Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Drought characteristics over China during 1980–2015

The self‐calibrating Palmer drought severity index (scPDSI) was computed based on the four atmospheric reanalysis data sets combined with observational data over China during 1980–2015. The discrepancies of scPDSI among the four reanalysis data sets show the necessity of integrating multiple data sets. Drought characteristics, such as drought area, severity, duration, and frequency were examined based on multi‐data set mean scPDSI. The results reveal that significant drying trends are found in Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau, southwest, southeast and entire China. Drought area (drought severity) has increased (decreased) by about 1.16% (0.015%) per decade over entire China. Trends in drought duration, temporally averaged severity and frequency also indicate that droughts become more serious in each region during the past 36 years. The identification of drought events in each month by the clustering algorithm shows that droughts over China are more and more frequent. In addition, 65 separate drought events with the duration longer than 3 months were identified under the area threshold of 150,000 km2. Through severity‐area‐duration analysis, the 2005–2015 drought is found to be the prominent event.
Adverse outcomes and predictors of underuse of antithrombotic therapy in medicare beneficiaries with chronic atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Antithrombotic therapy can prevent strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) in carefully selected patients who have chronic nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Our objectives were 3-fold: to document the use of warfarin and aspirin therapy in Missouri Medicare beneficiaries with chronic NVAF; to identify factors associated with warfarin and aspirin underuse; and to determine the association between prescription of warfarin and aspirin at hospital discharge and adverse outcomes in this elderly, frail population. METHODS We linked chart reviews from all Missouri hospitals to Medicare claims data from 1993 to 1996. From chart reviews, we documented Medicare beneficiaries' demographic factors, comorbid conditions, and antithrombotic therapy prescribed at the time of hospital discharge. From Medicare claims, we determined the date of outcomes-death from any cause or hospitalization for an ischemic event (a stroke, a TIA, or a myocardial infarction). RESULTS Only 328 (55%) of the 597 Medicare beneficiaries were prescribed antithrombotic therapy at hospital discharge: 34% received warfarin and 21% received aspirin. Advanced age, female gender, and rural residency predicted underuse of antithrombotic therapy. After controlling for these factors, as well as stroke risk factors and contraindications to anticoagulation, the prescription of warfarin was associated with a 24% relative risk reduction (RRR) in adverse outcomes (P=0.003). Prescription of aspirin was associated with a nonsignificant 5% RRR in these events (P=0.56). CONCLUSIONS The underuse of antithrombotic therapy in Medicare beneficiaries who have NVAF is associated with measurable adverse outcomes. The benefit of warfarin therapy may extend to frail, elderly patients, a group that was excluded from randomized controlled trials. The role of antiplatelet therapy in this population deserves further study because many of these patients have relative contraindications to warfarin.
In vivo biocompatibility of gelatin-based hydrogels and interpenetrating networks

The in vivo host response to two gelatin-based hydrogel systems of varying crosslinking modalities and loaded with the anti-inflammatory agent dexamethasone sodium phosphate was investigated. Either gelatin was chemically crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, or polyethyleneglycol diacrylate was photopolymerized around gelatin to form interpenetrating networks. The subcutaneous cage implant system was utilized to determine differential leukocyte concentrations in the inflammatory exudate surrounding the materials as indices for biocompatibility and drug efficacy in vivo. Most of the crosslinked gelatin-based materials, either via glutaraldehyde fixation or interpenetrating network formation, elicited stronger inflammatory responses than either of the starting materials, gelatin and polyethyleneglycol diacrylate. In general, dexamethasone delayed and intensified the inflammatory response. The loss of material mass did not correlate directly with the degree of cellular inflammatory response, but increased with longer implantation time and decreased with more extensive fixation.
Declarative Events for Object-Oriented Programming

In object-oriented designs inversion of control is achieved by an event-driven programming style based on imperatively triggered events. An alternative approach can be found in aspect-oriented programming, which defines events as declarative queries over implicitly available events. This helps to localize definition of events and avoid preplanning, but lacks a clean integration with object-oriented features and principles. The contribution of this work is a concept of object-oriented events that combines imperative, declarative and implicit events and provides their seamless integration with object-oriented features, preserving encapsulation and modular reasoning. We present an efficient and type-safe implementation of the concept as an extension to the Scala language.
Simultaneous embeddings of graphs as median and antimedian subgraphs

The distance DG(v) of a vertex v in an undirected graph G is the sum of the distances between v and all other vertices of G. The set of vertices in G with maximum (minimum) distance is the antimedian (median) set of a graph G. It is proved that for arbitrary graphs G and J and a positive integer r > 2, there exists a connected graph H, such that G is the antimedian and J the median subgraphs of H, respectively, and that dH(G,J) = r. When both G and J are connected, G and J can in addition be made convex subgraphs of H. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2010
The role of reinforcement in affective computation

