Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Langevin Quasi-Monte Carlo

Langevin Monte Carlo (LMC) and its stochastic gradient versions are powerful algorithms for sampling from complex high-dimensional distributions. To sample from a distribution with density $\pi(\theta)\propto \exp(-U(\theta)) $, LMC iteratively generates the next sample by taking a step in the gradient direction $\nabla U$ with added Gaussian perturbations. Expectations w.r. t. the target distribution $\pi$ are estimated by averaging over LMC samples. In ordinary Monte Carlo, it is well known that the estimation error can be substantially reduced by replacing independent random samples by quasi-random samples like low-discrepancy sequences. In this work, we show that the estimation error of LMC can also be reduced by using quasi-random samples. Specifically, we propose to use completely uniformly distributed (CUD) sequences with certain low-discrepancy property to generate the Gaussian perturbations. Under smoothness and convexity conditions, we prove that LMC with a low-discrepancy CUD sequence achieves smaller error than standard LMC. The theoretical analysis is supported by compelling numerical experiments, which demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
On Sparse Modern Hopfield Model

We introduce the sparse modern Hopfield model as a sparse extension of the modern Hopfield model. Like its dense counterpart, the sparse modern Hopfield model equips a memory-retrieval dynamics whose one-step approximation corresponds to the sparse attention mechanism. Theoretically, our key contribution is a principled derivation of a closed-form sparse Hopfield energy using the convex conjugate of the sparse entropic regularizer. Building upon this, we derive the sparse memory retrieval dynamics from the sparse energy function and show its one-step approximation is equivalent to the sparse-structured attention. Importantly, we provide a sparsity-dependent memory retrieval error bound which is provably tighter than its dense analog. The conditions for the benefits of sparsity to arise are therefore identified and discussed. In addition, we show that the sparse modern Hopfield model maintains the robust theoretical properties of its dense counterpart, including rapid fixed point convergence and exponential memory capacity. Empirically, we use both synthetic and real-world datasets to demonstrate that the sparse Hopfield model outperforms its dense counterpart in many situations.
Actions of acylindrically hyperbolic groups on $\ell^1$

We construct affine uniformly Lipschitz actions on $\ell^1$ and $L^1$ for certain groups with hyperbolic features. For acylindrically hyperbolic groups, our actions have unbounded orbits, while for residually finite hyperbolic groups and for mapping class groups, the actions have proper orbits, with the induced $L^1$-metric quasi-isometric (respectively, almost quasi-isometric) to the word metric.
A Spectral Theory of Neural Prediction and Alignment

The representations of neural networks are often compared to those of biological systems by performing regression between the neural network responses and those measured from biological systems. Many different state-of-the-art deep neural networks yield similar neural predictions, but it remains unclear how to differentiate among models that perform equally well at predicting neural responses. To gain insight into this, we use a recent theoretical framework that relates the generalization error from regression to the spectral properties of the model and the target. We apply this theory to the case of regression between model activations and neural responses and decompose the neural prediction error in terms of the model eigenspectra, alignment of model eigenvectors and neural responses, and the training set size. Using this decomposition, we introduce geometrical measures to interpret the neural prediction error. We test a large number of deep neural networks that predict visual cortical activity and show that there are multiple types of geometries that result in low neural prediction error as measured via regression. The work demonstrates that carefully decomposing representational metrics can provide interpretability of how models are capturing neural activity and points the way towards improved models of neural activity.
Slot-Based Approaches to Airport Congestion Management

This paper analyzes slot-based approaches to management of airport congestion, using a model where airlines are asymmetric and internalize airport congestion. Under these circumstances, optimal congestion tolls differ across carriers, and since a slot-sale regime (with its uniform slot price) cannot duplicate this pattern, the equilibrium it generates is inefficient. Flight volumes tend to be too low for large carriers and too high for small carriers. Under a slot-trading regime or a slot auction, however, the existence of a fixed number of slots causes carriers to treat total flight volume (and thus congestion) as fixed, and this difference can lead to an efficient outcome.
Mathematical modelling of the first HIV/ZIKV co-infection cases in Colombia and Brazil

