Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of risk factors for 15-year mortality among community-dwelling older people using Cox regression and a genetic algorithm.

BACKGROUND Previous research has identified various risk factors for mortality in older people, but has considered a limited number of the variables available for analysis. The aim of this study was to use a genetic algorithm combined with Cox regression (CoRGA) to examine all the variables to identify risk factors for 15-year mortality. METHODS Data were obtained from a nationally representative sample of 1,042 community-dwelling people aged 65+. Data on cognitive impairment, physical health, physical activity, psychological well-being, social engagement, and physical capability resulted in 460 independent variables for analysis. Outcome was time from 1985 interview to death or censorship on February 29, 2000. CoRGA was used to selected combinations of 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 variables as potential risk factors for 15-year mortality. RESULTS CoRGA selected age in all six models; variables relating to handgrip strength were selected in five models; variables relating to reported chest pain were selected in four models; and pain in joints causing difficulty in carrying bags and self-rated activity compared to peers were both selected in three models. Other variables selected by CoRGA included time since last visited the dentist and optician, use of hypnotic drugs, and number of prescribed drugs being taken. CONCLUSIONS CoRGA confirmed current risk factors for long-term mortality among older people and identified new risk factors. Age was confirmed as the most important predictor of mortality in older people. Handgrip strength is an important marker of frailty in predicting mortality. Self-rated activity is an important predictor of long-term mortality.
Towards Producing Human-Validated Translation Resources for the Fula language through WordNet Linking

We propose methods to link automatically parsed linguistic data to the WordNet. We apply these methods on a trilingual dictionary in Fula, English and French. Dictionary entry parsing is used to collect the linguistic data. Then we connect it to the Open Multilingual WordNet (OMW) through two attempts, and use confidence scores to quantify accuracy. We obtained 11,000 entries in parsing and linked about 58% to the OMW on the first attempt, and an additional 14% in the second one. These links are due to be validated by Fula speakers before being added to the Kamusi Project’s database.
ERGODIC ISOSPECTRAL THEORY OF THE LAX PAIRS OF EULER EQUATIONS WITH HARMONIC ANALYSIS FLAVOR

Isospectral theory of the Lax pairs of both 3D and 2D Euler equations of inviscid ﬂuids is developed. Eigenfunctions are represented through an ergodic integral. The Koopman group and mean ergodic theorem are utilized. Further harmonic analysis results on the ergodic integral are introduced. The ergodic integral is a limit of the oscillatory integral of the ﬁrst kind.
Estimating the Effect of Stochastic Wind Stress Forcing on ENSO Irregularity

Abstract One open question in El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) simulation and predictability is the role of random forcing by atmospheric variability with short correlation times, on coupled variability with interannual timescales. The discussion of this question requires a quantitative assessment of the stochastic component of the wind stress forcing. Self-consistent estimates of this noise (the stochastic forcing) can be made quite naturally in an empirical atmospheric model that uses a statistical estimate of the relationship between sea surface temperature (SST) and wind stress anomaly patterns as the deterministic feedback between the ocean and the atmosphere. The authors use such an empirical model as the atmospheric component of a hybrid coupled model, coupled to the GFDL ocean general circulation model. The authors define as residual the fraction of the Florida State University wind stress not explained by the empirical atmosphere run from observed SST, and a noise product is constructed by ran.
A Complexity Analysis of Cooperative Mechanisms in Reinforcement Learning

