Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human Schistosomiasis Resistance to Praziquantel in China: Should We Be Worried?

The efficacy of praziquantel for the treatment of Schistosoma japonicum in humans is reported from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 33 villages in Sichuan Province. Infection prevalence was found to be 5.7% (185 infected of 3,269 tested) in a region where 44–73% prevalence was found 9 years before. Collected miracidia were subjected to an in vitro test of praziquantel susceptibility. An effective concentration of praziquantel associated with 50% of miracidia changing shape was found between 10−8 and 10−7 M and 10−7 and 10−6 M for 10 and 5 minutes of exposure, respectively. After treating infected persons two times with 40-mg/kg doses of praziquantel, only one remained infected. Findings are reported from a 60-household questionnaire on attitudes and behaviors that may be associated with development of drug resistance. The low number of treatment failures and good compliance with treatment despite side effects and repeated annual treatments suggest that, in the near term, praziquantel remains effective in treating human S. japonicum infection in China.
The political economy of currency internationalisation: the case of the RMB

Abstract The rise of China has sparked a debate about the economic and political consequences for the global economy of the internationalisation of the renminbi. We argue that the dominant focus of this literature – primarily the external conditions and requirements for a national currency to become an international currency – misspecifies the connections between the international and domestic requirements for currency internationalisation, as well as the potential to become the dominant international reserve currency. We correct this oversight by developing an integrated theoretical framework that highlights the domestic adjustment costs which a state must accommodate before its currency can carry the weight of internationalisation. These costs constitute a critical element of an international currency’s ‘political economy’, and they force states to negotiate contentious social trade-offs among competing domestic claims on finite public resources in a sustainable manner. Our analysis suggests that the likelihood of China being able to successfully negotiate the social costs associated with running a fully internationalised currency is currently very low, precisely because this will place unacceptable pressure on groups benefiting from the economic and political status quo. This further suggests that the American dollar will remain unchallenged as the global economy’s pre-eminent international currency for the foreseeable future.
A Novel PSO Algorithm Based on the Spatial Distribution of Fitness

In order to solve the defects of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm such as to be easily trapped in local extremum, converge slowly and optimize poorly at the final evolution stage, an improved PSO (WPSO) is proposed in this paper. Based on the spatial distribution of fitness, the population is divided into three sub-groups. For each sub-group, different strategies are used to maintain the diversity of inertia weight, thus global and local optimization can be ensured at the same time. And three classic test functions are adopted in simulation, comparing with linear decreasing inertia weight PSO algorithm, the results indicate that: the proposed method effectively avoids the premature convergence, significantly improves convergence rate and search capability, and has good robustness.
Range dependence of the response of a spherical head model

The head-related transfer function (HRTF) varies with range as well as with azimuth and elevation. To better understand its close-range behavior, a theoretical and experimental investigation of the HRTF for an ideal rigid sphere was performed. An algorithm was developed for computing the variation in sound pressure at the surface of the sphere as a function of direction and range to the sound source. The impulse response was also measured experimentally. The results may be summarized as follows. First, the experimental measurements were in close agreement with the theoretical solution. Second, the variation of low-frequency interaural level difference with range is significant for ranges smaller than about five times the sphere radius. Third, the impulse response reveals the source of the ripples observed in the magnitude response, and provides direct evidence that the interaural time difference is not a strong function of range. Fourth, the time delay is well approximated by well-known ray-tracing formul.
Ingestive Behavior of Lambs Confined in Individual and Group Stalls

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the ingestive behavior of lambs confined in individual and group stalls. We used thirty-four lambs in their growing phase, aged an average of three months, with mean initial live weight of 17.8±5.2 kg. They were allotted in a completely randomized design with 24 animals kept in individual stalls and 10 animals confined as a group. The experiment lasted for a total of 74 days, and the first 14 days were dedicated to the animals’ adaption to the management, facilities and diets. The data collection period lasted 60 days, divided into three 20-d periods for the behavior evaluation. The animals were subjected to five days of visual observation during the experiment period, by the quantification of 24 h a day, with evaluations on the 15th day of each period and an interim evaluation consisting of two consecutive days on the 30th and 31st day of the experiment. The animals confined as a group consumed less (p<0.05) fiber. However, the animals confined individually spent less (p<0.05) time on feeding, rumination and chewing activities and longer in idleness. Therefore, the lower capacity of lambs confined in groups to select their food negatively affects their feeding behavior.
The Far Infrared and Submillimeter Diffuse Extragalactic Background

