Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical Network Models for Exchangeable Structured Interaction Processes

Abstract Network data often arises via a series of structured interactions among a population of constituent elements. E-mail exchanges, for example, have a single sender followed by potentially multiple receivers. Scientific articles, on the other hand, may have multiple subject areas and multiple authors. We introduce a statistical model, termed the Pitman-Yor hierarchical vertex components model (PY-HVCM), that is well suited for structured interaction data. The proposed PY-HVCM effectively models complex relational data by partial pooling of local information via a latent, shared population-level distribution. The PY-HCVM is a canonical example of hierarchical vertex components models—a subfamily of models for exchangeable structured interaction-labeled networks, that is, networks invariant to interaction relabeling. Theoretical analysis and supporting simulations provide clear model interpretation, and establish global sparsity and power law degree distribution. A computationally tractable Gibbs sampling algorithm is derived for inferring sparsity and power law properties of complex networks. We demonstrate the model on both the Enron e-mail dataset and an ArXiv dataset, showing goodness of fit of the model via posterior predictive validation.
Effects of Longer Droughts on Holm Oak Quercus ilex L. Acorn Pests: Consequences for Infestation Rates, Seed Biomass and Embryo Survival

The effects of climate change on oaks Quercus spp. constitute a main environmental concern for the conservation of temperate forests. In this context, we assessed the consequences of longer droughts on the interactions between the holm oak Quercus ilex L. and its main acorn pests. Infested acorns were prematurely abscised before reaching their potential size. The volume of the acorns attacked by Cydia fagiglandana (Lepidoptera) was smaller than those attacked by Curculio elephas (Coleoptera); however, their weight did not differ because Curculio larvae consumed more cotyledon. For the same reason, embryo survival likelihood was not lower in Cydia acorns despite their smaller size. Delays of late summer rain reduced infestation by Curculio, as soil hardness hampers adult emergence from their underground cells. By contrast, late and scarce precipitations benefited Cydia; rainfall might hamper adult flight and eggs/L1 larvae survival. There was not a “zero-sum” effect, because the decrease of Curculio infestation rates was not fully compensated by an increase of Cydia. Under the longer droughts projected for the Mediterranean Basin, our results predict lower infestation rates and higher acorn survival likelihood. However, further studies including other environmental factors are needed to better forecast the net consequences for holm oak fitness.
Application of nanofluid in thermal performance enhancement of horizontal screen heat pipe

The heat transfer characteristic of horizontal screen heat pipe using nanofluid was studied experimentally.The nanofluid consists of water and CuO nanoparticles having a mean diameter of 50 nm,the mass concentration of nanofluid ranges from 0.5% to 2.0%,and the operational pressures of the heat pipe varies from 7.45 kPa to 19.97 kPa.The experimental results show that the effect of the particle concentration on both evaporating and condensing heat transfer coefficients and the maximum heat flux is very significant.At the pressure of 19.97 kPa,the evaporating heat transfer coefficient rises from 170% to 410%. The operational pressure yields very significant effect on the heat transfer enhancement for the heat pipe.The lower operational pressure indicates more significant thermal performance enhancement of the heat pipe.The heat transfer characteristic improves with the rise of mass concentration,and then drops after reaching a certain value,while the optimal mass concentration is 1%.
Comparative study of BMP-2 gene delivery to Human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells with Turbofect and Polyethylenimine

Genetic modification of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with plasmid encoding the bone morphogenetic protein 2 gene (BMP2) is a crucial task in the development of gene therapy and tissue engineering technologies for bone regeneration. The low transfection efficiency of MSC cultures is a limitation for practical applications and makes it necessary to search for optimal protocols that ensure efficient gene delivery while maintaining sufficient cell viability. Comparison of two transfecting reagents (TurboFect and Polyethylenimine) shows that TurboFect is the most effective for MSCs transfection. A higher level of target gene BMP2 expression and osteogenic differentiation can be achieved using the TaqRFP-N-BMP2 plasmid compared with pcDNA3-BMP2.
Children s participation from the perspective of teachers

The perception of a teacher with regards to a child’s participation and their practices affect his/her participation in educational institutions. To provide effective participation, teacher’s awareness and attitudes towards participation must be examined. This research aims to determine the views of Turkish pre-school and elementary teachers on children’s participation in educational institutions. The participants of the study were comprised of 16 teachers employed in public preschools and elementary schools in a province in Turkey’s Inner Aegean Region. The teachers’ interview form is used as the data collection tool in this study. As a result of the research, it was determined that teachers had a positive perspective on children’s participation, they allow for certain conditions to enable participation coupled with decision-making processes in a limited fashion. Furthermore, it was concluded that teachers had methodical difficulties in decision-making and they thought that they needed to improve themselves in promoting participation. Teachers also thought that the teacher, peer relations, and family are effective on the participation.
A novel cost‐sensitive algorithm and new evaluation strategies for regression in imbalanced domains

