Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MMD with Kernel Learning In practice we use finite samples from distributions to estimate

Generative moment matching network (GMMN) is a deep generative model that differs from Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) by replacing the discriminator in GAN with a two-sample test based on kernel maximum mean discrepancy (MMD). Although some theoretical guarantees of MMD have been studied, the empirical performance of GMMN is still not as competitive as that of GAN on challenging and large benchmark datasets. The computational efficiency of GMMN is also less desirable in comparison with GAN, partially due to its requirement for a rather large batch size during the training. In this paper, we propose to improve both the model expressiveness of GMMN and its computational efficiency by introducing adversarial kernel learning techniques, as the replacement of a fixed Gaussian kernel in the original GMMN. The new approach combines the key ideas in both GMMN and GAN, hence we name it MMD GAN. The new distance measure in MMD GAN is a meaningful loss that enjoys the advantage of weak∗ topology and can be optimized via gradient descent with relatively small batch sizes. In our evaluation on multiple benchmark datasets, including MNIST, CIFAR-10, CelebA and LSUN, the performance of MMD GAN significantly outperforms GMMN, and is competitive with other representative GAN works.
Isotope effects and pressure dependence of the Tc of superconducting stoichiometric PdH and PdD synthesized and measured in a diamond anvil cell.

We have synthesized stoichiometric PdH and PdD in a diamond anvil cell and measured in situ the pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature. From an analysis of the results and band-structure calculations, we find that both the anharmonicity of the Pd-H potential and the effect of the large zero-point motion of the hydrogen isotopes are needed to explain the inverse isotope effect and the observed pressure dependence of ${T}_{c}$.
Friedenwald lecture: Perspectives in glaucoma research.

i irst, I want to say that I am very happy and very proud to be the recipient of the Friedenwald Award, and I am deeply grateful to the research scientists of our association for this high honor. I have accepted this award recognizing that you have made me the delegate of my teachers, colleagues, and students with whom I have collaborated and with whom I share the pleasure of this occasion. I did not know Jonas Friedenwald, as did several of my more fortunate colleagues. During my education and training, however, I frequently reflected on his extraordinary talent. During 30 years of research, Friedenwald demonstrated a love and an unmatched skill for chemistry and histochemistry, mathematics, optics, and physics. He developed new knowledge for the pathophysiology of ocular disease with methods from several disciplines. Yet, he was never too busy to attend to the demands of his patients. His concern for their problems must have reminded him of the dependence of the physician upon his knowledge of biologic mechanisms. We treasure that knowledge for its own sake, but often the stimulus for investigating a particular problem comes from the beleaguered patient. Dr.
The Impact of Marijuana Decriminalization: An Update

The available evidence indicates that the “decriminalization” of marijuana possession had little or no impact on rates of use. Although rates of marijuana use increased in those U.S. states which reduced maximum penalties for possession to a fine, the prevalence of use increased at similar or higher rates in those states which retained more severe penalties. There were also no discernable impacts on the health care systems. On the other hand, the so-called “decriminalization” measures did result in substantial savings in the criminal justice system.
Morath , Florian Working Paper Volunteering and the strategic value of ignorance

Private provision of public goods often takes place as a war of attrition: individuals wait until someone else volunteers and provides the good. After a certain time period, however, one individual may be randomly selected. If the individuals are uncertain about their cost of provision, but can find out about this cost ahead of the volunteering game, a strategic value is attached to the information, and individuals may prefer not to learn their cost of provision. If the time horizon is sufficiently short, in equilibrium only one individual may acquire information about his cost. For a long time horizon, acquiring information is strictly dominant. The time limit is an important instrument in influencing the efficiency of the volunteering game. JEL-Code: H410, D440, D820, D830.
Behcet disease and pregnancy.

PURPOSE Behcet disease (BD) is a multisystemic vaculitis commonly diagnosed in reproductive years. The authors aimed to investigate the relationship between BD and pregnancy outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this multicenter retrospective survey study, the authors compared the pregnancy outcomes of BD patients with the healthy controls. RESULTS A total of 298 pregnancies of 94 patients with BD and 219 pregnancies of 95 healthy controls were evaluated. The mean birth weight of all babies of women with BD and the control group were 3,214 grams and 3,351 grams, respectively (p = 0.028). The miscarriage rates were also higher in the BD group. The com- plication rates of pregnancy with hypertension, preeclampsia, preterm labour in the study group and the control group were 12.8% and 11.6%, respectively (p = 0.489). CONCLUSION The current study demonstrated that BD patients delivered smaller babies and they have higher miscarriage rates when compared to the healthy controls which might be due to the vasculitis of the placenta.
Heterogeneous effect of calcium antagonists on leg oedema: a comparison of amlodipine versus lercanidipine in hypertensive patients

