Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Improved Version of K-medoid Algorithm using CRO

Clustering is the process of grouping a set of patterns into different disjoint clusters where each cluster contains the alike patterns. Many algorithms had been proposed before for clustering. K-medoid is a variant of k-mean that use an actual point in the cluster to represent it instead of the mean in the k-mean algorithm to get the outliers and reduce noise in the cluster. In order to enhance performance of k-medoid algorithm and get more accurate clusters, a hybrid algorithm is proposed which use CRO algorithm along with k-medoid. In this method, CRO is used to expand searching for the optimal medoid and enhance clustering by getting more precise results. The performance of the new algorithm is evaluated by comparing its results with five clustering algorithms, k-mean, k-medoid, DB/rand/1/bin, CRO based clustering algorithm and hybrid CRO-k-mean by using four real world datasets: Lung cancer, Iris, Breast cancer Wisconsin and Haberman’s survival from UCI machine learning data repository. The results were conducted and compared base on different metrics and show that proposed algorithm enhanced clustering technique by giving more accurate results.
Human Recombinant Fab Fragment Neutralizes Shiga Toxin Type 2 Cytotoxic Effects in vitro and in vivo

Shiga toxin (Stx) producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is responsible for causing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, and acute renal failure after bacterially induced hemorrhagic diarrhea. Until now, there has been neither an effective treatment nor method of prevention for the deleterious effects caused by Stx intoxication. Antibodies are well recognized as affinity components of therapeutic drugs; thus, a previously obtained recombinant human FabC11:Stx2 fragment was used to neutralize Stx2 in vitro in a Vero cell viability assay. Herein, we demonstrated that this fragment neutralized, in a dose-dependent manner, the cytotoxic effects of Stx2 on human glomerular endothelial cells, on human proximal tubular epithelial cells, and prevented the morphological alterations induced by Stx2. FabC11:Stx2 protected mice from a lethal dose of Stx2 by toxin-antibody pre-incubation. Altogether, our results show the ability of a new encouraging molecule to prevent Stx-intoxication symptoms during STEC infection.
The Relationship Between Exchange Rates and Stock Prices: A Causality Analysis

This paper analyzes empirically the relationship between stock prices and exchange rates by using high-frequency data of exchange rates and aggregate stock indices of Turkey. With time-series techniques, this study provides evidence that a long-run stable relationship between stock indices and exchange rate exist. But our results indicate that causality relationship exists only from exchange rate to industry sector index.
Transgenic Peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L . ) Plants Expressing cryIEC and Rice Chitinase cDNA ( Chi 11 ) Exhibit Resistance against Insect Pest Spodoptera litura and Fungal Pathogen Phaeoisariopsis personata

Spodoptera litura has been identified as a common insect pest of peanut, causing severe yield losses. A synthetic cry1EC gene had been specially designed and proven effective against the larvae of this polyphagous Lepidopteran insect. We have successfully introduced the synthetic cry1EC gene alone and along with a rice chitinase cDNA, Chi11 into JL-24, a popular variety of peanut in India. The transgenic plants were raised from cotyledonary node explants through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The synergistic effect of both genes was studied in enhancing mortality of the target insect. The presence and expression of the synthetic cry gene and selectable marker (nptII) gene in regenerated plants were confirmed by PCR, Southern and Western blot analyses. Inheritance of the transgene was confirmed in the T1 and T2 generations. Insect bioassays on the transgenic plants carrying both genes showed enhanced resistance against the target insect larvae compared to plants harboring the cry gene alone. A fungal bioassay on plants carrying both genes showed varied resistance against the fungal pathogen Phaeoisariopsis personata, which causes late leaf spot disease, in addition to resistance against the insect pest Spodoptera. This is the first report on peanut engineered with both cry gene and chitinase against herbivores and leaf spot disease. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Impact of Short- and Long-Term Participation Tax Rates on Labor Supply

Generous income support programs as provided by European welfare states have often been blamed to hamper employment. This paper investigates the importance of incentives inherent in the tax-benefit system for the individual decision to take up work. Using German microdata over the period 1993-2010 we find that recent reforms in Germany increased work incentives at the extensive margin measured by the Participation Tax Rate (PTR), particularly for low-income individuals. Work incentives are even higher if the time horizon is extended to more than one year, pointing at an overestimation of the disincentives by standard measures. Regression analysis reveals that a decrease in the PTR increases the likelihood of taking up work significantly.
Is Associated with Hypertension in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

1School of Health Sciences in Katowice, Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków Street 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland 2School of Medicine and Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Department of Internal Medicine, Diabetes and Nephrology, Medical University of Silesia, 3 Maja Street 13-18, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland 31st Department of Cardiac Surgery/2nd Department of Cardiology, American Heart of Poland, S. A. Armii Krajowej Street 101, 43-316 Bielsko-Biala, Poland 4Regional Centre of Blood Donation and Blood Treatment in Raciborz, Sienkiewicza Street 3, 47-400 Raciborz, Poland
The Tale of Two Cultures: Differences in Technology Acceptance in Twitter Usage

