Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid Customization for Event Extraction

Extracting events in the form of who is involved in what at when and where from text, is one of the core information extraction tasks that has many applications such as web search and question answering. We present a system for rapidly customizing event extraction capability to find new event types (what happened) and their arguments (who, when, and where). To enable extracting events of new types, we develop a novel approach to allow a user to find, expand and filter event triggers by exploring an unannotated development corpus. The system will then generate mention level event annotation automatically and train a neural network model for finding the corresponding events. To enable extracting arguments for new event types, the system makes novel use of the ACE annotation dataset to train a generic argument attachment model for extracting Actor, Place, and Time. We demonstrate that with less than 10 minutes of human effort per event type, the system achieves good performance for 67 novel event types. Experiments also show that the generic argument attachment model performs well on the novel event types. Our system (code, UI, documentation, demonstration video) is released as open source.
Comparison of Clinical and Physiological Parameters for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Hypertensive and Normotensive Patients

Objective: To discover the correlation of clinical and physiological measures for benign prostatic hyperplasia in hypertensive and normotensive patients. Methods: From September 2016 to October 2017, 435 patients were enrolled for further selection. The parameters evaluated for eligible patients included prostate volume, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, international prostate symptom score, etc. Then the eligible patients were divided into two groups according to hypertension condition, and the clinical and physiological parameters were compared between two groups. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to test the linearity of the relationships of these clinical and physiological components with prostate volume, total prostate specific antigen, and international prostate symptom score. Results: Finally, 350 patients were involved in this study, including 117 with hypertension and 233 without hypertension. Weight, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were significantly different between the hypertension and normotension groups. In the normotension group, there were positive correlations between weight, body mass index, age, and prostate volume; between fasting blood sugar, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and total prostate specific antigen; between fasting blood sugar and international prostate symptom score. In the hypertension group, there were positive correlations between age and total prostate specific antigen and international prostate symptom score; between weight and prostate volume; between systolic blood pressure and total prostate specific antigen. Conclusion: This study indicated that there might be no significant association between hypertension and prostate volume.
Therapy for Mycobacterium kansasii Infection: Beyond 2018

The current standard of care therapy for pulmonary Mycobacterium kansasii infection is isoniazid (300 mg/day), rifampin (600 mg/day), and ethambutol (15 mg/kg/day) for 12 months after achieving sputum culture negativity. Rifampin is the key drug in this regimen. The contribution of isoniazid is unclear since its in vitro MICs against M. kansasii are near the peak achievable serum levels and more than 100-fold greater than the MICs for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Ethambutol likely decreases the emergence of rifampin resistant organisms. There are several new drug classes (e.g., quinolones, macrolides, nitroimidazoles, diarylquinolines, and clofazimine) that exhibit antimycobacterial activities against M. tuberculosis but have not yet been adequately studied against M. kansasii infections. The evaluation of in vitro activities of these agents as well as their study in new regimens in comparison to the standard of care regimen in mouse infection models should be undertaken. This knowledge will inform development of human clinical trials of new regimens in comparison to the current standard of care regimen. It is likely that shorter and more effective therapy is achievable with currently available drugs.
Association of riverine prawns and intermediate host snails and correlation with human schistosomiasis in two river systems in south-eastern Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract The current emphasis of schistosomiasis control is placed on preventive chemotherapy using praziquantel. However, reinfection may occur rapidly in the absence of complementary interventions. Recent studies from Senegal suggest that predatory prawns might feed on intermediate host snails and thus impact on schistosomiasis transmission. We designed a study with four repeated cross-sectional surveys pertaining to prawns and snails, coupled with a single cross-sectional parasitological survey among humans. We assessed for potential associations between the presence/density of prawns and snails and correlation with Schistosoma infection in a composite sample of school-aged children and adults. The study was carried out between October 2015 and December 2016 in 24 villages located near the Agnéby and Mé coastal river systems in south-eastern Côte d'Ivoire. At each site, snails and prawns were collected, and in each village, 150 individuals were subjected to stool and urine examination for the diagnosis of Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium. We found peaks of relative abundance of intermediate host snails in the villages of the Agnéby River system, while predatory prawns were predominantly recorded in the Mé River system. A negative association was observed between intermediate host snail densities and riverine prawns; however, no pattern was found between this trend in the predator–prey relationship and the prevalence of human schistosomiasis.
Influence of various parameters in the replica-exchange molecular dynamics method: Number of replicas, replica-exchange frequency, and thermostat coupling time constant