Aims To compare the effect of amlodipine, a prototype dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker with lercanidipine, a newer dihydropyridine compound with lipophilic properties, on dependent oedema generation and interference with skin blood flow vasomotion in hypertensive patients. Design Single-blind, sequence-randomized, cross-over comparison of amlodipine and lercanidipine. Drugs were given at equipotent doses (10 mg daily and 20 mg daily, respectively) in 22 never-treated mild-to-moderate hypertensive men (age: 48 ± 5 years). Each treatment was administered for 2 weeks with a 2-week intervening period to restore baseline values. Main outcome measures Dependent oedema formation was quantified through leg weight changes (water displacement method). Blood pressure (the mean of at least 10 determinations) was recorded by an automated oscillometric device and skin blood flow (laser Doppler flowmetry) measured at the dorsum of the foot, both supine and with the limb passively placed 50 cm below the heart level, to evaluate the behaviour of cutaneous postural vasoconstriction, an autoregulatory mechanism that minimizes gravitational increases in capillary pressure and avoids fluid extravasation when standing. Results Leg weight was increased by both drugs, but the increase was significantly greater during treatment with amlodipine than with lercanidipine. Blood pressure decreased to a similar extent and postural vasoconstriction was antagonized comparably during both treatments. Conclusions The oedema-forming potential of amlodipine is greater than that induced by lercanidipine, a difference which emerged in the presence of a comparable drop in blood pressure and could not be attributed to interference with postural vasoconstrictor mechanisms.
SURVIVAL OF CADAVERIC RENAL ALLOGRAFTS IN HISPANIC AS COMPARED WITH CAUCASIAN RECIPIENTS

Evaluation of allograft survival rates revealed a significantly better overall graft survival in Hispanic (n=66) as compared with Caucasian (n=38) recipients of primary cadaveric renal transplants. There were no significant differences between the Hispanic and Caucasian cadaveric recipient groups in terms of patient survival, pretransplant transfusion status, immunosuppressive protocols, rejection therapy, mean age, or frequency of diabetes mellitus. Cadaveric donor ethnic origin (i.e., Caucasian or Hispanic) did not significantly alter graft survival rates in either recipient ethnic group. Although Caucasian patients with splenectomies had better cadaveric graft survival than Caucasian graft recipients without splenectomies (P=.02), splenectomy had no significant effect on the renal allograft survival rate in Hispanics. Other factors that were evaluated and found not to correlate significantly with cadaveric graft survival rates were donor recipient HLA matching (A, B, or DR), and panel reactivities of recipient pregraft serum samples. In contrast to the superior cadaveric renal allograft survival in Hispanic as compared with Caucasian recipients, 1-haplotype-matched or 2-haplo-type-matched living-related renal allografts had comparable graft survival rates in Caucasian and Hispanic recipients. These results indicate that Hispanics without splenectomy enjoy a cadaveric renal allograft survival rate superior to nonsegregated populations (treated with conventional immunosuppression) reported elsewhere.
Obesity Increases the Odds of Acquiring and Incarcerating Noninguinal Abdominal Wall Hernias

The current data available describing the relationship of obesity and abdominal wall hernias is sparse. The objective of this study was to investigate the current prevalence of noninguinal abdominal wall hernias and their correlation with body mass index (BMI) and other demographic risk factors. Patients with umbilical, incisional, ventral, epigastric, or Spigelian hernias with or without incarceration were identified using the regional database for 14 hospitals over a 3-year period. Patients were stratified based on their BMI. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to distinguish other significant risk factors associated with the hernias. Of 2,807,414 patients, 26,268 (0.9%) had one of the specified diagnoses. Average age of the patients was 52 years and 61 per cent were male. The majority of patients had nonincarcerated umbilical hernias (74%). Average BMI was 32 kg/m2. Compared with patients with a normal BMI, the odds of having a hernia increased with BMI: BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 odds ratio (OR) 1.63, BMI of 30 to 39.9 kg/m2 OR 2.62, BMI 40 to 49.9 kg/m2 OR 3.91, BMI 50 to 59.9 kg/m2 OR 4.85, and BMI greater than 60 kg/m2 OR 5.17 (P < 0.0001). Age older than 50 years was associated with a higher risk for having a hernia (OR, 2.12; 95% [CI], 2.07 to 2.17), whereas female gender was associated with a lower risk (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.55). Those with incarcerated hernias had a higher average BMI (32 kg/m2 vs 35 kg/m2; P < 0.0001). Overall, BMI greater than 40 kg/m2 showed an increased chance of incarceration, and a BMI greater than 60 kg/m2 had the highest chance of incarceration, OR 12.7 (P < 0.0001). Age older than 50 years and female gender were also associated with a higher risk of incarceration (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.59 and OR, 1.80; CI, 1.45 to 2.24). Increasing BMI and increasing age are associated with a higher prevalence and an increased risk of incarceration of noninguinal abdominal wall hernias.
Comparative study of smile analysis by subjective and computerized methods.

