Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Traffic prediction for dynamic traffic engineering considering traffic variation

Traffic engineering with traffic prediction is one approach to accommodate time-varying traffic without frequent route changes. In this approach, the routes are calculated so as to avoid congestion based on the predicted traffic. The accuracy of the traffic prediction however has large impacts on this approach. Especially, if the predicted traffic amount is significantly less than the actual traffic, the congestion may occur. In this paper, we propose the traffic prediction methods suitable to the traffic engineering. In our method, we perform preprocessing before the prediction in order to predict the periodical variation accurately. Moreover, we consider the confidence interval for the prediction error and the variation excluded by the preprocessing to avoid the congestion caused by the temporal traffic variation. In this paper, we discuss three preprocessing approaches; the trend component, the lowpass filter, and the envelope. Through simulation, we clarify that the preprocessing by the trend component or the lowpass filter increases the accuracy of the prediction. In addition, considering the confidence interval achieves the lower link utilization within a fixed control period.
Genre System of English Language Restaurant Online Discourse

The article basing on the case study of English-language websites of British restaurants and taking into account such discursive parameters as the goal of communication, content, addresser and addressee factors, communicative strategies, and linguistic features deals thoroughly with genre organization of restaurant online discourse. The authors establish the stages and the criteria for its hyper-genre and sub-genre levels. They show that genres systems of virtual communication adjusted to achieving the goals of the restaurant business become system-forming for this type of restaurant discourse practice. The authors also establish the factors of a communicative and pragmatic goal, institutionally based typical interactions, and the addresser and addressee factors as the most important ones of its formation. They point out communicative strategies realized by a set of tactics and dominant linguistic means as the most important communicative and pragmatic means of achieving the goal of a restaurant.
Antigenicity of Leishmania braziliensis Histone H1 during Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Localization of Antigenic Determinants

ABSTRACT The humoral immune response against Leishmania braziliensis histone H1 by patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis is described. For this purpose, the protein was purified as a recombinant protein in a prokaryotic expression system and was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a collection of sera from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis and Chagas' disease. The assays showed that L. braziliensis histone H1 was recognized by 66% of the serum samples from patients with leishmaniasis and by 40% of the serum samples from patients with Chagas' disease, indicating that it acts as an immunogen during cutaneous leishmaniasis. In order to locate the linear antigenic determinants of this protein, a collection of synthetic peptides covering the L. braziliensis histone H1sequence was tested by ELISA. The experiments showed that the main antigenic determinant is located in the central region of this protein. Our results show that the recombinant L. braziliensis histone H1 is recognized by a significant percentage of serum samples from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis, but use of this protein as a tool for the diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis is hampered by the cross-reaction with sera from patients with Chagas' disease.
Validation of accelerometer wear and nonwear time classification algorithm.

INTRODUCTION the use of movement monitors (accelerometers) for measuring physical activity (PA) in intervention and population-based studies is becoming a standard methodology for the objective measurement of sedentary and active behaviors and for the validation of subjective PA self-reports. A vital step in PA measurement is the classification of daily time into accelerometer wear and nonwear intervals using its recordings (counts) and an accelerometer-specific algorithm. PURPOSE the purpose of this study was to validate and improve a commonly used algorithm for classifying accelerometer wear and nonwear time intervals using objective movement data obtained in the whole-room indirect calorimeter. METHODS we conducted a validation study of a wear or nonwear automatic algorithm using data obtained from 49 adults and 76 youth wearing accelerometers during a strictly monitored 24-h stay in a room calorimeter. The accelerometer wear and nonwear time classified by the algorithm was compared with actual wearing time. Potential improvements to the algorithm were examined using the minimum classification error as an optimization target. RESULTS the recommended elements in the new algorithm are as follows: 1) zero-count threshold during a nonwear time interval, 2) 90-min time window for consecutive zero or nonzero counts, and 3) allowance of 2-min interval of nonzero counts with the upstream or downstream 30-min consecutive zero-count window for detection of artifactual movements. Compared with the true wearing status, improvements to the algorithm decreased nonwear time misclassification during the waking and the 24-h periods (all P values < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS the accelerometer wear or nonwear time algorithm improvements may lead to more accurate estimation of time spent in sedentary and active behaviors.
Selection of Influential Genetic Markers Among a Large Number of Candidates Based on Effect Estimation Rather than Hypothesis Testing: An Approach for Genome-Wide Association Studies

