Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mammalian Niche Conservation through Deep Time

Climate change alters species distributions, causing plants and animals to move north or to higher elevations with current warming. Bioclimatic models predict species distributions based on extant realized niches and assume niche conservation. Here, we evaluate if proxies for niches (i.e., range areas) are conserved at the family level through deep time, from the Eocene to the Pleistocene. We analyze the occurrence of all mammalian families in the continental USA, calculating range area, percent range area occupied, range area rank, and range polygon centroids during each epoch. Percent range area occupied significantly increases from the Oligocene to the Miocene and again from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene; however, mammalian families maintain statistical concordance between rank orders across time. Families with greater taxonomic diversity occupy a greater percent of available range area during each epoch and net changes in taxonomic diversity are significantly positively related to changes in percent range area occupied from the Eocene to the Pleistocene. Furthermore, gains and losses in generic and species diversity are remarkably consistent with ~2.3 species gained per generic increase. Centroids demonstrate southeastern shifts from the Eocene through the Pleistocene that may correspond to major environmental events and/or climate changes during the Cenozoic. These results demonstrate range conservation at the family level and support the idea that niche conservation at higher taxonomic levels operates over deep time and may be controlled by life history traits. Furthermore, families containing megafauna and/or terminal Pleistocene extinction victims do not incur significantly greater declines in range area rank than families containing only smaller taxa and/or only survivors, from the Pliocene to Pleistocene. Collectively, these data evince the resilience of families to climate and/or environmental change in deep time, the absence of terminal Pleistocene "extinction prone" families, and provide valuable insights to understanding mammalian responses to current climate change.
COMPARISON OF OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE ASSESSMENTS FOR PERCEPTION OF FACIAL SYMMETRY

Objectives: Symmetrical patterns of the face are generally preferred by the viewers. However, the process of perception of symmetry is far from perfect and is affected by subjective factors. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the differences between objective and subjective assessments for perception of facial asymmetry. Methods: For objective evaluation, the anteroposterior photographs of 450 volunteers were analyzed anthropometrically for symmetry. Subjective evaluations were conducted by seven individuals who assessed each face based solely on symmetry. Results: We found a difference between objective measurements and subjective evaluations. No statistically significant difference concerning the rates derived from anthropometric points was found between sexes. After the comparison of these rates, no subject was found to have a perfectly symmetrical face, and all subjects showed some asymmetry in one or more of their anthropometric points. Conclusion: With subjective evaluation, asymmetry was found most commonly in the middle third of the face. Nose and alar margins may be the determining points for the observer during subjective evaluation, thus we think the best region to infer asymmetry from is the middle third of the face. Because of this, thousands of patients complain of asymmetrical noses and undergo rhinoplastic surgery every year. This study also demonstrates individual differences in subjective evaluations. These differences and lack of objectively symmetrical faces for every set of points are very important for patients requesting plastic surgery procedures asuch as rhinoplasty out of aesthetic concerns. Keywords: facial asymmetry; objective assessment; subjective assessment
Clock Genes and Behavioral Responses to Light Are Altered in a Mouse Model of Diabetic Retinopathy

There is increasing evidence that melanopsin-expressing ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are altered in retinal pathologies. Using a streptozotocin-induced (STZ) model of diabetes, we investigated the impact of diabetic retinopathy on non-visual functions by analyzing ipRGCs morphology and light-induced c-Fos and Period 1–2 clock genes in the central clock (SCN). The ability of STZ-diabetic mice to entrain to light was challenged by exposure animals to 1) successive light/dark (LD) cycle of decreasing or increasing light intensities during the light phase and 2) 6-h advance of the LD cycle. Our results show that diabetes induces morphological changes of ipRGCs, including soma swelling and dendritic varicosities, with no reduction in their total number, associated with decreased c-Fos and clock genes induction by light in the SCN at 12 weeks post-onset of diabetes. In addition, STZ-diabetic mice exhibited a reduction of overall locomotor activity, a decrease of circadian sensitivity to light at low intensities, and a delay in the time to re-entrain after a phase advance of the LD cycle. These novel findings demonstrate that diabetes alters clock genes and behavioral responses of the circadian timing system to light and suggest that diabetic patients may show an increased propensity for circadian disturbances, in particular when they are exposed to chronobiological challenges.
Learning Distributed Object Pushing: Individual Learning and Distributed Cooperation Protocol

