Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smoothing Methods in Statistics

1. Introduction. - 1.1 Smoothing Methods: a Nonparametric/Parametric Compromise. - 1.2 Uses of Smoothing Methods. - 1.3 Outline of the Chapters. - Background material. - Computational issues. - Exercises. - 2. Simple Univariate Density Estimation. - 2.1 The Histogram. - 2.2 The Frequency Polygon. - 2.3 Varying the Bin Width. - 2.4 The Effectiveness of Simple Density Estimators. - Background material. - Computational issues. - Exercises. - 3. Smoother Univariate Density Estimation. - 3.1 Kernel Density Estimation. - 3.2 Problems with Kernel Density Estimation. - 3.3 Adjustments and Improvements to Kernel Density Estimation. - 3.4 Local Likelihood Estimation. - 3.5 Roughness Penalty and Spline-Based Methods. - 3.6 Comparison of Univariate Density Estimators. - Background material. - Computational issues. - Exercises. - 4. Multivariate Density Estimation. - 4.1 Simple Density Estimation Methods. - 4.2 Kernel Density Estimation. - 4.3 Other Estimators. - 4.4 Dimension Reduction and Projection Pursuit. - 4.5 The State of Multivariate Density Estimation. - Background material. - Computational issues. - Exercises. - 5. Nonparametrie Regression. - 5.1 Scatter Plot Smoothing and Kernel Regression. - 5.2 Local Polynomial Regression. - 5.3 Bandwidth Selection. - 5.4 Locally Varying the Bandwidth. - 5.5 Outliers and Autocorrelation. - 5.6 Spline Smoothing. - 5.7 Multiple Predictors and Additive Models. - 5.8 Comparing Nonparametric Regression Methods. - Background material. - Computational issues. - Exercises. - 6. Smoothing Ordered Categorical Data. - 6.1 Smoothing and Ordered Categorical Data. - 6.2 Smoothing Sparse Multinomials. - 6.3 Smoothing Sparse Contingency Tables. - 6.4 Categorical Data, Regression, and Density Estimation. - Background material. - Computational issues. - Exercises. - 7. Further Applications of Smoothing. - 7.1 Discriminant Analysis. - 7.2 Goodness-of-Fit Tests. - 7.3 Smoothing-Based Parametric Estimation. - 7.4 The Smoothed Bootstrap. - Background material. - Computational issues. - Exercises. - Appendices. - A. Descriptions of the Data Sets. - B. More on Computational Issues. - References. - Author Index.
Analysis of Playing Positions in Tennis Match Videos to Assess Competition Using a Centroid Clustering Heatmap Prediction Technique

This research aimed to use clustered heatmap positioning analytical techniques in tennis in order to be able to analyze the positions of tennis players. A heatmap represents the cumulative frequency of tennis players’ movements in each zone of the tennis court. The performance testing of centroid clustering heatmap position analysis was achieved on selected men’s doubles tennis matches during the SINGHA CLASSIC 2019 competition. The research was done by collecting the cumulative frequency data and replacing it with intensity of color space. The process started with, firstly, cutting videos for each match based on the area of the court that could be seen clearly by the cameras in the field. Secondly, the video was converted into binary images. Thirdly, noise reduction was performed using morphological techniques. Fourthly, the centroid position was identified using a connected component and blob analysis. Fifthly, clustering data with k-mine was used to predict new tracks by Kalman filter. Finally, the percentage of player position in the three zones of the tennis court was calculated with the percent yield formula. The experimental results clearly showed the cumulative frequency of the players’ movement with the intensity of color space, allowing coaches and players to easily understand and use the data in planning for the next practice or competition.
A Comparative Analysis of Treatment-Related Changes in the Diagnostic Biomarker Active Metalloproteinase-8 Levels in Patients with Periodontitis

