Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advances in Exact Bayesian Structure Discovery in Bayesian Networks

We consider a Bayesian method for learning the Bayesian network structure from complete data. Recently, Koivisto and Sood (2004) presented an algorithm that for any single edge computes its marginal posterior probability in O(n 2^n) time, where n is the number of attributes; the number of parents per attribute is bounded by a constant. In this paper we show that the posterior probabilities for all the n (n - 1) potential edges can be computed in O(n 2^n) total time. This result is achieved by a forward-backward technique and fast Moebius transform algorithms, which are of independent interest. The resulting speedup by a factor of about n^2 allows us to experimentally study the statistical power of learning moderate-size networks. We report results from a simulation study that covers data sets with 20 to 10,000 records over 5 to 25 discrete attributes
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Recovered from Healthcare- and Community-Associated Infections in Egypt

Background. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has created significant epidemiological, infection-control, and therapeutic management challenges during the past three decades. Aim. To analyze the pattern of resistance of healthcare- and community-associated MRSA in Egypt and the trend of resistance of HA-MRSA over time (2005–2013). Methods. MRSA isolates were recovered from healthcare-associated (HA) and community-associated (CA) Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infections. They were tested against 11 antimicrobial discs and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of vancomycin was determined. Inducible clindamycin resistance (iMLSB) was also screened using D-test. Findings. Of 631 S. aureus, MRSA was identified in 343 (76.6%) and 21 (11.5%) of HA and CA S. aureus isolates, respectively. The proportion of HA-MRSA increased significantly from 48.6% in 2005 to 86.8% in 2013 (p value < 0.001). Multidrug resistance (MDR) was observed in 85.8% of HA-MRSA and 48.6% of CA-MRSA. Vancomycin intermediate resistant S. aureus (VISA) was detected in 1.2% of HA-MRSA and none was detected in CA-MRSA. Among HA-MRSA strains, 5.3% showed iMLSB compared to 9.5% among CA-MRSA. Conclusion. The upsurge of the prevalence rates of HA-MRSA over time is alarming and urges for an effective infection control strategy and continuous monitoring of antimicrobial use.
Treatment of Severe Ulcerative Colitis: Differences in Elderly Patients?

Almost as many as 10% of patients with ulcerative colitis have late onset with the first flare occurring at 60–70 years of age. The course of the disease and the basic principles of management in geriatric populations do not differ from those in younger patients. However, elderly patients pose distinct problems in therapy choice. In middle-aged patients untreated severe ulcerative colitis has been reduced to <1% in specialized centers at the present time but is still high in the elderly. In general, the management requires close collaboration between gastroenterologists and surgeons. In adult patients, current evidence supports initial treatment with intravenous steroids. However, only 40% of patients show complete response after corticosteroid therapy and almost 30% come to colectomy. Cyclosporine still has a first place as salvage therapy because of its short half-life and its established short-term efficacy in about 70% of patients who fail steroids. The drug should be avoided in frail or elderly patients (especially over 80 years old) with significant comorbidity, and also where colectomy is likely to be necessary in the short to medium term. The long-term benefit of this therapy remains unsatisfactory as colectomy is often only delayed. Infliximab is the choice for those patients with a less severe colitis and less likelihood of urgent colectomy. Tacrolimus has only been used in one randomized controlled trial with similar results to cyclosporine. Surgery is still the definitive procedure for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in adult patients, and its timing is of paramount importance.
LMI-based Stability and Performance Conditions for Continuous-time Nonlinear Systems in Takagi-Sugeno's Form

This paper presents the stability analysis and performance design of the continuous-time fuzzy-model-based control systems. A nonlinear controller will be proposed to stabilize the nonlinear systems in Takagi-Sugeno's form. LMI-based stability conditions will be derived the parameter-dependent Lyapunov function to guarantee the system stability. Furthermore, based on the commonly-used performance index, LMI-based performance conditions will be derived to achieve the system performance. A numerical example will be given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Stormwater Irrigation Volume III: Transport Of The Cyanotoxin Microcystin In Groundwater Beneath Stormwater Ponds: Results Of Soil Column Experiments

