Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the regional dependence of earthquake response spectra

It is common practice to use ground-motion models, often developed by regression on recorded accelerograms, to predict the expected earthquake response spectra at sites of interest. An important consideration when selecting these models is the possible dependence of ground motions on geographical region, i.e., are median ground motions in the (target) region of interest for a given magnitude and distance the same as those in the (host) region where a ground-motion model is from, and are the aleatoric variabilities of ground motions also similar? These questions can be particularly difficult to tackle in many regions of the world where little observed strong-motion data is available since there are few records to validate the choice of model. Reasons for regionally dependent ground motions are discussed and possible regional dependence of earthquake response spectra is examined using published ground-motion models, observed accelerograms and also by using ground motions predicted by published stochastic models. It is concluded that although some regions seem to show considerable differences in spectra it is currently more defensible to use well-constrained models, possibly based on data from other regions, rather than use predicted motions from local, often poorly-constrained, models.
Early Prediction of Sepsis From Clinical Data: The PhysioNet/Computing in Cardiology Challenge 2019

The PhysioNet/Computing in Cardiology Challenge focused on the early detection of sepsis from clinical data. A total of 40,336 patient records from two distinct hospital systems were shared with participants while 22,761 patient records from three distinct hospital systems were sequestered as hidden test sets. Each patient record contained up to 40 measurements of vital sign, laboratory, and demographics data for over 2.5 million hourly time windows and over 15 million data points. We used the Sepsis-3 clinical criteria to define the onset time of sepsis.We challenged participants to design automated, open-source algorithms for predicting sepsis 6 hours before clinical recognition of sepsis. We developed a novel, clinical utility-based evaluation metric to assess each algorithm that rewards early sepsis predictions and penalizes late or missed predictions and false alarms.A total of 104 teams from academia and industry submitted a total of 853 entries during the official phase of the Challenge. We accepted 90 abstracts based on Challenge entries for presentations at Computing in Cardiology. We also compared entries to ensure that approaches from different teams remained independent. This article presents our analysis and discusses the implications of the Challenge for early sepsis predictions and related sequential prediction tasks.
1 Tryptophan Cluster Protects Human γ D-Crystallin from 1 Ultraviolet Radiation-Induced Photo-Aggregation In vitro 2

23 24 Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a significant risk factor for age25 related cataract, a disease of the human lens and the most prevalent cause of 26 blindness in the world. Cataract pathology involves protein misfolding and 27 aggregation of the primary proteins of the lens, the crystallins. Human γD28 crystallin (HγD-Crys) is a major γ-crystallin in the nucleus of the human lens. We 29 report here analysis of UVR-induced damage to HγD-Crys in vitro. Irradiation of 30 solutions of recombinant HγD-Crys with UVA/UVB light produced a rise in 31 solution turbidity due to polymerization of the monomeric crystallins into higher 32 molecular weight aggregates. A significant fraction of this polymerized protein 33 was covalently linked. Photo-aggregation of HγD-Crys required oxygen and its 34 rate was protein concentration and UVR dose dependent. To investigate the 35 potential roles of individual tryptophan residues in photo-aggregation, triple W:F 36 mutants of HγD-Crys were irradiated. Surprisingly, despite reducing UVR 37 absorbing capacity, multiple W:F HγD-Crys mutant proteins photo-aggregated 38 more quickly and extensively than wild-type. The results reported here are 39 consistent with previous studies that postulated that an energy transfer 40 mechanism between the highly conserved pairs of tryptophan residues in HγD41 Crys could be protective against UVR-induced photo-damage. 42
What is the shape of real exchange rate nonlinearity?

Evidence that real exchange rate dynamics can be described using models which exhibit nonlinear mean reversion has been mounting over the past decade. This article attempts to better understand the shape of real exchange rate nonlinearity through the use of the Smooth Transition Autoregressive (STAR) model and the newly proposed skewed generalized error transition function. The advantage of this transition function it that it nests popularly used transition functions through simple parameter constraints. This allows the use of nested model selection tests. It is shown that more flexible transition functions are preferred in many cases over the commonly used exponential transition function. The results suggest that most of the real exchange rates studied in this article are better described by discrete threshold models rather than STAR models.
EXPEDITION OF THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES TO THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS , 1905-1906 XV THE ANTS OF COCOS ISLANDi

Cocos Island, owing to its isolated position some 300 miles off the west coast of Costa Rica, is of unusual interest in connection with the origin of the fauna and flora of the Galapagos Archipelago, a problem which, in turn, according to Scharff^ "presents the key to the solution of the most complex and intricate questions concerning the American fauna with which we are confronted. " While in charge of the Hopkins-Stanford Galapagos Expedition, Snodgrass and Heller^ explored the island June 30 to July 3, 1899, and gave such an interesting and succinct account of its topography and biota that it seems
Design Point Performance and Optimization of Humid Air Turbine Power Plants

