Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Payoff-Monotonic Game Dynamics and the Maximum Clique Problem

Evolutionary game-theoretic models and, in particular, the so-called replicator equations have recently proven to be remarkably effective at approximately solving the maximum clique and related problems. The approach is centered around a classic result from graph theory that formulates the maximum clique problem as a standard (continuous) quadratic program and exploits the dynamical properties of these models, which, under a certain symmetry assumption, possess a Lyapunov function. In this letter, we generalize previous work along these lines in several respects. We introduce a wide family of game-dynamic equations known as payoff-monotonic dynamics, of which replicator dynamics are a special instance, and show that they enjoy precisely the same dynamical properties as standard replicator equations. These properties make any member of this family a potential heuristic for solving standard quadratic programs and, in particular, the maximum clique problem. Extensive simulations, performed on random as well as DIMACS benchmark graphs, show that this class contains dynamics that are considerably faster than and at least as accurate as replicator equations. One problem associated with these models, however, relates to their inability to escape from poor local solutions. To overcome this drawback, we focus on a particular subclass of payoff-monotonic dynamics used to model the evolution of behavior via imitation processes and study the stability of their equilibria when a regularization parameter is allowed to take on negative values. A detailed analysis of these properties suggests a whole class of annealed imitation heuristics for the maximum clique problem, which are based on the idea of varying the parameter during the imitation optimization process in a principled way, so as to avoid unwanted inefficient solutions. Experiments show that the proposed annealing procedure does help to avoid poor local optima by initially driving the dynamics toward promising regions in state space. Furthermore, the models outperform state-of-the-art neural network algorithms for maximum clique, such as mean field annealing, and compare well with powerful continuous-based heuristics.
Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction: psychosocial distress correlates with manometric dyskinesia but not stenosis.

AIM To compare postcholecystectomy patients with Sphincter of Oddi (SO) dyskinesia and those with normal SO motility to determine the psychosocial distress, gender and objective clinical correlates of dyskinesia, and contrast these findings with comparisons between SO stenosis and normal SO motility. METHODS Within a cohort of seventy-two consecutive postcholecystectomy patients with suspected SO dysfunction, manometric assessment identified subgroups with SO dyskinesia (n = 33), SO stenosis (n = 18) and normal SO motility (n = 21). Each patient was categorized in terms of Milwaukee Type, sociodemographic status and the severity of stress-coping experiences. RESULTS Logistic regression revealed that in combination certain psychological, sociodemographic and clinical variables significantly differentiated SO dyskinesia, but not SO stenosis, from normal SO function. Levels of psychosocial stress and of coping with this stress (i.e. anger suppressed more frequently and the use of significantly more psychological coping strategies) were highest among patients with SO dyskinesia, especially women. Higher levels of neuroticism (the tendency to stress-proneness) further increased the likelihood of SO dyskinesia. CONCLUSION A motility disturbance related to psychosocial distress may help to explain the finding of SO dyskinesia in some postcholecystectomy patients.
Geographical variations in the incidence of childhood acute leukaemia in France over the period 1990–2004

Spatial variations in childhood acute leukaemia (AL) incidence rates were investigated by département, in mainland France, over the period 1990–2004. This is the first spatial study of this incidence to cover a 15-year period. French National Registry of Childhood Haematological Malignancies data and population counts by type of leukaemia (AL, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, acute myeloblastic leukaemia), time period (1990–2004, 1990–1994, 1995–1999 and 2000–2004), sex, and age group (0–14, 0–4, 5–9 and 10–14 years of age) were considered. The overall homogeneity of the relative risks of leukaemia was tested, as well as comparison to 1 of each relative risk by the exact Poisson test. To give a more stable estimate of the underlying relative risk pattern than that provided by the local standardized incidence ratios (SIRs), Bayesian hierarchical models using four different spatial priors have been produced: the parametric BYM and CAR models, and two semiparametric models. Very slight overall heterogeneity was observed on the whole AL data set (SIR overdispersion 18.6%, P=0.10). Irrespective of the model, the ranges of the smoothed SIRs exhibited considerable shrinkage relative to the ranges of the local SIRs. The associated maps were slightly heterogeneous; the smoothed SIRs of overall acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of the south-west départements were slightly higher than those of the north-east. The results, however, did not remain stable when investigated by leukaemia type, time period, sex or age group. No spatial heterogeneity of childhood AL incidence on the département scale was observed but that does not exclude spatial heterogeneity on other scales.
Large‐scale expansion of cytomegalovirus‐specific cytotoxic T cells in suspension culture

