Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multitude number estimation based on species frequency

The mathematical model for the change of species number in phytoplankton from Lake Stechlin was developed in the other our work, where the species was separated rare and frequent ones. In general case both type species can be settled in and extinct from the ecosystems can be transformed from each to other and a complicate (connected) differential equation system used for description could possible to be solved by ecosystems approximation. The results showed this separation into two types seemed to only be artificial, but it also has biological background, as it may reflect a real difference in the reproductive strategy of species. This latter suggested a little modified criterion compared with the earlier for the division, and the model applying for this case showed a real difference both two types, namely the rare species are stable and the frequent ones are dynamically, as well as that there is no transformation between the rare and frequent species defined in this way. A further consequence is that the differential equation system describing the processes has also become to be separated and they will be solvable one by one without approximation.
Oxidative stress stimulates proliferation and invasiveness of hepatic stellate cells via a MMP2‐mediated mechanism

Experimental evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the development of hepatic fibrosis; they induce hepatic stellate cells (HSC) proliferation and collagen synthesis. To address the role of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2 in promoting HSC proliferation during hepatic injury, we investigated whether oxidative stress modulates the growth and invasiveness of HSC by influencing MMP‐2 activation. Cell invasiveness and proliferation, which were studied using Boyden chambers and by counting cells under a microscope, were evaluated after treatment with a superoxide‐producing system, xanthine plus xanthine oxidase (X/XO), in the presence or absence of antioxidants and MMP inhibitors. Expression and activation of MMP‐2 were evaluated via gel zymography, immunoassay, and ribonuclease protection assay. The addition of X/XO induced proliferation and invasiveness of human HSC in a dose‐dependent manner. The addition of antioxidants as well as MMP‐2–specific inhibitors impaired these phenomena. X/XO treatment increased MMP‐2 expression and secretion appreciably and significantly induced members of its activation complex, specifically membrane‐type 1 MMP and tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase 2. To study the intracellular signaling pathways involved in X/XO‐induced MMP‐2 expression, we evaluated the effects of different kinase inhibitors. The inhibition of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and phosphatidyl inositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) abrogated X/XO‐elicited MMP‐2 upregulation and completely prevented X/XO‐induced growth and invasiveness of HSC. In conclusion, our findings suggest that MMP‐2 is required for the mitogenic and proinvasive effects of ROS on HSC and demonstrate that ERK1/2 and PI3K are the main signals involved in ROS‐mediated MMP‐2 expression. (HEPATOLOGY 2005;41:1074–1084.)
Visualization of Very Large 3 D Volumes on Mobile Devices and WebGL

Platforms based on OpenGL ES 2.0 such as mobile devices and WebGL have recently being used to render 3D volumetric models. However, the texture storage limitations of these platforms cause that only low-resolution models can be visualized. This paper describes a novel technique that overcomes these limitations and allows us to render detailed high resolution volumes on these platforms. Additionally, we propose a software architecture that permits existing volume rendering techniques to be adapted to mobile devices and WebGL. A set of experiments has been carried out to assess the performance of the proposed architecture on these platforms with different volumes of increasing resolution. Results prove that our proposal is feasible, robust and achieves visualization of very large volumes on constrained platforms.
Sign‐preserving and sign‐inverting synaptic interactions between rod and cone photoreceptors in the dark‐adapted retina

• Five types of rods and cones in the dark‐adapted salamander retina are electrically coupled with linear and symmetrical junctional conductances Gj of different average values. • The average Gj values of the five types of rod–cone pairs recorded at day and night times suggest that the the circadian‐dependent changes in rod–cone coupling observed in the fish and rodent retinas are not present in the tiger salamander. • In addition to rod–cone coupling, there is a sign‐inverting, unidirectional rod→cone current IRC, and the current–voltage (IRC–VCone) relations are linear, with a reversal potential near the chloride reversal potential ECl. • I RC can be observed in rods and cones separated by at least 260 μm, and its waveform resembles that of the rod‐elicited horizontal cell (HC) response IHC; a glutamate transporter‐associated chloride channel blocker TBOA suppresses IRC without affecting IHC. • These results suggest that IRC is largely mediated by HCs via a sign‐inverting feedback chemical synapse associated with a chloride channel in cones.
Community based occupational therapy for patients with dementia and their care givers: randomised controlled trial

