Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Causal Inference by Minimizing the Dual Norm of Bias: Kernel Matching & Weighting Estimators for Causal Effects

We consider the problem of estimating causal effects from observational data and propose a novel framework for matching- and weighting-based causal estimators. The framework is based on expressing the bias of a causal estimator as an operator on the unknown conditional expectation function of outcomes and formulating the dual norm of the bias as the norm of this operator with respect to a function space that represents the potential structure for outcomes. We give the term worst-case bias minimizing (WCBM) to estimators that minimize this quantity for some function space and show that a great variety of existing causal estimators belong to this family, including one-to-one matching (with or without replacement), coarsened exact matching, and mean-matched sampling. We propose a range of new, kernel-based matching and weighting estimators that arise when one minimizes the dual norm of the bias with respect to a reproducing kernel Hilbert space. Depending on the case, these estimators can be solved either in closed form, using quadratic optimization, or using integer optimization. We show that estimators based on universal kernels are consistent for the causal effect. In numerical experiments, the new, kernel-based estimators outperform all standard causal estimators in estimation error, providing a successful balance between generality and efficiency.
Evaluation of nutritional quality of torch ginger (Etlingera elatior Jack.) inflorescence

The inflorescence of torch ginger (Etlingera elatior Jack., Family Zingiberaceae) was analyzed to identify its nutritional and anti-nutritional contents. The inflorescence had significant amount of crude protein (12.6%), fat (18.2%) and fiber content (17.6%). Fatty acid profile was composed with high level of unsaturated fatty acids (palmitoleic acid 16.4%> linoleic acid 14.5% >Oleic acid 5.2%). The amino acid profiles revealed the presence of essential amino acids dominated by leucine and lysine (7.2 and 7.9 mg/100 mg protein, respectively). The inflorescence contained major minerals like: K (1589 mg/100 g), Ca (775 mg/100g), Mg (327 mg/100 g), P (286 mg/10 0g) and S (167 mg/100 g). The levels of antinutrients analyzed were 3496 and 2851 mg/100g for saponin and phytic acid, respectively. The heavy metals analyzed (Cd, As, Pb, Hg, Ni) were below detection limits. Results obtained confirm the usefulness of torch ginger inflorescence as a potential functional food and could be further explored in new food products and formulations.
Capital Budgeting with Fuzzy Net Present Value Criterion

This paper proposes a more appropriate tool of incorporating uncertainties and investor's attitude to risks into capital budgeting analysis. It has extended the classical net present value (NPV) method by developing a fuzzy logic system that takes the vague future cash flow and required rate of return into account. In order to explicitly discuss the more appropriate NPV method, the uncertain information will be fuzzified as triangular fuzzy numbers so that it would be more useful and practical for financial manager to analyze the capital budget of firms. We find that the fuzzy net present value (FNPV) method is one extension of the classical (crisp) cases.
Optic-nerve gliomas, chiasmal gliomas and neurofibromatosis type 1

Purpose of review To review the most recent literature describing the natural history and disease progression patterns of optic-pathway gliomas in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. To aid in clarifying the current treatment patterns and follow-up recommendations. Recent findings Contrary to prior documentation, current literature reveals that optic-pathway gliomas in NF1 can be diagnosed after the age of 6, and may progress until the age of 12. The disease progression occurs most frequently in the first two years following diagnosis. Summary Optic-pathway gliomas in NF1 can display a variety of manifestations and exhibit an unpredictable disease course. No specific characteristics have been found thus far to predict an aggressive compared with indolent disease course. Recently primary diagnoses of optic-pathway gliomas have been made in children aged six or older, and have been shown to progress until the age of 12. Although large-scale studies are required to change current follow-up recommendations, the data suggest that NF1 patients should be vigilantly evaluated for optic-pathway gliomas past the age of 12.
Does Acculturation Matter?: Food Insecurity and Child Problem Behavior Among Low-Income, Working Hispanic Households

Recent literature has noted that in some cases, less acculturation may be protective against adverse outcomes. This study sought to clarify the relationships between acculturation, food insecurity, and child outcomes. A sample of 339 low-income participants, comprised of non-Hispanic Whites (n = 171), English-speaking Hispanics (n = 89), and Spanish-speaking Hispanics (n = 79) were surveyed on food security and parental reports of child behavior problems. Results showed that Spanish-speaking Hispanics were at a social and economic disadvantage in comparison to non-Hispanic Whites and to English-speaking Hispanics. Spanish-speaking Hispanics reported significantly more concern and the least satisfaction with their children’s physical health and had the highest rates of food insecurity. In contrast, on parental reports of child behavior, non-Hispanic Whites were significantly more likely to report problem behavior than either Hispanic group. Overall, the findings do not support the protective role of lower acculturation for Hispanic households. Implications of these findings in light of current research are discussed.
EAR DIFFERENCES IN EVALUATING EMOTIONAL OVERTONES OF UNFAMILIAR SPEECH BY JAPANESE AND ISRAELIS