As the demand for fresh water increases in central Florida to meet both public supply and irrigation needs, stormwater is increasingly being managed as a resource to help offset possible future declines in aquifer water levels. Water quality is an important consideration when using stormwater for recharge or harvesting. A constituent of recent concern is cyanobacteria (popularly known as blue-green algae) because some of these can produce toxins (cyanotoxins) that are detrimental to animal and human health. Microcystins are the most commonly found type of cyanotoxin in Florida and have been detected in a variety of rivers, natural lakes, and stormwater ponds. Filtration of stormwater through natural or amended soil sediments and withdrawal of the filtered water through horizontal wells beneath the pond are probable technologies for mitigation of water quality concerns. The potential for transport of microcystin in soil and ground water was investigated by using laboratory soil column experiments. Results of two soil column experiments indicate the potential for substantial removal of microcystin during saturated flow through sand. Natural stormwater spiked to yield microcystin concentration of 3.9 and 2.2 micrograms per liter was continuously applied during each experiment lasting 3 and 10 days, respectively. Samples were collected from six sampling ports at varying depths along each column in addition to the ponded water at the top of each column. Samples were quantitatively analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Concentration-based microcystin removal efficiencies up to 90 percent and mass-balance based removal efficiencies up to 70 percent were achieved. Breakthrough curves indicated relatively conservative transport of microcystin at breakthrough, suggesting sorption processes were limited, followed by substantial declines in concentration, suggesting kinetic reaction processes were important and possibly caused by microbial degradation. Microcystin losses generally increased with depth up to 2 feet and remained relatively constant at greater depths. Microbial degradation likely can be attributed mostly to the biofilm layer that formed on the sand surface, causing the large microcystin losses in the upper parts of the columns. However, breakthrough curves indicated generally lower concentrations in deeper sampling ports, suggesting additional removal capacity was afforded by the thicker filter bed. Based on the soil and water quality conditions used in the experimental setup, a sand filter bed ranging from 2 to 4 feet in thickness was found to be sufficient for effective microcystin removal.
Collaborative Learning in Online Study Groups : An Evolutionary Game Theory Perspective

Educational benefits of online collaborative group work have been confirmed in numerous research studies. Most frequently cited advantages include the development of skills of critical thinking and problem solving as well as skills of self-reflection and co-construction of knowledge and meaning. However, the establishment and maintenance of active collaboration in online study groups is a challenging task, primarily due to students’ inability (e.g., owing to time constraints or lack of collaboration skills) or reluctance (e.g., due to the lack of or low participation of other group members) to participate actively in the group work. Aiming to better understand and contribute to the resolution of the problems of effective online group work, we followed a novel approach based on Evolutionary Game Theory (EGT). While EGT has been used extensively as a framework for studying the emergence and maintenance of cooperation in many disciplines, to the best of our knowledge, it has not yet been applied to understanding and facilitating group collaboration in online learning settings. In this paper, we present a study we have conducted in order to investigate whether, and to what extent, EGT can be applied to explain students’ participation in collaborative study groups.
Thermal regimes of Rocky Mountain lakes warm with climate change

Anthropogenic climate change is causing a wide range of stresses in aquatic ecosystems, primarily through warming thermal conditions. Lakes, in response to these changes, are experiencing increases in both summer temperatures and ice-free days. We used continuous records of lake surface temperature and air temperature to create statistical models of daily mean lake surface temperature to assess thermal changes in mountain lakes. These models were combined with downscaled climate projections to predict future thermal conditions for 27 high-elevation lakes in the southern Rocky Mountains. The models predict a 0.25°C·decade-1 increase in mean annual lake surface temperature through the 2080s, which is greater than warming rates of streams in this region. Most striking is that on average, ice-free days are predicted to increase by 5.9 days ·decade-1, and summer mean lake surface temperature is predicted to increase by 0.47°C·decade-1. Both could profoundly alter the length of the growing season and potentially change the structure and function of mountain lake ecosystems. These results highlight the changes expected of mountain lakes and stress the importance of incorporating climate-related adaptive strategies in the development of resource management plans.
The first dinosaur egg from the Lower Cretaceous of Western Siberia, Russia

Abstract The Lower Cretaceous Ilek Formation in Western Siberia (Russia) has yielded various vertebrate fossils, including skeletal remains of dinosaurs. Here we report on a fragmentary theropod egg from the vertebrate locality Shestakovo 3 of the Ilek Formation in Kemerovo Province. We assign the specimen to the oogenus Prismatoolithus (oofamily Prismatoolithidae) as Prismatoolithus ilekensis oosp. nov., on the basis of the following unique combination of characters: ovoid-shaped egg; thin eggshell 300–330 μm thick; angustiprismatic morphotype; eggshell with three different layers; gradual transition between mammillary layer and prismatic layer; abrupt contact between prismatic layer and external layer; mammillary layer to prismatic layer to external layer thickness ratio is 1:3:0.6; prismatic layer with ill-defined squamatic texture; angusticanaliculate pore system; and smooth outer surface. Like other Early Creataceous Prismatoolithus, the egg of Prismatoolithus ilekensis oosp. nov. was laid by a small bodied theropod dinosaur (troodontid or primitive bird) and this taxonomic attribution is supported by results of our phylogenetic analysis. Prismatoolithus ilekensis oosp. nov. is the first Early Cretaceous ootaxon from Russia. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:734EAD40-86C3-488B-A61E-B5FF7378BC0E
Agglomeration Economies and Location Choices by Foreign Firms in Vietnam