PURPOSE This study compared: 1) the subjective analyses of a smile done by specialists with advanced training and by general dentists; 2) the subjective analysis of a smile, or that associated with the face, by specialists with advanced training and general dentists; 3) subjective analysis using a computerized analysis of the smile by specialists with advanced training, verifying the midline, labial line, smile line, the line between commissures and the golden proportion. METHODS The sample consisted of 100 adults with natural dentition; 200 photographs were taken (100 of the smile and 100 of the entire face). Computerized analysis using AutoCAD software was performed, together with the subjective analyses of 2 groups of professionals (3 general dentists and 3 specialists with advanced training), using the following assessment factors: the midline, labial line, smile line, line between the commissures and the golden proportion. The smile itself and the smile associated with the entire face were recorded as being agreeable or not agreeable by the professionals. RESULTS The McNemar test showed a highly significant difference (p=0.0000) among the subjective analyses performed by specialists compared to general dentists. Between the 2 groups of dental professionals, there were highly significant differences (p=0.0000) found between the subjective analyses of the smile and that of the face. The McNemar test showed statistical differences in all factors assessed, with the exception of the midline (p=0.1951), when the computerized analysis and subjective analysis of the specialists were compared. In order to establish harmony of the smile, it was not possible to establish a greater or lesser relevance among the factors analyzed.
Sibling Gender Composition and Women's Wages

We examine the impact of sibling gender composition on women's adult earnings. Using data from Add Health, we find that women with any brothers earn roughly 10 percent less than women with no brothers in their late 20s and early 30s. This effect is primarily due to lower earnings within broadly defined education and occupation groups. We then explore mechanisms that may explain this result. We do not find strong evidence that differences in parental investment, cognitive ability, self-reported personality traits, or parental expectations drive our results. However, we find that more family-centered behavior (including family responsibilities, being in a committed relationship, and intention to have children) among those with brothers partially explains the result. We then confirm our results with data from the NLSY-CYA.
Analysis of Human‐robot Interaction at the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials

In December 2013, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Robotics Challenge (DRC) Trials were held in Homestead, Florida. The DRC Trials were designed to test the capabilities of humanoid robots in disaster response scenarios with degraded communications. Each team created their own interaction method to control their robot, either the Boston Dynamics Atlas robot or a robot built by the team itself. Of the 15 competing teams, eight participated in our study of human‐robot interaction. We observed the participating teams from the field (with the robot) and in the control room (with the operators), noting many performance metrics, such as critical incidents and utterances, and categorizing their interaction methods according to the number of operators, control methods, and amount of interaction. We decomposed each task into a series of subtasks, different from the DRC Trials official subtasks for points, to gain a better understanding of each team's performance in varying complexities of mobility and manipulation. Each team's interaction methods have been compared to their performance, and correlations have been analyzed to understand why some teams ranked higher than others. We discuss lessons learned from this study, and we have found in general that the guidelines for human‐robot interaction for unmanned ground vehicles still hold true: more sensor fusion, fewer operators, and more automation lead to better performance.
Classical pathological variables recorded in the Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group's register 1978–2006

The Danish Breast Cancer Cooperative Group's register containing data from about 75 000 patients undergoing surgery for primary invasive breast cancer from 1978–2006 has been examined for classical pathological variables. During that period the diagnostic approach of malignant breast tumours experienced a major shift from invasive surgical procedures to non invasive procedures with an increase of the proportion of both fine needle aspiration biopsy and core needle biopsy. According to variation in tumour size there has been a slight increase in tumours <10 mm and a significant decrease in tumours >50mm from 7 to 4%. The distribution of the histological subtypes of malignant breast tumours has been almost unchanged. We found however a significant increase in the number of high grade tumours. A large increase in the number of removed axillary lymph nodes from 1989–2001 is related to improved surgical procedure. The subsequent decline from 2002–2006 is the result of the introduction of the sentinel node technique. In the five-year period 2002–2006 following the introduction of sentinel node technique, the frequency of patients having at least one lymph node metastases (48.7%) was higher than in the preceding five-year period 1997–2001 (44.4%, p=0.0087).
The Use of a Genetically Engineered Pseudomonas Species (Shk1) as a Bioluminescent Reporter for Heavy Metal Toxicity Screening in Wastewater Treatment Plant Influent

