Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nightmare at test time: robust learning by feature deletion

When constructing a classifier from labeled data, it is important not to assign too much weight to any single input feature, in order to increase the robustness of the classifier. This is particularly important in domains with nonstationary feature distributions or with input sensor failures. A common approach to achieving such robustness is to introduce regularization which spreads the weight more evenly between the features. However, this strategy is very generic, and cannot induce robustness specifically tailored to the classification task at hand. In this work, we introduce a new algorithm for avoiding single feature over-weighting by analyzing robustness using a game theoretic formalization. We develop classifiers which are optimally resilient to deletion of features in a minimax sense, and show how to construct such classifiers using quadratic programming. We illustrate the applicability of our methods on spam filtering and handwritten digit recognition tasks, where feature deletion is indeed a realistic noise model.
Toward Simultaneous Visual Comfort and Depth Sensation Optimization for Stereoscopic 3-D Experience

Visual comfort and depth sensation are two important incongruent counterparts in determining the overall stereoscopic 3-D experience. In this paper, we proposed a novel simultaneous visual comfort and depth sensation optimization approach for stereoscopic images. The main motivation of the proposed optimization approach is to enhance the overall stereoscopic 3-D experience. Toward this end, we propose a two-stage solution to address the optimization problem. In the first layer-independent disparity adjustment process, we iteratively adjust the disparity range of each depth layer to satisfy with visual comfort and depth sensation constraints simultaneously. In the following layer-dependent disparity process, disparity adjustment is implemented based on a defined total energy function built with intra-layer data, inter-layer data and just noticeable depth difference terms. Experimental results on perceptually uncomfortable and comfortable stereoscopic images demonstrate that in comparison with the existing methods, the proposed method can achieve a reasonable performance balance between visual comfort and depth sensation, leading to promising overall stereoscopic 3-D experience.
Functional Balance and Motor Impairment Correlations with Gait Parameters during Timed Up and Go Test across Three Attentional Loading Conditions in Stroke Survivors

The aim of this study was to determine whether stroke survivor's gait performance during dual-task Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is correlated with the level of functional balance and motor impairment. Thirty stroke survivors (22 men, 8 women) were recruited for this study. The level of functional balance (Berg Balance Scale) and motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer assessment lower extremity) were assessed prior to the TUG test. TUG test was conducted under three attentional loading conditions (single, dual motor, and dual-cognitive). The time and number of steps were used to quantify gait parameters. The Spearmen's rank correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the relationship between these variables. There was moderate to strong negative correlation between functional balance and gait parameters (range −0.53 to −0.73, P < 0.05). There was a weak negative correlation observed between the time taken to complete the single task and motor impairment (r s = −0.43; P = 0.02) dual motor task and motor impairment (r s = −0.41; P = 0.02). However, there were no significant correlations between lower limb motor impairment and the number of steps in all conditions. These findings suggest that functional balance may be an influential domain of successful dual-task TUG in stroke.
The Extreme Distribution of Online Reviews: Prevalence, Drivers and Implications

In this research, we investigate the prevalence and possible reasons underlying the so-called extreme distribution of reviews in which reviews are heavily skewed to the positive end of the rating scale, with a few reviews in the mid-range and some reviews at the negative end of the scale. Putting together a large dataset of online reviews - over 280 million reviews from 25 major online platforms - we find that the extreme distribution of reviews occurs on different platforms, but the platforms vary with respect to the prevalence of the extreme distribution of their products based on how selective customers are in reviewing products on the platform. Using a cross platform and multi-method approach, including secondary data, experiments as well as survey data, we identify polarity self-selection, described as the higher tendency of consumers with extreme experiences to provide a review, as the main driver of the extreme distribution. Additionally, we describe and demonstrate that polarity self-selection and the extreme distribution reduce the informativeness of online reviews.
Asthma control and need for future asthma controller therapy among inner-city Hispanic asthmatic children engaged in a pediatric asthma disease management program (the Breathmobile program, Mobile Asthma Care for Kids Network)

Abstract Objective: To determine whether significant numbers of asthmatic children with initially rated intermittent asthma later suffer poor asthma control and require the addition of controller medications. Methods: Inner-city Hispanic children were followed prospectively in an asthma-specific disease management system (Breathmobile) for a period of 2 years. Clinical asthma symptoms, morbidity treatment, and demographic data were collected at each visit. Treatment was based upon National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Expert Panel Report 3 asthma guidelines. Primary outcome was percentage of patients with intermittent asthma who had not well or poorly controlled asthma during subsequent visits and required controller agents. Secondary outcomes were factors associated with the maintenance of asthma control. Results: About 30.9% of the patients with initial rating of intermittent asthma had not well controlled and poorly controlled asthma during subsequent visits and required the addition of controller agents. Factors associated with good asthma control were compliance, no previous emergency room visits and previous visit during spring season. Conclusion: Asthmatic children with intermittent asthma often lose asthma control and require controller therapy. This justifies asthma guideline recommendations to assess asthma control at follow-up visits and adjust therapy accordingly.
A hybrid shape representation for free-form modeling

