Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wasp-Waist Interactions in the North Sea Ecosystem

Background In a “wasp-waist” ecosystem, an intermediate trophic level is expected to control the abundance of predators through a bottom-up interaction and the abundance of prey through a top-down interaction. Previous studies suggest that the North Sea is mainly governed by bottom-up interactions driven by climate perturbations. However, few studies have investigated the importance of the intermediate trophic level occupied by small pelagic fishes. Methodology/Principal Findings We investigated the numeric interactions among 10 species of seabirds, two species of pelagic fish and four groups of zooplankton in the North Sea using decadal-scale databases. Linear models were used to relate the time series of zooplankton and seabirds to the time series of pelagic fish. Seabirds were positively related to herring (Clupea harengus), suggesting a bottom-up interaction. Two groups of zooplankton; Calanus helgolandicus and krill were negatively related to sprat (Sprattus sprattus) and herring respectively, suggesting top-down interactions. In addition, we found positive relationships among the zooplankton groups. Para/pseudocalanus was positively related to C. helgolandicus and C. finmarchicus was positively related to krill. Conclusion/Significance Our results indicate that herring was important in regulating the abundance of seabirds through a bottom-up interaction and that herring and sprat were important in regulating zooplankton through top-down interactions. We suggest that the positive relationships among zooplankton groups were due to selective foraging and switching in the two clupeid fishes. Our results suggest that “wasp-waist” interactions might be more important in the North Sea than previously anticipated. Fluctuations in the populations of pelagic fish due to harvesting and depletion of their predators might accordingly have profound consequences for ecosystem dynamics through trophic cascades.
Initialization is robust in evolutionary algorithms that encode spanning trees as sets of edges

Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) that search spaces of spanning trees can encode candidate trees as sets of edges. In this case, edge-sets for an EA's initial population should represent spanning trees chosen with uniform probabilities on the graph that underlies the target problem instance. However, the generation of random spanning trees is not as simple as it might appear. Mechanisms based on Prim's and Kruskal's minimum spanning tree algorithms are not uniform, and uniform mechanisms are slow, not guaranteed to terminate, or require that the underlying graph be complete.However, a non-uniform initial population of spanning trees need not harm an EA's performance. Trials of a crossover-only EA for the One-Max-Tree problem, using Prim-based, Kruskal-based, and uniform initialization, indicate that the distribution of edges in the initial population is far more important than the distribution of trees. A skewed distribution of edges in its initial population damages the EA's performance, but this is remedied by a reasonable amount of mutation.
Gastrointestinal Degradation of Fumonisin B1 by Carboxylesterase FumD Prevents Fumonisin Induced Alteration of Sphingolipid Metabolism in Turkey and Swine

The mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a frequent contaminant of feed and causes various adverse health effects in domestic animals. Hence, effective strategies are needed to prevent the impact of fumonisins on livestock productivity. Here we evaluated the capability of the fumonisin carboxylesterase FumD to degrade FB1 to its less toxic metabolite hydrolyzed FB1 (HFB1) in the gastrointestinal tract of turkeys and pigs. First, an ex vivo pig model was used to examine the activity of FumD under digestive conditions. Within 2 h of incubation with FumD, FB1 was completely degraded to HFB1 in the duodenum and jejunum, respectively. To test the efficacy of the commercial application of FumD (FUMzyme) in vivo, female turkeys (n = 5) received either basal feed (CON), fumonisin-contaminated feed (15 mg/kg FB1+FB2; FB) or fumonisin-contaminated feed supplemented with FUMzyme (15 U/kg; FB+FUMzyme) for 14 days ad libitum. Addition of FUMzyme resulted in significantly decreased levels of FB1 in excreta, whereas HFB1 concentrations were significantly increased. Compared to the FB group (0.24 ± 0.02), the mean serum sphinganine-to-sphingosine (Sa/So) ratio was significantly reduced in the FB+FUMzyme group (0.19 ± 0.02), thus resembling values of the CON group (0.16 ± 0.02). Similarly, exposure of piglets (n = 10) to 2 mg/kg FB1+FB2 for 42 days caused significantly elevated serum Sa/So ratios (0.39 ± 0.15) compared to the CON group (0.14 ± 0.01). Supplementation with FUMzyme (60 U/kg) resulted in gastrointestinal degradation of FB1 and unaffected Sa/So ratios (0.16 ± 0.02). Thus, the carboxylesterase FumD represents an effective strategy to detoxify FB1 in the digestive tract of turkeys and pigs.
Development of Novel High Temperature Laser Powder Bed Fusion System for the Processing of Crack-Susceptible Alloys

