Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Correspondence Between Random Neural Networks and Statistical Field Theory

A number of recent papers have provided evidence that practical design questions about neural networks may be tackled theoretically by studying the behavior of random networks. However, until now the tools available for analyzing random neural networks have been relatively ad-hoc. In this work, we show that the distribution of pre-activations in random neural networks can be exactly mapped onto lattice models in statistical physics. We argue that several previous investigations of stochastic networks actually studied a particular factorial approximation to the full lattice model. For random linear networks and random rectified linear networks we show that the corresponding lattice models in the wide network limit may be systematically approximated by a Gaussian distribution with covariance between the layers of the network. In each case, the approximate distribution can be diagonalized by Fourier transformation. We show that this approximation accurately describes the results of numerical simulations of wide random neural networks. Finally, we demonstrate that in each case the large scale behavior of the random networks can be approximated by an effective field theory.
Neural Adaptive Video Streaming with Pensieve

Client-side video players employ adaptive bitrate (ABR) algorithms to optimize user quality of experience (QoE). Despite the abundance of recently proposed schemes, state-of-the-art ABR algorithms suffer from a key limitation: they use fixed control rules based on simplified or inaccurate models of the deployment environment. As a result, existing schemes inevitably fail to achieve optimal performance across a broad set of network conditions and QoE objectives. We propose Pensieve, a system that generates ABR algorithms using reinforcement learning (RL). Pensieve trains a neural network model that selects bitrates for future video chunks based on observations collected by client video players. Pensieve does not rely on pre-programmed models or assumptions about the environment. Instead, it learns to make ABR decisions solely through observations of the resulting performance of past decisions. As a result, Pensieve automatically learns ABR algorithms that adapt to a wide range of environments and QoE metrics. We compare Pensieve to state-of-the-art ABR algorithms using trace-driven and real world experiments spanning a wide variety of network conditions, QoE metrics, and video properties. In all considered scenarios, Pensieve outperforms the best state-of-the-art scheme, with improvements in average QoE of 12%--25%. Pensieve also generalizes well, outperforming existing schemes even on networks for which it was not explicitly trained.
Retransfusion of filtered shed blood in everyday orthopaedic practice

summary The efficiency of post‐operative cell saving after major joint arthroplasty has been demonstrated in prospective studies focusing on blood management. In everyday practice, however, it is likely that transfusion policy is followed less rigorously because of a slackening in attention to blood management, with a reduced efficiency of post‐operative cell saving. The primary research question of this retrospective study was whether the number of allogeneic blood transfusions administered to patients treated with a retransfusion system was similar to the results found in a preceding prospective study. A total of 438 patients treated with the Bellovac ABT retransfusion system were analysed in which the majority was operated on a total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The amount of retransfused shed blood, the perioperative haemoglobin levels and the number of allogeneic blood transfusions were registered. The average amount of retransfusion was 152 mL in THA and 410 mL in TKA, whereas the allogeneic blood transfusion rate was 8·4 and 5·1% in both groups, respectively. The average percentage of allogeneic blood transfusions administered in this study (i.e. 7%) proved to be marginally higher than the percentage found in a preceding prospective study (i.e. 6%) because of slackening of attention for transfusion policy in everyday practice. Limited bone resection procedures such as resurfacing THA or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty were associated with very limited shed blood and low risk of allogeneic blood transfusion, indicating the doubtful cost efficiency of using a retransfusion system in these patients. It can be concluded that the efficiency of the retransfusion system in everyday practice was similar to the efficiency shown in a preceding prospective study focusing on blood management. However, continual training of the clinical team is crucial.
High-Performance 3-1 Interlock Collapsing ALU's

A high-performance 3-1 interlock collapsing ALU, i.e., an ALU that allows the execution of most execution interlocks in a single machine cycle, is presented. We focus on reducing the Boolean equations describing the device and the incorporation of new mechanisms in the interlock collapsing ALU design. In particular, we focus on the reduction of the critical path, regarding delay, for the interlock collapsing ALU implementation. It is shown that the delay associated with the implementation of the proposed device, in terms of logic stages, assuming a commonly available CMOS technology, is equivalent to the number of logic stages required for the implementation of a 3-1 binary adder. The resulting implementation demonstrates that the proposed 3-1 interlock collapsing ALU can be designed to outperform existing schemes for interlock collapsing ALU's by a factor of at least two. Finally, it is suggested that the proposed device can be used in the implementation of multiple instruction issuing machines, allowing the issuance and execution of interlocks in parallel and in a single machine cycle with no cycle time increases. >
Germline variants in familial pituitary tumour syndrome genes are common in young patients and families with additional endocrine tumours.

