Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bayesian inference in time‐varying additive hazards models with applications to disease mapping

Environmental health and disease mapping studies are often concerned with the evaluation of the combined effect of various sociodemographic and behavioral factors, and environmental exposures, on time‐to‐event outcomes of interest, such as death of individuals, organisms, or plants. In such studies, estimation of the hazard function is often of interest. In addition to the known explanatory variables, the hazard function may be subject to spatial/geographical variations, such that proximally located regions may experience hazards similar to those of regions that are distantly located. A popular approach for handling this type of spatially correlated time‐to‐event data is the Cox proportional hazards regression model with spatial frailties. However, the proportional hazards assumption poses a major practical challenge, as it entails that the effects of the various explanatory variables remain constant over time. This assumption is often unrealistic, for instance, in studies with long follow‐ups where the effects of some exposures on the hazard may vary drastically over time. Our goal in this paper is to offer a flexible semiparametric additive hazards model with spatial frailties. Our proposed model allows both the frailties and the regression coefficients to be time varying, thus relaxing the proportionality assumption. Our estimation framework is Bayesian, powered by carefully tailored posterior sampling strategies via Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques. We apply the model to a data set on prostate cancer survival from the U.S. state of Louisiana to illustrate its advantages.
An Iterative Nonlinear Filter Using Variational Bayesian Optimization

We propose an iterative nonlinear estimator based on the technique of variational Bayesian optimization. The posterior distribution of the underlying system state is approximated by a solvable variational distribution approached iteratively using evidence lower bound optimization subject to a minimal weighted Kullback-Leibler divergence, where a penalty factor is considered to adjust the step size of the iteration. Based on linearization, the iterative nonlinear filter is derived in a closed-form. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with several nonlinear filters in the literature using simulated target tracking examples.
On the Modelling of the Direct Bonding of Two Silicon Surfaces

Direct bonding is a process that does not require the use of any adhesive material. This process is based on short-range interatomic attraction forces such as hydrogen bonds. In this paper, chemical analyses and mechanical tests were performed in order to characterize silicon surfaces and the mechanical resistance of the bonded interfaces formed by these surfaces. Various methods of modelling adhesive contacts in order to predict the mechanical resistance of these assemblies are then compared.
Analysing the features of negative sentiment tweets

Purpose This paper aims to address the challenge of analysing the features of negative sentiment tweets. The method adopted in this paper elucidates the classification of social network documents and paves the way for sentiment analysis of tweets in further research. Design/methodology/approach This study classifies negative tweets and analyses their features. Findings Through negative tweet content analysis, tweets are divided into ten topics. Many related words and negative words were found. Some indicators of negative word use could reflect the degree to which users release negative emotions: part of speech, the density and frequency of negative words and negative word distribution. Furthermore, the distribution of negative words obeys Zipf’s law. Research limitations/implications This study manually analysed only a small sample of negative tweets. Practical implications The research explored how many categories of negative sentiment tweets there are on Twitter. Related words are helpful to construct an ontology of tweets, which helps people with information retrieval in a fixed research area. The analysis of extracted negative words determined the features of negative tweets, which is useful to detect the polarity of tweets by machine learning method. Originality/value The research provides an initial exploration of a negative document classification method and classifies the negative tweets into ten topics. By analysing the features of negative tweets, related words, negative words, the density of negative words, etc. are presented. This work is the first step to extend Plutchik’s emotion wheel theory into social media data analysis by constructing filed specific thesauri, referred to as local sentimental thesauri.
Optimization of formulation parameters for controlled drug delivery from Metformin Hydrochloride loaded Chitosan/TPP microspheres

Diabetes contributes to a major health burden on humans and India has emerged as Diabetes capital of the world. Due to extensive research and demand for novel therapeutics, many agents have been formulated to mitigate disease and improve patient health, one of which is Metformin. This drug has good performance but controlled drug release formulations are required to improve patient compliance and drug bioavailability. We aimed to formulate controlled drug release system using Chitosan/TPP mixture and study their behavior in buffered gastrointestinal conditions. Different parameters such as percentage of Chitosan, TPP, drug and varied stirring time were used to prepare different batches. These batches were checked for best controlled drug release characteristics in buffered gastrointestinal conditions. High level of sustained drug release was observed in a batch which also has good morphology, drug encapsulation and equilibrium swelling characteristics. As all the trials have been conducted at room temperature, we present a tunable controlled drug release system, showing Metformin as a model drug, for which there is high industrial scalability.
Quantifying uncertainty in the impacts of climate change on river discharge in sub-catchments of the Yangtze and Yellow River Basins, China

