Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-Paced Co-training

Co-training is a well-known semi-supervised learning approach which trains classiﬁers on two different views and exchanges labels of unlabeled instances in an iterative way. During co-training process, labels of unlabeled instances in the training pool are very likely to be false especially in the initial training rounds, while the standard co-training algorithm utilizes a “draw without replacement” manner and does not remove these false labeled instances from training. This issue not only tends to degenerate its performance but also hampers its fundamental theory. Besides, there is no optimization model to explain what objective a co-training process optimizes. To these issues, in this study we design a new co-training algorithm named self-paced co-training (SPaCo) with a “draw with replacement” learning mode. The rationality of SPaCo can be proved under theoretical assumptions utilized in traditional co-training research, and furthermore, the algorithm exactly complies with the alternative optimization process for an optimization model of self-paced curriculum learning, which can be ﬁnely explained in robust learning manner. Experimental results substantiate the superiority of the proposed method as compared with current state-of-the-art co-training methods.
Effect of Soil-Water Separation Technique on the Estimation of Bacterial Adsorption onto Soil

Adsorption is one of the most significant processes in dictating the fate of bacteria and viruses in soils. Knowledge of adsorption characteristics is, therefore, essential for the prediction of the migration path of such microorganisms. These characteristics include the adsorption capacity, soil-microorganism partitioning coefficient, the state of equilibrium and the applicable isotherm. The techniques used for the determination of those characteristics may have an effect on the outcome in terms of the parameters involved. In this study, laboratory batch experiments using a tracer bacterium, nalidixic acid resistant Escherichia coli (E.coli NAR), were carried out to study the effect of three soil-water separation techniques on determining the adsorption characteristics of bacteria onto soil. The techniques used are: centrifugation, sedimentation and filtration. The procedure involved measurements of biotracer concentration in the soil solution before and after the soil-water separation. The filtration technique was found to have the most pronounced effect on the adsorption of E.coli NAR onto soil. On the other hand, separating soil and water using the sedimentation technique gave the smallest amount of biotracer adsorption.
Efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on refractory epilepsy in Malaysia

Background & Objective: Modulation of cortical excitability by low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has demonstrated therapeutic use in epilepsy. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of low-frequency rTMS on refractory epilepsy in a group of Malaysian subjects. Methods: Nine patients with refractory epilepsy completed the study. All patients received 10 sessions of 1Hz rTMS (1000 pulses per session) at 90% of resting motor threshold. Outcome measures included seizure frequency, Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI II) and Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31). Responders were defined as having ≥ 50% seizure reduction. Results: The mean age was 33.8 years (SD 11.7), with 4 male. Three patients had mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS); 4 with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) and two lesion-negative. Three patients achieved >50% seizure reduction at 8 weeks post-treatment, with 2 of them had improvement in the number of IED. All of the responders had FCD. The responders were younger (mean 24.7 vs. 38.3 years old), had shorter duration of illness (mean 15.7 vs. 30.5 years) and had less frequent seizure frequency prior to treatment (mean 5.5 vs. 10.8 attacks per week), as compared to the non-responders. Six patients had improvement in BDI-II scores, two in QOLIE-31 and four in SCL-90 post treatment, irrespective of seizure control. The mean scores in BDI-II improved significantly with treatment (p<0.01). Conclusion: rTMS is a potentially promising treatment for epilepsy, especially in those with FCD, younger age, shorter duration of illness and lower seizure frequency.
Blockchain technology and its effects on business models of global payment providers.

Because of its potentially disruptive influence on business models, blockchain technology has sparked interest in the payments industry. This paper aims to explore the effects of blockchain technology on business models of payment providers involved in cross-border payments. The results of the case studies indicate that blockchain technology offers a new model for cross-border payments and can facilitate the more efficient processing of payments, cutting out intermediaries out of the process and in turn lowering the costs of transactions significantly. As a result, blockchain technology allows the offering of new services and causes some of the current practices obsolete. This technological innovation impacts the current infrastructure in the payments industry and generates potential for new business models. Eventually, companies which leverage the potential of blockchain technology to a better extent will prevail. Blockchain technology has the potential to be a force of technological disruption but will require collaboration between innovators, incumbents and regulators, adding complexity and delaying implementation. These factors make the preparation of business model innovation promising but also troublesome. The findings contribute to theory by providing new insights about the impact of innovative technologies on business models and have further practical implications by its contribution to the understanding of the possible applications of blockchain technology for global payment providers, and in particular to its impact on the business models.
Magnetar Broadband X-Ray Spectra Correlated with Magnetic Fields: Suzaku Archive of SGRs and AXPs Combined with NuSTAR, Swift, and RXTE

