the algorithm, we apply it to a special family of multiplicative utility functions, the Cobb-Douglas family of utility functions, and a closely related family of utility functions, the Constant Elasticity of Substitution family of utility functions, both of which are frequently used utility functions in microeconomics. After a further study of the query properties, we propose a heuristic algorithm that produces even smaller regret ratios in practice. Extensive experiments on the proposed algorithms confirm that they consistently achieve small maximum regret ratios.
Episodic Recollection Difficulties in ASD Result from Atypical Relational Encoding: Behavioral and Neural Evidence

Memory functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in the encoding of relational but not item information and difficulties in the recollection of contextually rich episodic memories but not in the retrieval of relatively context‐free memories through processes of familiarity. The neural underpinnings of this profile and the extent to which encoding difficulties contribute to retrieval difficulties in ASD remain unclear. Using a paradigm developed by Addis and McAndrews [2006; Neuroimage, 33, 1194–1206] we asked adults with and without a diagnosis of ASD to study word‐triplets during functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scanning that varied in the number of category relations amongst component words. Performance at test confirmed attenuated recollection in the context of preserved familiarity based retrieval in ASD. The results also showed that recollection but not familiarity based retrieval increases as a function of category relations in word triads for both groups, indicating a close link between the encoding of relational information and recollection. This link was further supported by the imaging results, where blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal responses in overlapping regions of the inferior prefrontal cortex were sensitive to the relational encoding manipulation as well as the contrast between recollection versus familiarity based retrieval. Interestingly, however, there was no evidence of prefrontal signal differentiation for this latter contrast in the ASD group for whom signal changes in a left hippocampal region were also marginally attenuated. Together, these observations suggest that attenuated levels of episodic recollection in ASD are, at least in part, attributable to anomalies in relational encoding processes. Autism Res 2015, 8: 317–327. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Deletion of agouti‐related protein blunts ethanol self‐administration and binge‐like drinking in mice

The melanocortin (MC) system is composed of peptides that are cleaved from the polypeptide precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Recent pharmacological and genetic evidence suggests that melanocortin receptor (MCR) signaling modulates neurobiological responses to ethanol and ethanol intake. Agouti‐related protein (AgRP) is synthesized by neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus and is a natural antagonist of MCRs. Because central administration of the functionally active AgRP fragment AgRP‐(83–132) increases ethanol intake by C57BL/6 J mice, we determined if mutant mice lacking normal production of AgRP (AgRP−/−) and maintained on a C57BL/6 J genetic background would show reduced self‐administration of ethanol relative to littermate wild‐type (AgRP+/+) mice. AgRP−/— mice showed reduced 8% (v/v) ethanol‐reinforced lever‐pressing behavior relative to AgRP+/+ mice in daily 2‐h sessions, but normal sucrose‐, saccharin‐ and water‐reinforced lever‐pressing. Similarly, AgRP−/− mice showed reduced consumption of 8% ethanol in a two‐bottle limited access test (2 h/day), although this effect was largely sex‐dependent. Using drinking‐in‐the‐dark (DID) procedures, AgRP−/— mice showed blunted binge‐like drinking of 20% (v/v) ethanol which was associated with lower blood ethanol levels (85 mg/dl) relative to AgRP+/+ mice (133 mg/dl) after 4 h of intake. AgRP−/− mice showed normal ethanol metabolism and did not show altered sensitivity to the sedative effects of ethanol. These observations with genetically altered mice are consistent with previous pharmacological data and suggest that endogenous AgRP signaling modulates the reinforcing properties of ethanol and binge‐like ethanol drinking.
Intracoronary thrombolysis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction presenting with massive intraluminal thrombus and failed aspiration

Aim: Massive intracoronary thrombus is associated with adverse procedural results including failed aspiration and unfavourable reperfusion. In this scenario the best treatment remains unknown. We aim to evaluate the effect of low dose intracoronary thrombolysis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) presenting with a large thrombus burden and failed aspiration. Methods and results: In this study 30 STEMI patients with a large thrombus burden and failed manual aspiration were included in the registry. Local fibrinolysis with low dose (one-third of systemic) tenecteplase (27%) or alteplase (73%) was administered via a 6F-infusion catheter. A thrombus was qualified as large when its maximal dimension was ≥2 vessels (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) thrombus grade 4 and 5). Altogether 33% of patients received delayed invasive therapy (>12 h) guided by the presence of recurrent symptoms and/or ischaemia. A total of 17% of patients presented with cardiogenic shock and half of the population received glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors. A post-lysis thrombus grade 4–5 was found in just one patient. TIMI flow grade improved from 0/1 at baseline (93%) to ≥2 in most patients (97%). Blush grade 2–3 was observed in 85% and we observed a similar percentage (82%) of more than 50% ST-segment resolution. In-hospital mortality was 10% (three patients with cardiogenic shock). No major bleeding events were observed. At a median follow-up of 14 (6–35) months, only one new clinical event was reported (1 target lesion revascularization, (TLR)). Conclusions: In STEMI patients with a large thrombus burden and failed manual aspiration, administration of low dose intracoronary thrombolysis is safe and reduces trhombus burden, as a result improving in epicardial flow and myocardial reperfusion.
Effects of bone morphogenetic protein 4 on differentiation of embryonic stem cells into myosin VIIa-positive cells