We introduce a hybrid modeling framework for creating complex objects. Our system relies on an extended CSG tree that assembles skeletal implicit surfaces and polygonal meshes in a coherent fashion: we call this structure the hybridtree. Editing operations are performed by exploiting the complementary abilities of both implicit and parametric surface representations. Implicit surfaces are powerful for combining shapes with Boolean and blending operations, while polygonal meshes are well-suited for local deformations such as FFD and fast visualization. The evaluation of the hybridtree is performed on the fly either through field function queries when the implicit form is required, or through a mesh creation process which is specific and optimized for every kind of node. Both types of queries are achieved in a complete transparent way for the user.
Chloride initiated reinforcement corrosion in marine concrete

Factors affecting the total chloride threshold for initiation of pitting corrosion in reinforced concrete were investigated by means of field and laboratory exposure tests. Factors affecting the chloride penetration into concrete were also investigated by means of field tests. The thesis consists of a summary (86 p.) and 11 papers attached. Measured total chloride thresholds for uncracked concrete based on sulfate resisting portland cement with w/c ratio 0.3-0.5 and exposed in the splash zone were in the range of 1.1-1.5 % total chloride by weight of binder. The effect of replacing the portland cement with 5 % silica fume on the chloride threshold was insignificant. Defects in the concrete micro structure and the steel surface at the steel-concrete interface were found to have a major negative effect on the chloride threshold. A linear relationship between free and total chlorides was found in concrete submerged in sea water. Concentration profiles measured for the free chloride and hydroxide ions indicated that these ions penetrate concrete in opposite directions but at approximately the same rate. It was suggested that hydroxide counter diffusion increases the chloride binding close to the exposed uncarbonated surface, which leads to an almost linear chloride binding. The effective chloride diffusivity calculated by fitting experimentally obtained total chloride concentrations to a solution to Fick´s second law of diffusion, decreases over time in field exposed concrete. The results after 5 years of field exposure indicated that the effective chloride diffusivity can be reduced by a factor of 8-10 by using 5 % silica fume in the binder and by reducing the w/c ratio from 0.40 to 0.30, as compared to a typical Swedish bridge concrete with w/c 0.40 and no pozzolan in the binder. The corresponding reduction of the required minimum cover would be 50 % for an initiation time of 100 years.
Extending Storage Life of Commercially Important Tropical Fruits Using Bio-Waxes

Commercial storage of papaya and mango is restricted by postharvest diseases caused by fungi. The use of bio-waxes on storage life extension and quality retention of these commodities was investigated. Three different bio-waxes (chitosan, ITI wax 1 and ITI wax 2) formulated from locally available ingredients were used in this study. Papaya and mango harvested at commercial maturity were dipped in wax formulations and stored at low temperature at 13Â°C and 80% relative humidity for 7, 14 and 21 days. Since, chitosan is reported as an antifungal compound, an in vitro antifungal assay was also conducted for disease causing fungi, Colletotrichum spp. and Botryodiplodia spp. isolated from fruit prior to in vivo assay. In vitro studies on chitosan revealed significant inhibition on radial mycelial growth of the disease causing organisms isolated from these commodities at treatments of 1% chitosan and above. Significant changes were observed in all bio-wax coated fruits compared with non-treated controls with respect to peel colour, firmness, internal CO2 concentration and respiration rate while other organoleptic characteristics of fruit were not affected. Both papaya and mango coated with 1% chitosan and ITI wax 1 showed improved keeping quality with high marketability throughout the storage period of 14 days at 13Â±1Â°C plus 2 days at 28Â±2Â°C. Mangoes coated with the ITI wax 1 formulation showed storage life extension of 17 days at the same temperature. Significant increase in the activity of plant defense enzymes, chitinase and A, 1-3, glucanase were observed in the papaya peel samples of chitosan coated fruits compared to controls. The results of this study confirmed that the storage life of these tropical fruits could be extended using bio-waxes without detrimental effects on external and internal quality of fruit.
Understanding the domain registration behavior of spammers

