Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consensus of Multiagent Systems With Distance-Dependent Communication Networks

In this paper, we study the consensus problem of discrete-time and continuous-time multiagent systems with distance-dependent communication networks, respectively. The communication weight between any two agents is assumed to be a nonincreasing function of their distance. First, we consider the networks with fixed connectivity. In this case, the interaction between adjacent agents always exists but the influence could possibly become negligible if the distance is long enough. We show that consensus can be reached under arbitrary initial states if the decay rate of the communication weight is less than a given bound. Second, we study the networks with distance-dependent connectivity. It is assumed that any two agents interact with each other if and only if their distance does not exceed a fixed range. With the validity of some conditions related to the property of the initial communication graph, we prove that consensus can be achieved asymptotically. Third, we present some applications of the main results to opinion consensus problems and formation control problems. Finally, several simulation examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical findings.
Skewness and Kurtosis Implied by Option Prices: A Correction

Corrado and Su (1996) provide skewness and kurtosis adjustment terms for the Black-Scholes model, using a Gram-Charlier expansion of the normal density function. In this note we provide a correction to the expression for the skewness coefficient and illustrate the effect on call option prices of the error found.
An Ontology for Portability and Interoperability Digital Documents - An Approach in Document Engineering using Ontologies

Organizations need to exchange information simple and efficient, with costs as low as possible. Such information is ussually presented as documents with pre-defined content. These documents may be equivalent or almost equivalent but quite distinct in different organizations. The same document can be different depending on the historical context. Also, organizations do not always use the same technology to generate your documents. The purpose of this work is to enable interoperability of documents and achieve portability of digital documents through the reuse of content and format in different plausible combinations. We propose the characterization of digital documents using ontologies as a solution to the problem of lack of interoperability in the implementations of document formats. As proof of concept we consider the portability between OOXML and ODF document formats.
Consumption of Alcopops During Brain Maturation Period: Higher Impact of Fructose Than Ethanol on Brain Metabolism

Alcopops are flavored alcoholic beverages sweetened by sodas, known to contain fructose. These drinks have the goal of democratizing alcohol among young consumers (12–17 years old) and in the past few years have been considered as fashionable amongst teenagers. Adolescence, however, is a key period for brain maturation, occurring in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system until 21 years old. Therefore, this drinking behavior has become a public health concern. Despite the extensive literature concerning the respective impacts of either fructose or ethanol on brain, the effects following joint consumption of these substrates remains unknown. Our objective was to study the early brain modifications induced by a combined diet of high fructose (20%) and moderate amount of alcohol in young rats by 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Wistar rats had isocaloric pair-fed diets containing fructose (HF, 20%), ethanol (Et, 0.5 g/day/kg) or both substrates at the same time (HFEt). After 6 weeks of diet, the rats were infused with 13C-glucose and brain perchloric acid extracts were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy (1H and 13C). Surprisingly, the most important modifications of brain metabolism were observed under fructose diet. Alterations, observed after only 6 weeks of diet, show that the brain is vulnerable at the metabolic level to fructose consumption during late-adolescence throughout adulthood in rats. The main result was an increase in oxidative metabolism compared to glycolysis, which may impact lactate levels in the brain and may, at least partially, explain memory impairment in teenagers consuming alcopops.
Waist circumference and weight change are associated with disability among elderly Hispanics.

