Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variational Gaussian Dropout is not Bayesian

Gaussian multiplicative noise is commonly used as a stochastic regularisation technique in training of deterministic neural networks. A recent paper reinterpreted the technique as a specific algorithm for approximate inference in Bayesian neural networks; several extensions ensued. We show that the log-uniform prior used in all the above publications does not generally induce a proper posterior, and thus Bayesian inference in such models is ill-posed. Independent of the log-uniform prior, the correlated weight noise approximation has further issues leading to either infinite objective or high risk of overfitting. The above implies that the reported sparsity of obtained solutions cannot be explained by Bayesian or the related minimum description length arguments. We thus study the objective from a non-Bayesian perspective, provide its previously unknown analytical form which allows exact gradient evaluation, and show that the later proposed additive reparametrisation introduces minima not present in the original multiplicative parametrisation. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
A Review of the Binomial and Trinomial Models for Option Pricing and their Convergence to the Black-Scholes Model Determined Option Prices

Abstract This paper reviews the binomial and trinomial option pricing models and their convergence to the Black-Scholes model result. These models are generalized for the European and American options. The trinomial models are said to be more accurate than the binomial when fewer steps are modelled. These models are widely used for the usual vanilla option types, European or American options, that respectively can be exercised only at the expiration date and at any time before the expiration date. The results are supportive of the conventional wisdom that trinomial option pricing models such as the Kamrad-Ritchken model and the Boyle model are converging faster than the binomial models. When binomial models are compared in terms of convergence, the most efficient model is the Jarrow-Rudd model. This paper concludes that improved binomial models such as the Haahtela model are converging faster to the BS model result. After some trials, binomial distribution follows log-normal distribution assumed by the Black-Scholes model.
ICT Intermediates, Growth and Productivity Spillovers Evidence from Comparison of Growth Effects in German and US Manufacturing Sectors

Recent pre-crisis growth accounting exercises attribute strong productivity growth to increased investments in information and communication technologies (ICT), especially during the mid-1990s. EU-wide stylized facts about a growing USâ€“EU productivity gap are confirmed for Germany, particularly showing no substantially economy-wide effects from ICT for German sectors. Tracing the effect from ICT during the period 1991â€“2005, this study takes a different view by expanding the concept of value added to gross output, additionally including different types of intermediate inputs. The findings suggest that imported intermediate inputs played a more dominating role in Germany than in the US, particularly imported non-ICT and ICT materials, although domestically-produced ICT materials were important as well. In the US, main driving forces were domesticallyproduced non-ICT services and ICT materials, even though imported ICT materials were on the upraise post 1995. Moreover, there were decisive differences is countriesâ€™ TFP growth rates with about twice the size in the US. According to robust econometric analysis there have been strong spillover effects from increasing domestically-produced ICT materials in German TFP growth, while for the US TFP growth originated from increasing imported ICT materials. It will be argued that these different productivity effects stem from different functions of ICT in the production process. However, TFP growth differentials between Germany and the US during 1991 to 2000 are explained to a great extent by strong US TFP growth in the Electrical & Electronic Machinery sector.
Implications of Knowledge Organization Systems for Health Information Exchange and Communication during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract This article aims to review the important roles of health knowledge organization systems (KOSs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Different types of knowledge organization systems, including term lists, synonym rings, thesauri, subject heading systems, taxonomies, classification schemes, and ontologies are widely recognized and applied in both modern and traditional information systems. Apart from their usage in the management of data, information, and knowledge, KOSs are seen as valuable components for large information architecture, content management, findability improvement, and many other applications. After introducing the challenges of information overload and semantic conflicts, the article reviews the efforts of major health KOSs, illustrates various health coding schemes, explains their usages and implementations, and reveals their implications for health information exchange and communication during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some general examples of the applications, services, and analysis powered by KOSs are presented at the end. As revealed in this article, they have become even more critical to aid the frontline endeavors to overcome the obstacles due to information overload and semantic conflicts that can occur during devastating historic and worldwide events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Optics for a Photoinjected Energy Recovery Linac at the NSLS

The Photoinjected Energy Recovery Linac (PERL) design study at the NSLS is considering the feasibility of a new synchrotron light source based on a 3-7 GeV energy recovering superconducting linac injected by a laser photocathode RF gun (photoinjector). In addition to returning the electron beam to the linac with a phase shift of 180 degrees, the "return loop" of the PERL must be capable of longitudinal bunch compression, minimize the deleterious effects of coherent synchrotron radiation and provide space for up to two-dozen insertion devices. We present a design for the PERL optics based on tuneable achromats.
Examining the effect of environmental certification, wood source, and price on architects’ preferences of hardwood flooring

