Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FSP∗: Optimal Forward Stochastic Planning using relaxed PPDDL operators

Introduction Most of the existing planning algorithms use admissible heuristics in order to generate fast solutions to planning problems, without sacrificing optimality. This approach especially has been very powerful in deterministic planning domains. Some recent works such as (Bryce, Kambhampati, and Smith 2006; Hoffmann and Brafman 2005) has generalized the use of heuristics for planning under nondeterminism, where actions may have more than one possible outcome, but there are no probabilities, rewards, and costs. Despite these strides in the use of heuristics for planning, planning with heuristics in stochastic domains is still open to further research. In this paper, we describe: • An optimal forward stochastic planner, FSP∗, that uses admissible heuristics for MDP planning. FSP∗ is based on the IMPROVED-LAO∗ algorithm (Hansen and Zilberstein 2001); it does a forward-only heuristic search starting from the initial states of an MDP and computes the value of a partial policy using dynamic programming techniques, as in IMPROVED-LAO∗. The primary difference between FSP∗ and IMPROVED-LAO∗ is the termination criterion for planning. IMPROVED-LAO∗ stops when the Bellman-error of the states explored so far is below a given threshold, whereas FSP∗ stops when the set of states, which are reachable with the best current policy, does not change anymore. While this seems to be a slight difference, our experiments demonstrated strong differences between IMPROVED-LAO∗ and FSP∗ in terms of memory usage and computation time. Nevertheless, there was no clear winner because in some domains FSP∗ outperformed IMPROVED-LAO∗, and vice versa. • New admissible heuristics based on relaxation techniques inspired by classical planners like FF. Our heuristics include a state-abstraction technique for MDPs that allows us to efficiently compute upper and lower bounds on the value function for pruning, a generalization of FF’s planning graphs for MDP planning problems. • A way to compute the partial policies during planning using a partial state representation, in contrast with existing optimal stochastic planners of the previous International Probabilistic Planning Competitions which were
ECTOPARASITISM AS A CAUSE OF NATAL DISPERSAL IN CLIFF SWALLOWS

Nestling Cliff Swallows (IHirundo pyrrhonota) in southwestern Nebraska that were relatively heavily parasitized by hematophagous fleas (Ceratoph yl/us celsus) and swal- low bugs (Oeciacus vicarius) dispersed to nonnatal colonies to breed the subsequent year, whereas nestlings that were relatively lightly parasitized returned to their natal colony to breed. There were no significant differences between dispersers and nondispersers in natal clutch size, natal brood size, relative hatching date, natal body mass, natal nest's distance from the colony's center, and natal nest's age. There were no sex differences in dispersal tendencies. Dispersing birds tended to move to smaller colonies to breed, and in some cases settled in breeding colonies later than nondispersers. Ectoparasitism may be a major cause of natal dispersal in Cliff Swallows and perhaps should be considered another potential cause of dispersal in general, especially in group-living species that may be associated with large numbers of highly co-evolved ectoparasites.
The Effects of Performing Prayer on the Physical Fitness Levels of Men over 60 Years Old.

This study was carried out to determine and compare the physical fitness levels of elderly people who pray regularly with those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, as well as to emphasize the importance of performing regular prayer for the physical fitness levels of elderly people. The research sample consisted of 849 men who were able to conduct their daily activities independently, with no serious health problems, and who were viewed as healthy according to their age category. They were divided on the basis of age into 5 age groups. The Senior Fitness Test (SFT) was applied to determine the physical fitness levels of elderly men (Rikli, Jones, 2001). In addition, a questionnaire was administered to learn whether the subjects performed regular prayer or not. The differences between the prayer group and sedentary group were analyzed using the Independent Samples Test. It was found that the physical fitness levels of the elderly men who performed prayer were higher than those of the sedentary group; all of the parameters of physical fitness measured through the SFT protocol were higher in the case of the elderly men who performed prayer.
A New Method of Priority Assignment for Real-Time Flows in the WirelessHART Network by the TDMA Protocol

