Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The host galaxies and black hole-to-galaxy mass ratios of luminous quasars at z≃ 4

Deep K-band imaging of the most luminous z≃ 4 quasars currently offers the earliest possible view of the mass-dominant stellar populations of the host galaxies which house the first supermassive black holes in the Universe. This is because, until the advent of the James Webb Space Telescope, it is not possible to obtain the necessary deep, sub-arcsec resolution imaging at rest-frame wavelengths λrest > 4000 A at any higher redshift. We here present and analyse the deepest, high-quality KS-band images ever obtained of luminous quasars at z≃ 4, in an attempt to determine the basic properties of their host galaxies less than 1 Gyr after the first recorded appearance of black holes with Mbh > 109 M⊙. To maximize the robustness of our results, we have carefully selected two Sloan Digital Sky Survey quasars at z≃ 4. With absolute magnitudes Mi < −28, these quasars are representative of the most luminous quasars known at this epoch, but they also, crucially, lie within 40 arcsec of comparably bright foreground stars (required for accurate point spread function definition), and have redshifts which ensure line-free KS-band imaging. The data were obtained in excellent seeing conditions (<0.4 arcsec) at the European Southern Observatory on the Very Large Telescope with integration times of ≃5.5 h per source. Via carefully controlled separation of host galaxy and nuclear light, we estimate the luminosities and stellar masses of the host galaxies, and set constraints on their half-light radii. The apparent KS-band magnitudes of the quasar host galaxies are consistent with those of luminous radio galaxies at comparable redshifts, suggesting that these quasar hosts are also among the most massive galaxies in existence at this epoch. However, the quasar hosts are a factor ∼5 smaller (〈r1/2〉= 1.8 kpc) than the host galaxies of luminous low-redshift quasars. We estimate the stellar masses of the z≃ 4 host galaxies to lie in the range 2–10 × 1011 M⊙, and use the C iv emission line in the Sloan optical spectra to estimate the masses of their central supermassive black holes. The results imply a black hole-to-host-galaxy mass ratio Mbh:Mgal≃ 0.01–0.05. This is an order of magnitude higher than typically seen in the low-redshift Universe, and is consistent with existing evidence for a systematic growth in this mass ratio with increasing redshift [i.e. Mbh:Mgal∝ (1 +z)1.4−2.0], at least for objects selected as powerful active galactic nuclei.
The Role of Monocytes in Ischemic Stroke Pathobiology: New Avenues to Explore

Ischemic stroke accounts for the majority of stroke cases and constitutes a major cause of death and disability in the industrialized world. Inflammation has been reported to constitute a major component of ischemic stroke pathobiology. In the acute phase of ischemic stroke, microglia, the resident macrophages of the brain, are activated, followed by several infiltration waves of different circulating immune cells into the brain. Among these circulating immune cells, monocytes have been shown to play a particularly important role. Following their infiltration, monocytes differentiate into potent phagocytic cells, the monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs), in the ischemic brain. Initially, the presence of these cells was considered as marker of an exacerbated inflammatory response that contributes to brain damage. However, the recent reports are suggesting a more complex and multiphasic roles of these cells in ischemic stroke pathobiology. Monocytes constitute a heterogeneous group of cells, which comprises two major subsets in rodent and three major subsets in human. In both species, two equivalent subsets exist, the pro-inflammatory subset and the anti-inflammatory subset. Recent data have demonstrated that ischemic stroke differentially regulate monocyte subsets, which directly affect ischemic stroke pathobiology and may have direct implications in ischemic stroke therapies. Here, we review the recent findings that addressed the role of different monocyte subsets in ischemic stroke pathobiology, and the implications on therapies.
A fast 3-D full-wave inverse method implemented within a domain decomposition framework

With the development of magnetic induction tomography, ground penetration imaging, and other noninvasive detecting applications, the need for a robust and fast inverse method becomes more and more urgent. In this paper, we develop a fast full-wave inverse scheme combined with a domain decomposition method (DDM). In this inverse scheme, the object domain, whose parameters are unknown, is separated from the peripheral devices and outer boundaries, and a regularized Gauss-Newton method is introduced to take control of the whole inverse iteration process, in which only the object domain has to be recalculated. This nonlinear inverse scheme is implemented successfully for 3-D full-wave problems and achieved a significant reduction of required computational costs.
Utilizing existing aircraft wound field generators for starter-generators

This paper proposes an alternative method for starting an aerospace gas turbine, temporarily driving its existing low inductance wound-field generator as a starter-motor using back-to-back connected, diode clamped inverters. This approach will result in a net weight saving as the existing pneumatic starter is now not required. A prototype converter is constructed and tested upon an aerospace generator, using a dynamometer to reproduce the turbines torque-speed characteristics.
VibroTac: An ergonomic and versatile usable vibrotactile feedback device

