Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heteroscedastic BART Using Multiplicative Regression Trees

BART (Bayesian Additive Regression Trees) has become increasingly popular as a flexible and scalable nonparametric regression approach for modern applied statistics problems. For the practitioner dealing with large and complex nonlinear response surfaces, its advantages include a matrix-free formulation and the lack of a requirement to prespecify a confining regression basis. Although flexible in fitting the mean, BART has been limited by its reliance on a constant variance error model. This homoscedastic assumption is unrealistic in many applications. Alleviating this limitation, we propose HBART, a nonparametric heteroscedastic elaboration of BART. In BART, the mean function is modeled with a sum of trees, each of which determines an additive contribution to the mean. In HBART, the variance function is further modeled with a product of trees, each of which determines a multiplicative contribution to the variance. Like the mean model, this flexible, multidimensional variance model is entirely nonparametric with no need for the prespecification of a confining basis. Moreover, with this enhancement, HBART can provide insights into the potential relationships of the predictors with both the mean and the variance. Practical implementations of HBART with revealing new diagnostic plots are demonstrated with simulated and real data on used car prices, fishing catch production and alcohol consumption.
Assigning Gene Function in Biosynthetic Pathways: Camalexin and Beyond

Camalexin (3-thiazol-2′-yl-indole) is the major phytoalexin in Arabidopsis thaliana ([Glawischnig, 2007][1]) and is involved in defense against a wide range of pathogens, such as Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria brassicicola ([Kagan and Hammerschmidt, 2002][2]; [Denby et al., 2004][3]). The pathway
Adaptive Blind Separation with an Unknown Number of Sources

The blind source separation (BSS) problem with an unknown number of sources is an important practical issue that is usually skipped by assuming that the source number n is known and equal to the number m of sensors. This letter studies the general BSS problem satisfying m n. First, it is shown that the mutual information of outputs of the separation network is a cost function for BSS, provided that the mixing matrix is of full column rank and the mm separating matrix is nonsingular. The mutual information reaches its local minima at the separation points, where the m outputs consist of n desired source signals and mn redundant signals. Second, it is proved that the natural gradient algorithm proposed primarily for complete BSS (m n) can be generalized to deal with the overdetermined BSS problem (m>n), but it would diverge inevitably due to lack of a stationary point. To overcome this shortcoming, we present a modified algorithm, which can perform BSS steadily and provide the desired source signals at specified channels if some matrix is designed properly. Finally, the validity of the proposed algorithm is confirmed by computer simulations on artificially synthesized data.
Enrichment of lineage−CD34− cells using a newly developed filter system

Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of human lineage− (lin−)CD34− cells that are capable of differentiating into CD34+ cells in xenogeneic transplantation systems. We developed a new filter system that can enrich lin−CD34− cells, a precursor cell population of CD34+ cells. The filter consists of polyethylene terephthalate non‐woven fabrics coated with hydrophilic polymer. The frequency of lin−CD34− cells in the cell population after filtration was 7.45 ± 4.41%, a 16.8 ± 8.81‐fold enrichment compared with 0.49 ± 0.31% in the cell population before filtration. The mean recovery of lin−CD34− cells was 48.57 ± 13.59% (n = 15). Purified lin−CD34− cells, obtained by sorting the filtrated cell population, acquired CD34 expression and colony‐forming activity after 7 d of culture. Our results indicate that this filter system is useful for isolating lin−CD34− cells, including precursors of CD34+ cells, and will help further the study of lin−CD34− cells.
Improving Efficiency of Authenticated OpenFlow Handshake Using Coprocessors

In most existing research into the Software Defined Internet of Things (SDIoT), IoT devices are reprogramed and controlled using software. Security mechanisms are designed to ensure that the IoT devices can be legally reprogrammed. However, the crypto algorithms involved in this process may unnecessarily overburden the IoT devices. In this paper, we describe a hardware integrated SDIoT system which can lighten the computational burden of the IoT devices. A protocol, called Authenticated OpenFlow Handshake is proposed to enhance the security and performance of the handshake process in an SDIoT system, and an Elliptical Curves Cryptography (ECC) chip can be employed to accelerate the signature process in the proposed protocol. A series of experiments are carried out with the results showing that using this type of hardware chip can significantly reduce the runtime of the protocol.
On the Development of a Theoretical Framework for New Product Development