WirelessHART is a wireless sensor network that is widely used in real-time demand analyses. A key challenge faced by WirelessHART is to ensure the character of real-time data transmission in the network. Identifying a priority assignment strategy that reduces the delay in flow transmission is crucial in ensuring real-time network performance and the schedulability of real-time network flows. We study the priority assignment of real-time flows in WirelessHART on the basis of the multi-channel time division multiple access (TDMA) protocol to reduce the delay and improve the ratio of scheduled. We provide three kinds of methods: (1) worst fit, (2) best fit, and (3) first fit and choose the most suitable one, namely the worst-fit method for allocating flows to each channel. More importantly, we propose two heuristic algorithms—a priority assignment algorithm based on the greedy strategy for C (WF-C) and a priority assignment algorithm based on the greedy strategy for U(WF-U)—for assigning priorities to the flows in each channel, whose time complexity is O(max(N∗m∗log(m),(N−m)2)). We then build a new simulation model to simulate the transmission of real-time flows in WirelessHART. Finally, we compare our two algorithms with WF-D and HLS algorithms in terms of the average value of the total end-to-end delay of flow sets, the ratio of schedulable flow sets, and the calculation time of the schedulability analysis. The optimal algorithm WF-C reduces the delay by up to 44.18% and increases the schedulability ratio by up to 70.7%, and it reduces the calculation time compared with the HLS algorithm.
Comparison of three rapid household survey sampling methods for vaccination coverage assessment in a peri-urban setting in Pakistan.

Background Household surveys are an essential tool for vaccine coverage monitoring in developing countries, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) cluster survey design has been a default choice for decades. In response to methodological limitations of the traditional EPI sampling, alternative methods have been proposed, based on modern statistical and geographical techniques. This study compared the coverage estimates and the time efficiency of the EPI sampling design and two alternative methods: the compact segment sampling and innovative grid-based geographical information system (GIS) sampling. Methods We conducted a series of equal-sized concurrent prospective vaccine coverage surveys in Karachi, Pakistan, from January to December 2016, using traditional EPI, compact segment and grid-based GIS sampling methods. Results No differences in vaccine coverage estimates were identified across sampling methods in the peri-urban setting; however, due to stronger clustering effects and correct incorporation of sampling weights, the compact segment [design effect (DEFF) = 2.03] and the grid-based GIS surveys (DEFF = 1.72) had higher design effects and, therefore, appeared to have lower statistical precision than the traditional EPI surveys (DEFF = 1.57). To achieve the same level of apparent precision, data collection activities in the compact segment surveys would require more than twice the implementation time needed compared with the traditional EPI surveys. Conclusions The precision of the EPI surveys appeared higher than that of the alternative methods because, under a questionable self-weighting assumption, the estimated design effect did not account for variable sampling weights. The compact segment and grid-based GIS methods were designed to improve randomness and representativeness of sampling households. Although these alternative methods did not result in coverage estimates that differed from the EPI survey results in the peri-urban setting, they have a lower risk of selection bias and therefore may be preferred.
Fungal Infection Alters Phosphate Level and Phosphatase Profiles in Arabidopsis

Phosphorus (P), in the form of phosphate ion (Pi), is a vital element contributing in biomolecule structures, metabolic reactions, signaling pathways and energy transfer within the living cells. The objective of the present study was to assess the influence of fungal infection on Pi metabolism in compare to the effects of phosphate stress in Arabidopsis. Quantification of total P contents showed higher storage of P in the shoots than in the roots of Pi-fed plants, while the homeostatic levels of soluble Pi was kept in a fairly narrow range in roots and shoots of both Pi-fed and Pi-starved. When the plants were subjected to Pi starvation, both total P and soluble Pi contents were reduced to minimal levels in roots and shoots. Total acid phosphatase (APase) activity was also affected by the level of available Pi such that it was higher in the starved plants than in the fed plants. When Pi-fed plants were subjected to fungal infections, a remarkable reduction was observed for the above indicators in roots but not shoots. Surprisingly, the analysis of APase expression profiling after inoculation with Alternaria brassicicola showed that the rates of transcription of several APase-encoding genes were affected by fungus infection. Atpap9, afungal inducible gene, promoter analysis also indicated alterations in tissue-specific expression patterns upon the fungal infections. These data clearly illustrate that how a nutrient distribution is affected by environmental conditions, even regardless of available phosphate.
Improving Optical Flow using Residual Images

