Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New Paradoxes of Risky Decision Making

During the last 25 years, prospect theory and its successor, cumulative prospect theory, replaced expected utility as the dominant descriptive theories of risky decision making. Although these models account for the original Allais paradoxes, 11 new paradoxes show where prospect theories lead to self-contradiction or systematic false predictions. The new findings are consistent with and, in several cases, were predicted in advance by simple " configural weight " models in which probability-consequence branches are weighted by a function that depends on branch probability and ranks of consequences on discrete branches. Although they have some similarities to later models called " rank-dependent utility, " config-ural weight models do not satisfy coalescing, the assumption that branches leading to the same consequence can be combined by adding their probabilities. Nor do they satisfy cancellation, the " independence " assumption that branches common to both alternatives can be removed. The transfer of attention exchange model, with parameters estimated from previous data, correctly predicts results with all 11 new paradoxes. Apparently, people do not frame choices as prospects but, instead, as trees with branches. Following a period in which expected utility (EU) theory (Ber-1947) dominated the study of risky decision making, original prospect theory (OPT) became the focus of empirical studies of decision making (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979). OPT was later modified (Tversky & Kahneman, 1992) to assimilate rank-and sign-dependent utility (RSDU). The newer form, cumulative prospect theory (CPT), was able to describe the classic Allais paradoxes (Allais, 1953, 1979) that were inconsistent with EU without violating stochastic dominance. CPT simplified and extended OPT to a wider domain. CPT describes the " four-fold pattern " of risk seeking and risk aversion in the same person. When a person prefers the expected value of a gamble to the gamble itself, that person is exhibiting " risk aversion. " For example, most people prefer $50 for sure rather than the risky gamble with a 50% chance to win $100 and otherwise receive nothing. When a person prefers the gamble over its expected value, the person is described as " risk seeking. " In the " four-fold pattern, " the typical participant shows risk seeking for binary gambles with small probabilities to win large prizes and risk aversion for gambles with medium to high probability to win. For gambles with strictly nonpositive consequences, this pattern is reversed. Such reversal is known as the reflection effect. Finally, CPT describes …
Optimal Influence Strategies in Social Networks

This paper suggests a modeling framework to investigate the optimal strategy followed by a monopolistic firm aiming to manipulate the process of opinion formation in a social network. The monopolist and a set of consumers communicate to form their beliefs about the underlying product quality. Since the firm’s associated optimization problem can be analytically solved only under specific assumptions, we rely on the sequential quadratic programming computational approach to characterize the equilibrium. When consumers’ initial beliefs are uniform, the firm’s optimal influence strategy always involves targeting the most influential consumer. For the case of non-uniform initial beliefs, the monopolist might target the less influential consumer if the latter’s initial opinion is low enough. The probability of investing more in the consumer with the lower influence increases with the distance between consumers’ initial beliefs and with the degree of trust attributed on consumers by the firm. The firm’s profit is minimized when consumers’ influences become equal, implying that the firm benefits from the presence of consumers with divergent strategic locations in the network. In the absence of a binding constraint on total investment, the monopolist’s incentives to manipulate the network decrease with consumers’ initial beliefs and might either increase or decrease with the trust put in consumers’ opinion by the firm. Finally, the firm’s strategic motivation to communicate persistently high beliefs during the opinion formation process is positively associated with the market size, with the available budget and with the direct influence of the most influential consumer on the other but negatively associated with consumers’ initial valuation of the good.
A novel ligand from Plasmodium falciparum that binds to a sialic acid‐containing receptor on the surface of human erythrocytes

Invasion of the merozoite form of Plasmodium falciparum into human erythrocytes involves multiple receptor–ligand interactions. The EBA175 protein of P. falciparum has been shown to be the ligand that binds to a sialic acid‐dependent site on glycophorin A. We have identified a novel P. falciparum ligand, termed erythrocyte‐binding antigen 140 (EBA140), that shares structural features and homology with EBA175. Subcellular localization of EBA140 suggests that it is located in the micronemes, the same localization as EBA175. EBA140 binds to a sialic acid‐dependent receptor on the surface of human erythrocytes. Binding of EBA140 to this erythrocyte receptor is sensitive to neuraminidase and resistant to trypsin, proteinase K and pronase. The protease‐resistant properties of the erythrocyte receptor suggests that it is not glycophorin A or C. Additionally, analysis of mutant erythrocytes from humans has shown that EBA140 does not bind glycophorin B. Interestingly, we have identified a parasite line that lacks the eba140 gene, suggesting that this protein is not essential for in vitro invasion. These results suggest that EBA140 may be involved in merozoite invasion using a sialic acid‐dependent receptor on human erythrocytes.
Laboratory diagnosis of bacterial meningitis : Usefulness of various tests for the determination of the etiological agent