With the recent drive towards higher thermal efficiencies and lower emission levels in the power generation market, advanced cycle power plants have become an increasingly appealing option. Among these systems, humid air turbines have been previously identified as promising candidates to deliver high efficiency and power output with notably low overall system volume, weight and emissions footprint. This paper investigates the performance of an advanced humid air turbine power cycle and aims to identify the dependencies between key cycle design variables, thermal performance, weight and cost by means of a parametric design optimization approach. Designs of the main heat exchangers are generated, aiming to ascertain the relationship between their technology level and the total weight and acquisition cost of them. The research outcomes show that the recuperator and the intercooler are the two components with the largest influence on the thermal efficiency and the total cost. The total weight of the power system is driven by the technology level of the recuperator and the economizer. Finally, the effectiveness of the aftercooler seems to have the greatest impact in reducing the total acquisition cost of the system with minimum penalty on its thermal efficiency.
Characterization and variability of the prokaryotic community in sediments from Salar de Lagunilla, northern Chile

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes was used to investigate the abundance of prokariotic community from the sediments of different sites and along a temporary-space scale from Salar de Lagunilla, a high-altitude athalassohaline wetland in the Chilean Altiplano. Six different taxonomic groups were studied: alpha, beta, gamma proteobacterias, sulfate-reducing of the delta subclass of Proteobacteria, Cytophaga-fl avobacteria and the domain Archaea. The analyses showed the Archaea domain and Cytophaga-fl avobacteria group (33.6 % 20.2 %, respectively) as the dominant group, whereas the groups with minor abundance corresponded to alpha and Beta-proteobacteria (10.7 15.5 %). The prokariotic communities in the sediments also developed differently, as shown by Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and by nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis. Changes in prokariotic community composition were followed d uring three years, w here there was a difference in the abundance of the domain Archaea, during the dry season (March-August 2006), which demonstrated the existence of temporary differences, but not space. In addition, Canonical correspondence analysis revealed that the prokaryotic community composition could be infl uenced by some environmental factors, where important components of the ecosystem such as, limestone and carbon, could play a role in the distribution and composition of the prokaryotic community.
Letter to the Editor (RE: Polles et al).

The recent study by Tomlins et al [1] provides detailed information about the ability of the urinary marker TMPRSS2:ERG (T2:ERG) in combination with serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved urinary prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) gene, by using the so-called Mi-Prostate Score (MiPS), to improve prostate cancer (PCa) and highgrade PCa detection. However, as already briefly discussed by Tomlins et al, it is of extraordinary practical interest to know how the clinical validity of this new marker combination MiPS is to be judged in comparison with the Prostate Health Index (Phi), as another FDA approved marker [2], or in combinations with this PSA derivative. For this purpose, we used the given MiPS formula and recalculated our own data (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] and decision curve analysis [DCA]) from 2013, when we first compared T2:ERG, PCA3, PSA, and Phi [2]. The data from our 246 patients (PCa, n = 110; no evidence of malignancy [NEM], n = 136) indicated that the highest AUC was shown not by MiPS (AUC 0.748) or MiPS to detect high-grade PCa (AUC 0.747) but rather by our artificial neural network (ANN; AUC 0.757) and the logistic regression analysis (AUC 0.752) that included PCA3 and Phi. The differences were not significant (p values from 0.61 to 0.87). Neither MiPS value could significantly improve Phi (p = 0.10 and p = 0.11) or PCA3 alone (p = 0.45 and p = 0.51). In addition, the data of the DCA showed comparable results for MiPS, PCA3, and Phi alone (Fig. 1A). However, a distinct net benefit in risk stratification of PCa patients was evident if patients were biopsied based on the ANN model that included PCA3 and Phi in comparison with MiPS or PCA3 alone (Fig. 1B). One reason for this improved net benefit could be that Phi behaves as an orthogonal marker [3] versus PCA3 and T2:ERG in PCa patients (rs = 0.040 and rs = 0.111; p = 0.678 and p = 0.248) and NEM patients (rs = 0.024 and rs = 0.007; p = 0.780 and p = 0.934), whereas PCA3 and T2:ERG correlate with each other (rs = 0.344; p < 0.001). Moreover, the clinical potential of T2:ERG seems to be a priori limited, as it occurs in only 50% of all PCa patients [4], whereas Phi shows diagnostic advantages with its particular ability to detect aggressive tumors in comparison with PCA3 [5]. In conclusion, it would be worthwhile to validate the combination PCA3 and Phi regarding their real potential for diagnosis and risk stratification of PCa patients in new studies. E U R O P E A N U R O L O G Y 6 8 ( 2 0 1 5 ) e 1 0 6 – e 1 0 7
The relationship between management practices and job satisfaction: The case of assistant registrars at public institutions of higher learning in northern region Malaysia

