Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
METABOLIC STATUS AND BODY CONDITION SCORE OF ESTONIAN HOLSTEIN COWS AND THEIR RELATION TO SOME FERTILITY PARAMETERS

Summary. The objective of the study was to analyse relationships between some metabolites associated with cows energy and(or) protein status, body condition score (BCS) and fertility parameters on two Estonian commercial farms. Farm and(or) stage of gestation and(or) lactation were the factors affecting BCS and urea, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, ketone bodies, NEFA and total lipids concentrations and AST activity. Service period was longer on farm B but there was no difference between the farms in days to first service. Correlations between fertility parameters were positive in the case of AST, GLDH, cholesterol and total lipids. Negative correlations had urea, glucose, ketones, triglycerides and NEFA. Most of the correlations between BCS and metabolites occurred between 20 to 60 days in milk , that between BCS and AST, GLDH, glucose and ketone bodies being negative. Our investigations indicate that increased urea and ketone body levels may be potential risk factors of impaired fertility. Further investigations including progesterone profile analysis are needed to differentiate physiological factors influencing intervals from calving to first ovulation and from first ovulation to actual conception.
A linear predictive coding based compression algorithm for fronthaul link in C-RAN

This paper focuses on the data compression for fron-thaul link in cloud radio access network (C-RAN). We introduce a linear predictive coding (LPC) based compression algorithm, which includes three main modules, linear predictor, piecewise quantizer and arithmetic coding. The linear predictor is used to eliminate redundancies caused by the correlations of LTE signals. According to the distribution characteristics of the output from the linear predictor, a piecewise quantizer is designed to decrease the quantization noise. To get extra coding gain, arithmetic coding is applied based on the output codebook from the piecewise quantizer. Furthermore, an alphabet reconstruction scheme is proposed to reduce the complexity of arithmetic encoding and decoding. Omitting the up/down-sampling and low-pass filtering operation in traditional schemes, our solution has simpler structure, but demonstrates better compression performance with comparable computational complexity. Remarkably, our scheme presents strong flexibility to different load ratios. Taking 40% load ratio as an example, within 2% error vector magnitude (EVM) distortion, our algorithm can achieve 23% compression ratio for uplink and 17% compression ratio for downlink, which has nearly 15% gain compared with the traditional algorithm.
Dementia and vagotomy in Taiwan: a population-based cohort study

Objective Truncal vagotomy is associated with a decreased risk of subsequent Parkinson disease (PD), although the effect of vagotomy on dementia is unclear. In response, we investigated the risk of dementia in patients who underwent vagotomy. Setting Population-based cohort study. Participants A total of 155 944 patients who underwent vagotomy (vagotomy cohort) and 155 944 age-matched, sex-matched and comorbidity-matched controls (non-vagotomy cohort) were identified between 2000 and 2011. Primary and secondary outcome measures All patient data were tracked until the diagnosis of dementia, death or the end of 2011. The cumulative incidence of subsequent dementia and HRs were calculated. Results The mean ages of the study patients in the vagotomy and non-vagotomy cohorts were 56.6±17.4 and 56.7±17.3 years, respectively. The overall incidence density rate for dementia was similar in the vagotomy and non-vagotomy cohorts (2.43 and 2.84 per 1000 person-years, respectively). After adjustment for age, sex and comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, stroke, depression, coronary artery disease and PD, the patients in the vagotomy cohort were determined to not be at a higher risk of dementia than those in the non-vagotomy cohort (adjusted HR=1.09, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.36). Moreover, the patients who underwent truncal vagotomy were not associated with risk of dementia (adjusted HR=1.04, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.25), compared with the patients who did not undergo vagotomy. Conclusion Vagotomy, either truncal or selective, is not associated with risk of dementia.
Trend following with float-encoding genetic algorithm