The 1–70 keV persistent spectra of 15 magnetars, observed with Suzaku from 2006 to 2013, were studied as a complete sample. Combined with early NuSTAR observations of four hard X-ray emitters, nine objects showed a hard power-law emission dominating at keV with the 15–60 keV flux of ∼1– erg s−1 cm−2. The hard X-ray luminosity , relative to that of a soft-thermal surface radiation , tends to become higher toward younger and strongly magnetized objects. Their hardness ratio, updated from a previous study and defined as , is correlated with the measured spin-down rate as , corresponding to positive and negative correlations with the dipole field strength ( ) and the characteristic age ( ), respectively. Among our sample, five transients were observed during X-ray outbursts, and the results are compared with their long-term 1–10 keV flux decays monitored with Swift/XRT and RXTE/PCA. Fading curves of three bright outbursts are approximated by an empirical formula used in the seismology, showing a ∼10–40 day plateau phase. Transients show the maximum luminosities of ∼ 1035 erg s−1, which are comparable to those of persistently bright ones, and fade back to ≲1032 erg s−1. Spectral properties are discussed in the framework of the magnetar hypothesis.
Caffeine–N-phthaloyl-β-alanine (1/1)

The title co-crystal [systematic name: 3-(1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)propanoic acid–1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6(3H,7H)-dione (1/1)], C8H10N4O2·C11H9NO4, is the combination of 1:1 adduct of N-phthaloyl-β-alanine with caffeine. The phthalimide and purine rings in the N-phthaloyl-β-alanine and caffeine molecules are essentially planar, with r.m.s. deviations of the fitted atoms of 0.0078 and 0.0118 Å, respectively. In the crystal, the two molecules are linked via an O—H⋯N hydrogen bond involving the intact carboxylic acid (COOH) group. The crystal structure is consolidated by C—H⋯O interactions. The H atoms of a methyl group of the caffeine molecule are disordered over two sets of sites of equal occupancy.
Accuracy of the synchrophasor estimator provided by the interpolated DFT algorithm

The paper investigates the accuracy of the synchrophasor estimation provided by the Interpolated Discrete Fourier Transform (IpDFT) algorithm under both steady state and dynamic conditions. Dynamic performances of the proposed algorithm are evaluated using the test signals suggested for the M-class performance in the IEEE Standard C37.118. 1:2011 about synchrophasor measurements for power systems. In all the performed tests the achieved Total Vector Errors (TVEs) are always smaller than the related accuracy thresholds specified in the Standard.
Omeprazole does not interfere with the antiplatelet effect of low-dose aspirin in man.

BACKGROUND Experimental studies have shown that omeprazole and other anti-inflammatory agents compromise the therapeutic activity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin in rats. It is not known whether this effect will occur in humans. Our aim was to determine whether omeprazole affects the antiplatelet effects of low-dose aspirin in humans. METHODS Platelet lumiaggregation, skin bleeding time, plasma levels of aspirin and salicylic acid, and serum gastrin levels were determined in 14 healthy men before and after the ingestion of 125 mg aspirin with or without previous treatment with 20 mg/day of omeprazole for 4 days before testing. RESULTS Omeprazole increased serum gastrin levels from 64 (median; range, 52-91) pg/ml to 80.5 (median; range, 56-455) pg/ml (P < 0.05) but did not significantly affect the plasma concentration of aspirin or salicylic acid. Aspirin increased skin bleeding time in all subjects, and the increase was similar with and without previous omeprazole treatment. Aspirin inhibited platelet aggregation in response to both collagen and arachidonic acid regardless of omeprazole treatment. CONCLUSION A single dose of 20 mg omeprazole daily does not interfere with the biologic activity of 125 mg aspirin on platelets in humans.
Generation of HIV-1 derivatives that productively infect macaque monkey lymphoid cells

The narrow host range of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is caused in part by innate cellular factors such as apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G) and TRIM5α, which restrict virus replication in monkey cells. Variant HIV-1 molecular clones containing both a 21-nucleotide simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag CA element, corresponding to the HIV-1 cyclophilin A-binding site, and the entire SIV vif gene were constructed. Long-term passage in a cynomolgus monkey lymphoid cell line resulted in the acquisition of two nonsynonymous changes in env, which conferred improved replication properties. A proviral molecular clone, derived from infected cells and designated NL-DT5R, was used to generate virus stocks capable of establishing spreading infections in the cynomolgus monkey T cell line and CD8-depleted peripheral blood mononuclear cells from five of five pig-tailed macaques and one of three rhesus monkeys. NL-DT5R, which genetically is >93% HIV-1, provides the opportunity, not possible with currently available SIV/HIV chimeric viruses, to analyze the function of multiple HIV-1 genes in a broad range of nonhuman primate species.
Possible Quantum Mechanical Effect on Beam Echo

