Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What do Pirates Want? An Empirical Study of Price, Promptness, and Proper Behaviour

Piracy of trademarked, copyrighted, and/or branded goods and services is a critical factor in many industries. In the movie industry, which we study here, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) estimates that piracy costs US movie studios $6.1 billion in 2005, the latest year for which data are available. (www.mpaa.org) The impact of piracy is viewed as so important to the movie industry, that approximately half the first page of MPAA’s web site is devoted to piracy with such headlines as “Catching Movie Thieves” and “Malayasin Police Seize Six Pirate VCD Replicating Machines in Salangor Raid” (accessed January 23, 2007). (See Figure 1.)
Anthropometric Comparison of Cross-Sectional External Ear between Monozygotic Twin

Anthropologists are commonly believed that characteristics and the shapes of the human external ear are extensively different. The objective of this study is to explore the potential of anthropometric data from external ear in individualization of monozygotic twin which also known as identical twin. Data of external ear features using 16 landmarks along with the measurements of inter-landmark length were taken from 95 pairs of identical twins ages between 7 to 31 years old throughout Malaysia, in order to explore whether data from external ear can be used as a purpose of individualization of monozygotic twin. Measurements were taken using digital caliper with the resolution 0.01mm. Statistical analysis of all inter-landmark measurements of ear pattern conducted by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test using SPSS software to obtain the differences between both individual from the same pair of twin. Results showed that mean differences of measurement of outer ear landmarks between pairs of identical twins was only between 2.87% to 18.06%. There were no significant differences between ears of monozygotic twins for almost all dimensions of interlandmarks and also between pair of identical twin. Among 95 pairs of monozygotic twins, only 4 pairs showed significant differences of ear pattern between their twin pairs.
The Effect of Local and Global Pollution Mandates on a Nonrenewable Resource

Many regions such as the European Union and states in the U.S. have introduced mandates aimed at restricting carbon emissions. On the other hand, the stated goal of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which provides the science behind the current global climate negotiations is to stabilize the atmospheric stock of carbon. How do these multiple pollution control efforts interact when the same nonrenewable resource (e.g., coal) creates the externality? In this paper we show that environmental mandates that aim to reduce emissions and those aiming to limit the stock of pollution, may not compliment each other. For example, a stricter emissions mandate may actually increase the global pollution stock and hasten the date when the global pollution mandate becomes binding. A stricter local mandate will lead to the global mandate binding for a longer time period and a delay in the eventual transition to a clean substitute.
Quality of Life and Symptoms in Pediatric Brain Tumor Survivors

Little is known about the quality of life of children and youth under the age of 20 who have completed treatment for a pediatric brain tumor. This systematic review was conducted to (a) describe the health-related quality of life (HRQL) outcomes in pediatric brain tumor survivors, (b) identify instruments used to measure HRQL, and (c) determine the relationship between symptoms and HRQL. Using a systematic search and review methodology, databases searched included CINAHL, Medline, Embase, and PsycInfo. No date restrictions were used. Search results elicited 485 articles, of which16 met the inclusion criteria. Compared with their healthy peers, pediatric brain tumor survivors did worse on most measures of physical, psychosocial, social, and cognitive domains of HRQL. Compared with other cancer patients, survivors scored themselves significantly lower on the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) social functioning scale, and parents of brain tumor survivors reported lower PedsQL social and total functioning scores for their children. Other variables that were associated with decreased HRQL were degree of hypothalamic tumor involvement, osteopenia, need for special education, older age at diagnosis, greater than 1 year since treatment, and radiation treatment. In these studies, pediatric brain tumor survivors fared worse compared with other cancer survivors or healthy peers on several HRQL domains. Only 3 studies explored the relationship between symptoms, including pain or fatigue, and HRQL in pediatric brain tumor survivors. The relationship between symptoms and HRQL was not well elucidated. More research is needed to explore the multidimensional symptom experience and HRQL outcomes in pediatric brain tumor survivors.
Detection and enumeration of circulating tumor cells based on their invasive property

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are in limited numbers and heterogeneous, making their detection, isolation, and enumeration a major challenge. To overcome these difficulties, we developed a novel method to detect and enumerate CTCs with invasive property. Our assay consists of three simple steps: enrichment, Matrigel invasion assay, and immunostaining. We have validated this method using mouse xenograft tumor models and confirmed its utility in human cancer patients. Our method does not require special equipment and antigen expression for CTC selection, is less likely to be affected by the heterogeneity of the CTCs, and could be applicable to virtually all cancers. Most important, our method enumerates invasive CTCs, which may allow more accurate correlations with clinical outcome and treatment response compared with other CTC detection methods.
Iron, Meat and Health