New Product Development (NPD) is critical for a firm’s survival and development. As firms are increasingly challenged by internal deficiencies and paucities of knowledge resources, they need to embrace open innovation strategies. Subsequently, involving suppliers and customers into the process of NPD has been viewed as the most effective means by which internal and external knowledge resources can be optimally leveraged. However, there is a lack of available and reliable mechanisms to facilitate this process. This paper presents a comprehensive theoretical framework developed by harmoniously combining the relevant theoretical fields of Knowledge Management (KM), Open Innovation (OI), Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). Additionally, within this framework, Knowledge Audit, Knowledge Calibration and Knowledge Absorption have been employed as valuable tools to manage knowledge loops across the three innovation stages: pre-acquisition, in-acquisition and post-acquisition.
Association of polymorphisms of THBS 2 and HSPA 8 with hypertension in Japanese individuals with chronic kidney disease

The purpose of the present study was to identify gene polymorphisms that confer susceptibility to hypertension in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD), thereby contributing to the prediction of genetic risk for this condition. The study population comprised 1824 Japanese individuals with CKD [estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml min-1 1.73 m-2], including 1257 subjects with hypertension and 567 controls. The genotypes for 50 polymorphisms of 46 candidate genes were determined using a method that combines the polymerase chain reaction and sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes with suspension array technology. An initial screen of allele frequencies by the ̄2 test revealed that two polymorphisms were significantly (false discovery rate <0.05) associated with the prevalence of hypertension in individuals with CKD. Subsequent multivariable logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age, gender and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus revealed that these two polymorphisms, 3949T→G (3'-UTR) of the thrombospondin 2 gene (THBS2; odds ratio in recessive model, 8.31) and -110A→C of the heat shock 70-kDa protein 8 gene (HSPA8; odds ratio in recessive model, 0.72) were significantly (P<0.05) associated with the prevalence of hypertension. The variant G allele of THBS2 was a risk factor for hypertension, whereas the variant C allele of HSPA8 was protective against this condition. A stepwise forward selection procedure also demonstrated that the THBS2 and HSPA8 genotypes were significant (P<0.05) and independent determinants of hypertension. Determination of genotypes for these polymorphisms may prove informative for the prediction of genetic risk for hypertension in Japanese individuals with CKD. Validation of these findings will require additional studies with independent subject panels.
Constraints on general primordial non-Gaussianity using wavelets for the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe 7-year data

We present constraints on the non-linear coupling parameter fnl with the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) data. We use the method based on the spherical Mexican hat wavelet (SMHW) to measure the fnl parameter for three of the most interesting shapes of primordial non-Gaussianity: local, equilateral and orthogonal. Our results indicate that this parameter is compatible with a Gaussian distribution within the two sigma confidence level (CL) for the three shapes and the results are consistent with the values presented by the WMAP team. We have included in our analysis the impact on fnl due to contamination by unresolved point sources. The
Pediatric Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking: Long-Term Follow-Up of Visual, Refractive, and Topographic Outcomes

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term visual, refractive, and topographic outcomes of corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) in the management of pediatric keratoconus. Methods: Forty eyes of 40 consecutive patients with progressive keratoconus aged below 19 years were enrolled in this prospective study. All patient eyes underwent CXL with the standard (Dresden) protocol. Uncorrected distance visual acuity, best spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity, manifest refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, corneal topography, corneal aberrometry, and endothelial cell counts were evaluated at baseline and at all postoperative follow-up examinations until month 48. Results: Mean age of patients was 15.2 ± 1.9 years (10–18 years). Follow-up was 4 years. The mean improvements in uncorrected distance visual acuity (from 0.9 ± 0.3 logMAR to 0.5 ± 0.3 logMAR) and best spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity (from 0.4 ± 0.2 logMAR to 0.1 ± 0.1 logMAR) were statistically significant at month 48 (P = 0.0001). The mean Kmax decreased from 58.4 ± 5.5 D at baseline to 57.0 ± 5.3 D at month 48 (P = 0.04). Significant improvements in topographic and elevation indices and corneal aberrations were also noted after postoperative month 6. There was no change in the mean endothelial cell density (P > 0.05), and there was no progression or sight-threatening complication in any patient eye. Conclusions: Corneal CXL seems to be safe and effective in halting the progression of keratoconus in pediatric patients at 4-year follow-up. In addition, the procedure provides improvements in visual, refractive, topographic, and corneal aberrometric measurements.
GABAergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area receive dual GABA/enkephalin‐mediated inhibitory inputs from the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis

Activation of mu‐opioid receptor (MOR) disinhibits dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) through inhibition of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons. This mechanism is thought to play a pivotal role in mediating reward behaviors. Here, we characterised VTA‐projecting enkephalinergic neurons in the anterior division of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and investigated their targets by examining MOR expression in the VTA. In the BST, neurons expressing preproenkephalin mRNA were exclusively GABAergic, and constituted 37.2% of the total GABAergic neurons. Using retrograde tracer injected into the VTA, 21.6% of VTA‐projecting BST neurons were shown to express preproenkephalin mRNA. Enkephalinergic projections from the BST exclusively formed symmetrical synapses onto the dendrites of VTA neurons. In the VTA, 74.1% of MOR mRNA‐expressing neurons were GABAergic, with the rest being glutamatergic neurons expressing type‐2 vesicular glutamate transporter mRNA. However, MOR mRNA was below the detection threshold in dopaminergic neurons. By immunohistochemistry, MOR was highly expressed on the extrasynaptic membranes of dendrites in GABAergic VTA neurons, including dendrites innervated by BST–VTA projection terminals. MOR was also expressed weakly on GABAergic and glutamatergic terminals in the VTA. Given that GABAAα1 is expressed at GABAergic BST–VTA synapses on dendrites of GABAergic neurons [T. Kudo et al. (2012) J. Neurosci. , 32, 18035–18046], our results collectively indicate that the BST sends dual inhibitory outputs targeting GABAergic VTA neurons; GABAergic inhibition via ‘wired’ transmission, and enkephalinergic inhibition via ‘volume’ transmission. This dual inhibitory system provides the neural substrate underlying the potent disinhibitory control over dopaminergic VTA neurons exerted by the BST.
Morphological and Anatomical Investigations on in Vitro Micrografts of OHxF 333 / Pyrus elaeagrifolia Interstock / Rootstock Combination in Pears

In this study, possibility of creating a specific interstock / rootstock combination to obtain a clonal, semi dwarf, composite pear rootstock tolerant to various stresses by micrografting was investigated. In vitro shoots of 'Old Home x Farmingdale 333' (Pyrus communis L.) which is a clonal semi dwarf pear rootstock resistant to fireblight and pear decline was used as interstock, and in vitro Pyrus elaeagrifolia Pallas seedlings known as tolerant to Fe-chlorosis, salinity and drought stresses was used as rootstock. Cleft grafting was applied in micrografts. Grafted seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog basal medium with ½ strength of macronutrients for 8 weeks under white fluorescent light for 16 h day -1 . Cultures, except the control, received complete darkness either 1 or 2 weeks at the beginning of incubation. Graft take success in the control treatment was significantly higher (97.9%) than darkness treatments of 1 or 2 weeks (90.5% and 82.5%, respectively). Ultrastructural observations with transmission electron microscope revealed that dividing cambial initials reached to 2-3 layers, and new xylem and phloem elements distinctly differentiated in transverse sections of the graft union 8 weeks after micrografting in the control and darkness treatments. The results indicated a successful graft union formation.
Voltage instability: phenomena, countermeasures, and analysis methods