In the industrial panorama, Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) systems enable for the near net shaping of metal powders into complex geometries with unique design features. This makes the technology appealing for many industrial applications, which require high performance materials combined with lightweight design or conformal cooling channels. However, many of the alloys that would be ideal for the realisation of these functional components are classified as difficultly weldable due to their cracking sensitivity. Currently, industrial SLM systems employ baseplate preheating to minimise these effects although this solution is limitedly effective along the build direction and often does not achieve high enough temperatures for the realisation of crack-free specimen. In this work, the design and implementation of a novel inductive high temperature LPBF system is presented. Furthermore, preliminary results regarding depositions of Titanium Aluminide alloy with and without preheating are reported, showing the potential of the solution developed.
The Troubles with Using a Logical Model of IR on a Large Collection of Documents

This is a paper of two halves. First, a description of a logical model of IR known as imaging will be presented. Unfortunately due to constraints of time and computing resource this model was not implemented in time for this round of TREC. Therefore this paper’s second half describes the more conventional IR model and system used to generate the Glasgow IR result set (glair1).
Using temporal profiles of queries for precision prediction

A key missing component in information retrieval systems is self-diagnostic tests to establish whether the system can provide reasonable results for a given query on a document collection. If we can measure properties of a retrieved set of documents which allow us to predict average precision, we can automate the decision of whether to elicit relevance feedback, or modify the retrieval system in other ways. We use meta-data attached to documents in the form of time stamps to measure the distribution of documents retrieved in response to a query, over the time domain, to create a temporal profile for a query. We define some useful features over this temporal profile. We find that using these temporal features, together with the content of the documents retrieved, we can improve the prediction of average precision for a query.
A reinforcement learning approach to stochastic business games

The Internet revolution has resulted in increased competition among providers of goods and services to lure customers by tearing down the barriers of time and distance. For example, a home buyer shopping for a mortgage loan through the Internet is now a potential customer for a large number of lending institutions throughout the world. The lenders (players, in generic game theory nomenclature) seeking to capture this customer are involved in a nonzero-sum stochastic game. Stochastic games are among the least studied and understood of the management science problems, and no computationally tractable solution technique is available for multi-player nonzero-sum stochastic games. We now develop a computer-simulation-based machine learning algorithm that can be used to solve nonzero-sum stochastic game problems that are modeled as competitive Markov decision processes. The methodology based on this algorithm is implemented on a supply chain inventory planning problem with a limited state space. The equilibrium reward obtained from the stochastic game problem is compared with a logical upper bound obtained from the corresponding Markov decision problem in which a single decision maker (player) is substituted for all the competing players in the game. Several numerical versions of the problem are studied to assess the performance of the methodology. The results obtained from our methodology for the inventory planning problems are within 0.8% of the upper bound.
How long to treat with antibiotics following amputation in patients with diabetic foot infections? Are the 2012 IDSA DFI guidelines reasonable?

To the best of our knowledge, there has been no published study designed to identify the most appropriate duration of antibiotic therapy in lower extremity skin and skin structure infections in diabetic patients [aka “diabetic foot infections” (DFI)] post‐amputation. However, recent guidelines published by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) provide recommendations for treatment duration in these patients. Therefore, our objective is to review the literature evaluating antibiotic treatment in DFI to determine if the IDSA guidelines are reasonable.
Decision tree based mismatch diagnosis in analog circuits

Mismatch is a critical consideration in analog circuit design. Knowledge of mismatch locations and an understanding of their impact on circuit performance are crucial for design optimization and process improvement. We present a circuit level mismatch diagnosis methodology in this paper. The functional parameters with abnormal values are measured as manifestations of mismatch, from which reverse tracing is employed to determine the mismatch source. The methodology is implemented on a representative benchmark and its efficiency confirmed by simulation results
A Comparative Study on Tobacco Cessation Methods: A Quantitative Systematic Review

Background: During recent years, there have been many advances in different types of pharmacological and non-pharmacological tobacco control treatments. In this study, we aimed to identify the most effective smoking cessation methods used in quit based upon a review of the literature. Methods: We did a search of PubMed, limited to English publications from 2000 to 2012. Two trained reviewers independently assessed titles, abstracts and full texts of articles after a pilot inter-rater reliability assessment which was conducted by the author (GH). The total number of papers and their conclusions including recommendation of that method (positive) or not supporting (negative) was computed for each method. The number of negative papers was subtracted from the number of positive ones for each method. In cases of inconsistency between the two reviewers, these were adjudicated by author. Results: Of the 932 articles that were critically assessed, 780 studies supported quit smoking methods. In 90 studies, the methods were not supported or rejected and in 62 cases the methods were not supported. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), Champix and Zyban with 352, 117 and 71 studies respectively were the most supported methods and e-cigarettes and non-Nicotine medications with one case were the least supported methods. Finally, NRT with 39 and Champix and education with 36 scores were the most supported methods. Conclusions: Results of this review indicate that the scientific papers in the most recent decade recommend the use of NRT and Champix in combination with educational interventions. Additional research is needed to compare qualitative and quantitative studies for smoking cessation.
Reference Gene Selection in the Desert Plant Eremosparton songoricum

Eremosparton songoricum (Litv.) Vass. (E. songoricum) is a rare and extremely drought-tolerant desert plant that holds promise as a model organism for the identification of genes associated with water deficit stress. Here, we cloned and evaluated the expression of eight candidate reference genes using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reactions. The expression of these candidate reference genes was analyzed in a diverse set of 20 samples including various E. songoricum plant tissues exposed to multiple environmental stresses. GeNorm analysis indicated that expression stability varied between the reference genes in the different experimental conditions, but the two most stable reference genes were sufficient for normalization in most conditions. EsEF and Esα-TUB were sufficient for various stress conditions, EsEF and EsACT were suitable for samples of differing germination stages, and EsGAPDHand EsUBQ were most stable across multiple adult tissue samples. The Es18S gene was unsuitable as a reference gene in our analysis. In addition, the expression level of the drought-stress related transcription factor EsDREB2 verified the utility of E. songoricum reference genes and indicated that no single gene was adequate for normalization on its own. This is the first systematic report on the selection of reference genes in E. songoricum, and these data will facilitate future work on gene expression in this species.
Fabrication of metal nanoparticle arrays by controlled decomposition of polymer particles

We report a novel fabrication method for ordered arrays of metal nanoparticles that exploits the uniform arrangement of polymer beads deposited as close-packed monolayers. In contrast to colloidal lithography that applies particles as masks, we used thermal decomposition of the metal-covered particles to precisely define metal structures. Large arrays of noble metal (Au, Ag, Pt) nanoparticles were produced in a three-step process on silicon, fused silica and sapphire substrates, demonstrating the generality of this approach. Polystyrene spheres with diameters ranging between 110 nm and 1 μm were convectively assembled into crystalline monolayers, coated with metal and annealed in a resistive furnace or using an ethanol flame. The thermal decomposition of the polymer microspheres converted the metal layer into particles arranged in hexagonal arrays that preserved the order of the original monolayer. Both the particle size and the interparticle distance were adjusted via the thickness of the metal coating and the sphere diameter, respectively.
FPGA architecture for feed-forward sequential memory network targeting long-term time-series forecasting

Deep learning is being widely used in various applications, and diverse neural networks have been proposed. A form of neural network, such as the novel feed-forward sequential memory network (FSMN), aims to forecast prospective data by extracting the time-series feature. FSMN is a standard feed-forward neural network equipped with time-domain filters, and it can forecast without recurrent feedback. In this paper, we propose a field-programmable gate-array (FPGA) architecture for this model, and exhibit that the resource does not increase exponentially as the network scale increases.
Ischemic heart disease after breast cancer radiotherapy.

n engl j med 368;26 nejm.org june 27, 2013 2523 our study, flucytosine levels were not monitored, but patients had regular blood counts and electrolyte and creatinine measurements. We showed that in a resource-constrained setting, in combination with amphotericin B, flucytosine can be used safely and increases both survival and fungal clearance. Patients receiving the combination treatment had similar rates of adverse events as those receiving amphotericin B monotherapy. Fluconazole combined with flucytosine, recommended as second-line treatment by the WHO, is an attractive treatment for cryptococcal meningitis because of ease of administration.1 Fluconazole is cheaper than amphotericin B and has a favorable toxicity profile. However, amphotericin B–sparing combinations consistently show lower rates of yeast clearance from cerebrospinal fluid — early fungicidal activity — than those containing amphotericin B.2 Bicanic and colleagues found that early fungicidal activity was closely correlated with survival.3 Therefore, in addition to improving access to flucytosine, it is imperative that stakeholders work to improve the availability of, and the capacity to safely administer, amphotericin B.
Association between time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy and survival in colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

CONTEXT Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) improves survival among patients with resected colorectal cancer. However, the optimal timing from surgery to initiation of AC is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the relationship between time to AC and survival outcomes via a systematic review and meta-analysis. data sources: MEDLINE (1975 through January 2011), EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched to identify studies that described the relationship between time to AC and survival. STUDY SELECTION Studies were only included if the relevant prognostic factors were adequately described and either comparative groups were balanced or results adjusted for these prognostic factors. DATA EXTRACTION Hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival and disease-free survival from each study were converted to a regression coefficient (β) and standard error corresponding to a continuous representation per 4 weeks of time to AC. The adjusted β from individual studies were combined using a fixed-effects model. Inverse variance (1/SE(2)) was used to weight individual studies. Publication bias was investigated using the trim and fill approach. RESULTS We identified 10 eligible studies involving 15,410 patients (7 published articles, 3 abstracts). Nine of the studies were cohort or population based and 1 was a secondary analysis from a randomized trial of chemotherapy. Six studies reported time to AC as a binary variable and 4 as 3 or more categories. Meta-analysis demonstrated that a 4-week increase in time to AC was associated with a significant decrease in both overall survival (HR, 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-1.17) and disease-free survival (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.10-1.18). There was no significant heterogeneity among included studies. Results remained significant after adjustment for potential publication bias and when the analysis was repeated to exclude studies of largest weight. CONCLUSION In a meta-analysis of the available literature on time to AC, longer time to AC was associated with worse survival among patients with resected colorectal cancer.
Real Time Harmonic Estimation Based on Artificial Neural Network, Ethernet and GPS Technology

A new real time harmonic estimation approach based on adaptive neural network, GPS technology and distributed Ethernet is proposed in this paper. The method uses adaptive neural network to estimate the amplitudes and angles of the distorted current in power system. Only half-cycle harmonic current signal is used as the input of the neural network. In order to improve the accuracy of harmonic source identification, GPS (Global Positioning System) is used as the synchronization signal for the embedded measurement system based on digital signal processor (DSP). The sample selection and training methods of artificial neural network are explained and the hardware structure of the embedded harmonic identification system is given. RTDS (Real-Time Digital Simulator) simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Recent acute prerace systemic illness in runners increases the risk of not finishing the race: SAFER study V

