Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Application of Solar Cells in the Electrokinetic Remediation of Metal Contaminated Sediments

In this study, solar cells were used to generate an electric field for the electrokinetic remediation of metal contaminated sediment (Nickel, Cadmium, Zinc). For determination of metals mobility, bioavailability and potential toxicity, sequential extraction procedure, simultaneously extracted metals (SEM) and acid‐volatile sulphide ratios (AVS) were performed before, during and after treatment.
Title ASCENT : Adaptive self-configuring sEnsor networks topologies

Advances in microsensor and radio technology will enable small but smart sensors to be deployed for a wide range of environmental monitoring applications. The low per-node cost will allow these wireless networks of sensors and actuators to be densely distributed. The nodes in these dense networks will coordinate to perform the distributed sensing and actuation tasks. Moreover, as described in this paper, the nodes can also coordinate to exploit the redundancy provided by high density so as to extend overall system lifetime. The large number of nodes deployed in these systems will preclude manual configuration, and the environmental dynamics will preclude design-time preconfiguration. Therefore, nodes will have to self-configure to establish a topology that provides communication under stringent energy constraints. ASCENT builds on the notion that, as density increases, only a subset of the nodes are necessary to establish a routing forwarding backbone. In ASCENT, each node assesses its connectivity and adapts its participation in the multihop network topology based on the measured operating region. This paper motivates and describes the ASCENT algorithm and presents analysis, simulation, and experimental measurements. We show that the system achieves linear increase in energy savings as a function of the density and the convergence time required in case of node failures while still providing adequate connectivity.
Influence of DRD2 polymorphisms on the clinical outcomes of patients with schizophrenia

Objective Variations in the gene for dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) might have an influence on the outcome of antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of DRD2 polymorphisms on treatment outcomes in patients with schizophrenia. Methods The sample composed of 156 Malaysian outpatients with stable schizophrenia on maintenance antipsychotic treatment at a psychiatric clinic. Psychopathology was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale. DNA was extracted from blood and subjected to DRD2 PCR-genotyping. Results Patients with Cys311 allele had more pronounced or severe symptoms of schizophrenia than those without this allele. The former group had a significantly worse treatment response and presented with more prominent negative symptoms. Although there was no significant association between Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale scores and the Pro310Ser, -141C Ins/Del, A-241G or TaqI A polymorphisms, patients with the wild-type -141C Ins allele tended to have less pronounced or milder symptoms of schizophrenia compared with patients with the variant -141C Del allele. Conclusion The results suggest that DRD2 polymorphisms may have implications for the symptoms of schizophrenia and a predictor for treatment outcomes in a subgroup of patients with schizophrenia in Malaysia. However, further investigation with a larger sample is required to confirm these findings.
The Burden of Care: Experiences of Parents of Children with Thalassemia

Introduction: Parents who care for Thalassemia children tolerate a great burden. Understanding these sufferings seems necessary in order to provide appropriate care. This study was aimed to explore the experiences of parents who have children with thalassemia. Method: A qualitative approach was used to obtain rich data. Twenty-two parents were recruited purposefully from one charity clinic in South East of Iran. Semi-structured interviews were used. Data were analyzed by Lundman and Granheim's content analysis method. Results: Data analysis led to form one main theme including “Parents’ Burden of care”. Within this theme the following categories created: immersion in suffering, stigma and social death, uncertainty about future, and absence of a support network. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that Caring for children with thalassemia have a significant impact on the lives of caregivers and alleviating caregivers’ burden is critical to managing parents. This research may be useful in terms of increasing information about thalassemia and raising consciousness of nurses and other health care providers.
Intermediates in the Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Reaction of Rab8 Protein Catalyzed by Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors Rabin8 and GRAB*

Background: The GEFs Rabin8 and GRAB are activators of the vesicular trafficking regulator Rab8. Results: The catalytic mechanism of Rabin8/GRAB in Rab8 has been elucidated in biophysical and structural detail. Conclusion: Rabin8 and GRAB are catalytically moderately efficient enzymes and act by disturbing Mg2+ binding and Rab8-guanine base interactions. Significance: Obtaining snapshots of the nucleotide exchange reaction is crucial to understanding the mechanism of Rab GEFs. Small G-proteins of the Ras superfamily control the temporal and spatial coordination of intracellular signaling networks by acting as molecular on/off switches. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) regulate the activation of these G-proteins through catalytic replacement of GDP by GTP. During nucleotide exchange, three distinct substrate·enzyme complexes occur: a ternary complex with GDP at the start of the reaction (G-protein·GEF·GDP), an intermediary nucleotide-free binary complex (G-protein·GEF), and a ternary GTP complex after productive G-protein activation (G-protein·GEF·GTP). Here, we show structural snapshots of the full nucleotide exchange reaction sequence together with the G-protein substrates and products using Rabin8/GRAB (GEF) and Rab8 (G-protein) as a model system. Together with a thorough enzymatic characterization, our data provide a detailed view into the mechanism of Rabin8/GRAB-mediated nucleotide exchange.
Active AODE learning based on a novel sampling strategy and its application