The echo effect in charged particle beams provides a link between macroscopic measurable beam parameters and microscopic phase space motion of the beam. Since quantum mechanics dictates a granularization of the phase space, it influences how the phase space behaves microscopically, and thus potentially affect how the echo effect behaves macroscopically. In this study, we propose to examine the possible measurable macroscopic effects of quantum mechanics on beams through its echo effect.
THE SCHIZOPHRENIC EXPERIENCE: A FOLLOW‐UP STUDY OF ATTITUDE AND POSTHOSPITAL ADJUSTMENT

Three to 7 years after discharge 32 former schizophrenic patients were studied to assess their attitude toward their own psychosis. These assessments were correlated with several measurements of the subjects' post-hospital adjustment. Attitudes which were measured included positive and negative attitudes toward the illness itself; how well the subject integrated his illness with the rest of his life; and the importance given to causes within the individual, the family, or external events in causing the illness. The subject's estimation of the value of personal insight in solving his ongoing problems was also determined. Posthospital function was assessed by four measures: number of rehospitalizations; a brief follow-up rating based upon work, family life, social life, and rchospitalization; and the KAS 1 and KAS 2 forms of the Katz Adjustment Scale. Compared to a negative, isolating attitude, a positive, integrating attitude toward the illness was found to be correlated significantly with higher scores on the brief follow-up rating, higher levels of performance of socially expected activities (KAS 2), and lower levels of symptom discomfort (KAS 1). No significant correlations were found between any of the specific proposed causes for the illness and posthospital adjustment. Former schizophrenic patients who valued personal insight in the solution of their personal problems had significantly higher levels of posthospital adjustment on several of the scales than those who did not.
Qat chewing and pesticides: A study of adverse health effects in people of the mountainous areas of Yemen

Chewing qat leaves, Cathula Edulis, is now a very common behaviour among the people of the mountainous areas of Yemen. For about the past 20 years, in tandem with national development, qat chewing has been rapidly expanding, and the use of chemical pesticides in qat production has been increasing. In this study, the adverse effects on human health of qat chewing combined with pesticide use were investigated. Results of interviews and questionnaires showed that chewers of qat grown with few or no chemical pesticides and chewers of qat grown with chemical pesticides have considerably different subjective symptoms. Chewers of qat produced in fields where chemical pesticides are used regularly have more symptoms than chewers of qat produced in fields where chemical pesticides are rarely or never used. Chewers of qat produced with more chemical pesticides, in particular, experience acute adverse effects on the digestive system and chronic adverse effects such as body weakness and nasal problems. Farmers who chew homemade qat on which they spread chemical pesticides by themselves may have the highest health risks regarding the combination of qat and pesticides. It is concluded that chewing qat grown with chemical pesticides causes considerable adverse health effects in human beings.
Hyperlipidemia medication management in patients admitted for a myocardial infarction

Objectives The purpose of this study is to determine the percentage of patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction currently prescribed a statin, with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) <100 mg/dL, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) <50 mg/dL for men and <55 mg/dL for women and evaluate their medication management with a focus on niacin initiation. Methods This was a retrospective study from 12/07 to 12/09, conducted at a private, community hospital. Inclusion criteria required patients to have an acute myocaridal infarction (AMI) ICD-9 code, troponin ≥0.2 ng/dL and lipid panel performed within 96 hours of troponin. Patients with a triglyceride level > 400 mg/dL were excluded. The residual risk population consisted of patients currently taking a statin with LDL <100 mg/dL and HDL <50/55 mg/dL. Patients were excluded from the residual risk population if they were on niacin, had an allergy to or previously failed niacin therapy, or expired within 72 hours. Results A total of 553 patients experiencing an AMI had lipid panels available for evaluation. The mean LDL was 97.3 ± 36.0 mg/dL, mean HDL was 33.5 ± 11.1 mg/dL, and mean triglycerides were 133.1 ± 71.3 mg/dL. The majority of patients (n=521, 94.2%) had an HDL < 50 or 55 mg/dL respective of gender. Ninety-two (80.0%) residual risk patients had no change in their home lipid medications post AMI. Fifteen (13.0%) residual risk patients had their dose of statin medication increased. Seven (6.1%) residual risk patients were initiated on niacin. Conclusions The study results confirm an existence of a residual risk population with nearly 25% of AMI patients meeting the criteria. The results also confirm a low incidence of medication intervention in the residual risk population post AMI (20.0%) regarding lipid therapy, including the initiation of niacin in only 6.1% of patients.
Determinants of Corporate Cash Holdings and its Implications: Evidence from Pakistan's Corporate Sector

