Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Errors-in-Variables Approach to Estimating Models with Small Area Data

Many important social science models are estimated with subnational units, such as states, congressional districts, or counties as the units of observation. These analyses may require estimates of population characteristics for these units that are not readily available from published sources. Frequently the size and number of these units make direct data collection, such as household surveys, prohibitively expensive or completely infeasible. The need is to develop methods for using more readily available data to estimate these subgroup attributes. This article presents such a method based on national-level survey data.
Fixed Point Probability Field for Occlusion Handling

In this paper, we show that in a multi-camera context, we can effectively handle occlusions at each time frame independently, even when the only available data comes from the binary output of a fairly primitive motion detector. We start from occupancy probability estimates in a top view and rely on a generative model to yield probability images to be compared with the actual input images. We then refine the estimates so that the probability images match the binary input images as well as possible. We demonstrate the quality of our results on several sequences involving complex occlusions.
Gas and methane production vis-à-vis loss of energy as methane from in vitro fermentation of dry and green forages in sheep and goat inoculums

Gas production, methane and energy loss from 10 dry and 12 green fodders were evaluated in vitro using sheep and goat inocula. Dry matter intake and digestible DM (DDM) were higher for green (2.45% and 62.28%) than dry fodders (1.72% and 52.88%), respectively. Mean in vitro dry matter digestibility was higher for green than dry fodders in rumen inocula of sheep (63.51 vs 45.34%) and goat (61.36 vs 41.36%), respectively. After 12 h, gas production was higher for green than dry fodders in sheep (69.70 mL/g vs 64.40) and goat inocula (61.73 vs 55.53 mL/g). Gas production was higher for dry and green fodders in sheep inoculums vs goat at 12, 24 and 48 h. At 12 h, methane production was higher for green than dry fodders both in sheep (12.96 vs 9.69 mL/g) and goat (13.34 vs 9.14 mL/g). Total CH4 production was higher for green than dry fodders with both sheep (40.92 vs 33.83 mL/g) and goat inocula (33.34 vs 30.47 mL/g), respectively. Methane production was higher from fermentation of green fodders than dry fodders in rumen inocula from goat (19.27 vs 14.16) and sheep (18.57 vs 14.76 g/kg DM), respectively. Green fodders produced higher CH4 with goat (33.75 g/kg DDM) vs sheep inocula (29.65 g/kg DDM). Methane production (g/kg DDM) and energy loss as methane (CH4 % GE) was similar for dry and green fodders fermented in sheep and goat inocula. Overall, results showed that green forages produced more CH4 compared with dry forages so this piece of information should be put into consideration for sustainable and environmentally friendly production system.
Evaluation of Nisin-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles Prepared with Rhamnolipid Cosurfactant against S. aureus Biofilms

In this article, nisin(N)-loaded poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using the single-solvent evaporation method with a rhamnolipid(R) cosurfactant. The antibacterial–antibiofilm effects of the prepared formulation and free nisin were evaluated against S. aureus (ATCC 25923). The characterization of NPs was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Zetasizer and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The drug encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity percentages of NPs were calculated by the spectrophotometric method. The drug release of N-loaded PVA-R-PLGA NPs was determined by the dialysis bag method. The antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of N-PVA-R-PLGA NPs was determined. PVA-R-PLGA-NPs were found to be spherical with sizes of ~140 nm, according to the SEM analysis and surface charge of N-PVA-R-PLGA NPs −53.23 ± 0.42 mV. The sustained release of N (≥72% after 6 h) was measured in PVA-R-PLGA-NPs. The encapsulation efficiency percentage of N-PVA-R-PLGA NP was 78%. The MIC values of free nisin and N-PVA-R-PLGA NPs were 256 μg/mL and 64 μg/mL, respectively. The antibiofilm inhibition percentages of free nisin and N-PVA-R-PLGA NPs were 28% and 72%, respectively. These results reveal that N-PVA-R-PLGA NPs are a promising formulation for use in infections caused by S. aureus compared to free nisin.
PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT OF CUDA APPLICATIONS BY OVERLAPPING DATA TRANSFER AND KERNEL EXECUTION