Background: Previous studies have revealed the potential diagnostic utility of aMMP-8, an active form of MMP-8, in periodontal and peri-implant diseases. While non-invasive point-of-care (PoC) chairside aMMP-8 tests have shown promise in this regard, there is a dearth of literature on the evaluation of treatment response using these tests. The present study aimed to investigate treatment-related changes in aMMP-8 levels in individuals with Stage III/IV—Grade C periodontitis compared to a healthy control group, using a quantitative chairside PoC aMMP-8 test, and to determine its correlation with clinical parameters. Methods: The study included 27 adult patients (13 smoker, 14 non-smoker) with stage III/IV-grade C periodontitis and 25 healthy adult subjects. Clinical periodontal measurements, real-time PoC aMMP-8, IFMA aMMP-8, and Western immunoblot analyses were performed before and 1 month after anti-infective scaling and root planing periodontal treatment. Time 0 measurements were taken from the healthy control group to test the consistency of the diagnostic test. Results: Both PoC aMMP-8 and IFMA aMMP-8 tests showed a statistically significant decrease in aMMP-8 levels and improvement in periodontal clinical parameters following treatment (p < 0.05). The PoC aMMP-8 test had high diagnostic sensitivity (85.2%) and specificity (100.0%) for periodontitis and was not affected by smoking (p > 0.05). Treatment also reduced MMP-8 immunoreactivity and activation as demonstrated by Western immunoblot analysis. Conclusion: The PoC aMMP-8 test shows promise as a useful tool for the real-time diagnosis and monitoring of periodontal therapy.
A fast and robust method for line detection based on image pyramid and Hough transform

It is of great importance to locate lines quickly and robustly in images. In this paper, a new method based on a binary image pyramid and Hough transform is developed to extract lines fast and accurately in two steps. Lines are quickly detected via a two-dimensional Hough transform in a lower-resolution image on a pyramid's top, and then they are finely located via a one-dimensional Hough transform in the original image at the pyramid's bottom. The proposed method has good ability to detect lines in noisy images, with reduced computation cost and storage requirement. The performance analysis and experiments are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Raman spectroscopy of amorphous and microcrystalline silicon films deposited by low‐pressure chemical vapor deposition

In this work we used Raman spectroscopy to investigate the structural characteristics of as‐deposited amorphous and micro‐crystalline silicon films. For amorphous silicon films, the order (or disorder) of the silicon network was quantified using properties of the Raman spectra that were related to key deposition conditions. We found that a strong relationship exists between the structural order of the silicon matrix and the deposition temperature and deposition rate. A quantitative model was proposed relating the intensity ratio of transverse optical phonon peak to longitudinal optical phonon peak to the surface diffusion length, a parameter that was calculated from available data. It was found that optimization of the as‐deposited silicon microstructure is possible by selecting deposition conditions yielding peak–ratio values in the vicinity of 0.53. For as‐deposited micro‐crystalline silicon films, Raman spectroscopy was used to estimate the initial crystalline fraction of the film and monitor the cryst.
Mechanism of Skyrmion Attraction in Chiral Magnets near the Ordering Temperatures

Isolated chiral skyrmions are investigated within the phenomenological Dzyaloshinskii model near the ordering temperatures of quasi-two-dimensional chiral magnets with Cnv symmetry and three-dimensional cubic helimagnets. In the former case, isolated skyrmions (IS) perfectly blend into the homogeneously magnetized state. The interaction between these particle-like states, being repulsive in a broad low-temperature (LT) range, is found to switch into attraction at high temperatures (HT). This leads to a remarkable confinement effect: near the ordering temperature, skyrmions exist only as bound states. This is a consequence of the coupling between the magnitude and the angular part of the order parameter, which becomes pronounced at HT. The nascent conical state in bulk cubic helimagnets, on the contrary, is shown to shape skyrmion internal structure and to substantiate the attraction between them. Although the attracting skyrmion interaction in this case is explained by the reduction of the total pair energy due to the overlap of skyrmion shells, which are circular domain boundaries with the positive energy density formed with respect to the surrounding host phase, additional magnetization “ripples” at the skyrmion outskirt may lead to attraction also at larger length scales. The present work provides fundamental insights into the mechanism for complex mesophase formation near the ordering temperatures and constitutes a first step to explain the phenomenon of multifarious precursor effects in that temperature region.
SCREENING OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY IN EDIBLE MUSHROOM PLEUROTUS EOUS (BERK.) SACC. USING DIFFERENT SOLVENT EXTRACTS