Objective To determine the effectiveness of community based occupational therapy on daily functioning of patients with dementia and the sense of competence of their care givers. Design Single blind randomised controlled trial. Assessors were blinded for treatment allocation. Setting Memory clinic and day clinic of a geriatrics department and participants' homes. Participants 135 patients aged ≥65 with mild to moderate dementia living in the community and their primary care givers. Interventions 10 sessions of occupational therapy over five weeks, including cognitive and behavioural interventions, to train patients in the use of aids to compensate for cognitive decline and care givers in coping behaviours and supervision. Main outcome measures Patients' daily functioning assessed with the assessment of motor and process skills (AMPS) and the performance scale of the interview of deterioration in daily activities in dementia (IDDD). Care giver burden assessed with the sense of competence questionnaire (SCQ). Participants were evaluated at baseline, six weeks, and three months. Results Scores improved significantly relative to baseline in patients and care givers in the intervention group compared with the controls (differences were 1.5 (95% confidence interval 1.3 to 1.7) for the process scale; −11.7 (−13.6 to −9.7) for the performance scale; and (11.0; 9.2 to 12.8) for the competence scale). This improvement was still significant at three months. The number needed to treat to reach a clinically relevant improvement in motor and process skills score was 1.3 (1.2 to 1.4) at six weeks. Effect sizes were 2.5, 2.3, and 1.2, respectively, at six weeks and 2.7, 2.4, and 0.8, respectively, at 12 weeks. Conclusions Occupational therapy improved patients' daily functioning and reduced the burden on the care giver, despite the patients' limited learning ability. Effects were still present at 12 weeks, which justifies implementation of this intervention. Trial registration Clinical Trials NCT00295152.
Higher Rank Interference Effect on Weak Beamforming or OSTBC Terminals

Spatial multiplexing is one of the multi-antenna techniques employed by current generation wireless systems. Based on existing research, spatial multiplexing is known to be susceptible to interference. However, it is not well known what the effect of spatial multiplexing on other transmissions is, i.e., how does user performance depend on whether a neighboring cochannel interferer applies a single (spatial) stream or a multi stream transmission. This work attempts to alleviate this shortcoming by analyzing the impact of interference rank (number of spatial streams) on a beamforming and orthogonal space-time block coded user transmission. We generalize existing analytical results on signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio distribution and outage probability under arbitrary number of unequal power interferers. Our results are in close form and include interference rank as a parameter, allowing for a thorough study of its impact. Analysis shows that higher rank interference causes lower outage probability, and can support higher outage threshold especially in the case of beamforming.
Pattern recognition by distributed coding: test and analysis of the power space similarity method

This paper considers pattern recognition methods using distributed coding. These methods permit rapid learning from a large number of training samples; their recognition speed is high regardless of the size of the learning samples. This paper presents both basic algorithm and extended algorithms. Experiments with a large database of off-line handwritten numeric patterns are then described using the power space similarity method, being a type of distributed coding. Finally the effectiveness of the technique is considered.
Artistic Vision: painterly rendering using computer vision techniques

We present a method that takes a raster image as input and produces a painting-like image composed of strokes rather than pixels. Our method works by first segmenting the image into features, finding the approximate medial axes of these features, and using the medial axes to guide brush stroke creation. System parameters may be interactively manipulated by a user to effect image segmentation, brush stroke characteristics, stroke size, and stroke frequency. This process creates images reminiscent of those contemporary representational painters whose work has an abstract or sketchy quality. Our software is available at http://www.cs. utah.edu/npr/ArtisticVision.
Inexact Krylov Subspace Methods for Linear Systems

There is a class of linear problems for which the computation of the matrix-vector product is very expensive since a time consuming method is necessary to approximate it with some prescribed relative precision. In this paper we investigate the impact of approximately computed matrix-vector products on the convergence and attainable accuracy of several Krylov subspace solvers. We will argue that the sensitivity towards perturbations is mainly determined by the underlying way the Krylov subspace is constructed and does not depend on the optimality properties of the particular method. The obtained insight is used to tune the precision of the matrix-vector product in every iteration step in such a way that an overall efficient process is obtained. Our analysis confirms the empirically found relaxation strategy of Bouras and Fraysse for the GMRES method proposed in [A Relaxation Strategy for Inexact Matrix-Vector Products for Krylov Methods, Technical Report TR/PA/00/15, CERFACS, France, 2000]. Furthermore, we give an improved version of a strategy for the conjugate gradient method of Bouras, Fraysse, and Giraud used in [A Relaxation Strategy for Inner-Outer Linear Solvers in Domain Decomposition Methods, Technical Report TR/PA/00/17, CERFACS, France, 2000].
The pilot study of sustainable renewable heat energy which generated from an active compressor in a pest control industrial company

