Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Call Center Arrivals: When to Jointly Forecast Multiple Streams?

We consider call centers that have multiple (potentially inter‐dependent) demand arrival streams. Workforce management of such labor intensive service systems starts with forecasting future arrival demand. We investigate the question of whether and when to jointly forecast future arrivals of the multiple streams. We first develop a general statistical model to simultaneously forecast multi‐stream arrival rates. The model takes into account three types of inter‐stream dependence. We then show with analytical and simulation studies how the forecasting benefits of the multi‐stream forecasting model vary by the type, direction, and strength of inter‐stream dependence. In particular, we find that it is beneficial to simultaneously forecast multi‐stream arrivals (instead of separately forecasting each stream), when there exists inter‐stream lag dependence among daily arrival rates. Empirical studies, using two real call center datasets further demonstrate our findings, and provide operational insights into how one chooses forecasting models for multi‐stream arrivals.
Education and Economic Growth in NER States of India: A Panel Cointegration Analysis

The main purpose of this study is examines the long run relationship between social expenditures and economic growth in North-Eastern states of India. The long run impact of expenditures in social sector such as education, health and social welfare on economic growth is investigated by applying the Pedroniâ€™s panel Cointegration using balanced panel data analysis of eight (8) North Eastern states over the period from 2000 to 2014. In this study empirical analysis suggest the existence of dynamic relationship among expenditures on education, health and social welfare and economic growth for all cases of eight sample states. The study concludes that expenditures in the social sector can affect economic growth. Such social expenditures enhance productivity by providing infrastructure, education, health and harmonizing social interests. Thus, expenditure composition can also play an important role in promoting economic growth in North-Eastern region.
Kinase pathway database: an integrated protein-kinase and NLP-based protein-interaction resource.

Protein kinases play a crucial role in the regulation of cellular functions. Various kinds of information about these molecules are important for understanding signaling pathways and organism characteristics. We have developed the Kinase Pathway Database, an integrated database involving major completely sequenced eukaryotes. It contains the classification of protein kinases and their functional conservation, ortholog tables among species, protein-protein, protein-gene, and protein-compound interaction data, domain information, and structural information. It also provides an automatic pathway graphic image interface. The protein, gene, and compound interactions are automatically extracted from abstracts for all genes and proteins by natural-language processing (NLP). The method of automatic extraction uses phrase patterns and the GENA protein, gene, and compound name dictionary, which was developed by our group. With this database, pathways are easily compared among species using data with more than 47,000 protein interactions and protein kinase ortholog tables. The database is available for querying and browsing at http://kinasedb.ontology. ims.u-tokyo.ac. jp/.
Multidimensional Interests in Horizontal Intergovernmental Coordination: The Case of the German Bundesrat

In the German Bundesrat, an arena of horizontal intergovernmental relations, sixteen Lander governments composed of approximately 170 governmental departments coordinate and negotiate their positions on federal motions. This article analyzes the coordination process and argues that the interests that the actors pursue, as well as the coordination strategies stemming from these interests, are less clear-cut than commonly assumed. Based on a novel network dataset collected by the author, evidence is found for sectoral, political party, and territorial coordination strategies. The main findings are first, that political party coordination in Germany is more frequent than territorial coordination but performs a structuring instead of a substantial function during the coordination process. Second, sectoral coordination mainly takes place at an early stage of the coordination process and is able to solve a bulk of coordination problems by drawing on expert knowledge.
Hierarchy, Precedence and Values: Scopes for social action in Ngadhaland, Central Flores

While anthropologists have been alerted to the regimented and thwarted research which a strict adherence to regionally developed ‘gatekeeping concepts’ (Appadurai 1986) may effect, it is neither necessarily more productive nor less hazardous to export/import such concepts across regions. As a case in point, James Fox has remarked (1989:51–53, 1994) that there are inherent difficulties in applying Dumont’s concept of hierarchy (1980) to societies of eastern Indonesia. These do not have the encompassing religious coherence that Dumont has attributed to India; for this reason, hierarchy cannot be described as a single principle nor identified with a specific opposition, such as pure and impure. In Eastern Indonesia there are a variety of contending oppositions that are of considerable importance to the definition of hierarchy and it is not one opposition but the interplay among various oppositions that gives rank to elements of a whole in the relation to the whole (Fox 1989:51).
Qualitative confirmation of 9 synthetic cannabinoids and 20 metabolites in human urine using LC-MS/MS and library search.