Conclusion: Our results indicate that myosin VIIa-positive cells are generated from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) co-cultured with PA6 cells; however, bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) may not be a key molecule for induction of myosin VIIa-positive cells from the ESCs. Background: ESCs have been considered as a basis for cell therapy in a range of organs, because of their potential for self-renewal and pluripotency. Co-culture with PA6 stromal cells can induce differentiation of ESCs into various types of ectodermal cells including sensory progenitors. BMP4 plays an essential role in the development of sensory hair cells in the inner ear. Materials and methods: We examined effects of BMP4 on differentiation of ESCs into the hair cell immunophenotype. BMP4 was supplemented at different time points to ESCs co-cultured on PA6 stromal cells. The ESCs were then collected and examined for the expression of myosin VIIa, a hair cell marker, and βIII-tubulin, a neural marker. The expression of myosin VIIa and βIII-tubulin was identified. Results: Quantitative assessments revealed that exogenous BMP4 has significant effects on the expression of βIII-tubulin, but not of myosin VIIa.
Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure and Neurobehavioral Performance in Agricultural and Nonagricultural Hispanic Workers

Our understanding of the health risks of farmworkers exposed to pesticides in their work and home environments is rapidly increasing, although studies designed to examine the possible neurobehavioral effects of low-level chronic pesticide exposure are limited. We measured dialkyl phosphate urinary metabolite levels, collected environmental dust samples from a subset of homes, obtained information on work practices, and conducted neurobehavioral tests on a sample of farmworkers in Oregon. Significant correlations between urinary methyl metabolite levels and total methyl organophosphate (azinphos-methyl, phosmet, malathion) house dust levels were observed. We found the neurobehavioral performance of Hispanic immigrant farmworkers to be lower than that observed in a nonagricultural Hispanic immigrant population, and within the sample of agricultural workers there was a positive correlation between urinary organophosphate metabolite levels and poorer performance on some neurobehavioral tests. These findings add to an increasing body of evidence of the association between low levels of pesticide exposure and deficits in neurobehavioral performance.
Predicting the indirect tensile strength of self-compacting concrete using artificial neural networks

This paper concentrates on the results of experimental work on tensile strength of self-compacting concrete (SCC) caused by flexure, which is called rupture modulus. The work focused on concrete mixes having water/binder ratios of 0.35 and 0.45, which contained constant total binder contents of 500 kg/m3 and 400 kg/m3, respectively. The concrete mixes had four different dosages of a superplasticizer based on polycarboxylic with and without silica fume. The percentage of silica fume that replaced cement in this research was 10%. Based upon the experimental results, the existing equations for anticipating the rupture modulus of SCC according to its compressive strength were not exact enough. Therefore, it is decided to use artificial neural networks (ANN) for anticipating the rupture modulus of SCC from its compressive strength and workability. The conclusion was that the multi layer perceptron (MLP) networks could predict the tensile strength in all conditions, but radial basis (RB) networks were not exact enough in some circumstances. On the other hand, RB networks were more users friendly and they converged to the final networks quicker.
Collisions and Attention

Attention is an important factor in the perception of static and dynamic scenes, which should, therefore, be taken into account when creating graphical images and animation. Recently, researchers have recognized this fact and have been investigating how the focus of attention can be measured, predicted, and exploited in graphical systems. In this article, we explore some preliminary strategies for developing an automatic means of predicting and exploiting attention in the processing of collisions and other dynamic events. Recent work on the perception of causality has shown that attention can change the way in which a dynamic scene consisting of collision events is perceived. We describe a series of experiments designed to determine the source of biases in the perception of anomalous collision dynamics and, in particular, whether attention plays a role. Using an eye-tracker, eye-movements were recorded while participants viewed animations of simple causal launching events in 3D involving two colliding spheres. Results indicated that there was indeed a definite pattern to the allocation of attention based on the nature of the event, which is promising for the goal of developing a predictive metric. As a follow-up, a paper-based experiment was carried out in which participants were asked to sketch the predicted post-collision trajectories of the same two spheres printed on paper. These experiments demonstrated that attention alone was not sufficient in determining performance, but rather the nature of the dynamic event itself also played a role.
On the nature of the oxygen-related defect in aluminum nitride

