Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Agent-Based Model with Asymmetric Trading and Herding for Complex Financial Systems

Background For complex financial systems, the negative and positive return-volatility correlations, i.e., the so-called leverage and anti-leverage effects, are particularly important for the understanding of the price dynamics. However, the microscopic origination of the leverage and anti-leverage effects is still not understood, and how to produce these effects in agent-based modeling remains open. On the other hand, in constructing microscopic models, it is a promising conception to determine model parameters from empirical data rather than from statistical fitting of the results. Methods To study the microscopic origination of the return-volatility correlation in financial systems, we take into account the individual and collective behaviors of investors in real markets, and construct an agent-based model. The agents are linked with each other and trade in groups, and particularly, two novel microscopic mechanisms, i.e., investors’ asymmetric trading and herding in bull and bear markets, are introduced. Further, we propose effective methods to determine the key parameters in our model from historical market data. Results With the model parameters determined for six representative stock-market indices in the world, respectively, we obtain the corresponding leverage or anti-leverage effect from the simulation, and the effect is in agreement with the empirical one on amplitude and duration. At the same time, our model produces other features of the real markets, such as the fat-tail distribution of returns and the long-term correlation of volatilities. Conclusions We reveal that for the leverage and anti-leverage effects, both the investors’ asymmetric trading and herding are essential generation mechanisms. Among the six markets, however, the investors’ trading is approximately symmetric for the five markets which exhibit the leverage effect, thus contributing very little. These two microscopic mechanisms and the methods for the determination of the key parameters can be applied to other complex systems with similar asymmetries.
A Semi-Automatic Approach for Extracting Software Product Lines

The extraction of nontrivial software product lines (SPL) from a legacy application is a time-consuming task. First, developers must identify the components responsible for the implementation of each program feature. Next, they must locate the lines of code that reference the components discovered in the previous step. Finally, they must extract those lines to independent modules or annotate them in some way. To speed up product line extraction, this paper describes a semi-automatic approach to annotate the code of optional features in SPLs. The proposed approach is based on an existing tool for product line development, called CIDE, that enhances standard IDEs with the ability to associate background colors with the lines of code that implement a feature. We have evaluated and successfully applied our approach to the extraction of optional features from three nontrivial systems: Prevayler (an in-memory database system), JFreeChart (a chart library), and ArgoUML (a UML modeling tool).
Clinical effectiveness and economic costs of group versus one-to-one education for short-chain fermentable carbohydrate restriction (low FODMAP diet) in the management of irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND Restriction of fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) is an effective dietary treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Patient dietary education is essential but labour intensive. Group FODMAP education may alleviate this somewhat but has not previously been investigated. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical effectiveness of low FODMAP group education in patients with IBS and to explore the cost of a group pathway. METHODS Patients with IBS (n = 364) were assessed for their suitability to attend dietitian-led group education or traditional one-to-one education in a novel group pathway. Clinical effectiveness (global symptom question, symptom prevalence, stool output) were compared at baseline and follow-up using the chi-squared test. The costs of the novel group pathway were assessed using a decision model. RESULTS The global symptom question indicated more patients were satisfied with their symptoms following dietary advice, in both group education [baseline 48/263 (18%) versus follow-up 142/263 (54%), P < 0.001] and one-to-one education [baseline 5/101 (5%) versus follow-up 61/101 (60%), P < 0.001], with no difference between group and one-to-one education at follow-up (P = 0.271). Overall, there was a significant decrease in symptom severity from baseline to follow-up (P < 0.001 for both groups) but no difference in symptom response between group and one-to-one education. The cost for the group education pathway for all 364 patients was £31 713.36. CONCLUSIONS The present study shows that dietitian-led FODMAP group education is clinically effective and the costs associated with a FODMAP group pathway are worthy of further consideration for routine clinical care.
A new robust stability analysis and design tool for bilateral teleoperation control systems

In this paper, a powerful robust stability analysis technique is introduced and developed for teleoperation systems. The methodology is based on wave parameters and discusses absolute stability and potential instability using scattering and is originally used in microwave systems [1], The proposed method provides suitable mathematical and visual aids to determine bounds or regions of passive environment impedances for which a potentially unstable system connected to any passive operator is stable, and vice-versa. Furthermore, a novel stability parameter is proposed to maximize the derivation of the above bounds or regions. This results in less conservative guaranteed stability conditions compared to the Llewellyn's criterion; thus, achieving a better compromise between stability and performance. The proposed methodology allows for the design of bilateral control systems when such bounds are known or even when the operator or environment dynamics are active. The new robust stability analysis and Llewellyn's criterion are numerically evaluated and compared with each other on two common teleoperation control architectures.
Silencing of Doublecortin-Like (DCL) Results in Decreased Mitochondrial Activity and Delayed Neuroblastoma Tumor Growth