This article is a summary of the publication “Iron and Health” by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) to the U.K. Government (2010), which reviews the dietary intake of iron and the impact of different dietary patterns on the nutritional and health status of the U.K. population. It concludes that several uncertainties make it difficult to determine dose-response relationships or to confidently characterize the risks associated with iron deficiency or excess. The publication makes several recommendations concerning iron intakes from food, including meat, and from supplements, as well as recommendations for further research.
Ample Parameterization of Variational Inclusions

For a general category of variational inclusions in finite dimensions, a class of parameterizations, called "ample" parameterizations, is identified that is rich enough to provide a full theory of Lipschitz-type properties of solution mappings without the need to resort to the auxiliary introduction of canonical parameters. Ample parameterizations also support a detailed description of the graphical geometry that underlies generalized differentiation of solutions mappings. A theorem on proto-derivatives is thereby obtained. The case of a variational inequality over a polyhedral convex set is given special treatment along with an application to minimizing a parameterized function over such a set.
Dynamic nonprehensile manipulation by using active-passive hybrid joint with nonparallel axes

This paper discusses a dynamic nonprehensile manipulation by using a vibrating plate. The manipulation method, where two DOF (degrees of freedom) motion of an object on the plate surface is controlled by a single active joint, is proposed. For the plate vibration mechanism, we newly introduce an active-passive hybrid joint whose two axes are arranged in nonparallel to each other. This mechanism features the plate vibration trajectory is variable based on the input frequency. We then analytically derive the trajectory of object on the vibrating plate. Through this analysis, we reveal that two DOF motion of the object can be controlled by utilizing the variable vibration effect. Finally, we show experimental result by using the prototype robot, for confirming the validity of the proposed method.
The Role of Oxygen in Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation

The heart is incapable of storing significant oxygen or substrates and thus is entirely dependent on a continuous delivery of flow in order to support its high metabolic state. Following cardiac arrest, myocardial tissue oxygen tension falls rapidly and aerobic production of ATP ceases. Without re-oxygenation of the ischemic myocardium, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) cannot be achieved. The oxygen paradox which has been described regarding other ischemia-reperfusion conditions seems to have application in cardiac arrest. It is clear that some level of oxygenation is necessary to achieve ROSC, however post ROSC there appears to be increased toxicity associated with hyperoxia. The optimal conditions for re-oxygenation in the setting of cardiac arrest remain ill defined at present.
INTEROPERABILITY TO COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS ASSESSMENT

Department of Defense acquisition policy requires testing throughout the systems development process to ensure not only technical certification but also combat effectiveness. Complexity within each new system, as well as composition into families of systems and systems of systems, combines with the extensive use of simulation in the design phase to multiply the challenges over traditional interoperability methodologies and processes. Existing single-thread conformance certification processes, such as those conducted at the Joint Interoperability Test Command, provide a solid foundation on which to build a more robust framework for distributed interoperability testing from a holistic perspective. The framework recognizes that system development must increasingly rely on modeling and simulation (M&S) while addressing some critical impediments to the efficient use of M&S in distributed testing environments. We discuss the framework and its theoretical and practical formulation, offering an approach to the robust development of an M&S infrastructure for distributed testing. Supporting education for this approach is also described, which will ensure success within a traditional test organization.
Scheduling Deliveries with Backhauls in Thailand's Cement Industry

The problem of truckload delivery with backhaul scheduling was formulated, and a methodology for ant colony optimization that was developed for a related problem, the problem of vehicle routing with backhaul and time windows, was adapted for the solution of the truckload delivery problem. The problem of truckload delivery with backhaul scheduling differs from the problem of vehicle routing with backhaul and time windows in that shipments are in units of truckloads, multiple time windows in multiple days are available for delivery to customers, limited space for servicing customers is available, and multiple visits to each customer may be required. The problem is motivated by a real-world application arising at a leading cement producer in Thailand. Experts at the cement production plant assign vehicles to cement customers and lignite mines on the basis of manual computations and experience. Mathematical and computational frameworks are provided for modeling and solving this real-world application.
Food diversity versus breastfeeding choice in determining anthropometric status in rural Kenyan toddlers.

BACKGROUND Prolonged breastfeeding in developing countries is routinely recommended as a valuable and cost-effective public health measure to promote early childhood growth. However, the effects of breastfeeding beyond 12 months are unclear, with some studies showing positive, and some showing negative effects. The role of complementary foods for children 1-3 years has been less studied. METHODS We examined feeding behaviour and illness data in relation to anthropometric status among 154 rural western Kenyan children, aged 12-36 months. RESULTS There was little difference in anthropometric status between partially breastfed and fully weaned children. Rather, dietary diversity (number of different foods consumed) was strongly and consistently related to anthropometric status in this age group. In addition, early complementation with starchy gruels was associated with stunting. CONCLUSIONS Public health efforts which focus only on prolonged breastfeeding (>12 months) in developing countries will not ensure adequate early childhood growth. Important complementary feeding recommendations that promote diet diversity, through the inclusion of a variety of foods in the diets of children in the 1-3 year age group, are needed.
Interannual changes of active fire detectability in North America from long-term records of the advanced very high resolution radiometer

