Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic and environmental influences on disordered gambling in men and women.

CONTEXT Women now represent nearly half of all individuals in treatment for pathological gambling (PG), but relatively little is known about the causes of PG among women or potential sex differences in the causes of PG. OBJECTIVES To (1) investigate the role of genetic and environmental risk factors in the development of disordered gambling (DG) among women and (2) determine the extent to which the genetic and environmental risk of DG among women differs quantitatively or qualitatively from the risk of DG among men. (Disordered gambling refers to the full continuum of gambling-related problems that includes PG disorder.) DESIGN Twin study. SETTING The national community-based Australian Twin Registry. PARTICIPANTS Four thousand seven hundred sixty-four individuals from 2889 twin pairs; twins were aged 32 to 43 years and 57% were women. Main Outcome Measure Disordered gambling was defined based on lifetime DSM-IV PG symptom counts. RESULTS The estimate of the proportion of variation in liability for DG due to genetic influences was 49.2% (95% confidence interval, 26.7-60.9). There was no evidence for shared environmental influences contributing to variation in DG liability. There was no evidence for quantitative or qualitative sex differences in the causes of variation in DG liability. CONCLUSIONS This study establishes for the first time that genes are as important in the etiology of DG in women as they are in men and that the susceptibility genes contributing to variation in liability for DG are likely to overlap considerably in men and women.
A body bias generator with wide supply-range down to threshold voltage for within-die variability compensation

A body bias generator (BBG) for fine-grain body biasing (FGBB) that can operate under wide supply-range is proposed. While FGBB is effective in reducing variability and power consumption, a number of BBGs are required on a die and therefore simplified design of BBGs is necessary. This paper proposes a cell-based design of a BBG that generates forward and reverse body bias voltages only from a core supply voltage ranging from the near threshold of 500mV to the nominal voltage of 1.2V. This wide operating range is achieved by a low voltage error amplifier with a Vth biasing scheme achieved by internal switched-capacitor charge pumping. We fabricated the forward/reverse BBG in a 65nm low power CMOS process to control 0.22mm2 of core circuit with the area overhead of 2.3% for the BBG.
Expression of Multidrug Resistance‐related Transporters in Human Breast Carcinoma

The expression levels of mRNA for multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene, multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1), lung resistance‐related protein (LRP) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), which confer multidrug resistance in vitro, were examined in 43 untreated breast carcinoma patients, of whom 38 subsequently received doxorubicin‐based chemotherapy after surgery, in order to elucidate the roles of these genes in drug resistance in vivo. The mRNA levels were determined using a semi‐quantitative reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction method in breast carcinoma tissues including at least 80% carcinoma cells. The expression level of BCRP gene was low and did not vary markedly in comparison with that of MDR1, MRP1 or LRP gene. The expressions of MDR1 and MRP1 genes were correlated with each other, but the expression of BCRP or LRP gene did not correlate with that of other genes. These four gene expressions were independent of age, TNM categories and the status of progesterone or estrogen receptor. The expression levels of these four genes were not related to the relapse or prognosis of the 38 patients treated with doxorubicin‐based chemotherapy. P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp)/MDRl, MRP1 and LRP may play more important roles than BCRP in chemotherapy of human breast carcinoma.
Identification of a Missing Link in the Evolution of an Enzyme into a Transcriptional Regulator

The evolution of transcriptional regulators through the recruitment of DNA-binding domains by enzymes is a widely held notion. However, few experimental approaches have directly addressed this hypothesis. Here we report the reconstruction of a plausible pathway for the evolution of an enzyme into a transcriptional regulator. The BzdR protein is the prototype of a subfamily of prokaryotic transcriptional regulators that controls the expression of genes involved in the anaerobic degradation of benzoate. We have shown that BzdR consists of an N-terminal DNA-binding domain connected through a linker to a C-terminal effector-binding domain that shows significant identity to the shikimate kinase (SK). The construction of active synthetic BzdR-like regulators by fusing the DNA-binding domain of BzdR to the Escherichia coli SKI protein strongly supports the notion that an ancestral SK domain could have been involved in the evolutionary origin of BzdR. The loss of the enzymatic activity of the ancestral SK domain was essential for it to evolve as a regulatory domain in the current BzdR protein. This work also supports the view that enzymes precede the emergence of the regulatory systems that may control their expression.
Transmission Scheduling Optimizations for Concurrent Multipath Transfer

SCTP is a general-purpose Transport Layer protocol with out-of-the-box support for multi-streaming as well as multihoming. A protocol extension, which is denoted as CMTSCTP, extends SCTP by supporting Concurrent Multipath Transfer (CMT). That is, multiple network paths are utilized simultaneously in order to improve the payload data throughput. However, dissimilar paths – i.e. paths having different delays or bandwidths – are challenging and also very likely in internet setups. In this paper, we show how CMT-SCTP data transport performance can be improved by combining multi-streaming with an advanced stream scheduling policy and SCTP API enhancements. The performance benefit of our approach in dissimilar path setups is proven by simulations.
Dynamic Policy Programming with Function Approximation