Universities were known as the production of qualified manpower. This is a view we have already encountered, in which universities are seen as a process or in which students count as ‘products’, as output and having a utility value on the labor market. Consequently, the institutional require hard working, high commitment and competent staff members in order to deliver the services to their customers. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to examine empirically the relationship between management practices on job satisfaction among middle level management at public institutions of higher learning in northern region in Malaysia. Specifically, the dimension of management practices examined was leadership practices, communication practices and decision making practices. The respondents of the study are 133 management and professional staff members of various service schemes in grade 41 (under Malaysian Remuneration Scheme). The data were analyzed through descriptive analysis, ANOVA, T-test, Pearson Correlation and Multiple Regression by using SPSS Version 14.0. Suggestions for further research and recommendation for decision makers have been forwarded.
Title Targeting VEGFR-1 and VEGFR 2-expressing non-tumor cells isessential for esophageal cancer therapy

Increasing appreciation of tumor heterogeneity and the tumor-host interaction has stimulated interest in developing novel therapies that target both tumor cells and tumor microenvironment. Bone marrow derived cells (BMDCs) constitute important components of the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we aim to investigate the significance of VEGFR1and VEGFR2-expressing non-tumor cells, including BMDCs, in esophageal cancer (EC) progression and in VEGFR1/VEGFR2-targeted therapies. Here we report that VEGFR1 or VEGFR2 blockade can significantly attenuate VEGF-induced Src and Erk signaling, as well as the proliferation and migration of VEGFR1+ and VEGFR2+ bone marrow cells and their pro-invasive effect on cancer cells. Importantly, our in vivo data show for the first time that systemic blockade of VEGFR1+ or VEGFR2+ non-tumor cells with neutralizing antibodies is sufficient to significantly suppress esophageal tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis in mice. Moreover, our tissue microarray study of human EC clinical specimens showed the clinicopathological significance of VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 in EC, which suggest that anti-VEGFR1/VEGFR2 therapies may be particularly beneficial for patients with aggressive EC. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the important contributions of VEGFR1+ and VEGFR2+ nontumor cells in esophageal cancer progression, and substantiates the validity of these receptors as therapeutic targets for this deadly disease.
Comparative Study Of Different Methods Of Estimating Evapotranspiration In The Tropical Humid Savannah: Case of Lamto (Côte d’Ivoire)

Climate change places all human activities, particularly the agriculture in Africa in front of sustainable water resource management challenge. when it comes to the good control of the terms of the water balance, knowledge of evapotranspiration, main factor of water loss of this balance is capital. However, although the method of PM provides a good estimate of this parameter; its application in all African countries encounter numerous difficulties. In this article, it was question of comparing the values of PET calculate by Penman-Monteih (P-M) method in the humid savanna region Lamto (Cote d'Ivoire) with those obtained by different methods. it is clear that the values obtained by Turc and Garcia-Lopez methods not only gives good correlation with those of P-M, but it also presents at monthly and annual scales, acceptable relative deviation. The absolute values of relative deviation at monthly scale oscillate to 1.00 at 8.00% with the Garcia-Lopez method and to2.00 at 17% with Turc method. Baier-Robertson and Hargreaves methods, although correlated overestimates and underestimates l'ETP at all scales with the important deviation of up to 84%.
NDT_A_202159 2161..2170

Schizophrenia Program, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Objective: Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have a high risk of causing metabolic syndrome (MetS). There is accumulating evidence supporting the fact that the activation of inflammatory pathway contributes to the development of MetS and further aggravates cognitive impairment. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between interleukin6 (IL-6), cognitive function, and MetS in schizophrenia patients treated with SGAs. Methods: One hundred and seventy-four patients with schizophrenia using SGAs were divided into MetS and non-MetS group, based on the criteria of the National Cholesterol Education Program’s Adult Treatment Panel III. Cognitive function was measured using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). A total of 138 patients and 29 healthy controls were examined in the plasma IL-6 levels. Results: The prevalence of MetS in schizophrenia patients treated with SGAs was 33% in this study. There were no significant differences in cognitive functions (both RBANS total score and subscale score) between MetS and non-Mets patients (P>0.05). Patients with MetS had higher plasma levels of IL-6 compared to non-MetS patients (P=0.019). However, such difference was only found in male patients (male: P=0.012; female: P=0.513). The partial correlational analysis further showed that IL-6 levels were notably negative related to the HDL levels in male schizophrenia patients after age, years of education, body mass index (BMI), age of onset, total disease course, and equal dose of olanzapine were controlled (male: P=0.009; female: P=0.450). In addition, the multiple regression analysis (stepwise model) performed in the male patient subgroup showed that IL-6 (beta =−0.283, t=−2.492, P=0.015) was an independent contributor to the HDL levels. However, the IL-6 was not an independent contributor to the HDL levels in female patients. Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence suggesting that the immune-inflammatory effect of IL-6 on SGAs-induced MetS may be in a gender manner.
WORKFLOW BASED SERVICE COMPOSITION USING GENETIC ALGORITHMS

