Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Erdős–Moser equation $1^{k}+2^{k}+\dots+(m-1)^{k}=m^{k}$ revisited using continued fractions

If the equation of the title has an integer solution with $k\ge2$, then $m>10^{9.3\cdot10^6}$. This was the current best result and proved using a method due to L. Moser (1953). This approach cannot be improved to reach the benchmark $m>10^{10^7}$. Here we achieve $m>10^{10^9}$ by showing that $2k/(2m-3)$ is a convergent of $\log2$ and making an extensive continued fraction digits calculation of $(\log2)/N$, with $N$ an appropriate integer. This method is very different from that of Moser. Indeed, our result seems to give one of very few instances where a large scale computation of a numerical constant has an application.
Graph Transformation and Visual Modeling Techniques

: Model transformations are a key concept for modular and distributed model driven development. In this context, triple graph grammars have been investigated and applied to several case studies and they show a convenient combination of formal and intuitive speciﬁcation abilities. Especially the automatic derivation of forward and backward transformations out of just one speciﬁed set of rules for the integrated model simpliﬁes the speciﬁcation and enhances usability as well as consistency. Since negative application conditions (NACs) are key ingredient for many model transformations based on graph transformation we embed them in the concept of triple graph grammars. As a ﬁrst main result we can extend the composition/decomposition result for triple graph grammars to the case with NACs. This allows us to show completeness and correctness of model transformations based on rules with NACs and furthermore, we can extend the characterization of information preserving model transformations to the case with NACs. The presented results are applicable to several model transformations and in particular to the well known model transformation from class diagrams to relational data bases, which we present as running example with NACs.
Contribution of the Pseudomonas fluorescens MFE01 Type VI Secretion System to Biofilm Formation

Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) are widespread in Gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas. These macromolecular machineries inject toxins directly into prokaryotic or eukaryotic prey cells. Hcp proteins are structural components of the extracellular part of this machinery. We recently reported that MFE01, an avirulent strain of Pseudomonas fluorescens, possesses at least two hcp genes, hcp1 and hcp2, encoding proteins playing important roles in interbacterial interactions. Indeed, P. fluorescens MFE01 can immobilise and kill diverse bacteria of various origins through the action of the Hcp1 or Hcp2 proteins of the T6SS. We show here that another Hcp protein, Hcp3, is involved in killing prey cells during co-culture on solid medium. Even after the mutation of hcp1, hcp2, or hcp3, MFE01 impaired biofilm formation by MFP05, a P. fluorescens strain isolated from human skin. These mutations did not reduce P. fluorescens MFE01 biofilm formation, but the three Hcp proteins were required for the completion of biofilm maturation. Moreover, a mutant with a disruption of one of the unique core component genes, MFE01ΔtssC, was unable to produce its own biofilm or inhibit MFP05 biofilm formation. Finally, MFE01 did not produce detectable N-acyl-homoserine lactones for quorum sensing, a phenomenon reported for many other P. fluorescens strains. Our results suggest a role for the T6SS in communication between bacterial cells, in this strain, under biofilm conditions.
The Role of the DNA Damage Response Kinase Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated in Neuroprotection

It has been estimated that a human cell is confronted with 1 million DNA lesions every day, one fifth of which may originate from the activity of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) alone [1,2]. Terminally differentiated neurons are highly active cells with, if any, very restricted regeneration potential [3]. In addition, genome integrity and maintenance during neuronal development is crucial for the organism. Therefore, highly accurate and robust mechanisms for DNA repair are vital for neuronal cells. This requirement is emphasized by the long list of human diseases with neurodegenerative phenotypes, which are either caused by or associated with impaired function of proteins involved in the cellular response to genotoxic stress [4-8]. Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), one of the major kinases of the DNA Damage Response (DDR), is a node that links DDR, neuronal development, and neurodegeneration [2,9-12]. In humans, inactivating mutations of ATM lead to Ataxia-Telangiectasia (A-T) disease [11,13], which is characterized by severe cerebellar neurodegeneration, indicating an important protective function of ATM in the nervous system [14]. Despite the large number of studies on the molecular cause of A-T, the neuroprotective role of ATM is not well established and is contradictory to its general proapoptotic function. This review discusses the putative functions of ATM in neuronal cells and how they might contribute to neuroprotection.
Cell Phone Addiction and the Link to Depression in Adolescents and Adults