A power system may be subject to (rotor) angle, frequency or voltage instability. Voltage instability takes on the form of a dramatic drop of transmission system voltages, which may lead to system disruption. During the past two decades it has become a major threat for the operation of many systems and, in the prevailing open access environment, it is a factor leading to limit power transfer. The objective of this paper is to describe voltage instability phenomena, to enumerate preventive and curative countermeasures, and to present in a unified and coherent way various computer analysis methods used or proposed.
Ground-penetrating radar for correlation analysis of temporal soil moisture stability and land-slope

Knowledge of temporal surface soil moisture variability is an useful key in agriculture, surface hydrology and meteorology. In that respect, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a non-invasive and promising tool for high-resolution and large scale characterization. In the case of quantitative analysis, off-ground GPR signal modeling and full-waveform inversion has shown a great potential during the last decade. In this research, we applied GPR for time-laps measurements in an agricultural field along a 320 m single transect with a significant land-slope for about 3 months. A 200-2000 MHz TEM-horn antenna situated 1.1 m above the ground, connected to a vector network analyzer (VNA) was used as an off-ground frequency-domain GPR. The accurate positioning was done using a differential GPS. All systems were mounted on a 4-wheels vehicle for realtime and automated mapping. The calibration of the antenna and using the GPR signal inversion permitted to the ground surface relative dielectric permittivity. Topp's model was used for transformation of the relative dielectric permittivity to soil moisture. The temporal stability of the field-average soil moisture was computed by indicators based on the relative difference of the soil moisture to the field-average. The results showed an excellent correlation amount of -0.9905 for temporal stability of soil moisture and slope variability.
CDK Inhibitor p21 Is Degraded by a Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen-coupled Cul4-DDB1Cdt2 Pathway during S Phase and after UV Irradiation*

Previous reports showed that chromatin-associated PCNA couples DNA replication with Cul4-DDB1Cdt2-dependent proteolysis of the licensing factor Cdt1. The CDK inhibitor p21, another PCNA-binding protein, is also degraded both in S phase and after UV irradiation. Here we show that p21 is degraded by the same ubiquitin-proteasome pathway as Cdt1 in HeLa cells. When PCNA or components of Cul4-DDB1Cdt2 were silenced or when the PCNA binding site on p21 was mutated, degradation of p21 was prevented both in S phase and after UV irradiation. p21 was co-immunoprecipitated with Cul4A and DDB1 proteins when expressed in cells. The purified Cul4A-DDB1Cdt2 complex ubiquitinated p21 in vitro. Consistently, p21 protein levels are low during S phase and increase around G2 phase. Mutational analysis suggested that in addition to the PCNA binding domain, its flanking regions are also important for recognition by Cul4-DDB1Cdt2. Our findings provide a new aspect of proteolytic control of p21 during the cell cycle.
A 2-D HMM Method for Offline Handwritten Character Recognition

In this paper we consider a hidden Markov mesh random field (HMMRF) for character recognition. The model consists of a "hidden" Markov mesh random field (MMRF) and on overlying probabilistic observation function of the MMRF. Just like the 1-D HMM, the hidden layer is characterized by the initial and the transition probability distributions, and the ovservation layer is defined by distribution functions for vector-quantized (VQ) observations. The HMMRF-based method consists of two phases: decoding and training. The decoding and the training algorithms are developed using dynamic programming and maximum likelihood estimation methods. To accelerate the computation in both phases, we employed a look-ahead scheme based on maximum marginal a posteriori probability criterion for third-order HMMRF. Tested on a largetst-set handwritten Korean Hangul character database, the model showed a promising result: up to 87.2% recognition rate with 8 state HMMRF and 128 VQ levels.
On the Optimality of Multi-Tier Hierarchies: Coordination Versus Motivation

