Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Qualitative versus Quantitative: What Might This Distinction Mean?

The qualitative-quantitative distinction may be understood in terms of four dimensions: level of measurement, size of the N, use of statistical tests, and thick versus thin analysis. Each of these dimensions is associated with distinctive forms of analytic leverage. Many studies correspond neatly to the “qualitative” or “quantitative” side of all four dimensions, and for these studies this is a clear dichotomy. Other research bridges this dichotomy, combining different forms of analytic leverage in innovative and productive ways.
Complete dictionary recovery over the sphere

We consider the problem of recovering a complete (i.e., square and invertible) dictionary A0, from Y = A0X0 with Y ϵ Rn×p. This recovery setting is central to the theoretical understanding of dictionary learning. We give the first efficient algorithm that provably recovers A0 when X0 has O (n) nonzeros per column, under suitable probability model for X0. Prior results provide recovery guarantees when X0 has only O (√n) nonzeros per column. Our algorithm is based on nonconvex optimization with a spherical constraint, and hence is naturally phrased in the language of manifold optimization. Our proofs give a geometric characterization of the high-dimensional objective landscape, which shows that with high probability there are no spurious local minima. This invited talk summarizes these results, presented in [1]. It also presents numerical experiments demonstrating their implications for practical problems in representation learning and the more general algorithmic problem of recovering matrix decompositions with structured factors.
Impacts of trout predation on fitness of sympatric sticklebacks and their hybrids

Predation may be a significant factor in the divergence of sympatric species although its role has been largely overlooked. This study examines the consequences of predation on the fitness of a pair of lacustrine stickleback species (Gasterosteus aculeatus complex) and their F1 hybrids. Benthic sticklebacks are found in the littoral zone of lakes associated with vegetation and bare sediments, whereas limnetic sticklebacks spend most of their lives in the pelagic zone. The cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki) is a major predator of sticklebacks and the only other fish species native to lakes containing both benthic and limnetic species. In pond experiments we found that the addition of these predators primarily impacted the survival of limnetics. By contrast, benthic survival was unaffected by trout addition. The result was that relative survival of benthics and limnetics was reversed in the presence of trout. The presence of trout had no effect on the rank order of parent species growth rates, with benthics always growing faster than limnetics. F1 hybrids survived poorly relative to benthics and limnetics and their growth rates were intermediate regardless of treatment. The results implicate predation by trout in the divergence of the species but not through increased vulnerability of F1 hybrids.
Targeted Delivery of Paclitaxel to EphA2-Expressing Cancer Cells

Purpose: YSA is an EphA2-targeting peptide that effectively delivers anticancer agents to prostate cancer tumors. Here, we report on how we increased the drug-like properties of this delivery system. Experimental Design: By introducing non-natural amino acids, we have designed two new EphA2 targeting peptides: YNH, where norleucine and homoserine replace the two methionine residues of YSA, and dYNH, where a D-tyrosine replaces the L-tyrosine at the first position of the YNH peptide. We describe the details of the synthesis of YNH and dYNH paclitaxel conjugates (YNH-PTX and dYNH-PTX) and their characterization in cells and in vivo. Results: dYNH-PTX showed improved stability in mouse serum and significantly reduced tumor size in a prostate cancer xenograft model and also reduced tumor vasculature in a syngeneic orthotopic allograft mouse model of renal cancer compared with vehicle or paclitaxel treatments. Conclusion: This study reveals that targeting EphA2 with dYNH drug conjugates could represent an effective way to deliver anticancer agents to a variety of tumor types. Clin Cancer Res; 19(1); 128–37. ©2012 AACR.
Measurement and theoretical validation of diffraction from a single edge

In this paper a setup to measure first-order diffraction from one single edge of a plate is presented. In this setup diffractions from other edges of the plate are eliminated by mounting the plate to the corner of an anechoic chamber. The measured data shows that the presented setup can be used to study diffraction from one single edge. In addition, we compare the measured data with the data computed with a theoretical diffraction model. The comparison shows almost perfect match between theoretical and measured responses. Finally, we show how absorption material covering the plate affects to the measured responses.
Age-related changes in the rate of disease transmission: implications for the design of vaccination programmes