Oyster mushroom is an edible mushroom, can be cultivated on a wide variety of substrates containing lignin and cellulose. It has nutritional and medicinal properties. The study is to investigate antibacterial activity in Pleurotus eous cultivated in paddy straw substrate using different solvents acetone, aqueous and petroleum ether was tested against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Staphyllococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by disc diffusion method. The result showed maximum zone of inhibition in petroleum ether extract against Staphylococcus aureus and the minimum zone of inhibition was observed in Klebsiella pneumonia in acetone extract.
Bacterial Volatiles (mVOC) Emitted by the Phytopathogen Erwinia amylovora Promote Arabidopsis thaliana Growth and Oxidative Stress

Phytopathogens are well known for their devastating activity that causes worldwide significant crop losses. However, their exploitation for crop welfare is relatively unknown. Here, we show that the microbial volatile organic compound (mVOC) profile of the bacterial phytopathogen, Erwinia amylovora, enhances Arabidopsis thaliana shoot and root growth. GC-MS head-space analyses revealed the presence of typical microbial volatiles, including 1-nonanol and 1-dodecanol. E. amylovora mVOCs triggered early signaling events including plasma transmembrane potential Vm depolarization, cytosolic Ca2+ fluctuation, K+-gated channel activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) burst from few minutes to 16 h upon exposure. These early events were followed by the modulation of the expression of genes involved in plant growth and defense responses and responsive to phytohormones, including abscisic acid, gibberellin, and auxin (including the efflux carriers PIN1 and PIN3). When tested, synthetic 1-nonanol and 1-dodecanol induced root growth and modulated genes coding for ROS. Our results show that E. amylovora mVOCs affect A. thaliana growth through a cascade of early and late signaling events that involve phytohormones and ROS.
Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Symptoms, Parental Bonding and Dyadic Sensitivity in Mother–Baby Interactions at Three Months Post-Partum

The quality of the early parent–infant relationship is crucial for the child’s optimal development, and parental sensitivity plays a key role in early interactions. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of maternal perinatal depression and anxiety symptoms on dyadic sensitivity at three months post-partum, also considering a large set of maternal and infant variables. At the third trimester of pregnancy (T1) and at three months postpartum (T2), 43 primiparous women filled in a set of questionnaires evaluating symptoms of depression (CES-D) or anxiety (STAI), the woman’s parental bonding experiences (PBI), alexithymia (TAS-20), maternal attachment to the baby (PAI, MPAS) and the perceived social support (MSPSS). At T2 mothers also completed a questionnaire on infant temperament and took part in the CARE-Index videotaped procedure. Dyadic sensitivity was predicted by higher maternal trait anxiety scores in pregnancy. In addition, the mother’s experience of being cared for by her father in childhood was predictive of her infant’s lower compulsivity, while paternal overprotection predicted higher unresponsiveness. The results highlight the influence of perinatal maternal psychological well-being and maternal childhood experiences on the quality of the dyadic relationship. The results may be useful to foster mother–child adjustment during the perinatal period.
Microwave Dual-Crack Sensor with a High Q-Factor Using the TE20 Resonance of a Complementary Split-Ring Resonator on a Substrate-Integrated Waveguide

Microwave sensors have attracted interest as non-destructive metal crack detection (MCD) devices due to their low cost, simple fabrication, potential miniaturization, noncontact nature, and capability for remote detection. However, the development of multi-crack sensors of a suitable size and quality factor (Q-factor) remains a challenge. In the present study, we propose a multi-MCD sensor that combines a higher-mode substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) and complementary split-ring resonators (CSRRs). In order to increase the Q-factor, the device is miniaturized; the MCD is facilitated; and two independent CSRRs are loaded onto the SIW, where the electromagnetic field is concentrated. The concentrated electromagnetic field of the SIW improves the Q-factor of the CSRRs, and each CSRR creates its own resonance and produces a miniaturizing effect by activating the sensor below the cut-off frequency of the SIW. The proposed multi-MCD sensor is numerically and experimentally demonstrated for cracks with different widths and depths. The fabricated sensor with a TE20-mode SIW and CSRRs is able to efficiently detect two sub-millimeter metal cracks simultaneously with a high Q-factor of 281.
Systematic Review on Individualized Versus Standardized Parenteral Nutrition in Preterm Infants