The replica-exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) method has been used for conformational sampling of various biomolecular systems. To maximize sampling efficiency, some adjustable parameters must be optimized. Although it is agreed that shorter intervals between the replica-exchange attempts enhance traversals in the temperature space, details regarding the artifacts caused by these short intervals are controversial. In this study, we revisit this problem by performing REMD simulations on an alanine octapeptide in an implicit solvent. Fifty different sets of conditions, which are a combination of five replica-exchange periods, five different numbers of replicas, and two thermostat coupling time constants, were investigated. As a result, although short replica-exchange intervals enhanced the traversals in the temperature space, they led to artifacts in the ensemble average of the temperature, potential energy, and helix content. With extremely short replica-exchange intervals, i.e., attempted at every time step, the ensemble average of the temperature deviated from the thermostat temperature by ca. 7 K. Differences in the ensembles were observed even for larger replica-exchange intervals (between 100 and 1,000 steps). In addition, the shorter thermostat coupling time constant reduced the artifacts found when short replica-exchange intervals were used, implying that these artifacts are caused by insufficient thermal relaxation between the replica-exchange events. Our results will be useful to reduce the artifacts found in REMD simulations by adjusting some key parameters.
Origin, Genetic Diversity, and Evolutionary Dynamics of Novel Porcine Circovirus 3

Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV3) is a novel virus associated with acute PDNS (porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome)‐like clinical signs identified by metagenomic sequencing from swine. Its high occurrence may pose a potential threat to the swine industry worldwide. The processes resulting in the emergence and spread of PCV3 remain poorly understood. Herein, the possible origin, genotypes, and evolutionary dynamics of PCV3 based on available genomic sequences are determined. The closest ancestor of PCV3 is found to be within the clade 1 bat CVs. Using different phylogenetic methods, two major genotypes are identified, PCV3a and PCV3b. It is found that the effective population size of PCV3 increased rapidly during late 2013 to early 2014 and this is associated with the diversification of PCV3a and PCV3b. A relatively high effective reproductive number (Re) value and higher evolutionary rate were found compared to other single‐stranded DNA viruses, and positive selection on codons 122 and 320 (24 of ORF2) is identified. It is hypothesized that this, together with the prediction of a potential change of an antigenic epitope at position 320, might have allowed PCV3 to escape from the host immune response. Overall, this study has important implications for understanding the ongoing PCV3 cases worldwide and will guide future efforts to develop effective preventive and control measures.
In Situ Formed Protective Barrier Enabled by Sulfur@Titanium Carbide (MXene) Ink for Achieving High‐Capacity, Long Lifetime Li‐S Batteries

Sulfur (S) is an attractive cathode material with advantages including high theoretical capacity and low cost. However, issues such as the lithium polysulfide shuttle effect and its insulating properties greatly limit the future applications of lithium‐sulfur (Li‐S) batteries. Here, a viscous aqueous ink with nanoscale S uniformly decorated on the polar, metallically conductive titanium carbide MXene nanosheets (S@Ti3C2Tx) is reported to address these issues. Importantly, it is observed that the conductive Ti3C2Tx mediator efficiently chemisorbs the soluble polysulfides and converts them into thiosulfate/sulfate. The in situ formed sulfate complex layer acts as a thick protective barrier, which significantly retards the shuttling of polysulfides upon cycling and improves the sulfur utilization. Consequently, the binder‐free, robust, highly electrically conductive composite film exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance, including high capacities (1244–1350 mAh g‐1), excellent rate handling, and impressive cycling stability (0.035–0.048% capacity loss per cycle), surpassing the best MXene‐S batteries known. The fabrication of a pouch cell based on the freestanding S@Ti3C2Tx film is also reported. The prototype device showcases high capacities and excellent mechanical flexibility. Considering the broad family of MXenes and their unique roles in immobilizing the polysulfides, various S@MXene composites can be similarly fabricated with promising Li+ storage capability and long lifetime performance.
Higher diet‐dependent acid load is associated with risk of breast cancer: Findings from the sister study

Dietary factors that contribute to chronic low‐grade metabolic acidosis have been linked to breast cancer risk, but to date no epidemiologic study has examined diet‐dependent acid load and breast cancer. We used data from 43,570 Sister Study participants who completed a validated food frequency questionnaire at enrollment (2003–2009) and satisfied eligibility criteria. The Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) score was used to estimate diet‐dependent acid load. Higher scores reflect greater consumption of protein and phosphorus, and lower consumption of potassium, calcium and magnesium. The association between PRAL and breast cancer was evaluated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. We identified 1,614 invasive breast cancers diagnosed at least 1 year after enrollment (mean follow‐up, 7.6 years). The highest PRAL quartile, reflecting greater acid‐forming potential, was associated with increased risk of breast cancer (HRhighest vs. lowest quartile: 1.21 [95% CI, 1.04–1.41], ptrend = 0.04). The association was more pronounced for estrogen receptor (ER)‐negative (HRhighest vs. lowest quartile: 1.67 [95% CI, 1.07–2.61], ptrend = 0.03) and triple‐negative breast cancer (HRhighest vs. lowest quartile: 2.20 [95% CI, 1.23–3.95], ptrend = 0.02). Negative PRAL scores, representing consumption of alkaline diets, were associated with decreased risk of ER‐negative and triple‐negative breast cancer, compared to a PRAL score of 0 representing neutral pH. Higher diet‐dependent acid load may be a risk factor for breast cancer while alkaline diets may be protective. Since PRAL scores are positively correlated with meat consumption and negatively correlated with fruit and vegetable intake, results also suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables and low in meat may be protective against hormone receptor negative breast cancer.
Un CMS orientado a la gestión de recursos didácticos

