Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal Auction Design and Equilibrium Selection in Sponsored Search Auctions

In analyses of sponsored search auctions for online advertising, it is customary to model the dynamic game of incomplete information by considering a static game of complete infor mation. This approach is used in Benjamin Edelman, Michael Ostrovsky and Michael Schwarz (2007) (EOS), Hal R. Varian (2007), and the subsequent literature. Modeling complex interactions in uncertain environments as games of complete information has a long history. For example, the Bertrand model of oligopolistic competition posits that companies know their competitors' costs based on their experience from prior interactions. The use of a static game of complete infor mation often offers important benefits. For one, it is tractable? avoiding complex multi period information sets in a dynamic game. Furthermore, a suitably chosen static game can capture important characteristics of the under lying dynamic game. When a game is repeated over an extended period, there is good reason to think participants will learn many characteris tics of their counterparts? supporting the use of a complete information model. Yet the use of a static game of complete information is also unsatisfying. There is no clear way to identify which (if any) equilibria of the static game of complete information are a relevant approximation of the equilibria of the dynamic game of incomplete information.
InterPro-an integrated documentation resource for protein families, domains and functional sites

MOTIVATION InterPro is a new integrated documentation resource for protein families, domains and functional sites, developed initially as a means of rationalising the complementary efforts of the PROSITE, PRINTS, Pfam and ProDom database projects. RESULTS Merged annotations from PRINTS, PROSITE and Pfam form the InterPro core. Each combined InterPro entry includes functional descriptions and literature references, and links are made back to the relevant parent database(s), allowing users to see at a glance whether a particular family or domain has associated patterns, profiles, fingerprints, etc. Merged and individual entries (i.e. those that have no counterpart in the companion resources) are assigned unique accession numbers. Release 1.2 of InterPro (June 2000) contains over 3000 entries, representing families, domains, repeats and sites of post-translational modification (PTMs) encoded by 6581 different regular expressions, profiles, fingerprints and Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). Each InterPro entry lists all the matches against SWISS-PROT and TrEMBL (more than 1000000 hits from 264333 different proteins out of 384572 in SWISS-PROT and TrEMBL).
Accuracy of the Dominant Interferer Method for Outage Probability Evaluations in a Mobile Radio Environment

Fax: +39-2-2399-3413; E-mail: zorzi@elet.polimi. it Abstract—An approximate approach to the performance evaluation in mobile radio communications systems is considered, and its accuracy is investigated. Our computations show that, in many cases of practical interest, it performs very well. The performance analysis of such systems, always hard and sometimeseven numerically infeasible, turns out to be greatly simplified.
Intercultural Factors in Web-based Training Systems 1

This paper is based on on-going research carried out in the framework of an EU project aimed at enhancing knowledge management (KM) in enterprises. It deals with the impact of intercultural factors on the accessibility and presentation of eLearning content. It reports on preliminary findings and discusses the issues which have emerged so far in the contextual study and requirements analysis conducted in preparation for designing Webbased training modules. Once the empirical research is completed and the data analyzed, guidelines will be proposed for developing Web-based training modules for culturally heterogeneous user groups sharing the same professional background. Special consideration will be given to interactive and community features.
The epidemiology and management of tibia and fibula fractures at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) in Northern Tanzania