This article examines the importance architects place on three factors, environmental certification, wood source, and price, when specifying hardwood flooring. Architects were presented with nine flooring scenarios, in which the three factors were present in varying levels. They were asked to rank the scenarios from the least preferred to the most preferred. Data were obtained from a mail survey of architects in Oregon and Washington, U.S.A. (n = 402). Conjoint analyses determined that architects consider price and wood source to be the most important factors when specifying hardwood flooring. Interestingly, environmental certification was considered the least important factor. The respondents were then separated into three groups for further analysis based on whether they identified themselves as more influenced by environmental factors (biocentric) or human needs (anthropocentric). This analysis showed that the biocentric group favored wood source over price and environmental certification, while the anthropocentric group favored price.
Control of Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Crop Using Siam Weed (Chromolaena odorata) Compost Manure

Abstract A field experiment was conducted at Landmark University Omu-Aran, Nigeria from June to November 2017 and repeated at the same time in the year 2018 on a nematode infested soil to evaluate the effects of different amounts of Siam weed compost on the performance of root-knot nematode (RKN) infested tomato. The compost was applied a week before planting as soil amendment at the amount of 0.0, 0.5, 1.5, and 2.0 t·ha−1, while carbofuran was applied at the rate of 3.0 kg·ha−1. Four weeks old tomato seedlings cultivar ‘Roma VF’, which is susceptible to RKN, was transplanted to already prepared soil. Results of the experiment showed that the compost, especially in the amount 2 t·ha−1 and carbofuran at 3 kg·ha−1, brought about significant reduction of the population of RKN in soil and roots, and a significant increase in the growth and yield of tomato. The result of the experiment showed that Siam compost can be used for the managing root-knot nematodes in tomato cultivation, as an environmentally safe factor.
Translation and Expansion: Enabling Laypeople Access to the COVID-19 Academic Collection

Abstract Academic collections, such as COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19), contain a large number of scholarly articles regarding COVID-19 and other related viruses. These articles represent the latest development in combating COVID-19 pandemic in various disciplines. However, it is difficult for laypeople to access these articles due to the term mismatch problem caused by their limited medical knowledge. In this article, we present an effort of helping laypeople to access the CORD-19 collection by translating and expanding laypeople's keywords to their corresponding medical terminology using the National Library of Medicine's Consumer Health Vocabulary. We then developed a retrieval system called Search engine for Laypeople to access the COVID-19 literature (SLAC) using open-source software. Utilizing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's FAQ questions as the basis for developing common questions that laypeople could be interested in, we performed a set of experiments for testing the SLAC system and the translation and expansion (T&E) process. Our experiment results demonstrate that the T&E process indeed helped to overcome the term mismatch problem and mapped laypeople terms to the medical terms in the academic articles. But we also found that not all laypeople's search topics are meaningful to search on the CORD-19 collection. This indicates the scope and the limitation of enabling laypeople to search on academic article collection for obtaining high-quality information.
Socio-Cultural Based Learning Module for Critical Thinking Ability in Elementary School: Systematic Search

Abstract Introduction:The purpose of this article is to examine the use of socio-cultural based learning modules for developing critical thinking skills in elementary school children. Methods:This article is a systematic review that collects data from relevant indexed journals. Results:The findings are discussed in theoretical studies so as to produce conclusions. Well-structured socio-cultural modules can provide many benefits for students, namely for students who are actively involved in learning activities, and they can also attract students’ to be involved in learning activities. Conclusions:The application of socio-cultural learning helps students in learn about their own culture, which can develop students’ character. These findings provide input for future research needed to develop socio-cultural based learning modules for the critical thinking needs of elementary school children.
Investigating the Relationship Between Emotion Recognition Software and Usability Metrics