In this paper, we first present active Averaged One-Dependence Estimator AODE learning classification model, which can improve the performance of AODE by selecting and asking experts to label the samples only with maximum information. Several common sampling strategies for active learning are discussed. Unfortunately, these methods can get the outlier, which will lead to scale up the classification-reduced error and high complexity. Motivated by those analyses, we propose a new active learning strategy, which is based on the uncertainty sampling and classification accuracy loss sampling strategy. Experimental results on three UCI standard data sets and a real remote sensing data set show that the AODE classification model and our novel active learning strategy can get better classification accuracy with fewer labelled samples than that of the state-of-the-art approaches for active learning.
Interpreting Blackbox Models via Model Extraction

Interpretability has become incredibly important as machine learning is increasingly used to inform consequential decisions. We propose to construct global explanations of complex, blackbox models in the form of a decision tree approximating the original model---as long as the decision tree is a good approximation, then it mirrors the computation performed by the blackbox model. We devise a novel algorithm for extracting decision tree explanations that actively samples new training points to avoid overfitting. We evaluate our algorithm on a random forest to predict diabetes risk and a learned controller for cart-pole. Compared to several baselines, our decision trees are both substantially more accurate and equally or more interpretable based on a user study. Finally, we describe several insights provided by our interpretations, including a causal issue validated by a physician.
50-Channel charge integrating faraday detector for characterization of ambient ions

Herein we present a novel 50 channel, charge integrating, Faraday plate detector system for the detection, characterization and imaging of charged particles emitted from an ambient ionization source. The detector is capable of spatial positioning of ion beams with sub nA current intensity, high linearity, large dynamic range and dark current noise <10 pA. Each channel is connected to its own calibrated amplifier for true simultaneous integration. To demonstrate the detector capability, 2-dimensional ion images are presented for ions emitted from a desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation source with peak ion current of ∼30pA. The novel detection system facilitates the characterization and optimization of ambient ionisation sources in terms of electrical and geometric conditions for improved ion generation and coupling with a mass spectrometer.
Physical Symptoms, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Healthcare Utilization of Women with and without Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse

For four groups of women: no abuse, physical abuse alone, combined sexual and physical abuse, and unclear about memories of abuse, we examined the associations between childhood sexual and physical abuse, chronic physical symptoms in adulthood, PTSD, and health care utilization. Of a randomly selected sample of 600 adult female members of a health maintenance organization, 86 (14%) chose to participate. Women with a history of physical and sexual abuse in childhood reported significantly more cardiovascular, immune, musculoskeletal, neurologic, and reproductive symptoms than those without this history. While the Sexual/Physical Abuse group had the most chronic physical symptoms, medical visits, emergency room visits, prescriptions, and severe PTSD, the Unclear Memory group consistently ranked second on these same measures—higher than either Controls or the Physical Abuse group. Findings underscore the importance of screening for trauma history among patients seen in medical clinics, and the importance for psychotherapists of attending to patients' physical as well as psychological symptoms of childhood trauma.
Modeling distributed autonomous robots using CHARON: formation control case study

We present the modeling and analysis of distributed autonomous robots using the specification language for hybrid systems, called CHARON. Coordination between distributed autonomous robots has attracted researchers of embedded and hybrid systems, since there has been increasing demand for multiple robots working together in a dynamically changing or unknown environment to carry out missions such as search and rescue, cooperative localization, and scouting and reconnaissance. To maximize the capability of performing tasks collaboratively as a team, formation control is one of crucial parts in developing distributed autonomous robots. In this paper formation control of a team of robots is modeled using CHARON and the model is analyzed using simulation with assertion checking capability of the CHARON toolset.
Comparative Bactericidal Activities of Ciprofloxacin, Clinafloxacin, Grepafloxacin, Levofloxacin, Moxifloxacin, and Trovafloxacin against Streptococcus pneumoniae in a Dynamic In Vitro Model