Introduction Tibia/fibula fractures are one of the commonest admissions to the orthopaedic department at a resource-limited Northern Tanzanian hospital. These fractures are associated with poor prognosis and pose a huge socioeconomic burden on developing countries. However, to date there is a paucity of epidemiological data on lower-limb fractures in Tanzania. Methods A retrospective review of admissions to the orthopaedic department at Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) was completed between February 2015 and 2016. Inpatient record books were used to source epidemiological data which was subsequently analysed. Results 199 of the 1016 patients admitted sustained tibia/fibula fractures. 78% (n=156) of admissions were male and the most frequently affected age group was 21-30 years. Motor traffic accidents (MTAs) were the most common cause and accounted for 78% of fractures, with nearly half of these involving motorbikes (42%). Falls were identified as the second most common cause (13%). It was determined that 72% (n=143) of fractures were open, 19% (n=38) were comminuted and the most common site of injury was the distal-third of tibia/fibula. The most frequently recorded treatments were surgical toilet/debridement (66% of patients) and the application of a backslab (34% of patients). Conclusion Males in the 21-30 age group, who were involved in MTAs, were most commonly affected by tibia/fibula fractures. Given that MTA incidence is increasing in Tanzania, there is a growing public health concern that this will be reflected by a step-increase in the number of people who sustain lower-limb fractures.
Sex-Biased Dispersal at Different Geographical Scales in a Cooperative Breeder from Fragmented Rainforest

Dispersal affects both social behavior and population structure and is therefore a key determinant of long-term population persistence. However, dispersal strategies and responses to spatial habitat alteration may differ between sexes. Here we analyzed spatial and temporal variation in ten polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci of male and female Cabanis’s greenbuls ( Phyllastrephus cabanisi ), a cooperative breeder of Afrotropical rainforest, to quantify rates of gene flow and fine-grained genetic structuring within and among fragmented populations. We found genetic evidence for female-biased dispersal at small spatial scales, but not at the landscape level. Local autocorrelation analysis provided evidence of positive genetic structure within 300 m distance ranges, which is consistent with behavioral observations of short-distance natal dispersal. At a landscape scale, individual-based autocorrelation values decreased over time while levels of admixture increased, possibly indicating increased gene flow over the past decade.
Listeria monocytogenes-associated joint and bone infections: a study of 43 consecutive cases.

BACKGROUND Little is known about Listeria monocytogenes-associated bone and joint infections. Only case reports of this infection have been published. METHODS Retrospective study of culture-proven bone and joint cases reported to the French National Reference Center for Listeria from 1992 to 2010. RESULTS Forty-three patients were studied: 61% were men, and the median age was 72 (range, 16-89); 24 patients exhibited comorbidities (56%). Thirty-six patients (84%) had orthopedic implant devices: prosthetic joints (n = 34) or internal fixation (n = 2); the median time after insertion was 9 years (0.1-22). Subacute infection was more frequent (median, 4 weeks [range, 2-100], 74%) than acute infection (<7 days, 23%), with nonspecific clinical features; 45% of patients had no fever. Blood cultures were positive in 3 of 19 cases. Isolate polymerase chain reaction genogrouping revealed 4 patterns: IVb (21 of 42, 50%), IIa (17 of 42, 40%), IIb (2 of 42, 5%), and IIc (2 of 42, 5%). Five groups of strains with similar pulsotype patterns were identified without an epidemiological link. Antibiotics, primarily amoxicillin (80%) with aminoglycosides (48%), were prescribed for a median duration of 15 weeks (range, 2-88). Eighteen patients (50%) underwent prosthesis replacement; all were successful after median follow-up of 10 months (range, 1-75). Five of 13 patients for whom material was not removed had protracted infection despite prolonged antibiotherapy; 3 of these patients later underwent prosthesis replacement with sustained recovery. CONCLUSIONS Osteoarticular listeriosis primarily involves prosthetic joints and occurs in immunocompromised patients. It requires intensive treatment with antibiotherapy and usually requires implant removal or replacement for cure.
Adaptive estimation in the nonparametric random coefficients binary choice model by needlet thresholding

In the random coefficients binary choice model, a binary variable equals 1 iff an index $X^\top\beta$ is positive. The vectors $X$ and $\beta$ are independent and belong to the sphere $\mathbb{S}^{d-1}$ in $\mathbb{R}^{d}$. We prove lower bounds on the minimax risk for estimation of the density $f_{\beta}$ over Besov bodies where the loss is a power of the $L^p(\mathbb{S}^{d-1})$ norm for $1\le p\le \infty$. We show that a hard thresholding estimator based on a needlet expansion with data-driven thresholds achieves these lower bounds up to logarithmic factors.
Robust adaptive control of the mold level in the continuous casting process using multiple models

