Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of archiving methods in multi-objectiveparticle swarm optimization (MOPSO): empirical study

Over past few years, several successful proposals for handling multi-objective optimization tasks using particle swarm optimization (PSO) have been made, such methods are popularly known as Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO). Many of these methods have focused on improving characteristics like convergence, diversity and computational times by proposing effective 'archiving' and 'guide selection' techniques. What has still been lacking is an empirical study of these proposals in a common frame-work. In this paper, an attempt to analyze these methods has been made; discussing their strengths and weaknesses. Combined effect of 'guide selection' and 'archiving' is also understood, and it turns out that there exist certain combinations which perform better in terms of convergence, or diversity, or computational times. Finally a new hybrid proposal, by coupling-dominance with Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) search, has been made to achieve faster and accurate convergence.
Alpha-Blocker Treatment Response in Men With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Based on Sympathetic Activity: Prospective, Multicenter, Open-Labeled, Observational Study

Purpose: In this study, we compared the treatment outcomes for an α-blocker between 2 groups of men, one with high sympathetic activity (HSA) and another with low sympathetic activity (LSA) or normal sympathetic activity. Methods: A total of 159 men (≥50 years of age) with lower urinary tract symptoms resulting from benign prostatic hyperplasia were analyzed. We assigned patients to groups according to their sympathetic activity, which was evaluated by heart ratevariability measurements. HSA was defined as a low frequency/high frequency ratio greater than 1.6. All patients received 10mg of alfuzosin once a day for 12 weeks. The primary end point was a change in the total International Prostate SymptomScore (IPSS) at 12 weeks from baseline. Results: Sixty-seven men were assigned to the HSA group and 92 men were assigned to the LSA group. The baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the 2 groups, and the response to alfuzosin was good in both groups. Themean total IPSS change was not different between the groups. Both groups were not significantly different with respect to the changes in maximal flow rate, IPSS voiding or storage symptom subscores, quality of life, and rates of adverse drug events. TheHSA group showed a similar willingness to continue treatment compared to the LSA group, although their treatment satisfaction rating was lower. Conclusions: The therapeutic effects of alfuzosin did not differ in regards to the differences in sympathetic activity, but treatment satisfaction ratings were lower in the HSA group.
Geography and Style in Private Equity Contracting: Evidence from the U.S. Venture Capital Market

This paper presents novel evidence that a geographically based style matters for the design of financial contracts, in addition to more traditional ingredients. We analyze cash flow contingencies included in 1,804 private equity contracts between U.S. venture capitalists (VCs) and U.S. startup companies. These contingencies affect both pricing and incentives. We document a pronounced “California effect”, namely, that California based entrepreneurs receive less harsh contract terms. We find a similar effect if the VC is located in California, or if a non-California VC had a large exposure to the California market. We further show that contracts are less harsh if the geographical distance between the VC and the company is shorter, which supports the view that geographical proximity can lower monitoring costs. However, the “California effect” remains large and significant even after we control for distance and other factors. Our findings cannot be explained by differences in state laws, bankruptcy and tax regimes, or by VCs substituting less harsh cash flow contingencies for harsher control rights or for more performance-based CEO compensation. In fact, California contracts are more entrepreneur-friendly in all these dimensions.
Visual Question: Predicting If a Crowd Will Agree on the Answer

Visual question answering (VQA) systems are emerging from a desire to empower users to ask any natural language question about visual content and receive a valid answer in response. However, close examination of the VQA problem reveals an unavoidable, entangled problem that multiple humans may or may not always agree on a single answer to a visual question. We train a model to automatically predict from a visual question whether a crowd would agree on a single answer. We then propose how to exploit this system in a novel application to efficiently allocate human effort to collect answers to visual questions. Specifically, we propose a crowdsourcing system that automatically solicits fewer human responses when answer agreement is expected and more human responses when answer disagreement is expected. Our system improves upon existing crowdsourcing systems, typically eliminating at least 20% of human effort with no loss to the information collected from the crowd.
Activation of the prolyl-hydroxylase oxygen-sensing signal cascade leads to AMPK activation in cardiomyocytes

