Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Planning with Concurrent Execution

In real world planning applications such as planning for robots or video games, time for decision making is often limited. Unlike classical search, real-time search algorithms are applicable in these domains due to their bounded response time. This dissertation addresses the setting in which planning and execution occur concurrently using real-time heuristic search. I advance this area in three ways. Real-time planning algorithms have to return the next action for the agent within a strict time bound. I show how to adapt previously-proposed methods, which depend on unrealistic assumptions, to allow the use of wall clock time bounds. Second, in real-time search partial plans are generated until the goal state is found. It is not clear whether the agent should commit to one action along the path to best explored node or all the way to the search frontier. We investigate the use of metareasoning algorithms to decide how many actions to commit to. Third, I will extend the application of real-time search algorithms to stochastic domains.
An Experimental Study of the Maximal Number of Authors for a Research Paper∗

The importance of research papers as the main medium for scientific communication makes it useful to find bounds on important parameters such as the number of authors. Finding the minimal value of this parameter is easy, but finding the maximal number is harder. Theoretical approaches have already yielded upper bounds for this number; in this paper, we provide an experimental lower bound on the maximal number of authors for a research paper.
Long-range Temporal Correlations in the Broadband Resting state Activity of the Human Brain revealed by Neuronal Avalanches

Resting-state brain activity is characterized by the presence of neuronal avalanches showing absence of characteristic size. Such evidence has been interpreted in the context of criticality and associated with the normal functioning of the brain. At criticality, a crucial role is played by long-range power-law correlations. Thus, to verify the hypothesis that the brain operates close to a critical point and consequently assess deviations from criticality for diagnostic purposes, it is of primary importance to robustly and reliably characterize correlations in resting-state brain activity. Recent works focused on the analysis of narrow band electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) signal amplitude envelope, showing evidence of long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) in neural oscillations. However, this approach is not suitable for assessing long-range correlations in broadband resting-state cortical signals. To overcome such limitation, here we propose to characterize the correlations in the broadband brain activity through the lens of neuronal avalanches. To this end, we consider resting-state EEG and long-term MEG recordings, extract the corresponding neuronal avalanche sequences, and study their temporal correlations. We demonstrate that the broadband resting-state brain activity consistently exhibits long-range power-law correlations in both EEG and MEG recordings, with similar values of the scaling exponents. Importantly, although we observe that avalanche size distribution depends on scale parameters, scaling exponents characterizing long-range correlations are quite robust. In particular, they are independent of the temporal binning (scale of analysis), indicating that our analysis captures intrinsic characteristics of the underlying dynamics. Because neuronal avalanches constitute a fundamental feature of neural systems with universal characteristics, the proposed approach may serve as a general, systems- and experiment-independent procedure to infer the existence of underlying long-range correlations in extended neural systems, and identify pathological behaviors in the complex spatio-temporal interplay of cortical rhythms.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection for colorectal tumors

Because screening gastrointestinal endoscopies have been widely performed recently, diagnosis rates of early stage cancer have been increasing rapidly. This trend has also led to advances in therapeutic endoscopy, which is less invasive than surgery. The state-of-the-art technique, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). allows more favorable outcomes than conventional endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) regarding en-bloc resection of the lesion, irrespective of the size of the lesion. ESD has already been established as the standard therapeutic option for neoplastic lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract. However, the use of ESD for colorectal lesions is not yet established because of the unique pathological, organ specific characteristics of colonic lesions. Moreover, endoscopists are required to have higher qualifications to perform ESD and tend to cause complications more frequently. Nevertheless, it is obvious that ESD has a therapeutic advantage for certain colonic lesions and enables endoscopists to achieve a higher en-bloc resection rate, resulting in enhanced curability and more accurate histopathological assessment. Recent development of a special colonoscope for ESD and refinement of devices such as surgical knives and traction systems are expected to overcome some limitations of ESD and a standard protocol will be available in the near future. In this review, we will discuss the current status and future prospects of colorectal ESD.
White side test - a field test on the cervical mucus of cows for diagnosis of endometritis.

The present study was outlined to determine the grades of non-specific bacterial infection in endometritic cattle by a rapid test under field condition. White side test was performed on estrual mucus to confirm endometritis. For this purpose, Forty eight crossbred cows with endometritis and eight healthy cows were selected based on history of repeat breeding, thorough per rectal examination and physico-chemical characteristic of cervical mucus. Cows with purulent or muco-purulent estrual discharge or containing white flakes and positive reaction to white side test were considered positive for endometritis. The white side test had a significant positive correlation with pH, bacterial load in CVM. Similarly, the pH of CVM revealed significant positive correlation with bacterial load in CVM.
Multiple sclerosis and pregnancy: pregnancy, delivery and birth outcome in woman with multiple sclerosis