INTRODUCTION Synthetic cannabinoids are an emerging illicit drug class. The variety of available substances is large and ever-changing, making it difficult for laboratories to remain current. We present a qualitative LC-MS/MS method identifying urinary metabolites of JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-081, JWH-122, JWH-200, JWH-210, JWH-250, RCS-4, and AM2201 and the parent compounds JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-081, JWH-122, JWH-210, JWH-250, RCS-4, AM2201, and MAM2201. METHODS After enzymatic hydrolysis, urinary proteins were precipitated with acetonitrile. Chromatography utilized a 10 min gradient on a Kinetex XB-C18 column with 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile. Scheduled multiple reaction monitoring "survey scans" were followed by information-dependent acquisition-enhanced product ion scan experiments on an ABSciex 5500 QTRAP mass spectrometer. Analytes were identified by software-assisted library searching against reference spectra. RESULTS The method was fully validated, including proof of selectivity (no exogenous or endogenous interferences were observed), assessment of matrix effects (95-122%) and recovery (53-95%), determination of limits of detection (0.5-10 ng/mL), carry-over studies (thresholds between 100 and 1000 ng/mL), and determination of autosampler stability (samples were stable for at least 3 days). Hydrolysis efficiency was thoroughly investigated for a wide range of glucuronides and for the reference standard, JWH-018 5-hydroxypentyl glucuronide.
Improving Reliability and Accuracy of Vibration Parameters of Vocal Folds Based on High-Speed Video and Electroglottography

Quantified vibration parameters of vocal folds, including parameters directly extracted from high-speed video (HSV) and electroglottography (EGG), and inverse parameters based on models, can accurately describe the mechanism of phonation and also classify the abnormal in clinics. In order to improve the reliability and accuracy of these parameters, this paper provides a method based on an integrated recording system. This system includes two parts: HSV and EGG, which can record vibration information of vocal folds simultaneously. An image processing approach that bases on Zernike moments operator and an improved level set algorithm is proposed to detect glottal edges at subpixel-level aiming at image series recorded by HSV. An approach is also introduced for EGG data to extract three kinds of characteristic points for special vibration instants. Finally, inverse parameters of vocal folds can be optimized by a genetic algorithm based on the experimental vibration behaviors synthesized with these parameters and the simulations of a two-mass model. The results of a normal phonation experiment indicate that the parameters extracted by this method are more accurate and reliable than those extracted by general methods, which were only on the basis of HSV data and with pixel-level processing approaches in former studies.
Memory Alloreactive B Cells and Alloantibodies Prevent Anti-CD154-Mediated Allograft Acceptance1

The impact of memory B cells and alloantibodies on the ability to induce transplantation tolerance has not been elucidated. We have developed a murine heart transplant model that isolates the contributions of functional memory B cells from memory T cells in allograft rejection. Memory 3-83 B cells with dual specificity for H-2Kk and H-2Kb were generated in 3-83 Igi BCR knockin (BALB/c background) mice by the transplantation of C3H (H-2Kk) hearts in the absence of immunosuppression. To test the effect of functional memory 3-83 B cells, C3H-primed 3-83 Igi recipients were challenged with C57BL/6 hearts (H-2Kb) at 60–90 days post-C3H heart transplant and treated with anti-CD154 mAbs. Despite immunosuppression, the C57BL/6 hearts were acutely rejected within 10–13 days and graft rejection was associated with increased frequencies of C57BL/6-specific IFN-γ-producing T cells. Histology revealed significant numbers of infiltrating T cells, consistent with acute T cell-mediated rejection. The resistance to tolerance induction was dependent on the synergistic effects of memory 3-83 B cells and alloantibodies, whereas memory T cells are not necessary. We conclude that the combined effects of functional memory B cells and alloantibodies prevent anti-CD154-mediated graft acceptance by facilitating the CD40-CD154-independent activation of alloreactive T cells. This study provides insight into the potential ability of memory B cells and alloantibodies to prevent anti-CD154-mediated graft acceptance.
Effect of steam-flaked sorghum grain density on performance, mill production rate, and subacute acidosis in feedlot steers.