In this paper, we consider the problem of planning in the infinite-horizon discountedreward Markov decision problems. We propose a novel iterative method, called dynamic policy programming (DPP), which updates the parametrized policy by a Bellmanlike iteration. For discrete state-action case, we establish L∞-norm loss bounds for the performance of the policy induced by DPP and prove that it asymptotically converges to the optimal policy. Then, we generalize our approach to large-scale (continuous) state-action problems using function approximation technique. We provide L∞norm performance-loss bounds for approximate DPP and compare these bounds with the standard results from approximate dynamic programming (ADP) showing that approximate DPP results in a tighter asymptotic bound than standard ADP methods. We also numerically compare the performance of DPP to other ADP and RL methods. We observe that approximate DPP asymptotically outperforms other methods on the mountain-car problem.
Strengths and weaknesses of finite-state technology: a case study in morphological grammar development

Abstract Finite-state technology is considered the preferred model for representing the phonology and morphology of natural languages. The attractiveness of this technology for natural language processing stems from four sources: modularity of the design, due to the closure properties of regular languages and relations; the compact representation that is achieved through minimization; efficiency, which is a result of linear recognition time with finite-state devices; and reversibility, resulting from the declarative nature of such devices. However, when wide-coverage morphological grammars are considered, finite-state technology does not scale up well, and the benefits of this technology can be overshadowed by the limitations it imposes as a programming environment for language processing. This paper investigates the strengths and weaknesses of existing technology, focusing on various aspects of large-scale grammar development. Using a real-world case study, we compare a finite-state implementation with an equivalent Java program with respect to ease of development, modularity, maintainability of the code, and space and time efficiency. We identify two main problems, abstraction and incremental development, which are currently not addressed sufficiently well by finite-state technology, and which we believe should be the focus of future research and development.
AHS: Advanced Handoff Scheme for Nested Mobile Networks

Network Mobility Basic Support protocol (NEMO Basic) that is designed to offer network mobility is not efficient to offer low latency handoff in the case of nested mobile networks since fairly sub-optimal routing is utilized. A mobile network is composed of Mobile Network Nodes (MNNs) and a Mobile Router (MR). Route optimization for MNNs in IPv6 mobile networks is performed with Hierarchical Prefix Delegation protocol (HPD) and Reverse Routing Header (RRH). However, when a mobile network that contains a lot of MNNs moves locally in a nested mobile network, problems such as handoff latency, signaling overhead and packet losses will occur. This paper proposes an Advanced Handoff Scheme (AHS) which overcomes the limitations in conventional solutions. Combining the HPD and the Hierarchical Mobile IPv6 (HMIPv6) functionality can enable the improvement to the micro-mobility problem, and the location address of MNNs is created in Hierarchical Mobile Network Prefix (HMNP) assignment. Furthermore, a Mobility Management Router (MMR) is allowed to update the binding information of all MNNs in a mobile network without getting Binding Update messages (BUs) from the MNNs as the MMR receives a BU from the MR in the mobile network. The simulation is done by NS-2. The results show that a significant improvement is achieved compared to conventional solutions in terms of handoff latency, signaling overhead, and transmission delay.
Detecting Semantic Category in Simultaneous EEG/MEG Recordings

Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) are closely related neuroimaging technologies that both measure summed electrical activity of synchronous sources of neural activity. However they differ in the portions of the brain to which they are more sensitive, in the frequency bands they can detect, and to the amount of noise to which they are subject. Since semantic representations are thought to be widely distributed in the brain, this preliminary study considered if the broader coverage offered by simultaneous EEG/MEG recordings would increase sensitivity to these cognitive states. The results showed that MEG data allowed stimuli in two semantic categories (mammals and tools) to be distinguished more accurately, despite some experimental settings that were optimised for EEG. The addition of EEG data did not prove informative, indicating that it may be redundant relative to MEG, even when using dimensionality reduction techniques to combat overfitting.
Bankruptcy and Delinquency in a Model of Unsecured Debt

This paper documents and interprets two facts central to the dynamics of informal default or "delinquency" on unsecured consumer debt. First, delinquency does not mean a persistent cessation of payment. In particular, we observe that for individuals 60 to 90 days late on payments, 85% make payments during the next quarter that allow them to avoid entering more severe delinquency. Second, many in delinquency (40%) have smaller debt obligations one quarter later. To understand these facts, we develop a theoretically and institutionally plausible model of debt delinquency and bankruptcy. Our model reproduces the dynamics of delinquency and suggests an interpretation of the data in which lenders frequently (in roughly 40% of cases) reset the terms for delinquent borrowers, typically involving partial debt forgiveness, rather than a blanket imposition of the "penalty rates" most unsecured credit contracts specify.
Generative Models for Cold-Start Recommendations