This study examines the determinants of corporate cash holdings and their implications for non-financial firms by pursuing three main objectives. The first objective examines firm-specific factors that determine the optimal level of corporate cash holdings. Empirical results are consistent with some of the theories such as information asymmetry theory, financial distress hypothesis and the transaction costs hypothesis that suggests that the higher fixed processing fee for obtaining external financing discourages smaller firms to go for external financing and hence prompting them to hold more liquid assets. Nevertheless, these results support the argument of Opler et al. (1995) that larger firms have more capacity to accumulate cash since they are presumably more profitable. The results also suggest that Pakistani companies are sensitive to the volatility of cash flow and that firm's cash holdings are highly influenced by a precautionary need. Empirical evidence also lends credence to the argument that credit market frictions are responsible for high correlation between cash holdings and cash flow of the firm. Results also indicate that there are no differences in the patterns of cash holdings between the group-affiliated and the non-group businesses. Second objective of the study examines the effect of corporate governance on cash holdings. Results are line with the finance literature which suggests a role for effective corporate governance in disciplining managers and weak governance may lead to a tendency of the managers to hold excess cash holdings. Empirical results are also in line with the interest alignment hypothesis. Finally, third objective of our study examine cash holding behavior under macroeconomic uncertainty. Empirical results provide support to the hypothesis that uncertainty in macro-economic variables leads firms to similar cash holding behavior since uncertainty in the macroeconomic environment can affect the manager's ability to predict their future cash flows.
Effective and efficient global optimization for conceptual rainfall‐runoff models

The successful application of a conceptual rainfall-runoff (CRR) model depends on how well it is calibrated. Despite the popularity of CRR models, reports in the literature indicate that it is typically difficult, if not impossible, to obtain unique optimal values for their parameters using automatic calibration methods. Unless the best set of parameters associated with a given calibration data set can be found, it is difficult to determine how sensitive the parameter estimates (and hence the model forecasts) are to factors such as input and output data error, model error, quantity and quality of data, objective function used, and so on. Results are presented that establish clearly the nature of the multiple optima problem for the research CRR model SIXPAR. These results suggest that the CRR model optimization problem is more difficult than had been previously thought and that currently used local search procedures have a very low probability of successfully finding the optimal parameter sets. Next, the performance of three existing global search procedures are evaluated on the model SIXPAR. Finally, a powerful new global optimization procedure is presented, entitled the shuffled complex evolution (SCE-UA) method, which was able to consistently locate the global optimum of the SIXPAR model, and appears to be capable of efficiently and effectively solving the CRR model optimization problem.
Business process management in the port sector: a literature review

Purpose This paper aims to review the application of business process management (BPM) in the port sector. Its objective is to understand whether BPM principles are applied in the port sector, the role of the procedural factor in port performance evaluation and whether electronic data interchange systems have been used for process management purposes. Design/methodology/approach The objective of this research is to conduct a critical review of existing academic literature in the domain of BPM and its application in the ports sector. This paper assessed more than a hundred recent publications, from key journals in the domains of port economics, BPM and information technology. The two principle platforms used are the online databases of the World Bank Group and the University of Antwerp. Findings Academic literature reviewed reveals a partial application of BPM in the port and maritime sector. BPM related research is conducted via the utilization of modeling algorithms or optimization and simulation tools. There exists evidence that electronic data interchange (EDI) data extracted from EDI platforms can be used to model inter-organizational business processes in several industries. Yet, to the best of the author’s knowledge, no research investigates Port Community System (PCS) or single window (SW) data utilization for BPM purposes, although PCS and SW benefits are well documented. Port performance is largely assessed based on the production theory, and limited number of studies use elements of procedural efficiency as variables for their analysis. Originality/value The holistic application of BPM has been researched in numerous industries but in the port sector. This paper constitutes the first section of an original research study to define key components, assumptions and constraints for developing a comprehensive BPM framework in the port sector.
The Role of Fiber Types in Muscle Hypertrophy: Implications for Loading Strategies

ABSTRACT EMERGING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT TYPE I FIBERS DISPLAY A SUBSTANTIAL PROPENSITY FOR GROWTH IF THEY ARE SELECTIVELY TARGETED VIA LOW-LOAD TRAINING. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE WILL BE TO REVIEW THE RESEARCH REGARDING FIBER TYPE–SPECIFIC HYPERTROPHY AND DRAW EVIDENCE-BASED CONCLUSIONS AS TO THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR PROGRAM DESIGN.
Optimum design of switched reluctance motor based on direct instantaneous torque control

This paper proposes a new optimum design method of switched reluctance motors (SRM) based on direct instantaneous torque control (DITC) algorithm. The total copper losses minimization of the motor has been investigated through adjusting of the stator pole arc and rotor pole arc in order to improve the efficiency of the motor. Meanwhile, the torque ripple can be limited within a range because of the use of DITC control method. This optimal method is processed combining the FET and MATLAB simulation. The simulation comparisons are also presented on a 12/8 switched reluctance motor to validate the proposed control scheme.