Malgré les progrès réalisés dans le diagnostic et le traitement des infections, les méningites restent une cause importante de mortalité et de orbidité. Un diagnostic rapide et précis de l’agent étiologique est capital pour la prise en charge et l’évolution des méningites bactériennes. ’examen essentiel est l’analyse du liquide céphalorachidien (LCR). La coloration de Gram met en évidence des bactéries dans 50 à 80 % des as et la culture est positive dans au mieux 80 % des LCR. Cependant, en cas de traitement précoce, la sensibilité de ces deux tests est inférieure 50 %. L’analyse biochimique et cytologique du LCR manque aussi de spécificité et de sensibilité. Afin d’augmenter les preuves diagnostiques, ’autres tests biologiques sont disponibles. L’agglutination des particules de latex est adaptée à la détection des antigènes bactériens présents dans e LCR de patients suspects de méningites d’origine bactérienne. Ces tests permettent de détecter la plupart des germes responsables d’infection u système nerveux central mais ils manquent de sensibilité. De plus, dans les stades précoces des méningites aiguës, les signes cliniques et les erturbations du LCR sont très souvent non spécifiques ne permettant pas le diagnostic différentiel entre méningites bactériennes et méningites irales. Certains marqueurs comme la CRP, la procalcitonine (PCT) ou encore sTREM-1 peuvent être très utiles non seulement pour le diagnostic ais aussi pour différencier entre méningite bactérienne et méningite virale. Plus que jamais, le diagnostic des méningites bactériennes et leur rise en charge nécessitent différents tests biologiques ainsi qu’une approche multidisciplinaire. 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits réservés.
A sliding law for glaciers of constant viscosity in the presence of subglacial cavitation

A method of solution for the problem of slow flow of a Newtonian viscous glacier slipping over a rough bed is constructed, for the case where cavities form when the lubricating water film pressure reaches that of the local subglacial drainage system. The treatment of Nye (Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 311, 445-477 (1969)) is reformulated as a Hilbert problem, and the solution presented for the particular case of a periodic bedrock with one cavity per period. For such bedrocks, it is found that the basal stress has a maximum for a finite basal velocity, and the basal stress decreases towards zero as the velocity tends to infinity, in line with the suggestion of Lliboutry (J. Glaciol. 23, 67-95 (1979)). For more complicated bedrocks, with many different obstacle sizes, direct solution appears impractical and some kind of further approximation seems advisable.
A Kernel Test for Three-Variable Interactions

We introduce kernel nonparametric tests for Lancaster three-variable interaction and for total independence, using embeddings of signed measures into a reproducing kernel Hilbert space. The resulting test statistics are straightforward to compute, and are used in powerful interaction tests, which are consistent against all alternatives for a large family of reproducing kernels. We show the Lancaster test to be sensitive to cases where two independent causes individually have weak influence on a third dependent variable, but their combined effect has a strong influence. This makes the Lancaster test especially suited to finding structure in directed graphical models, where it outperforms competing nonparametric tests in detecting such V-structures.
Passive-type rehabilitation system for upper limbs which can display the exact resistance force in the orientation opposite to hand motion

In these days, there are many patients with ataxia, which is paralysis caused by a brain stroke or asynergia. Early detection of functional deterioration and sufficient rehabilitative training are necessary for these patients. Rehabilitation support systems for upper limbs using force display devices are expected to quantify the effects of rehabilitative training and enhance the motivation of patients. The application of passive-type force display devices unactuated by motors is especially desirable for its high safety. There are, however, some orientations and positions for which it is difficult to display force in an unactuated force display systems using only passive elements. To solve this problem, a method for the improvement of controllability using larger number of brakes than the degree of freedom of system had been suggested. This method made it possible to display more various force power and orientations than could be done with previous systems. However, the system with the larger number of brakes often become huge system. In this study, we have developed a rehabilitation system for the upper limbs which use only the same number of brakes as the degree of freedom but can display the resistance force in the orientation opposite to operator's motion in any orientations and link posture: “Neo-PLEMO”.
THE FOSSIL RECORD OF TWO-PHASE GALAXY ASSEMBLY: KINEMATICS AND METALLICITIES IN THE NEAREST S0 GALAXY

We present a global analysis of kinematics and metallicity in the nearest S0 galaxy, NGC 3115, along with implications for its assembly history. The data include high-quality wide-field imaging from Suprime-Cam on the Subaru telescope, and multi-slit spectra of the field stars and globular clusters (GCs) obtained using Keck-DEIMOS/LRIS and Magellan-IMACS. Within two effective radii, the bulge (as traced by the stars and metal-rich GCs) is flattened and rotates rapidly (v/σ ≳ 1.5). At larger radii, the rotation declines dramatically to v/σ ∼ 0.7, but remains well aligned with the inner regions. The radial decrease in characteristic metallicity of both the metal-rich and metal-poor GC subpopulations produces strong gradients with power-law slopes of −0.17 ± 0.04 and −0.38 ± 0.06 dex dex−1, respectively. We argue that this pattern is not naturally explained by a binary major merger, but instead by a two-phase assembly process where the inner regions have formed in an early violent, dissipative phase, followed by the protracted growth of the outer parts via minor mergers with typical mass ratios of ∼15–20:1.
Lane detection by orientation and length discrimination

