Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Which Robust Versions of Variance and Covariance Are Most Appropriate for Econometrics : Symmetry-Based Analysis

In many practical situations, we do not know the shape of the corresponding probability distributions and therefore, we need to use robust statistical techniques, i.e., techniques that are applicable to all possible distributions. Empirically, it turns out the the most efficient robust version of variance is the average value of the p-th powers of the deviations |xi − â| from the (estimated) mean â. In this paper, we use natural symmetries to provide a theoretical explanation for this empirical success, and to show how this optimal robust version of variance can be naturally extended to a robust version of covariance. 1 Formulation of the Problem Need to determine a parameter: traditional case. Often, we observe a sample of several instances x1, . , xn of a random variable X. In many practical situations, we know that the random variable X has a distribution with the probability density function (pdf) ρ(x) = ρ0(x−a), where ρ0(x) is a known function, and a is an unknown parameter. For example, X may be the measurement result, which can be represented as X = a+X0, where
E-commerce Business Models in the Context of Web3.0 Paradigm

Web 3.0 promises to have a significant effect in users and businesses. It will change how people work and play, how companies use information to market and sell their products, as well as operate their businesses. The basic shift occurring in Web 3.0 is from information-centric to knowledge-centric patterns of computing. Web 3.0 will enable people and machines to connect, evolve, share and use knowledge on an unprecedented scale and in new ways that make our experience of the Internet better. Additionally, semantic technologies have the potential to drive significant improvements in capabilities and life cycle economics through cost reductions, improved efficiencies, enhanced effectiveness, and new functionalities that were not possible or economically feasible before. In this paper we look to the semantic web and Web 3.0 technologies as enablers for the creation of value and appearance of new business models. For that, we analyze the role and impact of Web 3.0 in business and we identify nine potential business models, based in direct and undirected revenue sources, which have emerged with the appearance of semantic web technologies.
Runway Stiffness Evaluation Using an Artificial Neural Systems Approach

A critical issue concerning the deterioration of ageing road infrastructure all around the world is the need to rapidly and cost-effectively evaluate the present condition of pavement infrastructure. Non-Destructive Test (NDT) and evaluation methods are well-suited for characterizing materials and determining structural integrity of pavement systems. The Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) is a Nondestructive Test (NDT) equipment used to assess the structural condition of airfield pavement systems and to determine the moduli of pavement layers which are not only good condition indicators, but are also necessary inputs for conducting mechanistic based pavement structural analysis. In this study, Artificial Neural Systems (ANSs) based models were used to predict flexible airport pavement layer moduli from realistic FWD deflection basins acquired at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) National Airport Pavement Test Facility (NAPTF). A finite-element pavement structural model, which can account for nonlinear, stress-dependent behavior of pavement geomaterials, was used to generate the ANS training and testing database. The pavement stiffness uniformity characteristics of a high- strength flexible test section at the NAPTF were successfully mapped from FWD deflection data using the ANS based backcalculation models.
Broad View of Cryptographic Hash Functions

Cryptographic hash function is a function that takes an arbitrary length as an input and produces a fixed size of an output. The viability of using cryptographic hash function is to verify data integrity and sender identity or source of information. This paper provides a detailed overview of cryptographic hash functions. It includes the properties, classification, constructions, attacks, applications and an overview of a selected dedicated cryptographic hash functions.
TRANSPLANTATION ANTIGENS IN THE MOUSE EMBRYO. THE FATE OF EARLY EMBRYO TISSUES TRANSPLANTED TO ADULT HOSTS.

