Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Topic Categorization for Relevancy and Opinion Detection

Introduction University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Blog Track team participated in only the core task of the blog track this year. The data acquired was identical to that of previous year except some new . retrieval tasks were introduced. The core task was to identify blogs that are opinionated about a certain subject. Fifty new topics were provided by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) this year. Apart from the core task, two subtasks were also introduced. Polarity subtask was to detect polarity of the opinionated blog about a given topic. Feed distillation subtask was based on finding feeds rather than individual permalinks. Last year, we participated in the core task [1] and this year we planned to continue on our previous work. Although an attempt was made last year to use Active Learning with Support Vector Machine (SVM) to detect opinionated blog, identifying the opinion expressed about a given topic was unsuccessful. The difference this time around is in the use of search engines to conduct the topic search, categorizations of queries for further training, and a Natural Language based “onepass-processing” approach.
Body dysmorphic factors and mental health problems in people seeking rhinoplastic surgery

SUMMARY There has been increasing number of requests for cosmetic rhinoplastic surgery among Iranian people in different age groups in recent years. One risk for people who undergo such plastic operations is the presence of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which can complicate the result and decrease the rate of satisfaction from surgery. This study aimed to investigate mental health problems in people seeking rhinoplastic surgery. In this case-control study, the scores of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and DCQ (Dysmorphic Concerns Questionnaire) were obtained from 50 individuals who were candidates for rhinoplasty, and the results were compared with a normal control group. The total GHQ score and scores in anxiety, depression, and social dysfunction sub-scales were higher among the study group. This was the same for the DCQ score. However, the scores of somatization sub-scale of GHQ were not significantly different between the two groups. Psychiatric evaluation of candidates for rhinoplasty seems necessary for prevention of unnecessary and repetitive surgical operations.
Interspecific Recombinant Congenic Strains Between C57BL/6 and Mice of the Mus spretus Species: A Powerful Tool to Dissect Genetic Control of Complex Traits

Complex traits are under the genetic control of multiple genes, often with weak effects and strong epistatic interactions. We developed two new collections of mouse strains to improve genetic dissection of complex traits. They are derived from several backcrosses of the Mus spretus SEG/Pas or STF/Pas strains on the C57BL/6J background. Each of the 55 interspecific recombinant congenic strains (IRCSs) carries up to eight SEG/Pas chromosomal segments with an average size of 11.7 Mb, totalizing 1.37% of the genome. The complete series covers 39.7% of the SEG/Pas genome. As a complementary resource, six partial or complete interspecific consomic strains were developed and increased genome coverage to 45.6%. To evaluate the usefulness of these strains for QTL mapping, 16 IRCSs were compared with C57BL/6J for seven hematological parameters. Strain 66H, which carries three SEG/Pas chromosomal segments, had lower red blood cell volume and higher platelet count than C57BL/6J. Each chromosomal segment was isolated in a congenic strain to evaluate individual effects. Congenic strains were combined to assess epistasis. Our data show that both traits were controlled by several genes with complex epistatic interactions. IRCSs are therefore useful to unravel QTL with small effects and gene-by-gene interactions.
Temporal variation in glucocorticoid levels during the resting phase is associated in opposite way with maternal and paternal melanic coloration

Sex‐dependent selection can help maintain sexual dimorphism. When the magnitude of selection exerted on a heritable sex trait differs between the sexes, it may prevent each sex to reach its phenotypic optimum. As a consequence, the benefit of expressing a sex trait to a given value may differ between males and females favouring sex‐specific adaptations associated with different values of a sex trait. The level of metabolites regulated by genes that are under sex‐dependent selection may therefore covary with the degree of ornamentation differently in the two sexes. We investigated this prediction in the barn owl, a species in which females display on average larger black spots on the plumage than males, a heritable ornament. This melanin‐based colour trait is strongly selected in females and weakly counter‐selected in males indicating sex‐dependent selection. In nestling barn owls, we found that daily variation in baseline corticosterone levels, a key hormone that mediates life history trade‐offs, covaries with spot diameter displayed by their biological parents. When their mother displayed larger spots, nestlings had lower corticosterone levels in the morning and higher levels in the evening, whereas the opposite pattern was found with the size of paternal spots. Our study suggests a link between daily regulation of glucocorticoids and sex‐dependent selection exerted on sexually dimorphic melanin‐based ornaments.
Clinical application of right low-position modified peritoneal dialysis catheterization