Optical flow is a highly researched area in low-level computer vision. It is a complex problem which tries to solve a 2D search in continuous space, while the input data is 2D discrete data. The major assumption in most optical flow applications is the intensity consistency assumption, introduced by Horn and Schunck. This constraint is often violated in practice. This paper proposes and generalises one such approach; using residual images (high-frequencies) of images, to remove the illumination differences between corresponding images.
LIMITATIONS OF HENDY TEST CRITERIA IN JUDGING THE PALEOCLIMATIC SUITABILITY OF SPELEOTHEMS AND THE NEED FOR REPLICATION

Carbon and oxygen isotopes in calcite speleothems are powerful proxies for understanding past climate change. For calcite deposited under isotopic equilibrium conditions, variations in d 18 O values directly reflect changes in cave temperature and the isotopic composition of meteoric water. Speleothem d 13 C values have bedrock, atmospheric, and soil gas sources. Soil gases can be traced to the overlying vegetation, which is related to climate. Both d 13 C and d 18 O values are therefore potentially powerful tracers of climate change. Processes that could alter speleothem d 13 C and/or d 18 O values, and thereby mask primary environmental signals, fall in the categories of 1) kinetic processes, including deposition of calcite out of isotopic equilibrium, and 2) vadose processes, including evaporation of water at or near the land surface. In truth, there is no absolute test for the absence of these kinetic/vadose-zone processes. However, the Hendy Test is widely used for assessing whether isotopic equilibrium existed during the time of calcite deposition. Criterion (1) of the Hendy Test (i.e., that d 18 O values remain constant along a single growth layer) may not be a valid control of equilibrium conditions because isotopic equilibrium could theoretically occur in the center of the speleothem at the same time that kinetic fractionation occurs at the flanks. Moreover, the concept of sampling along a single growth layer is flawed in both theory and practice. Criterion (2) of the Hendy Test (i.e., that there is no relationship between d 13 C and d 18 O) is based on the assumption that speleothem d 13 C values are not linked to climate. However, speleothem d 13 C values may well be linked to climate because climate provides a first-order control on soil productivity and the type of vegetation. Therefore, Hendy Test criterion (2) is not a prerequisite to isotopic equilibrium in all cases. We propose instead the Replication Test (i.e., the demonstration of similar isotopic profiles among two or more speleothems) for evaluating the likelihood of calcite deposition under isotopic equilibrium conditions. Replication of isotopic profiles among two or more speleothems is possible only if kinetic/vadose-zone processes are either: 1) absent or 2) have affected spatially separated speleothems in exactly the same way. Because the second scenario is highly unlikely, we propose that the Replication Test is effectively sufficient in ruling out kinetic/vadose- zone overprinting processes. We further suggest that the Replication Test is far more robust in testing for the absence of the wide range of processes described above than is the traditional Hendy Test.
CORRELATION OF BNP LEVELS WITH SELECTED CARDIAC ECHO PARAMETER PREDICT CARDIAC ISCHEMIA IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME

Objectives: To estimate the valueof N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) and echocardiography for predicting ventricular remodeling after Acute coronary syndrome and to investigate relationships between the NT-proBNP level and echocardiographic parameters. Methods: The study involved 70 patients with ACS admitted to cardiology care unite and 20 healthy matched subject. Clinical, laboratory characteristics, including B-type natriuretic peptide and echocardiographic parameter were measured within 24 hours of hospitalization, Twenty healthy subjects were considered as control group. The present study was conducted at the Department of Bio Chemistry, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad and Baghdad Teaching Hospital during the period from April 2013 to May 2014. Results: The patients with A.C. S. were found to have significantly higher mean (± SEM) value of serum NT-PRO BNP (p<0.001) compared with mean (± SEM)value of serum control group. Mean (± SEM) value of Dimension of left atrium, E/e, Deceleration time , EF%: Ejection fraction were Non significantly higher (p≥0.05) compared with mean (± SEM) value of control groups except Mean (± SEM) value of Isovolumic relaxation time was significantly higher (p≤0.01) compared with mean (± SEM) value of control groups, there was non significant positive correlation between the BNP levels and the estimated echo parameters: Dimension of left atrium , E/e, Isovolumic relaxation time, and deceleration time , except the mean of the Ejection fraction, there was significantly positive correlation between the BNP concentration with Ejection fraction. In Frequency distribution of NT-PRO BNP quintiles by Mitral Regurge (MR)-ECHO Finding . Largest number of the patients sample (11) have Mild Mitral Regurge in quintile 1 , followed by (9) in quintile 2, Chi-square test revealed significant differences(P≤0.01) . Largest number of the patients sample (5) have Moderate Mitral Regurge in quintile 1 , followed by (1) in quintile 2&3, Chi-square test revealed a significant differences(P≤0.05). Conclusions: Of many echocardiographic variables determined in patients that have suffered ACS, are treated with combined drugs and have no complications during hospitalization, the diastolic dysfunction is the best predictor of LVR with NT-proBNP at
Ensembles of budgeted kernel support vector machines for parallel large scale learning

In this work, we propose to combine multiple budgeted kernel support vector machines (SVMs) trained with stochastic gradient descent (SGD) in order to exploit large databases and parallel computing resources. The variance induced by budget restrictions of the kernel SVMs is reduced through the averaging of predictions, resulting in greater generalization performance. The variance of the trainings results in a diversity of predictions, which can help explain the better performance. Finally, the proposed method is intrinsically parallel, which means that parallel computing resources can be exploited in a straightforward manner.
Compliance Verification for Embedded Cores

Core-based design and reuse are the two key elements for an efficient system-on-chip (SoC) development. Unfortunately, they also introduce new challenges in SoC testing, such as core test reuse and the need of a common test infrastructure working with cores originating from different vendors. The IEEE 1500 Standard for Embedded Core Testing addresses these issues by proposing a flexible hardware test wrapper architecture for embedded cores, together with a core test language (CTL) used to describe the implemented wrapper functionalities. Several intellectual property providers have already announced IEEE Standard 1500 compliance in both existing and future design blocks. In this paper, we address the problem of guaranteeing the compliance of a wrapper architecture and its CTL description to the IEEE Standard 1500. This step is mandatory to fully trust the wrapper functionalities in applying the test sequences to the core. We present a systematic methodology to build a verification framework for IEEE Standard 1500 compliant cores, allowing core providers and/or integrators to verify the compliance of their products (sold or purchased) to the standard.
Lessons in Creativity from the Innovative Design of the Swatch

No space is off-limits to innovation, even those occupied for many years by leading players and proven solutions. The case of the innovative Swatch watch, re-examined in this article with new information and insights, demonstrates that, without knowledge, design is not possible; but, with only knowledge, all we can do is reproduce. Innovation also requires creativity, the introduction of new concepts. Knowledge needs to be associated with unbridled, surprising, and hitherto unknown creativity, as described by the concept-knowledge theory of design. In this article, a new analysis of the well-known but misunderstood case of the Swatch yield lessons about the importance of creativity and knowledge in developing innovative products.
B-TYPE NATRIURETIC PEPTIDES AS POWERFUL MARKERS IN CARDIAC DISEASES – ANALYTICAL AND CLINICAL ASPECTS 1 )