This paper describes a novel lane detection algorithm for visual traffic surveillance applications under the auspice of intelligent transportation systems. Traditional lane detection methods for vehicle navigation typically use spatial masks to isolate instantaneous lane information from on-vehicle camera images. When surveillance is concerned, complete lane and multiple lane information is essential for tracking vehicles and monitoring lane change frequency from overhead cameras, where traditional methods become inadequate. The algorithm presented in this paper extracts complete multiple lane information by utilizing prominent orientation and length features of lane markings and curb structures to discriminate against other minor features. Essentially, edges are first extracted from the background of a traffic sequence, then thinned and approximated by straight lines. From the resulting set of straight lines, orientation and length discriminations are carried out three-dimensionally with the aid of two-dimensional (2-D) to three-dimensional (3-D) coordinate transformation and K-means clustering. By doing so, edges with strong orientation and length affinity are retained and clustered, while short and isolated edges are eliminated. Overall, the merits of this algorithm are as follows. First, it works well under practical visual surveillance conditions. Second, using K-means for clustering offers a robust approach. Third, the algorithm is efficient as it only requires one image frame to determine the road center lines. Fourth, it computes multiple lane information simultaneously. Fifth, the center lines determined are accurate enough for the intended application.
Identification of foot-and-mouth disease virus-free regions by use of a standardized enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot assay.

OBJECTIVE To assess the potential of a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) assay to monitor persistent foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) viral activity in a livestock population. DESIGN Cattle sera were obtained in Uruguay in 1992, 2 years after the last outbreaks of FMD. Prevalence of antibodies, as assessed by the EITB assay and by the conventional immunodiffusion in agarose gel method (virus infection-associated antigen [VIAA] test), was correlated with occurrence of FMD. SAMPLE POPULATION A total of 2,194 serum samples were acquired from animals at different farms and were separated according to age: animals < and > 2 years old. PROCEDURE Specific antibodies to replicating virus were detected by use of the EITB assay that utilizes a set of 5 bioengineered nonstructural antigens as serologic probes. RESULTS EITB-positive reaction was restricted to sera from cattle in areas with the last outbreaks of FMD during 1989-1990, and to animals > 2 years old. All cattle sera from regions that were free of clinical FMD since (or prior to) 1989 were EITB negative. In contrast, use of the VIAA test yielded a rather homogeneous distribution of positive results when regions without FMD during the last 4 years preceding sample collection were compared with those affected during 1989-1990. VIAA test-positive reaction was also found in sera from animals born after the last FMD outbreak. CONCLUSIONS The EITB assay proved to be a sensitive, specific, safe, rapid, and economic tool for monitoring the progress of FMD eradication programs, mainly because it eliminated false-positive results form the VIAA test.
The role of knowledge management in innovation

Purpose – This article seeks to clarify the role of knowledge management in innovation as an aid to addressing this complexity. The article seeks to identify the drivers for application of knowledge management in innovation. It also details the nature of the role of knowledge management in innovation as well as its value proposition.Design/methodology/approach – The methodology used was literature research and some personal experiences and interpretations.Findings – In the fast changing business world of today, innovation has become the mainstay of organizations. The nature of global economic growth has been changed by the speed of innovation, which has been made possible by rapidly evolving technology, shorter product lifecycles and a higher rate of new product development. The complexity of innovation has been increased by growth in the amount of knowledge available to organizations.Originality/value – Innovation is extremely dependent on the availability of knowledge and therefore the complexity create.
Intraneuronal amyloid β oligomers cause cell death via endoplasmic reticulum stress, endosomal/lysosomal leakage, and mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo

Intraneuronal accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) is an early pathological change in Alzheimer's disease. Previously, we showed that the E693Δ mutation (referred to as the “Osaka” mutation) of amyloid precursor protein (APP) caused intracellular accumulation of Aβ oligomers and apoptosis in transfected COS‐7 cells. We also showed that transgenic mice expressing APPE693Δ (APPOSK) displayed both an age‐dependent accumulation of intraneuronal Aβ oligomers from 8 months of age and apparent neuronal loss in the hippocampus at 24 months of age. These findings indicate that intraneuronal Aβ oligomers cause cell death, but the mechanism of this process remains unclear. Accordingly, here we investigated the subcellular localization and toxicity of intraneuronal Aβ oligomers in APPOSK‐transgenic mice. We found Aβ oligomer accumulation in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), endosomes/lysosomes, and mitochondria in hippocampal neurons of 22‐month‐old mice. We also detected up‐regulation of Grp78 and HRD1 (an E3 ubiquitin ligase), leakage of cathepsin D from endosomes/lysosomes into cytoplasm, cytochrome c release from mitochondria, and activation of caspase‐3 in the hippocampi of 18‐month‐old mice. Collectively, our findings suggest that intraneuronal Aβ oligomers cause cell death by inducing ER stress, endosomal/lysosomal leakage, and mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ion Conduction through C-Type Inactivated Shaker Channels

C-type inactivation of Shaker potassium channels involves entry into a state (or states) in which the inactivated channels appear nonconducting in physiological solutions. However, when Shaker channels, from which fast N-type inactivation has been removed by NH2-terminal deletions, are expressed in Xenopus oocytes and evaluated in inside-out patches, complete removal of K+ ions from the internal solution exposes conduction of Na+ and Li+ in C-type inactivated conformational states. The present paper uses this observation to investigate the properties of ion conduction through C-type inactivated channel states, and demonstrates that both activation and deactivation can occur in C-type states, although with slower than normal kinetics. Channels in the C-type states appear “inactivated” (i.e., nonconducting) in physiological solutions due to the summation of two separate effects: first, internal K+ ions prevent Na+ ions from permeating through the channel; second, C-type inactivation greatly reduces the permeability of K+ relative to the permeability of Na+, thus altering the ion selectivity of the channel.
SOPPIA: Social Opportunistic Intelligent Ambient of Learning

Sporadic learning networks (SLNs) are networks of short duration, conformed for students, teachers and experts. They can be described as dynamic learning networks that facilitate the cooperative work among different users who share preferences. Through exchange of resources and knowledge, they implement a new social educational paradigm. Another important aspect is their creation-death nature, since their duration depends on the users needs. They are created when required and died when no longer used. In this article we present SOPPIA, an educational sporadic network that provides social learning and self-learning services. Social learning occurs through the creation of sporadic work groups, following the nature of SLNs; while self-learning is achieved through individual activities recommendation and the use of personalized virtual machines.
Bilateral negotiation decisions with uncertain dynamic outside options

Negotiation is an important phase of e-contracting. E-contracting requires a proper negotiation model to effectively support negotiation decisions or automate the negotiation process. When an entity negotiates with a potential contractor, there may be some alternatives that exist simultaneously with the potential contractor, and/or some may present themselves in the future. We present a model for bilateral contract negotiations that considers the uncertain and dynamic outside options. Outside options affect the negotiation strategies via their impact on the reservation price. The model is composed of three modules, single-threaded negotiations, synchronized multi-threaded negotiations, and dynamic multi-threaded negotiations. These three models embody increased sophistication and complexity. The single-threaded negotiation model provides negotiation strategies without specifically considering outside options. The model of synchronized multi-threaded negotiations builds on the single-threaded negotiation model and considers the presence of concurrently existing outside options. The model of dynamic multi-threaded negotiations expands the synchronized multi-threaded model by considering the uncertain outside options that may come dynamically in the future. Experimental analysis is provided to characterize the impact of outside options on the negotiation strategy and performances.
Improving the Performance of Audio-Based Similarity Queries with Clustering

Many multimedia applications require the storage and retrieval of non-traditional data types such as audio, video and images. One important functionality required by these applications is the capability to nd objects in a database that is similar to a given object. The comparison algorithms for multimedia data types are typically computationally expensive. Therefore, the performance of similarity queries can be improved signiicantly by reducing the number of invocations of these comparison algorithms. In this paper, we propose the utilization of clustering techniques in order to reduce the number of invocations of comparison algorithms. We argue that our proposed approach is more suitable to be deployed at the database system level, speciically for object-relational database management systems (OR-DBMS), as compared to special purpose indexing techniques. This is because our approach is exible enough to utilize any given comparison algorithm without knowing its detail implementation, a typical situation for abstract-data-types functionality provided for OR-DBMS. Although clustering improves the performance of similarity queries, it might introduce inaccuracy in the results. We propose a family of similarity query execution techniques to strike a compromise between accuracy and performance. We also propose two implementation alternatives to incorporate our family of similarity query execution techniques for the multimedia join queries. We provide an analytical model to compare these two alternative implementation techniques and show when one is superior to the other. To evaluate the performance (i.e., query response time) and accuracy (i.e., precision and recall) of our similarity query execution techniques, we built an experimental setup using Informix OR-DBMS and AIR audio content-extraction algorithm. Our results demonstrate a signiicant improvement in performance while the accuracy of the results are maintained at a reasonable level.