In this paper we study learning in cooperative object pushing systems. The proposed approach is based on the idea of learning individual skills and then mapping the required cooperative behaviors on the learned skills. The control point for each individual robot is chosen so as to simplify the design of the reinforcement signal and reduce the role of delayed reward on individual learning in addition to make cooperative protocol simpler. A fuzzy Q-learning system for learning individual object pushing is proposed, together with a method for coordination among the robots to push the object cooperatively. The coordination method takes into account the dynamics of the object and the learned individual skills. The idea of the coordination protocol is based on the notion of ability and active regions defined in this paper. In effect, the cooperation protocol is mapped to a Q-value based policy. Simulation results supportively show that the robots learn individual and cooperative object pushing efficiently
Towards an Integrated Graduate Student (Training Program)

This chapter argues that teaching writing helps graduate students become better writers. Every year, more than 100 graduate students from more than 30 departments participate in one of two required six-week training courses offered through Cornell’s John S. Knight Institute for Writing in the Disciplines. This chapter describes specific features of the training curricula that help graduate students learn to write as academic professionals. Primary source material is drawn from graduate writing produced for course evaluations, assignments, or in response to surveys sent to current and former graduate students. Graduate student observations that figure prominently in this article include a focus on writing process, the connection between teaching writing and learning writing, the value of reflection, and the efficacy of building communities where writers read each other’s work.
Limited Discrete Choice with Social Interactions

This paper provides an analysis of aggregate behavioural outcomes when individual utility exhibits social interaction effects. We study generalized logistic models of individual choice which incorporate terms reflecting the desire of individuals to conform to the behaviour of others in an environment of noncooperative decisionmaking. Laws of large numbers are generated in such environments. Multiplicity of equilibria in these models, which are equivalent to the existence of multiple self-consistent means for average choice behaviour, will exist when the social interactions exceed a particular threshold. Local stability of these multiple equilibria is also studied. The properties of the noncooperative economy are contrasted with the properties of an economy in which a social planner determines the set of individual choices. Finally, a likelihood function based on the theoretical model is given and conditions for the econometric identifiability of the model are established.
On the Degrees of Freedom of the Finite State Compound MISO Broadcast Channel

We explore the degrees of freedom (DoF) of the finite state compound multiple-input single-output (MISO) broadcast channel (BC) in this paper. In prior work, Weingarten et. al. have found inner and outer bounds on the DoF with 2 users. The bounds have a different character. While the inner bound collapses to unity as the number of states increases, the outer bound does not diminish with the increasing number of states beyond a threshold value. It has been conjectured that the outer bound is loose and the inner bound represents the actual DoF. In the complex setting (all signals, noise, and channel coefficients are complex variables) we solve a few cases to find that the outer bound – and not the inner bound – of Weingarten et. al. is tight. In other words, the DoF results are robust to channel uncertainty at the transmitter.
MERIT-Infonomics Research Memorandum series Neo-Schumpeterian Simulation Models

The use of simulation modelling techniques by neo-Schumpeterian economists dates back to Nelson and Winter’s 1982 book “An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change”, and has rapidly expanded ever since. This paper considers the way in which successive generations of models have extended the boundaries of research (both with respect to the range of phenomena considered and the different dimensions of innovation that are considered), and while simultaneously introducing novel modelling techniques. At the same time, the paper will highlight the distinct set of features that have emerged in these neo-Schumpeterian models, and which set them apart from the models developed by other schools. In particular, they share a distinct view about the type of world in which real economic agents operate, and a invariably contain a generic set of algorithms. In addition to reviewing past models, the paper considers a number of pressing issues that remain unresolved and which modellers will need to address in future. Notable amongst these are the methodological relationship between empirical studies and simulation (e.g. ‘history friendly modelling’), the development of common standards for sensitivity analysis, and the need to further extend the boundaries of research in order to consider important aspects of innovation and technical change. JEL: C15, E17, L10,O30
Incidence and natural course of fatty liver in the general population: The Dionysos study

Using the general population of the Dionysos Study, we followed up 144 subjects without fatty liver (FL−) and 336 with fatty liver (FL+) for a median time of 8.5 years. All subjects had suspected liver disease (SLD) defined as altered liver enzymes, high mean corpuscular volume, or low platelet count in the absence of HBV and HCV infection. Ethanol intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and FL was diagnosed using ultrasonography. The incidence and remission rates of FL were 18.5 and 55.0 per 1,000 person‐years. Progression to cirrhosis or HCC was rare in both cohorts (incidence rate: 1.7 versus 1.1 and 0.8 versus 0.4 per 1,000 person‐years for FL− versus FL+). Multivariable Poisson regression was performed to identify predictors of FL incidence and remission among sex, age, body mass index, ethanol, and liver enzymes. Every increase of 20 g/day of ethanol intake at baseline was associated with a 17% increase in the rate of incident FL (P = 0.019), a 10% decrease in the rate of remitting FL and SLD (P = 0.043), a 19% decrease in the rate of remitting FL with persistent SLD (P = 0.002), and a 10% increase in mortality rate (P = 0.005) in the FL+ cohort. Conclusion: In the general population of the Dionysos Study, FL regressed in nearly 1 of every 2 cases and had a substantially benign course. Ethanol intake was the most important risk factor for FL remission and incidence and a predictor of mortality in subjects with FL. (HEPATOLOGY 2007.)
The Impact of Wire Stent Fabrication Technique on the Performance of Stent Placement