The need for high quality evidence is recognized for optimizing practices of parenteral nutrition (PN). The purpose of the present systematic review is to update the available evidence and investigate the effect of standardized PN (SPN) vs. individualized PN (IPN) on protein intake, immediate morbidities, growth, and long-term outcome in preterm infants. A literature search was performed on articles published in the period from 1/2015 to 11/2022 in PubMed and Cochrane database for trials on parenteral nutrition in preterm infants. Three new studies were identified. All new identified trials were nonrandomized observational trials using historical controls. SPN may increase weight and occipital frontal circumference gain and lower the value of maximum weight loss. More recent trials suggest that SPN may easily increase early protein intake. SPN may reduce the sepsis incidence, but overall, no significant effect was found. There was no significant effect of standardization of PN on mortality or stage ≥2 necrotizing enterocolite (NEC) incidence. In conclusion SPN may improve growth through higher nutrient (especially protein) intake and has no effect on sepsis, NEC, mortality, or days of PN.
A Systematic Review of Child Health, Developmental and Educational Outcomes Associated with High Mobility in Indigenous Children from Australia, Canada and New Zealand

Indigenous families tend to move house more often, especially families with young children. However, little is known about the impact of high mobility on children’s well-being and development. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the relationship between residential mobility and children’s health, developmental, and educational outcomes for Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand Indigenous children (0–12 years). Four databases were investigated with pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The search identified 243 articles after independent screening by two authors. Eight studies assessing four child health outcomes were included, six quantitative and two qualitative. Child health outcomes were classified into four broad categories—physical health, social and emotional behavior, learning and development, and developmental risk. The review identified limited evidence; possible links were identified between high mobility and emotional and behavioral difficulties for younger children. One study identified evidence of a linear relationship between the number of houses a child has lived in since birth and developmental risk. Further research is needed to fully understand the impact of high residential mobility for Indigenous children at different developmental stages. Prioritizing the involvement, collaboration, and empowerment of Indigenous communities and leadership is critical for future research.
Hidden Markov modeling using the most likely state sequence

Approximate maximum likelihood (ML) hidden Markov modeling using the most likely state sequence (MLSS) is examined and compared with the exact ML approach that considers all possible state sequences. It is shown that, for any hidden Markov model (HMM), the difference between the approximate and the exact normalized likelihood functions cannot exceed the logarithm of the number of states divided by the dimension of the output vectors (frame length). Furthermore, for Gaussian HMMs and a given observation sequence, the MLSS is typically the sequence of nearest-neighbor states in the Itakura-Saito sense, and the posterior probability of any state sequence which departs from the MLSS in a single time instant decays exponentially with the frame length. Hence, for a sufficiently large frame length the exact and approximate ML approaches provide similar model estimates and likelihood values. <<ETX>>
Quantitative elastography of skin and skin lesion using phase-sensitive OCT (PhS-OCT) and surface wave method

This paper presents the combination of phase sensitive optical coherence tomography (PhS-OCT) imaging system and surface wave method to achieve quantitative evaluation and elastography of the mechanical properties of in vivo human skin. PhS-OCT measures the surface acoustic waves (SAWs) generated by impulse stimulation from a home-made shaker, and provide the B-frame images for the sample. The surface wave phase velocity dispersion curves were calculated, from which the elasticity of different skin layers were determined. The combination of phase velocities from adjacent two locations generates a quantitative elastography of sample. The experimental results agree well with theoretical expectations and may offer potential use in clinical situations.
Rescue of glutaric aciduria type I in mice by liver-directed therapies