The oxygen-related defect in an aluminum nitride (AIN) single crystal and in polycrystalline ceramics is investigated utilizing photoluminescence spectroscopy, thermal conductivity measurements, x-ray diffraction lattice parameter measurements, and transmission electron microscopy. The results of these measurements indicate that at oxygen concentrations near 0.75 at. %, a transition in the oxygen accommodating defect occurs. On both sides of this transition, simple structural models for the oxygen defect are proposed and shown to be in good agreement with the thermal conductivity and lattice parameter measurements, and to be consistent with the formation of various extended defects (e.g., inversion domain boundaries) at higher oxygen concentrations.
Impact of breathing awareness meditation on ambulatory blood pressure and sodium handling in prehypertensive African American adolescents.

OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the impact of a breathing awareness meditation (BAM) program on ambulatory blood pressure and sodium handling in African American adolescents with high-normal systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels. DESIGN AND METHODS Following three consecutive days of SBP screenings, 66 eligible ninth graders were randomly assigned by school to either BAM (n = 20) or health education control (n = 46) groups. The BAM group engaged in 10-minute BAM sessions at school and at home each day for three months. Teachers conducted sessions at school during health classes. Before and after the intervention, overnight urine samples were collected, and ambulatory SBP, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were recorded periodically for 24 hours. RESULTS Significant changes before and after the intervention were observed between BAM and control groups for SBP during school hours (-4.7 vs .9 mm Hg, P < .05), SBP at night (-4.8 vs -.6 mm Hg, P < .01), and heart rate during school hours (-6.7 vs -2.3 bpm, P < .02), adjusted for their respective preintervention levels. The overnight urinary sodium excretion rate decreased in the BAM group but increased in the control group (-.3 +/- 4.9 vs 1.1 +/- 4.0 mEq/hour, P < .03). CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate the potential beneficial impact of BAM taught by school health teachers on blood pressure control in the natural environment in African American youth at risk for development of hypertension.
Lattice-Based Linear Precoding for MIMO Channels With Transmitter CSI

Herein, the design of linear dispersion codes for multiple-input multiple-output communication systems is investigated. The receiver as well as the transmitter are assumed to have perfect knowledge of the channel, and the receiver is assumed to employ maximum likelihood detection. We propose to use linear precoding and lattice invariant operations to transform the channel matrix into a lattice generator matrix with large minimum distance separation. With appropriate approximations, it is shown that this corresponds to selecting lattices with good sphere-packing properties. Lattice invariant transformations are then used to minimize the power consumption. An algorithm for this power minimization is presented along with a lower bound on the optimization. Numerical results indicate significant gains by using the proposed method compared to channel diagonalization with adaptive bit loading.
The Distribution of Doublecortin-Immunopositive Cells in the Brains of Four Afrotherian Mammals: the Hottentot Golden Mole (Amblysomus hottentotus), the Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis), the Eastern Rock Sengi (Elephantulus myurus) and the Four-Toed Sengi (Petrodromus tetradactylus)

Adult neurogenesis in the mammalian brain is now a widely accepted phenomenon, typically occurring in two forebrain structures: the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone (SVZ). Until recently, the majority of studies have focused on laboratory rodents, and it is under debate whether the process of adult neurogenesis occurs outside of the SGZ and the SVZ in other mammalian species. In the present study, we investigated potential adult neurogenetic sites in the brains of two elephant shrews/sengis, a golden mole and a rock hyrax, all members of the superorder Afrotheria. Doublecortin (DCX) immunoreactivity was used as a proxy to visualise adult neurogenesis, which is expressed in neuronal precursor cells and immature neurons. In all four species, densely packed DCX-positive cells were present in the SVZ, from where cells appear to migrate along the rostral migratory stream towards the olfactory bulb (OB). DCX-immunopositive cells were present in the granular cell layer and the glomerular layer of the OB. In the hippocampus, DCX-immunopositive cells were observed in the SGZ and in the granular layer of the dentate gyrus, with DCX-immunopositive processes extending into the molecular layer. In addition to these well-established adult neurogenic regions, DCX-immunopositive cells were also observed in layer II of the neocortex and the piriform cortex. While the present study reveals a similar pattern of adult neurogenesis to that reported previously in other mammals, further studies are needed to clarify if the cortical DCX-immunopositive cells are newly generated neurons or cells undergoing cortical remodelling.
Rabbit genome analysis reveals a polygenic basis for phenotypic change during domestication

