Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Longevity of Biological Databases

Public Web-based databases are essential for present-day biological research: they i) store the results of past laboratory experiments; ii) guide the focus of future ones; and, iii) allow all to benefit from the wealth of information they contain. Many new databases are born each year; but how long do they live? This study looked at the 18-year survival of 326 databases. Over 60% were dead within that time period, and a further 14% were archived, no longer updated. Those that survived were, for the most part, important to their institution’s main focus, and had core institutional support. Database longevity depends on the existence of infrastructures that are underpinned by long-term financial strategies. Researchers and funders need to consider the ramifications for the security of their data, and of the financial investments in them, if they choose to create new databases independently of core infrastructures.
Conjoint Analysis of Consumer Preferences to Destination Brand Attributes

This Event is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. It has been accepted for inclusion in Travel and Tourism Research Association: Advancing Tourism Research Globally by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UMass Amherst. For more information, please contact scholarworks@library.umass. edu. Li, Jing and Hudson, Simon, "Conjoint Analysis of Consumer Preferences to Destination Brand Attributes" (2016). Travel and Tourism Research Association: Advancing Tourism Research Globally. 22. https://scholarworks.umass. edu/ttra/2016/Academic_Papers_Visual/22 CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac. uk
Estimating Optimal Depth of VGG Net with Tree-Structured Parzen Estimators

Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown astonishing performances in variety of fields. However, different architectures of the networks are required for different datasets, and finding right architecture for given data has been a topic of great interest in computer vision communities. One of the most important factors of the CNNs architecture is the depth of the networks, which plays a significant role in avoiding over-fitting. Grid Search is widely used for estimating the depth, but it requires huge computation time. Motivated by this, a method for finding an optimal architecture depth is introduced, which is based on a hyper-parameter optimizer called Tree-Structured Parzen Estimators (TPE). In this work, we show that the TPE is capable of estimating the CNNs architecture depth with an accuracy of 83.33% with CIFAR-10 dataset and 60.00% with CIFAR-100 dataset while it reduces the computation time by more 70% compared to the Grid Search.
Texture Classification based on First Order Local Ternary Direction Patterns

The local binary pattern (LBP) and local ternary pattern (LTP) are basically gray scale invariant, and they encode the binary/ ternary relationship between the neighboring pixels and central pixel based on their grey level differences and derives a unique code. These traditional local patterns ignore the directional information. The proposed method encodes the relationship between the central pixel and two of its neighboring pixel located in different angles (α, β) with different directions. To estimate the directional patterns, the present paper derived variation in local direction patterns in between the two derivates of first order and derived a unique First order –Local Direction variation pattern (FO-LDVP) code. The FO-LDVP evaluated the possible direction variation pattern for central pixel by measuring the first order derivate relationship among the horizontal and vertical neighbors (0 o Vs.90 o ; 90 o Vs. 180 o ; 180 o Vs.270 o ; 270 o Vs. 0 o ) and derived a unique code. The performance of the proposed method is compared with LBP, LTP, LBPv, TS and CDTM using the benchmark texture databases viz. Brodtaz and MIT VisTex. The performance analysis shows the efficiency of the proposed method over the existing methods.
Experimentally determined temperature thresholds for Arctic plankton community metabolism.

Climate warming is especially severe in the Arc- tic, where the average temperature is increasing 0.4 C per decade, two to three times higher than the global average rate. Furthermore, the Arctic has lost more than half of its summer ice extent since 1980 and predictions suggest that the Arctic will be ice free in the summer as early as 2050, which could increase the rate of warming. Predictions based on the metabolic theory of ecology assume that temperature increase will enhance metabolic rates and thus both the rate of primary production and respiration will increase. How- ever, these predictions do not consider the specific metabolic balance of the communities. We tested, experimentally, the response of Arctic plankton communities to seawater tem- perature spanning from 1 C to 10 C. Two types of com- munities were tested, open-ocean Arctic communities from water collected in the Barents Sea and Atlantic influenced fjord communities from water collected in the Svalbard fjord system. Metabolic rates did indeed increase as suggested by metabolic theory, however these results suggest an ex- perimental temperature threshold of 5 C, beyond which the metabolism of plankton communities shifts from autotrophic to heterotrophic. This threshold is also validated by field measurements across a range of temperatures which sug- gested a temperature 5.4 C beyond which Arctic plankton communities switch to heterotrophy. Barents Sea communi- ties showed a much clearer threshold response to temperature manipulations than fjord communities.
EFFECTS OF LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE ON LAND PRICES: A SPATIAL ECONOMIC APPROACH