The cell phone market is growing on a daily basis as the demand increases globally. However, the availability of the internet has been a major driver for the demand as people use it to access vital information and communicate through social media platforms. The development has enjoyed its proportionate share or destructions as both adolescents and adults are addicted to using the gadgets. It is evident that the number of people using phones is increasing, and this could be disastrous if the right measures are not taken early. As a result, some people have to gamble with their health at the expense of lengthy time on the phone and lack time to interact. It is evident that people addicted to cellphone usage are likely to use most of their time sleeping or sitting. Lack of adequate exercise or poor posters contributes to health issues such as obesity, back pain, or heart diseases. Exposure to the excessive light emitted by phone screens can affect the users’ visual ability. There is adequate literature on this topic, and at least six peer-reviewed journals were used to get results and discussions. The results revealed there were high chances of depression for cell phone addicts. Cases of antisocial behaviors have been noted in some people addicted to the phone use, as they prefer utilizing much time on a phone instead of interacting with close friend and family. The incidence of some adolescents being misled by information got from the internet is increasing. A case in point was the infamous ‘blue whale challenge’ that misled some adolescents to the extent of committing suicide. In other cases, the reasoning ability is affected because some people use a phone for a long time and they do not have time for adequate sleep. Consequently, they are likely to be exposed to stress and depression since their brains fail to concentrate or function properly. In case of students, they will end up failing in school and have psychological issues that can lead to depression. As a result, further studies should be conducted to determine the most appropriate preventive measures.
Genotyping of Clostridium perfringens isolated from broiler meat in northeastern of Iran

Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) is an important cause of bacterial food poisoning worldwide. The disease is caused by C. perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) encoded by cpe gene. The aim of this research was to identify the different types of C. perfringens and the presence of cpe gene in isolated bacteria from broilers’ meat marketed in retail meat shops of Mashhad city in Northeastern of Iran. After isolation of C. perfringens using conventional culture method and confirmation by specific 16S rDNA gene, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay with specific primers, were performed for toxin typing of isolates. Clostridium perfringens was isolated from 31 broilers’ meat samples (15.50%) out of 200 samples and for toxin typing the results showed 9 isolates as type A (29.03%) and 22 isolates as type C (70.96%). In this study, cpe-positive C. perfringens were detected in eight isolates of type C (25.00%). Our results indicated that C. perfringens type C is the most common type in broiler chicken carcasses.
The Elasticity Of Demand For Microcredit A Case Study In The Dominican Republic

The price elasticity of demand for microcredit serves as an essential tool in defining demand for microcredit and subsequently in designing relevant policy and industry products. With the aim of describing consumer preferences for microcredit, this thesis carries two objectives. These are to extract the loan demand schedules and elasticities of borrowers of Esperanza International, a microfinance institution operating in the Dominican Republic, and to then examine the demographic characteristics and borrowing behavior that are correlated with differences in these measures. Using client reactions to changes in monthly interest rates by intervals of one percent per month between zero percent and eight percent, this study finds that demand is heterogeneous but largely linear and downward sloping. We draw a bestfit elasticity measure, and find that borrower demand approaches unit-elasticity at 4 percent monthly interest. These findings contrast with more inelastic estimates of elasticity of demand among the poor and extreme poor in the literature, and furthermore suggest that Esperanza is operating at profit maximizing levels. To examine variation among clients, this thesis models demand elasticity as a function of demographic characteristics, business profile, personal financial behavior, and borrowing history as recorded by Esperanza. Ordinary least squares and tobit regression results indicate that clients who were more comfortable taking risks in order to increase profits and who have acquired vocational training exhibit more elastic demand. In contrast, clients who derive the majority of their income from wage labor, those who are at the onset of developing their business, those who consider themselves credit rationed, and those who were able to recall the interest rate on their loan emerge with significantly more inelastic demand. These findings suggest that entrepreneurial drive or skill level, financial literacy, and cultural dissimilarities are correlated with the price elasticity of demand for microcredit and call for further study
An optimized two stages low power sinc3 filter for ΣΔ modulators

This paper presents the design of a low power sinc3 filter implementing a decimation factor by 16 and suitable for a second order SigmaDelta modulators running at 256 MHz. The circuit uses the cascade of two stages and consumes only 48.1 muW, with 1.2 V voltage supply. The ultra-low power features come from both an architectural optimization and the use of suitable transistor level schemes. The circuit, simulated in a 0.18-mum CMOS technology, improves the overall power consumption by about 75.4% with respect to an already optimum conventional design.
Sonic Hedgehog Produced by Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Supports Cell Survival in Myelodysplastic Syndrome

The role of marrow microenvironment in the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) remains controversial. Therefore, we studied the influence of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) from patients with different risk types of MDS on the survival of the MDS cell lines SKM-1 and MUTZ-1. We first demonstrated that the expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), smoothened (Smo), and glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (Gli1) was increased in MDS patients (n = 23); the increase in expression was positively correlated with the presence of high-risk factors. The Shh signaling inhibitor, cyclopamine, inhibited high-risk MDS BMSC-induced survival of SKM-1 and MUTZ-1 cells, suggesting a role for Shh signaling in MDS cell survival. Furthermore, cyclopamine-mediated inhibition of Shh signaling in SKM-1 and MUTZ-1 cells resulted in decreased DNMT1 expression and cell survival; however, exogenous Shh peptide had the opposite effect, suggesting that Shh signaling could regulate the expression of DNMT1, thereby modulating cell survival in MDS. In addition, the apoptosis of SKM-1 and MUTZ-1 cell increased significantly when cultured with cyclopamine and a demethylation agent, 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine. These findings suggest that Shh signaling from BMSCs is important in the pathogenesis of MDS and could play a role in disease progression by modulating methylation.
Keyword Annotation of Medical Image with Random Forest Classifier and Confidence Assigning

