Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Forecast Evaluation in Large Cross-Sections of Realized Volatility

In this paper, we consider the forecast evaluation of realized volatility measures under cross-section dependence using equal predictive accuracy testing procedures. We evaluate the predictive accuracy of the model based on the augmented cross-section when forecasting Realized Volatility. Under the null hypothesis of equal predictive accuracy the benchmark model employed is a standard HAR model while under the alternative of non-equal predictive accuracy the forecast model is an augmented HAR model estimated via the LASSO shrinkage. We study the sensitivity of forecasts to the model specification by incorporating a measurement error correction as well as cross-sectional jump component measures. The out-of-sample forecast evaluation of the models is assessed with numerical implementations.
Effective dimension of machine learning models

Making statements about the performance of trained models on tasks involving new data is one of the primary goals of machine learning, i.e., to understand the generalization power of a model. Various capacity measures try to capture this ability, but usually fall short in explaining important characteristics of models that we observe in practice. In this study, we propose the local effective dimension as a capacity measure which seems to correlate well with generalization error on standard data sets. Importantly, we prove that the local effective dimension bounds the generalization error and discuss the aptness of this capacity measure for machine learning models.
The Apparent Tail of the Galactic Center Object G2/DSO

Observations of the near-infrared excess object G2/DSO increased attention toward the Galactic center and its vicinity. The predicted flaring event in 2014 and the outcome of the intense monitoring of the supermassive black hole in the center of our Galaxy did not fulfill all predictions about a significantly enhanced accretion event. Subsequent observations addressed the question concerning the nature of the object because of its compact shape, especially during its periapse in 2014. Theoretical approaches have attempted to answer the contradictory behavior of the object, resisting the expected dissolution of a gaseous cloud due to tidal forces in combination with evaporation and hydrodynamical instabilities. However, assuming that the object is instead a dust-enshrouded young stellar object seems to be in line with the predictions of several groups and observations presented in numerous publications. Here we present a detailed overview and analysis of the observations of the object that have been performed with SINFONI (VLT) and we provide a comprehensive approach to clarify the nature of G2/DSO. We show that the tail emission consists of two isolated and compact sources with different orbital elements for each source rather than an extended and stretched component as it appeared in previous representations of the same data. Considering our recent publications, we propose that the monitored dust-enshrouded objects are remnants of a dissolved young stellar cluster whose formation was initiated in the circumnuclear disk. This indicates a shared history, which agrees with our analysis of the D- and X-sources.
Regularized Modal Regression on Markov-dependent Observations: A Theoretical Assessment

Modal regression, a widely used regression protocol, has been extensively investigated in statistical and machine learning communities due to its robustness to outlier and heavy-tailed noises. Understanding modal regression's theoretical behavior can be fundamental in learning theory. Despite significant progress in characterizing its statistical property, the majority results are based on the assumption that samples are independent and identical distributed (i.i.d.), which is too restrictive for real-world applications. This paper concerns about the statistical property of regularized modal regression (RMR) within an important dependence structure - Markov dependent. Specifically, we establish the upper bound for RMR estimator under moderate conditions and give an explicit learning rate. Our results show that the Markov dependence impacts on the generalization error in the way that sample size would be discounted by a multiplicative factor depending on the spectral gap of the underlying Markov chain. This result shed a new light on characterizing the theoretical underpinning for robust regression.
Frequency of Cardiovascular Complications and Its Association with Prognosis of COVID-19 Patients

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may lead to acute respiratory disease; cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and coagulation complications; and even death. One of the major complications is cardiovascular disorders, including arrhythmias, myocarditis, pericarditis, and acute coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of cardiovascular complications and to determine its association with the prognosis of COVID-19 patients. In a prospective analytic study, 137 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were enrolled. During hospitalization, an electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed every other day, and laboratory tests such as cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) were done 0, 6, and 12 hours after admission. These tests were repeated for patients with chest pain or ECG changes. Patients were categorized into three groups (improved, complicated, and expired patients) and assessed for the rate and type of arrhythmias, cardiac complications, lab tests, and outcomes of treatments. There was no significant relationship among the three groups related to primary arrhythmia and arrhythmias during treatment. The most common arrhythmia during hospitalization and after treatment was ST-T fragment changes. There was a significant age difference between the three groups (P = 0.001). There was a significant difference among the three groups for some underlying diseases, including diabetes mellitus (P = 0.003) and hyperlipidemia (P = 0.004). In our study, different types of arrhythmias had no association with patients' outcomes but age over 60 years, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia played an important role in the prognosis of COVID-19 cases.
Violence and sexual and reproductive health service disruption among girls and young women during COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal: A cross-sectional study using interactive voice response survey