In the continuous casting of steel, mold level control is fundamental for obtaining high productivity and high quality. Using conventional methods, it is difficult to achieve both stability and performance robustness because of different classes of disturbances and parameters uncertainties in the process. This paper presents a multi-model adaptive control architecture based on the so-called RMMAC methodology. With the help of precise definition of robust performance requirements, the number of models, estimators and controllers are merely derived. More importantly, the combination of robust non-adaptive mixed-μ synthesis and stochastic hypothesis testing concepts enables controller performances prediction as well as online monitoring process parameters which could be used by operators to take corrective actions. The generated signals are likewise useful for understanding the physical phenomena in the process.
Pseudotumor Cerebri: Brief Review of Clinical Syndrome and Imaging Findings

PTC is a clinical entity of uncertain etiology characterized by intracranial hypertension. The syndrome classically manifests with headaches and visual changes in women with obesity. Traditionally, imaging ruled out secondary causes of elevated CSF pressure but now may reveal findings frequently seen in patients with PTC, including the following: flattening of the globe, an empty sella, an enlarged ONS, protrusion and enhancement of the optic nerve head, and increased tortuosity of the optic nerve. Novel imaging methods, including MR venography, have additionally identified sinovenous stenosis as a potential indicator of PTC.
CRISPR-Cas: biology, mechanisms and relevance

Prokaryotes have evolved several defence mechanisms to protect themselves from viral predators. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and their associated proteins (Cas) display a prokaryotic adaptive immune system that memorizes previous infections by integrating short sequences of invading genomes—termed spacers—into the CRISPR locus. The spacers interspaced with repeats are expressed as small guide CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) that are employed by Cas proteins to target invaders sequence-specifically upon a reoccurring infection. The ability of the minimal CRISPR-Cas9 system to target DNA sequences using programmable RNAs has opened new avenues in genome editing in a broad range of cells and organisms with high potential in therapeutical applications. While numerous scientific studies have shed light on the biochemical processes behind CRISPR-Cas systems, several aspects of the immunity steps, however, still lack sufficient understanding. This review summarizes major discoveries in the CRISPR-Cas field, discusses the role of CRISPR-Cas in prokaryotic immunity and other physiological properties, and describes applications of the system as a DNA editing technology and antimicrobial agent. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The new bacteriology’.
Increased cytosine DNA-methyltransferase activity during colon cancer progression.

BACKGROUND Molecular changes during progressive stages of colon cancer and other human tumors commonly involve altered regulation of DNA methylation. These changes include overall genomic hypomethylation, regional hypermethylation, and increased levels of messenger RNA (mRNA) for cytosine DNA-methyltransferase (DNA-MTase), the enzyme that catalyzes DNA methylation at CpG (cytosine-phospho-guanine) sites. This increase in DNA-MTase transcripts (mRNA), if accompanied by increased DNA-MTase activity, could play a role in the abnormal DNA methylation patterns that appear early in colon tumor progression. PURPOSE We sought to determine whether increased DNA-MTase mRNA levels during colon cancer progression are associated with increased cellular DNA-MTase enzymatic activity. METHODS We adapted a microassay for DNA-MTase and used it to measure activity in human colon carcinoma and in colon mucosa of normal control subjects and of patients with colon cancer or with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), which is a risk factor for colon cancer. Steady-state DNA-MTase gene transcripts were measured by a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay. To compare DNA-MTase activity with mRNA levels, we determined both variables simultaneously for one colon cancer specimen, its adjacent mucosa, and the colon mucosa of a control patient and compared the values. RESULTS Compared with DNA-MTase activity in mucosa from normal control subjects, activity was elevated 1.4-fold in FAP mucosa, 1.6-fold in the uninvolved mucosa of patients with cancer, and 5.4-fold in the cancer specimens. All these differences were statistically significant. Fourteen of 15 cancer samples and 47% of the uninvolved adjacent mucosa samples had values that were higher than the highest value in normal mucosa. In one patient who had both a benign adenomatous polyp and a malignant adenocarcinoma, increasing DNA-MTase activity was observed at each stage of tumor progression. CONCLUSION These results demonstrate that an increased DNA methylation capacity accompanies the increase in DNA-MTase transcripts observed during progressive stages of colon cancer. IMPLICATION Further studies are needed to determine whether this abnormal methylation capacity plays a role in establishing the abnormal DNA methylation patterns seen in human malignancies.
Adoption of the WHO Child Growth Standards to Classify Indonesian Children under 2 Years of Age According to Nutrition Status: Stronger Indication for Nutritional Intervention