The CPU-GPU combination is a widely used heterogeneous computing system in which the CPU and GPU have different address spaces. Since the GPU cannot directly access the CPU memory, prior to invoking the GPU function the input data must be available on the GPU memory. On completion of GPU function, the results of computation are transferred to CPU memory. The CPU-GPU data transfer happens through PCI-Express bus. The PCI-E bandwidth is much lesser than that of GPU memory. The speed at which the data is transferred is limited by the PCI-E bandwidth. Hence, the PCI-E acts as a performance bottleneck. In this paper two approaches are discussed to minimize the overhead of data transfer, namely, performing the data transfer while the GPU function is being executed and reducing the amount of data to be transferred to GPU. The effectiveness of these approaches on the execution time of a set of CUDA applications is realized using CUDA streams. The results of our experiments show that the execution time of applications can be minimized with the proposed approaches.
Isogenic Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem-Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes Reveal Activation of Wnt Signaling Pathways Underlying Intrinsic Cardiac Abnormalities in Rett Syndrome

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder caused by MeCP2 mutations. Nonetheless, the pathophysiological roles of MeCP2 mutations in the etiology of intrinsic cardiac abnormality and sudden death remain unclear. In this study, we performed a detailed functional studies (calcium and electrophysiological analysis) and RNA-sequencing-based transcriptome analysis of a pair of isogenic RTT female patient-specific induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) that expressed either MeCP2wildtype or MeCP2mutant allele and iPSC-CMs from a non-affected female control. The observations were further confirmed by additional experiments, including Wnt signaling inhibitor treatment, siRNA-based gene silencing, and ion channel blockade. Compared with MeCP2wildtype and control iPSC-CMs, MeCP2mutant iPSC-CMs exhibited prolonged action potential and increased frequency of spontaneous early after polarization. RNA sequencing analysis revealed up-regulation of various Wnt family genes in MeCP2mutant iPSC-CMs. Treatment of MeCP2mutant iPSC-CMs with a Wnt inhibitor XAV939 significantly decreased the β-catenin protein level and CACN1AC expression and ameliorated their abnormal electrophysiological properties. In summary, our data provide novel insight into the contribution of activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling cascade to the cardiac abnormalities associated with MeCP2 mutations in RTT.
Lagrangian Analysis of Nonreactive Pollutant Dispersion in Porous Media by Means of the Particle Image Velocimetry Technique

An experimental technique based on image analysis was used to perform a Lagrangian description of passive pollutant particle motion in a three-dimensional saturated porous medium. To allow for optical access, the experiment was carried out with Pyrex grains as the solid matrix and glycerol as the liquid phase in order to have two phases with the same refractive index. Statistical analysis of the experimental data allowed for estimation of velocity and displacement probability density functions (pdf), velocity component correlation functions, Lagrangian integral scales, and mechanical dispersion coefficient tensor components. The results obtained suggest that the longitudinal velocity component has a log normal pdf while the transversal component has a symmetrical pdf, which is nevertheless not Gaussian for high values of the kurtosis. Furthermore, the velocity components' autocorrelation functions are well represented by exponential laws, and the integral scale is dependent on filtration velocity and grain size. As foreseen in the theory the total displacement pdf shows the tendency to reach normal distribution after many integral scales. The evaluated dispersion coefficient tensor components are dependent on travel time; the components start from zero and reach an asymptotic value after several integral scales. Furthermore, the tensor is anisotropic, with the longitudinal component greater than the transversal one by about 1 order of magnitude. Comparison with other experimental data shows agreement at least for the longitudinal dispersion component. Dagan's linear theory has been used for comparing the analytical longitudinal component of the dispersion tensor with that obtained by means of the experiments.
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 97:285-293, March 1985 ON THE DETERMINATION OF STELLAR ROTATION AND DIFFERENTIAL ROTATION FROM CHROMOSPHERIC ACTIVITY DATA