Abstract Forty Japanese and 31 Israeli students evaluated the intensity of positive and negative emotional overtones of unfamiliar speech passages delivered to one ear, while hearing white noise in the other ear. The results indicated that (1) the Israelis evaluated as more intense the negative overtones, while the Japanese evaluated both positive and negative overtones as being about equally intense; (2) that the emotional overtones were evaluated as more intense in the left ear by the Japanese, and in the right ear by the Israelis; ahd (3) that females evaluated as relatively more intense the negative overtones, while males evaluated both overtones as being equally intense. The findings are discussed in terms of possible cultural effects on cerebral function.
A Contourlet-Domain Image Signature for Content Authentication

An image signature approach for content authentication is proposed. In the proposal, Contour let transformation is used to extract image feature, and the statistics of Contour let transformation coefficients are used to generate image signature. Then a tampering detection and tampering localization algorithm are developed by using generated image signature. Proposed method is robust for perceptually insignificant distortions introduced by content-preserving manipulations such as JPEG compression, adding noise, filtering, etc. It is sensitive to the changes caused by malicious attacks, and it possesses the functionality to detect the changed image regions.
Human DNA Ligases: A Comprehensive New Look for Cancer Therapy

Living organisms belonging to all three domains of life, viz., eubacteria, archaeabacteria, and eukaryotes encode one or more DNA ligases. DNA ligases are indispensable in various DNA repair and replication processes and a deficiency or an inhibition of their activity can lead to accumulation of DNA damage and strand breaks. DNA damage, specially strand breaks at unsustainable levels can lead to replication block and/or cell death. DNA ligases as potential anticancer targets have been realized only recently. There is enough rationale to suggest that ligases have a tremendous potential for novel therapeutics including anticancer and antibacterial therapy, specially when the world is facing acute problems of drug resistance and chemotherapy failure, with an immediate need for new therapeutic targets. Here, we review the current state of the art in the development of human ligase inhibitors, their structures, molecular mechanisms, physiological effects, and their potential in future cancer therapy. Citing examples, we focus on strategies for improving the activity and specificity of existing and novel inhibitors by using structure‐based rational approaches. In the end, we describe potential new sites on the ligase I protein that can be targeted for the development of novel inhibitors. This is the first comprehensive review to compile all known human ligase inhibitors and to provide a rationale for the further development of ligase inhibitors for cancer therapy.
VEGF-A and i-NOS expression are prognostic factors in serous epithelial ovarian carcinomas after complete surgical resection

Aims: Clinical stage at the time of diagnosis and achievement of complete macroscopic resection during initial surgery are key factors determining the outcome of ovarian cancer. However, prediction of outcome lacks accuracy and more reliable prognostic factors are required. Therefore, an analysis and evaluation of key angiogenic factors was carried out to determine their diagnostic and prognostic value in serous ovarian cancer. Methods: Expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)1-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS) were analysed by immunohistochemistry in a homogenous group of 112 patients with serous adenocarcinoma of the ovary. Vascular density as an indicator of angiogenesis was assessed using the Chalkley eyepiece method after staining for CD34. The correlation of these data with survival and established prognostic factors such as histological grade, Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and residual tumour after surgery, was evaluated. Survival analyses, multivariate analyses and correlation tests were performed. Results: In the patient group with macroscopic complete tumour resection (R0) there was a significant correlation between VEGF-A and i-NOS expression. Kaplan–Meier analysis further revealed improved progression-free survival for R0 patients with VEGF-A-positive and i-NOS-negative tumours. The predictive relevance of VEGF-A regarding progression-free survival was sustained in multivariate analysis using FIGO stage, grading and resection status as fixed variables. Conclusion: VEGF-A and i-NOS are prognostic markers for clinical outcome in serous ovarian cancer patients with macroscopic complete tumour resection (R0). Hence, pre-therapeutic assessment of VEGF-A as predictive factor for an antiangiogenic therapy might be of clinical value.
Performance of random medium access control, an asymptotic approach