The Evidence for and against the presence in cells of embryo and foetal mice of transplantation antigens, the cell-bound substances provoking the rejection of allogeneic tissue homografts, rests on two classes of experiments: those relying upon serological techniques for the detection of the antigens, and those involving some test of transplantation antigen activity in intact animals. Experiments of the former class have indicated that there are no histocompatibility antigens present on the cells of most newborn or late foetal mice, but that these antigens quickly appear during the first 2 days of neo-natal life, rendering cells liable to agglutination or lysis (Pizarro, Hoecker, Rubenstein & Ramus, 1961; Moller, 1961 a , 1961 b ). However, Moller (1961 a ) was able to show that cells of newborn mice resistant to cytotoxic isoantisera did absorb the antibodies of these sera, suggesting that the tissues of newborn mice contain transplantation antigens, but that these antigens are not present on cells in sufficient numbers to make them susceptible to agglutination or lysis.
In Vitro Activity of Micafungin (FK-463) against Candida spp.: Microdilution, Time-Kill, and Postantifungal-Effect Studies

ABSTRACT We evaluated the in vitro activity of the new echinocandin antifungal micafungin against Candida spp. using microdilution and time-kill methods. Additionally, we examined the postantifungal effect (PAFE) of micafungin. Finally, we evaluated the effect of the addition of serum and plasma on the MIC of micafungin. Four Candida albicans isolates and two isolates of each Candida glabrata, Candida krusei, and Candida tropicalis were selected for testing. The MICs of micafungin were determined in RPMI 1640 medium buffered with morpholinepropanesulfonic acid alone and with the addition of 10, 20, and 50% human serum and plasma. MICs were determined by using two endpoints: a prominent reduction in growth (the MIC at which 80% of isolates are inhibited [MIC80]) and complete visual inhibition of growth (MIC100). The minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of micafungin for each isolate was also determined. Time-kill curves were determined for each isolate in RPMI 1640 medium with micafungin at concentrations ranging from 0.125 to 16 times the MIC80 to assess the correlation between MIC80 and fungicidal activity. PAFE studies were conducted with each isolate by using concentrations ranging between 0.25 and 4 times the MIC80. The MIC80s for the test isolates ranged from 0.0039 to 0.25 μg/ml. Overall, the addition of serum or plasma increased the MIC 6 to 7 doubling dilutions for C. albicans and 3 to 4 doubling dilutions for C. krusei and C. tropicalis. Micafungin time-kill studies demonstrated fungicidal activity at concentrations ranging from 4 to 16 times the MIC80. Micafungin is very potent agent against a variety of Candida spp. , producing fungicidal activity against 7 of 10 isolates tested. A PAFE was observed against all isolates. The PAFE was influenced by the drug concentration, with the highest concentration resulting in the longest observed PAFE in each case. The highest concentration tested, four times the MIC, resulted in a PAFE of more than 9.8 h for 5 of 10 isolates tested (range, 0.9 to ≥20.1 h).
Improved Solid-phase Spectrophotometry for the Microdetermination of Chromium(VI) in Natural Water

A simple and sensitive solid-phase spectrophotometry procedure was improved for the microdetermination of Cr(VI). A 0.06 cm^3 portion of a cation exchanger, Muromac AG 50W-X2, was used to concentrate the target Cr(VI) in a 20 cm^3 water sample, and resin beads were introduced in a flow cell of 1.5 mm diameter and having a 10 mm light path length for measurements using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. Three lenses were used for focusing the incident light beam and for recovering light scattered by the solid phase in the cell. The sensitivity achieved was higher by a factor of 277 compared with that of the solution method, and the detection limit was 0.014 µg dm^–3. The recovery on spiked real water samples by the standard addition method was 96 – 101%. Favorable working and performance characteristics made it possible to directly determine sub-µg dm^–3 amounts of Cr(VI) in natural water samples.
PMP22 Accumulation in Aggresomes: Implications for CMT1A Pathology

Peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) is a 22-kDa glycoprotein mainly expressed by Schwann cells (SCs). Duplication or deletion of the PMP22 gene locus is associated with heritable peripheral neuropathies suggesting that the correct level of PMP22 protein is essential for SC functioning. Previously we reported that in SCs the majority (80%) of newly synthesized PMP22 is rapidly degraded, possibly due to inefficient folding. Here we show that inhibition of the proteasome pathway results in a marked accumulation of PMP22 in the perinuclear cytoplasm. Double immunolabeling with an anti-ubiquitin antibody and various organelle markers indicates that the accumulated PMP22 is found in unique intracellular inclusions, called aggresomes. Moreover, overexpression of PMP22 in SCs can induce perinuclear accumulation of the protein. Together, these studies suggest that the proteasome pathway is critical for the regulation of PMP22 protein levels and raise the possibility that aggresomes may be involved in the pathogenesis of PMP22-associated peripheral neuropathies.
Toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles to the copepod Acartia tonsa, exposed through a phytoplankton diet