Braided wire stents demonstrate distinct characteristics compared to welded ones. In this study, both braided and welded wire stents with the same nominal dimensions were crimped inside a sheath and then deployed into a stenosed artery using finite element analysis. The braided wire stent was generated by overlapping wires to form crisscross shape. A welded wire stent was created by welding the intersection points of wires to avoid sliding between wires. The effect of fabrication technique on mechanical behavior of Nitinol wire stents was evaluated. The results showed that relative sliding between wires reduced the deformation of the braided stent, which led to less radial strength than the welded one; therefore, the deployed braided stent was more conformed to the anatomic shape of the lesion and much less efficient for restoring the patency of the stenotic artery. Post balloon-dilation was commonly used to improve its performance in terms of lumen gain and deployed shape of the stent. On the contrary, the welded wire stent exhibited a high capacity for pushing the occlusion outward. It reached an approximately uniform shape after deployment. The welded joints caused larger deformation and high strain on the stent struts, which indicate a potential earlier failure for the welded stent. In addition, higher contact pressure at the stent-lesion interface and higher arterial stresses were observed in the artery supported by the welded stent. The peak stress concentration may increase the occurrence of neointimal hyperplasia.
Determining the Concentration of Procalcitonin Using a Magnetic Particles-based Chemiluminescence Assay for the Clinical Diagnosis of Sepsis

Our objective is to develop an assay based on magnetic particles (MPs) to determine the concentration of procalcitonin (PCT) using a chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA). Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and N -(aminobutyl)- N -(ethylisoluminol) (ABEI) were used to label two different anti-procalcitonin (PCT) monoclonal antibodies. The labeled antibodies, the PCT antigen, and the anti-FITC antibody-coated MPs formed a double-sandwiched immunocomplex. The measured relative light units (RLUs) of ABEI in the substrate solution were directly proportional to the amount of PCT present in the samples. The proposed method was linear to 600 ng/mL with a detection limit of 0.03 ng/mL. The coefficient of variation (CV) was <5% and <6% for the intra- and inter-assay precision, respectively. The average recoveries were between 95 and 107%. The linearity-dilution effect gave a linear correlation coefficient of 0.9912. This proposed assay provided an alternative method to quantitatively measure PCT in serum for the diagnosis of sepsis.
Losing stability: tail loss and jumping in the arboreal lizard Anolis carolinensis

SUMMARY Voluntary loss of an appendage, or autotomy, is a remarkable behavior that is widespread among many arthropods and lower vertebrates. Its immediate benefit, generally escape from a predator, is balanced by various costs, including impaired locomotor performance, reproductive success and long-term survival. Among vertebrates, autotomy is most widespread in lizards, in which tail loss has been documented in close to 100 species. Despite numerous studies of the potential costs of tail autotomy in lizards, none have focused on the importance of the tail in jumping. Using high-speed video we recorded jumps from six lizards (Anolis carolinensis) both before and after removing 80% of the tail to test the hypothesis that tail loss has a significant effect on jumping kinematics. Several key performance metrics, including jump distance and takeoff velocity, were not affected by experimental tail removal, averaging 21 cm and 124 cm s–1, respectively, in both tailed and tailless lizards. However, in-air stability during jumping was greatly compromised after tail removal. Lizards without tails rotated posteriorly more than 30 deg. , on average, between takeoff and landing (and sometimes more than 90 deg.) compared with an average of 5 deg. of rotation in lizards with intact tails. Such exaggerated posterior rotation prevents coordinated landing, which is critical for animals that spend much of their time jumping to and from small branches. This work augments recent experiments demonstrating the importance of the tail as a mid-air stabilizer during falling in geckos, and emphasizes new and severe functional costs associated with tail autotomy in arboreal lizards.
Closed-form expressions for particle relative velocities induced by turbulence

In this note we present complete, closed-form expressions for random relative velocities between colliding particles of arbitrary size in nebula turbulence. These results are exact for very small particles (those with stopping times much shorter than the large eddy overturn time) and are also surprisingly accurate in complete generality (that is, also apply for particles with stopping times comparable to, or much longer than, the large eddy overturn time). We note that some previous studies may have adopted previous simple expressions, which we find to be in error regarding the size dependence in the large particle regime.
Investigating the use of association rules in improving recommender systems

