Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust Spammer Detection in Microblogs

Microblogging Web sites, such as Twitter and Sina Weibo, have become popular platforms for socializing and sharing information in recent years. Spammers have also discovered this new opportunity to unfairly overpower normal users with unsolicited content, namely social spams. Although it is intuitive for everyone to follow legitimate users, recent studies show that both legitimate users and spammers follow spammers for different reasons. Evidence of users seeking spammers on purpose is also observed. We regard this behavior as useful information for spammer detection. In this article, we approach the problem of spammer detection by leveraging the “carefulness” of users, which indicates how careful a user is when she is about to follow a potential spammer. We propose a framework to measure the carefulness and develop a supervised learning algorithm to estimate it based on known spammers and legitimate users. We illustrate how the robustness of the detection algorithms can be improved with aid of the proposed measure. Evaluation on two real datasets from Sina Weibo and Twitter with millions of users are performed, as well as an online test on Sina Weibo. The results show that our approach indeed captures the carefulness, and it is effective for detecting spammers. In addition, we find that our measure is also beneficial for other applications, such as link prediction.
Origins of tropospheric ozone interannual variation over Réunion: A model investigation

Observations from long‐term ozonesonde measurements show robust variations and trends in the evolution of ozone in the middle and upper troposphere over Réunion Island (21.1°S, 55.5°E) in June–August. Here we examine possible causes of the observed ozone variation at Réunion Island using hindcast simulations by the stratosphere‐troposphere Global Modeling Initiative chemical transport model for 1992–2014, driven by assimilated Modern‐Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications meteorological fields. Réunion Island is at the edge of the subtropical jet, a region of strong stratospheric‐tropospheric exchange. Our analysis implies that the large interannual variation (IAV) of upper tropospheric ozone over Réunion is driven by the large IAV of the stratospheric influence. The IAV of the large‐scale, quasi‐horizontal wind patterns also contributes to the IAV of ozone in the upper troposphere. Comparison to a simulation with constant emissions indicates that increasing emissions do not lead to the maximum trend in the middle and upper troposphere over Réunion during austral winter implied by the sonde data. The effects of increasing emission over southern Africa are limited to the lower troposphere near the surface in August–September.
Tenofovir Versus Entecavir for the Treatment of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure due to Reactivation of Chronic Hepatitis B With Genotypes B and C

Background and Aims: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) can be triggered by reactivation of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and entecavir (ETV) are now the most potent antiviral agents for CHB. This study aimed to compare the short-term safety and efficacy of TDF with ETV in the treatment of ACLF due to reactivation of CHB [hepatitis B virus (HBV)-ACLF]. Patients and Methods: In total, 67 consecutive patients with HBV-ACLF were divided into TDF group (n=32) receiving daily TDF (300 mg/d) and ETV group (n=35) receiving daily ETV (0.5 mg/d). They were prospectively followed-up and the primary endpoint was overall survival at 3 months. Results: At 2 weeks, the TDF group had significantly higher HBV-DNA reduction (P=0.003), lower HBV-DNA level (P=0.001), higher rate of HBV-DNA undetectbility (P=0.007), lower Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP; P=0.003), and model for end-stage liver disease (P=0.002) scores than the ETV group. At 3 months, HBV-DNA was undetectable in all survived patients; CTP (P=0.970) and model for end-stage liver disease (P=0.192) scores were comparable between the 2 groups, but markedly lower than at baseline (P<0.01); the TDF group had significantly higher cumulative survival rate than the ETV group (P=0.025). The white blood cell count (hazard ratio, 2.726; 95% confidence interval, 2.691-7.897; P=0.000), and HBV-DNA reduction (hazard ratio, 0.266; 95% confidence interval, 0.033-0.629; P=0.013) at 2 weeks were independent predictors for mortality. Both drugs were well tolerated. Conclusions: The short-term efficacy of TDF was superior to ETV for the treatment of HBV-ACLF. The white blood cell count and HBV-DNA reduction at 2 weeks were independent predictors for mortality at 3 months.
Flexibility in positional behavior, strata use, and substrate utilization among Bale monkeys (Chlorocebus djamdjamensis) in response to habitat fragmentation and degradation