Despite its huge uptake all over the world, Twitter is still in its early stages of being used as an educational tool. Here, we present an experiment that was conducted across two undergraduate groups from different universities, an Australian and another American university. In this experiment we looked at Twitter usage in class and compared the results with a particular focus on analysing technology acceptance differences between the two groups. Both groups used Twitter as part of their tutorial work and participated in a survey at the end of the semester. Empirical investigation was done using Davis’ technology acceptance model (TAM). The study findings reveal highly significant differences in the technology acceptance behaviours of the two groups, thus highlight cultural differences in the acceptance of technology, in this case Twitter.
Looking for infrared counterparts of Fermi/LAT blazar candidates

The Fermi/LAT telescope is an efficient blazar-detector in the MeV/GeV range. More than 1100 (900) blazars detected above 100 MeV (10 GeV) are clearly associated to BL Lacertae or Flat Spectrum Radio Quasar objects in the Fermi/LAT 3FGL catalogue. This number could significantly increase if multi-wavelength counterparts could be identified for the 573 3FGL blazars with unknown type, or even for the 1010 3FGL unassociated sources which are thought to be dominated by blazars, at least at high galactic latitude. Unfortunately, the size of the Fermi/LAT error box makes multi-wavelength follow-ups difficult. We propose a method to associate "blazar-like" infrared counterparts, having coordinates with a precision of a few arcseconds, to Fermi/LAT blazars and unassociated sources. To reach this goal, we built machine-learning classifiers based on the statistical differences of magnitude measurements obtained by the WISE satellite, between a sample of well-identified infrared blazars and samples of other types of infrared sources located in regions of the sky where no known blazar is present. We provide a list of potential infrared counterparts for 3FGL blazar candidates, along with the associated number of expected false positives. This study contributes to increase the number of well-identified extragalactic blazars and also provides promising blazar targets for the Cherenkov Telescope Array.
Dielectric relaxation of chained ferrofluids

Molecular and Brownian dynamics simulations are used to investigate the frequency-dependent dielectric relaxation of ferrofluids, with the objective of identifying features characteristic of dipolar chain formation at low densities. It is shown that the presence of chains gives rise to a high frequency band associated with the vibrational motion of dipoles within the chains. This band serves as a “signature” of association and is not present in dipolar fluids at higher, liquid-like densities. A simple theory that traps the basic features of the relaxation behavior is also presented.
An H-band Vector Vortex Coronagraph for the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics System

The vector vortex is a coronagraphic imaging mode of the recently commissioned Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) platform on the 8 m Subaru Telescope. This multi-purpose high-contrast visible and near-infrared (R- to K-band) instrument is not only intended to serve as a VLT-class “planet-imager” instrument in the northern hemisphere, but also to operate as a technology demonstration testbed ahead of the ELTs-era, with a particular emphasis on small inner-working angle (IWA) coronagraphic capabilities. The given priority to small-IWA imaging led to the early design choice to incorporate focal-plane phase-mask coronagraphs. In this context, a test H-band vector vortex liquid crystal polymer waveplate was provided to SCExAO, to allow a one-to-one comparison of different small-IWA techniques on the same telescope instrument, before considering further steps. Here we present a detailed overview of the vector vortex coronagraph, from its installation and performances on the SCExAO optical bench, to the on-sky results in the extreme AO regime, as of late 2016/early 2017. To this purpose, we also provide a few recent on-sky imaging examples, notably high-contrast ADI detection of the planetary-mass companion κ Andromedae b, with a signal-to-noise ratio above 100 reached in less than 10 mn exposure time.
Defining the transition from earlywood to latewood in black spruce based on intra-ring wood density profiles from X-ray densitometry

Defining the transition from earlywood to latewood in annual rings is an important task since the accuracy of measuring wood densi- ty and ring width components depends on the definition. Mork's index has long been used as an anatomical definition of the transition from ear- lywood to latewood. This definition is arbitrary and extremely difficult to apply to X-ray densitometry. For X-ray densitometry, a threshold density of between 0.40 to 0.55 g cm -3 , depending on species, has been chosen to differentiate between earlywood and latewood density, but this method has shortfall. Therefore, new methods need to be developed and integrated into the computational programs used to generate X-ray den- sitometry data. In this study, we presented a mathematical method. We modelled the intra-ring wood density profiles in 100 plantation-grown black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) trees using high order polynomials. The correlation between the predicted and the measured densi- ties is very high and highly significant. Based on this model, we define the transition from earlywood to latewood as the inflexion point. Results indicate that wood density at the earlywood-latewood transition point varies from juvenile to mature wood. This method could be easily integra- ted into any X-ray densitometry program and allows to compare individual rings in a consistent manner. transition / earlywood / latewood / X-ray densitometry / wood density / black spruce / modelling
International Conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION Vol. XXIV No 2 2018 ACADEMIC SELF-EFFICACY IN MILITARY HIGHER EDUCATION: ASSESSMENT OF THE PSYCHOMETRIC QUALITIES OF PERCEIVED ACADEMIC EFFICACY SCALE