Rabbits softly swept to domestication When people domesticate animals, they select for tameness and tolerance of humans. What else do they look for? To identify the selective pressures that led to rabbit domestication, Carneiro et al. sequenced a domestic rabbit genome and compared it to that of its wild brethren (see the Perspective by Lohmueller). Domestication did not involve a single gene changing, but rather many gene alleles changing in frequency between tame and domestic rabbits, known as a soft selective sweep. Many of these alleles have changes that may affect brain development, supporting the idea that tameness involves changes at multiple loci. Science, this issue p. 1074; see also p. 1000 The domestication of rabbits primarily shifted the frequencies of alleles represented, rather than creating new genes. [Also see Perspective by Lohmueller] The genetic changes underlying the initial steps of animal domestication are still poorly understood. We generated a high-quality reference genome for the rabbit and compared it to resequencing data from populations of wild and domestic rabbits. We identified more than 100 selective sweeps specific to domestic rabbits but only a relatively small number of fixed (or nearly fixed) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for derived alleles. SNPs with marked allele frequency differences between wild and domestic rabbits were enriched for conserved noncoding sites. Enrichment analyses suggest that genes affecting brain and neuronal development have often been targeted during domestication. We propose that because of a truly complex genetic background, tame behavior in rabbits and other domestic animals evolved by shifts in allele frequencies at many loci, rather than by critical changes at only a few domestication loci.
Quality of life profiles in the first years of rheumatoid arthritis: results from the EURIDISS longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the quality of life (QoL) profiles of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to relate these to disease and impairment variables as indicated, respectively, by erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and by tender joint count (Ritchie Articular Index), fatigue, and pain. METHODS The present study uses part of the European Research on Incapacitating Disease and Social Support data of 573 patients with recently diagnosed RA (268 from the Netherlands, 216 from Norway, and 89 from France). A series of clinical and psychosocial data were collected on 4 (the Netherlands, France) and 3 (Norway) occasions, with 1-year intervals separating the waves of data collection. RESULTS Of the disease activity (ESR) and impairment variables (tender joint count, fatigue, pain), fatigue was identified as the consequence of disease that differentiated best on a series of QoL aspects such as disability, psychological well-being, social support, and "overall evaluation of health. " Next came pain and tender joint count, and ESR showed by far the least differentiating ability. A principal-component analysis on the QoL measures used in this study yielded one general factor measuring "overall QoL. " After rotation, two separate factors were encountered, one referring to the physical domain and the other to the psychological and social domains of QoL. Again, the QoL of RA patients experiencing much fatigue appeared to decline the most. CONCLUSIONS Because of the highly variable nature of RA, impairments, activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL restrictions, and psychosocial distress can vary erratically. In particular, "fatigue" as measured over a period of 2 to 3 years distinguished best among RA patients as shown by their QoL profiles. Although the physical domain was most affected, the significant effect of RA on the psychosocial domain should not be underestimated.
Estimated numbers and prevalence of PI*S and PI*Z alleles of α1-antitrypsin deficiency in European countries

The current study focuses on developing estimates of the numbers of individuals carrying the two most common deficiency alleles, PI*S and PI*Z, for α1-antitrypsin deficiency (AT-D) in Europe. Criteria for selection of epidemiological studies were: 1) AT phenotyping performed by isoelectrofocusing or antigen–antibody crossed electrophoresis; 2) rejection of “screening studies”; 3) statistical precision factor score of ≥5 for Southwest, Western and Northern Europe, ≥4 for Central Europe, ≥3 for Eastern Europe; and 4) samples representative of the general population. A total of 75,390 individuals were selected from 21 European countries (one each from Austria, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary, Serbia-Montenegro, Sweden and Switzerland; two each from Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania; three each from Portugal and the UK; four each from Finland, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain; five each from Russia and Germany; six from Poland; eight from Italy; and nine from France). The total AT-D populations of a particular phenotype in the countries selected were: 124,594 ZZ; 560,515 SZ; 16,323,226 MZ; 630,401 SS; and 36,716,819 MS. The largest number of ZZ (5,000–15,000) were in Italy, Spain, Germany, France, the UK, Latvia, Sweden and Denmark, followed by Belgium, Portugal, Serbia-Montenegro, Russia, The Netherlands, Norway and Austria (1,000–2,000), with <1,000 in each of the remaining countries. A remarkable lack in number of reliable epidemiological studies and marked differences among these European countries and regions within a given country was also found.