Methods of determining stellar rotation and differential rotation from data sets of chromospheric activity indicators are discussed from the point of view of establishing required properties of the time series. Problems inherent in determining differential rotation and partial solutions to these difficulties are addressed. Detection and characterization of stellar differential rotation is a difficult, but approachable goal, and requires a better signal-to-noise ratio in the observations than the problem of rotation period determination. A solar data set of plage areas from the summer of 1982 is used to illustrate the technique.
A Comfort Quantification Method Based on Semi-Supervised Learning for Automated Vehicle at Lane Change Scenarios

This paper systematically investigates a passenger comfort quantification model for automated vehicle by integrating attention mechanism-based bidirectional long short-term memory (AM-Bi-LSTM) network, semi-supervised learning strategy, and passenger heterogeneity. Firstly, a comfort quantification dataset is gathered from a physical vehicle. More than thirty volunteers are recruited. Passenger classification based on volunteer heterogeneity is introduced for label reconstruction. Secondly, this paper innovatively develops a comfort degree quantification model based on the combination of AM-Bi-LSTM and semi-supervised learning. The semi-supervised learning strategy is developed to generate pseudo-labels and reduce dataset noise caused by individual variances of volunteers. The final model precision increases by 22.7% compared with the model trained on raw dataset. Finally, the deployment of model on physical automated vehicle is accomplished. The outputs of onboard real-time comfort quantification system are consistent with the driving intensity of automated vehicle. The results illustrate that the proposed model can accurately identify different comfort degrees of lane change scenarios, which can enhance the evaluation capacity of automated vehicle and optimize the decision-making and path planning modules of automated driving framework with more personalized driving styles.
Different proxies, different stories? Imperfect correlations and different determinants of fitness in bighorn sheep

Abstract Measuring individual fitness empirically is required to assess selective pressures and predicts evolutionary changes in nature. There is, however, little consensus on how fitness should be empirically estimated. As fitness proxies vary in their underlying assumptions, their relative sensitivity to individual, environmental, and demographic factors may also vary. Here, using a long‐term study, we aimed at identifying the determinants of individual fitness in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) using seven fitness proxies. Specifically, we compared four‐lifetime fitness proxies: lifetime breeding success, lifetime reproductive success, individual growth rate, individual contribution to population growth, and three multi‐generational proxies: number of granddaughters, individual descendance in the next generation, and relative genetic contribution to the next generation. We found that all proxies were positively correlated, but the magnitude of the correlations varied substantially. Longevity was the main determinant of most fitness proxies. Individual fitness calculated over more than one generation was also affected by population density and growth rate. Because they are affected by contrasting factors, our study suggests that different fitness proxies should not be used interchangeably as they may convey different information about selective pressures and lead to divergent evolutionary predictions. Uncovering the mechanisms underlying variation in individual fitness and improving our ability to predict evolutionary change might require the use of several, rather than one, the proxy of individual fitness.
Analysis and Response Strategy of Cross-Community Rumors Using Mixed Multilayer Method for Enterprise Cyber Warriors

In the age of information explosion, it is easy for people to receive many messages, and it is difficult to verify the authenticity of each message. Therefore, people often quickly and forward the acquired information and share anonymous information, rather than absorbing it after verification. The study questions current Artificial Intelligence (AI) detection methods, arguing that a simple dichotomy cannot distinguish between true and false information. This study proposes a mixed method to analyze events based on the dissemination and interaction of false information in online enterprise communities from the perspective of an observer. The event explores multiple features based on various characteristics, such as motivation, purpose, intention, and behavior. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively identify false information with high risk. Additionally, this study discusses the effectiveness and response strategies of the enterprise cyber warrior based on the mixed multi-layer analysis. This study provides a preliminary study of mixed cognitive warfare identification and immediate response behavior for corporate Internet rumors.
Cytosolic Sodium Influx in Mesophyll Protoplasts of Arabidopsis thaliana, wt, sos1:1 and nhx1 Differs and Induces Different Calcium Changes