OBJECTIVE Familial pituitary tumour syndromes (FPTS) account for 5% of pituitary adenomas. Multi-gene analysis via next-generation sequencing (NGS) may unveil greater prevalence and inform clinical care. We aimed to identify germline variants in selected patients with pituitary adenomas using a targeted NGS panel. DESIGN We undertook a nationwide cross-sectional study of patients with pituitary adenomas with onset ≤40 years of age and/or other personal/family history of endocrine neoplasia. A custom NGS panel was performed on germline DNA to interrogate eight FPTS genes. Genome data were analysed via a custom bioinformatic pipeline, and validation was performed by Sanger sequencing. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was performed in cases with heightened suspicion for MEN1, CDKN1B and AIP mutations. The main outcomes were frequency and pathogenicity of rare variants in AIP, CDKN1B, MEN1, PRKAR1A, SDHA, SDHB, SDHC and SDHD. RESULTS Forty-four patients with pituitary tumours, 14 of whom had a personal history of other endocrine tumours and/or a family history of pituitary or other endocrine tumours, were referred from endocrine tertiary-referral centres across Australia. Eleven patients (25%) had a rare variant across the eight FPTS genes tested: AIP (p.A299V, p.R106C, p.F269F, p.R304X, p.K156K, p.R271W), MEN1 (p.R176Q), SDHB (p.A2V, p.S8S), SDHC (p.E110Q) and SDHD (p.G12S), with two patients harbouring dual variants. Variants were classified as pathogenic or of uncertain significance in 9/44 patients (20%). No deletions/duplications were identified in MEN1, CDKN1B or AIP. CONCLUSIONS A high yield of rare variants in genes implicated in FPTS can be found in selected patients using an NGS panel. It may also identify individuals harbouring more than one rare variant.
Expression of p47‐phox and p67‐phox proteins in murine bone marrow–derived macrophages: Enhancement by lipopolysaccharide and tumor necrosis factor α but not colony stimulating factor 1

We have investigated the relationship between the expression of the p47‐phox and p67‐phox cytosolic components of the NADPH oxidase and priming of the macrophage respiratory burst. Western blot analysis revealed that murine bone marrow‐derived macrophages (BMM) contain immunoreactive proteins detected by antisera raised against recombinant human p47‐phox and p67‐phox. Priming BMM by exposure to tumor necrosis factor or (TNF‐α) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased the levels of p47‐phox and p67‐phox. Colony‐stimulating factor 1 (CSF‐1), which we previously found to have a negative effect on the priming of murine macrophages, had no effect on the level of p47‐phox but down‐regulated that of p67‐phox. Our results suggest that the regulatory effects of LPS, TNF‐α, and CSF‐1 on the respiratory burst of BMM may be due to modulation of the expression of the p47‐phox and p67‐phox cytosolic components of the NADPH oxidase. J. Leukoc. Biol. 55: 530–535; 1994.
Making a living in the Middle Ages: the people of Britain, 850-1520

Dramatic social and economic change during the middle ages altered the lives of the people of Britain in far-reaching ways, from the structure of their families to the ways they made their livings. In this masterly book, preeminent medieval historian Christopher Dyer presents a fresh view of the British economy from the ninth to the sixteenth century and a vivid new account of medieval life. He begins his volume with the formation of towns and villages in the ninth and tenth centuries and ends with the inflation, population rise, and colonial expansion of the sixteenth century.This is a book about ideas and attitudes as well as the material world, and Dyer shows how people regarded the economy and responded to economic change. He examines the growth of towns, the clearing of lands, the Great Famine, the Black Death, and the upheavals of the fifteenth century through the eyes of those who experienced them. He also explores the dilemmas and decisions of those who were making a living in a changing world - from peasants, artisans, and wage earners to barons and monks. Drawing on archaeological and landscape evidence along with more conventional archives and records, the author offers here an engaging survey of British medieval economic history unrivaled in breadth and clarity.
Functional role of cyclic nucleotide‐gated channels in rat medial vestibular nucleus neurons