The cosmic infrared background (CIB) radiation was a long-sought fossil of energetic processes associated with structure formation and chemical evolution since the Big Bang. The COBE Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) and Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer (FIRAS) were specifically designed to search for this background from 1.25 microns to millimeter wavelengths. These two instruments provided high quality, absolutely calibrated all-sky maps which have enabled the first detections of the CIB, initially at far infrared and submillimeter wavelengths, and more recently in the near infrared as well. The aim of this paper is to review the status of determinations of the CIB based upon COBE measurements. The results show that the energy in the CIB from far infrared to millimeter wavelengths is comparable to that in the integrated light of galaxies from UV to near infrared wavelengths: the universe had a luminous but dusty past. On the assumption that nucleosynthesis in stars is the energy source for most of this light, the results also imply that 1 to 8 percent of cosmic baryons has been converted to helium and heavier elements in stars. The integrated background light from UV to millimeter wavelengths is about 10 percent of that in the cosmic microwave background.
Mercurial: A Traffic-Saving Roll Back System for Virtual Machine Cluster

Virtual Machine Cluster (VMC) is now widely used to host network applications due to its well scalability and high availability compared to physical cluster. To provide fault tolerance, VMC snapshot is one well known technique, it saves the entire VMC state into stable storage and rollbacks the VM from the latest saved state upon failures. However, due to the large snapshot size as well as numerous VM snapshots, the existing rollback approaches always utilize large amount of network resources, and further incur long rollback latency since network resource is limited. In this paper, we present Mercurial, a rollback system that finds the identical pages across the VM snapshots and then multicast a single copy of the duplicated pages to associated virtual machines, thereby saving the network traffic and reducing the rollback latency. Our approach is effective especially when the same OS and similar applications are running in the VMC. We have implemented Mercurial on QEMU/KVM and conducted several experiments to evaluate its effectiveness and efficiency. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach can save 34% network traffic introduced by transferring the identical pages repeatedly and reduce by 28% of the restore latency.
FEATURE EXTRACTION USING HARRIS ALGORITHM

— The main application of image processing in industries is to inspect the products for wrong or missing parts. Corners in images represent a lot of important information. Extracting corners accurately is significant to image processing, which can reduce much of the calculations. This paper presents a digital image watermarking scheme using feature point detection and watermark template match. The digital image watermarking scheme is robust against a variety of common image processing attacks and geometric distortions. The image content is represented by important feature points obtained by our image-texture-based adaptive Harris detector.
A Legal Basis for Workers as Agents: Employment Contracts, Common Law, and the Theory of the Firm

The purpose of this paper is to show that the common law governing the employment of labor makes the distinction not only between employee and independent contractor but also between managerial control and agency. The idea is that common law precedents govern workers who are employed and managerially controlled without the requirement that formal, written contracts be established, and that these defaults support the authority of management to direct their activities within the firm. However, many firm owners voluntarily restrict their ability to control workers by making them agents. Workers who are agents differ from workers who are managerially controlled in that in the former caseworkers are treated differently in the eyes of the common law and they often sign detailed, formal employment contracts. The typical features of formal employment contracts are examined. The principal conclusion is that formal employment contracts facilitate the granting of discretion to workers by superseding many of the legal defaults that define the relationship between the worker and firm owner.
Surveillance of Different Recombination Defects in Mouse Spermatocytes Yields Distinct Responses despite Elimination at an Identical Developmental Stage

ABSTRACT Fundamentally different recombination defects cause apoptosis of mouse spermatocytes at the same stage in development, stage IV of the seminiferous epithelium cycle, equivalent to mid-pachynema in normal males. To understand the cellular response(s) that triggers apoptosis, we examined markers of spermatocyte development in mice with different recombination defects. In Spo11 − / − mutants, which lack the double-strand breaks (DSBs) that initiate recombination, spermatocytes express markers of early to mid-pachynema, forming chromatin domains that contain sex body-associated proteins but that rarely encompass the sex chromosomes. Dmc1 − / − spermatocytes, impaired in DSB repair, appear to arrest at or about late zygonema. Epistasis analysis reveals that this earlier arrest is a response to unrepaired DSBs, and cytological analysis implicates the BRCT-containing checkpoint protein TOPBP1. Atm − / − spermatocytes show similarities to Dmc1 − / − spermatocytes, suggesting that ATM promotes meiotic DSB repair. Msh5 − / − mutants display a set of characteristics distinct from these other mutants. Thus, despite equivalent stages of spermatocyte elimination, different recombination-defective mutants manifest distinct responses, providing insight into surveillance mechanisms in male meiosis.
A Priori Bounds for the 1D Cubic NLS in Negative Sobolev Spaces