This paper presents a mathematical model to investigate co-infection with HIV/AIDS and zika virus (ZIKV) in Colombia and Brazil, where the first cases were reported in 2015-2016. The model considers the sexual transmission dynamics of both viruses and vector-host interactions. We begin by exploring the qualitative behaviour of each model separately. Then, we analyze the dynamics of the co-infection model using the thresholds and results defined separately for each model. The model also considers the impact of intervention strategies, such as, personal protection, antiretroviral therapy (ART), and sexual protection (condoms use). Using available parameter values for Colombia and Brazil, the model is calibrated to predict the potential effect of implementing combinations of those intervention strategies on the co-infection spread. According to these findings, transmission through sexual contact is a determining factor in the long-term behaviour of these two diseases. Furthermore, it is important to note that co-infection with HIV and ZIKV may result in higher rates of HIV transmission and an increased risk of severe congenital disabilities linked to ZIKV infection. As a result, control measures have been implemented to limit the number of infected individuals and mosquitoes, with the aim of halting disease transmission. This study provides novel insights into the dynamics of HIV/ZIKV co-infection and highlights the importance of integrated intervention strategies in controlling the spread of these viruses, which may impact public health
The Impact of Angle-dependent Partial Frequency Redistribution on the Scattering Polarization of the Solar Na i D Lines

The long-standing paradox of the linear polarization signal of the Na i D1 line was recently resolved by accounting for the atom’s hyperfine structure and the detailed spectral structure of the incident radiation field. That modeling relied on the simplifying angle-averaged (AA) approximation for partial frequency redistribution (PRD) in scattering, which potentially neglects important angle–frequency couplings. This work aims at evaluating the suitability of a PRD-AA modeling for the D1 and D2 lines through comparisons with general angle-dependent (AD) PRD calculations in both the absence and presence of magnetic fields. We solved the radiative transfer problem for polarized radiation in a 1D semiempirical atmospheric model with microturbulent and isotropic magnetic fields, accounting for PRD effects and comparing PRD-AA and PRD-AD modelings. The D1 and D2 lines are modeled separately as a two-level atomic system with hyperfine structure. The numerical results confirm that a spectrally structured radiation field induces linear polarization in the D1 line. However, the PRD-AA approximation greatly impacts the Q/I shape, producing an antisymmetric pattern instead of the more symmetric PRD-AD one while presenting a similar sensitivity to magnetic fields between 10 and 200 G. Under the PRD-AA approximation, the Q/I profile of the D2 line presents an artificial dip in its core, which is not found for the PRD-AD case. We conclude that accounting for PRD-AD effects is essential to suitably model the scattering polarization of the Na i D lines. These results bring us closer to exploiting the full diagnostic potential of these lines for the elusive chromospheric magnetic fields.
City-scale Road Extraction from Satellite Imagery

Automated road network extraction from remote sensing imagery remains a significant challenge despite its importance in a broad array of applications. To this end, we leverage recent open source advances and the high quality SpaceNet dataset to explore road network extraction at scale, an approach we call City-scale Road Extraction from Satellite Imagery (CRESI). Specifically, we create an algorithm to extract road networks directly from imagery over city-scale regions, which can subsequently be used for routing purposes. We quantify the performance of our algorithm with the APLS and TOPO graph-theoretic metrics over a diverse 608 square kilometer test area covering four cities. We find an aggregate score of APLS = 0.73, and a TOPO score of 0.58 (a significant improvement over existing methods). Inference speed is 160 square kilometers per hour on modest hardware. Finally, we demonstrate that one can use the extracted road network for any number of applications, such as optimized routing.
Six-Vertex Model and Random Matrix Distributions