Although cyclic nucleotide‐gated (CNG) channels are expressed in numerous brain areas, little information is available on their functions in CNS neurons. The aim of the present study was to define the distribution of CNG channels in the rat medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) and their possible involvement in regulating MVN neuron (MVNn) excitability. The majority of MVNn expressed both CNG1 and CNG2 A subunits. In whole‐cell current‐clamp experiments carried out on brainstem slices containing the MVNn, the membrane‐permeant analogues of cyclic nucleotides, 8‐Br‐cGMP and 8‐Br‐cAMP (1 mm), induced membrane depolarizations (8.9 ± 0.8 and 9.2 ± 1.0 mV, respectively) that were protein kinase independent. The cGMP‐induced depolarization was associated with a significant decrease in the membrane input resistance. The effects of cGMP on membrane potential were almost completely abolished by the CNG channel blockers, Cd2+ and l‐cis‐diltiazem, but they were unaffected by blockade of hyperpolarization‐activated cyclic nucleotide‐gated channels. In voltage‐clamp experiments, 8‐Br‐cGMP induced non‐inactivating inward currents (−22.2 ± 3.9 pA) with an estimated reversal potential near 0 mV, which were markedly inhibited by reduction of extracellular Na+ and Ca2+ concentrations. Membrane depolarization induced by CNG channel activation increased the firing rate of MVNn without changing the action potential shape. Collectively, these findings provide novel evidence that CNG channels affect membrane potential and excitability of MVNn. Such action should have a significant impact on the function of these neurons in sensory–motor integration processes. More generally, it might represent a broad mechanism for regulating the excitability of different CNS neurons.
Personal self-concept and satisfaction with life in adolescence , youth and adulthood

Resumen Background: The main aim of this study was to explore the relationships between personal self-concept and satisfaction with life, with the latter as the key indicator for personal adjustment. The study tests a structural model which encompasses four dimensions of self-concept: self-fulfi llment, autonomy, honesty and emotions. Method: The 801 participants in the study, all of whom were aged between 15 and 65 (M = 34.03, SD = 17.29), completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Personal SelfConcept (APE) Questionnaire. Results: Although the four dimensions of personal self-concept differ in their weight, the results show that, taken together, they explain 46% of the differences observed in satisfaction with life. This implies a weight that is as signifi cant as that observed for general self-esteem in previous research studies. Conclusions: This issue should be dealt with early on, during secondary education, in order to help prevent psychological distress or maladjustment.
Does general practice reduce health inequalities? Analysis of quality and outcomes framework data.

BACKGROUND The government set a series of targets to reduce health inequalities in England by 2010. Primary care has an important role in reducing health inequalities. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of general practice on reducing area-based health inequalities. METHODS Analysis of differences in achievement on clinical indicators between practices in Spearhead and non-Spearhead Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) using data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) for 2004/05 and 2005/06, practice characteristics and Spearhead status of PCTs. The study used data on 8339 primary care practices in England. Unweighted mean reported achievement on subset of 26 clinical indicators was calculated. The study analysed differences in achievement by Spearhead status and deprivation in both years and the change between years. Multiple regression analysis of relationship between Spearhead status, income deprivation, reported achievement and other factors also were carried out. RESULTS Practices in Spearhead PCTs performed worse than practices in non-Spearhead PCTs in both years but showed greater improvement. Among the most deprived practices, there were no differences in QOF achievement between Spearhead and non-Spearhead PCTs. Previous year's achievement was the strongest predictor of performance. CONCLUSION The narrowing in performance between practices in Spearhead and non-Spearhead PCTs may have indirectly contributed to a reduction in area-based health inequalities but the differences are small. The lack of difference between the most deprived practices in Spearhead and non-Spearhead PCTs suggest that area-based initiatives to tackle inequalities have not yet had an observable impact on deprived practices. Unobserved factors explain most of the variation in achievement.
Shallow processing of ambiguous pronouns: Evidence for delay

Two self-paced reading-time experiments examined how ambiguous pronouns are interpreted under conditions that encourage shallow processing. In Experiment 1 we show that sentences containing ambiguous pronouns are processed at the same speed as those containing unambiguous pronouns under shallow processing, but more slowly under deep processing. We outline three possible models to account for the shallow processing of ambiguous pronouns. Two involve an initial commitment followed by possible revision, and the other involves a delay in interpretation. In Experiment 2 we provide evidence that supports the delayed model of ambiguous pronoun resolution under shallow processing. We found no evidence to support a processing system that makes an initial commitment to an interpretation of the pronoun when it is encountered. We extend the account of pronoun resolution proposed by Rigalleau, Caplan, and Baudiffier (2004) to include the treatment of ambiguous pronouns under shallow processing.
Degradation of maternal cdc25c during the maternal to zygotic transition is dependent upon embryonic transcription *