The sodium influx into the cytosol of mesophyll protoplasts from Arabidopsis thaliana cv. Columbia, wild type, was compared with the influx into sos1-1 and nhx1 genotypes, which lack the Na+/H+ antiporter in the plasma membrane and tonoplast, respectively. Changes in cytosolic sodium and calcium concentrations upon a 100 mM NaCl addition were detected by use of epifluorescence microscopy and the sodium-specific fluorescent dye SBFI, AM, and calcium sensitive Fura 2, AM, respectively. There was a smaller and mainly transient influx of Na+ in the cytosol of the wild type compared with the sos1-1 and nhx1 genotypes, in which the influx lasted for a longer time. Sodium chloride addition to the protoplasts’ medium induced a significant increase in cytosolic calcium concentration in the wild type at 1.0 mM external calcium, and to a lesser extent in nhx1, however, it was negligible in the sos1-1 genotype. LiCl inhibited the cytosolic calcium elevation in the wild type. The results suggest that the salt-induced calcium elevation in the cytosol of mesophyll cells depends on an influx from both internal and external stores and occurs in the presence of an intact Na+/H+ antiporter at the plasma membrane. The Arabidopsis SOS1 more effectively regulates sodium homeostasis than NHX1.
A Subset Screen of the Compounds Australia Scaffold Library Identifies 7-Acylaminodibenzoxazepinones as Potent and Selective Hits for Anti-Giardia Drug Discovery

On an annual basis the flagellate protozoan, Giardia duodenalis, is responsible for an estimated one billion human infections of which approximately two hundred million cause disease. However, the treatment of Giardia infections is reliant on a small group of chemotherapeutic classes that have a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and increasing treatment failure rates. To improve this situation, we need new drugs. In this study we screened the Compounds Australia Scaffolds Library for compounds with potent and selective activity against these parasites. Unlike previous drug discovery efforts that have focused on drug repurposing, this library is comprised of commercially available synthetic compounds arranged into lead-like scaffolds to facilitate structure activity relationship assessments and de novo drug discovery. A screen of 2451 compounds in this library identified 40 hits (>50% inhibitory activity at 10 µM, over 48 h). Secondary testing identified three compounds with IC50 values <1 μM and >50-fold selectivity for parasites over mammalian cells and a hit series, CL9406, comprising compounds with potent (lowest IC50 180 nM) and selective activity for Giardia parasites. The most promising compound in this series, SN00797640, displayed selective activity against assemblage A, B, and metronidazole resistant parasites which was parasiticidal (minimum lethal concentration 625 nM) and synergistic with albendazole. SN00797640 was well-tolerated when administered to mice at doses of 50 mg/kg daily for three days paving the way for pre-clinical in vivo activity assessment.
Molecular dynamics simulation of adsorption and separation of xylene isomers by Cu-HKUST-1

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are widely used in the adsorption separation of various gases. A fundamental understanding of the effective separation of xylene isomers helps improve aromatic products' separation efficiency and reduce industrial separation costs. Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations combined with Molecular Science is widely used to predict gas adsorption and diffusion in single crystals with metal–organic frameworks. We performed a GCMC + MD combined approach to study xylene isomers' adsorption and separation in Cu-HKUST-1 to predict the permeability and selectivity of the ternary gas mixture in the MOF with the adsorption and diffusion usage data. Most current studies take into account the computational cost and difficulty. Most recent research models are limited to the adsorption of a single or specific molecule, such as hydrogen, methane, carbon dioxide, etc. For this reason, we report an attempt to study the adsorption separation of aromatic gases (p-xylene/o-xylene/m-xylene) based on Cu-HKUST-1 single-crystal materials based on some previous research methods with an appropriate increase in computational cost. To predict the adsorption selectivity and permeability of the ternary mixture of xylene isomers on the MOF surface, the model simulation calculates key parameters of gas adsorption, including gas adsorption volume (N), the heat of adsorption (Qst), Henry coefficient (K), and diffusion coefficient (D).
A motion planning algorithm of polyhedra in contact for mechanical assembly