Glutaric aciduria type I (GA-1) is an inborn error of metabolism with a severe neurological phenotype caused by the deficiency of glutaryl–coenzyme A dehydrogenase (GCDH), the last enzyme of lysine catabolism. Current literature suggests that toxic catabolites in the brain are produced locally and do not cross the blood-brain barrier. In a series of experiments using knockout mice of the lysine catabolic pathway and liver cell transplantation, we uncovered that toxic GA-1 catabolites in the brain originated from the liver. Moreover, the characteristic brain and lethal phenotype of the GA-1 mouse model was rescued by two different liver-directed gene therapy approaches: Using an adeno-associated virus, we replaced the defective Gcdh gene or we prevented flux through the lysine degradation pathway by CRISPR deletion of the aminoadipate-semialdehyde synthase (Aass) gene. Our findings question the current pathophysiological understanding of GA-1 and reveal a targeted therapy for this devastating disorder. Description Manipulation of lysine catabolism in the liver rescues glutaric aciduria and prevents metabolic and neuropathological phenotypes. A brain-liver toxic metabolite axis Glutaric aciduria type I (GA-1) stems from a genetic deficiency in lysine catabolism that results in the buildup of toxic catabolites throughout the body, including the brain, where they produce severe neurological symptoms. It is thought that toxic GA-1 neural catabolites originate locally within the brain; however, Barzi et al. show in a GA-1 mouse model that these catabolites originate from the liver and then cross the blood-brain barrier. Gene therapy approaches targeting liver metabolism were sufficient to arrest the accumulation of toxic catabolites in the brains of the GA-1 mice, improving both survival and neural phenotypes. —CAC
Response of wood decomposition to different forms of N deposition in subtropical forests

Aims Wood decomposition plays an important role in ecosystem soil fertility and nutrient cycling, but how different forms of nitrogen (N) affect these biogeochemical processes is still unclear. The effects of N deposition on wood decomposition have been widely studied, but the decomposition process and biotic driver response to different forms of N have rarely been studied. Methods In this study, we conducted a two-year field factorial fertilization experiment with different N forms in a subtropical Chinese forest. Glycine and urea were selected as organic N (ON), and ammonium nitrate was selected as inorganic N (IN). Six different ratios (control, 0:10, 3:7, 5:5, 7:3, 10:0) of IN:ON with equal N amounts were uniformly added to the studied wood. Results We found that both forms of N deposition, i.e., ON and IN, accelerated the wood decomposition rates across the four studied species, and the magnitude of the increase was species specific. Mixed fertilizer with ON and IN resulted in the highest responses in the wood decomposition rate, which was 1.73- and 1.48-fold higher than that in the control and in response to IN addition alone across species. The ON + IN treatment resulted in the highest faunal and microbial community abundance of the decomposing wood. Conclusion In summary, our results indicate that different forms of anthropogenic N enrichment can promote wood decomposition through the modification of microbial and faunal communities in the wood decomposition process. Our results show that future studies need to consider N forms and components when estimating exogenous N deposition effects on the woody material nutrient cycle and terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycles.
The non-central negative binomial distribution

The non-central negative binomial distribution is derived by mixing the POISSON distribution with a certain BESSEL function distribution, or the negative binomial distribution with the POISSON distribution. Some properties of the distribution are discussed, including a characterization. The fitting of the distribution to some data are given together with the efficiency for various procedures of estimation.
Nonparametric model checks in censored regression

Let M be a parametric model for an unknown regression function m. In order to check the validity of M, i.e., to test for m ∈ M, it is known that optinal tests should be based on the empirical process of the regressors marked by the residuals. In this paper we extend the methodology to censored regression. The asymptotic distribution of the underlying marked empirical process in provided. The Wild Bootstrap, appropriately modified to account for censhorship, provides distributional approximations. The method is applied to simulated data sets as well as tto the Stanford Heart Transplant Data.
A Study to Determine Vapor Generation from the Surface of Gasoline Flowing in an Inclined Channel Using a Continuous Thermodynamics Approach

A numerical study was performed to determine the rate of evaporation of gasoline while flowing through an inclined two-dimensional channel. The flow was considered to be stratified two-phase flow. The volume-of-fluid (VOF) multiphase model was used to simulate the two-phase flow. A continuous thermodynamics approach was used to solve the species equations. A parametric study was done to determine the effect of inlet liquid velocity, channel exit pressure, and angle of inclination on gasoline vapor generation.