We survey the connections between the six-vertex (square ice) model of 2d statistical mechanics and random matrix theory. We highlight the same universal probability distributions appearing on both sides, and also indicate related open questions and conjectures. We present full proofs of two asymptotic theorems for the six-vertex model: in the first one the Gaussian Unitary Ensemble and GUE-corners process appear; the second one leads to the Tracy-Widom distribution $F_2$. While both results are not new, we found shorter transparent proofs for this text. On our way we introduce the key tools in the study of the six-vertex model, including the Yang-Baxter equation and the Izergin-Korepin formula.
Better May Not Be Fairer: A Study on Subgroup Discrepancy in Image Classification

In this paper, we provide 20,000 non-trivial human annotations on popular datasets as a first step to bridge gap to studying how natural semantic spurious features affect image classification, as prior works often study datasets mixing low-level features due to limitations in accessing realistic datasets. We investigate how natural background colors play a role as spurious features by annotating the test sets of CIFAR10 and CIFAR100 into subgroups based on the background color of each image. We name our datasets CIFAR10-B and CIFAR100-B1 and integrate them with CIFAR-Cs.We find that overall human-level accuracy does not guarantee consistent subgroup performances, and the phenomenon remains even on models pre-trained on ImageNet or after data augmentation (DA). To alleviate this issue, we propose FlowAug, a semantic DA that leverages decoupled semantic representations captured by a pre-trained generative flow. Experimental results show that FlowAug achieves more consistent subgroup results than other types of DA methods on CIFAR10/100 and on CIFAR10/100-C. Additionally, it shows better generalization performance.Furthermore, we propose a generic metric, MacroStd, for studying model robustness to spurious correlations, where we take a macro average on the weighted standard deviations across different classes. We show MacroStd being more predictive of better performances; per our metric, FlowAug demonstrates improvements on subgroup discrepancy. Although this metric is proposed to study our curated datasets, it applies to all datasets that have subgroups or subclasses. Lastly, we also show superior out-of-distribution results on CIFAR10.1.
THE STATUS OF THE RED PANDA IN JAMUNA AND MABU VILLAGES OF EASTERN NEPAL

THE STATUS OF THE RED PANDA IN JAMUNA AND MABU VILLAGES OF EASTERN NEPAL by Brian H. Williams The status of the red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) is examined in the cultural context of Jamuna and Mabu Village Development Committees (VDCs) of the Ilam District in eastern Nepal. Intensive, market-driven land-use threatens red panda habitat and the largest unprotected oak stands in eastern Nepal. This study investigates red panda ecology and Jamuna and Mabu human ecology. Results indicate that red panda density in the study area average 1 red panda/1.38km, and they prefer undisturbed Eastern Himalayan mixed broadleaf forest between 2800m – 3000m. Predation is the greatest threat to the population. In the last year alone, local dogs killed two red panda. Results also indicate that Jamuna and Mabu land use decisions are market-driven with grazing and bamboo harvesting being the most detrimental to red panda habitat. This thesis concludes that, in Jamuna and Mabu, the red panda is critically endangered because of intense, market-driven use of its habitat and local dog predation.
Alpha-frequency feedback to early visual cortex orchestrates coherent naturalistic vision

During natural vision, the brain generates coherent percepts by integrating sensory inputs scattered across the visual field. Here, we asked whether this integration process is mediated by rhythmic cortical feedback. In EEG and fMRI experiments, we experimentally manipulated the demand for integration by changing the spatiotemporal coherence of natural videos presented across visual hemifields. Our EEG data revealed that information about incongruent videos is coded in feedforward-related gamma activity while information about congruent videos is coded in feedback-related alpha activity, indicating that integration is indeed mediated by rhythmic feedback. Our fMRI data identified scene-selective cortex as a likely source of this feedback. Analytically combining our EEG and fMRI data further revealed that feedback-related representations in the alpha band shape the earliest stages of visual processing in cortex. Together, our findings indicate that the construction of coherent visual experiences relies on rhythmic cortical feedback that fully traverses the visual hierarchy.
The multifaceted role of CD4(+) T cells in CD8(