[1] This paper addresses practical issues related to the processing of 1-km National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) data for producing a consistent, long-term time series of active fire locations over the Continental United States and Canada. The effects of the interannual changes in measured background temperatures, caused by the orbital drift of the afternoon NOAA satellites and by environmental factors, are investigated. Background temperature changes are analyzed using a time series of monthly mean clear-sky brightness temperatures from the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) Pathfinder Atmosphere (PATMOS) data set at a 1° × 1° resolution. Examples of target areas over four predominant land cover types, as defined in the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) global 1 km data set, are presented. The results indicate that over forests (defined as >60% tree canopy cover) the contrast between nonburning background and fire pixels is nearly always sufficient for successful fire detection. Over nonforested areas, however, the low saturation temperature of the mid-IR channel on the NOAA 7 to NOAA 14 satellites often sets a physical limit to the separation of valid fire pixels and false ones. Moreover, the severity of this effect changes over the years with the changing background temperatures. The results suggest that because of the potential spurious trends in the number of fires, nonforested areas be excluded from the multiyear analysis. However, a detailed assessment of the emissions from nonforest fires is needed to quantify the effect of this on continental-scale emission estimates.
Interleukin-18 Activates Skeletal Muscle AMPK and Reduces Weight Gain and Insulin Resistance in Mice

Circulating interleukin (IL)-18 is elevated in obesity, but paradoxically causes hypophagia. We hypothesized that IL-18 may attenuate high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin resistance by activating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). We studied mice with a global deletion of the α-isoform of the IL-18 receptor (IL-18R−/−) fed a standard chow or HFD. We next performed gain-of-function experiments in skeletal muscle, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. We show that IL-18 is implicated in metabolic homeostasis, inflammation, and insulin resistance via mechanisms involving the activation of AMPK in skeletal muscle. IL-18R−/− mice display increased weight gain, ectopic lipid deposition, inflammation, and reduced AMPK signaling in skeletal muscle. Treating myotubes or skeletal muscle strips with IL-18 activated AMPK and increased fat oxidation. Moreover, in vivo electroporation of IL-18 into skeletal muscle activated AMPK and concomitantly inhibited HFD-induced weight gain. In summary, IL-18 enhances AMPK signaling and lipid oxidation in skeletal muscle implicating IL-18 in metabolic homeostasis.
Effects of Including Single-Objective Optimal Solutions in an Initial Population on Evolutionary Multiobjective Optimization

In some multi-objective optimization problems, the search for the optimal solution of each individual objective is much easier than multi-objective optimization. In such a case, it looks a nice idea to search for the single-objective optimal solutions before the execution of multiobjective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs). In this paper, we examine the effects of including the single-objective optimal solutions in an initial population of MOEAs on their multi-objective search behavior through computational experiments. We use single-machine scheduling problems with two objectives: to minimize the total flow time and the maximum tardiness. The optimal schedules for these two objectives can be easily obtained by sorting the given jobs in ascending order of their processing times and due dates, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate that the inclusion of the optimal solution for each objective (i.e., the inclusion of the two optimal solutions) clearly improves the search ability of NSGA-II. An interesting observation is that its performance is degraded by the inclusion of only the optimal solution for the total flow time.
Extending Demand Response to Tenants in Cloud Data Centers via Non-Intrusive Workload Flexibility Pricing

Participating in demand response programs is a promising tool for reducing energy costs in data centers by modulating energy consumption. Toward this end, data centers can employ a rich set of resource management knobs, such as workload shifting and dynamic server provisioning. Nonetheless, these knobs may not be readily available in a cloud data center (CDC) that serves cloud tenants/users, because workloads in CDCs are managed by tenants themselves who are typically charged based on a usage-based or flat-rate pricing and often have no incentive to cooperate with the CDC operator for demand response and cost saving. Toward breaking such “split incentive” hurdle, a few recent studies have tried market-based mechanisms, such as dynamic pricing, inside CDCs. However, such mechanisms often rely on complex designs that are hard to implement and difficult to cope with by tenants. To address this limitation, we propose a novel incentive mechanism that is not dynamic, i.e., it keeps pricing for cloud resources unchanged for a long period. While it charges tenants based on a usage-based pricing (UP) as used by today’s major cloud operators, it rewards tenants proportionally based on the time length that tenants set as deadlines for completing their workloads. This new mechanism is called UP with monetary reward (UPMR). We demonstrate the effectiveness of UPMR both analytically and empirically, showing: 1) UPMR can effectively reduce the CDC’s peak power consumption and energy cost without decreasing the CDC’s profit and 2) UPMR outperforms the state-of-the-art approaches that are used by today’s CDC operators to charge their tenants in terms of the profit gained by the CDC.
Interaction between MicroRNA-7 and its Target Genes in Schizophrenia Patients

Objective: To verify interaction between miRNA-7 and its target genes, and explore its possible role in schizophrenia. Methods: The hippocampal neuron cells (HT22) in mice transfected by lentiviral vector with microRNA-7 interference and over-expression were cultured, and the microRNA expression profiling of HT22 target genes were measured by quantitative RT-PCR. Results: The expression of three genes (ERBB4, GABRA6, and GAD1) increased along with the low expression of miRNA-7, and decreased along with the over-expression of microRNA-7. Expression of GRIN2A gene increased along with microRNA-7 over-expression, and decreased when miRNA-7 was interfered. Conclusion: Expression of miRNA-7 may affect its target genes in schizophrenia patients, leading to alteration of neuronal morphology and function, which may play crucial roles in patho-mechanism of schizophrenia. Different from common working pattern, miRNA-7 promotes rather than inhibits the expression of GRIN2A, and the specific molecular mechanism warrents further study.
Integrated starter-alternator control system for automotive

This paper develops a control system for an Integrated Starter Alternator (ISA) used in hybrid electric vehicles. ISA employs a permanent magnet synchronous machine with voltage source inverter, using field oriented vector control with torque reference. The motor / generator mode is given by the torque reference selecting with a switch an external torque (for motor mode) or a torque delivered by a dc voltage loop to charge the battery (for generator mode). The internal combustion engine is simulated by a DC motor with speed control, and the battery is managed by using the ISA active power. The simulation results, based on real scenarios, prove the ability of the proposed ISA control system to work in motor and generator modes with smooth transition between them. The scenarios include the motor mode with starting and added demanded mechanical torque, and the generator mode to charge the battery up to 42 V, with good dynamic responses.
Role of Pten in leukemia stem cells

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is initiated from the BCR-ABL-expressing leukemia stem cells (LSCs). These LSCs are highly resistant to BCR-ABL kinase inhibitors, imatinib, dasantinib and nilotinib, and methods for eradication of LSCs are still not available. It is critical to identify genes that play roles in survival and proliferation of LSCs. We recently discovered that the tumor suppressor gene Pten is downregulated in LSCs of CML mice. By genetic deletion or overexpression of Pten, we confirmed that Pten functions as a tumor suppressor in LSCs of CML, consistent with the role of Pten in LSCs of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and progenitor cells of T-ALL progenitors. Functional enhancement of the Pten pathway provides a therapeutic strategy for targeting LSCs.
Risk of Hormone Escape in a Human Prostate Cancer Model Depends on Therapy Modalities and Can Be Reduced by Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

Almost all prostate cancers respond to androgen deprivation treatment but many recur. We postulated that risk of hormone escape -frequency and delay- are influenced by hormone therapy modalities. More, hormone therapies induce crucial biological changes involving androgen receptors; some might be targets for escape prevention. We investigated the relationship between the androgen deprivation treatment and the risk of recurrence using nude mice bearing the high grade, hormone-dependent human prostate cancer xenograft PAC120. Tumor-bearing mice were treated by Luteinizing-Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) antagonist alone, continuous or intermittent regimen, or combined with androgen receptor (AR) antagonists (bicalutamide or flutamide). Tumor growth was monitored. Biological changes were studied as for genomic alterations, AR mutations and protein expression in a large series of recurrent tumors according to hormone therapy modalities. Therapies targeting Her-2 or AKT were tested in combination with castration. All statistical tests were two-sided. Tumor growth was inhibited by continuous administration of the LH-RH antagonist degarelix (castration), but 40% of tumors recurred. Intermittent castration or complete blockade induced by degarelix and antiandrogens combination, inhibited tumor growth but increased the risk of recurrence (RR) as compared to continuous castration (RRintermittent: 14.5, RRcomplete blockade: 6.5 and 1.35). All recurrent tumors displayed new quantitative genetic alterations and AR mutations, whatever the treatment modalities. AR amplification was found after complete blockade. Increased expression of Her-2/neu with frequent ERK/AKT activation was detected in all variants. Combination of castration with a Her-2/neu inhibitor decreased recurrence risk (0.17) and combination with an mTOR inhibitor prevented it. Anti-hormone treatments influence risk of recurrence although tumor growth inhibition was initially similar. Recurrent tumors displayed genetic instability, AR mutations, and alterations of phosphorylation pathways. We postulated that Her-2/AKT pathways allowed salvage of tumor cells under castration and we demonstrated that their inhibition prevented tumor recurrence in our model.