This paper introduces an efficient keyword based medical image retrieval method using image classification and confidence assigning of each keyword. To classify images, we first extract wavelet-based CSLBP (WCS-LBP) descriptors from local parts of the images and then we apply the extracted feature vector to decision trees to construct random forests, which are an ensemble of random decision trees. For semantic annotation based on classification results, we propose the confidence assigning method to keywords according to probabilities of random forests with predefined body relation graph (BRG). After keyword annotation with different confidence, we proved that our keyword based image retrieval method showed more efficient retrieval results compared to equal confidence method.
The fun culture in seniors' online communities.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Previous research found that "fun on line" is the most dominant content in seniors' online communities. The present study aimed to further explore the fun culture in these communities and to discover its unique qualities. DESIGN AND METHODS The study applied an online ethnography (netnography) approach, utilizing a full year's data from 6 leading seniors' online communities. The final database included about 50,000 posts. RESULTS The majority of posts were part of online social games, including cognitive, associative, and creative games. The main subjects in all contents were sex, gender differences, aging, grandparenting, politics, faith, and alcohol. Main participatory behaviors were selective timing, using expressive style, and personalization of the online character. Although most participants were "lurkers," the active participants nurtured community norms and relationships, as reflected in the written dialogues. IMPLICATIONS In a reality of limited alternatives for digital games that meet older adults' needs and interests, seniors found an independent system to satisfy their need for play. Seniors' online communities provided a unique form of casual leisure, whose nature varied among different groups of participants. The fun culture seemed to offer participants many desired benefits, including meaningful play, liminality and communitas, opportunity to practice and demonstrate their abilities, and means for coping with aging. Therefore, it may have positive impact on seniors' well-being and successful aging.
Hypotonic Shock Modulates Na+ Current via a Cl- and Ca2+/Calmodulin Dependent Mechanism in Alveolar Epithelial Cells

Alveolar epithelial cells are involved in Na+ absorption via the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC), an important process for maintaining an appropriate volume of liquid lining the respiratory epithelium and for lung oedema clearance. Here, we investigated how a 20% hypotonic shock modulates the ionic current in these cells. Polarized alveolar epithelial cells isolated from rat lungs were cultured on permeant filters and their electrophysiological properties recorded. A 20% bilateral hypotonic shock induced an immediate, but transient 52% rise in total transepithelial current and a 67% increase in the amiloride-sensitive current mediated by ENaC. Amiloride pre-treatment decreased the current rise after hypotonic shock, showing that ENaC current is involved in this response. Since Cl- transport is modulated by hypotonic shock, its contribution to the basal and hypotonic-induced transepithelial current was also assessed. Apical NPPB, a broad Cl- channel inhibitor and basolateral DIOA a potassium chloride co-transporter (KCC) inhibitor reduced the total and ENaC currents, showing that transcellular Cl- transport plays a major role in that process. During hypotonic shock, a basolateral Cl- influx, partly inhibited by NPPB is essential for the hypotonic-induced current rise. Hypotonic shock promoted apical ATP secretion and increased intracellular Ca2+. While apyrase, an ATP scavenger, did not inhibit the hypotonic shock current response, W7 a calmodulin antagonist completely prevented the hypotonic current rise. These results indicate that a basolateral Cl- influx as well as Ca2+/calmodulin, but not ATP, are involved in the acute transepithelial current rise elicited by hypotonic shock.
‘Why do I want to go and watch that?’ English non-league football fans in the Premier League era

Abstract There has been plenty of recent academic work on sports fandom, especially football fandom, but very little empirical work on the experiences and motivations of supporters of non-league, non-professional clubs. This article addresses that omission in an interview-based study of a sample of male supporters drawn from the English club, Bradford Park Avenue. It asks how and why, in the late-modern era of spectacularized and globalized sport, such minor football clubs continue to exercise such a hold over the imagination and loyalty of local male fans. We analyze the distinctive attractions for fans of traditionality, sociality and belonging, horizontal relationships with club players and officials, the relative lack of regulation at non-league level of the fan experience, and the economic incoherence of elite football. The paper ends by considering the dilemma faced by many non-league fans: chasing the possibility of promotion and success, or settling for a satisfying and familiar existence in the lower reaches of the sport.
A semi-parametric analysis of technology, with an application to U.S. dairy farms.