ABSTRACT Several new quinolones that exhibit enhanced in vitro activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae have been developed. Using a dynamic in vitro model, we generated time-kill data for ciprofloxacin, clinafloxacin, grepafloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, and trovafloxacin against three isolates of quinolone-susceptible S. pneumoniae. Three pharmacokinetic profiles were simulated for each of the study agents (0.1, 1, and 10 times the area under the concentration-time curve [AUC]). Target 24-h AUCs were based upon human pharmacokinetic data resulting from the maximal daily doses of each agent. Ciprofloxacin was the least active agent against all three isolates. With regimens that simulated the human 24-h AUC, ciprofloxacin resulted in an initial, modest decline in the numbers of CFU per milliliter; however, by 48 h the numbers of CFU per milliliter returned to or exceeded the starting inoculum. At the AUC, levofloxacin resulted in variable bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities against the isolates. The remaining agents yielded bactericidal (99.9% reduction) activity by 48 h with regimens that simulated the AUC. At 0.1 time the AUC ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin produced no inhibitory effect, grepafloxacin exhibited bacteriostatic activity, trovafloxacin had mixed static and cidal activities, and clinafloxacin and moxifloxacin caused significant reductions in the numbers of CFU per milliliter by 48 h. All six agents produced cidal activity at 10 times the AUC. In this dynamic in vitro model of infection, the quinolones demonstrated various degrees of activity against S. pneumoniae. The rank order of activity, with respect to bactericidal effect, was ciprofloxacin (least active) ≪ levofloxacin < grepafloxacin, trovafloxacin < clinafloxacin and moxifloxacin (most active). The rank order of the agents with respect to the selection of resistance was ciprofloxacin (most likely) > grepafloxacin, moxifloxacin, and trovafloxacin > levofloxacin > clinafloxacin.
Mesoscale equatorial wind prediction in Southeast Asia during a haze episode of 2005

Even today fires are still utilized by local farmers in Southeast Asia to clear land. Air pollutants produced from the biomass burning activities from Sumatera, for example, are advected towards the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia during the southwest monsoon and can cause adverse effects on the health of the local population. This study utilized the TAPM (The Air Pollution Model) to predict the low level mesoscale characteristics in an equatorial environment that encompassed the island of Sumatera and Peninsular Malaysia during the burning period in August 2005, when persistent haze was prevalent. TAPM was able to generate the existence of the daily land and sea breeze conditions near the western coast of the Peninsular Malaysia with relative success with a moderately high Index of Agreement of 0.87 and 0.60 for the zonal and meridional wind components, respectively, even without assimilation of local wind conditions. Strong low level southwesterlies that were generated during the daytime over the Straits of Malacca were associated with sea breeze, while weak southeasterlies simulated from 1900 local time towards midnight were associated with land breeze conditions. The vertical wind profile within the lowest kilometer of the atmosphere showed that the weak southwesterlies were present from mid-morning to sunset, which was interspersed with stronger southwesterlies that generally occurred above the height of 400 m. The meteorological parameters such as wind speed, temperature, and humidity were successfully simulated by the model with comparatively high correlation coefficients, low RMSEs and high indices of agreement with observed values. The vertical turbulent kinetic energy profiles showed presence of low level suppression at a height below 600 m during the height of the haze in August 2005, which coincided with the intense burning activities in Sumatera and the elevated levels of pollution in western Peninsular Malaysia. Trajectory analysis showed that aged air particles were advected landwards and seawards throughout the duration of the seven days’ simulation from the 7th to the 13th of August 2005. The presence of recirculation features of the land
Tax Credits, Labor Supply, and Child Care

We explore the impact of the child care tax credit in the U.S. income tax system on the labor supply decisions of married women with young children by incorporating the cost of child care into a structural labor supply model. Using data from the 1986 NLSY, we find that government subsidies to child care increase labor supply substantially. Our policy simulations show that an increase in the value of the child care tax credit (i.e., percent of expenditures subsidized) would have a much larger effect on labor supply than an increase in the annual expenditure limits of the subsidy or making the subsidy refundable.
The association between IGF-1 polymorphisms and high myopia.

BACKGROUND The potential association between IGF-1 polymorphisms and high myopia has been investigated in previous studies, but the actual relationship remains controversial. Accordingly, we conducted a meta-analysisincludingcase-control and cohort studies to assess the existing relationship between high myopia and IGF-1 polymorphisms. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and OVID. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were derived for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) involved in the studies obtained from the retrospective database search. Analyses of heterogeneity, sensitivity, and publication bias were also conducted. The findings from this meta-analysis were based on approximately 2,187 high myopia cases and 1,183 controls, and were used to assess the association between three IGF-1 genetic polymorphisms (rs6214, rs12423791, and rs5742632) and high myopia risks. We investigated the association of the IGF-1 gene SNP rs6214, but no statistical association was observed in the resulting odds ratios (OR) in the allelic (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.89-1.25), dominant (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.90-1.27), or recessive models (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.89-1.26), or in the homozygote (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 0.91-1.38) and heterozygote comparisons (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.88-1.27). Simultaneously, two other selected SNPs, rs12423791 and rs5742632, were also studied, but similarly, no statistical association existed between these polymorphisms and the risk of high myopia. In conclusions, no statistical association between IGF-1 polymorphisms (rs6214, rs12423791, and rs5742632) and the risk of high myopia was observed following the reported meta-analysis.
Enhanced robustness of multilayer perceptron training