We conduct a study to examine the effects of local development pressure and other factors on the value of urban-fringe land parcels. Multiple regression spatial models were estimated using parcel- level data from Delaware County, Ohio. The empirical results provide evidence that such factors as man-made and natural features are relevant in determining property values. The econometric findings indicate that local development pressure contributes profoundly to an increase in current land prices. These results shed light on the magnitude of the effects of recently developed land and provide insights into policies to preserve farmland and the associated environmental benefits.
4955 Spillover Effects of Affirmative Action : Political Representation and the Power of the Elderly

There is evidence that age matters in politics. In this paper we study whether implementation of affirmative action policies on gender can generate additional effects on an alternative dimension of representation, namely, the age of politicians. We consider an Italian law which introduced gender quotas in candidate lists for local elections in 1993, and was abolished in 1995. As not all municipalities went through elections during this period, we can identify two groups of municipalities and use a Difference in differences estimation to analyze the effect of gender quotas on the age of elected politicians. We find that gender quotas are associated with election of politicians that are younger by more than one year. The effect occurs mainly due to the reduction in age of elected male politicians and is consistent with the optimizing behavior of parties or of voters. JEL-Code: D720, J450.
Exposure to Novelty Weakens Conditioned Fear in Long-Evans Rats.

The present study sought to determine whether post-training exposure to a novel or familiar object, encountered in either the location of the original fear conditioning (black compartment of a passive avoidance {PA} chamber) or in a neutral setting (open field where initial object training had occurred) would prove capable of reducing fear at subsequent test in a passive avoidance task. In Experiment 1, Long-Evans rats that encountered a novel object in either the black PA compartment or the open field, as well as those encountering a familiar object located in the black PA compartment all displayed weaker fear at test than did those subjects that encountered a familiar object in the open field. These effects were explained in terms of a counter-conditioning of fear resulting from the appetitive aspects of novelty exposure. Experiment 2 compared the fear-reducing capabilities of novel object exposure to a more simple extinction procedure. While both the extinction and novelty groups generally showed reduced fear compared to control animals, some evidence suggested that novel object exposure resulted in significantly less fear at test than did extinction alone.
Motivation and values of farmers in Lebanon: a comparison between organic and conventional agricultural producers