Doublecortin-like (DCL) is a microtubule-binding protein crucial for neuroblastoma (NB) cell proliferation. We have investigated whether the anti-proliferative effect of DCL knockdown is linked to reduced mitochondrial activity. We found a delay in tumor development after DCL knockdown in vivo in doxycycline-inducible NB tumor xenografts. To understand the mechanisms underlying this tumor growth retardation we performed a series of in vitro experiments in NB cell lines. DCL colocalizes with mitochondria, interacts with the mitochondrial outer membrane protein OMP25/ SYNJ2BP and DCL knockdown results in decreased expression of genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Moreover, DCL knockdown decreases cytochrome c oxidase activity and ATP synthesis. We identified the C-terminal Serine/Proline-rich domain and the second microtubule-binding area as crucial DCL domains for the regulation of cytochrome c oxidase activity and ATP synthesis. Furthermore, DCL knockdown causes a significant reduction in the proliferation rate of NB cells under an energetic challenge induced by low glucose availability. Together with our previous studies, our results corroborate DCL as a key player in NB tumor growth in which DCL controls not only mitotic spindle formation and the stabilization of the microtubule cytoskeleton, but also regulates mitochondrial activity and energy availability, which makes DCL a promising molecular target for NB therapy.
Hyperpolarisation Rectification in Cat Lateral Geniculate Neurons Modulated by Intact Corticothalamic Projections

The intrinsic properties of thalamic neurons are influenced by synaptic activities in ascending pathways and corticofugal projections, as well as by the actions of neurotransmitters released by generalised modulatory systems. We focused on the effects of corticothalamic projections on the hyperpolarisation‐activated cation current Ih. Intracellular recordings of thalamocortical neurons in the dorsal lateral geniculate (dLG) nucleus were performed in cats under ketamine‐xylazine anaesthesia. At variance with the conventional way of recording intracellularly from thalamic neurons after partial or total ablation of the grey and white matter overlying the dLG, we preserved intact corticothalamic neuronal loops. Stimulating electrodes inserted into the optic tract and light‐emitting‐diodes as photic stimulation were used to identify the dLG neurons. The expression of the depolarising sag due to Ih depended on the state of cortical networks. Thalamic dLG Ih, induced by hyperpolarising current steps, was detected during the periods of cortical disfacilitation that occur during the cortical slow (< 1 Hz) oscillation, whereas Ih was absent during the active (depolarised) periods. The possibility that the excitatory corticothalamic projections could preclude the generation of the Ih was tested by applying a concentrated K+ solution (3 M) to the primary visual cortex. The same dLG neurons that did not display Ih before application of K+ were able to produce hyperpolarisation‐activated depolarising sags during K+‐induced cortical depression. Our data suggest that the thalamic clock‐like delta oscillation, which results from an interplay between Ih and the low‐threshold calcium current (IT), as described in preparations without cerebral cortex, is prevented in dLG neurons when corticothalamic loops are intact.
New approach to localize speech relevant brain areas and hemispheric dominance using spatially filtered magnetoencephalography

We used a current localization by spatial filtering‐technique to determine primary language areas with magnetoencephalography (MEG) using a silent reading and a silent naming task. In all cases we could localize the sensory speech area (Wernicke) in the posterior part of the left superior temporal gyrus (Brodmann area 22) and the motor speech area (Broca) in the left inferior frontal gyrus (Brodmann area 44). Left hemispheric speech dominance was determined in all cases by a laterality index comparing the current source strength of the activated left side speech areas to their right side homologous. In 12 cases we found early Wernicke and later Broca activation corresponding to the Wernicke‐Geschwind model. In three cases, however, we also found early Broca activation indicating that speech‐related brain areas need not necessarily be activated sequentially but can also be activated simultaneously. Magnetoencephalography can be a potent tool for functional mapping of speech‐related brain areas in individuals, investigating the time‐course of brain activation, and identifying the speech dominant hemisphere. This may have implications for presurgical planning in epilepsy and brain tumor patients. Hum. Brain Mapping 14:236–250, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Wood Specific Gravity Variations and Biomass of Central African Tree Species: The Simple Choice of the Outer Wood

Context Wood specific gravity is a key element in tropical forest ecology. It integrates many aspects of tree mechanical properties and functioning and is an important predictor of tree biomass. Wood specific gravity varies widely among and within species and also within individual trees. Notably, contrasted patterns of radial variation of wood specific gravity have been demonstrated and related to regeneration guilds (light demanding vs. shade-bearing). However, although being repeatedly invoked as a potential source of error when estimating the biomass of trees, both intraspecific and radial variations remain little studied. In this study we characterized detailed pith-to-bark wood specific gravity profiles among contrasted species prominently contributing to the biomass of the forest, i.e., the dominant species, and we quantified the consequences of such variations on the biomass. Methods Radial profiles of wood density at 8% moisture content were compiled for 14 dominant species in the Democratic Republic of Congo, adapting a unique 3D X-ray scanning technique at very high spatial resolution on core samples. Mean wood density estimates were validated by water displacement measurements. Wood density profiles were converted to wood specific gravity and linear mixed models were used to decompose the radial variance. Potential errors in biomass estimation were assessed by comparing the biomass estimated from the wood specific gravity measured from pith-to-bark profiles, from global repositories, and from partial information (outer wood or inner wood). Results Wood specific gravity profiles from pith-to-bark presented positive, neutral and negative trends. Positive trends mainly characterized light-demanding species, increasing up to 1.8 g.cm-3 per meter for Piptadeniastrum africanum, and negative trends characterized shade-bearing species, decreasing up to 1 g.cm-3 per meter for Strombosia pustulata. The linear mixed model showed the greater part of wood specific gravity variance was explained by species only (45%) followed by a redundant part between species and regeneration guilds (36%). Despite substantial variation in wood specific gravity profiles among species and regeneration guilds, we found that values from the outer wood were strongly correlated to values from the whole profile, without any significant bias. In addition, we found that wood specific gravity from the DRYAD global repository may strongly differ depending on the species (up to 40% for Dialium pachyphyllum). Main Conclusion Therefore, when estimating forest biomass in specific sites, we recommend the systematic collection of outer wood samples on dominant species. This should prevent the main errors in biomass estimations resulting from wood specific gravity and allow for the collection of new information to explore the intraspecific variation of mechanical properties of trees.
Issues affecting benefit realisation in electronic marketplaces

In the complex and dynamic environment of electronic marketplaces, organisations need to identify the issues that will impact on their identification and realisation of benefits. This research uses a case study of a multinational organisation to further an understanding of the perceived benefits gained in the early stages of participation in an e-marketplace for the purchase of goods and services. The research uses a framework of IS evaluation taxonomies to identify where anticipated benefits lie. The issues affecting the realisation of these benefits are then discussed to distinguish their potential relevance to other organisations. Lessons for prospective e-marketplace participants emphasise the need for detailed planning for early recognition of information needs and of structures for managing communication flows. Other lessons highlight the importance of recognising the impact of participation on individuals and on relationships. Two lessons of particular significance relate to the identification of the wider issues that may affect the realisation of organisational benefits, and the importance of considering the wider environment. An understanding of the issues from an early stage will enable organisations to make more informed choices about emarketplaces and facilitate the recognition of further benefits and relevant issues as the marketplace environment evolves.
Online strategies for dynamic power management in systems with multiple power-saving states

Online dynamic power management (DPM) strategies refer to strategies that attempt to make power-mode-related decisions based on information available at runtime. In making such decisions, these strategies do not depend upon information of future behavior of the system, or any a priori knowledge of the input characteristics. In this paper, we present online strategies, and evaluate them based on a measure called the competitive ratio that enables a quantitative analysis of the performance of online strategies. All earlier approaches (online or predictive) have been limited to systems with two power-saving states (e.g., idle and shutdown). The only earlier approaches that handled multiple power-saving states were based on stochastic optimization. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the analysis of DPM strategies for systems with multiple power-down states, without resorting to such complex approaches. We show how a relatively simple "online learning" scheme can be used to improve the competitive ratio over deterministic strategies using the notion of "probability-based" online DPM strategies. Experimental results show that the algorithm presented here attains the best competitive ratio in comparison with other known predictive DPM algorithms. The other algorithms that come close to matching its performance in power suffer at least an additional 40% wake-up latency on average. Meanwhile, the algorithms that have comparable latency to our methods use at least 25% more power on average.
DAvinCi: A cloud computing framework for service robots

We propose DAvinCi, a software framework that provides the scalability and parallelism advantages of cloud computing for service robots in large environments. We have implemented such a system around the Hadoop cluster with ROS (Robotic Operating system) as the messaging framework for our robotic ecosystem. We explore the possibilities of parallelizing some of the robotics algorithms as Map/Reduce tasks in Hadoop. We implemented the FastSLAM algorithm in Map/Reduce and show how significant performance gains in execution times to build a map of a large area can be achieved with even a very small eight-node Hadoop cluster. The global map can later be shared with other robots introduced in the environment via a Software as a Service (SaaS) Model. This reduces the burden of exploration and map building for the new robot and minimizes it's need for additional sensors. Our primary goal is to develop a cloud computing environment which provides a compute cluster built with commodity hardware exposing a suite of robotic algorithms as a SaaS and share data co-operatively across the robotic ecosystem.
Roles of Poly(propylene glycol) during Solvent‐Based Lamination of Ceramic Green Tapes

Solvent lamination of alumina green tapes is readily accomplished using a mixture of ethanol, toluene, and poly(propylene glycol), or PPG. After lamination, the PPG is clearly present as a discrete film at the interface between the laminated tapes, and direct particle–particle contact does not, in general, exist across the joined surfaces. This condition, however, does not generate delamination during firing. Instead, stacks of green tapes laminated using this mixture routinely sinter to full density and no evidence of original joint persists through the firing process. This paper presents the results of experiments undertaken to determine the role of PPG in the lamination process and, specifically, the mechanism by which it is redistributed during subsequent processing. PPG slowly diffuses through the organic binder film at room temperature. The PPG diffusion rapidly increases as the temperature is increased to 80°C. The key to the efficiency of adhesives during green-tape lamination is mutual solubility of the nonvolatile component of the glue and the base polymeric binder.
The Dynamics of Genetic Draft in Rapidly Adapting Populations

The accumulation of beneficial mutations on competing genetic backgrounds in rapidly adapting populations has a striking impact on evolutionary dynamics. This effect, known as clonal interference, causes erratic fluctuations in the frequencies of observed mutations, randomizes the fixation times of successful mutations, and leaves distinct signatures on patterns of genetic variation. Here, we show how this form of “genetic draft” affects the forward-time dynamics of site frequencies in rapidly adapting asexual populations. We calculate the probability that mutations at individual sites shift in frequency over a characteristic timescale, extending Gillespie’s original model of draft to the case where many strongly selected beneficial mutations segregate simultaneously. We then derive the sojourn time of mutant alleles, the expected fixation time of successful mutants, and the site frequency spectrum of beneficial and neutral mutations. Finally, we show how this form of draft affects inferences in the McDonald–Kreitman test and how it relates to recent observations that some aspects of genetic diversity are described by the Bolthausen–Sznitman coalescent in the limit of very rapid adaptation.
Kalman filters for audio-video source localization

In prior work, we proposed using an extended Kalman filter to directly update position estimates in a speaker localization system based on time delays of arrival. We found that such a scheme provided superior tracking quality as compared with the conventional closed-form approximation methods. In this work, we enhance our audio localizer with video information. We propose an algorithm to incorporate detected face positions in different camera views into the Kalman filter without doing any explicit triangulation. This approach yields a robust source localizer that functions reliably both for segments wherein the speaker is silent, which would be detrimental for an audio only tracker, and wherein many faces appear, which would confuse a video only tracker. We tested our algorithm on a data set consisting of seminars held by actual speakers. Our experiments revealed that the audio-video localizer functioned better than a localizer based solely on audio or solely on video features.
Eriobotrya japonica improves hyperlipidemia and reverses insulin resistance in high‐fat‐fed mice

The effect of Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. (loquat) on insulin resistance was examined in mice fed a high‐fat (HF) diet. First, the mice were divided randomly into two groups: the control (CON) group was fed a low‐fat diet, whereas the experimental group was fed with a 45% HF diet for 10 weeks. After 6 weeks of induction, the HF group was subdivided into five groups and was given orally loquat or not for 4 weeks afterward. It was demonstrated that loquat was effective in ameliorating the HF diet‐induced hyperglycemia, hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia and hypertriglyceridemia, as well as in decreasing the levels of free fatty acid (FFA), but increasing the adipose PPARγ (peroxisomal proliferator‐activated receptor γ) and hepatic PPARα mRNA levels. Loquat significantly decreased the body weight gain, weights of white adipose tissue and visceral fat accompanying the suppressed leptin mRNA levels. Loquat not only suppressed the hepatic mRNA levels of enzymes involved in fatty acid and triacylglycerol synthesis and lowered the sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1c (SREBP‐1c) mRNA level, but also affected fatty acid oxidation enzyme levels. These regulations may contribute to triacylglycerol accumulation in white adipose tissue. The findings provide a nutritional basis for the use of loquat as a functional food factor that may have benefits for the prevention of hyperlipidemia and diabetes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of Spectroelectrochemical Cells for in situ Neutron Reflectometry

A new spectroelectrochemical cell for in situ neutron reflectometry was developed. Electrochemical reactions were determined using this in situ cell with a LiMn2O4/SrRuO3 multi layer thin film. Changes in interfacial structures on the surface of the thin film are also observed by in situ neutron reflectivity measurements. The performances of this in situ cell were expected the determination of changes on the interface between the electrodes and electrolytes.