The proline hydroxylase domain‐containing enzymes (PHD) act as cellular oxygen sensors and initiate a hypoxic signal cascade to induce a range of cellular responses to hypoxia especially in the aspect of energy and metabolic homeostasis regulation. AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) is recognized as a major energetic sensor and regulator of cardiac metabolism. However, the effect of PHD signal on AMPK has never been studied before. A PHD inhibitor (PHI), dimethyloxalylglycine and PHD2‐specific RNA interference (RNAi) have been used to activate PHD signalling in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Both PHI and PHD2‐RNAi activated AMPK pathway in cardiomyocytes effectively. In addition, the increased glucose uptake during normoxia and enhanced myocyte viability during hypoxia induced by PHI pretreatment were abrogated substantially upon AMPK inhibition with an adenoviral vector expressing a dominant negative mutant of AMPK‐α1. Furthermore, chelation of intracellular Ca2+ by BAPTA, inhibition of calmodulin‐dependent kinase kinase (CaMKK) with STO‐609, or RNAi‐mediated down‐regulation of CaMKK α inhibited PHI‐induced AMPK activation significantly. In contrast, down‐regulation of LKB1 with adenoviruses expressing the dominant negative form did not affect PHI‐induced AMPK activation. We establish for the first time that activation of PHD signal cascade can activate AMPK pathway mainly through a Ca2+/CaMKK‐dependent mechanism in cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, activation of AMPK plays an essential role in hypoxic protective responses induced by PHI.
Modeling TSV open defects in 3D-stacked DRAM

Three-dimensional (3D) stacking using through silicon vias (TSVs) is a promising solution to provide low-latency and high-bandwidth DRAM access from microprocessors. The large number of TSVs implemented in 3D DRAM circuits, however, are prone to open defects and coupling noises, leading to new test challenges. Through extensive simulation studies, this paper models the faulty behavior of TSV open defects occurred on the wordlines and the bitlines of 3D DRAM circuits, which serves as the first step for efficient and effective test and diagnosis solutions for such defects.
High-fidelity compression of extracellular recordings from motor cortex

In invasive brain-machine interfaces (BMI), the recorded high-quality neural signals produce a large data volume. This calls for effective compression. In this paper, we focus on extracellular recording of motor cortex. First the characteristics of the signals are studied, one of which is that peaks of DCT coefficients at high frequency may correspond to spike firing patterns. Based on these characteristics, we propose a high-fidelity compression framework for these signals. The DCT coefficients of the signal are divided into two parts according to amplitude, rather than frequency. The Low-Amplitude-Component (LAC) is encoded by a phase called Symbol Encoding, which helps to reduce overall distortion. The High-Amplitude-Component (HAC), containing major information and spikes, is encoded by another phase called Hybrid Encoding. It combines the Huffman encoding and a novel Zero-Length-Encoding. Experiments show that the algorithm achieves a compression ratio of 18% without obvious distortion. Moreover, spikes are reserved more than 92%, outperforming existing work. Our algorithm enables low-cost storage devices to store long-time neural signals.
Anticardiolipin antibodies in the sera of patients with diagnosed chronic fatigue syndrome

Examination of anticardiolipin antibodies (ACAs) in the sera of patients clinically diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) using an enzyme‐linked immunoassay procedure demonstrated the presence of immunoglobulin M isotypes in 95% of CFS serum samples tested. The presence of immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A isotypes were also detected in a subset of the samples. Future studies will focus on elucidating whether alterations to mitochondrial inner membranes and/or metabolic functions play a possible role in the expression of ACAs. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 23:210–212, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mapping neurotransmitter networks with PET: An example on serotonin and opioid systems

All functions of the human brain are consequences of altered activity of specific neural pathways and neurotransmitter systems. Although the knowledge of “system level” connectivity in the brain is increasing rapidly, we lack “molecular level” information on brain networks and connectivity patterns. We introduce novel voxel‐based positron emission tomography (PET) methods for studying internal neurotransmitter network structure and intercorrelations of different neurotransmitter systems in the human brain. We chose serotonin transporter and μ‐opioid receptor for this analysis because of their functional interaction at the cellular level and similar regional distribution in the brain. Twenty‐one healthy subjects underwent two consecutive PET scans using [11C]MADAM, a serotonin transporter tracer, and [11C]carfentanil, a μ‐opioid receptor tracer. First, voxel‐by‐voxel “intracorrelations” (hub and seed analyses) were used to study the internal structure of opioid and serotonin systems. Second, voxel‐level opioid–serotonin intercorrelations (between neurotransmitters) were computed. Regional μ‐opioid receptor binding potentials were uniformly correlated throughout the brain. However, our analyses revealed nonuniformity in the serotonin transporter intracorrelations and identified a highly connected local network (midbrain–striatum–thalamus–amygdala). Regionally specific intercorrelations between the opioid and serotonin tracers were found in anteromedial thalamus, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and left parietal cortex, i.e., in areas relevant for several neuropsychiatric disorders, especially affective disorders. This methodology enables in vivo mapping of connectivity patterns within and between neurotransmitter systems. Quantification of functional neurotransmitter balances may be a useful approach in etiological studies of neuropsychiatric disorders and also in drug development as a biomarker‐based rationale for targeted modulation of neurotransmitter networks. Hum Brain Mapp 35:1875–1884, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ACCRETION DISKS AROUND MASSIVE STARS: HYDRODYNAMIC STRUCTURE, STABILITY, AND DUST SUBLIMATION