Spammers register a tremendous number of domains to evade blacklisting and takedown efforts. Current techniques to detect such domains rely on crawling spam URLs or monitoring lookup traffic. Such detection techniques are only effective after the spammers have already launched their campaigns, and thus these countermeasures may only come into play after the spammer has already reaped significant benefits from the dissemination of large volumes of spam. In this paper we examine the registration process of such domains, with a particular eye towards features that might indicate that a given domain likely has a malicious purpose at registration time, before it is ever used for an attack. Our assessment includes exploring the characteristics of registrars, domain life cycles, registration bursts, and naming patterns. By investigating zone changes from the . com TLD over a 5-month period, we discover that spammers employ bulk registration, that they often re-use domains previously registered by others, and that they tend to register and host their domains over a small set of registrars. Our findings suggest steps that registries or registrars could use to frustrate the efforts of miscreants to acquire domains in bulk, ultimately reducing their agility for mounting large-scale attacks.
Diagnosis Approach of Optic Neuritis

The approach of the etiology of an optic neuropathy can be difficult for both ophthalmologists and neurologists, because neither the appearance of the optic disc, the perimetry, or the findings in Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are specific. Clinical features common to optic neuropathies are vision loss, visual fields scotomas and dyschromatopsia. Pain is a variable feature that, when is present, suggest an inflammatory disorder. Relative afferent pupilary defect is a required clinical finding for the diagnosis of unilateral optic neuropathy. The term "Typical optic neuritis" (ON) has been widely used to design a unilateral ON that presents in a young patient with an acute or subacute presentation, with pain worsened with eye movements and generally good prognosis. In this scenario, idiopathic or Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are the most likely etiologies. Therefore, in these cases, brain MRI with gadolinium contrast should be performed in order to establish the risk of conversion to MS. OCT is a useful test to evidence the retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer changes. Any modification of the mentioned clinical pattern should be consider "atypical" and further investigation is necessary in order to discard other possibilities such as ischemic, autoimmune, compressive- infiltrative, hereditary, toxic, nutritional deficiency, posttraumatic, postradiotherapy or intracraneal hypertension. Therefore, we must follow a rational algorism from the most common cause to the most unlikely in each case, with a well-defined previous distinction of the typical and atypical features, because both the early diagnosis and treatment are overriding in the second ones.
High Throughput Molecular Confirmation of β-Thalassemia Mutations Using Novel TaqMan Probes

β-Thalassemia is a public health problem where 4.5% of Malaysians are β-thalassemia carriers. The genetic disorder is caused by defects in the β-globin gene complex which lead to reduced or complete absence of β-globin chain synthesis. Five TaqMan genotyping assays were designed and developed to detect the common β-thalassemia mutations in Malaysian Malays. The assays were evaluated with 219 “blinded” DNA samples and the results showed 100% sensitivity and specificity. The in-house designed TaqMan genotyping assays were found to be cost- and time-effective for characterization of β-thalassemia mutations in the Malaysian population.
Update on the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2-Angiotensin (1–7)-Mas Receptor Axis: Fetal Programing, Sex Differences, and Intracellular Pathways

The renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) constitutes an important hormonal system in the physiological regulation of blood pressure. Indeed, dysregulation of the RAS may lead to the development of cardiovascular pathologies including kidney injury. Moreover, the blockade of this system by the inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) or antagonism of the angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) constitutes an effective therapeutic regimen. It is now apparent with the identification of multiple components of the RAS that the system is comprised of different angiotensin peptides with diverse biological actions mediated by distinct receptor subtypes. The classic RAS can be defined as the ACE-Ang II-AT1R axis that promotes vasoconstriction, sodium retention, and other mechanisms to maintain blood pressure, as well as increased oxidative stress, fibrosis, cellular growth, and inflammation in pathological conditions. In contrast, the non-classical RAS composed of the ACE2-Ang-(1–7)-Mas receptor axis generally opposes the actions of a stimulated Ang II-AT1R axis through an increase in nitric oxide and prostaglandins and mediates vasodilation, natriuresis, diuresis, and oxidative stress. Thus, a reduced tone of the Ang-(1–7) system may contribute to these pathologies as well. Moreover, the non-classical RAS components may contribute to the effects of therapeutic blockade of the classical system to reduce blood pressure and attenuate various indices of renal injury. The review considers recent studies on the ACE2-Ang-(1–7)-Mas receptor axis regarding the precursor for Ang-(1–7), the intracellular expression and sex differences of this system, as well as an emerging role of the Ang1-(1–7) pathway in fetal programing events and cardiovascular dysfunction.
“Chickens Are a Lot Smarter than I Originally Thought”: Changes in Student Attitudes to Chickens Following a Chicken Training Class