Two trials were conducted to determine the effects of steam-flaked sorghum grain bulk density on animal performance, cost of production, and propensity to induce ruminal acidosis in feedlot steers. In Trial 1, 336 yearling steers (343 kg; SEM = .346) were fed diets for 125 d that contained sorghum grain (82.5%, DM basis) flaked to . 283 (L), . 322 (M), or . 361 (H) kg/L (i.e., 22, 25, and 28 lb/bu). Steers fed L consumed 3.2% less DM than those fed H (linear, P < .05), resulting in 6.9% lower ADG (linear, P = .02) and 3.6% lower gain efficiency (linear, P < .15). Sorghum grain flaked to M and L had 16 and 46% greater starch gelatinization than H (measured using differential scanning calorimetry; linear, P = .002). Dressing percentage increased linearly (P < .05) with increasing flake density, but no other carcass measurements were affected by treatment. Increasing flake density increased mill production rate linearly (P < .01), resulting in the lowest energy usage per unit of flaked grain for the H treatment. Trial 2 was an acidosis challenge study that incorporated six ruminally cannulated steers (422 kg; SEM = .129) into a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square experiment. Reducing flake density resulted in linear reductions in ruminal pH following intake challenge at 3, 33, and 36 h after the d-12 challenge (P < .05). There was a linear increase in the area between the pH vs time curve and a line at pH 5.5 (P < .01) and 5.0 (P = .09) with decreasing flake density (28.0, 25.2, and 18.2 pH-hours below 5.5 and 9.6, 7.3, and 3.9 pH-hours below 5.0 for L, M, and H, respectively). Cattle consuming L also tended to have higher VFA concentrations (mM) at 36 h after challenge (P = .12). There was no significant treatment effect on ruminal lactate. Flaking sorghum grain to . 283 and . 322 kg/L resulted in reduced intake and poorer animal performance compared with . 361 kg/L (58.7% starch gelatinization), higher susceptibility to subacute acidosis, and higher costs of production.
Lysozyme and Lipid Deposition on Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lens Materials

Purpose. We sought to determine whether there were differences in lysozyme (quantity and conformation) and lipid deposition on in vivo worn conventional (etafilcon) and silicone hydrogel (balafilcon and lotrafilcon) contact lenses. Methods. After extraction, lysozyme concentration in each extract was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting. Lysozyme activity was determined by the rate of lysis of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells. Lipid deposition was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results. Lysozyme deposition on etafilcon lenses was significantly greater than that measured on silicone hydrogel (SH) lenses (985 &mgr;g per lens versus 10 and 3 &mgr;g per lens for balafilcon and lotrafilcon materials, respectively;P <0.001). The degree to which lysozyme was denatured was influenced by the lens material, with the lowest degree of denaturation (22%) seen on the conventional lens material, as compared with 50% for balafilcon and 80% for lotrafilcon (P <0.001). Lipid deposition was greatest on the SH materials, with up to 600 &mgr;g per lens of certain lipid classes being deposited on balafilcon, as compared with 20 &mgr;g per lens on etafilcon (P <0.001). Conclusion. The quantity and conformation of lysozyme and the quantity of lipid deposited on hydrogel contact lenses is significantly influenced by the composition of the lens material. SH contact lens materials deposit low levels of lysozyme and high levels of lipid deposition compared with ionic contact lens materials. Although SH materials deposit only small amounts of lysozyme, the degree of lysozyme denaturation that occurs is higher relative to that seen on ionic lens materials.
Mirtazapine for Treatment of Depression and Comorbidities in Alzheimer Disease