: The baseline composition of T cells directly impacts later response to a pathogen, but the complexity of precursor states remains poorly defined. Here we examined the baseline state of SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells in unexposed individuals. SARS-CoV-2 specific CD4 + T cells were identified in pre-pandemic blood samples by class II peptide-MHC tetramer staining and enrichment. Our data revealed a substantial number of SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells that expressed memory phenotype markers, including memory cells with gut homing receptors. T cell clones generated from tetramer-labeled cells cross-reacted with bacterial peptides and responded to stool lysates in a MHC-dependent manner. Integrated phenotypic analyses revealed additional precursor diversity that included T cells with distinct polarized states and trafficking potential to other barrier tissues. Our findings illustrate a complex pre-existing
and the

: Compared to adenocarcinoma, fewer effective treatment options are available for advanced or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung. Afatinib is an orally administered, irreversible EGFR antagonist. As a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor, it has been applied in the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer. Recently, several clinical trials have shown that afatinib leads to a significant improvement in progression-free survival and overall survival of patients with SCC. Moving forward, afatinib should be one of the options among tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and for SCC.
Party Change in Southern Europe

Introduction Anna Bosco and Leonardo Morlino Portugal The Partido Social Democrata Carlos Jalali. The Partido Socialista Marco Lisi Spain The Partido Popular Javier Astudillo and Elena Garcia-Guereta. The Partido Socialista Obrero Espanol Monica Mendez Lago Italy Forza Italia Francesco Raniolo. The Democratici di Sinistra Daniela Giannetti and Rosa Mule Greece Nea Democratia Takis S. Pappas and Elias Dinas. PASOK Mikalis Spourdalakis and Chrisanthos Tassis Cyprus and Northern Cyprus AKEL, DISY, CTP and UBP Christophoros Christophorou Turkey The AKP Ergun Ozbudun. The CHP Ilter Turan
Recombination suppression and selection affect local ancestries in genomes of a migratory songbird

1 The patterns of genetic relatedness among individuals vary along the genome, representing 2 fluctuation of local ancestry. The factors responsible for this variation have not been well 3 studied in wild animals with ecological and behavioural relevance. Here, we characterise 4 the genomic architecture of genetic relatedness in the Eurasian blackcap, an iconic songbird 5 species in ecology and quantitative genetics of migratory behaviour. We identify 23 genomic 6 regions with deviated local relatedness patterns, using a chromosome-level de novo assembly 7 of the blackcap genome and whole-genome resequencing data of 179 individuals from nine 8 populations with diverse migratory phenotypes. Five genomic regions show local relatedness 9 patterns of polymorphic inversions, three of which are syntenic to polymorphic inversions 10 known in the zebra finch. Phylogenetic analysis reveals these three polymorphic inversions 11 evolved independently in the blackcap and zebra finch indicating convergence of polymorphic 12 inversions. Population genetic analyses in these three inversions in the blackcap suggest 13 balancing selection between two haplotypes in one locus and background selection in the other 14 two loci. One genomic region with deviated local relatedness is under selection against gene 15 flow by population-specific reduction in recombination rate. Other genomic islands including 16 11 pericentromeric regions consist of evolutionarily conserved and non-conserved recombination 17 cold-spots under background selection. Two of these regions with non-conserved recombination 18 suppression are known to be associated with population-specific migratory phenotypes, where 19 local relatedness patterns support additional effects of population-specific selection. These 20 results highlight how different forms of recombination suppression and selection jointly affect 21 heterogeneous genomic landscape of local ancestries. 22
IN THIS ISSUE

Summary Catatonia is an acutely evolving and severe medical emergency. It occurs in several medical and psychiatric disorders but is often missed or misdiagnosed. There are majorly three different categories; the retarded, excited and malignant types. The latter is the most severe due to the associated autonomic instability. Much is unknown about the pathophysiology, but dysfunction of cortico-cortical modulation and a "top-down modulation" of the basal ganglia resulting from a deficiency of GABA in the cerebral cortex, resulting in motor dysfunction and glutamate hyperactivity and dopamine hypoactivity at the D2 receptor have been proposed. Benzodiazepines, especially Lorazepam, are reportedly effective, but reports of other benzodiazepines, Zopiclone and trials of mood stabilisers are documented. Electroconvulsive therapy is the suggested next line of action in case benzodiazepine fail, while the use of antipsychotic in catatonia is inconclusive. We present a case series of catatonia in 1) acute on chronic renal failure, complicated with uraemic encephalopathy and 2) severe depressive disorder with psychotic features. Physicians are encouraged to have a high index of suspicion to forestall the lethal complications.
A Gas-Kinetic Scheme for Multimaterial Flows and Its Application in Chemical Reactions