Englishn Lebanon, the agricultural sector suffers from both internal and external problems that opposed its development. Relatively high production costs, unregulated use of chemicals and the absence of extension services can be considered the most important in addition to groundwater pollution, high-level migration towards cities, lack of economic policy for internal and external market, and finally the inability of the government to finance the sector. In this context, organic farming might be considered as a possible alternative to the current crisis of the sector, and could be a solution to many of the abovementioned problems. In an attempt to thoroughly understand why Lebanese farmers do not apply the organic methods of production, this paper illustrates the results of a study on farmers’ motivations for adopting either the organic or the conventional farming practices. In order to carry out the research, the means-end approach (Reynolds and Gutman, 1988) has been applied. The analysis methodology traditionally used for consumer analysis has been modified and adapted to investigate the cognitive structures (objective networks) of 35 Lebanese farmers. The results help understand the reasons determining the choice of the type of agriculture to adopt and underlie the diversity of the motivations between organic and conventional farmers. francaisAu Liban, des defis de caractere interne et externe pesent sur le secteur agricole et freinent son developpement. Des couts de production eleves, l’utilisation non reglementee des produits chimiques et l’absence de services de vulgarisation peuvent etre consideres comme les principaux verrous qui s’ajoutent a la pollution des eaux souterraines, a l’importante migration vers les villes, au manque de politiques economiques pour le marche interne et externe et enfin, l’incapacite du gouvernement a financer ce secteur. Dans ce contexte, l’agriculture biologique peut etre consideree comme une alternative possible face a l’actuelle crise du secteur et pourrait etre une solution aux nombreux problemes evoques precedemment. En vue de comprendre pourquoi les exploitants libanais n’adoptent pas le mode de production biologique, dans ce travail nous allons illustrer les resultats d’une etude sur les motivations qui amenent les exploitants a opter pour des pratiques agricoles biologiques ou bien conventionnelles. Afin de realiser cette recherche, l’approche de la chaine moyens-fins (Reynolds et Gutman, 1988) a ete retenue. La methodologie utilisee traditionnellement pour l’analyse des consommateurs a ete modifiee et adaptee pour explorer le chainage cognitif (reseaux objectifs) de 35 exploitants libanais. Les resultats permettent de comprendre les raisons qui determinent le choix du type d’agriculture a adopter et expliquent la diversite des motivations entre producteurs biologiques et conventionnels.
Mimosa pudica Flower Extract Mediated Green Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles

The use of Mimosa pudica flower extract in the synthesis of highly stable gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is reported here. On treatment of aqueous chloroauric acid with crude aqueous extract of Mimosa pudica flowers, rapid reduction of Au3+ ions at room temperature was observed without the need of any additional reducing or stabilizing agent. The synthesized AuNPs were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Zeta potential, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy. UV-Vis studies indicated the formation of AuNPs. The AuNPs were almost spherical in shape with an average particle size of 24 nm as determined by FESEM, TEM and DLS particle size analysis. XRD studies and high resolution TEM images ascertained the crystalline nature of the AuNPs. FTIR analysis of flower extract and AuNPs showed the possibility of phenolic group as responsible for the reduction of Au3+. The stability of the AuNPs was analyzed by Zeta potential measurements. A negative Zeta potential value of -33.4 mV proved the stability of the AuNPs. The as synthesized AuNPs exhibited good catalytic activity in the model reduction reaction of 4-Nitrophenol to 4-Aminophenol.
EngagedScholarship@CSU EngagedScholarship@CSU

: The optimum decoding of component codes in block coded modulation (BCM) schemes requires the use of the log-likelihood ratio (LLR) as the signal metric. An approximation to the LLR for the least reliable bit (LRB) in an 8-PSK modulation based on planar equations with fixed-point arithmetic is developed that is both accurate and easily realisable for practical BCM schemes. Through an error power analysis and an example simulation it is shown that the approximation results in less than 0.06dB in degradation over the exact expression at an E/N o of IOdB. It is also shown that the approximation can be realised in combinatorial logic using roughly 7300 transistors. This compares favourably to a look-up table approach in typical systems.
IDENTIFYING MOSQUITO LARVAE HABITAT CREATED BY CBNG DISCHARGE WATERS USING REMOTE SENSING 1

Water disposal methods such as pond storage and in-channel releases that are associated with coalbed natural gas production (CBNG) have increased the amount of standing water in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. These standing waters have been shown to be potential larval habitats for the Culex tarsalis mosquito, the primary vector of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Wyoming. This paper presents preliminary findings from an ongoing research effort focused on identifying environmental and anthropogenic risk factors for WNV associated with CBNG production. Field research suggests that retention pond design and water disposal techniques may serve as either mitigating or compounding factors for risk. Ninety percent of drainages receiving discharge waters tested positive for C. tarsalis while only 23% of reservoirs showed larvae presence. A GIS- based risk model based on field observations for CBNG production areas has been developed and tested in which the primary risk factors are C. tarsalis larval habitat and water disposal mechanisms. Preliminary findings using Landsat imagery show a sharp increase (75%) in potential C. tarsalis habitat resulting primarily from CBNG discharge waters. These estimates, based on large-scale remote sensing data, are a conservative estimator of WNV risk associated with the creation of mosquito habitat in active CBNG production in the Powder River Basin. High resolution imagery (Quickbird and SPOT) has been tested and found to identify habitat regions below the lower limit of detection with Landsat.
Study of the sensitivity of observables to hot spot size in heavy ion collisions