Random Medium-Access-Control (MAC) algorithms have played an increasingly important role in the development of wired and wireless Local Area Networks (LANs) and yet the performance of even the simplest of these algorithms, such as slotted-Aloha, are still not clearly understood. In this paper we provide a general and accurate method to analyze networks where interfering users share a resource using random MAC algorithms. We show that this method is asymptotically exact when the number of users grows large, and explain why it also provides extremely accurate performance estimates even for small systems. We apply this analysis to solve two open problems: (a) We address the stability region of non-adaptive Aloha-like systems. Specifically, we consider a fixed number of buffered users receiving packets from independent exogenous processes and accessing the resource using Aloha-like algorithms. We provide an explicit expression to approximate the stability region of this system, and prove its accuracy. (b) We outline how to apply the analysis to predict the performance of adaptive MAC algorithms, such as the exponential back-off algorithm, in a system where saturated users interact through interference. In general, our analysis may be used to quantify how far from optimality the simple MAC algorithms used in LANs today are, and to determine if more complicated (e.g. queue-based) algorithms proposed in the literature could provide significant improvement in performance.
Heating and Turbulence Driving by Galaxy Motions in Galaxy Clusters

Using three-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations, we investigate heating and turbulence driving in an intracluster medium (ICM) by orbital motions of galaxies in a galaxy cluster. We consider Ng member galaxies on isothermal and isotropic orbits through an ICM typical of rich clusters. An introduction of the galaxies immediately produces gravitational wakes, providing perturbations that can potentially grow via resonant interaction with the background gas. When NM11 ≲ 100, where M11 is each galaxy mass in units of 1011 M☉, the perturbations are in the linear regime and the resonant excitation of gravity waves is efficient in generating kinetic energy in the ICM, resulting in the velocity dispersion σv ~ 2.2NM11 km s-1. When NM11 ≳ 100, on the other hand, nonlinear fluctuations of the background ICM destroy galaxy wakes and thus render resonant excitation weak or absent. In this case, the kinetic energy saturates at the level corresponding to σv ~ 220 km s-1. The angle-averaged velocity power spectra of turbulence driven in our models have slopes in the range of -3.7 to -4.3. With the nonlinear saturation of resonant excitation, none of the cooling models considered are able to halt the cooling catastrophe, suggesting that the galaxy motions alone are unlikely to solve the cooling flow problem.
Predictors of Mortality and Differences in Clinical Features among Patients with Cryptococcosis According to Immune Status

Introduction Cryptococcosis is an invasive fungal infection causing substantial morbidity and mortality. Prognostic factors are largely derived from trials conducted prior to the modern era of antifungal and potent combination antiretroviral therapies, immunosuppression, and transplantation. Data describing the clinical features and predictors of mortality in a modern cohort are needed. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients at our institution diagnosed with cryptococcosis from 1996 through 2010. Data included demographics, clinical features, diagnostics, treatment, and outcomes. Results We identified 302 individuals: 108 (36%) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive, 84 (28%) organ transplant recipients (OTRs), and 110 (36%) non-HIV, non-transplant (NHNT) patients including 39 with no identifiable immunodeficiency. Mean age was 49 years, 203 (67%) were male and 170 (56%) were white. All-cause mortality at 90 days was 21%. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, cryptococcemia (OR 5.09, 95% CI 2.54–10.22) and baseline opening pressure >25 cmH2O (OR 2.93, 95% CI 1.25–6.88) were associated with increased odds of mortality; HIV-positive patients (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.19–1.16) and OTRs (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.21–1.05) had lower odds of death compared to NHNT patients. Conclusions Predictors of mortality from cryptococcosis in the modern period include cryptococcemia, high intracranial pressure, and NHNT status while drug(s) used for induction and historical prognostic factors including organ failure syndromes and hematologic malignancy were not associated with mortality.
Movement disorders and motor impairments following repeated head trauma: A systematic review of the literature 1990–2015

Abstract Background: There is increasing attention on the long-term sequelae following multiple concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI) in later life. The majority of the research has focused on long-term cognitive impairments and behavioural changes. Despite being researched and reported, long-term motor dysfunction and movement disorders as a consequence of concussions and TBI have not received due consideration. Review: This study used a systematic review and qualitative analysis that focused on two key areas: (1) identified movement disorders in individuals with a reported history of repeated concussions or repeated mild-to-moderate TBIs; and (2) identified motor impairments in individuals with a history of repeated concussions or repeated mild-to-moderate TBIs. Fourteen studies investigating long-term movement disorders or motor impairments as a result of repeated concussions or TBI met the selection criteria. Study ratings were moderate-to-high; therefore, evidence was strong enough to conclude that repeated concussions or repeated mild/moderate TBIs did affect the motor system. Conclusion: The evidence in this systematic review highlights the need for future studies to include motor outcomes along with cognitive and behavioural outcomes when assessing the long-term effects of repeated concussions or repeated mild/moderate TBIs.
Seasonality Influence in the Distribution of Formic and Acetic Acids in the Urban Atmosphere of São Paulo City, Brazil