BACKGROUND: Depression in patients with Alzheimer disease is a treatable cause of functional decline, caregiver burden, and mortality. It is often associated with severe weight loss, insomnia, and anxiety. These symptoms independently and collaboratively further worsen the prognosis of these vulnerable patients. An antidepressant medication with good adverse effect profile and salutary effects on these comorbid symptoms may be of significant therapeutic value in these patients. OBJECTIVE: To describe the role of mirtazapine in the treatment of depressed Alzheimer patients with comorbid weight loss, insomnia, and anxiety. CASE SUMMARY: Three patients with dementia and depression complicated by weight loss, insomnia, and anxiety were treated with mirtazapine at an outpatient memory loss clinic of a university hospital. DISCUSSION: Despite the persistence of memory loss, the patients experienced a prompt and sustained response to mirtazapine. There was a complete remission of poor appetite, weight loss, sleep disturbances, and anxiety. Other depression symptoms, including sad mood, anhedonia, and energy level, were also substantially improved. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical response of our patients underscores the usefulness of mirtazapine in the treatment of the comorbid symptoms of weight loss, insomnia, and anxiety. The effectiveness of mirtazapine in depressed Alzheimer patients may be a reflection of its enhancement of brain serotonergic and noradrenergic neurotransmission. The usefulness of mirtazapine in depressed Alzheimer patients merits further study in a large randomized, controlled, clinically comparative trial.
Finite element modelling of maxillofacial surgery and facial expressions—a preliminary study

Recent advances in diagnostic imaging and associated software have enabled the transformation of anatomical structures into finite element (FE) models facilitating computerized facial modelling. The work presented employs personalized imaging data of facial anatomical structures for use in planning and predicting the outcome of maxillofacial surgery. The current process relies on either freehand planning and/or commercial two‐dimensional (2D) and three‐dimensional (3D) surgical planning software packages, but the validity of these software packages has been questioned. In this paper, the finite element technique was used to predict the outcome of maxillofacial surgery.
Multimodal approach to image perception of histology for the blind or visually impaired

Currently there is no suitable substitute technology to enable blind or visually impaired people (BVI) to interpret visual scientific data commonly generated during lab experimentation in real time, such as performing light microscopy, spectrometry, and observing chemical reactions. This reliance upon visual interpretation of scientific data certainly impedes BVIs from advancing in careers in medicine, biology and chemistry. To address this challenge, a real-time multimodal image perception system is developed to transform the standard lab blood smear image for persons with BVI to perceive, employing a combination of auditory, haptic, and vibrotactile feedbacks. These sensory feedbacks are used to convey visual information in appropriate perceptual channels, thus creating a palette of multimodal, sensorial information. A Bayesian network is developed to characterize images through two groups of features of interest: primary and peripheral features. Then, a method is conceived for optimal matching between primary features and sensory modalities. Experimental results confirmed this real-time approach of higher accuracy in recognizing and analyzing objects within images compared to tactile papers.
Attention searches nonuniformly in space and in time

Significance Visual search is one of the primary tools to study attention in experimental psychology, yet the spatiotemporal behavior of attention during search remains controversial: Does attention focus on one item at a time or several, or even all, items? We used an innovative methodology that relies on simple yet elegant mathematical reasoning and only assumes (like most other attentional studies) that attentional strength is reflected in behavioral performance. We provide evidence against a strict parallel model in space and for an attentional periodicity in time: Attention during a difficult search task was nonuniformly allocated both in space, focusing on one stimulus or subgroup of stimuli at a time, and in time, with this deployment being periodically modulated at ∼7 Hz. Difficult search tasks are known to involve attentional resources, but the spatiotemporal behavior of attention remains unknown. Are multiple search targets processed in sequence or in parallel? We developed an innovative methodology to solve this notoriously difficult problem. Observers performed a difficult search task during which two probes were flashed at varying delays. Performance in reporting probes at each location was considered a measure of attentional deployment. By solving a second-degree equation, we determined the probability of probe report at the most and least attended probe locations on each trial. Because these values differed significantly, we conclude that attention was focused on one stimulus or subgroup of stimuli at a time, and not divided uniformly among all search stimuli. Furthermore, this deployment was modulated periodically over time at ∼7 Hz. These results provide evidence for a nonuniform spatiotemporal deployment of attention during difficult search.
Applying Behavioral Economics to Energy Efficiency in Production