Reinforcement learning algorithms, when used to solve multi-stage decision problems, perform a kind of online (incremental) search to find an optimal decision policy. The time complexity of this search strongly depends upon the size and structure of the state space and upon a priori knowledge encoded in the learners initial parameter values. When a priori knowledge is not available, search is unbiased and can be excessive. Cooperative mechanisms help reduce search by providing the learner with shorter latency feedback and auxiliary sources of experience. These mechanisms are based on the observation that in nature, intelligent agents exist in a cooperative social environment that helps structure and guide learning. Within this context, learning involves information transfer as much as it does discovery by trial-and-error. Two cooperative mechanisms are described: Learning with an External Critic (or LEC) and Learning By Watching (or LBW). The search time complexity of these algorithms, along with unbiased Q-learning, are analyzed for problem solving tasks on a restricted class of state spaces. The results indicate that while unbiased search can be expected to require time moderately exponential in the size of the state space, the LEC and LBW algorithms require at most time linear in the size of the state space and under appropriate conditions, are independent of the state space size altogether; requiring time proportional to the length of the optimal solution path. While these analytic results apply only to a restricted class of tasks, they shed light on the complexity of search in reinforcement learning in general and the utility of cooperative mechanisms for reducing search.
Localization of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the human anterior eye and retina.

PURPOSE To determine the presence and distribution of CB1 cannabinoid receptors within the human eye. METHODS A subtype-specific affinity-purified polyclonal antibody to the cannabinoid CB1 receptor was used to determine CB1 localization. Postmortem human eyes were fixed in methacarn and embedded in paraffin. Sagittal sections were mounted on slides and immunostained using antibodies to the CB1 receptor. Antibody binding was detected either by using peroxidase conjugated secondary antibodies and developing with diaminobenzidine or by using fluorescent secondary antibodies. RESULTS Strong CB1 receptor labeling was detected in the ciliary epithelium, the corneal epithelium, and endothelium of the anterior human eye. Strong-to-moderate levels of CB1 staining were found in the trabecular meshwork and Schlemm's canal. Moderate labeling was detected in the ciliary muscle and in the blood vessels of the ciliary body. Moderate-to-light labeling also was detected in the sphincter papillae of the anterior human eye. Staining for CB1 receptors also was detected in human retina. The two synaptic layers of the retina and the inner and outer plexiform layers, were both moderately stained for CB1. In addition, moderate labeling was detected in the inner nuclear layer, and the ganglion cell layer. Strong labeling was detected in the outer segments of photoreceptors. No staining was observed in the corneal stroma or in the choroid. CONCLUSIONS The wide distribution of cannabinoid CB1 receptors in both the anterior eye and the retina of humans suggests that cannabinoids influence several different physiological functions in the human eye.
Identification of developmentally regulated genes in Entamoeba histolytica: insights into mechanisms of stage conversion in a protozoan parasite

Developmental switching between life‐cycle stages is a common feature among many pathogenic organisms. The protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica converts between cysts (essential for disease transmission) and trophozoites (responsible for tissue invasion). Identification of genes involved in the developmental pathway has been severely hindered by the inability to generate E. histolytica cysts in vitro. Using parasite strains derived from recent human infections and whole‐genome transcriptional profiling, we determined that 1439 genes (∼15% of annotated genes) were potentially developmentally regulated. Genes enriched in cysts (672 in total) included cysteine proteinases and transmembrane protein kinases, which may be involved in signal transduction. Genes enriched in trophozoites (767 in total) included genes typically thought of as important in tissue invasion by trophozoites, including the Gal/GalNAc lectin light subunit and cysteine protease 1. Putative regulators of differentiation including possible G‐protein coupled receptors, signal transduction proteins and transcription factors were identified. A number of E. histolytica stage‐specific genes were also developmentally regulated in the reptilian parasite E. invadens, indicating that they likely have conserved functions in Entamoeba development. These advances lay the groundwork for dissection of the molecular signals that initiate stage conversion and development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic measures targeting E. histolytica cysts.
Role of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy: effects of blood pressure control and beyond