One common direction in service oriented computing is to use predefined workflows to compose new services that combine the functionality of existing services. But the problem with this approach is that services can’t be composed for which workflows are not available. We propose a genetic algorithm that combines workflows in order to find the best solution that satisfies a set of objectives formulated using imperative natural language requests. The function that measures how close a solution is to what the user expects from the composed service is a semantic similarity function, called the conceptual distance.
Structure of the community associated with the gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758 (Pisces Perciformes Spa- ridae) of the Algerian east coasts (Jijel, Skikda, Annaba, El-Taraf)

Received 30.12. 2017; accepted 11.02. 2018; printed 30.03. 2018 The structure of the community associated with the gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758 (Pisces Perciformes Sparidae) of the Algerian east coasts is studied on the basis of data from the oceanographic campaign “ALDEM 2012” carried out in Algeria. The most characteristic species of the S. aurata are determined on the basis of three classification criteria, relative frequency (Fr), density (Dn) and biomass (Dw). These species are 88. Species diversity and evenness are calculated in the coasts of eastern Algeria taking into account the numbers and the weights. Distribution of specific abundance is studied from the models of Motomura, Mac Arthur and Preston. Determination of specific richness, specific diversity, equitability and use of abundance distribution models revealed a young (immature) community with one or more species that tend to dominate in number and weight. A principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out on a matrix of 88 species and 3 variables (Fr, Dn, Dw) in order to separate the species strongly associated with the gilthead sea bream. Mullus barbatus is the species most associated with S. aurata with a significant presence of Trachurus trachurus and Pagellus acarne and, to a lesser degree, Pagellus erythrinus.
Physical Properties of CrSb/InP(001): Effect of Interface in Half-Metallic

In this study, density functional theory in improved flat waves’ framework has been used. First of all, characterization, elastic and half-metallic properties of the CrSb-ZB compound at (GGA & LDA) and GGA + U approximation are calculated. The elastic calculations indicate that the CrSb-ZB is a ductile material. However, the calculation of Deby temperature indicates that the CrSb-ZB is meta-stable. The half-metallicity character is also preserved at CrSb/InP (001) interface by GGA + U. The conduction band minimum (CBM) of CrSb in the minority spin case lies about 1.26 eV above that of GaSb, suggesting that the major spin can be injected into GaSb without being flipped to the conduction bands of the minor spin.
Good Practice on Deep Scene Classification: from Local Supervision to Knowledge Guided Disambiguation

Recent years witness remarkable progresses of scene classification task, mainly with deep convolutional neural network trained on large scale datasets like Place [7]. This short paper summarize our recent works toward improving the performance of large scale scene classification with deep networks [4, 5, 1]. These works include: 1) encoding locally-supervised convolutional features for scene representation, 2) weakly training patch-level CNNs to extract local discriminative descriptors, and 3) exploiting knowledge from extra networks to release label ambiguity problem of scene categories. We will describe the key insights, approaches and results of our works with analysis on the connection and difference among them. Our methods achieves the second place at the Places2 challenge in ILSVRC 2015, and the first place at the LSUN challenge in CVPR 2016. One question we try to answer with this paper is how scene classification is related to and different from object classification. We hope these investigation and analysis will inspire novel ideas toward the challenging problem of complex scene understanding.
BIOPRINTING FOR CARDIOVASCULAR TISSUE ENGINEERING

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Advanced therapeutic approach such as tissue engineering provides alternative treatment options and model testing for cardiovascular diseases. Some design considerations when engineering cardiac tissue includes inducing cell alignment, attaining high cell density and culturing heterogeneous population of cells within a construct. Bioprinting, a computer-assisted technology, can potentially achieve the abovementioned considerations. The purpose of this review is to 1) highlight the prevalence of cardiovascular disease 2) identify design factors in engineering a cardiovascular tissue and describe conventional fabrication methods in achieving these engineered construct 3) discuss and analyze the role of bioprinting in engineering cardiovascular tissue