Due to the chaotic nature of multilayer perceptron training, training error usually fails to be a monotonically non-increasing function of the number of hidden units. An initialization and training methodology is developed to significantly increase the probability that the training error is monotonically non-increasing. First a structured initialization generates the random weights in a particular order. Second, larger networks are initialized using weights from smaller trained networks. Lastly, the required number of iterations is calculated as a function of network size.
Artificial neural network coding of the child attachment interview using linguistic data

ABSTRACT Assessing attachment in adolescents is important due to relations between insecurity and psychopathology. The child attachment interview (CAI) holds promise in this regard, but is time-consuming to code, which may render it inaccessible. The aim of this study was to develop computerized neural network models to predict attachment classifications on the CAI and to determine whether the models could achieve the CAI’s benchmark qualification of 80% on reliability training cases. Four hundred and ninety interviews from inpatient adolescents served as model training and testing samples. The CAI’s 30 standard reliability cases were treated as the independent holdout sample, in which the performance of the final models was evaluated against the 80% benchmark. Models demonstrated moderate accuracy and high correct classification rates, as compared to human coders. Performance was poorer when models were applied to the reliability training cases, but automated coding of the CAI holds promise for future development.
Range-Free Localization with Aerial Anchors in Wireless Sensor Networks

Localization is one of the essential issues in wireless sensor networks. Randomly deployed sensor nodes that do not own any positioning device need to determine their locations for further purposes. Range-based schemes typically utilize extra hardware to provide higher accuracy based on either node-to-node distances or angles. On the other hand, range-free mechanisms support coarse localization without the specific equipment. The paper presents a range-free localization scheme with aerial anchor nodes. Each aerial anchor flies across the sensing field and also periodically broadcasts its location information obtained from its GPS receiver. The sensor nodes use the information and geometry principles to calculate their positions. With the mechanism, the sensor nodes do not need distance-probing hardware or additional communication among them. The localization mechanism has been evaluated and the results show that the mechanism had better performance than other range-free mechanisms.
Aiming for patient safety in the networked healthcare environment.

For some years, the automation of hospital administrative work flow has been seen as a means to reduce costs associated with delivering healthcare. The publication of the Institute of Medicine report, To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System,1 which documented a high level of mistakes in patient clinical care, and the subsequent report, Crossing the Health Care Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century,2 added patient safety to the benefits to be gained with automation. Healthcare institutions and the industry that provides them with information technology (IT) products endorsed both reports and sought to rapidly implement solutions that would improve both the cost and the safety of healthcare. From the beginning, these solutions acknowledged that privacy of medical data was a concern, and the need to address it when automating was clear. But there was little discussion of the potential for new safety risks being created with additional automation. Research and development work targeted how to connect clinical information to networks, with data security being seen only as a possible privacy concern. As often happens when one problem is solved, new problems that had not been considered began to make an appearance.
An Optimal Approach to Design 4-bit Reversible Power Efficient Comparator

: - Reversible logic enamored great attention in digital design so as to decrease the power consumption of the circuit. Low power and compact sized comparators are more efficient and most important for the future computing technologies, low power CMOS, quantum computing, nanotechnology and optical computing. This paper presents two new gates for the compact and low power design of reversible comparator, namely, TCG and CCG. In this approach TCG lonely acts as a single bit comparator with low quantum cost. Proposed design of the reversible comparator can be implemented for multiple number of bits, here the design is implemented up to four bit comparison. In addition, the primary parameters power, numbers of gates, quantum cost, garbage outputs, ancillary input and delay of the reversible 1-bit, 2-bit and 4-bit comparator have been presented and compared with the existing designs.
Peroxidaseless chicken leukocytes: isolation and characterization of antibacterial granules.

sucrose, were heterogeneous, and contained acid hydrolases. Alkaline phosphatase was absent. Acidic extracts of the largest granules contained lysozyme and cationic proteins; these extracts, at concentrations of 20-35 [tg/ml, inhibited Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, and Staphylococcus albus. Evidently one or more of these proteins may be connected with the antibacterial capacity of peroxidaseless PMNs from chickens.