Abstract Due to progress in affective computing, various forms of general purpose sentiment/emotion recognition software have become available. However, the application of such tools in usability engineering (UE) for measuring the emotional state of participants is rarely employed. We investigate if the application of sentiment/emotion recognition software is beneficial for gathering objective and intuitive data that can predict usability similar to traditional usability metrics. We present the results of a UE project examining this question for the three modalities text, speech and face. We perform a large scale usability test (N = 125) with a counterbalanced within-subject design with two websites of varying usability. We have identified a weak but significant correlation between text-based sentiment analysis on the text acquired via thinking aloud and SUS scores as well as a weak positive correlation between the proportion of neutrality in users’ voice and SUS scores. However, for the majority of the output of emotion recognition software, we could not find any significant results. Emotion metrics could not be used to successfully differentiate between two websites of varying usability. Regression models, either unimodal or multimodal could not predict usability metrics. We discuss reasons for these results and how to continue research with more sophisticated methods.
EVALUATION OF TWO NESTED PCR-BASED DIAGNOSTIC ASSAYS FOR PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM INFECTION

Â Â Objective: The majority of malaria cases and deaths are caused by Plasmodium falciparum. The rapid and accurate diagnosis is very important for malaria treatment and control. The aim of this study was to evaluate two nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods (protocol A and protocol B) for P. falciparum infection, diagnosis in Thailand.Methods: A total of 90 dried blood spot samples were investigated. The samples composed of P. falciparum-, Plasmodium vivax-infected blood and normal human blood samples. The microscopic examination was used as gold standard.Results: The results showed the sensitivity of 100/83.33%, specificity of 100/100%, and accuracy of 100/94.44% for protocol A and protocol B, respectively. The analytical sensitivity of protocol A and protocol B was 0.625 and 6.25 parasites/I¼l, respectively. The comparison among microscopic examination, protocol A and protocol B by statistical analysis, found that they were not a significant difference. The agreements between each method were good. The kappa value between protocol A and protocol B was 0.87, protocol A and microscopy was 1.00, and protocol B and microscopy was 0.87. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that protocol A should be used for further development of P. falciparum diagnosis in Thailand, especially in case of low parasitemia such as asymptomatic infection and for screening blood donors.
A video-linked Thai / Swedish child data corpus : A tool for the study of comparative semiotic development

1. It compares the cognitive and semiotic capacities of human beings across different ages (i.e. it is developmental) 2. It compares human cognitive and semiotic behavior in different cultures (i.e. it is cross-cultural) 3. It compares relevant aspects (such as spatial expressions) of different languages (i.e. it is cross-linguistic) 4. It compares different semiotic systems, such as language, gestures and pictures (i.e. it is semiotic) 5. It compares the cognitive and semiotic capacities of human beings and non-human primates (i.e. it is comparative psychological) 6. It aims to compare, on a macro-level, developmental/evolutionary processes in ontogeny and phylogeny, on the basis of their respective stages, defined by types of cognitive structures and learning processes.
Description of the Egg and Larva of Raillietiella Mottae (Pentastomida: Raillietiellidae)

Summary In the current study, the structural characteristics of the egg and larva of the pentastomid Raillietiella mottae (Almeida, Freire, & Lopes 2008), are described and compared with those of other pentastomids. The eggs and larvae were obtained from lizards Phyllopezus periosus (Rodrigues 1986) and Phyllopezus pollicaris (Spix 1825) which were collected in the environmental protection area of Cachoeira de Missão Velha, Ceará state, northeastern Brazil (7° 13’ S; 39° 08’ W). Following collection, the specimens were transported to the Laboratorio de Zoologia (LZ-URCA) and deposited in terrariums to obtain the feces, which were collected and analyzed for the presence of pentastomid eggs. The eggs found were typical of the genus Raillietiella, differing from those of other genera due to the lack of an outer fl exible membrane. The larva had two pairs of limbs, each with a pair of terminal hooks. The limbs were unsegmented, ventrally curved, and supported by conical muscle structures with visible segmentation. The tail was bifurcate, and each section had a terminal bristle. Information on egg and larval morphology can be useful in the identification of genera and species. The current study provides a description of the eggs and embryos of a Pentastomida species from the Neotropical Region.
The effects of different silage additives on rumen protozoan number and volatile fatty acid concentration in sheep fed corn silage