Diabetic retinopathy is characterized by both functional and morphological changes in the retinal microvessels that can lead to macular edema, neovascularization, and vision loss. Hypertension has been identified as a major risk factor for diabetic retinopathy and randomized clinical trials have shown that reduction of blood pressure using angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduces the progression of diabetic retinopathy. The major components of the renin–angiotensin system have been identified in ocular tissues. Activation of angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptors expressed on retinal endothelial cells and pericytes has been implicated in contributing to the microvascular abnormalities in diabetic retinopathy. We have examined the experimental and clinical evidence for the role of the renin–angiotensin system in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy, including the effects of ACE inhibition and AT1-receptor antagonism on diabetes-induced abnormalities in retinal hemodynamics, vascular permeability, and leukostasis; retinal neovascularization in rodent models of oxygen-induced retinopathy; and results from randomized clinical trials that have investigated the effects of ACE inhibitors on the progression of diabetic retinopathy in diabetic patients in the absence or presence of hypertension. The effects of AT1-receptor antagonism on the retina have been attributed to decreases in systemic blood pressure and the concomitant reduction in mechanical vascular stretch, in addition to the intraocular effects blocking AT1-receptor stimulation of retinal endothelial cells and pericytes. Results from the current DIabetic REtinopathy Candesartan Trials program will evaluate the potential of the AT1-receptor as a therapeutic target for diabetic retinopathy.
Precise observation of C. elegans dynamic behaviours under controlled thermal stimulus using a mobile phone–based microscope

We investigated the temperature‐dependent locomotion of Caenorhabditis elegans by using the mobile phone–based microscope. We developed the customized imaging system with mini incubator and smartphone to effectively control the thermal stimulation for precisely observing the temperature‐dependent locomotory behaviours of C. elegans. Using the mobile phone–based microscope, we successfully followed the long‐term progress of specimens of C. elegans in real time as they hatched and explored their temperature‐dependent locomotory behaviour. We are convinced that the mobile phone–based microscope is a useful device for real time and long‐term observations of biological samples during incubation, and can make it possible to carry out live observations via wireless communications regardless of location. In addition, this microscope has the potential for widespread use owing to its low cost and compact design.
Scalable diverse protected multicast as a programmable service leveraging IP-multicast

In this paper we introduce diverse protected multicast as a transparent programmable service. We embed common IP multicast data transport architectures in an adaptable programmable overlay network. Our approach transparently reduces the packet loss perceived by multicast receivers at the edge of the network through injection and transport of redundant data. We propose to build up - transparent to the applications at the edge of the network - redundant, alternate paths or alternate multicast distribution trees that are mostly edge- and vertex-disjoint. As performance of multicast applications depends also on the time the exchanged data between the applications needs - taking into account possible retransmissions - our approach improves basic quality of service for group communication protocols.
A compact SPICE model for statistical post-breakdown gate current increase due to TDDB

We developed a compact SPICE model capable of modeling the increases in post-breakdown (BD) gate current (IG_BD) due to time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB), for circuit level simulations. IG_BD is determined by the random shape of the BD path given by the percolation model and the location of BD path. The statistical nature of our analysis provides different IG_BD for each transistor and hence, can be efficient for statistical circuit simulation. The generated gate current is fed into the proposed SPICE model incorporating transistor threshold voltage shift (VTH-SHIFT) due to bias temperature instability (BTI). We present simulation results of a ring oscillator using our model and compare the results to experimental data from an ultrathin CMOS technology. We also show that IDDQ is a more representative signature of TDDB degradation than the delay of a ring oscillator.
A novel feature reduction method for real-time EMG pattern recognition system

This paper proposes a novel feature reduction approach for real-time electromyogram (EMG) pattern recognition. This study extracts time and frequency information by wavelet packet transform (WPT) coefficients and uses the node energy as the feature to overcome the translation-invariant property of WPT. Then the non-parametric discriminant analysis (NDA) is used for feature reduction. Because of some inherent properties of the packet node energy, the within-class scatter matrix is usually singular in this approach, which makes feature project unavailable. To solve this problem, a recursive algorithm is proposed to discard some feature components that lead to singularity and contain relatively less discriminant information. Finally, the support vector machine (SVM) is used as the classifier and gives the recognition result. The corresponding pattern of the action could be recognized in a millisecond (ms). The experimental results show that the proposed method has strong robustness and good real-time performance.
Kinematic Algorithms and Robust Controller Design for Inertially Stabilized System