Clinical trials in recent years involving the adoptive transfer of antigen‐specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) have shown promise in restoring immunity against viral infection and reducing tumor burden in patients with solid and hematological malignancies. However, the large cell number required to achieve efficacy, 109 to 1011, makes routine application of adoptive immunotherapy impractical. Investigation into new methods of CTL expansion may be useful in addressing this problem. Use of stirred suspension bioreactors are one such method that may allow large‐scale T‐cell expansion. Suspension cultures offer advantages over conventional static culture methods, including providing a homogeneous culture environment, and the potential for optimization and control of culture conditions. We generated cytomegalovirus (CMV)‐specific CTL and investigated the potential of stirred bioreactor systems for expansion of large cell numbers. We found that CTL can be readily expanded ( > 200‐fold) from cryopreserved stocks by nonspecific stimulation in the presence of allogeneic feeder cells and interleukin‐2 (IL‐2). Activated CTL inoculated into either suspension or static cultures could be subsequently expanded tenfold, and showed similar growth kinetics and metabolism independent of the culture vessel used. Furthermore, CTL remained specific for CMVpp65 peptide through the expansion phases, as demonstrated by pp65–tetramer staining ( > 95% tetramer+) and cytotoxicity assays. This study indicates that suspension reactor systems may be useful in large‐scale expansion of antigen‐specific CTL lines or clones, and may facilitate the advancement of routine adoptive immunotherapy. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Central banking and monetary policy: Which will be the post-crisis new normal?

Central Bankers are currently facing big challenges in designing and implementing monetary policy, as well as with safeguarding financial stability, with the world economy still in the process of digesting the legacy of the crisis. The crisis has changed central banking in many ways: by shifting the focus of monetary policy from fighting too high inflation towards fighting too low inflation; by prompting new ‘experimental’ non-conventional measures, which risk to cause large, long-lasting market distortions and imbalances and which also have more far-reaching distributional consequences than ‘normal, conventional’ monetary policy; and by broadening central banks’ responsibilities particularly in the direction of safeguarding banking stability and financial stability at large. This raises several questions for the future: How long will ultra-easy monetary policies last? What are post-crisis growth trajectories, and how will the natural rate of interest rates evolve? How could an exit from ultra-easy monetary policy and a return towards higher nominal interest rates be eventually managed smoothly? Does ultra-easy monetary policy itself affect the economy in a lasting and structural way? Is the pre-crisis economic paradigm governing monetary policy still valid? If not, in what ways should it be adjusted? Are there any reasonable and practical alternatives? Against this background and given the larger post-crisis range of central banks’ responsibilities: is the current institutional set-up governing central banks and their relationship to government, Parliament and the financial system still appropriate? What adaptations might be considered? Would they bring an improvement or, on the contrary, a set-back to the unsuccessful policy approaches of the 1960s and 1970s? To discuss these issues, on 14 April 2016 the Baffi Carefin Center (Bocconi University) hosted a SUERF Conference. This introductory chapter aims to provide a framework for the various contributions in this book, and also summarizes some main ideas from later chapters for an overview.
Magnetic resonance temperature imaging

Continuous, real-time, 3D temperature mapping during a hyperthermic procedure may provide (i) enhanced safety by visualizing temperature maps in and around the treated region, (ii) improved efficiency by adapting local energy deposition with feedback coupling algorithms and (iii) therapy end-points based on the accumulated thermal dose. Non-invasive mapping of temperature changes can be achieved with MRI and may be based on temperature dependent MRI parameters. The excellent linearity of the temperature dependency of the proton resonance frequency (PRF) and its near-independence with respect to tissue type make the PRF-based methods the preferred choice for many applications, in particular at mid- to-high field strength (≥0.5 T). The PRF methods employ RF-spoiled gradient echo imaging methods and incorporate fat suppression techniques for most organs. A standard deviation of less than 1°C, for a temporal resolution below 1 s and a spatial resolution of ∼2 mm is feasible for immobile tissues. Special attention is paid to methods for reducing artifacts in MR temperature mapping caused by intra-scan and inter-scan motion and motion and temperature-induced susceptibility effects in mobile tissues. Real-time image processing and visualization techniques, together with accelerated MRI acquisition techniques, are described because of their potential for therapy guidance.
Mentoring African-American science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduates: An African-American STEM mentor's Perspective

One approach to understanding and learning about the African-American STEM college student experience is to examine the personal, professional, and mentoring experiences and mentoring relationships of African-American STEM mentors in higher education. In this paper, we examine the personal and professional experiences of an African-American STEM PhD mentor in higher education in an attempt to understand the African-American STEM college experience from the perspective of African-American mentors. As a pilot study of the first author’s dissertation research, this paper is not intended to generate theory or present a universalized narrative for all African-American STEM mentors. Rather, this study examines the preliminary findings of a storied experience of someone who can speak to the experience of being an African-American STEM undergraduate and mentor. Emergent themes from the narrative data focus on the potential needs of African-Americans in higher education to see others who look like them in academia and to have mentors who are knowledgeable about social and cultural resources. Future research should examine how mentors implement different methods and strategies to help their African-American protégés and how to help other mentors learn how to be better resources for protégés.
Fixed bit rate perceptual wavelet packet audio coder