Energy recovery is one of methods to minimize carbon foot print. In addition to that, the increase of the price of energy is unavoidable, these days, including in industrial sectors which makes renewable energy, that offers a friendly price-performance issue, is now taken into consideration. Furthermore, the using of energy recovery is beneficial as it not only reduces energy consumption, but also gives cost saving for the product that are made. In this case, heat energy which generated by the lubrication process of the compressor system was studied to determine how this heat can be captured and be used for heating process. Firstly, the heat from lubrication process is contacted with water through a heat exchanger and connected through piping system as a continuous heating process to increase the temperature of water in a test bath. Secondly, if this idea of energy conservation works, the estimated average energy saving is equal to 33.1% (19.4 kWh). Temperature, time, actual wattage, and the size of the products which are directly affected by the process were collected to determine the best possible way to harvest this heating energy.
A Genetic Algorithm for Laminate Layups

The design of laminate layups using a genetic algorithm function optimizer has been investigated using a generate-and-test evaluation function and the layup-synthesis rule-base from a knowledge based design system. A simple coding of plies to genes is shown to be applicable in each case when coupled with a penalty function that constrains genetic search to permissable layup candidates. Experiments with the generate-and-test evaluation demonstrate the robustness and accuracy of the system in the design of small scale asymmetric laminates. Comparative tests with a knowledge based laminate design system are also presented for four different load types which confirm the ability of the genetic system to search laminate configuration spaces with a rule-based evaluation function.
Response Time Variability in an Inhibitory Control Task Reflects Statistical Learning and Adaptive Decision-Making

Response time (RT) is an oft-used but ”noisy” behavioral measure in psychology. Here, we combine modeling and psychophysics to examine the hypothesis that RT variability may reflect ongoing statistical learning and consequent adjustment of behavioral strategy. We utilize the stop-signal task, in which subjects respond to a go stimulus on each trial, unless instructed not to by a subsequent, rare stop signal. We model across-trial learning of stop signal frequency (P(stop)) and stop-signal onset time (SSD) with a Bayesian hidden Markov model, and within-trial decision-making as optimal stochastic control. The model predicts that RT should increase with expected P(stop) and SSD, a prediction borne out by our human data. Thus, it appears that humans continuously monitor environmental statistics and adjust behavioral strategy accordingly. More broadly, our approach exemplifies the use of ”noisy” RT measures for extracting insights about cognitive and neural processing.
Hidden SU(N) glueball dark matter

We investigate the possibility that the dark matter candidate is from a pure non-Abelian gauge theory of the hidden sector, motivated in large part by its elegance and simplicity. The dark matter is the lightest bound state made of the confined gauge fields, the hidden glueball. We point out that this simple setup is capable of providing rich and novel phenomena in the dark sector, especially in the parameter space of large N. They include self-interacting and warm dark matter scenarios, Bose-Einstein condensation leading to massive dark stars possibly millions of times heavier than our sun giving rise to gravitational lensing effects, and indirect detections through higher dimensional operators as well as interesting collider signatures.
A Cluster-Randomised Trial to Compare Home-Based with Health Facility-Based Antiretroviral Treatment in Uganda: Study Design and Baseline Findings

The scale-up of antiretroviral therapy is progressing rapidly in Africa but with a limited evidence-base. We report the baseline results from a large pragmatic cluster-randomised trial comparing different strategies of ART delivery. The trial is integrated in normal health service delivery. 1453 subjects were recruited into the study. Significantly more women (71%) than men (29%) were recruited. The WHO HIV clinical stage at presentation did not differ significantly between men and women: 58% and 53% respectively were at WHO stage III or IV (p=0.9). Median CD4 counts (IQR) x 106cells/l were 98 (28, 160) among men and 111 (36, 166) among women. Sixty-four percent of women and 61% men had plasma viral load ≥100,000 copies. Baseline characteristics did not change over time. Considerably fewer men than women presented for treatment. Both men and women presented at an advanced stage with very low median CD4 count and high plasma viral load.
An Efficient Way of Answering the Questions Asked on Social Sites by Understanding User Intent

Information seeking is human nature. Nowadays sharing knowledge and facts on social network has become very important aspect. Communication is required for solving queries and getting answers. Social sites provide such platform where people can post their queries and get various point of views. Relative comparison of the search engines such as Google, Bing, and Social Q-A sites, later provides more explicit and user-friendly interface for expressing information needs as users can publically post their questions in natural language to all their friends or followers online and receives more personalized and reliable responses. This is useful only if the intent of the interrogator is correctly predicted. Understanding the user behind posting the question plays important role in answering that question. The accuracy of the answer can be improved by correct prediction of the user intent. So, the proposed work includes identifying the question subjectivity of any question posted on social sites. On the basis of various syntactical and lexical features, question subjectivity can be divided into two parts namely subjective and objective. Depending on the result of question classification, the answer of the question will be provided. The database consists of several types of questions posted on social media and not confined to the particular social site. The proposed work defines an efficient way to answer the question depending on the result of question classification.
Hydrotalcite Intercalated siRNA: Computational Characterization of the Interlayer Environment

Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we explore the structural and dynamical properties of siRNA within the intercalated environment of a Mg:Al 2:1 Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticle. An ab initio force field (Condensed-phase Optimized Molecular Potentials for Atomistic Simulation Studies: COMPASS) is used for the MD simulations of the hybrid organic-inorganic systems. The structure, arrangement, mobility, close contacts and hydrogen bonds associated with the intercalated RNA are examined and contrasted with those of the isolated RNA. Computed powder X-ray diffraction patterns are also compared with related LDH-DNA experiments. As a method of probing whether the intercalated environment approximates the crystalline or rather the aqueous state, we explore the stability of the principle parameters (e.g., the major groove width) that differentiate both A- and A'- crystalline forms of siRNA and contrast this with recent findings for the same siRNA simulated in water. We find the crystalline forms remain structurally distinct when intercalated, whereas this is not the case in water. Implications for the stability of hybrid LDH-RNA systems are discussed.
Simulating growth-based harvest adaptive to future climate change

Abstract. Forests are the main source of biomass production from solar energy and take up around 2.4±0.4 PgC per year globally. Future changes in climate may affect forest growth and productivity. Currently, state-of-the-art Earth system models use prescribed wood harvest rates in future climate projections. These rates are defined by integrated assessment models (IAMs), only accounting for regional wood demand and largely ignoring the supply side from forests. Therefore, we assess how global growth and harvest potentials of forests change when they are allowed to respond to changes in environmental conditions. For this, we simulate wood harvest rates oriented towards the actual rate of forest growth. Applying this growth-based harvest rule (GB) in JSBACH, the land component of the Max Planck Institute's Earth system model, forced by several future climate scenarios, we realized a growth potential 2 to 4 times (3–9 PgC yr−1) the harvest rates prescribed by IAMs (1–3 PgC yr−1). Limiting GB to managed forest areas (MF), we simulated a harvest potential of 3–7 PgC yr−1, 2 to 3 times higher than IAMs. This highlights the need to account for the dependence of forest growth on climate. To account for the long-term effects of wood harvest as integrated in IAMs, we added a life cycle analysis, showing that the higher supply with MF as an adaptive forest harvesting rule may improve the net mitigation effects of forest harvest during the 21st century by sequestering carbon in anthropogenic wood products.
Is editing more rewarding than discussion

In this paper we address the question: what causes formerly active Wikipedians to stop contributing? Seen from a different angle, we estimate characteristics of users, pages, or the whole system that increase or decrease the probability of dropout. We propose a general statistical method with which hypothetical causes of dropout can be tested. With this method it can be analyzed whether the emerging structures in Wikipedia function as incentives preventing Wikipedians to stop contributing. Applying this method to a selection of active users reveals, among others, that participation in discussion pages, as well as editing controversial pages, increases the dropout hazard, whereas editing general content pages has an attenuating eect on dropout. Although our method is solely illustrated on Wikipedia, it can be easily applied to other Web 2.0 applications.
AMPLIA: A Probabilistic Learning Environment

This paper introduces AMPLIA, an intelligent learning environment employed as a resource in medical students' training. The development of AMPLIA raised several research topics, due to the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Learning Environments. The core topics are: probabilistic diagnostic learning in the medical area, application of teaching strategies based on Pedagogical Negotiation (PN), construction of cognitive student models with probabilistic beliefs, and application of interoperability methods for pedagogical agents, and tutoring systems integration. An important aspect of AMPLIA is the utilization of PN as the main form of interaction. The impact of this approach on the system dynamics and on the student's learning is presented in detail. Considering the importance of cooperative work during the learning process, we describe how AMPLIA is used to enable cooperation. The description is based on experiments carried out with AMPLIA and its users. The main results of these experiments are reported as well.
Modelling Adaptation to Directional Motion Using the Adelson-Bergen Energy Sensor

The motion energy sensor has been shown to account for a wide range of physiological and psychophysical results in motion detection and discrimination studies. It has become established as the standard computational model for retinal movement sensing in the human visual system. Adaptation effects have been extensively studied in the psychophysical literature on motion perception, and play a crucial role in theoretical debates, but the current implementation of the energy sensor does not provide directly for modelling adaptation-induced changes in output. We describe an extension of the model to incorporate changes in output due to adaptation. The extended model first computes a space-time representation of the output to a given stimulus, and then a RC gain-control circuit (“leaky integrator”) is applied to the time-dependent output. The output of the extended model shows effects which mirror those observed in psychophysical studies of motion adaptation: a decline in sensor output during stimulation, and changes in the relative of outputs of different sensors following this adaptation.