This paper describes a controller design method for the inertially stabilized system of a tracking radar. Its aim is to track a reference target trajectory with high accuracy while isolating rigid body rotational motions of a host ship. First, we investigate the trajectory generation problem to make the control input for a target tracking on the moving base. Second, dynamic equations of motion are formulated by the spring-mass-damper system to include rigid body dynamics as well as structural flexibility. The unknown parameters of dynamic equations are estimated with experimental input and output data by minimizing a predicted error. Third, mixed sensitivity H∞ robust controllers are designed to meet the conflict requirements of robustness and performance in the face of uncertainty. Finally, the proposed optimal controllers demonstrate the effectiveness of design methodology, and show high performance by numerical and experimental results.
The Economic Function of Credit Rating Agencies - What Does the Watchlist Tell Us?

Credit rating agencies do not only disclose simple ratings but announce watchlists (rating reviews) and outlooks as well. This paper analyzes the economic function underlying the review procedure. Using Moody's rating data between 1982 and 2004, we find that for borrowers of high creditworthiness, rating agencies employ watchlists primarily in order to improve the delivery of information. For low-quality borrowers, in contrast, the review procedure seems to have developed into an implicit contract `a la Boot, Milbourn, and Schmeits (2006), inducing the companies on watch to abstain from risk-augmenting actions. The agencies' economic role hence appears to have been enhanced from a pure information certification towards an active monitoring function.
A Packet Scheduling Algorithm in HSDPA System Based on Hopfield Neural Network

High speed downlink packet access system can support wide range of data rate service for diverse QoS. Each user has individual minimum data rate constraint. HSDPA scheduling scheme needs to provide certain data rate service for them as well as maximize the cell throughput. This paper proposes an algorithm based on the Hopfield neural network, called HNNMR, to achieve fast and suboptimal solution of this optimization problem. Some illustrative simulation results present to evaluate the performance of the new algorithm as compared with other strategies.
DDE and shortened duration of lactation in a northern Mexican town.

OBJECTIVES Worldwide declines in the duration of lactation are cause for public health concern. Higher levels of dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) have been associated with shorter durations of lactation in the United States. This study examined whether this relationship would hold in an agricultural town in northern Mexico. METHODS Two hundred twenty-nine women were followed every 2 months from childbirth until weaning or until the child reached 18 months of age. DDE was measured in breast milk samples taken at birth, and women were followed to see how long they lactated. RESULTS Median duration was 7.5 months in the lowest DDE group and 3 months in the highest. The effect was confined to those who had lactated previously, and it persisted after statistical adjustment for other factors. These results are not due to overtly sick children being weaned earlier. Previous lactation lowers DDE levels, which produces an artifactual association, but simulations using best estimates show that an effect as large as that found here would arise through this mechanism only 6% of the time. CONCLUSIONS DDE may affect women's ability to lactate. This exposure may be contributing to lactation failure throughout the world.
Bleeding time, blood groups and von Willebrand factor

The bleeding time in healthy volunteers was determined according to both the Ivy and the Simplate II techniques. A significantly longer bleeding time in people with blood group O than in people with non‐O blood groups was demonstrated with both techniques. This difference could not be attributed to a difference in sex ratio, platelet count or haematocrit. The mean level of von Willebrand factor in blood group O is lower than in non‐O blood groups, but we found no association between the level of von Willebrand factor and the bleeding time, despite the very broad range of von Willebrand factor levels in the subjects examined.
ETUDE EXPERIMENTALE DU COMPORTEMENT DES FONDATIONS SUPERFICIELLES