Studies of the effects of habitat fragmentation and degradation on primate positional behavior, strata use, and substrate utilization offer valuable insights into the behavioral and ecological flexibility of primates whose habitats have undergone extensive anthropogenic disturbance. In this study, we evaluated how positional behavior, strata use, and substrate utilization differed between Bale monkeys (Chlorocebus djamdjamensis)—bamboo‐eating cercopithecids endemic to the southern Ethiopian Highlands—occupying continuous versus fragmented forests. Bale monkeys in forest fragments (where bamboo had been degraded or eradicated) spent significantly more time on the ground and in understory strata whereas those in continuous forest spent significantly more time in the middle and upper strata. Bale monkeys in forest fragments also spent significantly more time walking and galloping and significantly less time climbing than those in continuous forest. Our results suggest that, unlike the primarily arboreal Bale monkeys in continuous forest, Bale monkeys in forest fragments should be characterized as semi‐terrestrial. In response to habitat disturbance in fragments, we observed a greater emphasis on terrestrial foraging and travel among Bale monkeys in these human altered habitats, which may put them at greater risk of predation and conflict with nearby human populations. Bale monkeys in fragments exhibit flexibility in their positional behavioral repertoire and their degree of terrestriality is more similar to their sister taxa in Chlorocebus than to Bale monkeys in continuous forest. These findings suggest that habitat alteration may compel Bale monkeys to exhibit semi‐terrestrial behaviors crucial for their persistence in human‐modified habitats. Our results contribute to a growing body of literature on primate behavioral responses to anthropogenic modification of their habitats and provide information that can contribute to the design of appropriate conservation management plans.
The differences between overground and treadmill walking in nonlinear, entropy-based and frequency variables derived from accelerometers in young and older women - preliminary report.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare gait stability and variability between walking conditions and age groups. METHODS Twenty-six healthy younger and older females participated. Trunk acceleration in the vertical (V), medial-lateral (ML) and anteriorposterior (AP) directions during 5 minutes walking overground and 3 minutes walking on the treadmill at self-selected speed were recorded. Root mean square and standard deviations of acceleration, stride time and its variability, Lyapunov exponents (LE), multiscale entropy (MSE) and harmonic ratios (HR) were computed. RESULTS Both age groups showed significantly higher stride time variability and short-term LE in all directions during overground walking. For the older group, overground walking showed higher V and AP standard deviation. Significantly lower values for overground walking were observed for long-term LE (V and ML for the younger group, ML for the older group), HR (ML for the older group) and MSE (V for the older group). Significant age-related differences were found for V long-term LE for overground walking. CONCLUSIONS The present findings suggest that both linear and advanced computational techniques for gait stability and variability assessment in older adults are sensitive to walking conditions.
Time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy of semiconductor nanostructures

This thesis describes time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy measurements on various semiconductor nanostructures. The aim is to study the carrier dynamics in these nanostructures on a picosecond timescale. In a typical experiment carriers are excited with a visible or near-infrared pulse and by measuring the transmission of a terahertz probe pulse, the photoconductivity of the excited sample can be obtained. By changing the relative arrival time at the sample between the pump and the probe pulse, the photoconductivity dynamics can be studied on a picosecond timescale. The rst studied semiconductor nanostructures are InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots. By exciting carriers into the GaAs barrier, a fast decay of the photoconductivity after optical excitation is observed, due to trapping of charge carriers into the quantum dots. If the carriers were excited into the ground state of the quantum dots, a slow rise of the photoconductivity is observed, due the release of carriers from the quantum dots into the conducting barrier states. Secondly, the carrier dynamics in InGaN/GaN quantum wells subject to a built-in piezoelectric eld is described. An initial fast decay of the photoconductivity as the piezoelectric eld is screened by the dipole eld of the excited electron-hole pairs is observed. The decay of the photoconductivity slows down as the carriers recombine and the piezoelectric eld is restored. Finally, the photoconductivity dynamics in black silicon is described. Black silicon is microstructured silicon, which is in this case produced by laser annealing of amorphous silicon lms. The amplitude and the decay time of the photoconductivity depends strongly on the method and annealing uence used in the production process. Furthermore, it is shown that by adding copper to the black silicon, the decay time of the photoconductivity can be signi cantly reduced. Besides time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy measurement, optical transmission, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray, and X-ray di raction spectroscopy experiments on black silicon are presented.
Isoflavone intake and risk of lung cancer: a prospective cohort study in Japan.

BACKGROUND Although case-control studies support the idea that soy foods or isoflavone intake is associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer, little evidence is available from prospective cohort studies. Moreover, no prospective study has addressed this association in men. OBJECTIVE We investigated the association between isoflavone intake and lung cancer incidence. DESIGN We conducted a population-based prospective cohort study in 36,177 men and 40,484 women aged 45-74 y with no history of cancer at baseline in 1995-1999. Participants responded to a validated questionnaire, which included 138 food items. We used Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of lung cancer incidence according to isoflavone intake, which was estimated by genistein content from soy foods. RESULTS During 11 y (671,864 person-years) of follow-up, we documented 481 male and 178 female lung cancer cases. In men we found an inverse association between isoflavone intake and risk of lung cancer in never smokers (n = 13,051; multivariate HR in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of isoflavone intake: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.90; P for trend = 0.024) but not in current or past smokers. A similar, nonsignificant inverse association was seen in never-smoking women (n = 38,211; HR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.41, 1.10; P for trend = 0.135). We also tested effect modification by smoking status (P for interaction = 0.085 in men and 0.055 in men and women combined). CONCLUSION In a large-scale, population-based, prospective study in Japan, isoflavone intake was associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer in never smokers.
Roles of Polyploid/Multinucleated Giant Cancer Cells in Metastasis and Disease Relapse Following Anticancer Treatment

Tumors and tumor-derived cell lines contain polyploid giant cells with significantly elevated genomic content, often with multiple nuclei. The frequency of giant cells can increase markedly following anticancer treatment. Although giant cells enter a dormant phase and therefore do not form macroscopic colonies (aggregates of ≥50 cells) in the conventional in vitro colony formation assay, they remain viable and metabolically active. The purpose of this commentary is to underscore the potential importance of polyploid/multinucleated giant cells in metastasis and cancer recurrence following exposure to anticancer agents. We also discuss the possibility that most preclinical (cell-based and animal model) drug discovery approaches might not account for delayed responses that are associated with dormant giant cells.
Validity of Kit-Build Method for Assessment of Learner-Build Map by Comparing with Manual Methods

SUMMARY This paper describes an investigation into the validity of an automatic assessment method of the learner-build concept map by comparing it with two well-known manual methods. We have previously proposed the Kit-Build (KB) concept map framework where a learner builds a concept map by using only a provided set of components, known as the set “kit”. In this framework, instant and automatic assessment of a learner-build concept map has been realized. We call this assessment method the “Kit-Build method” (KB method). The framework and assessment method have already been practically used in classrooms in various schools. As an investigation of the validity of this method, we have conducted an experiment as a case study to compare the assessment results of the method with the assessment results of two other manual assessment methods. In this experiment, 22 university students attended as subjects and four as raters. It was found that the scores of the KB method had a very strong correlation with the scores of the other manual methods. The results of this experiment are one of evidence to show the automatic assessment of the Kit-Build concept map can attain almost the same level of validity as well-known manual assessment methods.
Communal Motivation and Well-Being in Interpersonal Relationships: An Integrative Review and Meta-Analysis

The motivation to care for the welfare of others, or communal motivation, is a crucial component of satisfying interpersonal relationships and personal well-being. The current meta-analysis synthesized 100 studies (Ntotal = 26,645) on communal motivation to establish its associations with subjective personal well-being (e.g., life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) and relationship well-being (e.g., relationship satisfaction, partner-oriented positive affect, and partner-oriented negative affect) for both the person providing communal care and their partner. Three types of communal motivation were examined, including general, partner-specific (for children, parents, romantic partners, and friends), and unmitigated (i.e., devoid of agency and self-oriented concern). Results revealed positive associations between all three forms of communal motivation and relationship well-being for the self (.11 ⩽ rs ⩽ .44) and relationship partners (.11 ⩽ rs ⩽ .15). However, only general and partner-specific communal motivation, and not unmitigated communal motivation, were linked with greater personal well-being for both the self (.12 ⩽ rs ⩽ .16) and relationship partners (.04 ⩽ rs ⩽ .09). These associations were generally consistent across gender, relationship length, publication status, and lab. Finally, relationship partners were similar in partner-specific (r = .26) and unmitigated (r = .15) communal motivation only. Findings from the current meta-analysis suggest that care for the welfare of others is linked to greater relationship well-being for both members of a relationship. However, communal care is only linked to personal well-being insofar as it is mitigated by a degree of self-oriented concern. We provide theoretical and power recommendations for future research.
Sustainable Transportation Fuels From Off-Peak Wind Energy, CO2, and Water

Doty Energy is developing advanced processes to permit the production of fully carbon-neutral gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, ethanol, and plastics from exhaust CO2 and off-peak clean energy (wind and nuclear) at prices that can compete with fossil-derived products. Converting CO2 into fuels will eliminate the need for CO2 sequestration, reduce global CO2 emissions by 40%, and provide a nearly insatiable market for off-peak wind. It has long been known that it is theoretically possible to convert CO2 and water into standard liquid hydrocarbon fuels at high efficiency. However, the early proposals for doing this conversion had efficiencies of only 25% to 35%. That is, the chemical energy in the liquid fuels produced (gasoline, ethanol, etc.) would be about the 30% of the input energy required. The combination of the eight major technical advances made over the past two years should permit this conversion to be done at up to 60% efficiency. Off-peak grid energy averaged only $16.4/MWhr in the Minnesota hub throughout all of 2009 (the cheapest 6 hours/day averaged only $7.1/MWh). At such prices, the synthesized standard liquid fuels (dubbed “WindFuels”) should compete even when petroleum is only $45/bbl. A more scalable alternative for transportation fuels is needed than biofuels. It is in our economic and security interests to produce transportation fuels domestically at the scale of hundreds of billions of gallons per year. WindFuels can scale to this level, and as they are fully carbon-neutral they will dramatically reduce global CO2 emissions at the same time. Switching 70% of global transportation fuels from petroleum to WindFuels should be possible over the next 30 years. WindFuels will insure extremely strong growth in wind energy for many decades by generating an enormous market for off-peak wind energy. WindFuels is based largely on the commercially proven technologies of wind energy, water electrolysis, and Fischer Tropsch (FT) chemistry. Off-peak low carbon energy is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Some of the hydrogen is used to reduce CO2 into carbon monoxide (CO) and water via the Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) reaction. The CO and the balance of the hydrogen are fed into an FT reactor similar to those used to produce fuels and chemicals from coal or natural gas. The processes have been simulated, and key experiments are being carried out to help optimize process conditions and validate the simulations.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
DudeTx

Emerging non-volatile memory (NVM) offers non-volatility, byte-addressability, and fast access at the same time. It is suggested that programs should access NVM directly through CPU load and store instructions. To guarantee crash consistency, durable transactions are regarded as a common choice of applications for accessing persistent memory data. However, existing durable transaction systems employ either undo logging, which requires a fence for every memory write, or redo logging, which requires intercepting all memory reads within transactions. Both approaches incur significant overhead. This article presents DudeTx, a crash-consistent durable transaction system that avoids the drawbacks of both undo and redo logging. DudeTx uses shadow DRAM to decouple the execution of a durable transaction into three fully asynchronous steps. The advantage is that only minimal fences and no memory read instrumentation are required. This design enables an out-of-the-box concurrency control mechanism, transactional memory or fine-grained locks, to be used as an independent component. The evaluation results show that DudeTx adds durability to a software transactional memory system with only 7.4%--24.6% throughput degradation. Compared to typical existing durable transaction systems, DudeTx provides 1.7× --4.4× higher throughput. Moreover, DudeTx can be implemented with hardware transactional memory or lock-based concurrency control, leading to a further 1.7× and 3.3× speedup, respectively.
Gut Microbiota Contributes to Resistance Against Pneumococcal Pneumonia in Immunodeficient Rag−/− Mice

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes infection-related mortality worldwide. Immunocompromised individuals, including young children, the elderly, and those with immunodeficiency, are especially vulnerable, yet little is known regarding S. pneumoniae-related pathogenesis and protection in immunocompromised hosts. Recently, strong interest has emerged in the gut microbiota's impact on lung diseases, or the “gut-lung axis. ” However, the mechanisms of gut microbiota protection against gut-distal lung diseases like pneumonia remain unclear. We investigated the role of the gut commensal, segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB), against pneumococcal pneumonia in immunocompetent and immunocompromised mouse models. For the latter, we chose the Rag−/− model, with adaptive immune deficiency. Immunocompetent adaptive protection against S. pneumoniae infection is based on antibodies against pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides, prototypical T cell independent-II (TI-II) antigens. Although SFB colonization enhanced TI-II antibodies in C57BL/6 mice, our data suggest that SFB did not further protect these immunocompetent animals. Indeed, basal B cell activity in hosts without SFB is sufficient for essential protection against S. pneumoniae. However, in immunocompromised Rag−/− mice, we demonstrate a gut-lung axis of communication, as SFB influenced lung protection by regulating innate immunity. Neutrophil resolution is crucial to recovery, since an unchecked neutrophil response causes severe tissue damage. We found no early neutrophil recruitment differences between hosts with or without SFB; however, we observed a significant drop in lung neutrophils in the resolution phase of S. pneumoniae infection, which corresponded with lower CD47 expression, a molecule that inhibits phagocytosis of apoptotic cells, in SFB-colonized Rag−/− mice. SFB promoted a shift in lung neutrophil phenotype from inflammatory neutrophils expressing high levels of CD18 and low levels of CD62L, to pro-resolution neutrophils with low CD18 and high CD62L. Blocking CD47 in SFB(−) mice increased pro-resolution neutrophils, suggesting CD47 down-regulation may be one neutrophil-modulating mechanism SFB utilizes. The SFB-induced lung neutrophil phenotype remained similar with heat-inactivated S. pneumoniae treatment, indicating these SFB-induced changes in neutrophil phenotype during the resolution phase are not simply secondary to better bacterial clearance in SFB(+) than SFB(−) mice. Together, these data demonstrate that the gut commensal SFB may provide much-needed protection in immunocompromised hosts in part by promoting neutrophil resolution post lung infection.
Theory of excitation of Rydberg polarons in an atomic quantum gas

We present a quantum many-body description of the excitation spectrum of Rydberg polarons in a Bose gas. The many-body Hamiltonian is solved with a functional determinant approach, and we extend this technique to describe Rydberg polarons of finite mass. Mean-field and classical descriptions of the spectrum are derived as approximations of the many-body theory. The various approaches are applied to experimental observations of polarons created by excitation of Rydberg atoms in a strontium Bose-Einstein condensate.