In this paper we review the functional role that reinforcement plays in notions of affective computation and emotion. We consider three core components of emotional activity - emotion triggers, actions and action tendencies, and feeling states - and evaluate each component in relation to reinforcement learning and behaviour theory as well as with respect to existing neural-computational models. We propose that although such a categorization of emotional components can be helpful to understanding affective computation and the role reinforcement plays, the three components are dynamically inter-dependent grounded upon reinforcement learning mechanisms fundamental to survival.
Trustworthiness Benchmarking of Web Applications Using Static Code Analysis

Benchmarking the security of web applications is complex and, although there are many proposals of metrics, no consensual quantitative security metric has been proposed so far. Static analysis is an effective approach for detecting vulnerabilities, but the complexity of applications and the large variety of vulnerabilities prevent any single tool from being foolproof. In this application paper we investigate the hypothesis of combining the output of multiple static code analyzers to define metrics for comparing the trustworthiness of web applications. Various experiments, including a benchmarking campaign over seven distinct open source web forums, show that the raw number of vulnerabilities reported by a set of tools allows rough trustworthiness comparison. We also study the use of normalization and false positive rate estimation to calibrate the output of each tool. Results show that calibration allows computing a very accurate metric that can be used to easily and automatically compare different applications.
Reflections on reflection in agile software development

This paper analyzes the reflections of an agile team, developing a large-scale project in an industry setting. The team uses an iteration summary meeting practice, which includes four elements: the customer's summary, a formal presentation of the system, review of metrics and a reflection. The technique for the entire meeting and for the reflection element in particular is described, and empirical evidence is given to show that it is assessed as highly effective, achieving its intended goals, and increasing team satisfaction. Further, the proposed practice supports tracking past decisions. This practice is shown to be valuable to stabilizing a new project as well as a continuous improvement forum for a stable project. It also incurs a lower overhead than existing alternative reflection practices
Dobutamine Increases Cardiac Output of the Total Artificial Heart: Implications for Vascular Contribution of Inotropic Agents to Augmented Ventricular Function

BackgroundThe synthetic catecholamine dobutamine increases stroke volume in normal subjects and in patients with congestive heart failure. In addition to its direct influence on myocardial contractility, dobutamine may significantly modulate vascular tone because of its a' and β-adrenergic agonist activity. Methods and ResultsTo test the hypothesis that such vasoactive properties significantly contribute to the improved ventricular performance noted with this agent, hemodynamic parameters were measured during stepped ascension infusion of dobutamine in a model that is insensitive to positive inotropic stimulation. Administration of dobutamine in nine calves that underwent replacement of the native right and left ventricles with pneumatically driven total artificial hearts resulted in a significant (p = 0.0001) increase in cardiac output from 7.0 ± 1.8 to 8.2 ± 1.8 1/min and a significant (p = 0.0001) decrease in total peripheral vascular resistance from 1,224 ± 559 to 745 ± 317 dyne-sec/cm5. A less marked influence was noted on the pulmonary vasculature, with pulmonary vascular resistance exhibiting a significant (p < 0.0S) decrease from its baseline value only at the peak infusion. Consistent with an increase in venous return, both left and right atrial pressures increased significantly (p < 0.005) with dobutamine administration. ConclusionsThese data demonstrate that the vasoactive properties of dobutamine significantly contribute to improved ventricular performance independent of direct myocardial stimulation. This effect appears to result in part from a direct modulation of arterial and venous tones rather than from a reflex response to primary changes in contractility.
Pulmonary surfactant protein A-mediated uptake of phosphatidylcholine by alveolar type II cells.

Pulmonary surfactant protein A (SP-A)-mediated uptake of phosphatidylcholine (PC) by alveolar type II cells was investigated. SP-A enhanced the uptake of liposomes containing dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl phosphatidylcholine (PLPC), or 1,2-dihexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC-ether), a diether analogue of DPPC, but about twice as much DPPC was taken up by type II cells as PLPC or DPPC-ether. When subcellular distribution was analyzed, 51.3 +/- 2.9% (mean +/- SD, n = 3) of cell-associated radiolabeled DPPC was recovered in the lamellar body-rich fraction in the presence of SP-A, whereas only 19.3 +/- 1.9% (mean +/- SD, n = 3) was found to this fraction in the absence of SP-A. When type II cells were incubated either with DPPC at 0 degree C or with DPPC-ether at 37 degrees C, or no cells were included, low proportions of the cell-associated lipids were present in the fractions corresponding to lamellar bodies even in the presence of SP-A. Anti-SP-A antibody significantly reduced the radioactivity incorporated into the lamellar body fraction. Phosphatidylcholine that had been incorporated into lamellar bodies remained largely intact when SP-A was present. Subcellular fractionations of type II cells with radiolabeled SP-A and DPPC revealed that the sedimentation characteristics of cell-associated SP-A are different from those of DPPC, although a small broad peak of radiolabeled SP-A was found in the lamellar body fraction. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A statistical test to show negligible trend: comment.