APRES UN BREF RAPPEL DES EXPERIMENTATIONS TROUVEES DANS LA LITTERATURE, LES AUTEURS PRESENTENT LE SITE EXPERIMENTAL DE JOSSIGNY, INSISTANT PARTICULIEREMENT SUR LES CARACTERISTIQUES DES SOLS RENCONTRES, QUI ONT FAIT L'OBJET DE TOUTE LA PANOPLIE D'ESSAIS DE MECANIQUE DES SOLS. LES RESULTATS SONT COMPARES A CEUX "THEORIQUES" DONNES PAR LES METHODES DE PREVISION USUELLES BASEES SUR LES ESSAIS DE LABORATOIRE ET LES ESSAIS EN PLACE (PRESSIOMETRE, PENETROMETRE). CERTAINS ASPECTS DE CES EXPERIMENTATIONS SONT AUSSI DEVELOPPES TELS QUE : - L'INFLUENCE DE LA DISPERSION DES ESSAIS DE SOLS ; - LES VARIATIONS DES RESULTATS EXPERIMENTAUX EN FONCTION DE L'ETAT DU SOL (VARIATION SAISONNIERE DE TENEUR EN EAU) ; - L'INFLUENCE DU PROGRAMME DE CHARGEMENT ; - L'INFLUENCE DE LA GEOMETRIE DE LA FONDATION (L/B). PAR AILLEURS, LES AUTEURS PRESENTENT LES PREMIERS RESULTATS D'UNE RECHERCHE QU'ILS VIENNENT D'ENTAMER ET DONT L'OBJECTIF EST DE PRECISER LA SIGNIFICATION PHYSIQUE DE CHARGES VERTICALES CARACTERISTIQUES SOUS L'EFFET DE LA DUREE D'APPLICATION DES CHARGES. (A).
Towards SDN/NFV-enabled satellite ground segment systems: End-to-End Traffic Engineering use case

Key features of satellite communications such as wide-scale coverage, broadcast/multicast support and high availability, together with significant amounts of new satellite capacity coming online, anticipate new opportunities for satellite communications services as an integral part within upcoming 5G systems. To materialize these opportunities, satellite communications services have to be provisioned and operated in a more flexible, agile and cost-effective manner than done today. In this context, this paper firstly describes the architecture of a satellite ground segment system that builds on the introduction of Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technologies and then examines a use case for the realization of End-to-End Traffic Engineering in a combined terrestrial-satellite network used for mobile backhauling.
The squirrel as a rodent model of the human visual system

Over the last 50 years, studies of receptive fields in the early mammalian visual system have identified many classes of response properties in brain areas such as retina, lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), and primary visual cortex (V1). Recently, there has been significant interest in understanding the cellular and network mechanisms that underlie these visual responses and their functional architecture. Small mammals like rodents offer many advantages for such studies, because they are appropriate for a wide variety of experimental techniques. However, the traditional rodent models, mice and rats, do not rely heavily on vision and have small visual brain areas. Squirrels are highly visual rodents that may be excellent model preparations for understanding mechanisms of function and disease in the human visual system. They use vision for navigating in their environment, predator avoidance, and foraging for food. Visual brain areas such as LGN, V1, superior colliculus, and pulvinar are particularly large and well elaborated in the squirrel, and the squirrel has several extrastriate cortical areas lateral to V1. Unlike many mammals, most squirrel species are diurnal with cone-dominated retinas, similar to the primate fovea, and have excellent dichromatic color vision that is mediated by green and blue cones. Owing to their larger size, squirrels are physiologically more robust than mice and rats under anesthesia, and some hibernating species are particularly tolerant of hypoxia that occurs during procedures such as brain slicing. Finally, many basic anatomical and physiological properties in the early visual system of squirrel have now been described, permitting investigations of cellular mechanisms. In this article, we review four decades of anatomical, behavioral, and physiological studies in squirrel and make comparisons with other species.