Simple Summary Our attitudes to animals are linked to our beliefs about their cognitive abilities, such as intelligence and capacity to experience emotional states. In this study, undergraduate students were surveyed on their attitudes to chickens pre- and post- a practical class in which they learnt to clicker train chickens. Students were more likely to agree that chickens are intelligent and easy to teach tricks to, and that chickens feel emotions such as boredom, frustration and happiness, following the practical class. Similar workshops may be an effective method to improve animal training skills, and promote more positive attitudes to specific animal species. Abstract A practical class using clicker training of chickens to apply knowledge of how animals learn and practice skills in animal training was added to an undergraduate course. Since attitudes to animals are related to their perceived intelligence, surveys of student attitudes were completed pre- and post- the practical class, to determine if (1) the practical class changed students’ attitudes to chickens and their ability to experience affective states, and (2) any changes were related to previous contact with chickens, training experience or gender. In the post- versus pre-surveys, students agreed more that chickens are easy to teach tricks to, are intelligent, and have individual personalities and disagreed more that they are difficult to train and are slow learners. Following the class, they were more likely to believe chickens experience boredom, frustration and happiness. Females rated the intelligence and ability to experience affective states in chickens more highly than males, although there were shifts in attitude in both genders. This study demonstrated shifts in attitudes following a practical class teaching clicker training in chickens. Similar practical classes may provide an effective method of teaching animal training skills and promoting more positive attitudes to animals.
Social support, physical functioning, and cognitive functioning among older African American adults

ABSTRACT Social support and functional ability are related to a number of outcomes in later life among African Americans, including cognitive performance. This study examined how providing and receiving social support was related to fluid and crystallized cognitive abilities among aging African American adults after accounting for functional limitations, age, education, sex, income, and self-reported health. Data from 602 African American adults (M = 69.08, SD = 9.74; 25% male) were analyzed using latent variable modeling. Fluid ability was a second-order factor indicated by measures that assessed verbal memory, working memory, perceptual speed, and inductive reasoning. Crystallized ability was a first-order factor indicated by three measures that assessed vocabulary (Shipley Verbal Meaning Test and parts A and B of the ETS Vocabulary Test). Results indicated that the receipt of social support was negatively related to both fluid and crystallized abilities, while the provision of support was positively related to fluid and crystallized ability. Follow-up tests found that the receipt of support was more strongly related to fluid ability than crystallized ability. There was no significant difference regarding the relationship of provision of support with fluid ability compared to crystallized ability. Results discuss the importance of considering the social context of older adults when examining cognitive ability.
THE EFFECT OF CAFFEINE SUPPLEMENTATION ON TRAINED INDIVIDUALS SUBJECTED TO MAXIMAL TREADMILL TEST.

Background: Intense physical training increases oxidative stress and inflammation, resulting into muscle and cellular damage. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of caffeine supplementation on trained young individuals subjected to two treadmill maximal tests. Materials and Methods: It was a double-blind and crossover study comprising 24 active individuals within the age group 18-30 years. The comparisons were conducted: the effect of exercise (week 1 x 2) and caffeine intake (GC x GP) on thiobarbituric acid (TBARS), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) variables during pre-exercise time (30 min. after caffeine or placebo intake) and post-exercise (5 min after treadmill test). Results: The comparison between weeks 1 and 2 showed increase in the first week, in the following items: TBARS, IL-6 and IL-10 in the GC and GP groups. The comparison within the same week showed that GC individuals presented lower post-exercise TBARS values in the first and second weeks; IL- 6 presented higher post-exercise values in the GC group in both weeks. The paired analysis comparing pre- and post-exercise, with and without caffeine showed that IL-6 presented higher post-exercise values in the GC group. Conclusion: Caffeine used by athletes can decrease oxidative stress. The increased IL-6 suggest that this ergogenic supplement may stimulate muscle hypertrophy, since IL-6 has myokine effect. However, the caffeine effect on IL-6 level and muscle hypertrophy increase should be better investigated in future studies.
Analysis of Microbiological Screen Test Data for Antimicrobial Residues in Food Animals

This study analyzes the National Residue Program (NRP) of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), data for the for the years 1983–1998 to determine the effectiveness of all three microbiological screen tests that were developed and used by the FSIS to control antimicrobial residues in food animals. The Swab Test On Premises (STOP) Sulfonamide Test (CAST) and the Fast Antimicrobial Screen Test (FAST). The data for STOP indicates that during 1983–1998, the rate of food animal carcasses with violative levels of was the first screen test introduced in slaughterhouses, followed by the Calf Antibiotic and surveillance plan, the rate reduced from 55.1% to 0.56%. Similarly, the data for CAST indicates that the rate of calf carcasses with violative levels of antimicrobial residue also declined significantly during those years. Because of its higher sensitivity and shorter analytical time, the use of FAST started in 1995. By 1999, it had replaced the use of STOP and CAST in bovine species. The use of only one test such as FAST instead of different tests has removed confusion for testing different species of food animals and thereby has enhanced the efficiency of the NRP.