Detecting temporal trends is an important component of many ecological monitoring programs (Thomas 1996). However, it is increasingly recognized that simply because a trend is statistically significant does not mean that it is ecologically significant. To incorporate the concept of ecological significance into a statistical hypothesis testing framework, Dixon and Pechmann (2005) advocated the use of equivalency testing. Their paper provides an excellent introduction to equivalence testing and application of this method to population trends. In their discussion, Dixon and Pechmann (2005) suggested that traditional point null hypotheses and equivalence null hypotheses can be combined to provide complementary insights. Here, we attempt to clarify the ecological inference that can be drawn from these tests and suggest enhancements for its utility. In their discussion, Dixon and Pechmann (2005) discussed the ecological inferences that can be drawn from an approach that combines the test results of the "point" null hypothesis (Johnson 1999),
HUMIRA® Pen: a novel autoinjection device for subcutaneous injection of the fully human monoclonal antibody adalimumab

The HUMIRA® (adalimumab) Pen is a novel, integrated, disposable autoinjection delivery system for the subcutaneous injection of adalimumab. Adalimumab is a biological disease modifier for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic debilitating diseases mediated by tumor necrosis factor. Sustaining long-term efficacy with a biological therapy is influenced by patient adherence to the therapeutic regimen, which is often affected by the route of drug administration. Self-administered injectables offer several advantages over intravenous injections (i.e., portability, convenience and flexible scheduling). In particular, patients with chronic, debilitating diseases may need a self-administered medication available in an easy-to-use and convenient delivery device that minimizes pain and facilitates adherence to therapy. The adalimumab Pen offers these benefits and recent evidence indicates that patients overwhelmingly prefer the adalimumab Pen to the prefilled syringe.
Diversity Based Improved Bagging Algorithm

Bagging is a well known method for designing classifier ensembles. It builds an ensemble of classifier trained on different bootstrap replicates of the training data set. In this paper an improvement to bagging algorithm called DivBagging is presented and studied in depth. The experimental results show that DivBagging is a promising method for ensemble pruning. We believe that it has many advantages over similar methods such as Bagging and Learn because their mechanism is solely based on selecting the most accurate base classifiers.
Maturation, Refinement, and Serotonergic Modulation of Cerebellar Cortical Circuits in Normal Development and in Murine Models of Autism

The formation of the complex cerebellar cortical circuits follows different phases, with initial synaptogenesis and subsequent processes of refinement guided by a variety of mechanisms. The regularity of the cellular and synaptic organization of the cerebellar cortex allowed detailed studies of the structural plasticity mechanisms underlying the formation of new synapses and retraction of redundant ones. For the attainment of the monoinnervation of the Purkinje cell by a single climbing fiber, several signals are involved, including electrical activity, contact signals, homosynaptic and heterosynaptic interaction, calcium transients, postsynaptic receptors, and transduction pathways. An important role in this developmental program is played by serotonergic projections that, acting on temporally and spatially regulated postsynaptic receptors, induce and modulate the phases of synaptic formation and maturation. In the adult cerebellar cortex, many developmental mechanisms persist but play different roles, such as supporting synaptic plasticity during learning and formation of cerebellar memory traces. A dysfunction at any stage of this process can lead to disorders of cerebellar origin, which include autism spectrum disorders but are not limited to motor deficits. Recent evidence in animal models links impairment of Purkinje cell function with autism-like symptoms including sociability deficits, stereotyped movements, and interspecific communication by vocalization.
Cholesterol metabolism in the brain