This paper presents a perceptual wavelet packet audio coder incorporating temporal and simultaneous masking models with a scalable bit rate allocation scheme. It is demonstrated that the use of even a relatively simple functional model of temporal masking produces bit rate savings in addition to those given by simultaneous masking. The performance of the coder is evaluated using the PEAQ (ITU-R BS.1387) objective measurement criterion for various audio materials given a fixed data rate constraint. Two methods are evaluated to optimally allocate bits, lower band selection, and signal to mask ratio (SMR) selection. Results reveal that for lower bit rates, the lower band selection method provides higher audio quality than that given by SMR selection
Problemy społeczne, mapy badawcze, planowanie społeczne– perspektywa smart city

Streszczenie: Celem artykułu jest ukazanie w historycznym kontekście potrzeby stosowania analiz problemów społecznych z wykorzystaniem map badawczych na rzecz planowania i zarządzania miastem, tym bardziej że współczesne technologie, w tym i smart city, umożliwiają liderom i społecznościom wykorzystanie bardzo zaawansowanych technologii cyfrowych. Zjawiska i problemy społeczne we współczesnym społeczeństwie to kluczowe informacje dla instytucji samorządów miejskich i gminnych, które planują procedury ich rozwiązywania i wsparcia dla mieszkańców w ramach nowocześnie rozumianej polityki społecznej i polityki miejskiej. W tym procesie inwentaryzacji, diagnozy zjawisk i problemów społecznych istotną i nowoczesną rolę odgrywają ich obrazy dystrybucji przestrzennej, czyli mapy. Umożliwiają obserwację współwystępowania zjawisk i problemów społecznych, ale także pozwalają prowadzić profesjonalnie planowanie społeczne. Tego typu mapy mają istotne funkcje z perspektywy smart city.
A research on the surface charge with different coating tip by Electrostatic Force Microscope

Electrostatic Force Microscope (EFM) is applied to study of the properties of surface charge of polyimide films in micro-nanometer scale. The charge was injected by different kind of coating tips to the surface of polyimide films. After that the surface charge was characterized by EFM, the result indicated that it was difficult to inject charge with Pt/Ir coating tip for larger work function than Co/Cr coating. The mechanism of electron emission electrode in the experiment is mainly hot electron emission, but also accompanied by field emission. So the barrier height between metal and dielectric had massive influence on the process of Charge injection. This research provides a new method for study on the rule and mechanism of surface charge on the insulated films.
A Study on Stock Market Volatility Pattern of BSE and NSE in India

The investors, policy makers and researchers give lot of attention towards evaluation of risk while analysing the stock market. The quality of risk measures very largely depends on how well the econometric model captures behaviour of underlying asset. The paper examines the relationship between returns and volatility, volatility clustering, leverage effect and the persistence of volatility for the Indian stock markets viz. National Stock Exchange(NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) for period from 1990 to 2016. The main focus of this research paper is to examine the nature of the volatility in the Indian stock markets. In this study ARCH and GARCH models have applied to study the behaviour of stock market volatility. This study shows that GARCH (1, 1) model is more satisfactorily explains volatility clustering and its high persistence for better decision making purpose.
Understanding Disease–Drug Interactions in Cancer Patients: Implications for Dosing Within the Therapeutic Window

The human inflammatory response can result in the alteration of drug clearance through effects on metabolizing enzymes or transporters. In this article we briefly review the theory of how cancer can lead to indirect changes in drug metabolism, review acute phase proteins and cytokines as markers of changes in cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity in cancer patients, and provide clinical case examples of how the inflammation in advanced cancer patients can lead to altered CYP‐mediated drug clearance.
Generation and transmission of 100-Gb/s PDM 4-PAM using directly modulated VCSELs and coherent detection

We generate a 100-Gb/s polarization-division-multiplexed 4-level pulse-amplitude-modulation signal with two directly modulated 1.5-μm single-mode VCSELs. Coherent detection and digital signal processing enable the transmission over 400-km standard single-mode-fiber (SSMF) with 20% overhead hard-decision forward-error-correction.
Performance analysis of an external rotor switched reluctance generator with minimum mutual flux