Trend following plays an important role in technical analysis for trading financial instruments. In this paper, we propose a model based on Float-encoding Genetic Algorithm (FGA) to determine the best thresholds for trend following in financial time series. Trend following is based on the thresholds called P&Q which is calculated from the amount of an uptrend and downtrend to determine when to buy and sell at a particular time point. In our model, we first smooth the closing price by Exponential Moving Average (EMA) and partition the sample data into two parts respectively for training and testing. During the training session, FGA is used to find the best P&Q values which optimizes the average return based on a chosen EMA. The resulted P&Q is then evaluated against the testing data. Experiments conducted on Hang Sang Index (HSI) from Hong Kong shows promising results.
Sex chromosome repeats tip the balance towards speciation

Because sex chromosomes, by definition, carry genes that determine sex, mutations that alter their structural and functional stability can have immediate consequences for the individual by reducing fertility, but also for a species by altering the sex ratio. Moreover, the sex‐specific segregation patterns of heteromorphic sex chromosomes make them havens for selfish genetic elements that not only create suboptimal sex ratios but can also foster sexual antagonism. Compensatory mutations to mitigate antagonism or return sex ratios to a Fisherian optimum can create hybrid incompatibility and establish reproductive barriers leading to species divergence. The destabilizing influence of these selfish elements is often manifest within populations as copy number variants (CNVs) in satellite repeats and transposable elements (TE) or as CNVs involving sex‐determining genes, or genes essential to fertility and sex chromosome dosage compensation. This review catalogs several examples of well‐studied sex chromosome CNVs in Drosophilids and mammals that underlie instances of meiotic drive, hybrid incompatibility and disruptions to sex differentiation and sex chromosome dosage compensation. While it is difficult to pinpoint a direct cause/effect relationship between these sex chromosome CNVs and speciation, it is easy to see how their effects in creating imbalances between the sexes, and the compensatory mutations to restore balance, can lead to lineage splitting and species formation.
Automatic Speech Recognition

Information processing machines have become ubiquitous. However, the current modes of human machine communication are geared more towards living with the limitations of computer input/output devices rather than the convenience of humans. Speech is the primary mode of communication among human beings. On the other hand, prevalent means of input to computers is through a keyboard or a mouse. It would be nice if computers could listen to human speech and carry out their commands. Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) is the process of deriving the transcription (word sequence) of an utterance, given the speech waveform. Speech understanding goes one step further, and gleans the meaning of the utterance in order to carry out the speaker’s command. This article gives a tutorial introduction to ASR. Reader may refer to [1] for an overview of speech recognition and understanding.
Learning Deep Convolutional Embeddings for Face Representation Using Joint Sample- and Set-Based Supervision

In this work, we investigate several methods and strategies to learn deep embeddings for face recognition, using joint sample- and set-based optimization. We explain our framework that expands traditional learning with set-based supervision together with the strategies used to maintain set characteristics. We, then, briefly review the related set-based loss functions, and subsequently we propose a novel Max-Margin Loss which maximizes maximum possible inter-class margin with assistance of Support Vector Machines (SVMs). It implicitly pushes all the samples towards correct side of the margin with a vector perpendicular to the hyperplane and a strength inversely proportional to the distance to it. We show that the introduced loss outperform the previous sample-based and set-based ones in terms verification of faces on two commonly used benchmarks.
‘ ‘ ATS / ERS TASK FORCE : STANDARDISATION OF LUNG FUNCTION TESTING

CONTENTS Background . 154 Definitions . 154 Patient considerations . 154 Contraindications . 154 Position . 154 Patient details . 154 Age, height and weight . 154 Therapy . 154 Subject preparation . 154 Laboratory details . 155 Hygiene and infection control . 155 Transmission by direct contact . 155 Transmission by indirect contact . 155 Prevention . 155 Transmission to technicians . 155 Cross-contamination . 156 Volume-based spirometers . 156 Tuberculosis . 156 Haemoptysis and oral lesions . 156 Other known transmissible infectious diseases . 156 Disposable in-line filters . 156 Equipment design . 157 Level of infection risk. 157 Personnel qualifications and technician’s role in quality control. 157 Personnel qualifications . 157 Technician’s role in quality control . 158 Reference values . 158 Interpretation strategies. 158 Abbreviations. 159
Evaluation of partial volume effect correction methods for brain positron emission tomography: Quantification and reproducibility

Quantitative accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) is decreased by the partial volume effect (PVE). The PVE correction (PVC) methods proposed by Alfano et al., Rousset et al., Müller-Gärtner et al. and Meltzer et al. were evaluated in the present study to obtain guidelines for selecting among them. For accuracy evaluation, the Hoffman brain phantom was scanned with three PETs of differing spatial resolution in order to measure the effect of PVC on radioactivity distribution. Test-retest data consisting of duplicate dynamic emission recordings of the dopamine D2-receptor ligand [11C] raclopride obtained in eight healthy control subjects were used to test the correction effect in different regions of interest. The PVC method proposed by Alfano et al. gave the best quantification accuracy in the brain gray matter region. When the effect of PVC on reliability was tested with human data, the method of Meltzer et al. proved to be the most reliable. The method by Alfano et al. may be better for group comparison studies and the method by Meltzer et al. for intra-subject drug-effect studies.
BK Lyncis: the oldest old nova?. and a Bellwether for cataclysmic variable evolution

We summarize the results of a 20-year campaign to study the light curves of BK Lyn, a nova-like star strangely located below the 2-3 hour orbital-period gap in the family of cataclysmic variables (CVs). Two apparent superhumps dominate the nightly light curves with periods 4.6% longer, and 3.0% shorter, than the orbital period. The first appears to be associated with the star’s brighter states (V � 14), while the second appears to be present throughout and becomes very dominant in the low state (V � 15.7). It is plausible that these arise, respectively, from a prograde apsidal precession and a retrograde nodal precession of the star’s accretion disk.
Crocin Improves the Endothelial Function Regulated by Kca3.1 Through ERK and Akt Signaling Pathways

Background/Aims: Based on the protective effect of crocin against cardiovascular diseases, we hypothesize that crocin could improve endothelial function through activating the eNOS(endothelial nitric oxide synthase) /NO pathway and/or the intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa3.1). Methods: In this study, rat aortic rings were used to assess the regulatory effect of crocin on vascular tone and nitric oxide, prostacyclin, and KCa3.1, all endothelial vasodilators, were analyzed for effects by crocin. The expression profiles of p-eNOS, total-eNOS, p-ERK, total-ERK, p-Akt, total-Akt, KCa3.1, CD31, thrombomodulin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were tested by western blotting. KCa3.1 was also analyzed by qPCR and immunofluorescence staining. Fluorescence and confocal microscopy were used to determine NO generation and intracellular Ca2+. Both EdU and MTT assays were used to evaluate cell viability. Cellular migration was assessed using transwell assay. Results: Crocin relaxed pre-contracted artery rings through either NO or KCa3.1, but not PGI, in an endothelium-dependent manner. Furthermore, crocin increased p-eNOS, total-eNOS expression and NO production as well as intracellular Ca2+ in both HUVECs and HUAECs (Human Umbilical Artery Endothelial cells). Crocin also stimulated the expression of CD31, thrombomodulin and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), as well as increased cellular proliferation and migration in vitro. Interestingly, we determined for the first time that by blocking or silencing KCa3.1 there was inhibition of crocin induced upregulation of p-eNOS and total-eNOS. Correspondingly, the KCa3.1 inhibitor TRAM-34 also reduced the expression of CD31, thrombomodulin and VCAM-1, as well as diminished intracellular Ca2+, cellular proliferation and migration. Finally, crocin stimulated the expression of p-ERK, total-ERK, p-Akt and total-Akt, however suppression of MEK and Akt inhibited this expression profile in endothelial cells. Conclusion: In the present study, these data strongly support the hypothesis that crocin could improve endothelial function through stimulation of the eNOS/NO pathway and other endothelial markers. This functional improvement is regulated by KCa3.1 via the MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
Evaluation of electronic cigarette liquids and aerosol for the presence of selected inhalation toxins.

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to evaluate sweet-flavored electronic cigarette (EC) liquids for the presence of diacetyl (DA) and acetyl propionyl (AP), which are chemicals approved for food use but are associated with respiratory disease when inhaled. METHODS In total, 159 samples were purchased from 36 manufacturers and retailers in 7 countries. Additionally, 3 liquids were prepared by dissolving a concentrated flavor sample of known DA and AP levels at 5%, 10%, and 20% concentration in a mixture of propylene glycol and glycerol. Aerosol produced by an EC was analyzed to determine the concentration of DA and AP. RESULTS DA and AP were found in 74.2% of the samples, with more samples containing DA. Similar concentrations were found in liquid and aerosol for both chemicals. The median daily exposure levels were 56 μg/day (IQR: 26-278 μg/day) for DA and 91 μg/day (IQR: 20-432 μg/day) for AP. They were slightly lower than the strict NIOSH-defined safety limits for occupational exposure and 100 and 10 times lower compared with smoking respectively; however, 47.3% of DA and 41.5% of AP-containing samples exposed consumers to levels higher than the safety limits. CONCLUSIONS DA and AP were found in a large proportion of sweet-flavored EC liquids, with many of them exposing users to higher than safety levels. Their presence in EC liquids represents an avoidable risk. Proper measures should be taken by EC liquid manufacturers and flavoring suppliers to eliminate these hazards from the products without necessarily limiting the availability of sweet flavors.
Assessment for the U . S . Army Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program The Global Assessment Tool

Psychology and the U.S. military have a long history of collaboration. The U.S. Army Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program aims to measure the psychosocial strengths and assets of soldiers as well as their problems, to identify those in need of basic training in a given domain as well as those who would benefit from advanced training, and then to provide that training. The goals of the CSF program include the promotion of well-being as well as the prevention of problems. Assessment is the linchpin of the CSF program, and the Global Assessment Tool (GAT) is a self-report survey that measures psychosocial fitness in emotional, social, family, and spiritual domains. We review the history of psychological assessment in the military and the lessons taught by this history. Then we describe the process by which the GAT was developed and evaluated. We conclude with a discussion of pending next steps in the development and use of the GAT.
Did Caravaggio employ optical projections? An image analysis of the parity in the artist's paintings

We examine one class of evidence put forth in support of the recent claim that the Italian Baroque master Caravaggio secretly employed optical projectors as a direct drawing aid. Specically, we test the claims that there is an "abnormal number" of left-handed gures in his works and, more specically, that "During the Del Monte period he had too many left-handed models. " We also test whether there was a reversal in the handedness of specic models in different paintings. Such evidence would be consistent with the claim that Caravaggio switched between using a convex-lens projector to using a concave-mirror projector and would support, but not prove, the claim that Caravaggio used optical projections. We estimate the parity (+ or -) of each of Caravaggio's 76 appropriate oil paintings based on the handedness of gures, the orientation of asymmetric objects, placement of scabbards, depicted text, and so on, and search for statistically significant changes in handedness in figures. We also track the direction of the illumination over time in the artist's uvre. We discuss some historical evidence as it relates to the question of his possible use of optics. We nd the proportion of left-handed figures lower than that in the general population (not higher), and no significant change in estimated handedness even of individual models. Optical proponents have argued that Bacchus (1597) portrays a left-handed gure, but we give visual and cultural evidence showing that this gure is instead right-handed, thereby rebutting this claim that the painting was executed using optical projections. Moreover, scholars recently re-discovered the image of the artist with easel and canvas reflected in the carafe of wine at the front left in the tableau in Bacchus, showing that this painting was almost surely executed using traditional (non-optical) easel methods. We conclude that there is 1) no statistically signicant abnormally high number of left-handed gures in Caravaggio's uvre, including during any limited working period, 2) no statistically significant change in handedness among all gures or even individual gures that might be consistent with a change in optical projector, and 3) the visual and cultural evidence in Bacchus shows the gure was right-handed and that the artist executed this work by traditional (non-optical) easel methods. We conclude that the general parity and handedness evidence does not support the claim that Caravaggio employed optical projections.
THE MEDIUM OF THE VIDEO GAME

The Medium of the Video Game, edited by Mark J. P. Wolf, is a collection of mostly scholarly articles on video games with no central thematic other than the topic. The book is five doses film theory, and one dose each of journalistic history, museum curation, cultural commentary, and psychoanalysis. Those who have never played or seen more than a handful of games may appreciate Wolf’s descriptive sections and find journalist Steven L. Kent’s brief history accessible and to the point. Those who are less interested in categorization schemes will find good insights in the last three chapters, which deal more with social and cultural analysis. Those looking for insights into what makes a medium, how video games are a medium, or how video games might constitute an interpersonal communications system will be disappointed. Readers looking for a historical understanding will benefit from Ralph H. Baer’s introduction. Combined with Kent’s brief history chapter, the material gives a competent overview of industry history, and would suffice as introductory material for an undergraduate classroom. A more comprehensive nuts-and-bolts version of industry history can be found in the decidedly unscholarly Phoenix (Herman, 1997). Those looking for a richer social constructivist approach would do well to get a copy of Steve Levy’s Hackers (Levy, 1994) or Kent’s own The First Quarter (Kent, 2000), the latter of which contains scores of entertaining and enlightening interviews. Unfortunately, Wolf’s film theory chapters that dominate the book are the least useful for scholars looking for insight and analysis on this important and understudied medium. The material is an extension of Wolf’s Film Quarterly article (Wolf, 1997) that adds essays on time and narrative. My quibble with this material is not the theoretical approach or even the deliberate style, but with the nearly total lack of analysis. Wolf sets out to create a taxonomy of space, time, genre, and narrative for video games, and he does this arguably well. What’s missing is any use of the newly created taxonomy or answers to the many questions the system implies. POPULAR COMMUNICATION, 1(4), 251–253 Copyright © 2003, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Biopulping of whole jute plant in soda-anthraquinone (AQ) and kraft processes

Using whole jute and kenaf plant fiber, we obtained bleachable grade pulp with a yield of 48% using soda-anthraquinone (AQ) and kraft chemical processes. To make jute paper (jute and kenaf) cost effective, we used environment friendly biotechnological methods. Under optimum conditions, bleaching grade pulps at Karr aphuli Paper Mills Limited (KPM) of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) have a kappa of 20. We used dried jute chips for biopulping experiments using different microorganisms. That allowed is to reduce pulp kappa by 15% with a constant alkali charge in the soda-AQ process. The desired kappa number was also obtained by reducing the alkali charge (9%). In the kraft process, cooking time was reduced by 50% (i.e. from 2 h to 1 h) with kappa number more or less the same (19 to 20). As a result, cooking cycles can be increased, which will facilitate more throughput in the existing pulp mills. Application: Pretreatment of jute plant with fungal strains before soda-AQ or kraft pulping reduces cooking time, kappa number, and chemical requirements and improves the physical properties of the resulting pulp.
Myofascial Pain Syndrome – Trigger Points Jan Dommerholt

Readers who are seriously interested in the promising potential of electromyographic detection of endplate noise as a gold standard for identifying TrPs and its likely limitations should be sure to consider the comments on and compare the papers by Couppe et al. and by Kuan et al. that are reviewed in this column. Those interested in writing a first-class paper on clinical research on TrPs should be sure to ruminate on the paper by Fernandez et al. For an example of outstanding research with immediate clinical applications, consider the paper by Saggini et al. about differentiatingtwotypesofheelpain.Several review articles, a case study, epidemiology studies, and a study of a new superficial dry needling approach complete this review. Contributions originated in a wide variety of countries, including Brazil, China, Denmark, Italy, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, and the Unites States. As usual, each article review indicates whether it is prepared by Dommerholt [JD] or Simons [DGS].