Abstract. Quantitative evaluations of the impacts of climate change on water resources are primarily constrained by uncertainty in climate projections from GCMs. In this study we assess uncertainty in the impacts of climate change on river discharge in two catchments of the Yangtze and Yellow River Basins that feature contrasting climate regimes (humid and semi-arid). Specifically we quantify uncertainty associated with GCM structure from a subset of CMIP3 AR4 GCMs (HadCM3, HadGEM1, CCSM3.0, IPSL, ECHAM5, CSIRO, CGCM3.1), SRES emissions scenarios (A1B, A2, B1, B2) and prescribed increases in global mean air temperature (1 °C to 6 °C). Climate projections, applied to semi-distributed hydrological models (SWAT 2005) in both catchments, indicate trends toward warmer and wetter conditions. For prescribed warming scenarios of 1 °C to 6 °C, linear increases in mean annual river discharge, relative to baseline (1961–1990), for the River Xiangxi and River Huangfuchuan are +9% and 11% per +1 °C respectively. Intra-annual changes include increases in flood (Q05) discharges for both rivers as well as a shift in the timing of flood discharges from summer to autumn and a rise (24 to 93%) in dry season (Q95) discharge for the River Xiangxi. Differences in projections of mean annual river discharge between SRES emission scenarios using HadCM3 are comparatively minor for the River Xiangxi (13 to 17% rise from baseline) but substantial (73 to 121%) for the River Huangfuchuan. With one minor exception of a slight (−2%) decrease in river discharge projected using HadGEM1 for the River Xiangxi, mean annual river discharge is projected to increase in both catchments under both the SRES A1B emission scenario and 2° rise in global mean air temperature using all AR4 GCMs on the CMIP3 subset. For the River Xiangxi, there is substantial uncertainty associated with GCM structure in the magnitude of the rise in flood (Q05) discharges (−1 to 41% under SRES A1B and −3 to 41% under 2° global warming) and dry season (Q95) discharges (2 to 55% under SRES A1B and 2 to 39% under 2° global warming). For the River Huangfuchuan, all GCMs project a rise in the Q05 flow but there is substantial uncertainty in the magnitude of this rise (7 to 70% under SRES A1B and 2 to 57% under 2° global warming). Differences in the projected hydrological changes are associated with GCM structure in both catchments exceed uncertainty in emission scenarios. Critically, estimated uncertainty in projections of mean annual flows is less than that calculated for extreme (Q05, Q95) flows. The common approach of reporting of climate change impacts on river in terms of mean annual flows masks the magnitude of uncertainty in flows that are of most importance to water management.
A Modified Multivariate Madden-Julian Oscillation Index Using Velocity Potential

AbstractA new Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) index is developed from a combined empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of meridionally averaged 200-hPa velocity potential (VP200), 200-hPa zonal wind (U200), and 850-hPa zonal wind (U850). Like the Wheeler–Hendon Real-time Multivariate MJO (RMM) index, which was developed in the same way except using outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data instead of VP200, daily data are projected onto the leading pair of EOFs to produce the two-component index. This new index is called the velocity potential MJO (VPM) indices and its properties are quantitatively compared to RMM. Compared to the RMM index, the VPM index detects larger-amplitude MJO-associated signals during boreal summer. This includes a slightly stronger and more coherent modulation of Atlantic tropical cyclones. This result is attributed to the fact that velocity potential preferentially emphasizes the planetary-scale aspects of the divergent circulation, thereby spreading the convectively driven .
Public infrastructure procurement: A comparative analysis of adversarial and non-adversarial contracting arrangments

Most public infrastructure is provided by traditional procurement methods generally based on quantitative selection techniques and adversarial contracting principles. International evidence suggests that this method of contracting is inefficient, is often delivered late, and is often over-budget. Further, the adversarial nature of these contracts means that disputes over variations, changes to specification or renegotiation may lead to lengthy and costly ex post negotiations or civil action. The introduction of alternative procurement methods (APM) in the early 1990s introduced a less adversarial contracting approach in which ownership (of decision-making) and responsibility for design and operation of the service-producing asset passed to the contractor with the state adopting a regulatory role. The contract is non-adversarial to the extent that the relationship between the contractor and the state is one of long-term relationship management. Evidence suggests that APM is achieving better time and cost performance than adversarial methods and contributing to improved service delivery and lower lifecycle costs. This paper reviews the theoretical literature with a view to understanding the relationship of the parties in a non-adversarial project procurement contract. It finds that the principal and agent view of traditional procurement may not be the best way to understand collaborative contracts where the relationship can be characterised as purely transactional – the principal is a buyer of services and the contractor is the producer. The paper also reviews the empirical evidence and finds that the characteristics of nonadversarial contract models such as the output specification, qualitative selection criteria, the alignment of responsibility for service outcomes and residual control rights, incentives, life cycle costing and riskweighted value for money measurements, are improving project delivery performance and service outcomes. JEL Classification: H57, D73, D86.
Methods of Teaching Centered on Learning and Formative Assessment in Higher Education