This paper studies the effects of agglomeration economies on the location choices by foreign firms in Vietnam. By using a large dataset that provides detailed information about individual firms, the study examines the location choices by 568 newly created foreign firms in 2005 in about 150 different 4-digit industries. This is one of the few studies of agglomeration effects on the location choices by foreign investments in transition economies in general and in Vietnam in particular. The estimates of the negative binomial regression model and the conditional logit model show that agglomeration benefits motivate foreign firms in the same industries and from the same countries of origin to locate near each other. However, the empirical results also indicate that there is competition among provinces in Vietnam in attracting foreign investors, and the locations of Vietnamese firms have no effects on the location decisions by foreign firms in the same industry.
Distribution of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel (Nav) Alleles among the Aedes aegypti Populations In Central Java Province and Its Association with Resistance to Pyrethroid Insecticides

The emergence of insecticide resistant Aedes aegypti mosquitoes has hampered dengue control efforts. WHO susceptibility tests, using several pyrethroid compounds, were conducted on Ae. aegypti larvae that were collected and raised to adulthood from Semarang, Surakarta, Kudus and Jepara in Java. The AaNaV gene fragment encompassing kdr polymorphic sites from both susceptible and resistant mosquitoes was amplified, and polymorphisms were associated with the resistant phenotype. The insecticide susceptibility tests demonstrated Ae, aegypti resistance to the pyrethroids, with mortality rates ranging from 1.6%–15.2%. Three non-synonymous polymorphisms (S989P, V1016G and F1534C) and one synonymous polymorphism (codon 982) were detected in the AaNaV gene. Eight AaNaV alleles were observed in specimens from Central Java. Allele 3 (SGF) and allele 7 (PGF) represent the most common alleles found and demonstrated strong associations with resistance to pyrethroids (OR = 2.75, CI: 0.97–7.8 and OR = 7.37, CI: 2.4–22.5, respectively). This is the first report of 8 Ae. aegypti AaNaV alleles, and it indicates the development of resistance in Ae. aegypti in response to pyrethroid insecticide-based selective pressure. These findings strongly suggest the need for an appropriate integrated use of insecticides in the region. The 989P, 1016G and 1534C polymorphisms in the AaNaV gene are potentially valuable molecular markers for pyrethroid insecticide resistance monitoring.
EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMS AND POLICIES FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISTIC SPECTRUM DISORDERS

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication along with restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior. Social defi cits manifest in avoidance of eye contact, failure to develop peer relationships, resistance of affection, high levels of isolated play, and limited play skills. The preference for being alone may persist as the child grows older. Approximately 30 percent of children with autism do not develop language. Children who do acquire speech often develop noncommunicative speech patterns, use language sparingly, and the language they do develop is often quite rote in nature. Speaking children with autism often exhibit a specifi c speech anomaly called echolalia, the repetition of words or phrases spoken by others. Disturbances of behavior may include a demand for sameness in the environment, ritualistic preoccupations (e.g., memorizing bus schedules; closing doors), or self-stimulatory behavior (e.g., hand fl apping; spinning objects). Finally, these children may exhibit anomalies in their sensory responding including overor under-response to sound, pain, touch, or light. While the severity of these symptoms varies across children and changes with development, they affect almost every aspect of social and psychological development. Children with autism face many of the same challenges at home, in school, and in the community as other children with mental health problems. Most children with autism (as many as 75%) have impaired cognitive development such that their level of functioning falls into the mentally
Objective Self-Awareness Theory: Recent Progress and Enduring Problems

Objective self-awareness theory has undergone fundamental changes in the 3 decades since Duval and Wicklund's (1972) original formulation. We review new evidence that bears on the basic tenets of the theory. Many of the assumptions of self-awareness theory require revision, particularly how expectancies influence approach and avoidance of self-standard discrepancies; the nature of standards, especially when they are changed; and the role of causal attribution in directing discrepancy reduction. However, several unresolved conceptual issues remain; future theoretical and empirical directions are discussed.
Characteristics of Dynamic Response of Balanced and Unbalanced High-Tc Superconducting Maglev System