Recommender systems are widely used online to help users find other products, items etc that they may be interested in based on what is known about that user in their profile. Often however user profiles may be short on information and thus when there is not sufficient knowledge on a user it is difficult for a recommender system to make quality recommendations. This problem is often referred to as the cold-start problem. Here we investigate whether association rules can be used as a source of information to expand a user profile and thus avoid this problem, leading to improved recommendations to users. Our pilot study shows that indeed it is possible to use association rules to improve the performance of a recommender system. This we believe can lead to further work in utilising appropriate association rules to lessen the impact of the cold-start problem.
Impact du moment de la journée et du rythme de veille-sommeil sur les performances cognitives

Resume Un nombre croissant de donnees scientifiques suggere que nos performances cognitives peuvent presenter des fluctuations journalieres importantes, dependant des habitudes de veille-sommeil propres a chacun. Ainsi, on peut distinguer schematiquement entre personnes du « matin » et personnes du « soir ». Celles-ci different notamment dans leurs horaires preferentiels de veille et de sommeil et egalement dans le moment de la journee auquel leurs capacites cognitives seront les plus efficaces. Malgre l’importance attribuee actuellement a l’hygiene des rythmes veille-sommeil, nos contraintes professionnelles et sociales nous imposent frequemment d’etre actif et de nous reposer a contretemps de nos besoins physiologiques. Cette revue essaie de mettre en evidence l’importance des modulations journalieres de nos capacites cognitives, les correlats cerebraux qui les sous-tendent, ainsi que l’existence de differences interindividuelles dans nos habitudes de veille-sommeil. Finalement, les effets de la lumiere sur notre comportement de sommeil et sur la qualite de notre eveil seront brievement decrits, sachant que celle-ci agit comme le facteur principal qui synchronise le temps de sommeil sur l’alternance cyclique du jour et de la nuit.
Clustering Hanan Points to Reduce Vlsi Interconnect Routing Times

The rectilinear Steiner tree problem (RSTP) is a classical problem having numerous real-world applications, including VLSI routing. Since the RSTP is NP-hard, developing polynomial heuristics which can produce near optimal solutions has been the primary approach to solve the RSTP. Many of these algorithms (e.g., 1-Steiner) use Hanan points. However, although the algorithms iterate through the entire set of Hanan points, frequently less than 5% of Hanan points appear in the final tree. In this paper, we propose several strategies to reduce the size of the set of Hanan points any iterative algorithm needs to consider, by eliminating points which are less likely to be included in the solution. This results in an improvement in run time, as the iterative algorithm must consider fewer Hanan points. Using our methods, we were able to generate Steiner trees with similar cost to those found when all Hanan points were considered, but with execution time reductions of more than 30%
An Optimal Stopping Decision method for Routing in opportunistic networks

Delivery delay is an important performance metric in opportunistic networks. With given buffer size and copy numbers, how to select appropriate nodes to replicate message is the key to minimizing delivery delay. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an Optimal Stopping Decision method for Routing of opportunistic networks (OSDR). With OSDR, the average meeting time between a node and the destination is regarded as the forwarding utility of the node. A node carrying a message observes the random forwarding utilities of the nodes it meets, and replicates messages according to the optimal stopping rule, which turns out to be threshold-based. By making tradeoffs between the forwarding utility and waiting cost, OSDR achieves the minimum delivery delay expectation. This paper introduces the OSDR network model and existence proof and calculation of optimal stopping rule in detail. Simulation results show that OSDR outperforms other protocols in delivery delay and delivery rate.
Automated Classification of Brain MR Images by Wavelet-Energy and k-Nearest Neighbors Algorithm

(Aim) It is of great importance to find abnormal or pathological brains in the early stage, to save hospital and social resources. However, potential of wavelet-energy is not widely used in this field. (Method) The popular "wavelet-energy" is regarded as a prevalent feature descriptor, which achieves good performance in many applications. In this work, we propose a wavelet-energy based new method for classification of magnetic resonance brain images. The approach is a three-stage system, including wavelet decomposition, energy extraction, and k-Nearest Neighbors algorithm. (Results) The proposed approach achieved excellent performance with a sensitivity of 93.75%, a specificity of 100%, and an accuracy of 95.45%. (Conclusion) Its performance is comparable to the state-of-the-art methods. It provides a new approach to detect features indicative of abnormal and pathological brains.
Provided for Non-commercial Research and Educational Use Only. Not for Reproduction, Distribution or Commercial Use. the Dog as a Model for Understanding Human Social Behavior

research and educational use including without limitation use in instruction at your institution, sending it to specific colleagues who know you, and providing a copy to your institution's administrator. All other uses, reproduction and distribution, including without limitation commercial reprints, selling or licensing copies or access, or posting on open internet sites, your personal or institution's website or repository, are prohibited. For exceptions, permission may be sought for such use through Elsevier's permissions site at: