Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Leverage Temporal Consistency for Robust Semantic Video Segmentation

The majority of semantic segmentation models are unable to use temporal consistency in video data. This leads to the fact that short-term perturbations in the input data can cause erroneous predictions, which can have fatal consequences in safety-critical applications such as autonomous driving. We present an approach that integrates the temporal consistency of video data as a priori knowledge into the model. We achieve a much more robust semantic segmentation in case of perturbations in the input data. Furthermore, our approach improves the semantic segmentation for input data that does not contain perturbations. In both cases we demonstrate the qualitative and quantitative advantages of our approach.
Existence of Generalized Recursive Equilibrium in Krusell and Smith (1998)I would like to thank Wenlan Luo for his excellent computational assistance. For useful comments and discussions, I thank Mark Huggett, Tom Krebs, Roger Lagunoff, Son Le, and Jianjun Miao

In this paper, I define and show the existence of a generalized recursive equilibrium in Krusell and Smith (1998)’s economy with both aggregate and idiosyncratic shocks. With a continuum of agents, my proof relies on the compactness of the space of probability measures over a bounded interval endowed with weak topology and of the space of Lipschitz continuous value functions and weakly increasing policy functions. These properties enable the use of the Kakutani-Glicksberg-Fan Fixed Point Theorem for infinite dimensional spaces. The existence proof suggests a numerical algorithm to compute a global nonlinear recursive equilibrium. I implement the algorithm and analyze its numerical solutions for two-agent economies.
Computational Prototyping Tools and Techniques

Our research group uses several engineering design applications to drive research in simulation and optimization algorithms and software. Recent efforts have focused on the fundamentals of model-order reduction, matrix-implicit methods, and fast techniques for solving integral equations. The applications currently being examined to drive those fundamental investigations include design tools for integrated circuit interconnect, micromachined devices, aircraft, and biomolecules. In the sections below, we describe these activities in more detail.
Lexicographic products of r-uniform hypergraphs and some applications to hypergraph Ramsey theory

Lexicographic products of graphs have been studied by many authors due to their useful properties involving independent sets and cliques. In this article, we show that analogues of such properties can be extended to lexicographic products of r-uniform hypergraphs and we use them to prove a generalization of Abbott’s Theorem and a new multicolor inequality for hypergraph Ramsey numbers, which generalizes a theorem by Xiaodong, Zheng, Exoo and Radziszowski. We conclude by showing that our results, along with a construction due to Exoo, imply the following lower bounds for t-colored 3-uniform Ramsey numbers: R(5; 3) ≥ 812 + 1.
Tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1, Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio as potential early biomarkers for diabetic nephropathy

Background: Albuminuria is used to screen early stages of diabetic nephropathy (DN) but it is limited by the fact that structural damage may precede albumin excretion. This necessitates identifying better biomarkers that diagnose or predict diabetic nephropathy. The study aimed to evaluate tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as potential biomarkers for early detection of diabetic nephropathy and its progression in patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: A total of 88 subjects were included in this cross-sectional hospital-based study, healthy individuals (N=10) and diabetic patients (n= 78). Diabetic patients were classified according to an albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) into normoalbuminuria (A1=30), microalbuminuria (A2=14), and macroalbuminuria (A3 =34). TIMP-1, PAI-1 levels, NLR were measured in all subjects. Multivariate discriminant analysis (MDA) was used to develop a novel index. The diagnostic value of TIMP-1, PAI-1, and NLR was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Results: The mean ± SD of NLR, PAI-1 (ng/ml) and TIMP-1 (ng/ml) in healthy were (1.9±0.30; 6.8 ±2.4 and 76.8±15.7) and in A1 were (3.0 ± 2.5;7.7±1.8 and 91.4±19.8) and in A2 were ( 2.2±1.5; 7.6±1.9 and 104.5±20.9) and in A3 were (5.2±3.9; 8.7±1.2 and 120.6±18.2). The differences between the mean of NLR, PA1-1 and, TIMP in A2 and that of A3 were significant (p <0.007, p =0.03 and, p < 0.011; respectively). TIMP-1 was the most efficient marker with an AUC of 0.72 for discriminant diabetics with A1 from A2; 0.88 for A1 vs A3 and 0.82 for A2 vs A3. A novel index was developed for differentiated between stages of DN based on three blood markers (TIMP-1, PAI-1, and NLR) named TPN. The mean ± SD of TPN index in healthy was (1.1±0.4) and in A1 was (1.2 ±0.3) and in A2 was (1.3 ±0.2) and in A3 were (1.8±0.3) with a highly significant difference between A2 and A3. The AUC of the TPN index was 0.61, 0.88, and 0.88 for discriminant diabetics with A1 from A2, A1 vs A3, and A2 vs A3. Conclusions: A novel index named TPN based on three blood markers (TIMP-1, PAI-1, and NLR) may be potentially useful for early detection and to discriminate macro-albuminuria from micro-albuminuria stages.
In vitro evaluation of berries of various Vitis genotypes for disease resistance to Botrytis cinerea

Berries of 41 Vitis genotypes were evaluated for resistance to B. cinerea. Evaluation revealed that four genotypes were highly resistant (HR), eight resistant (R), eighteen susceptible (S) and eleven highly susceptible (HS). We further evaluated HR genotype 'Dong fang zhi xing' and HS genotype 'Gold finger' by comparing the fungal growth, reactive oxygen species (ROS) responses, jasmonic acid (JA) levels, anti-oxidants, e.g., Peroxidase (POD), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Malondialhydrate (MDA) content changes after infection with B. cinerea. Our results confirmed that the elevated resistance of 'Dong fang zhi xing' was due to weak fungal development, low ROS production, timely elevation of anti-oxidative functions, and high JA levels. Moreover, HS 'Gold finger' infection was severe and sustained ROS production which may be due to its relatively unchanged anti-oxidative activities and low JA level. Our results could help grape breeders to select suitable germplasm for future research work.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Indonesia: Prevalence, determinants and genetic basis

textabstractIn the past 65 years, antibiotics have been critical in the fi ght against infectious diseases caused by bacteria. Penicillin was discovered in 1928, but it was only by the end of the 1940s that it became generally available. This was soon followed by the discovery and development of new antibiotics, including chloramphenicol and tetracycline. However, shortly after the introduction of each of these new antibiotics, resistance was detected. Nowadays, disease-causing microbes that have become resistant to antibiotic drug therapy are a major health problem worldwide, both in hospitals and the communit. Infections with resistant bacteria increase the health care costs, length of hospital stay, and mortality, compared to infections caused by bacteria that are susceptible to standard antibiotics. The problem is particularly pressing in developing countries, where the infectious disease burden is high and cost constraints restrict the application of newer, often more expensive and more toxic agents.
Estimating the structure of probabilistic graphical models through a Gaussian copula with discrete marginals

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate parameter estimation in a multivariate Gaussian copula model with discrete marginal distributions. Connections between Gaussian copula models and probabilistic graphical models are analysed. Building upon theoretical results in Nešlehová (2007) and Popovic et al. (2018), three novel algorithms are proposed. The first method relies on multi-armed bandits, the second uses a variational upper bound approximation and the third leverages recent advances in deep generative models (Kingma and Welling, 2013). All three methods rely on a novel full rank decomposition of square real matrices which is shown to have desirable theoretical properties. The performance of all three algorithms is compared to existing algorithms on two and three dimensional simulated datasets.
The Use of α-MF Signal Peptide Without Spacer for Producing Insulin Aspart Precursor in Pichia pastoris KM71

A spacer peptide (Glu-Ala repeats) connects N-terminal of a polypeptide precursor to the signal peptide of α-mating factor (α-MF) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. During the polypeptide precursor secretion, the signal peptide will be first cleaved by signal peptidase in the endoplasmic reticulum, followed by Kex2 endopeptidase and finally the spacer peptide is removed by dipeptidyl aminopeptidase in the Golgi apparatus. In the case of insulin precursor, unfortunately, mixture forms of the insulin precursor containing a spacer peptide and the correct insulin precursor is observed in Pichia pastoris. To overcome this problem, a gene encoding insulin Aspart precursor without the spacer peptide has been constructed and its expression has been investigated in this study. The gene of insulin Aspart precursor has been successfully expressed extracellularly in P. pastoris KM71 with molecular mass of 6306.8 Da as determined by LC-ESI-MS. The expression level of insulin Aspart precursor is affected by aeration, cell density and methanol as an inducer. In shake flask production, the insulin Aspart precursor was optimally produced by 3% methanol induction every 24 h for two days, at initial cell density (OD600) of 60 and aeration (ratio of culture volume to flask volume) of 1:25. Based on Western blot analysis, there is no intracellular insulin Aspart precursor detected. Therefore, the spacer peptide is not essential for insulin Aspart precursor secretion in P. pastoris and removal of spacer resulted in insulin Aspart precursor homogeneity.
SELECTING A TRAFFIC SIGN RETROREFLECTIVITY ASSESSMENT METHOD Accuracy and Cost Considerations

Before selecting a method to maintain sign retroreflectivity, there are key considerations an agency should consider. First, will the chosen method provide adequate protection from potential tort claims regarding marginal or inadequate retroreflectivity? Second, what will be the long-term cost to sustain the chosen method? This paper was written to provide fresh insights into these questions to assist agencies that are considering how to best comply with the MUTCD minimum sign retroreflectivity requirements.
Mindfulness Meditation INTEGRATIVE ONCOLOGY

E indfulness meditation and other mindfulness-based practices are gaining popularity due to a burgeoning evidence base supporting its benefi ts for a broad range of conditions and populations, including cancer patients[1] and healthcare professionals. [2,3] While this mind-body approach is rooted in Eastern religion and philosophy, namely Buddhism, which dates back well over 2,000 years, its integration into modern healthcare settings and society is relatively recent. The seminal launch of the mindfulness movement in the West was the establishment of the Stress Reduction Clinic and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, in 1979. Today tens of thousands of people have been trained in MBSR and related mindfulness-based clinical interventions throughout the world, in every continent except Antarctica. Research in mindfulness meditation, not limited to MBSR, is also mounting. A recent search of the term ‘mindfulness meditation’ on PubMed.gov yielded more than 450 peer-reviewed journal articles. These studies elucidate mechanisms of how mindfulness meditation may work in the body and provide support
A knowledge management approach to developing communities of practice amongst university and college staff

The Higher Education Learning Partnerships Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (HELP CETL) supports staff involved in the delivery of higher education level Foundation degrees through a network of nineteen further education colleges. This is managed centrally through the University of Plymouth’s partnership’s faculty but raises the challenge of making best use of the vast amount of knowledge and expertise about teaching and related issues which is held by a range of people who are displaced by geographic location and are disconnected from other practitioners in other institutions. A mechanism by which this expertise might be shared was required and to achieve this, a knowledge management system using a Community of Practice (CoP) framework was investigated and then employed as the key HELP CETL communication and information sharing tool. The Tomoye Ecco Knowledge Management System was used to create the Knowledge Exchange Network (KEN), which provides a set of features designed to enable community members to become involved and share ideas and experiences. This paper reflects on experiences of selecting, implementing, evaluating and further developing KEN for a large scale deployment.
Estimating the labour supply response to the earned income tax credit for single parents in the Netherlands

In 2002 the Dutch government extended the eligibility conditions of the earned income tax credit for single parents to single parents with a child 12 to 15 years old. We use this natural experiment to study the labour supply response of single parents. We find that the policy reform increased the participation rate of single parents with a youngest child 12 to 15 years old by 1.7–2.0 percentage points, and increased their average number of hours worked by 0.8 hours per week. The implicit wage elasticity of participation is 0.4–0.5, and the implicit wage elasticity of total hours worked is 0.6. JEL codes: C21, H24, J22
PROSPECTIVITY OF THE GLEN INNES REGION, NEW TECHNIQUES, NEW MINERAL SYSTEMS AND NEW IDEAS

Recent research into granite related gold systems has provided new targeting criteria that can be applied to many areas in Australia that have been considered unprospective for gold mineralisation in the past. These new ideas when combined with recently developed spatial data modelling techniques have opened up a number of new areas for exploration in the near surface environment. Exploration targeting was carried out by developing prospectivity models in a GIS database for both Eastern Australia and New Zealand. The GIS database contained a total of 79,000 mineral occurrences, 9,324,000 rock geochemical data analyses, 21,912,000 stream sediment geochemical data analyses, 26,360,592 soil geochemical data analyses, 109,000 drill holes and 2,537,522 km2 of geological information. The models were developed using the Weight of Evidence technique to identify prospective tracts of land for granite related mineralisation for tenement acquisition. The Glen Innes region ranked highly compared to other prospective regions in North Queensland, Tasmania and New Zealand and five tenements were applied for over the most prospective areas. These covered the Kingsgate Leucogranite and its immediate contact zone, including the historic Kingsgate Bi-Mo pipes and the Deepwater greisen. Follow-up exploration including detailed geological mapping, geochemical sampling, geophysics and drilling where carried out in these areas. This work is ongoing, but results at Kingsgate are sufficiently encouraging that a feasibility study has been commissioned. Possibly, more significantly for the region, economic intersections of gold mineralisation were made in the Seven Hills region, confirming the exploration model and the prospectivity of the area for gold. The discovery of a gold greisen association at Seven Hills may also be particularly significant as it is a new variant of the granite gold model. This new style of mineralisation may open up additional new areas for exploration not only in the New England Fold Belt but in other similar geological environments world wide.
0 Credit Ratings and Corporate Investment : UK Evidence