Understanding the characteristics of dynamic response of a high-Tc superconducting (HTS) maglev vehicle subject to different operating conditions is of utmost importance for advancing its application in the further transportation system. Based on a reduced HTS maglev model, this paper experimentally reproduced the balanced and unbalanced conditions of on-board passengers/freight by loading and unloading the weight to the model at different locations, namely, at the central location of the model for balanced condition and at the front of the model for unbalanced condition. Making recourse to the B&K vibration analyzer (3560C) and laser displacement acquisition equipment, the dynamic signals, i.e., acceleration, displacement, and resonant frequency of the model subject to respective balanced and unbalanced condition were sampled and analyzed. It was found that, the distribution of on-board weight affects the dynamic response of the model significantly and as expected, the unbalanced distribution does harm to the stability and thus the carrying capability of the maglev vehicle.
The Impact of Climate Change on the Water Balance of Oil Sands Reclamation Covers and Natural Soil Profiles

The design of reclamation soil covers at oil sands mines in northern Alberta, Canada, has been conventionally based on the calibration of soil–vegetation–atmosphere transfer (SVAT) models against field monitoring observations collected over several years, followed by simulations of long-term performance using historical climate data. This paper evaluates the long-term water balances for reclamation covers on two oil sands landforms and three natural coarse-textured forest soil profiles using both historical climate data and future climate projections. Twenty-first century daily precipitation and temperature data from CanESM2 were downscaled based on three representative concentration pathways (RCPs) employing a stochastic weather generator [Long Ashton Research Station Weather Generator (LARS-WG)]. Relative humidity, wind speed, and net radiation were downscaled using the delta change method. Downscaled precipitation and estimated potential evapotranspiration were used as inputs to simulate soil water dynamics using physically based models. Probability distributions of growing season (April–October) actual evapotranspiration (AET) and net percolation (NP) for the baseline and future periods show that AET and NP at all sites are expected to increase throughout the twenty-first century regardless of RCP, time period, and soil profile. Greater increases in AET and NP are projected toward the end of the twenty-first century. The increases in future NP at the two reclamation covers are larger (as a percentage increase) than at most of the natural sites. Increases in NP will result in greater water yield to surface water and may accelerate the rate at which chemical constituents contained within mine waste are released to downstream receptors, suggesting these potential changes need to be considered in mine closure designs.
Inhalation Conscious Sedation with Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen as Alternative to General Anesthesia in Precooperative, Fearful, and Disabled Pediatric Dental Patients: A Large Survey on 688 Working Sessions

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness and the tolerability of the nitrous oxide sedation for dental treatment on a large pediatric sample constituting precooperative, fearful, and disabled patients. Methods. 472 noncooperating patients (aged 4 to 17) were treated under conscious sedation. The following data were calculated: average age; gender distribution; success/failure; adverse effects; number of treatments; kind of dental procedure undertaken; number of dental procedures for each working session; number of working sessions for each patient; differences between males and females and between healthy and disabled patients in relation to success; success in relation to age; and level of cooperation using Venham score. Results. 688 conscious sedations were carried out. The success was 86.3%. Adverse effects occurred in 2.5%. 1317 dental procedures were performed. In relation to the success, there was a statistically significant difference between healthy and disabled patients. Sex and age were not significant factors for the success. Venham score was higher at the first contact with the dentist than during the treatment. Conclusions. Inhalation conscious sedation represented an effective and safe method to obtain cooperation, even in very young patients, and it could reduce the number of pediatric patients referred to hospitals for general anesthesia.
On distributed robust routing for transportation networks under local information constraints

Robustness of distributed routing policies is studied for dynamical flow networks, with respect to adversarial disturbances that reduce the link flow capacities. A dynamical flow network is modeled as a system of ordinary differential equations derived from mass conservation laws on a directed acyclic graph with a single origin-destination pair and a constant inflow at the origin. Routing policies regulate the way the inflow at a non-destination node gets split among its outgoing links as a function of the current particle density, while the outflow of a link is modeled to depend on the current particle density on that link through a flow function. The robustness of distributed routing policies is evaluated in terms of the network’s weak resilience, which is defined as the infimum sum of link-wise magnitude of disturbances under which the total inflow at the destination node of the perturbed dynamical flow network is positive. The weak resilience of a dynamical flow network with arbitrary routing policy is shown to be upperbounded by the network’s min-cut capacity, independently of the initial flow conditions. Moreover, a class of distributed routing policies that rely exclusively on local information on the particle densities, and are locally responsive to that, is shown to yield such maximal weak resilience. These results imply that locality constraints on the information available to the routing policies do not cause loss of weak resilience.