During the last few years the natriuretic peptides, particularly B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP), have emerged as powerful biochemical markers in cardiac diseases. The most widely studied application of natriuretic peptides is in heart failure (HF), a disease which poses an important clinical problem with a significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic impact. At present, 15 million people of the western industrialized countries suffer from congestive HF, in the US, 5 million people are affecB-TYPE NATRIURETIC PEPTIDES AS POWERFUL MARKERS IN CARDIAC DISEASES – ANALYTICAL AND CLINICAL ASPECTS1)
Using a Broadband ADCP in a Tidal Channel. Part II: Turbulence

Abstract A four-transducer, 600-kHz, broadband acoustic Dopple current profiler (ADCP) was rigidly mounted to the bottom of a fully turbulent tidal channel with peak flows of 1 m s−1. Rapid samples of velocity data are used to estimate various parameters of turbulence with the covariance technique. The questions of bias and error sources, statistical uncertainty, and spectra are addressed. Estimates of the Reynolds stress are biased by the misalignment of the instrument axis with respect to vertical. This bias can be eliminated by a fifth transducer directed along the instrument axis. The estimates of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) density have a systematic bias of 5 × 10−4 m2 s−2 due to Doppler noise, and the relative statistical uncertainty of the 20-min averages is usually less than 20%–95% confidence. The bias in the Reynolds stress due to Doppler noise is less than ±4 × 10−5 m2. The band of zero significance is never less than 1.5 × 10−5 m2 s−2 due to Doppler noise, and this band increases with incre.
Measuring the Cost of Economic Fluctuations with Preferences that Rationalize the Equity Premium

Lucas (2003) argues that the potential welfare gains from stabilizing the business cycle are small. In fact, he shows that the benefits of eliminating all economic fluctuations are small, both in an absolute sense and when compared to the potential gains from other reforms. His estimates are obtained using standard preferences. In this paper, I show that a model consistent with observed data on asset returns leads to very different conclusions. Calibrating preferences to observed asset market data raises the estimated welfare gains from completely eliminating aggregate fluctuations by approximately two orders of magnitude. Most of the gains, however, come from the elimination of low frequency contributions.
Impact of Interplaying and Compounding Factors in the Novice Nurse Journey: A Basic Qualitative Research Study

Purpose This study explores the impact of interplaying and often compounding factors and the resulting ability to thrive as a novice nurse. Novice nurse attrition rates continue to be high, compounding concerns of an impending nursing shortage. There is currently a lack of research that seeks to understand how the interplay of contextual factors impacts novice nurses’ ability to manage the stressors endemic in the field. Design The study was performed using a Basic Qualitative Research approach. Eight western Canadian novice nurses underwent multiple iterative interviews to explore the impact of interplaying contextual factors. Findings: While participant experiences and contexts vary, common patterns of interplay among factors were clear. The interplay between previous life experience factors and the workplace context has a significant impact on the perception and management of workplace stimuli. Those with more developmental assets, garnered through life experience, are less likely to experience workplace stimuli as stressful, reducing their risk of emotional exhaustion and improving their ability to thrive. Implications for nursing: Understanding how interplay impacts the ability to thrive versus survive informs new graduate transition support efforts and enables an ability to articulate the compounding nature of common novice nurse stressors.
Federalism, multi-level elections and social policy in Brazil and India

ABSTRACT Comparative studies often highlight the negative effects of federalism for welfare state expansion. We examine Brazil and India, which have both enhanced their welfare effort despite political fragmentation. We argue that federalism’s effects must be seen together with degrees of party system nationalisation. In Brazil, new social policies have reinforced a move towards greater party system nationalisation. Control over anti-poverty programmes has been recentralised leading to more even outcomes. In India, while the central government also introduced new social policies, expansion has been filtered by political regionalisation. The effectiveness of social provision relies on state governments, producing substantial territorial differentiation.