We investigate the effect of credit ratings on corporate investment. We extend the conventional view, which predicts a positive linear relationship between credit ratings and firm investment, by highlighting a perspective of corporate governance that emphasizes the impact of managerial career concerns. The evidence from a panel of 576 UK public nonfinancial firms during 1996-2004 shows that in addition to the conventional view, there are several other possibilities which describe the relation between credit ratings and fixed investment. Specifically, we find that: (a) the relation between credit ratings and investment may be nonlinear and can be represented by an inverted U curve; (b) changes in credit ratings are negatively associated with investment; (c) the negative effect of the changes in credit ratings on investment is exacerbated by high levels of credit ratings; and (d) the results in (b) and (c) are more pronounced for firms that are facing credit ratings upgrades. JEL Classifications: G240, G310, M510
A Financial Stress Index for South Africa: A Time-Varying Correlation Approach

This paper develops a new index of financial market stress for South Africa (SAFSI) over the period 1995- 2017, that has the advantage of capturing the interconnectedness of financial markets as well as enabling each indicator to be assessed in terms of its systemic importance. The index represents a technical improvement over past measures as it is comprised of financial indicators that have been selected based on their ability to capture key periods of financial stress in the economy. These indicators are aggregated using information weights and time-varying cross-correlations between markets to form a comprehensive index, that accounts for the systemic dimension of financial indicators. In addition to capturing the benchmark episodes of financial stress in South Africa, the SAFSI successfully captures other global and idiosyncratic risks that affect the financial markets in the country. Furthermore, the SAFSI outperforms alternative measures that tend to overstate the intensity of financial stress, particularly during normal times. The disaggregation of the SAFSI into contributions emanating from each market sub-index (with information weights) and the overall contribution from the cross-correlations is quite useful for regulatory purposes, especially in terms of the financial stability surveillance functions carried out by macroprudential authorities.
A MULTILEVEL CORRECTION TYPE OF ADAPTIVE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD FOR STEKLOV EIGENVALUE PROBLEMS

Adaptive finite element method based on multilevel correction scheme is proposed to solve Steklov eigenvalue problems. In this method, each adaptive step involves solving associated boundary value problems on the adaptive partitions and small scale eigenvalue problems on the coarsest partitions. Solving eigenvalue problem in the finest partition is not required. Hence the efficiency of solving Steklov eigenvalue problems can be improved to the similar efficiency of the adaptive finite element method for the associated boundary value problems. The efficiency of the proposed method is also investigated by a numerical experiment.
Optogenetic Pacing for Resynchronization Therapy of Heart Failure

Na+, consequentially depolarizing the membrane potential and evoking action potentials. Since its first descrip tion, ChR2 has been widely used in the field of neuroscience to manipulate the electrical activities of various types of neuron cells both in vitro and in vivo [18-21]. Meanwhile, ChR2 has been successfully expressed in other type of cells such as skeletal muscle, stem cell, and HEK cell [2224]. Recent studies using trans genetic mice [25] and zebrafish [22] have demonstrated that ChR2-mediated optical pacing of the heart can be performed in vivo, opening up new vistas of application in the therapy of cardiac arrhythmias and heart failure. Compared with CRT, optical pacing has the advantages of being a relatively easier implant procedure (and therefore safer), having remote control access, and having lower energy consumption (and therefore a longer life time). Most importantly, optical pacing can be easily expanded to multiple sites, making it particularly suitable for CRT in advanced heart failure. Optogenetic pacing also has evident advantages over the biological pacemaker, another potential alternative to the electric pacing device, such as precise and active control. However, some major issues must be addressed before this promising technique can be utilized in a clinical setting.
Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis of substituted arylazo pyridone dyes in photocatalytic system: Experimental and theoretical study

A series of arylazo pyridone dyes was synthesized by changing the type of the substituent group in the diazo moiety, ranging from strong electron-donating to strong electronwithdrawing groups. The structural and electronic properties of the investigated dyes was calculated at the M062X/6-31+G(d,p) level of theory. The observed good linear correlations between atomic charges and Hammett σp constants provided a basis to discuss the transmission of electronic substituent effects through a dye framework. The reactivity of synthesized dyes was tested through their decolorization efficiency in TiO2 photocatalytic system (Degussa P-25). Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis revealed a strong correlation between reactivity of investigated dyes and Hammett substituent constants. The reaction was facilitated by electron-withdrawing groups, and retarded by electron-donating ones. Quantum mechanical calculations was used in order to describe the mechanism of the photocatalytic oxidation reactions of investigated dyes and interpret their reactivities within the framework of the Density Functional Theory (DFT). According to DFT based reactivity descriptors, i.e. Fukui functions and local softness, the active site moves from azo nitrogen atom linked to benzene ring to pyridone carbon atom linked to azo bond, going from dyes with electron-donating groups to dyes with electron-withdrawing groups.