A motion planning of objects in contact is one of the most important technologies to realize autonomous mechanical assembly by robot manipulators. This paper studies a motion planning of polyhedra in contact. We show a complete algorithm in the case that a convex polyhedron translates and rotates in contact with another one. We also discuss what happens in the nonconvex cases. The principle idea of the study is that astute geometric formulations make the algebraic problem easier to solve. <<ETX>>
3D printing of micropatterned stamps with tunable horizontal surface properties

Resin three‐dimensional (3D) printing is potentially attractive for the rapid fabrication of micropatterning tools such as stamps, molds, masks, or substrates. Although the horizontal surface finish of a resin 3D printed part is generally considered to be very smooth, it is strongly influenced by the microscale interaction of the printer light source with the photopolymerizable resin. This study demonstrates how a glossy surface can be created on an elastic 3D printed component by extreme overexposure of the cap layer and how this can be analyzed. The average roughness (Ra) values of the surface in the X and Y directions could be reduced by a factor of 4.5 (X) to 5.0 (Y) from initially 0.182/0.343 to 0.041/0.069 μm (X/Y), and geometric accuracy was ensured by undersizing the features in the cap layer. The practical relevance of controlling the horizontal surface properties was demonstrated using a 3D printed stamp to transfer a micropattern of light‐emitting quantum dots. The insights gained will be useful in the fabrication of 3D‐printed tools for creating high‐resolution patterns from quantum dots, semiconductors, and organometallic materials.
Comparing Equilibrium Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Based on Passive Sampling and Bioaccumulation in Water Column Deployments

Biomonitoring at contaminated sites undergoing cleanup, including Superfund sites, often uses bioaccumulation of anthropogenic contaminants by field‐deployed organisms as a metric of remedial effectiveness. Bioaccumulation studies are unable to assess the equilibrium status of the organisms relative to the contaminants to which they are exposed. Establishing equilibrium provides a reproducible benchmark on which scientific and management decisions can be based (e.g., comparison with human dietary consumption criteria). Unlike bioaccumulating organisms, passive samplers can be assessed for their equilibrium status. In our study, over a 3‐year period, we compared the bioaccumulation of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) by mussels in water column deployments at the New Bedford Harbor Superfund site (New Bedford, MA, USA) to codeployed passive samplers. Based on comparisons to the calculated passive sampler equilibrium concentrations, the mussels were not at equilibrium, and the subsequent analysis focused on evaluating approaches for estimating equilibrium bioaccumulation. In addition, a limited evaluation of metal bioaccumulation by the exposed mussels and a metal passive sampler was performed. In general, mussel and passive sampler accumulation of PCBs was significantly correlated; however, surprisingly, agreement on the magnitude of accumulation was optimal when bioaccumulation and passive sampler uptake were not corrected for nonequilibrium conditions. A subsequent comparison of four approaches for estimating equilibrium mussel bioaccumulation using octanol–water partition coefficients (KOW), triolein–water partition coefficients (KTW), and two types of polymer–lipid partition coefficients demonstrated that field‐deployed mussels were not at equilibrium with many PCBs. A range of estimated equilibrium mussel bioaccumulation concentrations were calculated, with the magnitude of the KOW‐based values being the smallest and the polymer–lipid partition coefficient‐based values being the largest. These analyses are intended to assist environmental scientists and managers to interpret field deployment data when transitioning from biomonitoring to passive sampling. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:317–332. Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.