Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Visual Language for Incremental Generation of Visual Representations

As the user base of visualization solutions expands, it is now even more critical to help end-users visualize their data quickly and effectively. Current automated visualization techniques use only a small set of basic guidelines mostly based on perceptual principles. Yet, visualization design principles and guidelines, as discussed in literature, cover a broad spectrum of factors that guide effective visualization design. In our previous research, we priorly analyzed existing principles and guidelines and examined factors that influence visualization design and found several limitations that the current visual principles include. To overcome these limitations, we propose a semi-automatic visualization approach that uses a declarative language for specifying visual representations and interactions with data. In this approach, visualization design principles and guidelines are expressed as rules that can encode human perception, information organization, data characteristics and semantics, and display characteristics, based on our examination of visualization literature and practice. By applying rules iteratively, a dataset is incrementally transformed into an interactive visualization via the application of data and visual operators. Intermediate representations of the specification, along with applicable rules, can be made shown to users to allow them choose the one that suits them best, which they can further adjust with minimal effort. Rules are easily extensible to customize and conform to domain-specific standards and practices. As a generative and language-based technique our approach offers flexibility not only in terms of design rules applied but also in the variety of visualization produced.
Circulating tumor DNA in early-stage breast cancer: personalized biomarkers for occult metastatic disease and risk of relapse?

The availability of blood‐based markers to predict response of a solid tumor to treatment, estimate patient prognosis and diagnose relapse well before clinical symptoms arise, is a long‐standing hope in clinical oncology. Ideally, assays designed to provide such information should be inexpensive (at least in the foreseeable future), simple, and, of course, predictive of the clinical evolution of the disease. While early research focused on circulating glycosylated tumor‐derived protein biomarkers, the focus is now rapidly shifting to new opportunities, such as circulating tumor cells, extracellular vesicles, micro‐RNAs and cancer‐derived cell‐free DNA a.k. a. circulating tumor‐derived DNA (ctDNA).
Childhood blindness due to vitamin A deficiency in India: regional variations.

OBJECTIVES--To investigate the importance of vitamin A deficiency as a cause of childhood blindness and severe visual impairment (SVI) in India. DESIGN AND SETTING--Cross sectional survey of children with visual acuity less than 6/60 in the better eye (SVI/blindness), attending 22 schools for the blind in nine states of India. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Proportion of children with blindness or SVI from corneal scarring attributable to vitamin A deficiency. RESULTS--245 of 1318 (18.6%) of children had SVI/blindness attributable to vitamin A deficiency. The proportion of SVI/blindness due to vitamin A deficiency ranged from 7.5% (7/93) in Kerala to 26.7% (27/101) in Madhya Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu, 7.5% (9/120) of children in the capital city blind school had SVI/blindness due to vitamin A deficiency, compared with 30.4% (51/168) in a blind school in a rural area of the same state. CONCLUSION--Overall, vitamin A deficiency is the single most important cause of childhood blindness and SVI in India. There are marked variations by state and also between urban and rural locations.
Identifying Dynamical Modules in Boolean Network Models

HE role of modularity in complex systems has long attracted a great deal of attention. Herbert Simon was one of the first to discuss the functional advantag es of modular organizations, and to define them as those built from ‘nearly-decomposable’ components whose dynamic s were approximately independent over the short-term [1]. Since then, modularity has become an increasingly important concept in theoretical biology, though on e with a highly heterogonous set of definitions and applicat ions [2]. However, the appearance of formal models of complex biological systems provides us with frameworks with in which to define and analyze concrete notions of mod ularity. In this work, we look specifically at synchronous B oolean network (BN) models of gene regulatory networks [3] , and define modularity in a manner akin to Simon’s: modu lar BNs are those whose nodes can be partitioned into a collection of exhaustive, non-overlapping subsets ( here referred to as modules) while preserving, to some degree, global network dynamics. To detect the presence an d identity of such partitions, we approach the proble m in terms of statistical model selection.
Predicting the Functional, Molecular, and Phenotypic Consequences of Amino Acid Substitutions using Hidden Markov Models