Systems for automatically recommending items (e.g., movies, products, or information) to users are becoming increasingly important in e-commerce applications, digital libraries, and other domains where personalization is highly valued. Such recommender systems typically base their suggestions on (1) collaborative data encoding which users like which items, and/or (2) content data describing item features and user demographics. Systems that rely solely on collaborative data fail when operating from a cold start|that is, when recommending items (e.g., rst-run movies) that no member of the community has yet seen. We develop several generative probabilistic models that circumvent the cold-start problem by mixing content data with collaborative data in a sound statistical manner. We evaluate the algorithms using MovieLens movie ratings data, augmented with actor and director information from the Internet Movie Database. We nd that maximum likelihood learning with the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm and variants tends to over t complex models that are initialized randomly. However, by seeding parameters of the complex models with parameters learned in simpler models, we obtain greatly improved performance. We explore both methods that exploit a single type of content data (e.g., actors only) and methods that leverage multiple types of content data (e.g., both actors and directors) simultaneously.
Use of vitrified bottom ashes of municipal solid waste incinerators in bituminous mixtures in substitution of natural sands

Bottom ashes derived from an Italian municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) were vitrified at 1450°C and subsequently employed, after adequate size reduction, as sand fractions in partial or total substitution of natural aggregates in bituminous mixtures for road pavements. The experimental plan is focused on the effects associated to variations of both the binder content (4⋅5–5⋅5%) and the percentage of sand substitution with vitrified MSWI ashes (0–100%). The investigation was carried out by considering performance related compaction, volumetric and mechanical properties, which were assessed in the laboratory by employing a number of different characterisation techniques. It was observed that the key factor which allows a detailed interpretation of test results is the minimum absorption, which takes place in the mixtures at the vitrified ash bitumen interface. Consequently, mixtures including this type of secondary (recycled) aggregates may lead to substantial savings associated to the reduction of binder dosage and therefore, to economic and environmental advantages. Although mixtures containing vitrified MSWI ashes need to be thoroughly investigated with special attention devoted to mix design and moisture susceptibility issues, the results obtained in this study appear to be promising. The presence of vitrified ashes does not negatively affect the stiffness and fatigue failure properties of the mixtures, while benefits deriving from their high angle of internal friction may be beneficial regarding the resistance to accumulation of permanent deformation.
Extracting Knowledge to Predict TSP Asymptotic Time Complexity

Computational science (CS) is often referred to as the third science, complementing both theoretical and laboratory science. In this field, new challenges are continuously arising. It allows doing things that were previously too difficult to do due to the complexity of the mathematics, the large number of calculations involved, or a combination of both. The asymptotic time complexity definition of both deterministic and non-deterministic algorithms to solve all kind of problems is one of the key points in computer science. Knowing the limit of the execution time of an algorithm when the size of the problem goes to infinity is essential. In particular, data-dependent applications is an extremely challenging problem because for a specific issue the input data sets may cause variability in execution times. The development of an entire approach to define the asymptotic time complexity of a hard data-dependent parallel application that solves the traveling salesman problem (TSP) is the focus of this study. This is a process designed to explore data in search of patterns and/or relationships, and then to predict performance order for new data sets by applying historical detected patterns. Two different parallel TSP algorithms are presented. One of these is used to show the usefulness and the profits of the proposed approach, and the other one is used as witness. The experimental results are quite promising.
THE VALUE OF GROSS VISUAL ASSESSMENT OF SPECIMEN ADEQUACY FOR LIQUID-BASED CYTOLOGY DURING ULTRASOUND-GUIDED, FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION OF THYROID NODULES.

OBJECTIVE Major problems of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules arise due to nondiagnostic results caused by inadequately obtained FNA specimens. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the value of visual assessment of liquid-based cytology specimens during FNA of thyroid nodules for predicting sampling adequacy. METHODS For 3 months, visual assessment of FNA specimens was used for 534 consecutive nodules in 534 patients. The FNA specimens were visually graded immediately following aspiration for each nodule, and the visual grades were classified into 2 categories: inadequate (<6 cell groups) and adequate (>6 cell groups). The cytology results were classified as diagnostic or nondiagnostic based on the Bethesda system. We compared the ultrasound features and FNA characteristics between the diagnostic and nondiagnostic results. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors independently predictive of nondiagnostic results. We also evaluated the interobserver agreement regarding the visual assessment. RESULTS Visual assessment was feasible in all patients, and the nondiagnostic rate was 11.6% (62 of 534). Nondiagnostic results were more frequent in the inadequate visual assessment group (38.1%) than in the adequate visual assessment group (10.5%) (P = .001). Independent predictive factors for nondiagnostic results were inadequate visual assessment (odds ratio, 5.18), >50% vascularity (odds ratio, 3.98), and macrocalcification (odds ratio, 3.60). Interobserver agreement for the prediction of visual assessment was good (κ value, 0.767; P<.001). CONCLUSION Immediate visual assessment of a specimen during FNA of a thyroid nodule is a feasible method for predicting sampling adequacy.
Application of ultrasonic phased array total focusing method in weld inspection using an inclined wedge