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are being increasingly utilized in a variety of products and applications and are therefore commonly discharged into aquatic environments, increasing exposure and potentially impacting aquatic organisms. Zinc oxide nanoparticles can depress growth of some marine phytoplankton, and several examples of nanoparticle trophic transfer have been documented, although not within planktonic communities. The authors test whether feeding on ZnO‐exposed phytoplankton could cause toxic effects in a widespread and ecologically important marine grazer, the copepod Acartia tonsa. The authors exposed the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii to ZnO nanoparticles for 7 d and measured growth, zinc accumulation, and zinc distribution within the algal cells to elucidate bioavailability to grazing copepods. Thalassiosira weissflogii cultured with nano‐ZnO were continuously fed to A. tonsa for 7 d, and reproduction and survival were quantified. A dose‐dependent growth reduction was observed in T. weissflogii exposed to nano‐ZnO, with a 20% effective concentration (EC20) of 70 µg/L Zn and a lowest observed effect concentration (LOEC) of 99 µg/L Zn. Zinc accumulation in the algae occurred dose‐dependently over time, with the majority of the zinc partitioning into the cell wall fraction. Feeding on ZnO‐exposed diatoms led to a decrease in copepod survival and reproduction. The EC20s corresponding to the dissolved zinc concentration in the T. weissflogii exposure media were 112 µg/L (13 µg/g dry wt) and 143 µg/L (16 µg/g dry wt), and the LOECs were 168 µg/L (17 µg/g dry wt) and 263 µg/L (21 µg/g dry wt) for copepod survival and reproduction, respectively. These results provide evidence of trophic transfer of metal contaminants associated with metal oxide nanomaterials within a marine plankton community, leading to a reduction in individual demographic performance of an important coastal marine grazer. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:1264–1269. © 2013 SETAC
Framing Attacks on Smart Phones and Dumb Routers: Tap-jacking and Geo-localization Attacks

While many popular web sites on the Internet use frame busting to defend against clickjacking, very few mobile sites use frame busting. Similarly, few embedded web sites such as those used on home routers use frame busting. In this paper we show that framing attacks on mobile sites and home routers can have devastating effects. We develop a new attack called tap-jacking that uses features of mobile browsers to implement a strong clickjacking attack on phones. Tap-jacking on a phone is more powerful than traditional clickjacking attacks on desktop browsers. For home routers we show that framing attacks can result in theft of the wifi WPA secret key and a precise geolocalization of the wifi network. Finally, we show that overlay-based frame busting, such as used by Facebook, can leak private user information.
Prevalence of Schistosomes and Soil-Transmitted Helminths among Schoolchildren in Lake Victoria Basin, Tanzania

The objectives of this study was to conduct a survey on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in order to come up with feasible control strategies in Lake Victoria basin, Tanzania. Depending on the size of the school, 150-200 schoolchildren were recruited for the study. Duplicate Kato-Katz stool smears were prepared from each child and microscopically examined for Schistosoma mansoni and STHs. Urine specimens were examined for Schistosoma haematobium eggs using the filtration technique. After the survey, mass drug administration was done using praziquantel and albendazole for schistosomiasis and STHs infections, respectively. A total of 5,952 schoolchildren from 36 schools were recruited for the study and had their stool and urine specimens examined. Out of 5,952 schoolchildren, 898 (15.1%) were positive for S. mansoni, 754 (12.6%) for hookworms, 188 (3.2%) for Ascaris lumblicoides, and 5 (0.008%) for Trichuris trichiura. Out of 5,826 schoolchildren who provided urine samples, 519 (8.9%) were positive for S. haematobium eggs. The results revealed that intestinal schistosomiasis, urogenital schistosomiasis, and STH infections are highly prevalent throughought the lake basin. The high prevalence of intestinal and urogenital schistosomisiasis in the study area was a function of the distance from Lake Victoria, the former being more prevalent at localities close to the lake, whilst the latter is more so away from it. Control of schistosomiasis and STHs in the study area requires an integrated strategy that involves provision of health education to communities, regular treatments, and provision of adequate safe water supply and sanitation facilities.
The Linkage of Visual Motion Signals