Introduction There is a paucity of data on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on girls and young women. The study examines the prevalence and correlates of violence and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) service disruption among girls and young women during COVID-19 restrictions and lockdown. Methods An interactive voice response survey was conducted among girls and women aged 18–24 years between 10th March to 24th April 2021. The survey enrolled 1314 participants. Descriptive analysis was used to assess prevalence of violence and SRH service disruption. Two sampled test of proportion was used to asses difference in prevalence of violence before and after the pandemic. Logistic regression was used to examine relationship between the outcome variables and socio demographic predictors. Results The study did not find significant difference in prevalence of violence before and after the pandemic. Education was found to be protective against experience of both physical and sexual violence after the pandemic. Dalit participants were four times more likely to report physical violence after the pandemic than Brahmin/Chhetri participants (OR:3.80; CI:1.41–10.24). Participants from 22-24-year age group were twice as likely to experience sexual violence compared to girls and participants from 18-21year age group (OR:2.25; CI:1.04–4.84). Participants from urban municipalities were 29% less likely to report SRH services disruption than participants from rural municipalities (OR-0.71, 95% CI: 0.55–0.91). Participants with disability were twice as likely to report disruption than participants without disability (OR-2.35, 95% CI: 1.45–3.82). Conclusions To reduce violence against girls and women due to the pandemic, interventions should focus on Dalit women and on preventing education discontinuation among girls and women. SRH service during the pandemic needs to be improved for girls and women with focus on girls and women from rural municipalities and girls and women with disability.
The Role of Exhaled Hydrogen Sulfide in the Diagnosis of Colorectal Adenoma

Purpose Exhaled determination can detect metabolite hydrogen sulfide in the intestine. We aim to analyze the predictive value of hydrogen sulfide in the diagnosis of colorectal adenoma. Methods We recruited seventy patients diagnosed with colorectal adenoma as the observation group and sixty-six healthy subjects as the control group. The colorectal adenoma was diagnosed by colonoscopy at the Endoscopy Center of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University from June 2018 to November 2019. Exhaled gas was collected through the nose and mouth, respectively, and hydrogen sulfide in exhaled gas was determined according to the manufacturer's instructions. Results Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was analyzed based on the exhaled data of the observation group and the control group. The ROC curve showed an area under ROC curve (AUC) 0.724 for nasal exhaled H2S, which had a diagnostic value. When nasal exhaled H2S was >13.3 part per billion (ppb), the sensitivity and the specificity of predicting colorectal adenoma were 57% and 78%, respectively. The exhaled H2S of the observation group was significantly different from that of the control group. The AUC value was 0.716 as a prognostic factor of colorectal adenoma. As exhaled H2S was >28.8 ppb, the sensitivity and the specificity of predicting colorectal adenoma were 63% and 77%, respectively. Conclusion Exhaled and nasal H2S determination has a predictive value for colorectal adenoma as a novel and noninvasive method. Therefore, it is worth conducting more research to analyze exhaled and nasal H2S.
Comparing the COVID-19 Responses in Cuba and the United States.

The purpose of this analytic essay is to contrast the COVID-19 responses in Cuba and the United States, and to understand the differences in outcomes between the 2 nations. With fundamental differences in health systems structure and organization, as well as in political philosophy and culture, it is not surprising that there are major differences in outcomes. The more coordinated, comprehensive response to COVID-19 in Cuba has resulted in significantly better outcomes compared with the United States. Through July 15, 2021, the US cumulative case rate is more than 4 times higher than Cuba's, while the death rate and excess death rate are both approximately 12 times higher in the United States. In addition to the large differences in cumulative case and death rates between United States and Cuba, the COVID-19 pandemic has unmasked serious underlying health inequities in the United States. The vaccine rollout presents its own set of challenges for both countries, and future studies can examine the comparative successes to identify effective strategies for distribution and administration. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(12):2186-2193. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021. 306526).
Aspect-Ratio Effects and Unsteady Pressure Measurements inside a Cross-Flow Impeller

In the present experimental study, the authors try to clarify the characteristics of the flow around and inside a cross-flow impeller in a typical geometry, over a wide parameter range of an aspect ratio . In order to eliminate the complicated casing factors, the impeller rotates in open space without any casings. As a result, by using hot wire anemometer measurements and by conventional flow visualisations with a particle image velocimetry technique, the authors show that both the outflow rate and the maximum vorticity attain the maximum for
Evaluation of platelet indices and mean platelet volume to platelet count ratio in experimentally varicocele‐induced adolescent and adult rats