This paper introduces a new configuration for a three phase switched reluctance generator (SRG) with external rotor. This concept allows higher output voltage and power generation compare to standard SRG. The proposed novel generator consists of internal stator and external rotor where stator set includes six salient poles with windings wrapped around them, while the rotor comprises of eight salient poles with same arc lengths and no windings. In this type of generator the location of stator and rotor are replaced, and also the arrangement of the stator poles and rotor poles are changed in comparison with conventional SRG. In this format, the developed magnetic field from the stator poles travels to the rotor then to the rotor shaft and finally completes its path via the generator housing. In this paper numerical technique namely as three dimensional Finite Element Method (3D-FEM) has been utilized for providing realistic and precise model to evaluate the generator performance.
THE INFLUENCE OF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCIAL REPORT ON THE LEVEL OF CORRUPTION LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF SUMATERA AREA

Positive developments of government accountability a region characterized by the increases in WTP opinion for local governments it turns out that will be followed by the increases in of criminal acts of corruption conducted by the regional government officials. Corrupt practices is certainly preventable when applying transparency of local governments and accountability for financial management. This study attempts to prove empirically the influence of transparency and accountability local government financial report on the corruption local governments in Sumatera. Tests were conducted with 15 local governments in Sumatera. The data used are sourced from KPK, the website of the local government each, and from BPK RI 2011-2013 periode. This research used a linear regression multiple analysis. The result research showed that transparency it has positive effects and insignificant on the level corruption local government and accountability has positive effects and significant on the level corruption local government.
Enhancing Engineering Ethics Curriculum by Analyzing Students’ Perception

Brittney Jimerson is a Ph.D. student at North Carolina A&T State University. She graduated from North Carolina A&T State University with a M.S. in Industrial and System Engineering in 2013. She was an undergraduate research scholar and earned her B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Management from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 2009. She is an Alpha Pi Mu Engineering Honor Society Member, NSBE member, and IIE member.
Endoscopic Endonasal Clipping of a Ruptured Vertebral-Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysm: Technical Case Report

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Aneurysms arising from the vertebral and posterior inferior cerebellar artery complex account for only 0.5 to 3% of all aneurysms. Surgery for these aneurysms is technically challenging because of the deep location and intimate relation with the medulla and lower cranial nerves. The authors report the case of a patient with a right vertebral-posterior inferior cerebellar artery complex (VA-PICA) aneurysm that was successfully clipped via an extended endoscopic endonasal transclival approach. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old woman with the sudden onset of severe headache, nausea, and vomiting was admitted to our hospital. A computed tomography (CT) of the brain revealed diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with intraventricular hemorrhage and incipient hydrocephalus. Cerebral angiography revealed a 1.2-mm aneurysm arising at the origin of the right PICA. The aneurysm was considered unsuitable for selective coil embolization, so neck clipping was performed. With the use of an extended endoscopic endonasal transclival approach, the aneurysm was accurately reached endoscopically and successfully clipped from the parent artery. The patient was discharged neurologically intact. CONCLUSION: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a successfully treated VA-PICA ruptured aneurysm using a pure endoscopic endonasal transclival approach. Endoscopic surgery may be added to the armamentarium of procedures for the treatment of posterior circulation aneurysms.
Is Investment in Rice Research in Nepal Adequate and Balanced Across Production Environments? Some Empirical Evidence

This study analyzes the patterns of public resource allocation in rice research in Nepal. The resource allocation for rice research was approximated based on the full-time equivalent (FTE) of researcher time spent on rice research. A simple congruence model modified by expected rate of research progress and equity criteria was used to investigate the gap between the actual and normative investment patterns across different types of rice production environments. The results show a substantial underinvestment in rice research in general but more so in rainfed areas and in the Terai agroecological zone. The use of modifiers amplified the extent of underinvestment in rainfed environments. The options for addressing these imbalances and the overall implications for resource allocation for rice research in Nepal are discussed.
Influence of KRAS mutation status in metachronous and synchronous metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma

Mutations in the v‐Ki‐ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) are present in approximately 30% to 40% of colorectal adenocarcinomas. Wild‐type (WT) KRAS mutation status is predictive of tumor response with epidermal growth factor receptor‐directed therapies, but the results from studies evaluating the prognostic value of KRAS status in localized disease have been contradictory. The prognostic value of KRAS in metastatic disease, specifically according to whether patients have synchronous or metachronous disease at presentation, is less understood.
Accurate analytical anisotropic model of artificial surfaces comprising conducting strip arrays

Based on the mode matching method, an accurate analytical model was derived in this paper for artificial surfaces comprising planar periodic conducting strip arrays on top of an anisotropic dielectric/magnetic spacer backed by a conducting ground plane. The model takes into account properly the high order modes between the strips and the ground plane, thus can be applicable for ultrathin spacers. The model reveals the effect of different tensor components of the anisotropic permeability and permittivity. The analytical model was validated through both numerical and experimental results.