The aim of this study was to investigate peritoneal dialysis catheter malposition following low-position modified peritoneal dialysis catheterization and its clinical application value. A total of 48 patients receiving traditional peritoneal dialysis catheterization (the traditional group) and 95 patients receiving right low-position modified peritoneal dialysis catheterization (the modified group) from 2006 to 2011 were selected. The inflow time, outflow time, ultrafiltration volume of peritoneal dialysis solution and rate of peritoneal dialysis catheter malposition in the two groups of patients following surgery were compared and analyzed. There were no significant differences of inflow time, outflow time and ultrafiltration volume of the peritoneal dialysis solution between the two groups. In the modified group, no post-operative peritoneal dialysis catheter malposition occurred, therefore the incidence rate was 0. However, 9 patients in the traditional group presented peritoneal dialysis catheter malposition, an incidence rate of 18.75% (9/48). Among them, 6 patients required a second surgery. There was a statistically significant difference in the incidence rate of catheter malposition between the two groups (P<0.01). Right low-position modified peritoneal dialysis catheterization significantly reduced the incidence rate of peritoneal dialysis catheter malposition following peritoneal dialysis, and was shown to be significantly more effective than the traditional peritoneal dialysis catheterization and is therefore worth promoting for clinical use.
Low functional redundancy among mammalian browsers in regulating an encroaching shrub (Solanum campylacanthum) in African savannah

Large herbivorous mammals play an important role in structuring African savannahs and are undergoing widespread population declines and local extinctions, with the largest species being the most vulnerable. The impact of these declines on key ecological processes hinges on the degree of functional redundancy within large-herbivore assemblages, a subject that has received little study. We experimentally quantified the effects of three browser species (elephant, impala and dik-dik) on individual- and population-level attributes of Solanum campylacanthum (Solanum incanum sensu lato), an encroaching woody shrub, using semi-permeable exclosures that selectively removed different-sized herbivores. After nearly 5 years, shrub abundance was lowest where all browser species were present and increased with each successive species deletion. Different browsers ate the same plant species in different ways, thereby exerting distinct suites of direct and indirect effects on plant performance and density. Not all of these effects were negative: elephants and impala also dispersed viable seeds and indirectly reduced seed predation by rodents and insects. We integrated these diffuse positive effects with the direct negative effects of folivory using a simple population model, which reinforced the conclusion that different browsers have complementary net effects on plant populations, and further suggested that under some conditions, these net effects may even differ in direction.
Sex-Related Effects of Reproduction on Biomarkers of Oxidative Damage in Free-living Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica)