The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of different silage additives on protozoan population, genera and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations and percentage of VFAs in corn silage. Four ruminally fistulated Morkaraman × Kıvırcık lambs were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with 14-day adaptation and 1-day sampling periods. The animals were offered 20% cottonseed meal and 80% corn silage with or without treatment with silage additives, ad libitum intake. Silages used in the experiment were corn silage without treatment, treated with 5% molasses, 0.05% formic acid, and 10 g/t enzyme. Total protozoan number was significantly different among treatments ( P < 0.05). It was the highest in sheep fed silage treated with molasses (313 .2×103 ml−1) and the lowest in sheep fed silage treated with formic acid (168 .0×103 ml−1). Entodinium, Epidinium, Isotricha, Dasytricha, Diplodinium, andOsphyroxscolextypes were observed in all treatments, but major protozoan genera were Entodinium, comprising 61–69% of total protozoan population. Total VFA concentration was significantly less in sheep fed enzyme-treated silage compared with other treatments. Percentage of acetic acid was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in sheep fed silage treated with molasses compared with other treatments, but percentages of propionic acid, and butyric acid were similar among treatments. Ruminal ammonia-N concentrations ranged from 7.71 to 15.87 mg/dl and were lowest in sheep fed enzyme-treated silage among treatments ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, the highest protozoan counts were observed in the rumen of sheep fed corn silage treated with molasses. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Quantifying tidal stream disruption in a simulated Milky Way

Simulations of tidal streams show that close encounters with dark matter subhalos induce density gaps and distortions in on-sky path along the streams. Accordingly, observing disrupted streams in the Galactic halo would substantiate the hypothesis that dark matter substructure exists there, while in contrast, observing collimated streams with smoothly varying density profiles would place strong upper limits on the number density and mass spectrum of subhalos. Here, we examine several measures of stream "disruption" and their power to distinguish between halo potentials with and without substructure and with different global shapes. We create and evolve a population of 1280 streams on a range of orbits in the Via Lactea II simulation of a Milky Way-like halo, replete with a full mass range of {\Lambda}CDM subhalos, and compare it to two control stream populations evolved in smooth spherical and smooth triaxial potentials, respectively. We find that the number of gaps observed in a stellar stream is a poor indicator of the halo potential, but that (i) the thinness of the stream on-sky, (ii) the symmetry of the leading and trailing tails, and (iii) the deviation of the tails from a low-order polynomial path on-sky ("path regularity") distinguish between the three potentials more effectively. We find that globular cluster streams on low-eccentricity orbits far from the galactic center (apocentric radius ~ 30-80 kpc) are most powerful in distinguishing between the three potentials. If they exist, such streams will shortly be discoverable and mapped in high dimensions with near-future photometric and spectroscopic surveys.
Endogenous Institutions and Economic Growth: Evidence from China

Abstract The paper examined how economic institutions affect capital accumulation in the private firms sector through the finance sector and the operation objectives of different ownership firms in a socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics, which extended the neo-classical economic growth method. The Author found that economic institutions were the main factors affecting the efficiency of capital allocation between the private sector and the state-owned sector. Compared with the state-owned sector, economic institutions lead private sector to a decrease in loans and government subsidies through finance sector, and to an increase in its production costs. The evidence suggests that private firms make efforts to hire special human capital to improve economic institutions as a substitute for political capital. Considering that the strategy of China’s economic institutions reform was a national promotion which followed after a regional pilot, this paper found that the economic institutions’ reform pilot areas had a more significant impact on economic growth.
Statistical analysis on individual deposit-withdrawal behaviors: An empirical analysis using individual data collected through a Web-based survey

The purpose of this research is to investigate relationships between individual behaviors of whether depositors will withdraw all of their deposits and factors such as the degree of trust in information sources, frequency of communication, an individual’s way of dealing with banks, and individual attributes statistically or quantitatively. We assume that a method whereby depositors will not excessively withdraw their deposits after receiving uncertain information on the financial environment. To this purpose, we analyze the relationships by using individual data collected through a Web-based survey we conducted in 2007. The results were as follows: First, individuals who trust in information sources such as weekly/monthly magazines, the Internet, and rumors from people at the workplace would be more likely to withdraw their deposits. Second, an increase of phone call frequency with friends and frequency of communication at neighborhood and workplaces also leads depositors to withdraw
US Economic Policy Uncertainty and Co-Movements between Chinese and US Stock Markets

This paper investigates the impact of innovations in US economic policy uncertainty on the co-movements of China's A/B stock markets with the US stock market. We show that it is the absolute changes in the US economic policy uncertainty index that have a negative impact on the co-movements. The finding is robust to the asymmetric effects of non-policy-uncertainty shocks, to a break in the correlation structure, and to the four Chinese A/B stock markets investigated. Our results provide the first evidence regarding how stock market correlations are driven by policy-related uncertainty shocks in the international context.