Author(s): Koch, Herbert; Tataru, Daniel | Abstract: We consider the cubic Nonlinear Schrodinger Equation in one space dimension, either focusing or defocusing. We prove that the solutions satisfy a-priori local in time H^s bounds in terms of the H^s size of the initial data for s greater than or equal to -1/6.
A Perspective on the Fundamentals of Fuzzy Sets and their Use in Geographic Information Systems

The development of fuzzy sets in geographic information systems (GIS) arose out of the need to handle uncertainty and the ability of soft computing technology to support fuzzy information processing. An overview of the fundamentals of fuzzy sets is used to illustrate its use in GIS. The use of some terms within both the GIS and fuzzy information processing community is clarified. Since one of the key problems when applying fuzzy sets to GIS problems is in the specification of grades of membership, the many methods used to specify memberships in fuzzy sets in GIS applications are presented. The α–cut is defined and shown to be of increasing importance in GIS. Non–compensatory and compensatory connectives are compared. Aggregation operators are reviewed and shown to be useful in a number of GIS studies. Fuzzy relations and fuzzy control systems are briefly discussed with reference to their use in GIS and in relation to the development of modern soft computing technology. Several features of fuzzy sets make that paradigm attractive for use in GIS. It is concluded that as GIS–related applications increase in their levels of complexity and sophistication fuzzy sets will play a major, cost effective role in their development.
A Possibility-Probability Based Model for Distribution System Reliability

A conceptual possibility-Probability Based framework is proposed to manage the uncertainties encountered in distribution system reliability. Probability distribution of reliability parameters, the failure rate, the load point outage duration and the power injection of feeder branch are transformed consistently into the corresponding possibilistic distribution function. Under the proposed framework, a compromise between transformation consistency and human updating experience about probability reliability parameter can be satisfied. The derived possibility distribution functions are achieved for both of mean intervals and reasonable spread intervals. Three fuzzy indices, the energy not supplied (ENS) index, the system average interruption frequency index (SAIFI) and the system average interruption duration index (SAIDI), are conducted for assessing the reliability of a distribution system. A radial distribution network with 43 branches is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy-probabilistic model.
Interventions for addressing low balance confidence in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND low balance confidence is a major health problem among older adults restricting their participation in daily life. OBJECTIVES to determine what interventions are most effective in increasing balance confidence in older adults. DESIGN systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials including at least one continuous end point of balance confidence. Studies, including adults 60 years or older without a neurological condition, were included in our study. METHODS the standardised mean difference (SMD) of continuous end points of balance confidence was calculated to estimate the pooled effect size with random-effect models. Methodological quality of trials was assessed using the Physical Therapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale. RESULTS thirty studies were included in this review and a meta-analysis was conducted for 24 studies. Interventions were pooled into exercise (n = 9 trials, 453 subjects), Tai Chi (n = 5 trials, 468 subjects), multifactorial intervention (n = 10 trials, 1,233 subjects). Low significant effects were found for exercise and multifactorial interventions (SMD 0.22-0.31) and medium (SMD 0.48) significant effects were found for Tai Chi. CONCLUSION Tai chi interventions are the most beneficial in increasing the balance confidence of older adults.
Monocular Egomotion Estimation based on Image Matching

In this paper, we propose a novel method for computing the egomotion of a monocular camera mounted on a vehicle based on the matching of distant regions in consecutive frames. Our approach takes advantage of the fact that the image projection of a plane can provide information about the camera motion. Instead of tracking points between frames, we track distant regions in the scene because they behave as an infinity plane. As a consequence of tracking this infinity plane, we obtain an image geometric transformation (more precisely, an infinity homography) relating two consecutive frames. This transformation is actually capturing the camera rotation, since the effect produced by the translation can be neglected at long distances. Then, we can compute the camera rotation as the result of the previously estimated infinity homography. After that, rotation can be canceled from images, just leading to a translation explaining the motion between two frames. Experiments on real image sequences show that our approach reaches higher accuracy w.r. t. state-of-the-art methods.
Lung ultrasonography of pulmonary complications in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract Aim. To evaluate the diagnostic possibilities of lung ultrasonography (LUS) in detecting pulmonary complications in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Material and methods. A prospective study included 120 preterm infants with clinical and radiographic signs of RDS. LUS was performed using both a transthoracic and a transabdominal approach within the first 24 h of life, and, after that, follow-up LUS examinations were performed. In 47 detected pulmonary complications of RDS (hemorrhage, pneumothorax, pneumonia, atelectasis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia), comparisons between LUS and chest X-ray (CXR) were made. Also, 90 subpleural consolidations registered during LUS examinations were analysed. Statistical analysis included MANOVA and discriminant analysis, t-test, confidence interval, and positive predictive value. Results. In 45 of 47 instances the same diagnosis of complication was detected with LUS as with CXR, indicating a high reliability of the method in premature infants with RDS. The only two false negative findings concerned partial pneumothorax. The positive predictive value of LUS was 100%. A statistically significant difference of LUS findings between the anterior and posterior lung areas was observed in both right and left hemithoraces. Conclusions. LUS enables the detection of pulmonary complications in preterm infants with RDS and has the potential to reduce the number of CXRs. The specific guidelines for its use should be provided in a more extensive study.
Complex Structure of Galaxy Cluster A1689: Evidence for a Merger from X-Ray Data?