This paper presents an ergonomic vibrotactile feedback device for the human arm. Due to the developed concept, the device can be used for a large spectrum of applications and a wide range of arm diameters since vibration segments are self-aligning to their intended positions. Furthermore, the device improves user convenience and movement capability as it is battery powered and controlled through a wireless communication interface. Vibrotactile stimuli are used to give collision feedback or guidance information to the human arm when interacting with a Virtual Reality scenario. The usefulness of this device has been shown in a Virtual Reality automotive assembly verification and a telerobotic system.
Measuring the Impact of a Comprehensive Health and Wellness Initiative

As healthcare costs continue to rise across the country more companies are beginning to look for new strategies to cut costs. The evolving health and wellness industry has been shown to reduce expenditures from costly medical services by improving long term healthy behaviors in the work force, aiming to impact the demand and supply sides of healthcare. This paper looks at the history behind the health and wellness movement and specifically evaluates Healthy Incentives, King County’s own health and wellness initiative and the impact such a program has on direct medical expenditures as well as key health risk factors that are affecting millions of working Americans.
Quality of life of male spouse caregivers for breast cancer patients in China.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of male spouse caregivers of breast cancer patients in China, assess their quality of life (QOL), and investigate the influencing factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 243 breast cancer patient-spouse caregiver dyads were recruited from four hospitals in Shanxi and Anhui province of China. A cross-sectional design was applied to collect data and the Chinese version of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form (SF-36) was used to measure caregivers' QOL, and the Chinese version of M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI-C) was applied to measure patient symptom severity and interference. Pearson's correlation was used to examine the correlations between caregiver burden and QOL. The multiple regression analysis was used to determine the most predictive factors influencing QOL. RESULTS The scores of all SF-36 scales were above 50.0, which were much lower than that of general mainland Chinese males. Mental QOL was significantly worse than physical QOL. Spouses demographic characteristics, caregiving-related variables and patient symptoms were related to spouse QOL. Caregiver burden has a negative relationship with QOL. CONCLUSIONS A decrease in life events and patient symptoms, as well as increase in spouse sleeping time and family income, ought to improve QOL.
A Note on the Interpretation of Scale Values in Multidimensional Scaling Growth Analysis

Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) has been used as a growth mixture modeling technique in psychological and education research in recent years. This note focuses on a detailed explanation of interpreting the scale values in MDS growth analysis. Since scale values from MDS growth analysis are based on the Euclidean metric, we attempt to offer some guidance on interpretation of the scale values in terms of percentage of change in growth between each time interval. This approach is illustrated with a hypothetical example, and it can be used in actual research settings. DOI:10.2458/azu_jmmss_v2i2_ding
Linear text segmentation using classification techniques

Automatic segmentation of a text stream into topically coherent segments is an important component in natural language processing tasks such as information retrieval and document summarization. Machine learning techniques can play a vital role in building an efficient system for text segmentation. This paper describes a method for identifying segment boundaries of an unstructured text document with the aid of multiple linguistic features. Linguistic features include word repetition, lexical chains, presence of pronouns, conversation, named entities, paragraph and so on. The task of segmentation is modeled as a binary classification problem, where the classes correspond to the presence or the absence of a segment boundary. An experiment in text segmentation using an efficient classifier function is presented to show the effectiveness of the new approach.
Transactional memory support for scalable and transparent parallelization of multiplayer games

In this paper, we study parallelization of multiplayer games using software Transactional Memory (STM) support. We show that the STM provides not only ease of programming, but also better performance than that achievable with state-of-the-art lock-based programming, for this realistic high impact application. For this purpose, we use a game benchmark, SynQuake, that extracts the main data structures and the essential features of the popular game Quake. SynQuake can be driven with a synthetic workload generator that flexibly emulates client game actions and various hot-spot scenarios in the game world. We implement, evaluate and compare the STM version of SynQuake with a state-of-the-art lock-based parallelization of Quake, which we ported to SynQuake. While in STM-SynQuake support for maintaining the consistency of each complex game action is automatic, conservative locking of surrounding objects within a bounding box, for the duration of the game action is inherently needed in lock-based SynQuake. This leads to higher scalability of STM-SynQuake versus lock-based SynQuake, due to a higher degree of false sharing in the latter. Task assignment to threads has a second-order effect on the scalability of STM-SynQuake, due to its impact on the application's true sharing patterns. We show that a dynamic locality-aware task assignment to threads provides the best trade-off between load balancing and conflict reduction.
Causal Inference in Accounting Research

