Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electricity price forecasting using neural networks with an improved iterative training algorithm

ABSTRACT In a competitive electricity market, the forecasting of energy prices is an important activity for all market participants either for developing bidding strategies or for making investment decisions. In this article, a new forecasting strategy is proposed for short-term prediction of the electricity price, which is a complex quantity with nonlinear, volatile and time-dependent behaviour. Our forecast strategy includes two novelties: a new two-stage feature selection algorithm and a new iterative training algorithm. The feature selection algorithm has two filtering stages to remove irrelevant and redundant candidate inputs, respectively. This algorithm is based on mutual information and correlation analysis. The improved iterative training algorithm is composed of two neural networks in which the output of the first neural network is one of the inputs to the second. The overall proposed strategy is applied to the Pennsylvania–New Jersey–Maryland (PJM) electricity markets and compared with some of the most recent price forecast methods.
Biotic Interactions in the Tropics: Multitrophic interactions in a neotropical savanna: ant–hemipteran systems, associated insect herbivores and a host plant

Introduction In many habitats ants form a major part of the arthropod fauna found on vegetation, and recent studies have shown that the abundance and diversity of ant– plant associations is particularly remarkable in the tropical region. For instance, one-third of the plant species in a Panamanian forest (Schupp & Feener 1991) and over 20% of the woody species in a Brazilian savanna (Oliveira & OliveiraFilho 1991) were found to produce ant rewards. Furthermore, 312 ant–plant interactions were recorded in one Mexican coastal site (Rico-Gray 1993), and the ant–plant community in an Amazonian rainforest comprised 377 plants per ha (Fonseca & Ganade 1996). In the tropics many ant species use plant surfaces as a foraging substrate to search for both live and dead animal prey, as well as for different types of plant-derived food products (Carroll & Janzen 1973). Ant activity on foliage can be promoted by the occurrence of predictable and immediately renewable food sources, including extrafloral nectar, honeydew from phloemfeeding hemipterans, and secretions from lepidopteran larvae (see Way 1963; Bentley 1977; Buckley 1987; Koptur 1992; Pierce et al. 2002). In fact, plantand insect-derived liquid foods appear to provide a large amount of the energy supply of foliage-dwelling ants (Tobin 1994; Davidson et al. 2003). Although food resources located on foliage are probably more often found and exploited by arboreal species, ground-nesting ants frequently extend their foraging areas onto the plant substrate as well (Rico-Gray 1993; Blüthgen et al. 2000; Davidson et al. 2003). Intense ant activity on vegetation has resulted in a multitude of ant– plant–herbivore interactions, ranging from facultative to obligate associations (reviewed by Beattie 1985; Davidson & McKey 1993; Bronstein 1998). From the
Dietary Mannan‐oligosaccharides potentiate the beneficial effects of Bifidobacterium bifidum in broiler chicken

This study investigated the effects of dietary Bifidobacterium bifidum (BFD) and mannan‐oligosaccharide (MOS), as a synbiotic, on the production performance, gut microbiology, serum biochemistry, antioxidant profile and health indices of broiler chicken. Six dietary treatments were T1 (negative control), T2 (positive control‐20 mg antibiotic BMD kg−1 diet; BMD: bacitracin methylene disalicylate), T3 (0·1% MOS + 106 CFU BFD per g feed), T4 (0·1% MOS + 107 CFU BFD per g feed), T5 (0·2% MOS + 106 CFU BFD per g feed) and T6 (0·2% MOS + 107 CFU BFD per g feed). Significantly (P < 0·01) better growth performance and efficiency was observed in birds supplemented with 0·2% MOS along with 106 CFU BFD per g of feed compared to BMD and control birds. Supplementation with 0·2% MOS along with either 106 or 107 CFU BFD per g feed reduced (P < 0·01) the gut coliform, Escherichia coli, total plate count, and Clostridium perfringens count and increased the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium count. Significantly (P < 0·01) higher serum and liver antioxidant enzyme pool, serum HDL cholesterol and lower serum glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, cardiac risk ratio, atherogenic coefficient and atherogenic index of plasma were observed in birds supplemented with 0·2% MOS along with 106 CFU BFD per g of feed compared to control or BMD supplemented birds. Better production performance, gut microbial composition, serum biochemistry, antioxidant profile and health indices were depicted by broiler chicken supplemented with 0·2% MOS and 106 CFU BFD per g of feed.
Comparison Study on the Adsorption Behavior of Chemically Functionalized Graphene Oxide and Graphene Oxide on Cement