We investigate the structure of accretion disks around massive protostar applying steady state models of thin disks. The thin disk equations are solved with proper opacities for dust and gas taking into account the huge temperature variation along the disk. We explore a wide parameter range concerning stellar mass, accretion rate, and viscosity parameter α. The most essential finding is a very high temperature of the inner disk. For e.g., a 10 M☉ protostar with an accretion rate of ∼10−4 M☉ yr−1, the disk midplane temperature may reach almost 105 K. The disk luminosity in this case is about 104 L☉ and, thus, potentially higher than that of a massive protostar. We motivate our disk model with similar hot disks around compact stars. We calculate a dust sublimation radius by turbulent disk self-heating of more than 10 AU, a radius, which is 3 times larger than that caused by stellar irradiation. We discuss implications of this result on the flashlight effect and the consequences for the radiation pressure of the central star. In deference to disks around low-mass protostars, our models suggest rather high values for the disk turbulence parameter α ⩽ 1. However, disk stability to fragmentation due to thermal effects and gravitational instability would require a lower α value. For α = 0.1, we find stable disks out to 80 AU. Essentially, our model allows us to compare the outer disk to some of the observed massive protostellar disk sources, and from that, extrapolate the disk structure close to the star which is yet impossible to observe.
Consensus and the Proportionality of Office Distribution in the European Parliament, 1994-2007

Consensus is embedded in the European Parliament. One of its forms is in the proportionality that applies between political groups in the distribution of office positions, such as Committee Chairman or Bureau members, that affect policy outcomes. Consensus has withstood successive institutional change and enlargement of Parliament’s membership in 2004. The paper links empirical evidence with theory to question the assumption that Parliament is internally competitive. Members of the European Parliament achieve outcomes they desire either by allying with elements in other institutions or challenging them convincingly. For this to be attained, the construction of multi-party consensus by sharing office across an oversized majority is indispensable.
Influence of Blood Lead Concentration on the Nerve Conduction Velocity in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

Diseases of the peripheral nervous system are the most prevalent in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although increased blood levels of lead in ESRD have been reported, the role of lead remains to be elucidated. The purpose of this study was to determine the connection of blood lead concentration with peripheral nerve conduction velocity. One hundred ninety-eight healthy subjects (control group) and 68 patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis (ESRD group) were enrolled. Nerve conduction was measured within two hours after hemodialysis. Orthodromic sensory nerve action potentials and compound muscle action potentials were recorded on the median, ulnar, and radial nerves. Hemoglobin-corrected blood lead was significantly higher in ESRD patients than in controls (9.1±2.8 µg/dL vs. 5.9±2.3 µg/dL, p<0.001). 32.4% of 68 ESRD patients with diabetes mellitus were significantly related to poorer motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity (p<0.001). However, blood lead was not a significant predictor of the nerve conduction velocity (p>0.05). Our result suggested that even though the blood lead levels were high in ESRD, they were not associated with the decline of peripheral nerve function. Diabetes mellitus is a primary independent risk of neuropathy in ESRD patients.
Behavioral Topic Modeling on Naturalistic Driving Data

Identifying risky driving behavior is of central importance for increasing tra c safety. This paper tackles the task of analyzing real (naturalistic) driving data captured by in-vehicle sensors using interpretable data science methods. In particular, we focus on symbolic timeseries abstraction and the subsequent behavioral profile identification using topic modeling approaches. For our experiments, we utilize a realworld dataset. Our results indicate interesting behavioral driving profiles including important patterns and factors for tra c safety modeling.
Light-Induced Changes in Fatty Acid Profiles of Specific Lipid Classes in Several Freshwater Phytoplankton Species