The central nervous system accounts for only 2% of the whole body mass but contains almost a quarter of the unesterified cholesterol present in the whole individual. This sterol is largely present in two pools comprised of the cholesterol in the plasma membranes of glial cells and neurons and the cholesterol present in the specialized membranes of myelin. From 0.02% (human) to 0.4% (mouse) of the cholesterol in these pools turns over each day so that the absolute flux of sterol across the brain is only approximately 0.9% as rapid as the turnover of cholesterol in the whole body of these respective species. The input of cholesterol into the central nervous system comes almost entirely from in situ synthesis, and there is currently little evidence for the net transfer of sterol from the plasma into the brain of the fetus, newborn or adult. In the steady state in the adult, an equivalent amount of cholesterol must move out of the brain and this output is partly accounted for by the formation and excretion of 24S-hydroxycholesterol. This cholesterol turnover across the brain is increased in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Niemann-Pick type C disease. Indirect evidence suggests that large amounts of cholesterol also turn over among the glial cells and neurons within the central nervous system during brain growth and neuron repair and remodelling. This internal recycling of sterol may involve ligands such as apolipoproteins E and AI, and one or more membrane transport proteins such as members of the low density lipoprotein receptor family. Changes in cholesterol balance across the whole body may, in some way, cause alterations in sterol recycling and apolipoprotein E expression within the central nervous system, which, in turn, may affect neuron and myelin integrity. Further elucidation of the processes controlling these events is very important to understand a variety of neurodegenerative disorders.
Continental-scale patterns of pathogen prevalence: a case study on the corncrake

Pathogen infections can represent a substantial threat to wild populations, especially those already limited in size. To determine how much variation in the pathogens observed among fragmented populations is caused by ecological factors, one needs to examine systems where host genetic diversity is consistent among the populations, thus controlling for any potentially confounding genetic effects. Here, we report geographic variation in haemosporidian infection among European populations of corncrake. This species now occurs in fragmented populations, but there is little genetic structure and equally high levels of genetic diversity among these populations. We observed a longitudinal gradient of prevalence from western to Eastern Europe negatively correlated with national agricultural yield, but positively correlated with corncrake census population sizes when only the most widespread lineage is considered. This likely reveals a possible impact of local agriculture intensity, which reduced host population densities in Western Europe and, potentially, insect vector abundance, thus reducing the transmission of pathogens. We conclude that in the corncrake system, where metapopulation dynamics resulted in variations in local census population sizes, but not in the genetic impoverishment of these populations, anthropogenic activity has led to a reduction in host populations and pathogen prevalence.
Assessing Household Solid Fuel Use: Multiple Implications for the Millennium Development Goals

Objective The World Health Organization is the agency responsible for reporting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) indicator “percentage of population using solid fuels. ” In this article, we present the results of a comprehensive assessment of solid fuel use, conducted in 2005, and discuss the implications of our findings in the context of achieving the MDGs. Methods For 93 countries, solid fuel use data were compiled from recent national censuses or household surveys. For the 36 countries where no data were available, the indicator was modeled. For 52 upper-middle or high-income countries, the indicator was assumed to be < 5%. Results According to our assessment, 52% of the world’s population uses solid fuels. This percentage varies widely between countries and regions, ranging from 77%, 74%, and 74% in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific Region, respectively, to 36% in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, 16% in Latin America and the Caribbean and in Central and Eastern Europe. In most industrialized countries, solid fuel use falls to the < 5% mark. Discussion Although the “percentage of population using solid fuels” is classified as an indicator to measure progress towards MDG 7, reliance on traditional household energy practices has distinct implications for most of the MDGs, notably MDGs 4 and 5. There is an urgent need for development agendas to recognize the fundamental role that household energy plays in improving child and maternal health and fostering economic and social development.
Conflict resolution with argumentation dialogues

Conflicts exist in multi-agent systems for a number of reasons: agents have different interests and desires; agents hold different beliefs; agents make different assumptions. To resolve conflicts, agents need to better convey information to each other and facilitate fair negotiations yielding jointly agreeable outcomes. We present a two-agent, dialogical conflict resolution scheme developed with the Assumption-Based Argumentation (ABA) framework.
The role of the reference radiologist. Estimates of inter-observer agreement and potential delay in cancer detection in the national breast screening study.

The Canadian National Breast Screening Study (NBSS) is a randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of screening on breast cancer mortality. The NBSS designated a single reference radiologist who blindly reviewed over the course of the study 5200 randomly selected two-view mammographic examinations of women not known to have breast cancer. He also reviewed 575 screening-detected breast cancer (SBC) cases and 102 interval breast cancer (IBC) cases. All cancers were histologically proven. As a result of the reviews, comments on inter-observer agreement, interpretation, and technical quality were conveyed on an ongoing basis to radiologists appointed to 15 NBSS screening centers. Agreement of the reference radiologist with center radiologists was better for breast cancer cases (kappa = 0.511, P less than .002) than for those not known to have breast cancer (kappa = 0.307, P less than .002). Observer error and technical problems led to delayed detection in 22% of SBCs and 35% of IBCs. Another 11% of SBCs and 58% of IBCs were probably mammographically occult. No similarly comprehensive review of mammography during a screening program has been published. Suggestions arising from the NBSS review were sometimes resisted by center radiologists. Measures are suggested which might facilitate acceptance of recommendations arising from audit mechanisms in mammography screening programs, thereby enhancing opportunities for mammographic excellence.