This article proposes a semi-parametric stochastic frontier model (SPSF) in which components of the technology and of technical efficiency are represented using semi-parametric methods and estimated in a Bayesian framework. The approach is illustrated in an application to US farm data. The analysis shows important scale economies for small and medium herds and constant return to scale for larger herds. With the exception of labor, estimates of marginal products were close to the value expected under profit maximization. Finally, the results suggest important opportunities to increase productivity through reductions in technical inefficiencies.
Maximally Flat IIR Smoothers With Repeated Poles and a Prescribed Delay

The problem of optimal high-frequency noise suppression and low-frequency signal transmission in sampled sensor systems is considered in this paper. Low-delay digital filters with linear phase and unity magnitude at the dc limit (i.e., maximally flat) are of particular interest. Savitzky-Golay smoothers with an infinite impulse response (IIR) are introduced and their properties are explored. The filter coefficients are derived via regression analysis using orthogonal Laguerre polynomials in the time domain. A generalized form with a shape parameter included in the error-weighting function is proposed. This extension may be used to further reduce the white noise gain of the filter. A design process that determines the optimal position of the repeated real poles, either to minimize the white noise gain, or to maximize the high-frequency attenuation, for a specified low-frequency group delay, is discussed. An alternative process for the design of a generic class of maximally flat repeated-pole filters is also presented. This allows colored noise to be handled and/or additional frequency-domain constraints, such as Nyquist flatness, to be applied.
On Correlation Polynomials and Subword Complexity

We consider words with letters from a $q-ary$ alphabet $\mathcal{A}$. The kth subword complexity of a word $w ∈\mathcal{A}^*$ is the number of distinct subwords of length $k$ that appear as contiguous subwords of $w$. We analyze subword complexity from both combinatorial and probabilistic viewpoints. Our first main result is a precise analysis of the expected $kth$ subword complexity of a randomly-chosen word $w ∈\mathcal{A}^n$. Our other main result describes, for $w ∈\mathcal{A}^*$, the degree to which one understands the set of all subwords of $w$, provided that one knows only the set of all subwords of some particular length $k$. Our methods rely upon a precise characterization of overlaps between words of length $k$. We use three kinds of correlation polynomials of words of length $k$: unweighted correlation polynomials; correlation polynomials associated to a Bernoulli source; and generalized multivariate correlation polynomials. We survey previously-known results about such polynomials, and we also present some new results concerning correlation polynomials.
Macroeconomic Policies and Institutions

Why since at least two decades macroeconomic policies have been so active in the US and so passive in Europe? I contend that social norms have changed and that the new norms call for a greater degree of inequality. Then macroeconomic policies have to be active in the United States and passive in Europe. The change in the social norm was mainly led by the new generation of elites born after WW2 educated in a context where individual successes were more affected to individuals than to the collective action which has contributed to build the public goods they have benefited from. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
Music Therapy for Children with Autism and Their Mothers' Wellbeing: A Case Study from Clinical Practice

Raising children with autism is a challenging journey.Parents are faced with financial burden, emotional and psychological stress. Moreover, the difficulty in communicating verbally affects the dynamic within the family. A study by Hastings et al. (2005) shows that mothers, compared to fathers, are more affected by their autistic child's behaviour problems. In Asia especially, where mother is expected to be the main caregiver who fulfils psychological and emotional needs, and provides security and affection for their children, this situation often leads to a heightened stress. In addition, social pressure and lack of external support may leave mothers feeling isolated. A case study drawn from my clinical practice will narrate how mothers of children diagnosed with autism grow confidence and gain hope when they witness positive interaction between music therapist and their children. Meeting the clients' mothers after the session is a way for them to learn about autism and their child's conditions. In addition to the evident progress shown by their children, the way mothers view their children's potential affects their relationships with their children, which is key to their child's development. The post-session discussion also allows mothers to express their feelings verbally, which is unlikely to happen in other settings. Finally, the musical process in the therapy viewed by mothers will benefit them not only on surface, but also deeper level, which is potentially advantageous for her wellbeing.
Visual cortical simple cells: Who inhibits whom

Simple cells display a specific adaptation aftereffect when tested with drifting gratings. The onset of the response to each cycle of the grating is delayed after adapting, but the offset is unaffected. Testing with stationary bars whose luminance was modulated in time revealed that aftereffects occur only at certain points in both space and time. The aftereffects seen with moving stimuli were predicted from those seen with stationary stimuli. These adaptation experiments suggest a model that consists of mutually inhibitory simple cells that are in spatiotemporal quadrature. The inhibition is appropriately localized in space and time to create the observed aftereffects. In this model, inhibition onto direction-selective simple cells arises from simple cells with the same preferred direction.