To gain a better understanding of the molecular differences that may contribute to cleavage arrest and the poorer development associated with laboratory produced embryos, a series of experiments were conducted to quantitate the message levels of the cell cycle controller cdc25c, over the maternal to zygotic transition (MZT) in 4‐cell in vivo‐ and in vitro‐derived porcine embryos. The experiments were designed to measure both maternal and embryonic derived cdc25c transcripts by quantitative reverse transcription‐competitive polymerase chain reaction (RT‐cPCR), determine the point of the transition to zygotic genome activation, and study the interaction between initial embryonic transcription and maternal cdc25c degradation. Analysis of in vivo‐ and in vitro‐derived embryos revealed no difference in cdc25c message level for any of the times P4CC (P > 0.05). Comparison of control embryos from 5‐ to 33‐hr P4CC revealed a reduction in transcript quantities in the 10‐hr P4CC group that was maintained at later time points (P < 0.05). Embryos cultured in the RNA polymerase inhibitor, α‐amanitin, from cleavage to 5‐, 10‐, 18‐, 25‐, or 33‐hr P4CC displayed no difference in cdc25c levels when compared to controls at similar time points (P > 0.05). However, if embryos were first exposed to α‐amanitin after 18‐hr P4CC with this treatment continuing to 33 hr, the levels of cdc25c transcript were reduced (P < 0.04) when compared to those embryos that were first exposed to the inhibitor at either 5‐ or 10‐hr P4CC. This finding and the comparison of these same embryos to the 0–33‐hr α‐amanitin and control groups allowed us to conclude that cdc25c transcription began between 10‐ and 18‐hr P4CC, with the degradation of maternal cdc25c message dependent on transcriptional initiation. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 60: 181–188, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Indirect allorecognition in acquired thymic tolerance: induction of donor-specific tolerance to rat cardiac allografts by allopeptide-pulsed host dendritic cells.

BACKGROUND Presentation of peptides either by recipient or donor MHC molecules displayed on the surface of antigen-presenting cells is an essential element in the induction of T cell responses to transplant antigens. The finding that intrathymic (IT) injection of an immunodominant peptide induces acquired thymic tolerance suggests an indirect pathway of allorecognition in the thymus. To address this theory, we studied the effects of IT injection of host bone marrow (BM)-derived dendritic cells (DC)-pulsed with the immunodominant Wistar Furth (WF) MHC class I (RT1.Au) peptide 5 (93-109) on cardiac allograft survival in the WF-to-ACI rat combination. METHODS DC were propagated from cultures of ACI (recipient) bone marrow (BM) maintained in a medium supplemented with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and IL-4. The BM-derived DC after 8 days of culture were pulsed in vitro with a single WF MHC class I peptide (Residue 93-109) with the dominant epitope, washed, and injected into the thymus of ACI rats. The ACI recipients received donor-type (WF) or 3rd party (Lewis) cardiac allografts 7 days after IT immunization with peptide-pulsed DC. RESULTS BM-derived DC cultured in granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-4 for 8 days have a strong allostimulatory ability and present peptide 5 to naive syngeneic T cells in mixed lymphocyte reaction. IT inoculation of 300 microg RT1.Au peptide 5 combined with transient antilymphocyte serum immunosuppressive therapy induced donor-specific tolerance to cardiac allografts. Extension of this finding to peptide-pulsed self DC showed that IT injection of peptide 5-pulsed host DC consistently led to permanent acceptance (>150 days) of donor-type (WF) cardiac allografts, whereas third-party (Lewis) grafts were acutely rejected. The long-term unresponsive recipients challenged with second-set grafts accepted permanently (>100 days) donor-type(WF) grafts while rejecting third-party (Lewis) grafts without the rejection of the primary WF grafts. CONCLUSION This novel finding that allopeptide-pulsed host DC induces tolerance to cardiac allografts suggests that the induction of acquired tolerance is dependent on the indirect allorecognition pathway. The results further suggest that genetically engineered DC expressing donor MHC class I or II molecules or a peptide analogue might have therapeutic potential in the induction of transplant tolerance and in the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
A new proof of Sahlqvist's theorem on modal definability and completeness

There are not many global results on modal logics. One of these is the following theorem by Sahlqvist on completeness and correspondence for a wide class of modal formulae (including many well known logics, e.g. D, T, B, S4, K4, S5, …) (see [S]). Sahlqvist's Theorem. Let A be any modal formula which is equivalent to a conjunction of formulae of the form □m(A1 → A2), where m ≥ 0, A2 is positive and A1 is obtained from propositional variables and their negations applying ∧, ∨, ♢, and □ in such a way that no positive occurrence of a variable is in a subformula of the form B1 ∨ B2 or ♢ B1 within the scope of some □. Then A corresponds effectively to a first order formula, and L + A is canonical whenever Lis a canonical logic. A formula A satisfying the above conditions is henceforth called a Sahlqvist formula. Unfortunately, till now, the only complete proof was the original proof of Sahlqvist (a proof of the correspondence half has also been given by van Benthem [vB]). It is so complicated and long that even in an advanced textbook of modal logic [HC] it has not found a place. Here, by considering general frames as topological spaces, an attitude which we developed in [TD], we give a proof of Sahlqvist's theorem simplified to such an extent that one can easily grasp the key idea on which it is based and apply the resulting algorithm to specific modal formulae in a straightforward manner, suitable even for implementation on a personal computer. This key idea also improves on previous preliminary work in the same direction (see [S1], [S2]).