Chemical functionalization of graphene oxide (GO) is one kind of advanced strategy to eliminate the negative effects on the flowability of cement with GO. The adsorption behavior of admixture on cement plays a vital role in the flowability of cement-based materials. Herein, the comparison study on the adsorption behavior (including adsorption amount, adsorption kinetics, adsorption isotherms and adsorption layer thickness) of three kinds of chemically functionalized graphene oxides (CFGOs) with different polyether amine branched-chain lengths and GO on cement is reported. The results of CFGOs and GO adsorption data on cement particles were all best fitted with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and also conformed to the Freundlich isothermal model, indicating that the adsorption of CFGOs and GO on cement both were multilayer type and took place in a heterogeneous manner. The adsorption of CFGOs and GO on cement was not just physical adsorption, but also engaged chemical adsorption. In contrast to GO, the adsorption behavior of CFGOs on cement represented a lesser adsorption amount, weaker adsorption capacity and thinner adsorption layer thickness. Moreover, the longer the branched-chain length of CFGOs, the greater the decreasing degrees of adsorption amount, adsorption capacity and adsorption layer thickness. Due to the consumption of the carboxyl group (-COOH) by chemical functionalization, the anchoring effect of CFGOs was weaker than GO, and the steric hindrance effect generated from branched-chains which weakened the van der Waals forces among CFGOs layers. Moreover, the steric hindrance effect strengthened with the increasing branched-chain length, thus preventing the cement particles from aggregation, which resulted in satisfactory flowability of CFGOs with incorporation of cement rather than GO.
In Vitro Evaluation of Enteric-Coated HPMC Capsules—Effect of Formulation Factors on Product Performance

A comparative study on different enteric-coated hard capsules was performed. The influence of different formulation factors like choice of enteric polymer, triethyl citrate (TEC) concentration (plasticizer), talc concentrations (anti-tacking agent), and different coating process parameters on the sealing performance of the capsule and the disintegration time were investigated. Furthermore, the influence of different disintegration test methods (with disc vs. without disc and 50 mM U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP) buffer pH 6.8 vs. biopredictive 15 mM phosphate buffer pH 6.5) was evaluated. All formulations showed sufficient but not equivalent acid resistance when tested. Polymer type was the main factor influencing the capsule sealing and disintegration time. In addition, TEC and talc could affect the performance of the formulation. Regarding the choice of the disintegration test method, the presence of a disc had for the most part only limited influence on the results. The choice of disintegration buffer was found to be important in identifying differences between the formulations.
Are work activities related to interest change over time? A 22-year longitudinal study.

Research has shown that vocational interests are important predictors of a number of life outcomes. Therefore, understanding individuals' vocational interests can also help to explain and predict their attitudes, behavior, and motives. The goal of the present study was to examine changes in vocational interests over time and explore whether these changes could be partially explained by employees' interactions with their work environments. We started by developing a theoretical framework that links interest development to the broader notion of person-environment (P-E) fit. Using a sample of 933 individuals entering the workforce, vocational interests, ratings of the work environment, and job satisfaction were assessed at 3 time points over the course of a 22-year longitudinal study. Results showed both stability (correlations ranging from .26 to .80) and change (d's ranging from .03 to .34 in absolute value) in vocational interests over time. In addition, individual differences in vocational interest change were also associated with corresponding changes in the work environment, suggesting that employees gravitate toward work environments that fit with their interests and their vocational interests are then predicted by their experiences in these environments. Similarly, we found that job satisfaction was positively associated with changes in interest fit such that individuals who were more satisfied with their jobs also experienced greater changes in interest fit. These results suggest that interactions between individuals and their work environments can play an important role in shaping vocational interests and understanding employee behavior over time. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Systematic review and meta-analysis of patient race/ethnicity, socioeconomics, and quality for adult type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE To review the evidence of the association between performance in eight indicators of diabetes care and a patient's race/ethnicity and socioeconomic characteristics. DATA SOURCE Studies of adult patients with type 2 diabetes in MEDLINE published between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2018. STUDY DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis of regression-based studies including race/ethnicity and income or education as explanatory variables. Meta-analysis was used to quantify differences in performance associated with patient race/ethnicity or socioeconomic characteristics. The systematic review was used to identify potential mechanisms of disparities. DATA COLLECTION Two coauthors separately conducted abstract screening, study exclusions, data extraction, and scoring of retained studies. Estimates in retained studies were extracted and, where applicable, were standardized and converted to odds ratios and standard errors. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Performance in intermediate outcomes and process measures frequently exhibited differences by race/ethnicity even after adjustment for socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health factors. Meta-analyses showed black patients had lower odds of HbA1c and blood pressure (BP) control (OR range: 0.67-0.68, P < .05) but higher odds of receiving eye or foot examination (OR range: 1.22-1.47, P < .05) relative to white patients. A high school degree or more was associated with higher odds of HbA1c control and receipt of eye examinations compared to patients without a degree. Meta-analyses of income included a handful of studies and were inconsistently associated with diabetes care performance. Differences in diabetes performance appear to be related to access-related factors such as uninsurance or lacking a usual source of care; food insecurity and trade-offs at very low incomes; and lower adherence among younger and healthier diabetes patients. CONCLUSIONS Patient race/ethnicity and education were associated with differences in diabetes quality measures. Depending on the approach used to rate providers, not adjusting for these patient characteristics may penalize or reward providers based on the populations they serve.
Spotlight on avian pathology: can we reduce the pandemic threat of H9N2 avian influenza to human and avian health?