This paper examines the approaches accounting researchers use to draw causal inferences using observational (or non-experimental) data. The vast majority of accounting research papers draw causal inferences notwithstanding the well-known difficulties in doing so. While some recent papers seek to use quasi-experimental methods to improve causal inferences, these methods also make strong assumptions that are not always fully appreciated. We believe that accounting research would benefit from: more in-depth descriptive research, including a greater focus on the study of causal mechanisms (or causal pathways); increased emphasis on structural modeling of the phenomena of interest. We argue these changes offer a practical path forward for rigorous accounting research.
Social and Political Status of Women among Pastoral Nomads: The Boyr Ahmad of Southwest Iran

Most studies of pastoral societies in the Middle East either do not examine or show a poor understanding of the economic and political roles played by women. Using comparative data this paper examines strategies whereby women exercise power and influence decision-making at all levels in an apparently male-dominated society. The position of women in relations of production, distribution and property disposition is regarded here as the basis of their political power. It also describes the structural dilemmas and contradictions produced by a combination of polygyny, absence of unambiguous rules of succession and exogamy which have made it possible for women to enter the political arena. Finally, the impact of the recent processes of modernization upon the traditional statuses of women is explored.
Expression of Nkx2‐5‐GFP bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mice closely resembles endogenous Nkx2‐5 gene activity

Summary: Mouse Nkx2‐5 gene is essential for early heart development and it is regulated by a complex array of regulatory modules. In order to establish an efficient in vivo system for mapping the Nkx2‐5 genomic locus for regulatory regions, we developed improved homologous recombination technology for use in Escherichia coli and then knocked an IRES‐hrGFP reporter gene into Nkx2‐5 gene in a 120 kb Nkx2‐5 bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone. We employed the recombination genes redα and redβ under the pBAD promoter, which was specifically induced by the addition of L‐arabinose. Recombination was selected for by our universal targeting cassette which conferred kanamycin resistance in bacterial cells and neomycin resistance in mammalian cells. Transgenic mouse lines generated from this modified BAC clone closely resembled the endogenous Nkx2‐5 expression in the heart, pylorus sphincter, and spleen, but expression was not detected in the tongue. Nkx2‐5 BAC‐GFP expression was copy number‐dependent and locus site‐independent. BAC transgenics using the GFP reporter offers an efficient model system to study gene expression and regulation. genesis 35:220–226, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Advances in textile sensing and actuation for e-textile applications

SMART fabrics and interactive textiles (SFIT) are conceived as innovative textile structure integrating sensing, actuation, electronic, and power and/or communication functions. Due to their multifunctional interactivity, enabled by wearable devices that are flexible and conformable to the human body, e-textiles are considered relevant promoters of a higher quality of life and progress in biomedicine, as well as in several health-focused disciplines, such as biomonitoring, rehabilitation, telemedicine, teleassistance, ergonomics and sport medicine.
Basographic gait impairment score: A fuzzy classifier based on foot-floor contact parameters

Many parameters are usually extracted to fully describe the foot-floor-contact of a patient's gait. A single gait score can be useful to help the clinician in pre/post treatment assessment and patient's follow-up. We describe and validate a method to calculate a gait impairment score through a fuzzy classifier. From the foot-switch signal recorded during a subject's gait we extract 8 basographic parameters for each lower limb. These are the inputs given to a Mamdani classifier, based on 36 rules, for the classification of gait. We obtain a separate output score for each lower limb, and an aggregate score representing the global walking impairment of the subject. The system is tested on a group of 5 normal subjects, and it is also tested on a group of 25 diabetic patients in basal conditions and after the completion of a rehabilitation program.
Social media rumors as improvised public opinion: semantic network analyses of twitter discourses during Korean saber rattling 2013

ABSTRACT Social media rumors are improvised and expressive forms of public opinion that especially arise under uncertain sociopolitical situations. This study utilizes early rumor studies as theoretical framework for textual analysis of Twitter public opinion. A content and semantic network analysis of Twitter messages spread during Korean saber rattling in 2013 was conducted for understanding public opinion in an uncertain context. The results show that, while non-rumor narratives focus on policy-level responses to the threat situation in a similar manner to institutionalized opinion polling, rumors are less concerned with official responses, instead reflective of hegemonic tensions between anti-leftwing political sentiments and the counteractive accounts. Some rumors reveal the public's coping with fears in the form of humor, guesswork, or wishes. Online rumor analysis helps understand how the society's collective memories interact with the current situational uncertainty in shaping public opinions and sentiments.
Axon position within the corpus callosum determines contralateral cortical projection