The present study investigated the sperm quality parameters and platelet indices in adolescent and adult varicocele rats. Twenty male Wistar rats were distributed into four groups (n = 5): I—sham adolescent group, II—sham adult group, III—varicocele adolescent group, and IV—varicocele adult group. Rats were sacrificed on the 61st day of the experiment. Sperm count (×106 ml−1), sperm motility and viability (%) were significantly (p < 0.05) different between varicocele and sham groups in adolescent and adult rats. Varicocele adults had significant (p < 0.05) lower platelet count (PLT) than sham adolescents and adults. The mean platelet volume (MPV), the MPV/PLT ratio, plateletcrit (PCT) and platelet distribution width (PDW) differ significantly (p < 0.05) between varicocele and sham groups of adolescent and adult rats. It is the first time the ratio MPV/PLT was evaluated in association with other platelet indices in adolescent and adult varicocele rats. Based on the results, it would appear these indicators can become a promising tool in varicocele diagnosis.
Influence of medical trainee sleep pattern (chronotype) on burn-out and satisfaction with work schedules: a multicentre observational study

Background Medical trainees’ work schedule is designed to cover duties without consideration of differences in circadian rhythms during a 24-hour period (chronotype). Objective To explore chronotype variation among medical trainees and understand its association with burn-out and schedule satisfaction. Methods In a multicentre observational study, we conducted two surveys between 1 October 2018 and 1 April 2019. Trainees from nine centres across the USA participated. We measured burn-out using Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and trainee chronotype using the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). Results 324 (32%) out of 1012 responded to our survey. Participants were 51% female and had a mean age of 30.8 years. Most participants had an intermediate MEQ type (65%). A large proportion of participants had burn-out on at least one of three tested MBI scales (62%); 5% of participants had burn-out on all three MBI scales. More participants with evening MEQ type had burn-out (66%) compared with morning MEQ type (55%), however, the results were not statically significant (p=0.294). Overall satisfaction with work shifts was 6.5 (95% CI 6.3 to 6.7), with higher satisfaction with day shift 7.7 (95% CI 7.5 to 7.9) and lowest satisfaction with overnight 24-hour call 3.5 (95% CI 3.2 to 3.9). Satisfaction was lower in trainees with burn-out 6.0 (95% CI 5.7 to 6.4), (p<0.001). In the follow-up survey, burn-out was present in at least one scale in 64% compared with 60% of respondents in the initial survey. Conclusion Burn-out is prevalent among medical trainees. Improving alignment between trainee preferences may improve performance, reduce human errors and burn-out.
Insecure Attachment and Sexual Satisfaction: A Path Analysis Model Integrating Sexual Mindfulness, Sexual Anxiety, and Sexual Self-Esteem

Abstract This study examines the intermediary role of three variables (sexual mindfulness, sexual anxiety, and sexual self-esteem) in a path analysis model to explain the association between insecure attachment and sexual satisfaction. A community sample of 543 adults completed an online survey. Results supported our hypothesized integrative model, which explained 44.1% of the variance in sexual satisfaction and presented satisfactory fit indices. This study suggests that the association between attachment insecurities and lower sexual satisfaction could be partially explained by a proximal association with lower sexual mindfulness, which emphasizes the relevance of examining sexual mindfulness during the screening and treatment of people presenting low sexual satisfaction. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2021. 2011808 .
Discordance between estimated and measured changes in plasma volume among patients with acute heart failure

In acute heart failure (AHF), changes of venous haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations, haematocrit (Hct), and estimated plasma volume (ePV) have been proposed as surrogates of decongestion. These estimates are based on the theoretical assumptions that changes of Hb concentrations and Hct are driven by the intravascular volume status and that the intravascular Hb pool remains stable. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship of changes of measured plasma volume (mPV) with changes of Hb, Hct, and ePV in AHF.
Glycosylation of ALV-J Envelope Protein at Sites 17 and 193 Is Pivotal in the Virus Infection

ALV-J is a retrovirus that can cause multiple types of tumors in chickens. Among all the viral proteins, the heavily glycosylated envelope protein is especially crucial. ABSTRACT Glycans on envelope glycoprotein (Env) of the subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) play an essential role in the virion integrity and infection process. In this study, we found that, among the 13 predicted N-linked glycosylation sites (NGSs) in gp85 of Tibetan chicken strain TBC-J6, N17, and N193/N191 are pivotal for virus replication. Further research illustrated that a mutation at N193 weakened Env-receptor binding in a blocking assay of the viral entrance, coimmunoprecipitation, and ELISA. Our studies also showed that N17 was involved in Env protein processing and later virion incorporation based on the detection of p27 and Env protein in the supernatant and gp37 in the cell culture. This report is systematic research on clarifying the biological function of NGSs on ALV-J gp85, which would provide valuable insight into the role of gp85 in the ALV life cycle and anti-ALV-J strategies. IMPORTANCE ALV-J is a retrovirus that can cause multiple types of tumors in chickens. Among all the viral proteins, the heavily glycosylated envelope protein is especially crucial. Glycosylation plays a major role in Env protein function, including protein processing, receptor attachment, and immune evasion. Notably, viruses isolated recently seem to lose their 6th and 11th NGS, which proved to be important in receptor binding. In our study, the 1st (N17) and 8th (N193) NGS of gp85 of the strain TBC-J6 can largely influence the titer of this virus. Deglycosylation at N193 weakened Env-receptor binding while mutation at N17 influenced Env protein processing. This study systemically analyzed the function of NGSs in ALV-J in different aspects, which may help us to understand the life cycle of ALV-J and provide antiviral targets for the control of ALV-J.
A Tool for Integrating Time, Cost and Quality Perspectives in Probability Impact (P-I) Tables