In epidemiologic studies on direct genetic associations, hypothesis testing is primarily considered for evaluating the effects of each candidate genetic marker, eg, single nucleotide polymorphisms. To help investigators protect themselves from over-interpreting statistically significant findings that are not likely to signify a true effect—a problem connected to multiple comparisons—consideration of the false-positive report probability has been proposed. There have also been arguments advocating estimation of effect size rather than hypothesis testing (P value). Here, we propose an estimation-based approach that offers an attractive alternative to the test-based false-positive report probability, when the task is to select promising genetic markers for further analyses. We discuss the potential of this estimation-based approach for genome-wide association studies.
Effects of the Joint Custody Law in Italy

We study the effect of a 2006 reform to Italian family law that made joint custody the default for separating couples. The reform boosted joint legal custody by about 75 percentage points. Our research design uses difference&#8208;in&#8208;differences to estimate reform effects on the likelihood of a contested settlement, length of trial, and transfers between separating parents. The analysis is based on Italian individual&#8208;level administrative data, which cover the entire population. The joint custody default appears to have increased dispute rates and length of trial markedly, without affecting transfers. There is no evidence that mothers buy custody rights back through reduced support. Our findings are consistent with the excessive discretion given to judges on some aspects of law implementation, which resulted in a partial application of the reform.
Does gender disparity in financial literacy still persist after retirement? Evidence from Ghana

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the gender disparity in financial literacy among retirees in the Cape Coast metropolis in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Finding of this paper is based on 334 respondents (183 males and 151 females) to financial literacy questionnaires covering the respondents’ general knowledge on budgeting, use of Automated Teller Machine (ATM), time value of money, account types, cheque handling and insurance. Data was analysed with Pearson Chi-Square and Independent sample t-test. Findings Nominal scores showed male domination in financial literacy in seven out of the ten questions used to assess financial literacy while female retirees lead in three. These observed nominal differences were, however, found not to be significant through Chi-square test of independence except the question on the calculation of interest rate on loans in favour of males. The cumulative effect, through computation of financial literacy index was deemed to be significantly different betwee.
The Role of Nurses in Installing Telehealth Technology in the Home

Home telehealth involves the use of video conferencing or remote monitoring equipment in patients' homes. The installation of hardware and training of patients has historically been performed by nurses, typically RNs. This article examines the experience of RNs as telehealth installers in the Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDEATel) project, where RNs were responsible for the installation of the Home Telemedicine Units (HTUs) and for training patients in the use of the HTUs, blood pressure cuffs, and fingerstick glucose meters. Average installation and training time was 166 minutes (SD 51 min). Structured interviews with RN installers revealed that patient education and training accounted for roughly two thirds of the in-home time. Technology-related problems, especially those related to telecommunications, were the primary cause of installation difficulties. Thematic analysis of installer interviews identified eight major themes and confirmed the importance of both clinical and technical knowledge during the telehealth installation process.
PCR with degenerate primers for highly conserved DNA polymerase gene of the herpesvirus family shows neither human herpesvirus 8 nor a related variant in bone marrow stromal cells from multiple myeloma patients

The possibility has been raised that either a human herpesvirus‐8 (HHV‐8) variant or a novel, unidentified, γ‐herpesvirus related to HHV‐8 is frequently associated with multiple myeloma (MM), which could explain the lack of antibodies to HHV‐8 antigens and the discordant results from polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies of HHV‐8‐specific sequences in MM patients. Thus, we used a sensitive PCR assay with degenerate primers targeting the highly conserved DNA polymerase gene of the herpesvirus family to examine the long‐term cultures of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) from 19 MM, 3 monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance and 6 control patients. Both the culture supernatant and the adherent stromal layer were examined from the 2nd until the 8th week of culture to assess the immunophenotype of the various cell types harvested for the molecular analysis. BMSCs consisted of a mixed population of fibroblast, macrophage, dendritic and endothelial cells. An amplified product of the expected size was obtained only in 3 MM cases, both in the adherent and nonadherent fractions. Direct sequencing and alignment of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences showed that the DNA sequences were 100% identical to Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) DNA. The PCR positivity was due to the presence of EBV‐infected lymphoblastoid cells with plasmacytoid features, expressing the EBV‐encoded latent membrane protein‐1 and detectable either in the stromal cells or in the culture supernatant. Our data do not support a causal role of either HHV‐8 or a novel herpesviral variant related to HHV‐8 in MM. Int. J. Cancer 86:76–82, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A multi-objective supplier selection model for green supply chain network under uncertainty