SUMMARY Mathematical models are developed to aid in the investigation of the implications of heterogeneity in contact with infection within a community, on the design of mass vaccination programmes for the control of childhood viral and bacterial infections in developed countries. Analyses are focused on age-dependency in the rate at which individuals acquire infection, the question of ‘who acquires infection from whom’, and the implications of genetic variability in susceptibility to infection. Throughout, theoretical predictions are based on parameter estimates obtained from epidemiological studies and are compared with observed temporal trends in disease incidence and age-stratified serological profiles. Analysis of case notification records and serological data suggest that the rate at which individuals acquire many common infections changes from medium to high and then to low levels in the infant, child and teenage plus adult age groups respectively. Such apparent age-dependency in attack rate acts to reduce slightly the predicted levels of herd immunity required for the eradication of infections such as measles, when compared with the predictions of models based on age-independent transmission. The action of maternally derived immunity in prohibiting vaccination in infants, and the broad span of age classes over which vaccination currently takes place in the U.K., however, argue that levels of herd immunity of between 90 and 94 % would be required to eliminate measles. Problems surrounding the interpretation of apparent age-related trends in the acquisition of infection and their relevance to the design of vaccination programmes, are discussed in relation to the possible role of genetically based variation in susceptibility to infection and observations on epidemics in “virgin” populations. Heterogeneous mixing models provide predictions of changes in serology and disease incidence under the impact of mass vaccination which well mirror observed trends in England and Wales.
Monitoring Landslide Displacements during a Controlled Rain Experiment Using a Long-range Terrestrial Laser Scanning ( Tls )

A controlled rain experiment has been performed on the Super-Sauze mudslide (South French Alps) in order to better understand the hydrology and mechanics of such type of landslides. The rainfall experiment was conducted during several consecutive days on a plot of about 120 m. The landslide displacements were monitored by Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) during 5 days from July 1014, 2007 with one scan acquisition per day. The scans were fitted on a stable slope outside the rain area. Three techniques were used to characterize the displacements: the benchmark method, the cloud to cloud comparison method and the shaded relief image correlation method. All techniques indicate an average displacement rate of 3.2 cm.day with a slight acceleration on day 3. The benchmark method allowed to identify the direction of sliding and thus to estimate the dip of the slip surface. Information on the velocity vertical profile can also be derived from the benchmark method. * Corresponding author.
Effects of exercise on the physical condition of college rugby players during summer training camp

Objectives: To determine the effects of exercise training on physical condition in 25 college rugby players during a summer training camp, and to compare these variables by the different players’ positions. Methods: Changes in body composition parameters and blood biochemistry were examined before and after a summer training camp. Results: Body weight and percentage body fat did not change significantly during the camp. There were significant decreases in levels of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, phosphate, uric acid, and immunoglobulin G and M. In contrast, there were significant increases in levels of serum potassium, markers of renal, hepatic, and muscular damage (BUN, GOT, GPT, LDH, CK), and complement C4. Comparison of the changes in biochemical parameters between rugby players playing in different positions showed a significant increase in serum albumin level in the forwards, and significant decreases in serum triglyceride and sodium levels in the backs. The magnitude of change in serum LDH during the camp was significantly greater (p<0.05) for the forwards than for the backs. Conclusions: These data suggest that, in rugby players attending a 20 day camp, exercise training resulted in muscular damage, loss of electrolytes due to sweating, and changes in immune function. Backs exhibited a higher rate of fat metabolism and loss of electrolytes than forwards, possibly because they did more running during the camp. In contrast, forwards experienced more physical contact, performed more physically strenuous exercise, and exhibited higher levels of muscular damage and tissue protein degradation.
The cost of postabortion care and legal abortion in Colombia.

CONTEXT Although Colombia partially liberalized its abortion law in 2006, many abortions continue to occur outside the law and result in complications. Assessing the costs to the health care system of safe, legal abortions and of treating complications of unsafe, illegal abortions has important policy implications. METHODS The Post-Abortion Care Costing Methodology was used to produce estimates of direct and indirect costs of postabortion care and direct costs of legal abortions in Colombia. Data on estimated costs were obtained through structured interviews with key informants at a randomly selected sample of facilities that provide abortion-related care, including 25 public and private secondary and tertiary facilities and five primary-level private facilities that provide specialized reproductive health services. RESULTS The median direct cost of treating a woman with abortion complications ranged from $44 to $141 (in U.S. dollars), representing an annual direct cost to the health system of about $14 million per year. A legal abortion at a secondary or tertiary facility was costly (medians, $213 and $189, respectively), in part because of the use of dilation and curettage, as well as because of administrative barriers. At specialized facilities, where manual vacuum aspiration and medication abortion are used, the median cost of provision was much lower ($45). CONCLUSIONS Provision of postabortion care and legal abortion services at higher-level facilities results in unnecessarily high health care costs. These costs can be reduced significantly by providing services in a timely fashion at primary-level facilities and by using safe, noninvasive and less costly abortion methods.
Two N-Terminal Acetyltransferases Antagonistically Regulate the Stability of a Nod-Like Receptor in Arabidopsis