We analyse the importance of meaningful learning and the use of a formative assessment strategy, promoted by peer learning methods centred on the students, in a curricular unit (CU) pertaining to a degree in Exact Sciences, in a Higher Education Institution. Five students from the CU were questioned, through a focus group; the teacher was interviewed. Data of 12 hours of lessons was analysed and categorised using webQDA. We conclude that emphasising the students’ engagement in teaching, learning, and evaluation, has the power to drive the methodological teaching options to incline towards active methods that involve students in activities that foster meaningful learning. And the use of systematic formative assessments, integrated in the teaching-learning process, by using effective feedback, is most likely to make students and teachers responsible for an overall improvement in learning.
Interactive comment on “The Middle Miocene climate as modelled in an atmosphere-ocean-biosphere model” by M. Krapp

certainly within the scope of Climate of the Past and I believe this can be a very useful contribution, however, I feel the text needs significant revision. It seems to skim over some of the important/interesting details in the model output. Particularly, differences are described between the simulations but with little breakdown of the model diagnostics to find out (if possible) why, or without discussion of what the ramifications of such changes may be (for proxy interpretation or for maintaining lower temperature gradients for example). More in-depth analysis is required and the conciseness of the text needs improving.
Transparent Flexible Antenna for UWB Applications

─ In this paper, a flexible circular slot transparent antenna which can be used in ultra wideband applications is presented. A CPW-fed circular disc monopole is used to excite the circular slot aperture. The antenna is designed and fabricated using ITO coated on a flexible Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) substrate. It can operate with different curvature angles at UWB frequencies with 125% bandwidth. Simulation and measurement results show that the radiation pattern does not change if the antenna is being rolled, and also confirm its effective performance as a flexible transparent antenna with low profile. Index Terms ─ Coplanar waveguide (CPW) fed antennas, flexible antenna, Indium Tin Oxide (ITO), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), transparent antenna, transparent conductive.
Transformation and Regeneration Protocol for Two Farmer Preferred Open Pollinated Tropical Maize ( Zea Mays ) Varieties

In vitro regeneration of open pollinated varieties (OPVs) Kakamega Striga Tolerant Population 94 (KSTP’94) and ‘Namba Nane’ alongside a tropical inbred line (CML144) was evaluated using immature zygotic embryos as explants. Four callus induction media (CIM) regimes; Murashige and Skoog (MS), Linsmaier and Skoog (LS), Chu (N6) and N6*(N6 medium fortified with 0.35 gL-1 L-proline and 0.8 mgL-1 AgNO3) were evaluated for their potential to induce callus in the three genotypes. All the media were supplemented with sucrose and five levels of 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mgL-1). Resulting calli were matured on MS and N6 basal media supplemented with 60 g/L sucrose and similar concentration levels (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mgL-1) of 2, 4-D while the subsequent embryogenic calli were regenerated on hormone-free media. Transformability of these varieties was assessed via histochemical analysis of β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene following Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Statistical analyses were done using Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) and Graphpad Prism softwares with mean separations achieved at 95% confidence intervals. Of the 2 OPVs, KSTP’94 recorded the highest callus induction frequency (84.4%) while Namba Nane (45.6%) had the lowest. Similarly, KSTP, 94 had the highest mean of mature somatic embryos (59.7%) while Namba Nane recorded the lowest (16.4%). Assessment of regeneration frequencies from embryogenic calli revealed no significant differences among the 3 lines although CML 144 had the highest mean number of juvenile plantlets (36.7%). Analysis of transformation frequency (upon selection of calli on media with basta) showed that Namba Nane recorded the lowest transformation frequency (average 13.5%) some words missing. Transformation frequency (based on GUS positive calli) of these varieties ranged from 0.8 to 2.1%. This work therefore provides an empirical platform for potential introduction of useful genes into these varieties.
Judgments of learning: Methods, data, and theory.