Background The National Center for Health Statistics/World Health Organization (NCHS/WHO) reference is considered unsuitable for assessing the nutritional status of breastfed children. It is gradually being replaced by the WHO Child Growth Standards in many countries. Objective To assess the implications of adopting the WHO Child Growth Standards to classify Indonesian children according to nutrition status. Methods Data were obtained from two cross-sectional surveys in two districts in Indonesia in 1998. Children under 2 years of age were randomly selected using a two-stage cluster sampling. Z-scores of weight-for-length (WLZ), length-for-age (LAZ), and weight-for-age (WAZ) were calculated based on both the NCHS/WHO reference and the WHO Child Growth Standards. Wasting, stunting, and underweight were defined as z-scores less than −2.0. Results We included 1,374 children, of whom 693 (50.4%) were male and 681 (49.6%) were female. Almost all of the children had initiated breastfeeding and were still being breastfed when the data were collected. According to the WHO Child Growth Standards, the prevalence of wasting did not change with age, but the prevalence rates of stunting and underweight rose steadily with age. Although the contribution of wasting to the classification of underweight was relatively constant, the contribution of stunting increased as the children grew. Conclusions The WHO Child Growth Standards are a better tool for assessing the nutritional status of Indonesian children than the NCHS/WHO reference. However, low WAZ is not a suitable indicator for commencing an extra feeding program, because it reflects stunting instead of wasting. The high prevalence of stunting indicates the need to perform preventive nutritional intervention beginning earlier in life, i.e., in utero.
Mandibular talon cusps: A Systematic review and data analysis

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate mandibular talon cusps distribution from the comprehensive literature search and proposal of new classification Material and Methods: The study was a review of articles published in the English language from January 1960 to December 2013. The PubMed/MEDLINE/Google Scholor databases were searched electronically using ‘talon cusp’, ‘dens evaginatus’, ‘anterior teeth’, mandible, ‘primary dentition’ and ‘ permanent dentition’ as search terms in various combinations. The citation lists from the included references were subsequently examined, and a hand search was also performed in an attempt to identify additional reports. The distribution, characteristics, common tooth type, associated dental anomaly and proposal of new classification have been included in final data analysis. Descriptive statistics were carried out using Chi square test (SPSS, version 17). Results: Overall 37 citations were retrieved from the literature where one was prevalence studies and rest were case reports among those two were duplication. Total 35 articles with 43 patients were reported on mandibular talon cusps. Males were predominantly affected than females (p<0.05). Eight cases (19%) were reported in archeological skulls 81% were clinical reports. Forty cases (93%) were reported in permanent dentition while 7% cases in primary dentition. Lingual mandibular talon are more common than facial type in permanent dentition facial talons (p<0.05). Seven cases (18%) were bilaterally involved. Double tooth (45%) was commonly associated with mandibular talons. Most of the cases reported from Asia and asia derived populations. Conclusions: Central incisor is the most common tooth type that effected by talon cusp in permanent dentition and lateral incisor is in primary dentition. Lingual talons are common in mandible. Double tooth common dental anomaly associated with mandibular talon cusp. Most of the case reported from Asia. Talon cusps should be classified as facial, lingual, and facial and lingual types. Key words:Double tooth, permanent dentition, primary dentition, mandibular arch, Talon cusp.
Gallbladder carcinoma associated with anomalous pancreaticobiliary duct junction.