Significance Two hemispheres of the neocortex are connected via a large axon bundle, the corpus callosum (CC). Axons from one side of the cortex project primarily to the equivalent cortical area on the contralateral side. How this homotopic axon projection is achieved during development remains unclear. Quantitative analysis of the cortical axons' positions within CC and their projection pattern after crossing the midline showed that axon position within CC is critical for homotopic projection. Further genetic perturbations of semaphorin/neuropilin-1 signaling disrupted the axon order in CC, resulting in an ectopic contralateral axon projection that could not be corrected by developmental refinement. How developing axons in the corpus callosum (CC) achieve their homotopic projection to the contralateral cortex remains unclear. We found that axonal position within the CC plays a critical role in this projection. Labeling of nearby callosal axons in mice showed that callosal axons were segregated in an orderly fashion, with those from more medial cerebral cortex located more dorsally and subsequently projecting to more medial contralateral cortical regions. The normal axonal order within the CC was grossly disturbed when semaphorin3A/neuropilin-1 signaling was disrupted. However, the order in which axons were positioned within the CC still determined their contralateral projection, causing a severe disruption of the homotopic contralateral projection that persisted at postnatal day 30, when the normal developmental refinement of contralateral projections is completed in wild-type (WT) mice. Thus, the orderly positioning of axons within the CC is a primary determinant of how homotopic interhemispheric projections form in the contralateral cortex.
Two-Party Privacy Games: How Users Perturb When Learners Preempt

Internet tracking technologies and wearable electronics provide a vast amount of data to machine learning algorithms. This stock of data stands to increase with the developments of the internet of things and cyber-physical systems. Clearly, these technologies promise benefits. But they also raise the risk of sensitive information disclosure. To mitigate this risk, machine learning algorithms can add noise to outputs according to the formulations provided by differential privacy. At the same time, users can fight for privacy by injecting noise into the data that they report. In this paper, we conceptualize the interactions between privacy and accuracy and between user (input) perturbation and learner (output) perturbation in machine learning, using the frameworks of empirical risk minimization, differential privacy, and Stackelberg games. In particular, we solve for the Stackelberg equilibrium for the case of an averaging query. We find that, in equilibrium, either the users perturb their data before submission or the learner perturbs the machine learning output, but never both. Specifically, the learner perturbs if and only if the number of users is greater than a threshold which increases with the degree to which incentives are misaligned. Provoked by these conclusions - and by some observations from privacy ethics - we also suggest future directions. While other work in this area has studied privacy markets and mechanism design for truthful reporting of user information, we take a different viewpoint by considering both user and learner perturbation. We hope that this effort will open the door to future work in the area of differential privacy games.
Configurational asymmetry in vernier offset detection

Two psychophysical experiments were conducted at the horizontal and vertical orientations respectively, demonstrating substantial main effect of configuration, but no effect of offset direction on vernier acuity. In Experiment 1, a pair of horizontal bars were arranged side by side with a large gap between them. The observers were, on average, significantly better at discriminating a vertical offset if the right-hand bar was below the left-hand bar than vice versa, regardless of which bar they experienced as displaced and which as constant. A similar asymmetry was evident in Experiment 2 where observers judged horizontal offset for a pair of vertically oriented bars, where one was placed above the other. In this case average performance was better if the upper bar was on the right of the lower bar rather than on its left. There were large individual variations in the asymmetrical trend, but the effect could not be explained by subjective response bias. Furthermore, vernier acuity improved significantly and the asymmetry decreased more or less as a function of training. The average asymmetrical trend was consistent across training days and across two orientations, which indicates that the processing of line vernier stimuli is possibly configuration-specific in the cardinal orientation.
Double-blind, randomized trial of bupropion SR for the treatment of neuropathic pain

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of bupropion sustained-release (SR) for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Method: This single-center, outpatient, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study consisted of two phases. Forty-one nondepressed patients with neuropathic pain spent 6 weeks in each phase in random order and received identical tablets of 150 mg bupropion SR or placebo. Patients were instructed to take one tablet once daily for 1 week followed by one tablet twice daily for 5 weeks. Results: While the patients took bupropion SR, neuropathic pain relief was improved or much improved in 30 (73%) patients, and one of these patients became pain-free. The mean average pain score at baseline was 5.7, which remained unchanged at the end of week 6 with placebo, but decreased by 1.7 points to 4.0 (p < 0.001) during therapy with bupropion SR. Pain relief with bupropion SR was significant at week 2 (p < 0.05) and continued throughout weeks 3 through 6 (p < 0.001). A significant decrease in interference of pain on quality of life was observed while patients were receiving bupropion SR compared with placebo. Side effects experienced with bupropion SR were not dose-limiting and consisted primarily of dry mouth, insomnia, headache, gastrointestinal upset, tremor, constipation, and dizziness. Conclusion: This placebo-controlled crossover trial showed that bupropion SR (150–300 mg daily) was effective and well tolerated for the treatment of neuropathic pain.