The efficient use of energy in production processes is one of the key challenges the industrial sector faces in the 21st century. So far, worker potential to reduce energy consumption in production are often either underestimated or not taken into account. Therefore, this thesis examines empirically selected measures and approaches from the field of behavioral economics, namely feedback, training and education, goal setting, and social incentives, to incorporate worker potential to increase energy efficiency in production processes.
Successful Efavirenz Dose Reduction Guided by Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Background There are potential benefits to individualizing dosage in patients treated with efavirenz (EFV). We tested a simplified algorithm based on a Bayesian pharmacokinetic approach for guiding dose reduction in patients with EFV concentrations above the 75th percentile (P75) with documented virological efficacy. Methods We designed a prospective, open-label, multi-centre study. All consenting participants with EFV concentrations above P75 on standard dosage were included in a dose-reduction cycle. Primary end point was the number of patients who reached plasma concentrations within target (1,000–4,000 ng/ml) after, at most, two cycles of dose reduction at 3 and 6 months. CYP2B6 genetic characterization was performed. Results Seventy-two patients were screened and 13 ful-filled selection criteria. These patients, with undetectable viraemia on a stable 600 mg EFV-based regimen, had a median (interquartile range) EFV plasma level of 8,112 ng/ml (5,993–10,278) at baseline; 38% (between P75 and P95) qualified for a 400 mg EFV dose, and 62% (above P95) qualified for a 200 mg EFV dose. After one to two dose-reduction cycles, all patients reached targets for EFV plasma concentration at 24 weeks. The predictive dose reduction based on genetic profile differed from dose reduction according to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in three patients. All patients maintained viral suppression at 6 months. Conclusions A standardized TDM-guided EFV dose-reduction strategy over a 24-week period was successful, safe and yielded EFV plasma concentrations within the recommended therapeutic range. In addition to improving neuropsychiatric tolerability, EFV dose reduction has the potential to substantially decrease treatment cost.
Calcium and calcium‐activated currents in vagotomized rat primary vagal afferent neurons

Adult inferior vagal ganglion neurons (nodose ganglion neurons, NGNs) were acutely isolated 4–6 days after section of their peripheral axons (vagotomy) and examined with the whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique. A subset (∼25 %) of vagotomized NGNs displayed depolarizing after‐potentials (DAPs), not present in control NGNs. DAPs were inhibited by niflumic acid (125 μm) or cadmium (100 μm), and had a reversal potential near ECl, indicating that they were due to Ca2+‐activated chloride current (ICl(Ca)). N‐type, L‐type, T‐/R‐ and other types of voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channels provided about 43, 2, 16 and 40 % of the trigger Ca2+ for DAP generation, respectively. Intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was estimated using fura‐2 fluorescence. Resting [Ca2+]i and peak [Ca2+]i elevation induced by activating Ca2+‐induced Ca2+ release (CICR) stores with 10 mm caffeine were not significantly different among control NGNs, vagotomized NGNs with DAPs and vagotomized NGNs without DAPs, averaging 54 ± 7.9 (n= 19; P= 0.49) and 2022 ± 1059 nm (n= 19; P= 0.44), respectively. Blocking CICR with 10 μm ryanodine reduced DAP amplitude by ∼37 %. Ca2+ influx induced by action potential waveforms was increased by over 250 % in vagotomized NGNs with DAPs (19.0 ± 2.1 pC) compared to control NGNs (5.0 ± 0.8 pC) or vagotomized NGNs without DAPs (7.0 ± 0.8 pC). L‐type, N‐type, T‐/R‐type and other types of Ca2+ influx were increased proportionately in vagotomized NGNs with DAPs. In conclusion, a subset of vagotomized NGNs have increased Ca2+ currents and express ICl(Ca). These NGNs respond electrically to increases in [Ca2+]i during regeneration.