Heavy metals are known to be inhibitory and toxic to the activated‐sludge microbial community in biological wastewater treatment plants. Toxicity screening of aqueous mixtures of these heavy metal ions in plant influent could use both chemical and biological methods. As a biological method, luminescent bacterial bioreporters offer the advantages of a simple test procedure and rapid response. Current biologically based methods for screening aqueous streams for toxicity are labor‐intensive, inaccurate, or difficult to use in continuous monitoring applications. In the present study, a system was developed that is simple and easily automated. This system is based on the bacterium Shk1, a genetically engineered bioluminescent Pseudomonad whose parent strain was originally isolated from activated sludge. Compared with other bioluminescence‐based systems (specifically, the Microtox assay), the system of the present study more accurately reflects the effects of the toxicity of common metal ions on activated‐sludge respirometry without being overly sensitive to typical constituents of wastewater. The use of Shk1 as a bioluminescent reporter for heavy metal toxicity testing for the application of wastewater treatment influent toxicity screening is presented in this study.
Explore the feasibility of adopting crowdsourcing for innovative problem solving

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the feasibility of adopting crowdsourcing for enhancing innovative problem solving through task design on task attributes. Task attributes have been proven to be an important factor influencing participation and engagement of crowdworkers. , – A survey questionnaire was developed and data from potential and experienced crowdworkers was collected and analyzed to identify the influence of task attributes on the quantity and quality of innovative solutions from crowds. This study finds that extrinsic and intrinsic motivation of task attributes are linked to psychological participation attention and the contribution of innovative solutions. , – It is found that crowdsourcing projects with higher awards and recognition as extrinsic motivation is positively associated with the quantity of solution. Competitive selection with performance feedback, problems with diversity of knowledge and job autonomy with more information from sponsors are positive associate with the quality of innovative solutions. These results can complement existing research studies on how task attributes influence the performance of existing crowdworkers in crowdsourcing and can also be a starting point for analyzing potential crowdworkers’ psychological perspectives. , – The novelty of this paper is that it illustrates the influential effects of five selected task attributes – monetary rewards and recognition, competitive selection, knowledge diversity, task complexity and autonomy – to enhance extrinsic and intrinsic motivation toward crowdsourcing feasibility in terms of quantity and quality of innovative solutions.
THEMED ISSUE: GPCR COMMENTARY Agonist efficacy and receptor desensitization: from partial truths to a fuller picture

It has been demonstrated that the degree of agonist-induced desensitization of the b2-adrenoceptor is related to agonist efficacy (strength of signalling), whereby high-efficacy agonists (e.g. formoterol) cause more phosphorylation and internalization of the receptor than low-efficacy agonists (e.g. salmeterol). These early studies, however, used a protocol where agonists were matched for receptor occupancy rather than functional effect. In this issue of the BJP, Duringer and colleagues have extended these studies to compare the ability of agonists to cause desensitization at equi-effective (cAMP signalling) concentrations rather than equal occupancy. Their data and conclusions are quite different from those previously described. After prolonged exposure, all the agonists caused a similar degree of desensitization, whereas a pulse protocol uncovered a greater loss of responsiveness with the low-efficacy ligands. This is consistent with the notion that high-efficacy agonists have ‘spare receptors’, and are therefore less sensitive to loss of receptors through desensitization. It also reflects experience in the clinic, where both formoterol and salmeterol show a similar early decline in bronchoprotection, after which their effects remain stable. These findings challenge the notion that high-efficacy ligands always cause more functional desensitization.
Unique origin and low penetrance of the 946delGAG mutation in Valencian DYT1 families

Mutations in the DYT1 gene cause idiopathic torsion dystonia (ITD) transmitted in families as an autosomal dominant trait with incomplete penetrance. The most common mutation, 946delGAG, has been observed in populations with different ethnic and geographic origins. We have investigated 40 individuals from 22 unrelated families with ITD originating from the Land of Valencia, Spain, for the presence of this mutation and we found 5 patients and 6 unaffected subjects from 4 families who were carriers of the mutation. This finding indicates that 18% of families may be diagnosed as DYT1 and that penetrance is reduced. We detected two different geographic and linguistic origins of the Valencian families. However, by haplotype analysis using D9S1260, D9S1261, D9S63 and D9S1262 as flanking markers, we demonstrated that all affected and unaffected carriers shared a common chromosome confirming identical origin of the mutation in the four families. We postulate a unique origin for the 946delGAG mutation in the Land of Valencia and, based on linguistic criterion, we propose that the mutation might have occurred at the beginning of the second millennium. Genetic analysis of another family from Castilla‐La Mancha showed a different haplotype segregating with the disease, suggesting that at least two distinct mutational events for the 946delGAG mutation have occurred in Spain.