The turnover of a Nod-like receptor protein in Arabidopsis is regulated though the unexpected, antagonistic effects of N-terminal acetyltransferase complexes NatA and NatB. Nod-like receptors (NLRs) serve as immune receptors in plants and animals. The stability of NLRs is tightly regulated, though its mechanism is not well understood. Here, we show the crucial impact of N-terminal acetylation on the turnover of one plant NLR, Suppressor of NPR1, Constitutive 1 (SNC1), in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetic and biochemical analyses of SNC1 uncovered its multilayered regulation by different N-terminal acetyltransferase (Nat) complexes. SNC1 exhibits a few distinct N-terminal isoforms generated through alternative initiation and N-terminal acetylation. Its first Met is acetylated by N-terminal acetyltransferase complex A (NatA), while the second Met is acetylated by N-terminal acetyltransferase complex B (NatB). Unexpectedly, the NatA-mediated acetylation serves as a degradation signal, while NatB-mediated acetylation stabilizes the NLR protein, thus revealing antagonistic N-terminal acetylation of a single protein substrate. Moreover, NatA also contributes to the turnover of another NLR, RESISTANCE TO P. syringae pv maculicola 1. The intricate regulation of protein stability by Nats is speculated to provide flexibility for the target protein in maintaining its homeostasis.
Shallow Meridional Circulations in the Tropical Atmosphere

Abstract A shallow meridional circulation (SMC) in the tropical atmosphere features a low-level (e.g., 700 hPa) flow that is in the opposite direction to the boundary layer monsoon or trade wind flow and is distinct from the meridional flow above. Representations of the SMC in three global reanalyses show both similarities and astonishing discrepancies. While the SMC over West Africa appears to be the strongest, it also exists over the eastern Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans, and over the Indian subcontinent, with different strength and structure. All SMCs undergo marked seasonal cycles. The SMCs are summarized into two types: one associated with the marine ITCZ and the other with the summer monsoon. The large-scale conditions for these two types of SMCs are similar: a strong meridional gradient in surface pressure linked to surface temperature distributions and an absence of deep moist convection. The processes responsible for these conditions are different for the two types of SMCs, as are their str.
Intraocular pressure in zebrafish: comparison of inbred strains and identification of a reduced melanin mutant with raised IOP.

PURPOSE The goal was to establish an accurate method for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in living adult zebrafish and to determine the average IOPs of genetically different strains and mutants. The overall purpose was to develop the zebrafish system for studies of IOP and glaucoma. Elevated IOP and anterior segment dysgenesis are two known risk factors for glaucoma. Because albino mammals have increased IOP and are prone to anterior segment anomalies, the study was focused on a reduced melanin zebrafish mutant, brass. METHODS Servo-null electrophysiology was used to measure IOP in anesthetized adult zebrafish. A pulled-glass microelectrode was used to penetrate the cornea into the anterior chamber, and pressure transduction was recorded. IOP, histology, and visual behavioral assays were used to assess the brass mutant. RESULTS Significant differences in IOP were detected between genetically distinct zebrafish strains. IOP averages were highest in the long fin (LF) strain (20.5 +/- 1.2 mm Hg) and lowest in the Oregon AB (AB) strain (10.8 +/- 0.3 mm Hg). In brass mutants, which show a reduced melanin phenotype, IOPs were elevated and mild iris hypoplasia was noted. No defects were observed within the retina or in visual function. CONCLUSIONS In the present study, an accurate method was developed for measuring IOP in adult zebrafish. Both the ability to measure IOP in the genetically powerful zebrafish model and the conservation of elevated IOP and anterior segment anomalies between albino mammals and hypopigmented fish are important. They strongly support the use of zebrafish for studying the complex genetics of elevated IOP and glaucoma.
The Hypothermic Influence on CHOP and Ero1-α in an Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Model of Cerebral Ischemia

Hypoxia induced endoplasmic reticulum stress causes accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum and activates the unfolded protein response, resulting in apoptosis through CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) activation. In an in vitro and in vivo model of ischemic stroke, we investigated whether hypothermia regulates the unfolded protein response of CHOP and Endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductin-α (Ero1-α), because Ero1-α is suggested to be a downstream CHOP target. The gene expression of CHOP and Ero1-α was measured using Quantitative-PCR (Q-PCR) in rat hippocampi following global cerebral ischemia, and in hypoxic pheochromocytoma cells during normothermic (37 °C) and hypothermic (31 °C) conditions. As a result of ischemia, a significant increase in expression of CHOP and Ero1-α was observed after three, six and twelve hours of reperfusion following global ischemia. A stable increase in CHOP expression was observed throughout the time course (p < 0.01, p < 0.0001), whereas Ero1-α expression peaked at three to six hours (p < 0.0001). Induced hypothermia in hypoxia stressed PC12 cells resulted in a decreased expression of CHOP after three, six and twelve hours (p < 0.0001). On the contrary, the gene expression of Ero1-α increased as a result of hypothermia and peaked at twelve hours (p < 0.0001). Hypothermia attenuated the expression of CHOP, supporting that hypothermia suppress endoplasmic reticulum stress induced apoptosis in stroke. As hypothermia further induced up-regulation of Ero1-α, and since CHOP and Ero1-α showed differential regulation as a consequence of both disease (hypoxia) and treatment (hypothermia), we conclude that they are regulated independently.
Coset distribution of triple-error-correcting binary primitive BCH codes