Los sistemas de gestión de contenidos CMS (Content Management System) se han convertido en parte vital de Internet, actualmente se utilizan no sólo para crear WEBs corporativas, sino también para la creación de laboratorios virtuales, control de laboratorios de forma remota, campos virtuales, etc. En nuestro caso concreto, se quieren aplicar para crear sitios WEB que ayuden en la gestión de asignaturas basadas en Laboratorios Virtuales. En el grupo de trabajo Tecnologías para el Aprendizaje Activo (NTA), patrocinada por la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), se pretende analizar el estado de la cuestión de: Docencia presencial, evaluación, aprendizaje colaborativo, laboratorio remoto, laboratorios virtuales y gestión de proyectos. Como factor común, todas estas áreas requieren un CMS. Es cierto que actualmente se encuentran disponibles en Internet una infinidad de CMS gratuitos y comerciales. La pregunta obvia a realizar es ¿Porqué reinventar lo hecho y tratar de hacer un CMS? La respuesta es tan simple como el contar con el control total de un CMS que nos permita estudiar la mejor forma de crear Laboratorios Virtuales que sean útiles en las asignaturas impartidas en la UPV.
Summary of Work for Joint Research Interchanges with DARWIN Integrated Product Team 1998

The intent of Stanford University's SciVis group is to develop technologies that enabled comparative analysis and visualization techniques for simulated and experimental flow fields. These techniques would then be made available un- der the Joint Research Interchange for potential injection into the DARWIN Workspace Environment (DWE). In the past, we have focused on techniques that exploited feature based comparisons such as shock and vortex extractions. Our current research effort focuses on finding a quantitative comparison of general vector fields based on topological features. Since the method relies on topological information, grid matching an@ vector alignment is not needed in the comparison. This is often a problem with many data comparison techniques. In addition, since only topology based information is stored and compared for each field, there is a significant compression of information that enables large databases to be quickly searched. This report will briefly (1) describe current technologies in the area of comparison techniques, (2) will describe the theory of our new method and finally (3) summarize a few of the results.
The Regulation of All Pay Auctions: Is There Need for Greater Regulation of Online Auctioneers?

Auctions are a ubiquitous process, with auctioneers playing a critical role in serving as a bridge between buyers and sellers, and as such assisting in the process of price discovery. Given this critical role, the regulation of auctions and auctioneers is of particular concern. The emergence of online selling has raised a number of pertinent questions about how the industry should be regulated. In particular so-called penny auctions (in economic parlance “unit bid auction”) have raised a number of pertinent questions about consumer protections. Whether these online selling models constitute auctions, and whether they mirror “bricks and mortar” rivals remain pertinent questions. Moreover, the adequacy of the regulatory apparatus that moderates the activities of auctioneers operating within conventional “analogue markets” is uncertain when such apparatus is applied to “digital markets” involving online selling through auction like processes. The current study considers need for regulation of unit bit auction in light of the underlying economics of such auction models. The model suggests that enhanced disclosure and greater regulation may ultimately be necessary.
Rezensionen: Personalethik: Die ethische Dimension personalwissenschaftlicher Forschung

Frau von Cossel ihr Ziel erreicht, ein besseres Verständnis für das organisationale Handeln staatlich subventionierter deutscher Theater zu schaffen. Das vorgeschlagene Modell sollte jedoch in einer größeren quantitativen Studie weiter untersucht werden. Umso interessanter wäre es gewesen, an dieser Stelle weiterzudenken und über die möglichen Implikationen der Arbeit für Forschung und Praxis zu spekulieren. Offen bleibt z. B. die Frage, welchen theoriebezogenen Mehrwert die Übertragung allgemeiner Organisationstheorien auf öffentliche Theater schafft. Gerade die ausbleibende Bestätigung von Hypothesen bietet hier u. U. interessante Ansatzpunkte. Umgekehrt könnte man aus Sicht der Praxis fragen, wie öffentliche Theater in der derzeitig wirtschaftlich schwierigen Situation von den Ergebnissen dieser Arbeit profitieren können und ob sich die Ergebnisse auf andere Kulturbetriebe (z. B. Museen) übertragen lassen. Als Fazit bleibt festzuhalten, dass Frau von Cossel die wenigen organisationstheoretischen Analysen im Kulturbereich um eine empirische Arbeit bereichert hat, die einen neuen Blick auf die Spielplangestaltung wirft. Es wird sich zeigen, ob diese Arbeit den „Wagemut“ innovativer Forschung und/oder kreativer Praxis stimuliert.
Strategies to Successfully Navigate the Design of STEM Facilities: A Case Study at the University of Mississippi