An open question in the field of heavy-ion collisions is to what extent the size of initial inhomogeneities in the system affects measured observables. Here we present a method to smooth out these inhomogeneities with minimal effect on global properties, in order to quantify the effect of short-range features of the initial state. We show a comparison of hydrodynamic predictions with original and smoothened initial conditions for four models of initial conditions and various observables. Integrated observables (integrated $v_n$, scaled $v_n$ distributions, normalized symmetric cumulants, event-plane correlations) as well as most differential observables ($v_n(p_T)$) show little dependence on the inhomogeneity sizes, and instead are sensitive only to the largest-scale geometric structure. However other differential observables such as the flow factorization ratio and sub-leading principal components are more sensitive to the granularity and could be a good tool to probe the short-scale dynamics of the initial stages of a heavy-ion collision, which are not currently well understood.
Development of the Global Sea Ice 6.0 CICE configuration for the Met Office Global Coupled model

Abstract. The new sea ice configuration GSI6.0, used in the Met Office global coupled configuration GC2.0, is described and the sea ice extent, thickness and volume are compared with the previous configuration and with observationally based data sets. In the Arctic, the sea ice is thicker in all seasons than in the previous configuration, and there is now better agreement of the modelled concentration and extent with the HadISST data set. In the Antarctic, a warm bias in the ocean model has been exacerbated at the higher resolution of GC2.0, leading to a large reduction in ice extent and volume; further work is required to rectify this in future configurations.
PROGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PRIMARY MEMBRANOUS NEPHROPATHY

Background: Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of the nephrotic syndrome and renal failure in nondiabetic adults. The aim of this study was to evaluate the current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for the disease. Materials and Methods: Epidemiology, pathogenesis, etiologies, natural course, differential diagnosis, treatment options, complications and follow up of the disease were all reviewed in this paper. Results: Most cases of MN are idiopathic, but it can be associated with autoimmune diseases, hepatitis B and C, malignancies, and the use of certain drugs. Spontaneous complete or partial remission of proteinuria occurred in 20 to 40 percent of patients with idiopathic MN. Thus, while almost all patients are candidates of conservative therapies for nephrotic syndrome (eg, angiotensin inhibitors and statins for hyperlipidemia), immunosuppressive therapies include cytotoxic drugs (usually cyclophosphamide) plus glucocorticoids or a calcineurin inhibitor (cyclosporine or tacrolimus) with or without low dose glucocorticoids and ultimately treatment with rituximab should be considered for patients at high risk for a progressive renal failure. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, especially in high risk patients, may decrease the mortality/morbidity rate and renal failure associated with membranous nephropathy.
Substance Use among Clients of HIV Counseling and Testing Centers in East Gojjam, Ethiopia: Determinants and Its Association with HIV Infection