This paper studies internal organization of a firm using an incomplete contracting approach `a la Grossman-Hart-Moore and Aghion-Tirole. The two key ingredients of our model are externalities among tasks that require coordination, and investment in task-specific human capital. We compare three types of organizational structures: centralization where the decision authority for all tasks is given to the party without task-specific human capital, decentralization where the decision authority for each task is given to the party with necessary human capital, and hierarchical delegation where the decision authority is allocated in a hierarchical fashion. Centralization is optimal when externalities and the requisite coordination are the main issue in organization design. Decentralization is optimal if the investment in human capital is more important. Hierarchical delegation is optimal in the intermediate case. We also discuss the optimal pattern of hierarchical delegation as well as several directions extending the basic model.
Truncations in the TIGR gene in individuals with and without primary open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE To investigate the coding exons in the trabecular meshwork-induced glucocorticoid response protein (TIGR) gene for mutations in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in Chinese subjects. METHODS Ninety-one Chinese patients with POAG and 113 of their family members without glaucoma were screened for sequence alterations in the TIGR gene by polymerase chain reaction, conformation-sensitive gel electrophoresis, and DNA sequencing. One hundred thirty-two unrelated individuals without glaucoma, aged 50 years or more, were studied as control subjects. RESULTS Five sequence variants that lead to amino acid changes were identified. One was novel: Arg91Stop in one patient with POAG. Four had been reported: Arg46Stop in subjects with and without POAG, including an unaffected 77-year-old woman homozygous for Arg46Stop; Gly12Arg in subjects without glaucoma; and Asp208Glu and Thr353Ile in subjects with and without POAG. The previously reported 1-83(G-->A) and Arg76Lys polymorphisms were detected in both patients and controls and always occurred together. CONCLUSIONS A different pattern of TIGR sequence variants exists in the Chinese than in non-Chinese populations. No common TIGR mutation that causes POAG was found. The occurrence of subjects without glaucoma who are heterozygous or homozygous for Arg46Stop suggests that reduction in the amount of TIGR protein does not cause glaucoma. Thus, the TIGR missense mutations known to cause POAG probably do not cause glaucoma by inactivating a normal TIGR function, but rather through the gain of a pathologic function.
Stochastic Receptive Fields in Deep Convolutional Networks

Deep convolutional neural networks (ConvNets) have rapidly grown in popularity due to their powerful capabilities in representing and modelling the high-level abstraction of complex data. However, ConvNets require an abundance of data to adequately train network parameters. To tackle this problem, we introduce the concept of stochastic receptive fields, where the receptive fields are stochastic realizations of a random field that obey a learned distribution. We study the efficacy of incorporating layers of stochastic receptive fields to a ConvNet to boost performance without the need for additional training data. Preliminary results showing an improvement in accuracy ( 2% drop in test error) was achieved by adding a layer of stochastic receptive fields to a ConvNet compared to adding a layer of fully-trained receptive fields, when training with a small training set consisting of 20% of the STL-10 dataset.
Keterah virus infections in four species of Argas ticks (Ixodoidea: Argasidae).

An attempt was made to determine some of the biological properties of the Keterah virus in ticks. Two batinfesting Argas, A. (C.) vespertilionis and A. (S.) transgareipinus , and 2 bird-infesting Argas, A. (A.) hermanni and A. (P.) arboreus , became infected with high virus multiplication following intrahemocoelic inoculation. In the laboratory, viremia was demonstrated in a vertebrate host, the Egyptian Lesser Rattailed Bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei cystops. A. (C.) vespertilionis became infected after ingesting infected bat blood and transstadial transfer and considerable multiplication of the virus occurred in these ticks. However, numerous attempts to infect susceptible bats by feeding infected ticks upon them were unsuccessful. Our results and the isolation, by Dr Albert Rudnick in Malaysia, of the virus from naturally infected ticks and from the blood of a naturally infected bat, suggest that Keterah virus may be classified as a “probable” arbovirus.
Computer Forensic Projects for Accountants

Digital attacks on organizations are becoming more common and more sophisticated. Firms are interested in providing data security and having an effective means to respond to attacks. Accountants possess important investigative and analytical skills that serve to uncover fraud in forensic investigations. Some accounting students take courses in forensic accounting but few colleges offer a course in computer forensics for accountants. Educators wishing to develop such a course may find developing the curriculum daunting. A major element of such a course is the use of forensic software. This paper argues the importance of computer forensics to accounting students and offers a set of exercises to provide an introduction to obtaining and analyzing data with forensics software that are available free online. In most cases, figures of important steps are provided. Educators will benefit when developing the course learning goals and curriculum.