BACKGROUND Studies have suggested that both high and low body mass index (BMI) and weight change are related to functional disability in elderly populations. Elderly Hispanics have a high prevalence of both obesity and disability, yet few studies have examined their interrelationship in this population. Therefore, we examined these relationships in a mostly Puerto Rican group of Hispanic elders. METHODS We investigated associations between a three-level disability score created from responses to a questionnaire on activities of daily living and BMI, waist circumference (WC), and weight change since age 50, using the proportional odds model in a cross-sectional study of 763 elderly Hispanics, aged 60 to 92 years, residing in Massachusetts. RESULTS After adjusting for potential confounders, men with a WC > or =109.3 cm (vs <90 cm), or with a reported weight loss of -0.32 to -0.01 kg/year, or a weight gain > or =0.55 kg/year since age 50 (vs relatively stable weight, -0.01 to +0.21 kg/year [y]) were each significantly associated with an approximately threefold higher risk for greater disability. Women with a BMI > or =35 kg/m(2) were almost four times as likely to have higher disability as those with a BMI of 20 to 25 kg/m(2). Compared with women with a WC < or =85.2 cm, those with a WC of 91.5 to 106.6 cm were two times more likely, and those with a WC > or =106.6 cm were five times more likely, to have higher disability scores. Compared with relatively stable weight (-0.05 to +0.23 kg/y), weight gain > or =0.23 kg/year was associated with a twofold higher risk of greater disability among women. When BMI and WC were included in the same model, WC, but not BMI, remained significantly associated with disability. CONCLUSIONS Abdominal obesity (WC > or =109.3 cm for men, or WC > or =91.5 cm for women) and weight gain > or =0.55 kg/year after age 50 in men or > or =0.23 kg/year in women may increase the risk of disability among elderly Hispanics.
Thermal parameters evaluation for stator fractional-slot concentrated winding machines

The aim of this paper is the determination of the thermal parameters and thermal coefficients for a fractional-slot concentrated winding machine. In previous papers, the authors presented a detailed analysis of the values obtained for machines equipped with distributed windings. Since the two winding topologies have a complete different realization, it has been mandatory to validate the approach proposed for distributed windings even in the case of concentrated windings. In this sense, the experimental tests and the model validation have been performed using a reduced-scale prototype of a generator properly designed for aircraft applications. The machine is equipped with single-layer fractional-slot concentrated windings and the coils are produced using Litz wire. The obtained results indicate that the proposed method to estimate the thermal parameters and coefficients for distributed winding machines can be used for this specific fractional-slot concentrated winding machine as well.
Beef customer satisfaction: factors affecting consumer evaluations of clod steaks.

An in-home beef study evaluated consumer ratings of clod steaks (n = 1,264) as influenced by USDA quality grade (Top Choice, Low Choice, High Select, and Low Select), city (Chicago and Philadelphia), consumer segment (Beef Loyals, who are heavy consumers of beef; Budget Rotators, who are cost-driven and split meat consumption between beef and chicken; and Variety Rotators, who have higher incomes and education and split their meat consumption among beef, poultry, and other foods), degree of doneness, and cooking method. Consumers evaluated each steak for Overall Like, Tenderness, Juiciness, Flavor Like, and Flavor Amount using 10-point scales. Grilling was the predominant cooking method used, and steaks were cooked to medium-well and greater degrees of doneness. Interactions existed involving the consumer-controlled factors of degree of doneness and(or) cooking method for all consumer-evaluated traits for the clod steak (P < 0.05). USDA grade did not affect any consumer evaluation traits or Warner-Bratzler shear force values (P > 0.05). One significant main effect, segment (P = 0.006), and one significant interaction, cooking method x city (P = 0.0407), existed for Overall Like ratings. Consumers in the Beef Loyals segment rated clod steaks higher in Overall Like than the other segments. Consumers in Chicago tended to give more uniform Overall Like ratings to clod steaks cooked by various methods; however, consumers in Philadelphia gave among the highest ratings to clod steaks that were fried and among the lowest to those that were grilled. Additionally, although clod steaks that were fried were given generally high ratings by consumers in Philadelphia, consumers in Chicago rated clod steaks cooked in this manner significantly lower than those in Philadelphia. Conversely, consumers in Chicago rated clod steaks that were grilled significantly higher than consumers in Philadelphia. Correlation and stepwise regression analyses indicated that Flavor Like was driving customer satisfaction of the clod steak. Flavor Like was the sensory trait most highly correlated to Overall Like, followed by Tenderness, Flavor Amount, and Juiciness. Flavor Like was the first variable to enter into the stepwise regression equation for predicting Overall Like, followed by Tenderness and Flavor Amount. For the clod steak, it is likely that preparation techniques that improve flavor without reducing tenderness positively affect customer satisfaction.
Antiulcerogenic potential of Salvia officinalis L . extract in rats

Taís Regina Fiorentin, Michela Bianchi De Mello, Aline Maria Krube Aquino, Bruna Alexsandra Rigo, Carla Giane Loss, Melissa Schwanz, Arno Ernesto Hofmann Junior, Sandra Manoela Dias Macedo Department of Health Science, Regional Integrated University of Alto Uruguai and Missões, Erechim-RS, Brazil. Department of Clinical, Toxicological and Bromatological Analysis, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil. Department od Clinical Patology, University of Campinas , Campinas-SP, Brazil. Department of Health Science, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul-RS, Brazil. Department of Basic Health Science, Health Sciences Federal University of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Technology and Teacher Education: A Guide for Educators and Policymakers

Note: Each chapter ends with a Conclusion. 1. The Technology Challenge for Teacher Education Dialogues Within the Academy: Dinner for Eight Introduction Three Assumptions That Guide This Book How SCDEs Are Handling the Increased Role of Technology What Obstacles Must Be Overcome if SCDEs Are to Employ Technology Successfully? 2. Establishing Benchmarks for Technology and Teacher Education Dialogues Within the Academy: Finding Benchmarks The CEO Forum on Education and Technology Campus Leadership Campus Infrastructure SCDE Leadership SCDE Infrastructure SCDE Curriculum Faculty Competence and Use Student Competence and Use Alumni Connections 3. Approaches to Technology Instruction in Teacher Education Dialogues Within the Academy: Do You Think Technology Might Affect Accreditation? Sorting Out the Options Stand-Alone Technology Course College/University Technology Requirement Integrated Technology Component Technology in the Field Computer-Assisted Instruction and Distance Learning as a Technology Component Technology Fully Integrated Throughout the Program 4. Integration of Technology Across the Teacher Education Curriculum Dialogues Within the Academy: From Dinner for Eight to Lunch for Three Finding a Model for Technology Integration Building a Framework Specific to the SCDE Integrated Technology Activities 5. Technology for Special Education Teachers Dialogues Within the Academy: What About Special Education? Special Education Service Delivery Preparing Teachers to Use Technology in Special Education 6. Preparation of Technology Specialists Dialogues Within the Academy: Trying to Do It All Preparing the Technology Specialist 7. Technology for School Administrators and Counselors Dialogues Within the Academy: Administrators and Counselors Next Why Should We Be Concerned About the Technology Competence of School Administrators and Counselors? The Impact of Technology on the Role of School Administrators The Role of Technology in School Administration Graduate Programs The Impact of Technology on the Role of School Counselors The Role of Technology in Counselor Education Graduate Programs 8. Distance-Learning Technologies in Education Courses Dialogues Within the Academy: Out on the Road Distance Learning in Higher Education Why Distance Education? A Model for Merging Distance-Learning Technology and Teacher Education Professional Development, In-Service, and Distance Education 9. Using Technology as a Catalyst for Change Dialogues Within the Academy: The Final Report Problems of Change in Higher Education Seven Lessons from Research on Change CEO Forum Revisited Nine Steps for Successful Technology Implementation University of Florida College of Education Information Technology Initiative Glossary Resources Index
Molecular Identification and Analysis of Nonserotypeable Human Enteroviruses

ABSTRACT Conventional approaches to characterizing human enteroviruses (HEVs) are based on viral isolation and neutralization. Molecular typing methods depend largely on reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and nucleotide sequencing of the entire or partial VP1 gene. A modified RT-PCR-based reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization assay was developed as a rapid and efficient way to characterize common and nonserotypeable (by neutralization) HEVs. Twenty HEV serotypes accounted for 87.1% of all HEVs isolated at a reference laboratory from 1979 to 2007; these common serotypes were identified using one sense and three antisense primers and a set of 80 serotype-specific probes in VP1 (F. Zhou et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 47:2737-2743, 2009). In this study, one HEV-specific primer pair, two probes in the 5′ untranslated region (UTR), and a new set of 80 serotype-specific probes in VP1 were designed. First, we successfully applied the modified RT-PCR-RLB (using two HEV-specific probes and two sets of serotype-specific probes) to synchronously detect the 5′ UTR and VP1 regions of 131/132 isolates previously studied (F. Zhou et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 47:2737-2743, 2009). Then, this method was used to identify 73/92 nonserotypeable HEV isolates; 19 nonserotypeable isolates were hybridized only with HEV-specific probes. The VP1 region of 92 nonserotypeable HEV isolates was sequenced; 73 sequences corresponded with one or both RLB results and 19 (not belonging to the 20 most common genotypes) were identified only by sequencing. Two sets of serotype-specific probes can capture the majority of strains belonging to the 20 most common serotypes/genotypes simultaneously or complementarily. Synchronous detection of the 5′ UTR and VP1 region by RT-PCR-RLB will facilitate the identification of HEVs, especially nonserotypeable isolates.
Isolation and identification of main mastitis pathogens in Mexico

The present work is a large epidemiological study aiming to detect the prevalence of subclinical mastitis and to investigate the major udder pathogens in Jalisco State, western Mexico. For this purpose, 2205 dairy cows, representing 33 Mexican dairy herds, were involved. Of 2205 cows, 752 mastitic animals were diagnosed and only 2,979 milk samples could be obtained for further investigation. All 2979 milk samples were subjected to California Mastitis Test (CMT) to differentiate clinical cases from subclinical ones where 1996 samples (67 %) reacted positively. Of these, 1087 samples (54.5%) came from cows suffering from clinical cases of mastitis. Bacteriological identification of the causative agents revealed the presence of a major group of pathogens including the Coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS), S.aureus, S.agalactiae, Corynebacterium spp. and Coliform bacteria which were detected in 464 (15.6%), 175 (5.9%), 200 (6.8%), 417 (14%) and 123 (4.1%) of the 2927 investigated quarters, 295 (15.4%), 118 (15.7%), 111 (14.8%), 227 (30.2%) and 109 (14.5%) of the 752 examined cows and in 33 (100%), 22 (66.7%), 19 (57.6%), 30 (90.1%) and 27 (81.8%) of the 33 herds involved, respectively. Other pathogens could be detected in the investigated milk samples such as S. dysgalactiae (0.4%), S.uberis (0.37%), Bacillus spp. (1%), Nocardia spp. (0.6%) und Candida spp. (0.1%). Meanwhile, others were present in a negligible ratio; including the Aerococcus viridans, and Enterococcus spp. , Lactococcus lactis, S. bovis.
Discontinuation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia: Recommendations for clinical practice from the French Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Study Group

The ultimate goal of chronic myeloid leukemia management in the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) era for patients who obtain deep molecular responses is maintaining a durable off‐treatment response after treatment discontinuation; this situation is called treatment‐free remission (TFR). Knowledge accumulated during the last 10 years justifies moving TFR strategies from research to clinical practice.
The Role of DNA Polymerase η in Translesion Synthesis Past Platinum–DNA Adducts in Human Fibroblasts

Cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, has been implicated in the induction of secondary tumors in cancer patients. This drug is presumed to be mutagenic because of error-prone translesion synthesis of cisplatin adducts in DNA. Oxaliplatin is effective in cisplatin-resistant tumors, but its mutagenicity in humans has not been reported. The polymerases involved in bypass of cisplatin and oxaliplatin adducts in vivo are not known. DNA polymerase η is the most efficient polymerase for bypassing platinum adducts in vitro. We evaluated the role of polymerase η in translesion synthesis past platinum adducts by determining cytotoxicity and induced mutation frequencies at the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) locus in diploid human fibroblasts. Normal human fibroblasts (NHF1) were compared with xeroderma pigmentosum variant (XPV) cells (polymerase η-null) after treatment with cisplatin. In addition, XPV cells complemented for polymerase η expression were compared with the isogenic cells carrying the empty expression vector. Cytotoxicity and induced mutagenicity experiments were measured in parallel in UVC-irradiated fibroblasts. We found that equitoxic doses of cisplatin induced mutations in fibroblasts lacking polymerase η at frequencies 2- to 2.5-fold higher than in fibroblasts with either normal or high levels of polymerase η. These results indicate that polymerase η is involved in error-free translesion synthesis past some cisplatin adducts. We also found that per lethal event, cisplatin was less mutagenic than UVC. Treatment with a wide range of cytotoxic doses of oxaliplatin did not induce mutations above background levels in cells either expressing or lacking polymerase η, suggesting that oxaliplatin is nonmutagenic in human fibroblasts.
Mental Health and Wellbeing and Unemployment

This article examines the relationship between mental health and wellbeing and unemployment utilising the 1995 National Health Survey (1995 NHS) and the 1997 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing of Adults (1997 SMHWB) data sets. Three indicators of mental health and wellbeing are adopted. The first is a psychological wellbeing measure derived from responses to questions included in the 1995 NHS on time felt down, happy, peaceful, and nervous (the SF-36 mental health scale). The second indicator relates to diagnoses of mental disorders including substance use disorders, affective disorders and anxiety disorders. Our final indicator relates to suicidal thoughts and plans and (unsuccessful) suicide attempts. On the basis of these measures, unemployed persons exhibit poorer mental health and wellbeing outcomes than the full-time employed.
Risk Reduction for Energy Project Sponsors Through Synthetic, Revenue-Neutral Diversification

Financial institutions and insurance companies account for 96% of the activity in the $4.8 trillion credit derivatives market while corporations account for a mere 4%. This article makes a case for? synthetic, revenue-neutral diversification? as a method for energy firms to manage the credit risk in their long-term power-purchase agreements (PPAs). Synthetic, revenue-neutral diversification involves a firm buying insurance on assets in its portfolio and paying the associated insurance premium by simultaneously selling insurance to another firm, thus enabling it to avoid any cash expense. The primary objective of synthetic, revenue-neutral diversification is implicitly to change the firm? s asset portfolio and to increase diversification without reducing the firm? s revenues. In an example, two independent power producers use credit derivatives to diversify the geographic exposures of their PPA portfolios, thereby reducing their expected losses, improving their credit ratings, and lowering their cost of borrowing.
The American Accounting Association’s Financial Reporting Policy Committee’s Response to the Preliminary Views on Financial Statement Presentation

SYNOPSIS: The Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board (hereafter, the Boards) issued the discussion paper Preliminary Views on Financial Statement Presentation in late 2008. The Boards propose to significantly reconfigure the presentation of financial statements to offer parallel statements with standardized partitions of each financial statement into five categories: business activities, financing activities, income taxes, discontinued operations, and equity. The allocation of transactions within these partitions will depend crucially on management’s assessment of each transaction (i.e., the management approach). In this paper we comment on the proposal, with particular emphasis on empirical evidence and relevant theories from academic research. We highlight benefits of the proposed changes as well as some possible concerns. We conclude that the objective of providing a cohesive picture of activities through a uniform standardization of each financial stateme.
Does Measurement Matter? The Case of VAP and VEP in Models of Voter Turnout in the United States

The introduction of McDonald and Popkin's (2001) measure of the voting eligible turnout rate represents an important advancement in the literature on voter turnout in the United States, most of which was based on studies of turnout among the voting age population. Among other things, their measure called into question many of the findings of research on the decline in turnout during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. In this article, we investigate how the measurement of voter turnout affects the interpretation of the sources of turnout in the states. Focusing on voting-age and voting-eligible turnout in presidential elections from 1980 to 2004 as separate dependent variables, we estimate models of state-level turnout and compare the results for each of the measures. Our findings suggest that measurement does matter in state-level voter turnout models and that some inferences drawn from studies of turnout among the voting age population are not sustained when substituting voting eligible turnout.