ABSTRACT COVID-19 should be a “call to arms” for the poultry industry to reassess containment of the H9N2 subtype of low pathogenicity avian influenza viruses. Strains of this virus are a human pandemic threat and a severe economic burden on poultry production. Over the past 20 years they have spread throughout Asia, Africa, Middle East and parts of Europe. As a global industry, a critical need is to re-imagine production and marketing chains, especially in low and middle-income countries, where the structure of much of the industry facilitates virus transmission, especially, but not only, in improperly managed live poultry markets and related value chains. Better, appropriately matched vaccines are needed to support this process but such vaccines cannot, alone, overcome the existing defects in biosecurity, including high farm densities. None of this will occur unless the threat posed by this virus to global health security is recognized.
Maternal folate, one‐carbon metabolism and pregnancy outcomes

Abstract Single nucleotide polymorphisms and pre‐ and peri‐conception folic acid (FA) supplementation and dietary data were used to identify one‐carbon metabolic factors associated with pregnancy outcomes in 3196 nulliparous women. In 325 participants, we also measured circulating folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine. Pregnancy outcomes included preeclampsia (PE), gestational hypertension (GHT), small for gestational age (SGA), spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Study findings show that maternal genotype MTHFR A1298C(CC) was associated with increased risk for PE, whereas TCN2 C766G(GG) had a reduced risk for sPTB. Paternal MTHFR A1298C(CC) and MTHFD1 G1958A(AA) genotypes were associated with reduced risk for sPTB, whereas MTHFR C677T(CT) genotype had an increased risk for GHT. FA supplementation was associated with higher serum folate and vitamin B12 concentrations, reduced uterine artery resistance index and increased birth weight. Women who supplemented with <800 μg daily FA at 15‐week gestation had a higher incidence of PE (10.3%) compared with women who did not supplement (6.1%) or who supplemented with ≥800 μg (5.4%) (P < .0001). Higher serum folate levels were found in women who later developed GDM compared with women with uncomplicated pregnancies (Mean ± SD: 37.6 ± 8 nmol L−1 vs. 31.9 ± 11.2, P = .007). Fast food consumption was associated with increased risk for developing GDM, whereas low consumption of green leafy vegetables and fruit were independent risk factors for SGA and GDM and sPTB and SGA, respectively. In conclusion, maternal and paternal genotypes, together with maternal circulating folate and homocysteine concentrations, and pre‐ and early‐pregnancy dietary factors, are independent risk factors for pregnancy complications.
Influences of infrequent fire, elevation and pre‐fire vegetation on the persistence of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) in the Flat Tops area, Colorado, USA

Aim The recent concern that quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) has been declining in parts of western North America due to fire suppression is largely based on trends during the latter part of the 20th century. The aim of the current study was to compare the extent of aspen in the modern landscape with its extent in the late 19th century prior to fire suppression, and to assess the effects of elevation, late‐19th century fires, and pre‐fire forest composition on the successional status of aspen.
Uncertainty in classification of death from fatal myocardial infarction: A nationwide analysis of regional variation in incidence and diagnostic support

Aims The usefulness of mortality statistics relies on the validity of death certificate diagnosis. However, diagnosing the causal sequence of conditions leading to death is not simple. We examined diagnostic support for fatal acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and investigated its association with regional variation. Methods and results From Danish nationwide registers, we identified the study population (N = 3,244,051) of whom 36,669 individuals were recorded with AMI as the underlying cause-of-death between 2002 and 2015. We included clinical diagnoses, procedures, and claimed prescriptions related to atherosclerotic disease to evaluate the level of diagnostic support for fatal AMI in three diagnostic groups (Definite; Plausible; Uncertain). Adjusted mortality rates, rate ratios, and odds ratios were estimated for each AMI category, stratified by hospital region using multivariable regression models. More than one-third (N = 12,827, 35%) of deaths reported as fatal AMI had uncertain diagnostic support. The largest regional variation in AMI mortality rate ratios, varying from 1.16 (95%CI:1.02;1.31) to 1.62 (95%CI:1.43;1.83), was found among cases with uncertain diagnostic supportive data. Substantial inter-regional differences in the degree to which death occurs outside hospital [OR: 1.01 (95%CI:0.92;1.12) - 1.49 (95%CI:1.36;1.63)] and general practitioners determining the cause-of-death at home were present. Minor regional differences [OR: 0.96 (95%CI:0.85;1.07) - 1.16 (95%CI:1.04;1.29)] in in-hospital AMI mortality were observed. Conclusion There is significant regional variation associated with recording AMI as a cause-of-death. This variation is predominately based on death certificate diagnoses without diagnostic supportive evidence. Studies of fatal AMI should include a stratification on supportive evidence of the diagnosis.
The current situation of wild mammals in Belgium: an outline

The distribution of the wild mammals of Belgium has been intensively studied during the years '78-'81. It was the first time that such a work was undertaken in Belgium and could lead to a better understanding of the current \tatus of the different species. Conservation measures were also proposed to the political authorities who thereafter edicted a legal protection of the most vulnerable species. Unfortunately, habitat protection is rather unachieved and the situation of the most endangered species is still getting worse.
Staphylococcus saccharolyticus: An Overlooked Human Skin Colonizer

Coagulase-negative staphylococcal species constitute an important part of the human skin microbiota. In particular, facultative anaerobic species such as Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus capitis can be found on the skin of virtually every human being. Here, we applied a culture-independent amplicon sequencing approach to identify staphylococcal species on the skin of healthy human individuals. While S. epidermidis and S. capitis were found as primary residents of back skin, surprisingly, the third most abundant member was Staphylococcus saccharolyticus, a relatively unstudied species. A search of skin metagenomic datasets detected sequences identical to the genome of S. saccharolyticus in diverse skin sites, including the back, forehead, and elbow pit. Although described as a slow-growing anaerobic species, a re-evaluation of its growth behavior showed that S. saccharolyticus can grow under oxic conditions, and, in particular, in a CO2-rich atmosphere. We argue here that S. saccharolyticus was largely overlooked in previous culture-dependent and -independent studies, due to its requirement for fastidious growth conditions and the lack of reference genome sequences, respectively. Future studies are needed to unravel the microbiology and host-interacting properties of S. saccharolyticus and its role as a prevalent skin colonizer.
Aster Proteins Regulate the Accessible Cholesterol Pool in the Plasma Membrane

Recent studies have demonstrated the existence of a discrete pool of cholesterol in the plasma membranes (PM) of mammalian cells—referred to as the accessible cholesterol pool—that can be detected by the binding of modified versions of bacterial cytolysins (e.g., anthrolysin O). When the amount of accessible cholesterol in the PM exceeds a threshold level, the excess cholesterol moves to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it regulates the SREBP2 pathway and undergoes esterification. ABSTRACT Recent studies have demonstrated the existence of a discrete pool of cholesterol in the plasma membranes (PM) of mammalian cells—referred to as the accessible cholesterol pool—that can be detected by the binding of modified versions of bacterial cytolysins (e.g., anthrolysin O). When the amount of accessible cholesterol in the PM exceeds a threshold level, the excess cholesterol moves to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it regulates the SREBP2 pathway and undergoes esterification. We reported previously that the Aster/Gramd1 family of sterol transporters mediates nonvesicular movement of cholesterol from the PM to the ER in multiple mammalian cell types. Here, we investigated the PM pool of accessible cholesterol in cholesterol-loaded fibroblasts with a knockdown of Aster-A and in mouse macrophages from Aster-B and Aster-A/B-deficient mice. Nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) analyses revealed expansion of the accessible cholesterol pool in cells lacking Aster expression. The increased accessible cholesterol pool in the PM was accompanied by reduced cholesterol movement to the ER, evidenced by increased expression of SREBP2-regulated genes. Cosedimentation experiments with liposomes revealed that the Aster-B GRAM domain binds to membranes in a cholesterol concentration-dependent manner and that the binding is facilitated by the presence of phosphatidylserine. These studies revealed that the Aster-mediated nonvesicular cholesterol transport pathway controls levels of accessible cholesterol in the PM, as well as the activity of the SREBP pathway.
Chest X-Rays Image Classification in Medical Image Analysis

Chest X-Rays image classification is an active research area in medical image analysis as well as computer-aided diagnosis for radiology. The main goal is to improve the quality and productivity of radiologists’ task by providing a computer system for detecting and classifying diseases. A few studies have been conducted in applying machine learning methods to produce a high-quality chest X-ray image classification approach. Some review papers have been published in discussing different aspects of medical image analysis and computer-aided diagnosis for radiology. This paper aims to complement the existing surveys by targeting on the chest X-ray image classification approaches base on the use of machine learning methods. The review begins with a background information of data mining, and the fundamental knowledge of medical image analysis, chest radiography, and machine learning.
Interleukin-1 signaling contributes to the anti-tumor efficacy of Cetuximab in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Despite the incorporation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor cetuximab into the clinical management of recurrent and metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), only a small subset of patients responds to cetuximab, despite EGFR overexpression in virtually all of their tumors. Therefore, the identification of novel therapeutic approaches to