The concept of academic self-efficacy has its origins in the social cognitive theory developed by A. Bandura and it refers to the conviction of a person that he/she can successfully achieve a certain academic goal or can solve a specific task. In this research we tested the psychometric qualities of the Perceived Academic Efficacy Scale in the context of military higher education. This scale is taken from PALS The Patterns of Adaptive Learning Scales and it demonstrated adequate psychometric properties that make it suitable for measuring the level of academic self-efficacy of military students. All six items on the scale load a single factor; the tested model showed a good fit.
Employee adjustment during organisational change: Differences between occupational groups in a hospital environment

The present study investigated occupational differences in levels of adjustment during organisational change. A diagnostic survey of 744 hospital employees undergoing a large-scale program of change was conducted. Occupational differences in employee adjustment, change appraisal and perceptions of organisational climate were assessed using indicators developed from exploratory interviews and an empirically validated theoretical model of employee adjustment to change (Martin, Jones and Callan, 1999). The results revealed some differences between occupational groups, with one group in particular reporting poorer levels of adjustment. These differences highlight the importance of examining employee perceptions at the sub-group level when implementing change.
Elucidating the role of the abscission-specific gene At1g64405 from Arabidopsis thaliana

Abscission is a dynamic process which occurs at the abscission zones of vegetative or reproductive organs when the plant requires removing them from its body once their function is completed or in response to environmental stimuli. Genetic components related to abscission have been studied in Arabidopsis thaliana. HAESA is a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase which acts redundantly to INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION (IDA) to control the process. A novel gene for abscission At1g64405 was found to be important due to its involvement in the cutin biosynthesis pathway; however, its function remains unclear. To elucidate its role during abscission, the coding sequence of At1g64405 plus its promoter was fused to a green fluorescent protein reporter (GFP) and the coding sequence of the gene alone was also fused to a dexamethasone-inducible line containing glucoronidase reporter gene (GUS). A second approach was to analyse GFP and GUS expression patterns from existing transformed plants to observe the highest At1g64405 expression in different young and mature siliques. Genetic expression from At1g64405, IDA and HAESA was also studied. From the GFP tagged line, transformed seedlings presented fluorescent dots and an unusual number of secondary roots. Expression analysis with reporter genes allowed determining that flower positions 7 to 10 have the highest expression of At1g64405. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed a negative correlation between IDA and At1g64405 during abscission. Although results are promising, future studies must be undertaken as this process is of great importance to control fruit and seed production.
Optimal Portfolio Allocation for Latin American Stock Indices

This article uses four methods to derive optimal portfolios comprising investments in the seven most representative stock exchanges in Latin America from 2001 to 2006 and it studies their composition and stability through time. The first method uses a historical variance - covariance matrix and the second one employs a semi-variance - semi-covariance matrix. The third method consists of an exponentially weighted moving average and the fourth and last method applies resampling. The first three methods suggest similar weights for the tangency portfolio whereas the last method suggests a different composition characterized by more stable, diversified weights. From a practical point of view, this result is significant because less rebalancing can mean greater potential savings. The article further analyzes the performance of optimal portfolios as compared to equally weighted portfolios. Initially the results of applying the Sharpe ratio in the out-of-sample period provided no evidence of statistically significant differences between optimal portfolios and equally weighted portfolios. However, some evidence is provided in favor of resampling as the returns obtained in the out-of-sample period showed stochastic dominance over the returns of the portfolios estimated using more traditional methodologies.
Exploiting Linked Open Data and Natural Language Processing for Classification of Political Speech

This paper shows the effectiveness of a DBpedia-based approach for text categorization in the e-government field. Our use case is the analysis of all the speech transcripts of current White House members. This task is performed by means of TellMeFirst, an open-source software that leverages the DBpedia knowledge base and the English Wikipedia linguistic corpus for topic extraction. Analysis results allow to identify the main political trends addressed by the White House, increasing the citizens' awareness to issues discussed by politicians. Unlike methods based on string recognition, TellMeFirst semantically classifies documents through DBpedia URIs, gathering all the words that belong to a similar area of meaning (such as synonyms, hypernyms and hyponyms of a lemma) under the same unambiguous concept
Performance of activated carbons in the catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of maleic acid

Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) of maleic acid using palm fruit shell, peach stone and cashew nut shell as catalysts was investigated. Physical activation of pyrolised char with carbon dioxide was done at 900°C, 30 min holding time and heating rate of 20°C/min under nitrogen flowrate of 150 cm3/min. The activated carbons had maximum Brunauer Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas of 389, 428 and 692 m2/g for palm fruit shell, peach stone and cashew nut shell, respectively. The morphology structures of the samples were determined using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while thermal stabilities were determined using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The CWPO reactions were performed in a stirred batch reactor at an atmospheric pressure in the presence of H2O2 as an oxidant. The results showed that peach stone and palm fruit shell catalysts are more effective for liquid phase oxidation of maleic acid than cashew nut shell and can be applied for catalytic wastewater treatment systems. Key words: Activated carbon, catalytic wet peroxide oxidation, activation, surface areas.
Processing aortic and pulmonary artery waveforms to derive the ventricle time-varying elastance

Abstract Time-varying elastance of the ventricles is an important metric both clinically and as an input for a previously developed cardiovascular model. However, currently time-varying elastance is not normally available in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting, as it is an invasive and ethically challenging metric to measure. A previous paper developed a method to map less invasive metrics to the driver function, enabling an estimate to be achieved without invasive measurements. This method requires reliable and accurate processing of the aortic and pulmonary artery pressure waveforms to locate the specific points that are required to estimate the driver function. This paper details the method by which these waveforms are processed, using a data set of five pigs induced with pulmonary embolism, and five pigs induced with septic shock (with haemofiltration), adding up to 88 waveforms (for each of aortic and pulmonary artery pressure), and 616 points in total to locate. 98.2% of all points were located to within 1% of their true value, 0.81% were between 1% and 5%, 0.65% were between 5% and 10%, the remaining 0.32% were below 20%.
Effect of extracts from field and in vitro plants of Petiveria alliacea L. on plasmidial DNA

Petiveria alliacea L. is a native herbaceous species from the Amazon region traditionally used in folk medicine for its various pharmacological activities. This study aimed to perform a comparative assessment of genotoxic and antigenotoxic potential of field- and in vitro-grown plants. Specimens from different populations from Rio de Janeiro State were used as donor plants for in vitro culture on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. Aqueous extracts from field and in vitro plants were evaluated by analyzing their effect on the integrity of pUC 9.1 plasmid. DNA genotoxic potential was assessed after treatment of plasmid DNA with increasing concentrations of aqueous extracts (1.0, 5.0 to 10.0 mg/ml) from the populations studied and the in vitro plants originated from them. The electrophoretic analysis showed changes in the structural conformation of plasmid DNA, indicating the occurrence of single- and double-strand breaks caused by the extracts, demonstrating the genotoxic potential at higher concentrations. The antigenotoxic potential was assessed based on plasmid protection induced by the extracts after DNA treatment with stannous chloride. Thus, data also pointed to a antigenotoxic effect of extracts against oxidative damage. In addition, the intensity of the effect of extracts on plasmid DNA varied according to origin of plants. Key words: Antigenotoxicity, bioactivity, DNA topology, genotoxicity, micropropagation
The Giving Behavior of Households in Thailand

Giving is an act where one transfers a part of one’s own resources to others. In this sense, giving is a unique form of resource redistribution that can ultimately have an impact on economic inequality. While there are many factors that explain why and how people give, the focus of this paper is to explore the role of family and household characteristics in influencing giving behavior in Thailand. In this paper, I consider three categories of giving behavior by households, which include contributions made to i) persons outside the household, such as remittances, ii) religious activities and iii) charitable institutions/organizations. I draw on the extensive list of household expenditures from the SocioEconomic Survey 2011 conducted by the National Statistical Office of Thailand. Using a two-part model with separate equations to model the probability of giving and the level of giving expenditure conditional on giving, the findings suggest that household size increases overall giving in all categories, while the number of children in the household reduces giving activities in all categories. The current demographic transition means that household characteristics in Thailand are changing, which can lead to future changes in giving patterns. Efforts to maintain familial piety and support people’s active engagement in their society by making giving easier and more attractive can serve as a main mechanism to create a far-reaching impact for building a caring future in Thailand.
A roadmap for ferroresonance analysis, going from a system modeling to a ferroresonance behavior analysis and prediction using bifurcation diagrams was presented in [2]

Ferroresonance is a complex phenomenon that involves the association of nonlinear magnetizing inductances and capacitances. This nonlinear phenomenon can be initiated in many different ways, which makes its characterization very difficult. Some recent works have shown how bifurcation diagrams can be advantageously used for predicting the phenomenon at its different stages and finding safety zones for parameter selection. The present work expands the scope of some tools originally developed for assessing ferroresonance behavior by means of 3D bifurcation diagrams. The main goal of this work is to propose the application of parallel computing to speed up the generation of bifurcation diagrams.