Binary primitive triple-error-correcting BCH codes have been the object of intensive studies for several decades. In the 1970s their covering radius were determined in a series of papers to be 5. However, one problem for these codes that has been open up to now is to find their coset distribution. In this paper we solve this problem and thus determine the number of cosets of each weight in binary primitive triple-error-correcting BCH codes. As a consequence this also gives the coset distribution of the extended codes with minimal distance 8
Deaths During Sport and Recreational Activities in Istanbul

Abstract Sudden deaths can be simply explained as the rapid loss of heart functions of the individuals and recently an increase in sports-related sudden deaths is observed in forensic practice in Turkey. Reported here are six cases of sports-related sudden deaths to emphasize the pathological mechanisms with optimal screening strategies where a detailed postmortem examination were carried out for all. Except for one case, all cases occurred while playing soccer where coronary artery disease was established as the cause of death in four cases and as arrthymogenic right ventricular dysplasia in the other case. Toxicological analyses revealed 60 ng/ml benzodiazepine concentrations in one case. Sports activities should be undertaken cautiously, particularly in the presence of risk factors. Beside professionals, screening of the recreational athletes is also important. By this way, early diagnosis of most cardiovascular abnormalities can be provided.
Stabilizability and Stability Robustness of State Derivative Feedback Controllers

We study the stabilizability of a linear controllable system using state derivative feedback control. As a special feature the stabilized system may be fragile, in the sense that arbitrarily small modeling and implementation errors may destroy the asymptotic stability. First, we discuss the pole placement problem and illustrate the fragility of stability with examples of a different nature. We also define a notion of stability, called $p$-stability, which explicitly takes into account the effect of small modeling and implementation errors. Next, we investigate the effect on the fragility of including a low-pass filter in the control loop. Finally, we completely characterize the stabilizability and $p$-stabilizability of linear controllable systems using state derivative feedback. In the stabilizability characterization the odd number limitation, well known in the context of the stabilization of unstable periodic orbits using Pyragas-type time-delayed feedback, plays a crucial role.
Rate distortion optimal adaptive quantization and qoefficient thresholding for MPEG coding

This paper presents an MPEG.2 compatible adaptive quan tization algorithm that leads to the optimal encoding of I-frames in the sense of maximizing PSNR. It integrates three key features into a single Lagrangian optimization model: adaptive quantization including quantizer-change overhead consideration, coefficient thresholding, and a new coefficient amplitude reduction technique. Our results show that Iframes generated by the TM5 reference encoder are about 1.5-2.0 dB below the theoretical optimum.
The Cockroach and Allergic Diseases

The cockroach represents one of the most common sources of indoor allergens worldwide, and 40%-60% of patients with asthma in urban and inner-city areas possess IgE antibodies to cockroach allergens. In Korean homes, four cockroach species have been found, of which the most commonly encountered is the German cockroach. The pathogenic mechanism underlying the association between cockroach allergens and allergic diseases has not been fully elucidated. Allergenicity is associated with the cockroach allergens themselves, enzymatic protease activity, and ligands for pattern recognition receptors. Although allergen-specific adaptive immune responses orchestrate the cockroach allergic response, recent data suggest that the innate immune system is also a critical contributor to pathogenesis. We review the current evidence for the demographics of cockroach exposure and sensitization, characteristics of cockroach allergens, and inflammatory responses to cockroach allergens initiated through protease-dependent pathways.
Monodisperse Alginate Hydrogel Microbeads for Cell Encapsulation

This Communication describes the production of monodis-perse alginate hydrogel microbeads (94–150 l m) using a method that combines internal gelation method with T-junction droplet formation in microfluidic devices. The use of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) nano-particles allows internal gelation method to be applied to micro-scale production for the first time, and microfluidic devices allow us to produce microbeads with narrow size distributions. Our approach not only allows easy control over bead size by varying flow parameters, but also allows better monodispersity and control over the shape of the hydrogel beads compared to conventional external gelation methods performed in microfluidic devices. Both blank and cell encapsulating alginate hydrogel beads of various shapes were successfully produced using this approach in non-silanized/silanized poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) devices. Also, we demonstrated that the gelation conditions in our approach were mild enough to encapsulate mammalian cells (Jurkat) without loss of their viability, and studied the effect on cell viability with varying concentrations of CaCO 3 .