Ambient levels and diurnal profiles of formic and acetic acids were measured in the atmosphere of Sao Paulo City in winter and spring 1996. A comparison between two different urban sites was done. Results demonstrate that carboxylic acid levels were affected by seasonality in the site with high vehicular emission density, while no seasonal influence was observed for the other site studied. Ranges of mixing ratios from 0.64 to 11.8 ppbv for formic acid and 0.51 to 10.7 ppbv for acetic acid were recorded. The results concerning the carboxylic acid concentrations were discussed with respect to direct emission and in situ photochemical production.
Extracting Web Query Interfaces Based on Form Structures and Semantic Similarity

Web databases are now pervasive. Such a database can be accessed via its query interface (usually HTML query form) only. Extracting Web query interfaces is a critical step in data integration across multiple Web databases, which creates a formal representation of a query form by extracting a set of query conditions in it. This paper presents a novel approach to extracting Web query interfaces. In this approach, a generic set of query condition rules are created to define query conditions that are semantically equivalent to SQL search conditions. Query condition rules represent the semantic roles that labels and form elements play in query conditions, and how they are hierarchically grouped into constructs of query conditions. To group labels and form elements in a query form, we explore both their structural proximity in the hierarchy of structures in the query form, which is captured by a tree of nested tags in the HTML codes of the form, and their semantic similarity, which is captured by various short texts used in labels, form elements and their properties. We have implemented the proposed approach and our experimental results show that the approach is highly effective.
Improving Graph-Based Dependency Parsing Models With Dependency Language Models

For graph-based dependency parsing, how to enrich high-order features without increasing decoding complexity is a very challenging problem. To solve this problem, this paper presents an approach to representing high-order features for graph-based dependency parsing models using a dependency language model and beam search. Firstly, we use a baseline parser to parse a large-amount of unannotated data. Then we build the dependency language model (DLM) on the auto-parsed data. A set of new features is represented based on the DLM. Finally, we integrate the DLM-based features into the parsing model during decoding by beam search. We also utilize the features in bilingual text (bitext) parsing models. The main advantages of our approach are: 1) we utilize rich high-order features defined over a view of large scope and additional large raw corpus; 2) our approach does not increase the decoding complexity. We evaluate the proposed approach on the monotext and bitext parsing tasks. In the monotext parsing task, we conduct the experiments on Chinese and English data. The experimental results show that our new parser achieves the best accuracy on the Chinese data and comparable accuracy with the best known systems on the English data. In the bitext parsing task, we conduct the experiments on a Chinese-English bilingual data and our score is the best reported so far.
Plant canopy modeling from terrestrial LiDAR system (TLS) distance and intensity data. (Modélisation de la canopée des plantes à partir des données d'intensité et de distance d'un système LiDAR terrestre)

Plant geometry measurement is an important step to study plant’s physiology and interac- tion with its environment. 3D "Terrestrial LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)Scanners" are measuring tools that allowed scientists to extract geometrical variable of plants for their modeling. Those variables can be global (e.g., canopy shape), or local (e.g., leaf shape). De- spite they have been showed efficient for global variables extraction, local variables extraction within in situ condition has not been well set up yet. TLS device is a distance measuring tool that emits a laser light and records time-of-flight of reflected laser light. It uses this time-of- flight to determine distance between its aperture and the surface. Generally, TLS are equipped with mechanical/optical system to make it possible to scan a scene, and consequently the gen- eration of a 3D point cloud. TLS data analysis shows that the point cloud quality is variable. This quality depends upon the measurement set up. When the TLS laser beam reaches the edge of a surface (or a steeply inclined surface), it also integrates background measurement. Those set up produce outliers. This kind of set up is common for foliage measurements as foliages have in general fragmented and complex shapes. TLS data quality is severally biased and the quantity of leaves in a scan makes the correction of outliers fastidious. This thesis goal is to develop a methodology to integrate TLS intensity data with TLS distance to make an automatic correction of those outliers and to provide a realistic representation of canopy leaves from TLS scan. Shape-from-shading (SFS) principle is to reconstruct an object from the intensities of its photography. Outliers being along the edge of surface point cloud, we chose to develop a propagation SFS method with an initialization yield with portions of the TLS 3D point cloud that are of good quality. Intensity values of a photograph depend on incidence angle between light beam and surface. In this thesis, we prove that surface with constant intensity (i.e., inci- dence angle) are necessarily surfaces of constant slope, or "sand-pile" surfaces. Those surfaces have interesting geometrical property that made our decision to develop a propagation method along iso-intensity regions. Our SFS method has been tested on synthetic surfaces. Then it has been applied on Conference pear tree leaves that have been manually extracted from TLS point cloud. Upstream those reconstructions, TLS intensity data are calibrated (radiometric correction of the distance effect, intensity to incidence angle transformation).