and Keywords Several decades of research have examined predictions of future memory performance— typically referred to as judgments of learning (JOLs). In this chapter, I first discuss the early history of research on JOLs and their fit within a leading metacognitive framework. A common methodological approach has evolved that permits the researcher to investigate the correspondence between JOLs and memory performance, as well as the degree to which JOLs distinguish between information that is or is not remembered. Factors that influence each aspect of the accuracy of JOLs are noted and considered within theoretical approaches to JOLs. Thus far, research on JOLs had yielded a number of findings and promising theoretical frameworks that will continue to be refined. Future work will benefit by considering how learners combine information to arrive at a judgment, the implications of alternative methods of measuring JOLs, and the potential for JOLs to influence memory.
Deconvolution imaging conditions and cross-talk suppression

Deconvolution imaging conditions offer improved resolution over standard, crosscorrelation-based imaging conditions. Additionally, these imaging conditions produce a result more directly related to a reflection coefficient than do crosscorrelation-based imaging conditions. In simple analytical cases, deconvolution imaging conditions also offer the possibility of eliminating crosstalk (i.e., energy in the image due to reflected energy arriving at a location at the same time as incident energy that did not cause the reflected energy) when the full up- and down-going wavefields are used. This means that in such cases, surface-related multiples can be eliminated from the image, or that multiple shots could potentially be fired simultaneously without degrading the image. However, this cross-talk-suppression property is not observed in most situations. We show that this is due to a number of issues: the correct order of deconvolution must be used, stabilization causes imperfect deconvolution, finite apertures lead to some of the signal being lost, and an assumption of horizontal stratification is often not being met. Further, imperfect knowledge of the incident and reflected field due to such factors as anisotropy, poorly estimated velocity fields, and measurement noise can also lead to imperfect deconvolution. Thus, deconvolution imaging conditions should not be counted on to completely eliminate crosstalk from images.
Relationships among Hedonic and Utilitarian Factors and Exogenous and Endogenous Influences of Consumer Behavior in Tourism

Customer experience is gaining more and more attention from researchers. Particularly in tourism, this experiences may be determined by hedonic or utilitarian factors. However, there are other influences, both exogenous and endogenous, that may impact consumer behaviors in tourism. Thus, in this article, we explore the receptivity of consumers in terms of certain types of influences, exogenous and endogenous, to hedonic and utilitarian factors related to a tourism package. To examine these research questions, we employ exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling on a sample of 150 tourists from Europe and North America.
Next generation biotechnology: how sophisticated constructs lead to further insights and new approaches towards biotechnology’s demands

Abstract: For most plants transformation methods and regeneration protocols are readily available, leading to more complicated and differential research in plant science. The application of expression or RNAi constructs in biotechnology can lead to unwanted effects and detrimental phenotypes, which may cause great problems in the regeneration and breeding of transgenic plants. To circumvent this set back we resort to the transformation of inactive constructs. After the creation and establishment of transgenic lines the construct is specifically activated and the effects on the plants can be studied in detail, even if the resulting phenotype has harmful consequences. The activation of the constructs is carried out by means of induced site-directed recombination. The application of an heat shock leads to the expression of a recombinase, which excises the spacer fragment and leads to the desired effect on the plants. The feasibility of those constructs could be shown for RNAi, induced expression and even marker excision and confinement approaches demonstrating the huge variability of the new construct design.
A global water resources ensemble of hydrological models: the eartH2Observe Tier-1 dataset

Abstract. The dataset presented here consists of an ensemble of 10 global hydrological and land surface models for the period 1979–2012 using a reanalysis-based meteorological forcing dataset (0.5° resolution). The current dataset serves as a state of the art in current global hydrological modelling and as a benchmark for further improvements in the coming years. A signal-to-noise ratio analysis revealed low inter-model agreement over (i) snow-dominated regions and (ii) tropical rainforest and monsoon areas. The large uncertainty of precipitation in the tropics is not reflected in the ensemble runoff. Verification of the results against benchmark datasets for evapotranspiration, snow cover, snow water equivalent, soil moisture anomaly and total water storage anomaly using the tools from The International Land Model Benchmarking Project (ILAMB) showed overall useful model performance, while the ensemble mean generally outperformed the single model estimates. The results also show that there is currently no single best model for all variables and that model performance is spatially variable. In our unconstrained model runs the ensemble mean of total runoff into the ocean was 46 268 km3 yr−1 (334 kg m−2 yr−1), while the ensemble mean of total evaporation was 537 kg m−2 yr−1. All data are made available openly through a Water Cycle Integrator portal (WCI, wci.earth2observe.eu), and via a direct http and ftp download. The portal follows the protocols of the open geospatial consortium such as OPeNDAP, WCS and WMS. The DOI for the data is https://doi.org/10.1016/10.5281/zenodo.167070 .