Purpose Globalization of markets and pace of technological change have caused the growing importance of paying attention to supplier selection problem. Therefore, this study aims to choose the best suppliers by providing a mathematical model for the supplier selection problem considering the green factors and stochastic parameters. This paper aims to propose a multi-objective model to identify optimal suppliers for a green supply chain network under uncertainty. Design/methodology/approach The objective of this model is to select suppliers considering total cost, total quality parts and total greenhouse gas emissions. Also, uncertainty is tackled by stochastic programming, and the multi-objective model is solved as a single-objective model by the LP-metric method. Findings Twelve numerical examples are provided, and a sensitivity analysis is conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed mathematical model. Results indicate that with increasing market numbers and final product numbers, the total objective function value and run time increase. In case that decision-makers are willing to deal with uncertainty with higher reliability, they should consider whole environmental conditions as input parameters. Therefore, when the number of scenarios increases, the total objective function value increases. Besides, the trade-off between cost function and other objective functions is studied. Also, the benefit of the stochastic programming approach is proved. To show the applicability of the proposed model, different modes are defined and compared with the proposed model, and the results demonstrate that the increasing use of recyclable parts and application of the recycling strategy yield more economic savings and less costs. Originality/value This paper aims to present a more comprehensive model based on real-world conditions for the supplier selection problem in green supply chain under uncertainty. In addition to economic issue, environmental issue is considered from different aspects such as selecting the environment-friendly suppliers, purchasing from them and taking the probability of defective finished products and goods from suppliers into account.
Adaptations in muscle metabolism to prolonged voluntary exercise and training.

In previous research we established using a short-term (5-7 days) training model that increases in muscle oxidative potential are not a prerequisite for the characteristic energy metabolic adaptations (lower lactate, glycogen depletion, and phosphocreatine hydrolysis) observed during prolonged exercise. To investigate whether increased muscle aerobic potential further potentiates the metabolic adaptive response, seven healthy male volunteers [maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) = 45.1 +/- 1.1 (SE) ml.kg-1.min-1] engaged in an 8-wk training program consisting of 2 h of cycle exercise at 62% of pretraining VO2max 5-6 times/wk. Analysis of tissue samples obtained from the vastus lateralis after 60 min of exercise revealed that by 4 wk of training muscle lactate concentration, phosphocreatine hydrolysis, and glycogen depletion were depressed (all P < 0.05). Further training for 4 wk had no additional effect (P < 0.05). The ratio of fructose 6-phosphate to fructose 1,6-phosphate, an index of phosphofructokinase activity, was not altered with training. Muscle oxidative potential as estimated from the maximal activity of succinic dehydrogenase increased by 31% by 4 wk of training (P < 0.05) before plateauing during the final 4 wk of training. The increase in VO2max of 15.6% (P < 0.05) noted with training was also primarily expressed during the initial 4 wk. O2 uptake during submaximal exercise was unchanged. Because the metabolic response was similar in magnitude to that previously observed with short-term training, we conclude that, at least for the conditions of this study, the development of increased muscle aerobic potential is of minimal consequence on the magnitude of the energy metabolic adaptations examined.
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Fire Sales

In canonical models with financial constraints, the possibility of fire sales creates a pecuniary externality that results in ex-ante overinvestment. I show that this result is sensitive to the microfoundations for fire sales. If they result from asymmetric information instead of misallocation, the overinvestment result is reversed. Macroprudential policy may therefore need to treat different types of investment differently.
Double-stranded DNA homology produces a physical signature