This paper concerns the extension of the multicomponent gas-kinetic BGK-type scheme to chemical reactive flow calculations. In the kinetic model, each component satisfies its individual gas-kinetic Bhatnagar? Gross? Krook (BGK) equation, and the equilibrium states of both components are coupled in space and time due to the momentum and energy exchange in the course of particle collisions. At the same time, according to the chemical reaction rule, one component can be changed into another component with a release of energy. The reactant and product may have different ratios of specific heats. The BGK scheme basically uses the collisional Boltzmann model to mimic the numerical dissipation necessary for shock capturing. The numerical dissipation is controlled by the particle collision pseudo-time ? In the resolved viscous calculations, there is a direct relation between the physical viscosity coefficient and the particle collision time. Many numerical test cases presented in this paper validate the gas-kinetic approach in the application of multicomponent reactive flows.
A Comparison of Two Sampling Strategies to Assess Discomycete Diversity in Wet Tropical Forests

Most of the fungal diversity studies that have used a systematic collecting scheme have not included the discomycetes, so optimal sampling methods are not available for this group. In this study, I tested two sampling methods at each sites in the Caribbean National Forest, Puerto Rico and Ebano Verde Reserve, Dominican Republic. For a plot-based sampling method, 10 × 10 m plots were established and divided into one hundre d1×1m subplots. For each sample, 12 subplots were selected at random with replacement. For a transect-based sampling method, 60 m long transects were established with twelv e1×1 m subplots randomly placed on either side of the transect line at 5 m intervals at the beginning of the study. The study was conducted from October 2001 to September 2002. For Puerto Rico, 46 and 51 morpho-species were identified in the transects and plots, respectively. There was a 32% overlap (68% complementarity) between sites. The Sorensen Similarity Coefficient between sites was 0.50 for both methods, and 0.55-0.63 between methods within sites. For the Dominican Republic, 25 and 26 morpho-species were identified in the transects and plots, respectively. There was a 24-31% overlap (69-76% complementarity) between sites. The Sorensen Similarity Coefficient between sites was 0.40-0.47 for transects and plots, respectively, and 0.40-0.70 between methods within sites. The species accumulation curve indicates that the minimum number of subplots needed is 10 per transect and 60-70 per plot to obtain between 70-80% of the species. In terms of sampling effort, I concluded that at least 12 samples distributed throughout a year but with shorter intervals during the rainy season are needed. There was no difference between using transects or plots based on the number of species and similarity indexes. Based on a Chi-Square analysis using the frequencies of species, however, transects were better that plots because the distribution of species is more homogeneous.
Development of target (crop) trees in beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stand with delayed initial tending and managed by different thinning methods.

We evaluated the research on silviculture-production in the last 45 years in a 105-year-old beech stand, not tended up to its stand age of 60 years. Four alternatives (tending regime) were studied for development of the target (crop) trees. These were: (i) plot with heavy thinning from below (C degree according to the German Forest Research Institutes from 1902), (ii) plot with free crown thinning (thinning interval of 5 years), (iii) plot with free crown thinning (thinning interval of 10 years), and (iv) control plot (with no thinning). Target trees in the stand were selected and marked at the beginning of the study. Their development was analysed in relation to the method of tending. Based on the 45-year research period, we conclude that the most favourable results were obtained on plots tended by free crown thinning (thinning interval of 5 or 10 years) in comparison with plots tended by heavy thinning from below or with the control plot (without any tending).