To improve the sensitivity for small defects in weld inspection using ultrasonic phased array, total focusing method (TFM) has been studied and applied when an inclined wedge is used during detection. Firstly, the data set is captured by the approach of full matrix capture. Secondly, the propagation paths which the ultrasonic wave takes from a transmit element to a certain scatter source and then back to a receiver element are determined, and the time of flight of each echo for any possible transmitter-receiver pair is calculated for every pixel in target area. Then coherent superposition is carried out over all the echoes. Experiments are carried out on phased-array block with side-drilled holes and on butt weld with natural flaws, and the results using TFM and conventional fixed-focus method (FFM) are compared. Experimental results show that TFM outperforms FFM in resolution and has improved the recognition ability for small defects. Therefore TFM can be used as an effective post-processing method to improve sensitivity for small defects in weld detection involving inclined wedges.
A REVISED BROAD-LINE REGION RADIUS AND BLACK HOLE MASS FOR THE NARROW-LINE SEYFERT 1 NGC 4051

We present the first results from a high sampling rate, multimonth reverberation mapping campaign undertaken primarily at MDM Observatory with supporting observations from telescopes around the world. The primary goal of this campaign was to obtain either new or improved Hβ reverberation lag measurements for several relatively low luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We feature results for NGC 4051 here because, until now, this object has been a significant outlier from AGN scaling relationships, e.g., it was previously a ∼2–3σ outlier on the relationship between the broad-line region (BLR) radius and the optical continuum luminosity—the RBLR–L relationship. Our new measurements of the lag time between variations in the continuum and Hβ emission line made from spectroscopic monitoring of NGC 4051 lead to a measured BLR radius of RBLR = 1.87+0.54−0.50 light days and black hole mass of MBH = (1.73+0.55−0.52) × 106 M☉. This radius is consistent with that expected from the RBLR–L relationship, based on the present luminosity of NGC 4051 and the most current calibration of the relation by Bentz et al. We also present a preliminary look at velocity-resolved Hβ light curves and time delay measurements, although we are unable to reconstruct an unambiguous velocity-resolved reverberation signal.
A novel nuclear pore protein Nup82p which specifically binds to a fraction of Nsp1p

Nsp1p interacts with nuclear pore proteins Nup49p, Nup57p and Nic96p in a stable complex which participates in nucleocytoplasmic transport. An additional p80 component is associated with Nsp1p, but does not co- purify with tagged Nup57p, Nup49p and Nic96p. The p80 gene was cloned and encodes a novel essential nuclear pore protein named Nup82p. Immunoprecipitation of tagged Nup82p reveals that it is physically associated with a fraction of Nsp1p which is distinct from Nsp1p found in a complex with Nup57p, Nic96p and Nup49p. The Nup82 protein can be divided into at least two different domains both required for the essential function, but it is only the carboxy-terminal domain, exhibiting heptad repeats, which binds to Nsp1p. Yeast cells depleted of Nup82p stop cell growth and concomitantly show a defect in poly(A)+RNA export, but no major alterations of nuclear envelope structure and nuclear pore density are seen by EM. This shows that Nsp1p participates in multiple interactions at the NPC and thus has the capability to physically interact with different NPC structures.
Carotene dioxygenase (EC 1. 13. 11. 21) activity in rat intestine: effects of vitamin A deficiency and of pregnancy

1. Female weanling rats were fed on a purified diet containing either no vitamin A, apart from traces present in casein (deficient groups), or the same diet containing 1.55 mg retinol as retinyl acetate/kg (control groups). In one experiment the deficient groups were given 1 μg retinol/d after 10 weeks, to permit successful reproduction under conditions of marginal vitamin A status. A proportion were mated at 11 weeks after weaning, and fetal development was permitted for 7 d or for 20 d before killing. 2. Carotene dioxygenase (EC 1. 13.11.21) activity was measured in a supernatant fraction from intestinal mucosal scrapings. For each group, activity was 20–30% greater in the vitamin-A-deficient animals than in the controls, and the difference reached statistical significance for the virgin and 7 d pregnant animals in the first experiment (severe deficiency) and for the 20 d pregnant animals in the second experiment (less-severe deficiency). 3. It is suggested that low tissue vitamin A levels may feedback to increase carotene dioxygenase activity, by mechanisms at present unknown, presumably to ensure a more efficient use of precursor dietary carotenoids.