Aim There are limited data on the negative effects of exercise in athletes with acute infective illness. The aim of this study was to determine whether a recently diagnosed prerace acute illness in runners affects the ability to finish a race. Methods Runners were prospectively evaluated in the 3 days before the race for acute infective illness and then received participation advice using clinical criteria based on systemic or localised symptoms/signs. We compared the did-not-start and the did-not-finish frequencies of ill runners (Ill=172: localised=58.7%; systemic=41.3%) with that of a control group of runners (Con=53 734). Results Runners with a systemic illness were 10.4% more likely not to start compared with controls (29.6% vs 19.2%) (p=0.0073). The risk difference of not starting the race in runners who were advised not to run the race compared with controls was 37.3% (56.5% vs 19.2%, p<0.0001). Compared with controls, runners with illness had a significantly (p<0.05) greater risk (any illness (5.2% vs 1.6%), systemic illness (8.0% vs 1.6%), illness <24 hours before the race (11.1% vs 1.6%)) and relative risk (prevalence risk ratio) (any illness=3.4, systemic illness=4.9, systemic illness <24 hours before the race=7.0) of not finishing the race. Conclusions Runners with prerace acute systemic illness, and particularly those diagnosed <24 hours before race day, are less likely to finish the race, indicating a reduction in race performance.
Trends in cardiovascular health metrics and associations with all-cause and CVD mortality among US adults.

CONTEXT Recent recommendations from the American Heart Association aim to improve cardiovascular health by encouraging the general population to meet 7 cardiovascular health metrics: not smoking; being physically active; having normal blood pressure, blood glucose and total cholesterol levels, and weight; and eating a healthy diet. OBJECTIVE To examine time trends in cardiovascular health metrics and to estimate joint associations and population-attributable fractions of these metrics in relation to all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Study of a nationally representative sample of 44,959 US adults (≥20 years), using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1988-1994, 1999-2004, and 2005-2010 and the NHANES III Linked Mortality File (through 2006). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES All-cause, CVD, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality. RESULTS Few participants met all 7 cardiovascular health metrics (2.0% [95% CI, 1.5%-2.5%] in 1988-1994, 1.2% [95% CI, 0.8%-1.9%] in 2005-2010). Among NHANES III participants, 2673 all-cause, 1085 CVD, and 576 IHD deaths occurred (median follow-up, 14.5 years). Among participants who met 1 or fewer cardiovascular health metrics, age- and sex-standardized absolute risks were 14.8 (95% CI, 13.2-16.5) deaths per 1000 person-years for all-cause mortality, 6.5 (95% CI, 5.5-7.6) for CVD mortality, and 3.7 (95% CI, 2.8-4.5) for IHD mortality. Among those who met 6 or more metrics, corresponding risks were 5.4 (95% CI, 3.6-7.3) for all-cause mortality, 1.5 (95% CI, 0.5-2.5) for CVD mortality, and 1.1 (95% CI, 0.7-2.0) for IHD mortality. Adjusted hazard ratios were 0.49 (95% CI, 0.33-0.74) for all-cause mortality, 0.24 (95% CI, 0.13-0.47) for CVD mortality, and 0.30 (95% CI, 0.13-0.68) for IHD mortality, comparing participants who met 6 or more vs 1 or fewer cardiovascular health metrics. Adjusted population-attributable fractions were 59% (95% CI, 33%-76%) for all-cause mortality, 64% (95% CI, 28%-84%) for CVD mortality, and 63% (95% CI, 5%-89%) for IHD mortality. CONCLUSION Meeting a greater number of cardiovascular health metrics was associated with a lower risk of total and CVD mortality, but the prevalence of meeting all 7 cardiovascular health metrics was low in the study population.