The rate at which nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) are being identified in the human genome is increasing dramatically owing to advances in whole‐genome/whole‐exome sequencing technologies. Automated methods capable of accurately and reliably distinguishing between pathogenic and functionally neutral nsSNPs are therefore assuming ever‐increasing importance. Here, we describe the Functional Analysis Through Hidden Markov Models (FATHMM) software and server: a species‐independent method with optional species‐specific weightings for the prediction of the functional effects of protein missense variants. Using a model weighted for human mutations, we obtained performance accuracies that outperformed traditional prediction methods (i.e., SIFT, PolyPhen, and PANTHER) on two separate benchmarks. Furthermore, in one benchmark, we achieve performance accuracies that outperform current state‐of‐the‐art prediction methods (i.e., SNPs&GO and MutPred). We demonstrate that FATHMM can be efficiently applied to high‐throughput/large‐scale human and nonhuman genome sequencing projects with the added benefit of phenotypic outcome associations. To illustrate this, we evaluated nsSNPs in wheat (Triticum spp.) to identify some of the important genetic variants responsible for the phenotypic differences introduced by intense selection during domestication. A Web‐based implementation of FATHMM, including a high‐throughput batch facility and a downloadable standalone package, is available at http://fathmm.biocompute. org.uk.
Annual General Meetings in Large Chinese Companies: The Value Relevance of Released Information

This paper assesses the informative content of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the People’s Republic of China. In this paper, we investigate stock returns, volatility, and trading volumes around the AGMs of companies belonging to the Shanghai Stock Exchange 50 index with the main purpose to evaluate the informational content of the information released. We propose using the classical Brown and Warner (1985) event studies methodology to test for abnormal behavior around AGM days. The results allow us to discuss the relevance of the information released during these AGMs. Additionally, we analyze the differences in the information content depending on company size.
VULNERABILIDADE DAS FAMÍLIAS À POBREZA: UMA ANÁLISE EMPÍRICA PARA SEIS REGIÕES METROPOLITANAS (2002 A 2011)

Vulnerabilidade a pobreza e a probabilidade, calculada no periodo corrente, de queda no nivel de bem-estar das familias em periodos posteriores. O nivel observado de pobreza e uma medida ex post do bem-estar ou falta de bem-estar. Ja as medidas de vulnerabilidade sao construidas para refletir majoritariamente as perspectivas futuras das familias, ou seja, consistem em uma mensuracao ex ante do bem-estar. Esse trabalho tem o objetivo de contribuir para a literatura sobre vulnerabilidade a pobreza no Brasil, por meio da estimacao da probabilidade, no periodo corrente, de entrada das familias na pobreza no ano posterior, com a utilizacao dos dados da Pesquisa Mensal de Emprego (PME/IBGE) para os anos 2002-2011. As estimacoes sao realizadas para as seis regioes metropolitanas (RMs): Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Porto Alegre, Salvador e Recife, com a utilizacao dos rendimentos mensais das familias como indicador de bem-estar. Os resultados da pesquisa permitem observar uma queda da vulnerabilidade ao longo do periodo analisado. Essa queda e ainda mais acentuada quando rendimentos, tais como aposentadorias, pensoes, transferencias, juros e alugueis, sao somados a renda do trabalho. Tambem e possivel verificar que a vulnerabilidade calculada com base na renda do trabalho esta mais associada a uma situacao de pobreza permanente das familias, enquanto que a vulnerabilidade estimada com a renda total e mais bem distribuida entre as categorias de pobreza. Alem disso, familias cujos chefes sao homens e apresentam maior grau de escolaridade e melhor insercao em setores formais do mercado de trabalho, tem menor probabilidade de entrada na pobreza no ano seguinte. Dessa forma, os resultados sugerem que politicas publicas destinadas ao maior acesso a educacao formal e ao aumento de programas de qualificacao profissional sao importantes para a diminuicao da vulnerabilidade a pobreza das familias nas Regioes Metropolitanas brasileiras.
Cherry Picking, Financial Reporting Quality, and Comprehensive Income Reporting Choices: The Case of Property-Liability Insurers

Financial Accounting Standard No. 130 "Reporting Comprehensive Income" encourages enterprises to report comprehensive income on a performance statement rather than on a statement of equity. We investigate the reporting decisions of 82 publicly traded property-liability insurers, which are fairly evenly split in their choice. We find that insurers with a tendency to manage earnings through realized securities' gains and losses (i.e., cherry pickers), as well as insurers with a reputation for poor financial reporting quality, are more likely to bury comprehensive income in a statement of equity. Apparently, these insurers face the highest cost of transparency. Our findings that insurers' comprehensive income reporting choices are a reflection of their proclivity toward cherry picking as well as their level of financial reporting quality should be of interest to standard setters because of the controversy over standard setters' preference for mandating all firms to report comprehensive income in a performance statement.
12C/13C Ratio in Planetary Nebulae from the IUE Archives

We investigated the abundance ratio of 12C/13C in planetary nebulae by examining emission lines arising from C III 2s2p 3P → 2s2 1S0. Spectra were retrieved from the International Ultraviolet Explorer archives, and multiple spectra of the same object were co-added to achieve improved signal-to-noise ratio. The 13C hyperfine structure line at 1909.6 Å was detected in NGC 2440. The 12C/13C ratio was found to be ~4.4 ± 1.2. In all other objects, we provide an upper limit for the flux of the 1910 Å line. For 23 of these sources, a lower limit for the 12C/13C ratio was established. The impact on our current understanding of stellar evolution is discussed. The resulting high-signal-to-noise ratio C III spectrum helps constrain the atomic physics of the line formation process. Some objects have the measured 1907/1909 Å flux ratio outside the low-electron density theoretical limit for 12C. A mixture of 13C with 12C helps to close the gap somewhat. Nevertheless, some observed 1907/1909 Å flux ratios still appear too high to conform to the currently predicted limits. It is shown that this limit, as well as the 1910/1909 Å flux ratio, are predominantly influenced by using the standard partitioning among the collision strengths for the multiplet 1S0-3P according to the statistical weights. A detailed calculation for the fine-structure collision strengths between these individual levels would be valuable.
Protein flexibility is required for vesicle tethering at the Golgi

The Golgi is decorated with coiled-coil proteins that may extend long distances to help vesicles find their targets. GCC185 is a trans Golgi-associated protein that captures vesicles inbound from late endosomes. Although predicted to be relatively rigid and highly extended, we show that flexibility in a central region is required for GCC185’s ability to function in a vesicle tethering cycle. Proximity ligation experiments show that that GCC185’s N-and C-termini are within <40 nm of each other on the Golgi. In physiological buffers without fixatives, atomic force microscopy reveals that GCC185 is shorter than predicted, and its flexibility is due to a central bubble that represents local unwinding of specific sequences. Moreover, 85% of the N-termini are splayed, and the splayed N-terminus can capture transport vesicles in vitro. These unexpected features support a model in which GCC185 collapses onto the Golgi surface, perhaps by binding to Rab GTPases, to mediate vesicle tethering. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.12790. 001
Fair Waiting Protocol : Fairness and Isolation in Wireless Sensornets

Isolation simplifies reasoning. For example, isolation between processes in an OS can make failures due to another program exceedingly rare. In a network architecture, isolation between network protocols can make failures due to another traffic pattern similarly rare. The main goal of the Fair Waiting Protocol (FWP) is to isolate protocols on CSMA networks, such that protocols do not interfere with each other’s operation. This problem is unique to wireless sensornets because they employ multiple layer 3 protocols such as collection, routing, dissemination, and synchronization. The key insight behind FWP is that layer 3 protocol isolation requires inter-protocol collision avoidance. For example, Deluge sends flurries of data packets using single-hop broadcasts, forming a region of intense interference. If other protocols suffer failures during the bursts, determining the cause of the failure can be very complicated because the failure is not caused by the protocol itself. In Section 2, we will explain the mechanism of grantto-send, a core algorithm of FWP, and its performance on collision avoidance. In Section 3, we show how the collision avoidance mechanism can be extended to provide interprotocol collision avoidance to achieve protocol isolation.
Dissaving by the Elderly, Transfer Motives and Liquidity Constraints

Two explanations have been proposed for the observed slowness of wealth decumulation by the elderly in the literature: the precautionary saving induced by (uninsurable) uncertainty about the time of death or by the possibility of major catastrophes in old age that require large outlays; the desire to pass part of the accumulated assets on to one's heirs. We reconsider the issue of wealth decumulation by the elderly and assess the presence of a transfer motive, drawing on Italian data. We show that if intergenerational transfer of assets takes place well before the time of death, induced for instance by existence of liquidity constraints on younger families, then tests for the presence of a transfer motive based on the relative speed of decumulation of elderly households with and without a potential bequest motive might have little discriminatory power. We suggest that in this case one should look at the whole pattern of asset accumulation and decumulation. We also offer an alternative test of the bequest motive based on life insurance purchases.
Auxilin Depletion Causes Self-Assembly of Clathrin into Membraneless Cages In Vivo

Auxilin is a cofactor for Hsc70‐mediated uncoating of clathrin‐coated vesicles (CCVs). However, small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of the ubiquitous auxilin 2 in HeLa cells only moderately impairs clathrin‐dependent trafficking. In this study, we show that HeLa cells also express auxilin 1, previously thought to be neuron specific, and that both auxilins need to be depleted for inhibition of clathrin‐mediated endocytosis and intracellular sorting. Depleting both auxilins cause an ∼50% reduction in the number of clathrin‐coated pits at the plasma membrane but enhances the association of clathrin and adaptors with intracellular membranes. CCV fractions isolated from auxilin‐depleted cells have an ∼1.5‐fold increase in clathrin content and more than fivefold increase in the amount of AP‐2 adaptor complex and other endocytic machinery, with no concomitant increase in cargo. In addition, the structures isolated from auxilin‐depleted cells are on average smaller than CCVs from control cells and are largely devoid of membrane, indicating that they are not CCVs but membraneless clathrin cages. Similar structures are observed by electron microscopy in intact auxilin‐depleted HeLa cells. Together, these findings indicate that the two auxilins have overlapping functions and that they not only facilitate the uncoating of CCVs but also prevent the formation of nonproductive clathrin cages in the cytosol.
A Characterization of Lexicographic Max-Ordering Solutions

In this paper we give the definition of a solution concept in multicriteria combinatorial optimization. We show how Pareto, max-ordering and lexicographically optimal solutions can be incorporated in this framework. Furthermore we state some properties of lexicographic max-ordering solutions, which combine features of these three kinds of optimal solutions. Two of these properties, which are desirable from a decision maker" s point of view, are satisfied if and only of the solution concept is that of lexicographic max-ordering.
Perceived parenting and risk for major depression in Chinese women

Background In Western countries, a history of major depression (MD) is associated with reports of received parenting that is low in warmth and caring and high in control and authoritarianism. Does a similar pattern exist in women in China? Method Received parenting was assessed by a shortened version of the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) in two groups of Han Chinese women: 1970 clinically ascertained cases with recurrent MD and 2597 matched controls. MD was assessed at personal interview. Results Factor analysis of the PBI revealed three factors for both mothers and fathers: warmth, protectiveness, and authoritarianism. Lower warmth and protectiveness and higher authoritarianism from both mother and father were significantly associated with risk for recurrent MD. Parental warmth was positively correlated with parental protectiveness and negatively correlated with parental authoritarianism. When examined together, paternal warmth was more strongly associated with lowered risk for MD than maternal warmth. Furthermore, paternal protectiveness was negatively and maternal protectiveness positively associated with risk for MD. Conclusions Although the structure of received parenting is very similar in China and Western countries, the association with MD is not. High parental protectiveness is generally pathogenic in Western countries but protective in China, especially when received from the father. Our results suggest that cultural factors impact on patterns of parenting and their association with MD.
Project Kick-off with Distributed Pair Programming

Background : More and more software development companies decide to share their workload be-tween teams which are geographically distributed. One of the biggest challenges is to start up work when new team members are introduced at a distant site of a global cooperation. Usually existing development processes do not cover integrating distributed collaboration, hence there is a need to adjust them to make project starts comfortable, easy and fast. A ﬁeld study was conducted to introduce distributed pair programming (DPP), a derivative of pair programming (PP) in a distributed context, as a new development method to support communication and enhance knowledge transfer right from the beginning of the project. Objective : The objective of the study was to uncover relevant procedures and problems of establishing DPP and to collect supporting procedure steps for future project starts in distributed collaborations. Methods : A variation of canonical action research (CAR) was used to both establish DPP, gather insights and allow feedback from the developers involved. Results : This paper describes the establishment of DPP in a corporate project kick-off. It also reveals some beneﬁts and major problems about distributed collaboration like conﬂicts in role fulﬁllment, ambiguity about session goals and missing awareness. Limitations : The validity of this study is threatened by the small number of participants and their particular cultural backgrounds.
Implementation of Mellin transform using FPGA based embedded system platform

Since decades Mellin transform because of its scale invariant property has gained its attention to various real time applications such as signal and image processing including speech processing, pattern recognition and speech recognition etc. Today, all these applications demand embedded platform for real time implementation. Since the Mellin transform is one of the constituent in these applications, it needs to be implemented on embedded hardware platform to meet the real time computational requirements. To the knowledge of authors, no one have presented the implementation of Mellin transform on FPGA based embedded system platform. Recently, FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) based real time embedded system has taken its momentum over other commercially available hardware platforms such as microprocessors, DSP due to its features such as reconfigurability, flexibility, fast computation and less design time to market with low cost. In this context, authors have presented the implementation of Mellin transform on embedded system platform where this platform has been developed using 32-bit RISC processor (TSK-3000A) along with customized peripherals such as memory, ADC and DAC on a FPGA (Xilinx Spartan XC3S1400AN) chip. The performance of Mellin transform in this embedded platform using scaled sinusoidal signals as inputs have been analyzed which shows that the transform is scale invariant and output is very close to MATLAB simulation.
Scene Categorization Using Invariant Moments and Neural Networks

Thousands of images are generated every day, which implies the necessity to classify, organize and access them using an easy, faster and efficient way. Scene classification, the classification of images into semantic categories (e.g., coast, mountains, highways and streets) is a challenging and important problem nowadays. Many different approaches concerning scene classification have been proposed in the last few years. This paper presents a different approach using invariant geometric moments and artificial neural networks to scene classification. Feed forward neural networks with backpropagation algorithm are used for ANN. The results are proving the efficiency of this work with 83.5% classification rate. This complete work is carried out using real world data set.