DNA is found in the cell largely as a negatively supercoiled molecule. This high-energy form of the genetic material can engender sequence-dependent structures, such as cruciforms, Z-DNA, or H-DNA, even though they are not favored by conventional conditions in relaxed DNA. A key feature of DNA in living systems is the presence of homology. We have sought homology-dependent structural phenomena based on topological relaxation. Using two-dimensional electrophoresis, we demonstrate a structural transition in supercoiled plasmid molecules containing homologous segments. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals a dumbbell structure in molecules whose linking difference is beyond the transition point. The position of the dumbbell shaft is a function of the site of homology, and its extent is proportional to the linking difference. Second-site-reversion electrophoresis data support the notion that the shaft contains PX-DNA. Predicted cross-linking patterns generated in vivo suggest that homology-dependent structures can occur within the cell.
What is the potential of natural resource based industrialisation in Latin America? An Input-Output analysis of the extractive sectors

Several case studies have analysed the potential of natural resource (NR) based industrialisation, a process based on diversification towards high value-added products, in the Latin American region. However, there is limited evidence on how the development of productive linkages - a key aspect of this strategy - behave at the country level. Based on input-output analysis, this paper provides a clearer picture of the extent and evolution of productive linkages of NR sectors across a sample of middle- and high-income countries in Latin America as well as in other developing and developed regions. The paper focuses on the degree to which extractive industries, i.e. oil, gas, and mining, are connected to the rest of the economy by studying both backward and forward linkages using OECD IO data. It also makes a distinction between local and foreign inputs to account for the level of integration that these sectors have into global value chains and/or import dependence. Furthermore, it tries to identify whether the importance of the extractive sectors in exports and total economic output is related to the level of intersectoral linkages. We find that in most countries intersectoral linkages have become smaller despite the expansion of the extractive sector suggesting a higher level of enclaveness as predicted by the resource curse literature.
Discrete nonlinear contraction theory based adaptive control strategy for a class of hammerstein systems with saturated hysteresis

Smart materials actuated devices have been attracting tremendous attentions for decades, especially nowadays. Smart material actuators have been prevalently utilized in the fields such as soft robots and nano-engineering for their outstanding merits such as flexibility and ultrahigh spatial resolution. Although, usage of these smart material actuators can facilitate transmission systems design, problems show up in the control counterpart, which is still a challenging topic. As common phenomena, these actuators exhibit inherent hysteretic input-output relation which usually cause systems behave unexpectedly compared to conventional actuator such as the motors. Moreover, some actuators' behaviors can be slightly or seriously influenced by the external and internal factors, such as environmental temperature and humidity and the instinctive deterioration caused by usage. To cope with the challenging control tasks, adaptive control strategies, which are able to detect variation of actuator characteristics via estimation techniques, have been widely investigated and implemented. One of the promising generalized adaptive control schemes is developed based on the nonlinear contraction theory (NCT), which brings a more transparent and simpler process in controller design and convergence analysis. This paper proposes to design a discrete nonlinear adaptive control strategy based on the Discrete NCT (DNCT) to tackle a class of general hysteretic system considering saturation and time varying properties. The proposed control strategy combines feedback control law, adaptive law and the hysteresis compensator to guarantee desired input-output dynamic relation of the closed-loop system. Sufficient stability condition is given and verified through simulations, test result shows the system tracking error and parameters estimation error converge to zero exponentially fast.
Scalable Source Transmission With Unequal Frequency Reuse in MIMO Cellular Networks

This paper studies the optimal frequency reuse for the transmission of multimedia scalable sources, such as embedded images or scalable video, which need unequal error protection or unequal transmission rates in the bitstream. First, we analyze the crossover of the outage probabilities for full and partial frequency reuse cases in terms of the data rate. We prove that we can find a crossover of the outage probability curves for a data rate lower than a given threshold, which is a function of the parameters such as the partial frequency reuse factor and the user location in the cell. Moreover, the crossover point in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is a strictly increasing function of the data rate. On the other hand, for a data rate higher than or equal to the threshold, there is no crossover; for all SNRs, the outage probability of full-frequency reuse is lower than that of partial-frequency reuse. The results are proven for the arbitrary location of a user in a cell, and for an arbitrary partial frequency reuse factor. Furthermore, the results hold, regardless of the numbers of transmit and receive antennas in the multiple-input multiple-output systems of orthogonal space-time block codes, and of the vertical Bell Labs space-time architecture with a zero-forcing linear receiver. Based on the analysis, we propose unequal-frequency reuse for the optimal transmission of scalable sources. The numerical results show that the peak-SNR performance improves when a sequence of scalable packets is transmitted at the subbands governed by unequal-frequency reuse in cellular networks.