We tested the influence of two light intensities [40 and 300 μmol PAR / (m2s)] on the fatty acid composition of three distinct lipid classes in four freshwater phytoplankton species. We chose species of different taxonomic classes in order to detect potentially similar reaction characteristics that might also be present in natural phytoplankton communities. From samples of the bacillariophyte Asterionella formosa, the chrysophyte Chromulina sp. , the cryptophyte Cryptomonas ovata and the zygnematophyte Cosmarium botrytis we first separated glycolipids (monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol, and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol), phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, and phosphatidylserine) as well as non-polar lipids (triacylglycerols), before analyzing the fatty acid composition of each lipid class. High variation in the fatty acid composition existed among different species. Individual fatty acid compositions differed in their reaction to changing light intensities in the four species. Although no generalizations could be made for species across taxonomic classes, individual species showed clear but small responses in their ecologically-relevant omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in terms of proportions and of per tissue carbon quotas. Knowledge on how lipids like fatty acids change with environmental or culture conditions is of great interest in ecological food web studies, aquaculture, and biotechnology, since algal lipids are the most important sources of omega-3 long-chain PUFA for aquatic and terrestrial consumers, including humans.
Interannual Variability and Ensemble Forecast of Upper Blue Nile Basin Kiremt Season Precipitation

Abstract Ethiopian agriculture and Nile River flows are heavily dependent upon the Kiremt season (June–September) precipitation in the upper Blue Nile basin, as a means of rain-fed irrigation and streamflow contribution, respectively. Climate diagnostics suggest that the El Nino–Southern Oscillation phenomenon is a main driver of interannual variability of seasonal precipitation in the basin. One-season (March–May) lead predictors of the seasonal precipitation are identified from the large-scale ocean–atmosphere–land system, including sea level pressures, sea surface temperatures, geopotential height, air temperature, and the Palmer Drought Severity Index. A nonparametric approach based on local polynomial regression is proposed for generating ensemble forecasts. The method is data driven, easy to implement, and provides a flexible framework able to capture any arbitrary features (linear or nonlinear) present in the data, as compared to traditional linear regression. The best subset of predictors, as dete.
How Caching Queries at Client-peers Affects the Loads of Super-peer P2P Systems

Super-peer P2P systems strike a balance between searching efficiency in centralized P2P systems and the autonomy, load balancing and robustness provided by pure P2P systems. Super-peer is a node in the super-peer P2P system that maintains the central index for the information shared by a set of peers within the same cluster. The central index handles the searching request on behalf of the connecting set of peers and also passes on the request to neighboring super-peers in order to access additional indices and peers. In this paper, we study the behavior of query answering in super-peer P2P systems with the aim of understanding the issues and tradeoffs in designing a scalable super-peer system. We focus on where to post queries in order to retrieve the result and investigate the implications for four different architectures: caching queries and caching query results at the super-peer; caching the data location of previous queries; and an ordinary P2P system without any caching facilities. The paper discusses the tradeoffs parameters between architectures with respect to caching, highlights the effect of key parameter on system performance.
A model for ionic conduction in the ryanodine receptor channel of sheep cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

A model is developed for ionic conduction in the sheep cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptor channel based on Eyring rate theory. A simple scheme is proposed founded on single-ion occupancy and an energy profile with four barriers and three binding sites. The model is able to quantitatively predict a large number of conduction properties of the purified and native receptor with monovalent and divalent cations as permeant species. It suggests that discrimination between divalent and monovalent cations is due to a high affinity central binding site and a process that favors the passage of divalent cations between binding sites. Furthermore, differences in conductance among the group Ia cations and among the alkaline earths are largely explained by differing affinity at this putative central binding site.
Group-wise Sparse Correspondences between Images based on a Common Labelling Approach

Finding sparse correspondences between two images is a usual process needed for several higher-level computer vision tasks. For instance, in robot positioning, it is frequent to make use of images that the robot captures from their cameras to guide the localisation or reduce the intrinsic ambiguity of a specific localisation obtained by other methods. Nevertheless, obtaining good correspondence between two images with a high degree of dissimilarity is a complex task that may lead to important positioning errors. With the aim of increasing the accuracy with respect to the pair-wise image matching approaches, we present a new method to compute group-wise correspondences among a set of images. Thus, pair-wise errors are compensated and better correspondences between images are obtained. These correspondences can be used as a less-noisy input for the localisation process. Group-wise correspondences are computed by finding the common labelling of a set of salient points obtained from the images. Results show a clear increase in effectiveness with respect to methods that use only two images.
Target tracking and localization with ambiguous phase measurements of sensor networks

When tracking a target using phase-only signal returns, range ambiguities are a major issue. In this work, a look-up table between phase measurement space and target location space is constructed for phase measurement mapping. Solving such problems via solutions to Diophantine equations has been used to locate candidate locations. Here we show how such target location ambiguity can also be resolved over time when the underlying target is in motion and where issues of clutter are treated via a phase distribution discrimination method. That is, a probability density function of the ambiguous phase-only measurement that takes both sensor noise and target motion distributions into account is derived based on directional statistics. This approach to solving phase ambiguity under significant clutter conditions has promising results.