Many real‐world data mining applications involve obtaining predictive models using imbalanced datasets. Frequently, the least common target variables present within datasets are associated with events that are highly relevant for end users. When these variables are nominal, we have a class‐imbalance problem which has been thoroughly studied within machine learning. As for regression tasks where target variables are continuous, few predictive models and evaluation techniques exist. This paper proposes a solution to these challenges. First, we introduce a cost‐sensitive learning algorithm based on a neural network trained on the minimization of a biased loss function. Results show a higher or comparable performance and convergence speed to existent techniques. Second, we develop new approaches for performance assessment of regression tasks within imbalanced domains by proposing new scalar measures, namely Geometric Mean Error (GME) and Class‐Weighted Error (CWE), as well as new graphical‐based measures, namely RECTPR, RECTNR, RECG − Mean and RECCWA curves. Unlike standard measures, our evaluation strategies are shown to be more robust to data imbalance as they reflect the performance of both rare and frequent events.
A Novel Method for Knot-Tying in Autonomous Robotic assisted Surgery Using Deep Learning

With the advent of robot-assisted surgery, surgical task automation, which means that robotic assistants could autonomously execute certain commonly occurring tasks, is more and more appealing and has been studied over the last several years because of the booming of deep learning. Mainly, such partial automation can help reduce the surgeon’s workload and allow surgeons to focus more on critical elements of the surgical workflow. In this paper, we propose a novel method using deep learning based on Variational Autoencoders for robotic assistants to learn knot-tying with the Data Set of manual operation, instead of learning from video demonstrations. Taking the circle action of knot-tying as an example, we make use of the VAE network to conduct feature learning and autonomous generation of knot-tying trajectories. During this time, the appropriate VAE network is built and implemented training, and after 100 rounds of training, experimental results show that we successfully acquire trajectories as expected using smaller Data Set with VAE network.
Breaking the PT-symmetry to design exceptional optical filters

We apply the supersymmetric Darboux transformation to the optical Helmoltz wave equation to generate analytically complex-valued PT-symmetric potentials (physically a graded refractive index dielectric). PT-symmetry is then spontaneously broken controlling the amplitude of the imaginary part of the refractive index distribution. Consequently a resonance is detectable which is related to a singularity of the S matrix, responsible for extraordinary high transmission and reflection peaks in the scattering spectra. We demonstrate how controlling the resonance we can achieve different amplification rates up to four orders of magnitude at the exact singular point. Total transmission and very high reflection can be also obtained. All the visible portion of the spectrum can be spanned by enlarging the spatial width of the potential. All these potentials can be unified in a single device with the capability to dynamically control the imaginary part of the refractive index, thus defining a tunable dynamical optical filter behaving as a perfect amplifier, a transparent barrier or a high efficiency mirror with the main dimension of few hundreds of nanometers.
Study of the Solution Chemistry of Element 104 – Kurchatovium

By Z. Szeglowski, H. Bruchertseifen, V. P. Domanov, B. Gleisberg, L. J. Guseva, M. Hussonnois, G. S. Tikhomirova 3 ,1. Zvara and Yu. Ts. Oganessian 1 Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 141980, Dubna, USSR 2 Zentralinstitut für Isotopenund Strahlenforschung, Leipzig, DDR 3 V. I. Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, 117979 Moscow, USSR 4 Institut de Physique Nucleaire, Orsay, France
Progress on sorption-enhanced reaction process for hydrogen production

Abstract Concerns about the environment and fossil fuel depletion led to the concept of “hydrogen economy”, where hydrogen is used as an energy carrier. Nowadays, hydrogen is mostly produced from fossil fuel resources by natural gas reforming, coal gasification, as well as the water-gas-shift (WGS) reaction involved in these processes. Alternatively, bioethanol, glucose, glycerol, bio-oil, and other renewable biomass-derived feedstocks can also be employed for hydrogen production via steam reforming process. The combination of steam reforming and/or WGS reaction with in situ CO2 adsorption is able to enhance the reaction above the thermodynamic equilibrium to produce more hydrogen, which is known as sorption-enhanced reaction process (SERP). In this review, research on thermodynamic studies, material developments, adsorptive reactor investigations, and cyclic operating process design for hydrogen production by SERP in recent decades has been surveyed and future research on these emerging areas has been discussed.
Recent Advances in Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Synthetic Transformations of Organosilicon Reagents

Organosilicon compounds act as a nucleophile upon activation by an appropriate base and behave in a manner similar to main-group organometallic reagents. In the last decades, structurally divergent organosilicon reagents are available and have become more employed for synthetic transformation with the aid of transition-metal complexes, because organosilicon compounds are in general superior to other organometallic compounds in view of stability, solubility, nontoxicity, and easy-handling. Particularly, cross-coupling of organosilicon reagents with organic halides or pseudohalides has been considered to be a useful tool for constructing the carbon frameworks of various target molecules such as pharmaceuticals and π-conjugated functional materials. Perfluoroalkylsilicon compounds such as CF3SiEt3 have found use as reagents for the metal-catalyzed introduction of perfluoroalkyl groups into many substrates. In addition, functionalized organosilicon reagents are readily accessible by catalytic approach startin.
Assessing the Energy Resilience of Office Buildings: Development and Testing of a Simplified Metric for Real Estate Stakeholders

Increasing concern over higher frequency extreme weather events is driving a push towards a more resilient built environment. In recent years there has been growing interest in understanding how to evaluate, measure, and improve building energy resilience, i.e., the ability of a building to provide energy-related services in the event of a local or regional power outage. In addition to human health and safety, many stakeholders are keenly interested in the ability of a building to allow continuity of operations and minimize business disruption. Office buildings are subject to significant economic losses when building operations are disrupted due to a power outage. We propose “occupant hours lost” (OHL) as a means to measure the business productivity lost as the result of a power outage in office buildings. OHL is determined based on indoor conditions in each space for each hour during a power outage, and then aggregated spatially and temporally to determine the whole building OHL. We used quasi-Monte Carlo parametric energy simulations to demonstrate how the OHL metric varies due to different building characteristics across different climate zones and seasons. The simulation dataset was then used to develop simple regression models for assessing the impact of ten key building characteristics on OHL. The most impactful were window-to-wall ratio and window characteristics. The regression models show promise as a simple means to assess and screen for resilience using basic building characteristics, especially for non-critical facilities where it may not be viable to conduct detailed engineering analysis.
The Effect of Road Network and the Freight Transport Operation to the Development of the Region and Welfare of the Society in Langkat Regency

This study aims to determine the effect of the road network and the implementation of freight transportation on regional development and the community welfare in Langkat Regency. This type of research is associative and explanatory research whose data are obtained through surveys. The study population was drivers of motor vehicles transporting goods in Langkat Regency. The number of samples is 305 respondents by means of probability sampling and data analysis techniques using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results showed that the road network variables did not significantly influence the community welfare, but the road network had a significant and positive effect on the community welfare through the development of the Langkat Regency. The implementation of freight transportation has a significant and positive effect on the community welfare partially, directly and through the development of the Langkat Regency. Regional development has a significant and positive effect on the community welfare of Langkat Regency.
Getting Ready for the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

• International cooperation can help bring safe, efficient, and effective solutions through capacity-building, policy and advocacy, and financing, while national efforts should be made to mitigate vaccine hesitancy and raise vaccine uptake. Vaccines for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) offer hope for better containing the pandemic, which had infected more than 108 million people and killed more than 2 million as of 15 February 2021 since COVID-19 was first reported in December 2019. The pandemic and stringent containment measures have also pushed many economies into recession, with particularly grave impact on vulnerable and marginalized populations. For example, 114 million jobs were lost globally in 2020, with 5% more among women than men and 8.7% more among younger workers than older (International Labour Organization [ILO] 2020). School closures affected about 1.6 billion school-age children globally with more than 1 billion children in developing countries falling behind in education.1 Hard-won gains in poverty reduction are being reversed, with global poverty estimated to have increased in 2020 for the first time in 20 years (Lakner et al. 2021).
Improvement of Snow Gauge Collection Efficiency through a Knowledge of Solid Precipitation Fall Speed

The collection efficiency of a typical precipitation gauge-shield configuration decreases with increasing wind speed, with a high scatter for a given wind speed. The high scatter in the collection efficiency for a given wind speed arises in part from the variability in the characteristics of falling snow and atmospheric turbulence. This study uses weighing gauge data collected at the Marshall Field Site near Boulder, Colorado, during the WMO Solid Precipitation Intercomparison Experiment (SPICE). Particle diameter and fall speed data from a laser disdrometer were used to show that the scatter in the collection efficiency can be reduced by considering the fall speed of solid precipitation particles. The collection efficiency was divided into two classes depending on the measured mean-event particle fall speed during precipitation events. Slower-falling particles were associated with a lower collection efficiency. A new transfer function (i.e., the relationship between collection efficiency and other meteorological variables, such as wind speed or air temperature) that includes the fall speed of the hydrometeors was developed. The root-mean-square error of the adjusted precipitation with the new transfer function with respect to a weighing gauge placed in a double fence intercomparison reference was lower than using previously developed transfer functions that only consider wind speed and air temperature. This shows that the measured fall speed of solid precipitation with a laser disdrometer accounts for a large amount of the observed scatter in weighing gauge collection efficiency.
Major Antigen Genotypes and Molecular Epidemiological Analysis of Bordetella Pertussis Isolated in Shenzhen

BackgroundAlthough the global epidemic of pertussis has been controlled through the expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), the incidence of pertussis has increased significantly in recent years, with a "resurgence" of pertussis occurring in developed countries with high immunization coverage. The incidence of pertussis in Shenzhen, was about 2.02/100,000, far exceeding that of the whole province and the whole country (both < 1/100,000). At the same time, more and more studies have shown that there is antigenic drift in Bortella pertussis, which may be associated with the increased incidence. 50 strains of Bordetella pertussis isolated from 387 suspected cases were collected in Shenzhen in 2018 for genotype distributions and molecular epidemiological characteristics analysis. MethodsThere were 387 suspected cases of pertussis enrolled at surveillance sites in Shenzhen from June to August 2018. Nasopharyngeal swabs of suspicious cases were collected for separation and culture, and the positive strains were identified by real-time PCR. The immunization histories of patients were analyzed to investigate the relationship between pertussis vaccination and infection. The major antigen genes of the isolated positive strains, including ptxA, ptxC, ptxP, prn, fim2, and fim3, were analyzed by second-generation sequencing. The homology and phylogenetic analysis of these genes was performed using the public genome sequence downloaded from GenBank. Results50 strains of Bordetella pertussis were successfully isolated from nasopharyngeal swabs of 387 suspected cases, with a positive rate of 12.9%, including 28 males and 22 females, accounting for 56.0% and 44.0% respectively. It is worth noting that 38 were under one-year-old among the positive patients, accounting for 76.0%. Among the cases with a history of vaccination, 71.4% of positive patients did not complete the basic vaccination process of the DTaP at the time of onset. Three major antigen genotypes different from CS and Tohama I vaccine strains were identified, and they had distant genetic relationships and 62.0% of which was prn2/ptxC2/ptxP3/ptxA1/fim3-1/fim2-1. ConclusionsThe positive rate of cases under one-year-old was significantly higher than that of other age groups and should be monitored. The major antigenic genes of the Bordetella pertussis strains isolated in Shenzhen were different from those of common vaccine strains. This study explained the resurgence of whooping cough from certain angles, including immunization strategy, vaccination time and genome variation of strains, which is beneficial to prevent pertussis infections.
Preceding Vehicle Detection Based on Optimized Faster R-CNN Algorithm

Preceding vehicle detection is still a challenge for unmanned driving technology. Deep learning has achieved great success in target detection. Among them, the Faster R-CNN algorithm is a classic representative. However, the algorithm still has some room for improvement in detection accuracy. By analyzing the problems of Faster R-CNN in the detection of occluded vehicles, taking the target detection post-processing algorithm Soft-NMS as the research object, two new penalty coefficients, inverse proportional penalty coefficient and exponential penalty coefficient, were proposed. It further improves the algorithm’s detection accuracy of the blocked vehicle in front.
Synthesis of Curcumin Loaded Smart pH-Responsive Stealth Liposome as a Novel Nanocarrier for Cancer Treatment

The innovation of drug delivery vehicles with controlled properties for cancer therapy is the aim of most pharmaceutical research. This study aims to fabricate a new type of smart biocompatible stealth-nanoliposome to deliver curcumin for cancer treatment. Herein, four different types of liposomes (with/without pH-responsive polymeric coating) were synthesized via the Mozafari method and then characterized with several tests, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Zeta potential, and field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-S EM). The loading and release profile of curcumin were evaluated in two pH of 7.4 and 6.6. Finally, the MTT assay was used to assess the cytotoxicity of the samples. FE-SEM results revealed a mean size of about 40 and 50 nm for smart stealth-liposome and liposome, respectively. The results of drug entrapment revealed that non-coated liposome had about 74% entrapment efficiency, while it was about 84% for PEGylated liposomes. Furthermore, the drug released pattern of the nanocarriers showed more controllable release in stealth-liposome in comparison to non-coated one. The results of the cytotoxicity test demonstrated the toxicity of drug-loaded carriers on cancer cells. Based on the results of this study, the as-prepared smart stealth pH-responsive nanoliposome could be considered as a potential candidate for cancer therapy.