Recovering a reliable 3D percept from the retinal sampling of dynamic images requires the linkage of motion signals across space and time. In this paper, we review recent experimental results that enhance our understanding of the perceptual processes of motion integration, segmentation, and selection that are necessary to solve this inverse optics problem. Simple paradigms involving the presentation of moving contours are used to assess our ability to link sparse motion information. Our results indicate that human motion perception strongly depends on both primitive stimulus characteristics, such as contrast, eccentricity, and duration, as well as higher level characteristics such as feature classification and spatial configurations. Further, the perceived direction of a moving object depends little upon its familiarity. Finally, pursuit eye movements of compositional stimuli are highly correlated with perceived motion coherence. This ensemble of results is analysed within the context of current theories of motion perception.
LQR distributed cooperative control of a formation of low-speed experimental UAVs

The paper presents a cooperative scheme for controlling arbitrary formations of low speed experimental UAVs based on a distributed LQR design methodology. Each UAV acts as an independent agent in the formation and its dynamics are described by a 6-DOF (degrees of freedom) nonlinear model. This is linearized for control design purposes around an operating point corresponding to straight flight conditions and simulated only for longitudinal motion. It is shown that the proposed controller stabilizes the overall formation and can control effectively the nonlinear multi-agent system. Also, it is shown via numerous simulations that the system provides reference tracking and that is robust to environmental disturbances such as nonuniform wind gusts acting on a formation of four UAVs and to the loss of communication between two neighbouring UAVs.
Separable roles for Mycobacterium tuberculosis ESX-3 effectors in iron acquisition and virulence

Significance Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) uses type VII secretion systems to secrete cognate protein pairs that alter host interactions. Here, we address the contributions of the ESX-3 secretion system to Mtb growth and pathogenesis through a combination of genetics, proteomics, and growth studies both in vitro and in vivo. ESX-3 is demonstrated to play a critical role in iron acquisition through secretion of a pair pf proteins belonging to the PE–PPE family (PE5–PPE4). In vivo, the importance of PE5–PPE4 secretion was found to depend upon host genotype, likely reflecting a host capacity to restrict iron availability. However, secreted effectors EsxG–EsxH play an iron-independent role in Mtb virulence. Therefore, ESX-3 secretes multiple effectors that target distinct host pathways to influence pathogenesis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) encodes five type VII secretion systems (T7SS), designated ESX-1–ESX-5, that are critical for growth and pathogenesis. The best characterized is ESX-1, which profoundly impacts host cell interactions. In contrast, the ESX-3 T7SS is implicated in metal homeostasis, but efforts to define its function have been limited by an inability to recover deletion mutants. We overcame this impediment using medium supplemented with various iron complexes to recover mutants with deletions encompassing select genes within esx-3 or the entire operon. The esx-3 mutants were defective in uptake of siderophore-bound iron and dramatically accumulated cell-associated mycobactin siderophores. Proteomic analyses of culture filtrate revealed that secretion of EsxG and EsxH was codependent and that EsxG–EsxH also facilitated secretion of several members of the proline-glutamic acid (PE) and proline-proline-glutamic acid (PPE) protein families (named for conserved PE and PPE N-terminal motifs). Substrates that depended on EsxG–EsxH for secretion included PE5, encoded within the esx-3 locus, and the evolutionarily related PE15–PPE20 encoded outside the esx-3 locus. In vivo characterization of the mutants unexpectedly showed that the ESX-3 secretion system plays both iron-dependent and -independent roles in Mtb pathogenesis. PE5–PPE4 was found to be critical for the siderophore-mediated iron-acquisition functions of ESX-3. The importance of this iron-acquisition function was dependent upon host genotype, suggesting a role for ESX-3 secretion in counteracting host defense mechanisms that restrict iron availability. Further, we demonstrate that the ESX-3 T7SS secretes certain effectors that are important for iron uptake while additional secreted effectors modulate virulence in an iron-independent fashion.
A new approach for estimating the progression of pancreatic cancer