A1689 is a galaxy cluster at z = 0.183 for which previous measurements of its mass by using various techniques gave discrepant results. We present a new detailed measurement of the mass with the data based on X-ray observations with the European Photon Imaging Camera aboard the XMM-Newton Observatory, determined by using an unparameterized deprojection technique. Fitting the total mass profile to a Navarro-Frenk-White model yields halo concentration c = 7.2 and r200 = 1.13 ± 0.21 h-1 Mpc, corresponding to a mass that is less than half of that found from gravitational lensing. Adding to the evidence of substructure from optical observations, X-ray analysis shows a highly asymmetric temperature profile and a nonuniform redshift distribution, implying large-scale relative motion of the gas. A lower than expected gas mass fraction fgas = 0.072 ± 0.008 (for a flat ΛCDM cosmology) suggests a complex spatial and/or dynamical structure. We also find no sign of any additional absorbing component previously reported on the basis of the Chandra data, confirming the XMM-Newton low-energy response by using data from ROSAT.
Interplay between Rab35 and Arf6 controls cargo recycling to coordinate cell adhesion and migration

Summary Cells inversely adjust the plasma membrane levels of integrins and cadherins during cell migration and cell–cell adhesion but the regulatory mechanisms that coordinate these trafficking events remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the small GTPase Rab35 maintains cadherins at the cell surface to promote cell–cell adhesion. Simultaneously, Rab35 supresses the activity of the GTPase Arf6 to downregulate an Arf6-dependent recycling pathway for &bgr;1-integrin and EGF receptors, resulting in inhibition of cell migration and attenuation of signaling downstream of these receptors. Importantly, the phenotypes of decreased cell adhesion and increased cell migration observed following Rab35 knock down are consistent with the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, a feature of invasive cancer cells, and we show that Rab35 expression is suppressed in a subset of cancers characterized by Arf6 hyperactivity. Our data thus identify a key molecular mechanism that efficiently coordinates the inverse intracellular sorting and cell surface levels of cadherin and integrin receptors for cell migration and differentiation.
Analysis of a self turn-on phenomenon on the synchronous rectifier in a DC-DC converter

In the buck converter with MOSFETs, the low side switch, which must be still in cutoff state, becomes turn-on when the high side switch is turned-on and the current flows through the circuit of the power supply. We call this phenomenon self turn-on. The power dissipation by this current becomes higher when the switching frequency of the converter is high as MHz. This self turn-on occurs easily in the converter of low output voltage and high voltage conversion ratio. We present the principle of self turn-on phenomenon on circuit simulation and experimental results.
Thai personal named entity extraction without using word segmentation or POS tagging

Named Entity (NE) extraction for Thai language is a difficult and time consuming task because sentences in Thai language are composed of a series of words formed by a stream of characters. Moreover, there are no delimiters (blank space) to show word boundaries. Currently, most named entity extraction methods for Thai language are associated with word segmentation and Part of Speech (POS) tagging processes. The accuracy of named entity extraction is mostly affected the efficiency of those processes. At present, it is still lack of suitable methods for identifying the boundary of word for Thai sentence. Therefore this paper proposes the method to extract Thai personal named entity without using word segmentation or POS tagging. The proposed method is composed of 3 steps. Firstly, pre-processing, this process is used to remove non alphabet such as parenthesizes and numerical. Then, personal named entity is extracted by using contextual environment, front and rear, of personal name. Finally, post-processing, a simple rule base is employed to identify personal names. The training corpus of 900 political news articles and the test corpus of 100 political news, 100 financial news and 100 sport news articles were used in the experiments. The results showed that the F-measures in political and financial domain are 91.442% and 91.720% respectively which are nearly the same as in [5]. However, the proposed scheme used neither word segmentation nor POS tagging process that can significantly reduce the effort and speed up the process in building the training corpus.