One widely documented tool for project risk analysis is the Probability-Impact (P-I) Table, which assesses the probability of occurrence of a risky event and its likely impact on the project objectives, which are typically articulated in terms of cost, time and quality. Whilst there are numerous adaptations of the P-I Table, they are all consistent in treating the project objectives as independent and unrelated variables. This is a major limitation of the tool and reduces the P-I Table’s practical applicability, as in most project contexts the probabilities and impacts of a risky event on the project objectives will be inter-related. To address this limitation, this paper presents a new tool that uses vector theory to enable a single calculation of the overall probability and impact, incorporating the perspective of all three objectives. The tool is illustrated through a practical application to a real case construction project.
Tumor Properties Mediate the Relationship between Peripheral Blood Monocytes and Tumor-Associated Macrophages in Breast Cancer

Abstract In cancer patients, circulating monocytes show functional alterations. Since monocytes are precursors of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), TAMs ensuring tumor viability are potentially replenished through the recruitment of monocytes with specific properties. We demonstrated that locoregional metastasis and circulating factors, such as CD45-EpCAM + CD44 + CD24-/low circulating tumor cells, and serum MCP-1 and HMGB1 were statistically associated with modulation of the monocyte features in breast cancer patients. The count of circulating CD45-EpCAM + cells correlated with CD68+, CD163 + monocyte in blood, and with density of CD68 + TAM in breast cancer tumors. Overall, the relationship between monocytes and TAMs is mediated by the tumor in breast cancer patients.
Public Opinion About #MeToo Victims and Offenders: A Nationwide Experiment

During the #MeToo movement, many sexual assault survivors are discredited because of their delay in disclosure or failure to report to the police. The current study investigates which factors influence public opinion towards sexual assault victims and offenders by analyzing data from a national factorial survey. Results show disclosing the offense immediately to the public, reporting to the police, and having a witness are positively related to punitive attitudes towards the offender, via increased perceived credibility of the victim. The results highlight the importance of understanding extralegal factors in shaping stereotypic views about sexual assault in the #MeToo era.
Are sexual health survey items understood as intended by African and Asian migrants to Australia? Methods, results and recommendations for qualitative pretesting

Introduction More research and policy action are needed to improve migrant health in areas such as sexual health and blood-borne viruses (SHBBV). While Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Surveys (KAPS) can inform planning, there are no SHBBV KAPS suitable for use across culturally and linguistically diverse contexts. This study pretests one instrument among people born in Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East and North-East Asia living in Australia. Methods Employees of multicultural organisations were trained to collect data over three rounds using a hybrid qualitative pretesting method. Two researchers independently coded data. Researchers made revisions to survey items after each round. Responses to feedback questions in the final survey were analysed. Results Sixty-two participants pretested the survey. Issues were identified in all three rounds of pretesting. Of the 77 final survey respondents who responded to a survey experience question, 21% agreed and 3% strongly agreed with the statement ‘I found it hard to understand some questions/words’. Conclusion It is essential to pretest SHBBV surveys in migrant contexts. We offer the following pretesting guidance: (1) large samples are needed in heterogeneous populations; (2) intersectionality must be considered; (3) it may be necessary to pretest English language surveys in the participants’ first language; (4) bilingual/bicultural workers must be adequately trained to collect data; (5) results need to be interpreted in the context of other factors, including ethics and research aims; and (6) pretesting should occur over multiple rounds.
Comparison of abnormalities in the sequence of growth stages in the skeletal maturity index vs cervical vertebral maturation: A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the frequency of abnormal progression that could ultimately affect the reliability of the skeletal maturity index (SMI) and the cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method that are most commonly used analyses for skeletal age assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective design was used to compare 299 hand-wrist radiographs with 299 lateral skull radiographs regarding the number of abnormalities in the proposed sequence of maturation in the SMI and CVM methods. RESULTS A significantly greater number of abnormalities occurred in the sequence of CVM progression compared with SMI (P < .001). Sex and age did not have an effect. CONCLUSIONS Skeletal age assessment based on SMI is more accurate than CVM regarding the progressive sequence of stages.