Cancer of the pancreas is a highly lethal disease and has an extremely poor prognosis. It is the fourth leading cause of death from cancer in the US and the twelfth worldwide. There are currently only few therapeutic options for patients with pancreatic cancer. Hence new insights into the pathogenesis of this lethal disease are urgently needed. In recent years, extensive biological research has been conducted to study the mechanisms that control the initiation and progression of pancreas cancer. Mathematical models have also been used to present quantitative analysis and predict reasonable time schemes for the progression of pancreatic cancer. However, in those published articles, it was assumed that the mutation rate was constant, which is not realistic. In this work, we present a new approach using non-constant mutation rate and hence reveal several important biological parameters of cancer progression, such as initial mutation rate as well as doubling time (or selective advantage coefficients) in different stages, and eventually present a better time scheme. Under more realistic assumptions regarding gene mutation and a more reasonable mutation rate, the averaged values of doubling time and selective advantage coefficient generated by our model are consistent with the predictions made by the published models.
Filtering for Speech Enhancement

In this paper, a new approachbasedon the H1 ﬁltering is presented for speech enhancement. This approach differs from the traditional modiﬁed Wiener/Kalmanﬁltering approachin the following two aspects: 1) no a priori knowledge of the noise statistics is required; instead the noise signals are only assumed to have ﬁnite energy; 2) the estimation criterion for the ﬁlter design is to minimize the worst possible ampliﬁcation of the estimation error signal in terms of the modeling errors and additive noises. Since most additive noises in speech are not Gaussian, this approach is highly robust and is more appropriate in practical speech enhancement. The global signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), time domain speech representation and listening evaluations are used to verify the performance of the H 1 ﬁltering algorithm. Experimentedresults showthat the ﬁltering performance is better than other speechenhancementapproachesin the literature under similar experimental conditions.
Nuclear receptor coregulators in cancer biology.

Coregulators (coactivators and corepressors) occupy the driving seat for actions of all nuclear receptors, and consequently, selective receptor modulator drugs. The potency and selectivity for subreactions of transcription reside in the coactivators, and thus, they are critically important for tissue-selective gene function. Each tissue has a "quantitative finger print" of coactivators based on its relative inherited concentrations of these molecules. When the cellular concentration of a coactivator is altered, genetic dysfunction usually leads to a pathologic outcome. For example, many cancers overexpress "growth coactivators. " In this way, the cancer cell can hijack these coactivator molecules to drive proliferation and metastasis. The present review contains summaries of selective coactivators and corepressors that have been demonstrated to play important roles in the malignant process and emphasizes their importance for future therapeutic interventions.
Revised Analyses of the National Morbidity, Mortality, and Air Pollution Study: Mortality Among Residents Of 90 Cities

This article presents findings from updated analyses of data from 90 U.S. cities assembled for the National Morbidity, Mortality, and Air Pollution Study (NMMAPS). The data were analyzed with a generalized additive model (GAM) using the gamfunction in S-Plus (with default convergence criteria previously used and with more stringent criteria) and with a generalized linear model (GLM) with natural cubic splines. With the original method, the estimated effect of PM10 (particulate matter 10μm in mass median aerodynamic diameter) on total mortality from nonexternal causes was a 0.41% increase per 10−μg/m3 increase in PM10; with the more stringent criteria, the estimate was 0.27%; and with GLM, the effect was 0.21%. The effect of PM10 on respiratory and cardiovascular mortality combined was greater, but the pattern across models was similar. The findings of the updated analysis with regard to spatial heterogeneity across the 90 cities were unchanged from the original analyses.