THE GROWING DEMAND FOR SCIENCE, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) facilities in higher education mirrors the national need for graduates (President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology 2012) not only in the basic sciences and traditional engineering fields but also in emerging technologies and sciences that blur the demarcations between these disciplines, such as biomedical engineering, biotechnology, geochemistry, information technology, and robotics.
Stereotyp und Vorurteil

Die meisten Menschen halten sich vermutlich für relativ vorurteilsfrei. Dennoch sind viele Individuen spontan in der Lage, dezidierte Meinungen über Menschen anderer Bevölkerungszugehörigkeit zu äußern. So ergibt sich in Meinungsumfragen beispielsweise immer wieder, dass Deutsche Österreicher für charmant halten oder Schweizer Deutsche als eher arrogant ansehen. Solche Meinungen werden in der Sozialpsychologie als „Stereotyp“ bezeichnet. Man versteht unter „Stereotyp“ die Merkmale, die den Mitgliedern sozialer Gruppen lediglich aufgrund ihrer Gruppenzugehörigkeit zugeschrieben werden (Petersen & Six-Materna, 2006). So gibt es beispielsweise Stereotype über Frauen bzw. Männer, über verschiedene Bevölkerungen oder über alte bzw. junge Menschen.
Novas dinâmicas urbanas para a resolução de problemas das cidades: um olhar sobre a Porto Alegre online/offline de hoje.

A efetividade no trato dos problemas urbanos e sociais não acompanhou a rápida urbanização das grandes cidades. Novas dinâmicas vêm emergindo de uma sociedade que age criativamente, coletivamente e de forma colaborativa, implementando novos canais para resolução de problemas que não dependam exclusivamente do poder público. O artigo se propõe a analisar novos modelos de engajamento popular e divisão de responsabilidades que vem se impondo nas cidades contemporâneas, observando dinâmicas online, offline ou mistas da participação social representadas pelo codesign. Como cenário para discussão, se definiu como recorte o contexto da mobilidade urbana em Porto Alegre durante a última década.
Evaluation of Serum Amyloid A and Haptoglobin in Dairy Cows Naturally Infected with Brucellosis

Brucellosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases worldwide, which is responsible for a debilitating disease in humans and a chronic infection in domestic animals. The aim of this study was to determine serum changes of two major acute phase proteins (Serum Amyloid A (SAA) and Haptoglobin (Hp)) levels in dairy cows naturally infected with brucellosis. The study included 25 dairy cows with brucellosis and 25 healthy cows. It was found that mean SAA levels (μg/ml) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in brucellosis cases (123.75 ± 12.64) as compared to values measured in the control group (32.92 ± 9.12). In addition, SAA levels measured in the positive cases correlated with the increase in antibody levels, both in 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME) and Wright tests. However, the analyses of the results between the evaluated groups did not show any significant differences in measured serum concentration of Hp (g/l) (P > 0.05). Our results suggested that some acute phase proteins are involved in the pathophysiology of brucellosis and are closely related to the inflammatory activation of the disease. In view of the present findings, it is suggested SAA may be used as an indicator for bovine brucellosis.
Relative Contribution of PIN-Containing Secretory Vesicles and Plasma Membrane PINs to the Directed Auxin Transport: Theoretical Estimation

The intercellular transport of auxin is driven by PIN-formed (PIN) auxin efflux carriers. PINs are localized at the plasma membrane (PM) and on constitutively recycling endomembrane vesicles. Therefore, PINs can mediate auxin transport either by direct translocation across the PM or by pumping auxin into secretory vesicles (SVs), leading to its secretory release upon fusion with the PM. Which of these two mechanisms dominates is a matter of debate. Here, we addressed the issue with a mathematical modeling approach. We demonstrate that the efficiency of secretory transport depends on SV size, half-life of PINs on the PM, pH, exocytosis frequency and PIN density. 3D structured illumination microscopy (SIM) was used to determine PIN density on the PM. Combining this data with published values of the other parameters, we show that the transport activity of PINs in SVs would have to be at least 1000× greater than on the PM in order to produce a comparable macroscopic auxin transport. If both transport mechanisms operated simultaneously and PINs were equally active on SVs and PM, the contribution of secretion to the total auxin flux would be negligible. In conclusion, while secretory vesicle-mediated transport of auxin is an intriguing and theoretically possible model, it is unlikely to be a major mechanism of auxin transport in planta.