6 INTRODUCTION 7 LIST OF PUBLICATIONS 9 MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS 10 THE IMMUNE SYSTEM DURING PREGNANCY 19 MS AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 22 PREGNANCY AND ITS EFFECT ON MS 22 MS EFFECT ON PREGNANCY, DELIVERY AND BIRTH OUTCOME 25 MS AND ANAESTHETICS AND OPERATIVE INTERVENTION 25 MS, SMOKING AND PREGNANCY 26 MS AND MEDICATION DURING PREGNANCY 27 MS, BREAST-FEEDING AND MEDICATION 29 GENERAL TRENDS IN OBSTETRIC CARE 30 AIMS OF THE STUDY 32 MATERIALS AND METHODS 33 THE MEDICAL BIRTH REGISTRY OF NORWAY 33 THE NORWEGIAN MS REGISTRY 34 MS AND REFERENCE GROUPS 35 VARIABLES AND CLASSIFICATION 38 STATISTICS 41 SUMMARY OF RESULTS AND GENERAL DISCUSSION 45 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 58
Modeling Dynamic Heterogeneity Using Gaussian Processes

Marketing research relies on individual-level estimates to understand the rich heterogeneity of consumers, firms, and products. While much of the literature focuses on capturing static cross-sectional heterogeneity, little research has been done on modeling dynamic heterogeneity, or the heterogeneous evolution of individual-level model parameters. In this work, the authors propose a novel framework for capturing the dynamics of heterogeneity, using individual-level, latent, Bayesian nonparametric Gaussian processes. Similar to standard heterogeneity specifications, this Gaussian process dynamic heterogeneity (GPDH) specification models individual-level parameters as flexible variations around population-level trends, allowing for sharing of statistical information both across individuals and within individuals over time. This hierarchical structure provides precise individual-level insights regarding parameter dynamics. The authors show that GPDH nests existing heterogeneity specifications and that not flexibly capturing individual-level dynamics may result in biased parameter estimates. Substantively, they apply GPDH to understand preference dynamics and to model the evolution of online reviews. Across both applications, they find robust evidence of dynamic heterogeneity and illustrate GPDH’s rich managerial insights, with implications for targeting, pricing, and market structure analysis.
Essays on the 'house money' effect

This thesis provides a detailed analysis of the so-called ‘house money’ or windfall endowment effect and its main determinants. Chapter 1 provides a detailed survey on the literature related to the house money effect. This effect according to Thaler and Johnson (1990) refers to the situation where prior gains mitigate the influence of loss aversion and facilitate risk-seeking. The concept borrows its name from the expression employed in the gambling parlance of “playing with the house money”, which is used when people gamble while ahead. As the literature has used a variety of concepts and ideas to describe the house money effect, this chapter presents and discusses them within the environment and the related literature that they have emerged. This is done in order to highlight the predominant answers to the main research questions raised in the various strands of the literature, namely: (i) whether people treat money differently depending on its origin; and (ii) the implications of the house money effect for the experimental methodology in economics. The literature is organised and presented according to the context in which the above two research questions have been examined. By presenting results in each particular context, we pin down the contextual differences that might be responsible for the presence (or absence) of the house money effect, and lay the initial ground work to answer a third research question: What drives the house money effect? In this regard, after we demonstrate the context-dependency of the house money effect we present the two main interpretations that it has received, namely that the house money effect is a result of different mental accounting over windfall gains (‘windfall effect’) or a result of fairness or deservingness concerns (‘Lockean desert effect’). Chapter 2 re-examines the house money effect and explores its main driving forces. For that, we employ a novel experimental design utilising a within-subject approach, coupled with the use of three different contexts of economic decisions (a trust game, a set of lotteries and a public good game). Both the within-subject experimental design and the three contexts of economic decisions allow us to better test the two main interpretations of the house money effect. Our experimental data confirm the presence of the house money effect both in the decision to trust (but not in the decision of trustworthiness) in the trust game and in the decision to contribute in the public account of the public good game. However, our findings do not support the hypothesis that changes in risk behaviour of participants are due to different sources of money, suggesting that risk attitudes are robust and independent of the origin of money along the experiment. Therefore, our findings seem to favour interpretations of the house
The treatment of uncertainty in construction price modelling

Toe purpose of this thesis was to acquaint the reader on the nature of the uncertainty present in construction price forecasting and to introduce an environment that has the ability to integrate these uncertainties with greater consistency than that possessed by available price models. Toe objective of this thesis was to establish that uncertainty can be explicitly treated in price forecasting models. This would have two benefits to concerned parties. Firstly, the effectiveness of price forecasts could be improved as provision could be made for any uncertain variable. This will be of great benefit to the client, as a more accurate assessment of the building process could be established at an earlier stage of the design process. Secondly, the price forecast will be more useful to quantity surveyors, architects and clients, as it would 'quantify' the extent of the uncertainty which could be provided for in a more meaningful manner. In order to establish that existing price models do not deal with the uncertainty present at the time of forecasting, the price models used by practitioners were evaluated against the different types of uncertainty found at the different stages of the price forecasting process. Once this had been established, eight techniques that have the ability to treat various forms of uncertainty, were presented. After analysing the techniques abilities to cope with the uncertainties associated with price forecasting, it was established that certain of these techniques do have the ability, and are suitable, to be incorporated into the price forecasting process. From the results of a questionnaire survey conducted on quantity surveying offices in South Africa, it was found that the price models used by practitioners do not take uncertainty into account, and have in fact, the potential for uncertainty inducement. Some of the uncertainty found to be present in the preparation of a construction price forecast include the lack or incompleteness of design information, the uncertainty in the communication of design information, the variability in the data used by quantity surveyors and, the uncertainty in the choice of price model during the different stages of the design process. As a possible solution to the problem of uncertainty, an expert system environment, utilising a three-dimensional classification of uncertainty, has been proposed. It has been proved that this environment has the ability to cater for the uncertainty associated with the price forecasting process, as well as having the attribute of providing the user with the reasoning behind the
Momentum life cycle around the world: The roles of individualism and limits to arbitrage

The momentum life cycle (MLC) hypothesis proposed by Lee and Swaminathan (2000) also exists in global markets. Early-stage momentum strategies significantly outperforms late-stage and conventional strategies in most countries. The MLC hypothesis also implies that early-stage momentum is caused by investors’ underreaction/inattention, while late-stage by delayed overreaction. We find evidence consistent with this implication. While momentum profits are positively associated with individualism for late-stage but not early-stage strategies, momentum profits are positively related to limits-to-arbitrage for early-stage but negatively for late-stage strategies. Our results support the behavioral momentum model of Daniel et al. (1998) and arbitrageurs’ mispricing amplifying role of Stein (2009).
U.S. And Costa Rica Stock Market Cointegration

This paper tests the stationarity and cointegration of the historical daily data on the S&P 500 and the Costa Rican Bolsa Nacional de Valores (BNV). Both the Engle-Granger and Johansen Cointegration Tests are used to estimate this relationship. Results suggest that S&P 500 data and BNV are cointegrated although causal indicators between the two methods are contradictory. Specifically, the Granger Causality test suggests the S&P 500 is causal of BNV movement, while the coefficients in the error corrected model of the Johansen test are insignificant between S&P lags and BNV movement
Bereaved family activism in the aftermath of lethal violence

7 Declaration . 8 Copyright Statement . 8 Acknowledgements. 9 Chapter 1 Introduction . 10 1.1 Setting the Context . 10 1.2 What is ‘Bereaved Family Activism’? 12 1.3 Aims and Rationale . 14 1.4 Structure of the Thesis . 16 Chapter 2 – Trauma, Suffering and the Aftermath of Lethal Violence . 19 2.
Pulmonary Functions in Smokeless Tobacco Users in Haryana.

Background: Tobacco use is a public health concern worldwide as well as in India. The predominant use of tobacco is by smoke inhalation of cigarettes, pipes, and cigars or smokeless form. Smokeless tobacco is used in chewed, sniffed or sucked form. Tobacco smoking adversely affects the respiratory system causing chronic bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchial carcinoma. However the deleterious effects of smokeless tobacco on respiratory system are yet to be explored. Aims & objectives: To study the adverse effects of smokeless tobacco on pulmonary function tests and compares them with smoked tobacco. Methodology: The study was conducted among 30 tobacco nonusers or controls (Group I), 30 tobacco chewers (Group II) and 30 tobacco smokers (Group III). The pulmonary functions were conducted using the RMS Medspirometer. Pulmonary function parameters viz. FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75%, PEFR and MVV were recorded and best of three readings were considered. Unpaired t test and ANOVA test were used for statistical analysis and statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Result: All pulmonary function parameters viz. FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75% and MVV were reduced significantly (p<.001) in smokers (obstructive changes). Whereas in chewers all the pulmonary indices except FEV1/FVC showed significant (p≤.001) decrease (restrictive changes). However, on comparing the three groups, a highly significant (p<0.000) reduction was observed in all pulmonary function parameters in smokers except for PEFR. Conclusion: We observed obstructive pattern in smokers in our study. It is attributed to inhalation of noxious substances. However, the changes in lung functions are restrictive in smokeless tobacco users. This may be due to abnormal gastro esophageal reflux and oxidative damage.
Proceedings of the 19th Chinese Control Conference

The Chinese Control Conference (CCC) is an annual technical conference initiated and sponsored by the Technical Committee on Control Theory (TCCT) of Chinese Association of Automation (CAA) since 1979, and this is the 38th session. The series of CCC aim to provide a forum for scientists and engineers over the world to report their latest research results, to exchange their ideas and experience, and to advance the development of systems and control and its applications. Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan (China), United Kingdom, and United States of America. The topics of the Proceedings focus on, but not limited to Systems Theory and Control Theory, Nonlinear Systems and Control, Complexity and Complex System Theory, Distributed Parameter Systems, Stability and Stabilization, Stochastic Systems, System Modeling and Identification, Hybrid Systems and DEDS, Optimal Control, Optimization and Scheduling, Robust Control, Adaptive Control and Learning Control, Variable Structure Control, Cloud Computing and Computational Intelligence, Fuzzy System and Fuzzy Control, Process Control, Predictive Control, Motion Control, Signal Processing and Information Fusion, Big Data Analysis and Control, Navigation and Guidance, Control Design, Intelligent Robots, Fault Diagnosis and Reliable Control, Knowledge Automation, Cyber-Physical System, Control of Network Systems and Networked Control Systems, Multi-Agent Systems and Distributed Control, Sensor Networks and Internet of Things (IoT), New Energy Technology and Control in Environment, Vehicle Control and Transportation Systems, Data-Driven Modeling and Control, Micro-Nano and Quantum Systems, Systems Biology and Life Systems, Intelligent Manufacturing and Industrial Intelligence, Systems Engineering Theory and Method, System Simulation, Integration and Evaluation, Smart Grid, Pattern Recognition, Game Theory and Social Networks, Aircraft Control, Neural Networks and Deep Learning, Information Systems and Cyber Security, Social/Economic Systems and Control, Automation and Control Education.
Effect of Qianliening Granule on Experimental Hyperplasia of Prostate

Objective To study the effect of Qianliening on rats with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Methods 120 SD rats were divided randomly into blank group, model group, Baoliezhi control group and Qianliening granule groups with different doses. The models were established with hypodermic injection of testosterone propionate at 4 mg/kg after orchiectomy, at the same time, these rats were gastric perfused with different drugs respectively for 30 days. The body weight, prostate weight, prostate index, morphological changes, the level of T and E2 were measured. Results The body weight in model group was significantly lower than that in control group (P0.05), the prostate weight and index were obviously higher than that in control group (P0.01). The prostate weight and index were decreased significantly in Qianliening granule groups with meddle and high doses (P0.01), the level of testosterone was increased significantly and E2 was decreased obviously in Qianliening granule group with high doses. Conclusion Qianliening can decrease the prostate index and wet weight, and adjust the rate of T/E2, it shows an obvious dose-effect relationship on rats with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Mode of Delivery and Gestational Age Influence Perinatal HIV-1 Transmission:

Some data suggest that cesarean section reduces mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission. To assess the influence of mode of delivery and other maternal and infant factors on the rate of transmission, we analyzed the data of 1,624 children prospectively followed from birth. Of these, at the last visit 1,033 were > 18 months of age or would have been had they not died of HIV-related illness. Among the 975 first singleton children, 180 [18.5%; 95% confidence limits (CL), 16.1-20.9] acquired infection, as did 8 of 56 (14.3%; 95% CL, 5.1-23.5) second-born children. Multivariate stepwise analysis showed that vaginal delivery and development of symptoms in the mother were significantly and independently associated with a higher transmission rate (vaginal delivery; odds ratio, 1.69; 95% CL, 1.14-2.5; symptoms: odds ratio, 1.61; 95% CL, 1.12-2.3). In contrast, a history of maternal drug use, birth weight, breast-feeding (only 37 infants were breast-fed), and child's sex did not have a significant impact on viral transmission. The percentage of infected children was highest (30.7%) among very premature infants (< or = 32 weeks of gestation); this significant trend subsequently decreased to 11.9% at the week 42 (p < 0.001), suggesting a parallel reduction in peripartum transmission. The reduced rate of infection observed in infants born by cesarean section underlines the urgent need for randomized controlled trials to evaluate the protective role of surgical delivery in preventing perinatal HIV-1 transmission.
Gallbladder volvulus: a rare cause of acute abdomen

Gallbaldder volvulus is an extremely rare cause of abdominal pain. It requires high clinical suspicion to diagnose and prompt surgical management. The main risk factors for this condition are age (over 60 years old) and being female. Presentation can often mimic acute cholecystitis or biliary colic as patients with a volvulus will present with right upper quadrant pain, nausea, vomiting with or without fevers and raised inflammatory markers. Imaging can help aid diagnosis with computed tomography of the abdomen or ultrasound often being the most available and time efficient modality. Delay in diagnosis and surgery can lead to significant patient morbidity. We report a case of gallbladder volvulus in a 78-year-old female that was managed successfully with laparoscopic cholecystectomy.