According to life-history theory, the allocation of limiting resources to one trait has negative consequences for other traits requiring the same resource, resulting in trade-offs among life-history traits, such as reproduction and survival. In vertebrates, oxidative stress is increasingly being considered among the physiological mechanisms forming the currency of life-history trade-offs. In this study of the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), we focus on the oxidative costs of reproduction, especially egg laying, by investigating the effects of breeding stage (pre- vs. post-laying) and progression of the season on three biomarkers of oxidative damage (OD) to plasma proteins, namely the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA)-protein adducts and of protein thiol groups (PSH), and the protein carbonyl (PCO) content. Moreover, we investigated whether males and females differed in plasma OD levels, because the inherent sex differences in reproductive roles and physiology may originate sex-specific patterns of OD during breeding. We found that MDA-protein adduct levels were higher in the pre-laying than in the post-laying phase, that males had lower levels of MDA-modified proteins than females, and that the decline of MDA-protein adduct concentration between the pre- and the post-laying phase was more marked for females than males. In addition, MDA-protein adduct levels declined with sampling date, but only during the pre-laying phase. On the other hand, plasma PCO levels increased from the pre- to the post-laying phase in both sexes, and females had higher levels of PCO than males. PSH concentration was unaffected by breeding stage, sex or sampling date. On the whole, our findings indicate that biomarkers of protein oxidation closely track the short-term variation in breeding stage of both male and female barn swallows. Moreover, the higher protein OD levels observed among females compared to males suggest that egg laying entails oxidative costs, which might negatively affect female residual reproductive value.
Risk assessment and anticoagulation for primary stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Risk assessment before anticoagulation is important for effective stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS A study was undertaken in patients with AF to investigate the contribution of clinical and echocardiography (ECHO) criteria to treatment decisions on anticoagulation. Patients were stratified by age and stroke risk; contraindications to anticoagulation and warfarin use were assessed. The value of ECHO in treatment decisions, effect of age, and existing anticoagulation practice were evaluated. RESULTS The mean+/-SD age of 234 patients was 67.1+/-11.8 years, and 122 (52%) were women. Clinical risk factors were present in 74 of 80 patients (92%) aged >75 years compared with 99 of 154 patients (64%) </=75 years (P<0.01). ECHO risk was identified in 94 of 154 patients (61%) </=75 years, 16 (17%) of whom had no clinical risk factors. ECHO risk was present in 71 patients (88%) >75 years of age, and was associated with clinical risk factors in all patients. Eligibility for anticoagulation was seen in 72 of 154 (47%) to 105 of 154 (68%) patients aged </=75 years, depending on the criteria used, and in 66 of 80 patients (83%) >75 years, regardless of criteria used (P<0.01). Warfarin was being used in 55 of 105 patients (51%) </=75 years and 8 of 66 patients (12%) >75 years (P<0.001). Anticoagulation was being undertaken in 7 of 49 patients (14%) </=75 years despite no clinical or ECHO risks. CONCLUSIONS Accurate assessments of eligibility and appropriateness of anticoagulation in AF can be made on clinical criteria alone, especially in older people. The value of ECHO in treatment decisions is limited to patients </=75 years of age with no clinical risk factors.
How to Buy Advice

A decision maker, whose payo is inuenced by an unknown stochastic process, seeks the advice of an advisor, who may be informed about the process. We identify a sucient condition on the correlation between the advisor’s information and the true stochastic process, called conservativeness, for which there exists a strategyD of the decision maker that will yield him an almost rst-best payo in every period. We also demonstrate that without conservativeness no
Surface Modification of Diamond‐Like Carbon Film with Polymer Brushes Using a Bio‐Inspired Catechol Anchor for Excellent Biological Lubrication

Diamond‐like carbon (DLC) film has emerged as a promising material for biomedical applications, but its low tribological properties in air could not be adapted in water and biological fluids. Herein, mussel‐inspired catechol adhesive is presented to functionalize DLC film and then polymer brushes are grafted by surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP) to mimic excellent biological lubrication of articular cartilage. Macroscopic tribological evaluation demonstrates low and stable friction coefficient of polymer brushe modified DLC film in water and biological fluids when sliding with a soft polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) hemisphere, owing to viscous fluid‐like boundary lubricant film being formed by high hydration of polymer chains. The strong adhesive capability of catechol anchors also prevents polymer chains being sheared off from the substrate during friction tests. The friction responsiveness of PSPMA brushes is observed in electrolyte solution due to the conformation change of polymer chains. The successful functionalization of DLC with polymer brushes affords DLC film excellent biological lubrication and thus will broaden the scope of its applications in biomedical field.
IDENTIFICATION OF THE UDP-GLUCURONOSYLTRANSFERASE ISOFORMS INVOLVED IN MYCOPHENOLIC ACID PHASE II METABOLISM

Mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active metabolite of the immunosuppressant mycophenolate mofetil is primarily metabolized by glucuronidation. The nature of UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) involved in this pathway is still debated. The present study aimed at identifying unambiguously the UGT isoforms involved in the production of MPA-phenyl-glucuronide (MPAG) and MPA-acylglucuronide (AcMPAG). A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method allowing the identification and determination of the metabolites of mycophenolic acid was developed. The metabolites were characterized in urine and plasma samples from renal transplant patients under mycophenolate mofetil therapy and in vitro after incubation of mycophenolic acid with human liver (HLM), kidney (HKM), or intestinal microsomes (HIM). The UGT isoforms involved in MPAG or AcMPAG production were investigated using induced rat liver microsomes, heterologously expressed UGT (Supersomes), and chemical-selective inhibition of HLM, HKM, and HIM. The three microsomal preparations produced MPAG, AcMPAG, and two mycophenolate glucosides. Among the 10 UGT isoforms tested, UGT 1A9 was the most efficient for MPAG synthesis with a Km of 0.16 mM, close to that observed for HLM (0.18 mM). According to the chemical inhibition experiments, UGT 1A9 is apparently responsible for 55%, 75%, and 50% of MPAG production by the liver, kidney, and intestinal mucosa, respectively. Although UGT 2B7 was the only isoform producing AcMPAG in a significant amount, the selective inhibitor azidothymidine only moderately reduced this production (approximately -25%). In conclusion, UGT 1A9 and 2B7 were clearly identified as the main UGT isoforms involved in mycophenolic acid glucuronidation, presumably due to their high hepatic and renal expression.
MAP-PF wideband multitarget and colored noise tracking

The maximum a posteriori penalty function (MAP-PF) approach is applied to tracking the bearing and bearing rate of multiple wideband sources in unknown colored noise. The track estimation problem is formulated directly from the array data using the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation criterion. The penalty function (PF) method of nonlinear programming is used to obtain a tractable solution. A sequential update procedure is developed in which penalized maximum likelihood estimates of target bearings, spectra, and noise parameters are computed and then used as synthetic measurements in a set of Kalman filter trackers. The two steps are coupled via the penalty function. During parameter estimation, the penalty function prevents erroneous outlier estimates which can cause the tracker to lose track. During the tracking step, it determines the influence of the parameter estimates on the final track estimates by adaptively adjusting the measurement error variance. Performance is demonstrated on a typical sonar scenario.
Timing of Malaria Infection during Pregnancy Has Characteristic Maternal, Infant and Placental Outcomes

We conducted a clinical study of pregnant women in Blantyre, Malawi to determine the effect of the timing of malaria infection during pregnancy on maternal, infant and placental outcomes. Women were enrolled in their first or second trimester of their first or second pregnancy and followed every four weeks until delivery. Three doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine were given for intermittent preventive treatment for malaria, and all episodes of parasitemia were treated according to the national guidelines. Placentas were collected at delivery and examined for malaria parasites and pigment by histology. Pregnant women had 0.6 episodes of malaria per person year of follow up. Almost all episodes of malaria were detected at enrollment and malaria infection during the follow up period was rare. Malaria and anemia at the first antenatal visit were independently associated with an increased risk of placental malaria detected at delivery. When all episodes of malaria were treated with effective antimalarial medication, only peripheral malaria infection at the time of delivery was associated with adverse maternal and infant outcomes. One quarter of the analyzed placentas had evidence of malaria infection. Placental histology was 78% sensitive and 89% specific for peripheral malaria infection during pregnancy. This study suggests that in this setting of high antifolate drug resistance, three doses of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine maintain some efficacy in suppressing microscopically detectable parasitemia, although placental infection remains frequent. Even in this urban setting, a large proportion of women have malaria infection at the time of their first antenatal care visit. Interventions to control malaria early and aggressive case detection are required to limit the detrimental effects of pregnancy-associated malaria.
Pacifier Overuse and Conceptual Relations of Abstract and Emotional Concepts