Introduction: Substance use is a persistent major public health problem worldwide. Alcohol and other substances have been associated with an increased likelihood of various other health risk behaviors. This study aimed to assess factors associated with substance use and whether substance use is associated with increased risk of HIV infection among clients of HIV counseling and testing centers (HCTs) in East Gojjam Ethiopia. Methods: A case control study was conducted among 953 sexually active persons ages 15-49 visiting the HCTs between December 2015 and February 2016. Interviewer-administered questioners and HIV testing were used to obtain the required data. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was used to identify the predictors of substance use as well as the relationship of substance use and HIV infection. Results: 70.1% of the entire sample reported using at least one type of substance studied by present study. The multivariate analysis indicated that substance users had higher odds of being male (AOR: 3.04; 95% CI (1.37, 6.77), living in households with low income (AOR: 2.00; 95% CI (1.36, 2.93), engaging in exchange of sex for money or other gifts (AOR: 3.22; 95% CI (1.57, 6.58) and violence history within relationships (AOR: 3.52; 95% CI (1.30, 9.55). Using both alcohol and khat within the last year was associated with three-fold increased odds of HIV infection (AOR: 3.04, 95% CI (1.37, 6.77). Conclusion: This research underscores that past-year substance use is an important predictor of current HIV status in service-seeking clients of East Gojjam HCTs. Hence, adopting a comprehensive approach that can alter the contextual factors associated with both substance use and HIV focusing on addressing risk behaviors, gender differences as well as differences in socioeconomic and cultural issues is important.
Poisson–Furstenberg boundary of random walks on wreath products and free metabelian groups

We study the Poisson–Furstenberg boundary of random walks on C D A o B , where A D Z and B is a finitely generated group having at least 2 elements. We show that for d 5, for any measure on C such that its third moment is finite and the support of the measure generates C as a group, the Poisson boundary can be identified with the limit “lamplighter” configurations on A. This provides a partial answer to a question of Kaimanovich and Vershik [44]. Also, for free metabelian groups Sd;2 on d generators, d 5, we answer a question of Vershik [56] and give a complete description of the Poisson–Furstenberg boundary for any non-degenerate random walk on Sd;2 having finite third moment. Finally, we give various examples of slowly decaying measures on wreath products with non-standard boundaries. Mathematics Subject Classification (2010). Primary 20F69, 60B15; Secondary 43A05, 43A07, 60G50, 60J50, 30F15.
Chapter 2 Fifty Years of Progress in Drug Metabolism and Toxicology : What Do We Still Need to Know About Cytochrome P 450 Enzymes ?

The 50 years following the discovery of the cytochrome P450 system have been years of remarkable progress in the basic science and in its application to important problems, particularly in medicine. This chapter reviews what has been done, at both basic and applied levels. My own views on the still unresolved basic issues are presented, along with some thoughts about opportunities for future development in practical applications.
Compressive Behaviour of Sisal Fibre Reinforced Ternary Concrete at Elevated Temperatures

The utilization of pozzolanic materials such as fly ash (Fa) and calcined waste crushed clay bricks (CWCCB) as binders in ternary mixtures and the application of sisal fibre as reinforcing agent in ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete has received attention in recent years. Little is known about the mechanical behaviour of these new composites when exposed to elevated temperatures. In this study, the compressive performance of four categories of 150mm concrete cube specimens were considered comprising; (1) Control mix consisting of plain OPC concrete of 1:2:4 mix ratio ( one part OPC, two parts fine aggregate and four parts coarse aggregate). (2) Concrete specimens as in (1), but reinforced with 3% volume fraction of 40mm length sisal fibre. (3) Ternary mixtures of OPC, Fa and CWCCB at ratios of 50%, 30% and 20% of total binders respectively, with same fine, coarse aggregate and sisal fibre content. (4) Ternary mixtures of OPC, Fa and CWCCB at ratios of 50%, 20% and 30% of total binders respectively, also with same fine, coarse aggregate and sisal fibre content. Water/binder ratio for all mixtures was fixed at 0.6. The 150mm concrete cube specimens were cured, dried and subjected to varying elevated temperatures of 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 and 600oC for exposure duration of 2 hours each. The results revealed that between temperatures of 100oC and 600oC, the ternary concrete specimen with 30%Fa and 20%CWCCB showed good thermal stability but recorded a 24% reduction in compressive strength at elevated temperatures of 600oC compared with all the specimens. The ternary concrete with 30%Fa and 20%CWCCB is recommended for structural elements requiring thermal stability.