BACKGROUND Anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal junction (APBDJ) is believed to be one of the risk factors for gallbladder carcinoma. The present study aims to delineate the gallbladder carcinoma characteristics associated with APBDJ. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with gallbladder carcinoma associated with APBDJ between August 1992 and February 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Two types of APBDJ classifications were considered: right-angle type (C-P) and acute-angle type (P-C). RESULTS Ten of 218 patients (4.6%) with gallbladder carcinomas were associated with APBDJ. All patients were female with a mean age of 55.4 years (range 41 to 72 years). Gallstones were absent in nine patients. Seven patients (70%) had the P-C type and three patients (30%) had the C-P type. Survival differences between the P-C type and the C-P type of gallbladder carcinomas were noted (P=0.0269). Patients with incidentally detected gallbladder carcinoma had superior survival (P=0.0316). CONCLUSION Gallbladder carcinomas associated with APBDJ were significantly related to relatively young female patients without gallbladder stones. Survival outcomes in these patients were not different from those of gallbladder carcinoma without APBDJ. In particular, the P-C type of APBDJ seemed to be more associated with relatively advanced gallbladder carcinomas, and patients with incidentally detected gallbladder carcinomas with APBDJ had superior survival.
Characterization of Non-Manipulable and Pareto Optimal Resource Allocation Strategies for Interference Coupled Wireless Systems

This paper investigates the properties of social choice functions that represent resource allocation strategies in interference coupled wireless systems. The allocated resources can be physical layer parameters such as power vectors or antenna weights. Strategy proofness and efficiency of social choice functions are used to capture the respective properties of resource allocation strategy outcomes being non-manipulable and Pareto optimal. In addition, this paper introduces and investigates the concepts of (strict) intuitive fairness and non-participation in interference coupled systems. The analysis indicates certain inherent limitations when designing strategy proof and efficient resource allocation strategies, if the intuitive fairness and non-participation are imposed. These restrictions are investigated in an analytical social choice function framework for interference coupled wireless systems. Among other results, it is shown that a strategy proof and efficient resource allocation strategy for interference coupled wireless systems cannot simultaneously satisfy continuity and the frequently encountered property of non-participation.
Microstructural evolution during thermomechanical fatigue of 62 Sn-36 Pb-2 Ag and 60 Sn-40 Pb solder joints

Thermomechanical fatigue tests were performed on two near-eutectic Sn-Pb solder alloys, 60 Sn-40 Pb and 62 Sn-36 Pb-2 Ag, to examine the effect silver additions have on solder joints. The cyclic load was found to have consistent trends between the two silver alloys (for given amounts of total strain and strain rates). It was found that a decreasing strain rate increased the life of both alloys equally in thermomechanical fatigue. At slower strain rates, the dislocation substructure recovers faster than it work-hardens, which tends to minimize subsequent recrystallization and heterogeneous coarsening of the solder joint. The microstructure of 62 Sn-36 Pb-2 Ag contained large whisker-like Ag/sub 3/Sn precipitates that nucleate and grow out from the Cu/sub 6/Sn/sub 5/ interfacial intermetallics. At this size, the Ag/sub 3/Sn precipitates have little effect on the deformation behavior of the solder. The intermetallics are not detrimental in that they do not prematurely crack, nor are they beneficial because they are too large to stabilize the microstructure. It does not appear, from a microstructural viewpoint, that adding silver to near-eutectic Sn-Pb has any significant effect on improving the thermomechanical fatigue behavior. <<ETX>>