This study explores the impact of the extensive use of an oral device since infancy (pacifier) on the acquisition of concrete, abstract, and emotional concepts. While recent evidence showed a negative relation between pacifier use and children's emotional competence (Niedenthal et al., 2012), the possible interaction between use of pacifier and processing of emotional and abstract language has not been investigated. According to recent theories, while all concepts are grounded in sensorimotor experience, abstract concepts activate linguistic and social information more than concrete ones. Specifically, the Words As Social Tools (WAT) proposal predicts that the simulation of their meaning leads to an activation of the mouth (Borghi and Binkofski, 2014; Borghi and Zarcone, 2016). Since the pacifier affects facial mimicry forcing mouth muscles into a static position, we hypothesize its possible interference on acquisition/consolidation of abstract emotional and abstract not-emotional concepts, which are mainly conveyed during social and linguistic interactions, than of concrete concepts. Fifty-nine first grade children, with a history of different frequency of pacifier use, provided oral definitions of the meaning of abstract not-emotional, abstract emotional, and concrete words. Main effect of concept type emerged, with higher accuracy in defining concrete and abstract emotional concepts with respect to abstract not-emotional concepts, independently from pacifier use. Accuracy in definitions was not influenced by the use of pacifier, but correspondence and hierarchical clustering analyses suggest that the use of pacifier differently modulates the conceptual relations elicited by abstract emotional and abstract not-emotional. While the majority of the children produced a similar pattern of conceptual relations, analyses on the few (6) children who overused the pacifier (for more than 3 years) showed that they tend to distinguish less clearly between concrete and abstract emotional concepts and between concrete and abstract not-emotional concepts than children who did not use it (5) or used it for short (17). As to the conceptual relations they produced, children who overused the pacifier tended to refer less to their experience and to social and emotional situations, use more exemplifications and functional relations, and less free associations.
Generating Instructions in Virtual Environments (GIVE):A Challenge and an Evaluation Testbed for NLG

Would it be helpful or detrimental for the field of NLG to have a generally accepted competition? Competitions have definitely advanced the state of the art in some fields of NLP, but the benefits sometimes come at the price of over-competitiveness, and there is a danger of overfitting systems to the concrete evaluation metrics. Moreover, it has been argued that there are intrinsic difficulties in NLG that make it harder to evaluate than other NLP tasks (Scott and Moore, 2006). We agree that NLG is too diverse for a single “competition”, and there are no mutually accepted evaluation metrics. Instead, we suggest that all the positive aspects, and only a few of the negative ones, can be achieved by putting forth a challenge to the community. Research teams would implement systems that address various aspects of the challenge. These systems would then be evaluated regularly, and the results compared at a workshop. There would be no “winner” in the sense of a competition; rather, the focus should be on learning what works and what doesn’t, building upon the best ideas, and perhaps reusing the best modules for next year’s round. As a side effect, the exercise should result in a growing body of shareable tools and modules.
Logical relations for coherence of effect subtyping

A coercion semantics of a programming language with subtyping is typically defined on typing derivations rather than on typing judgments. To avoid semantic ambi- guity, such a semantics is expected to be coherent, i.e., independent of the typing deriva- tion for a given typing judgment. In this article we present heterogeneous, biorthogonal, step-indexed logical relations for establishing the coherence of coercion semantics of pro- gramming languages with subtyping. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proof method, we develop a proof of coherence of a type-directed, selective CPS translation from a typed call-by-value lambda calculus with delimited continuations and control-effect subtyping. The article is accompanied by a Coq formalization that relies on a novel shallow embedding of a logic for reasoning about step-indexing.