Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of First and Second Order Training Algorithms for Artificial Neural Networks

Minimization methods for training feed-forward networks with Backpropagation are compared. Feedforward network training is a special case of functional minimization, where no explicit model of the data is assumed. Therefore due to the high dimensionality of the data, linearization of the training problem through use of orthogonal basis functions is not desirable. The focus is functional minimization on any basis. A number of methods based on local gradient and Hessian matrices are discussed. Modifications of many methods of first and second order training methods are considered. Using share rates data, experimentally it is proved that Conjugate gradient and Quasi Newton's methods outperformed the Gradient Descent methods. In case of the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is of special interest in financial forecasting.
Protection of yeast lacking the Ure2 protein against the toxicity of heavy metals and hydroperoxides by antioxidants

The aim of this study was to examine the protection of the yeast lacking the “antioxidant-like” prion precursor protein (Ure2p), by antioxidants and to elucidate how modification of redox homeostasis affects toxicity of agents inducing oxidative stress in the Δure2 cells. We found a diverse ability of a range of antioxidants to ameliorate the hypersensitivity of the Δure2 disruptant to oxidants and heavy metal ions. Glutathione and then ascorbate were the most effective antioxidants; Tempol, Trolox and melatonin were much less effective or even hampered the growth of the Δure2 cells exposed to tested agents. The intracellular level of ROS was augmented in the Δure2 mutant under normal growth conditions (1.7-fold), and after treatment with H2O2 (2.3-fold) and Cd(II) (2.8-fold), with respect to its wild-type counterpart. Glutathione was unable to prevent the increase in ROS production caused by CdCl2. The Δure2 disruptant was also hypersensitive to heat shock, like mutants lacking glutathione S-transferases.
Nutrition guidance in Dutch family practice: behavioral determinants of reduction of fat consumption.

BACKGROUND Studies have shown that the psychosocial determinants attitude, self-efficacy, subjective norm, and health threat are important in predicting intention to change fat consumption. However, the role of habit in relation to these determinants is still largely unknown. OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess whether and how habit influences intention in relation to attitude, self-efficacy, subjective norm, and health threat. DESIGN Cross-sectionally, we studied the self-reported psychosocial determinants and intention of 105 (52 intervention, 53 control) patients who participated in a family practice-based tailored nutrition counseling intervention study for lowering cardiovascular risk. Fat intake 15 mo before the assessment of psychosocial determinants was used as a measure of habit. We used logistic regression analyses to develop a model predicting intention to change fat consumption. RESULTS Our regression model explained 43% of the variance in intention. Patients who perceived higher subjective norm or more social support had a higher intention. Habit was a significant predictor of intention in interaction with self-efficacy and health threat. Attitude, health threat, age, and group membership (ie, whether patients had been in the intervention group or the control group of the intervention study) were also included in the regression model. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that habit in addition to subjective norm and the other more frequently investigated psychosocial determinants are important in predicting intention to change fat consumption. To achieve sustainable health improvement through nutrition education programs, these programs should therefore start focusing more on subjective norm and habit.
Simulation of submarine groundwater discharge salinity and temperature variations : implications for remote detection

A hydrological analysis using a numerical simulation was done to identify the transient response of the salinity and temperature of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and utilize the results to guide data collection. Results indicate that the amount of SGD fluctuates depending on the ocean stage and geology, with the greatest amount of SGD delivered at low tide when the aquifer is in direct hydraulic contact with the ocean. The salinity of SGD remains lower than the ocean throughout the year; however, the salinity difference between the aquifer and ocean is inversely proportional to the ocean stage. The temperature difference between the ocean and SGD fluctuates seasonally, with the greatest temperature differences occurring in summer and winter. The outcome of this research reveals that numerical modelling could potentially be used to guide data collection including aerial surveys using electromagnetic (EM) resistivity and thermal imagery.
The Effect of Age, Stocking Density and Flooring during Transport on Welfare of Young Dairy Calves in Australia

Simple Summary Young calves are vulnerable to the stressful conditions associated with transport. This study examined the effect of age, stocking density and flooring during transport on lying behaviour and some physiological measurements of metabolic state, dehydration and muscle damage in young calves. While physiology and behaviour changed with age, there were no clear effects of transport. More space and straw bedding however was of benefit to calves of all ages, with some indication that straw bedding could ameliorate some of the negative effects of reduced space on lying behaviour. Abstract Transport of young (‘bobby’) calves for slaughter is a contentious welfare issue for some sectors of the Australian community. Factors of age, stocking density and flooring need further research to develop appropriate welfare standards for transport of bobby calves. The objective of this study was to identify the space allowance requirements for transport of bobby calves and to understand factors such as age and flooring that minimise risks to calf welfare during transport. Animals aged 3-, 5- and 10-day old were transported for 12 h in a custom-made cattle truck fitted with 9 pens, with movable mesh divisions. Each pen contained 4 calves, with space allowances of 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 m2 per calf and flooring of solid metal, mesh or straw bedding. A total of 432 male dairy calves were transported in 12 trips during the 2-year study. Behavioural measurements included lying during transport, and lying and drinking for 12 h after transport during recovery. Blood samples were taken prior to transport, immediately after transport and 12 h after transport. Blood samples were analysed for metabolic state (glucose, beta-hydroxy-butyrate (BOHB)), hydration (packed cell volume (PCV)) and exhaustion/bruising (creatine kinase (CK) activity). It was found that several measures were affected by age, which indicates that the physiology and in particular lying behaviour of 3-day old calves is fundamentally different from that of older calves. It is unclear how this affects their ability to cope with the stressors of transport. Space affected the posture changes and CK activity during and after transport and it is concluded that space allowance should be at least 0.3 m2 per calf for calves of average size, while CK activity suggested that providing more space to 0.5 m2 per calf may provide even greater benefits. Straw bedding is of clear benefit to calves during transport, to the extent that it may even reduce some of the negative effects of reduced space on lying behaviour.
Phosphorus forms and concentrations in leachate under four grassland soil types

The transfer of P in water draining from agricultural land can contribute to eutrophication and the growth of toxic algae. Traditionally, research has focused on particulate P transfer in surface pathways, with transfer by subsurface pathways perceived as negligible. We investigated this by monitoring P in leachate draining through large-scale monolith lysimeters (135 cm deep, 80 cm diam.) installed in a field site in southwest England. The lysimeters were taken from four grassland soil types with a range of textures (silty clay-sand) and extractable-P contents (15-75 mg kg -1 NaHCO 3 extractable P) and leachate was sampled over two drainage seasons. Export of total P was 200 μg L -1 were detected from all soil types. Physically, most of the leachate P was dissolved ( 0.45 μm) size fraction, most notably from the sandy-textured soils. Chemically, the leachate was dominated by reactive (inorganic) P from all soil types (62-71%), although a large proportion was in unreactive (organic) P forms (29-38%). Reactive P occurred mainly in the 0.45 fraction. Unreactive P in the 0.45 μm P forms are important in subsurface P transfer.
Yield and yield components of wheat as affected by different seed rates and nitrogen levels

The present study was designed to find out the effect of different seed rates and nitrogen levels on wheat. The experiment was laid out in Split plot arrangement with 4 replications. The plot size of 4 x 1.8 m 2 was maintained. Prior to sowing Wheat variety Lakki- J03 was sown on a well prepared seed bed on 2 nd week of Nov. in 2003. at Agriculture Research Station Serai Nourang, Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - Pakistan. Adequate plant protection measures were made during the crop growing period. Keeping in view the soil condition and physical appearance of crop, five numbers of irrigations were applied to all the plots uniformly. Observations on number of tillers m -2 , spikes m -2 , number of grains spike -1 , 1000 grain weight (g), biological yield (kg ha -1 ), grains yield (kg ha -1 ) and economic analysis were recorded. Five seed rates (S1 = 60 kg ha -1 , S2 = 80 kg ha -1 , S3 = 100 kg ha -1 , S4 = 120 kg ha -1 and S5 = 140 kg ha -1 ) and five nitrogen doses (N0 = Control, N1 = 40 kg ha -1 , N2 = 80 kg ha -1 , N3 = 120 kg ha -1 and N5 = 140 kg ha -1 ) were applied during experiment. Analysis of the data recorded from the irrigation treatments showed that maximum (334.85) tillers m -2 , spikes m -2 (326.00), grains spike -1 (60.80), 1000-grain weight (41.91 g), grain yield (3957.64 kg ha -1 ), biological yield (10172.40 kg ha -1 ), net income (Rs. 50225.00), BCR (4.28 %) and MRR % (428.27) was noted from the plots which were seeded with 120 kg ha -1 . Statistical analysis of the data also revealed that maximum (348.00) tillers m 2 , spikes m -2 (332.95), grains spike -1 (63.90), 1000-grain weight (42.19 g), grain yield (4145.14 kg ha -1 ), biological yield (10579.75 kg ha -1 ), net income (Rs. 52831.00), BCR (4.46 %) and MRR % (446.21) was noted from the plots fertilized with 120 kg N ha -1 . In case of interaction between seed rate and nitrogen, it was observed that maximum (380.75) tillers m -2 , spikes m -2 (372.25), grains spike -1 (68.25), 1000-grain weight (44.20 g), grain yield (4663.20 kg ha -1 ), biological yield (11270.00 kg ha -1 ), net income (Rs. 60179.00), BCR (4.88 %) and MRR % (488.25) was noted from the plots seeded with 120 kg ha -1 seed rate and fertilized with 120 kg N ha -1 . From the above results, it is concluded that to get more yield and economic profit, for wheat crop use 120 kg ha -1 seed rate and fertilized with 120 kg N ha -1 .
The effects of the serotonin transporter polymorphism and age on frontal white matter integrity in healthy adult women

Studies of populations at genetic risk have the potential to explore the underlying structural and functional mechanisms in the development of psychological disorders. The polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) in the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) has been associated with major depression (MDD) (Caspi et al., 2003). In healthy women, variation in the human brain white matter microstructure integrity in the uncinate fascicule (UF) has been suggested as an endophenotypes in the development of MDD. Pacheco et al. (2009) found a unique effect of age and 5-HTTLPR within the left frontal UF. The present study examined whether these associations persist along the adult life span. Thirty-seven right-handed healthy women between 21 and 61 years of age were invited for a diffusion MRI study. The functional polymorphism 5-HTTLPR located in the promoter region of the SLC6A4 gene was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Fractional anisotropy (FA) was generated for the UF based on Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). Models of emotion regulation circuitry suggest that working memory is important in conscious emotion regulation (Price and Drevets, 2010). To explore if 5-HTTLPR is related to this aspects of emotion processing, a working memory pathway, the superior longitudinal fascicule (SLF) was included. The results demonstrate that age may explain the hypothesized association between 5-HTTLPR and frontal UF white matter integrity in healthy adult women. Both white matter changes associated with the aging process and those associated with growth and development may explain why the earlier reported unique effects of genotype in frontal UF FA do not persist into adulthood.
Topical Mitomycin-C versus Subconjunctival 5-Fluorouracil for Management of Bleb Failure

Purpose To compare the efficacy and safety of topical mitomycin-C (MMC) drops with that of subconjunctival 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) injections for management of early bleb failure after trabeculectomy or combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation (PT+PCIOL). Methods In a randomized comparative study, 37 eyes of 37 patients with impending early bleb failure received MMC 0.02% eye drops for 2 or 4 weeks (19 eyes) or subconjunctival 5-FU injections, 5 mg per dose (18 eyes). Complete success was defined as 5 < IOP ≤ 18 mmHg without medications. Results Baseline characteristics were comparable between the study groups. However, there were more cases of combined PT+PCIOL in the MMC group [11 (57.9%) eyes versus 3 (16.7%) eyes, P = 0.017]. Mean preoperative IOP was 20.5±8.85 mmHg in the MMC group and 25.82±11.35 mmHg in the 5-FU group (P = 0.129), which was decreased to 13.2±6.1 and 10.6±4.8 mmHg respectively after 12 months (P = 0.159). There was no significant difference between the study groups in terms of bleb extent (P = 0.170), height (P = 0.178) or vascularity (P = 0.366). At the end of the study, complete success was achieved in 13 eyes (68.4%) in the MMC group and 14 eyes (77.8%) in the 5-FU group (P = 0.714). The survival of success at 8 months (median follow-up) was 89.5% and 86.5% in the MMC and 5-FU groups respectively; the number of glaucoma medications (P = 0.707) and best-corrected visual acuity (P = 0.550) were also comparable. Complication rates were similar in the study groups (P = 0.140). Conclusion Topical MMC 0.02% has comparable safety and efficacy to subconjunctival 5-FU injections for management of early bleb failure. Topical MMC 0.02% drops are more convenient and can be initiated first, while 5-FU injections may be reserved for eyes with an insufficient response to topical MMC.
System Identi®cation Using Evolutionary Markov Chain Monte Carlo

System identi®cation involves determination of the functional structure of a target system that underlies the observed data. In this paper, we present a probabilistic evolutionary method that optimizes system architectures for the iden-ti®cation of unknown target systems. The method is distinguished from existing evolutionary algorithms (EAs) in that the individuals are generated from a probability distribution as in Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC). It is also distinguished from conventional MCMC methods in that the search is population-based as in standard evolutionary algorithms. The eectiveness of this hybrid of evolutionary computation and MCMC is tested on a practical problem, i.e., evolving neural net architectures for the identi®cation of nonlinear dynamic systems. Experimental evidence supports that evolutionary MCMC (or eMCMC) exploits the eciency of simple evolutionary algorithms while maintaining the robustness of MCMC methods and outperforms either approach used alone.
Estimating political leanings from mass media via graph-signal restoration with negative edges

Politicians in the same political party often share the same views on social issues and legislative agendas. By mining patterns in TV news co-appearances and Twitter followers, in this paper we estimate political leanings (left / right) of unknown individuals, and detect outlier politicians who have views different from their colleagues in the same party, from a graph signal processing (GSP) perspective. Specifically, we first construct a similarity graph with politicians as nodes, where a positive edge connects two politicians with sizable shared Twitter followers, and a negative edge connects two politicians appearing in the same TV news segment (and thus likely take opposite stands on the same issue). Given a graph with both positive and negative edges, we propose a new graph-signal smoothness prior based on a constructed generalized graph Laplacian matrix that is guaranteed to be positive semi-definite. We formulate a graph-signal restoration problem that can be solved in closed form. Experimental results show that political leanings of unknown individuals can be reliably estimated and outlier politicians can be detected.
Geostatistical analysis of aquifer heterogeneity from the core scale to the basin scale: A case study

This study examines the spatial variability of conductivity within the sandstone Wabiskaw member of the Lower Cretaceous, Middle Mannville in the Alberta Basin. The Wabiskaw is an important regional hydrostratigraphic unit. Vertical variability within the aquifer is characterized by downhole variograms of log conductivity from core measurements. They are found to exhibit pseudoperiodic structures due to alternating sand and shale layers. Horizontal spatial variability is characterized using variograms of log transmissivity and indicator data. These variograms show a steady increase in spatial variability over length scales ranging from 400 m to 100 km, characteristic of self-similar or fractal behavior. They also reveal distinct correlation structures related to both high and low transmissivity depositional features. This study also considers the upscaling of conductivity vertically, from the core to the well scale, and horizontally, from the well to the basin scale. It is shown that traditional vertical upscaling of conductivities by arithmetic averaging causes an overestimation of transmissivity in two-dimensional areal flow models. An alternative approach, based on power averaging, is proposed. Transmissivities derived by vertical upscaling of core measurements are compared with values derived from drill-stem tests in the same well. No correlation between these quantities is observed. An average transmissivity for the Wabiskaw in the study area is determined by geometric spatial averaging; however, the highly clustered spatial distribution of well locations requires a weighting of sample values using ordinary kriging.
A new regularized linear discriminant analysis method to solve small sample size problems

This paper presents a new regularization technique to deal with the small sample size (S3) problem in linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based face recognition. Regularization on the within-class scatter matrix Sw has been shown to be a good direction for solving the S3 problem because the solution is found in full space instead of a subspace. The main limitation in regularization is that a very high computation is required to determine the optimal parameters. In view of this limitation, this paper re-defines the three-parameter regularization on the within-class scatter matrix , which is suitable for parameter reduction. Based on the new definition of , we derive a single parameter (t) explicit expression formula for determining the three parameters and develop a one-parameter regularization on the within-class scatter matrix. A simple and efficient method is developed to determine the value of t. It is also proven that the new regularized within-class scatter matrix approaches the original within-class scatter matrix Sw as the single parameter tends to zero. A novel one-parameter regularization linear discriminant analysis (1PRLDA) algorithm is then developed. The proposed 1PRLDA method for face recognition has been evaluated with two public available databases, namely ORL and FERET databases. The average recognition accuracies of 50 runs for ORL and FERET databases are 96.65% and 94.00%, respectively. Comparing with existing LDA-based methods in solving the S3 problem, the proposed 1PRLDA method gives the best performance.
Gender, poverty, and postnatal depression: a study of mothers in Goa, India.

OBJECTIVE This study described the natural history of depression in mothers who recently gave birth in a low-income country and to investigate the effect of risk factors, particularly related to infant gender bias, on the occurrence and outcome of depression. METHOD The authors studied a group of pregnant mothers recruited during their third trimester of pregnancy from a district hospital in Goa, India. The mothers were interviewed at recruitment, 6-8 weeks, and 6 months after childbirth. Interview data included presence of antenatal and postnatal depression, obstetric history, economic and demographic characteristics, and gender-based variables (preference for male infant, presence of marital violence). RESULTS Depressive disorder was detected in 59 (23%) of the mothers at 6-8 weeks after childbirth; 78% of these patients had had clinically substantial psychological morbidity during the antenatal period. More than one-half of the patients remained ill at 6 months after delivery. Economic deprivation and poor marital relationships were important risk factors for the occurrence and chronicity of depression. The gender of the infant was a determinant of postnatal depression; it modified the effect of other risk factors, such as marital violence and hunger. Depressed mothers were more disabled and were more likely to use health services than nondepressed mothers. CONCLUSIONS Maternal and infant health policies, a priority in low-income countries, must integrate maternal depression as a disorder of public health significance. Interventions should target mothers in the antenatal period and incorporate a strong gender-based component.
n-3 Long-chain PUFA reduce allergy-related mediator release by human mast cells in vitro via inhibition of reactive oxygen species

Increased n-6 and reduced n-3 long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA) intake in Western diets may contribute to the increased prevalence of allergic diseases. Key effector cells in allergy are mast cells (MC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of n-6 v.n-3 LC-PUFA on MC phenotype. Human MC lines (LAD2 and HMC-1) were incubated for 24 h with either arachidonic acid (AA, n-6 LC-PUFA) or the n-3 LC-PUFA EPA or DHA. The effects of these three LC-PUFA on degranulation, mediator secretion and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were assessed. ROS, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) or NF-κB inhibitors were used to unravel signalling pathways involved in cytokine secretion. AA, EPA or DHA did not reduce IgE-mediated degranulation by LAD2 cells. However, AA increased PGD2 and TNF-α secretion by ionomycin/phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-stimulated HMC-1, whereas EPA and DHA more prominently inhibited IL-4 and IL-13 secretion. Suppression of IL-4 and IL-13 release by LC-PUFA correlated with reduced ROS generation. IL-4 and IL-13 release by activated HMC-1 was abrogated using ROS inhibitors. Inhibition of MAPK signalling, but not NF-κB, downstream of ROS reduced IL-13 secretion by activated HMC-1. Combined incubation of EPA or DHA with MAPK inhibitors further suppressed IL-13 secretion. In conclusion, the n-6 LC-PUFA AA enhanced pro-inflammatory mediator production by MC, while the n-3 LC-PUFA EPA as well as DHA more effectively suppressed ROS generation and IL-4 and IL-13 release. This suggests that dietary supplementation with EPA and/or DHA may alter the MC phenotype, contributing to a reduced susceptibility to develop and sustain allergic disease.