Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bayesian variations: essays on the structure, object, and dynamics of Credence

According to the traditional Bayesian view of credence, its structure is that of precise probability, its objects are descriptive propositions about the empirical world, and its dynamics are given by (Jeffrey) conditionalization. Each of the three essays that make up this thesis deals with a different variation on this traditional picture. The first variation replaces precise probability with sets of probabilities. The resulting imprecise Bayesianism is sometimes motivated on the grounds that our beliefs should not be more precise than the evidence calls for. One known problem for this evidentially motivated imprecise view is that in certain cases, our imprecise credence in a particular proposition will remain the same no matter how much evidence we receive. In the first essay I argue that the problem is much more general than has been appreciated so far, and that it’s difficult to avoid without compromising the initial evidentialist motivation. The second variation replaces descriptive claims with moral claims as the objects of credence. I consider three standard arguments for probabilism with respect to descriptive uncertainty—representation theorem arguments, Dutch book arguments, and accuracy arguments—in order to examine whether such arguments can also be used to establish probabilism with respect to moral uncertainty. In the second essay, I argue that by and large they can, with some caveats. First, I don’t examine whether these arguments can be given sound non-cognitivist readings, and any conclusions therefore only hold conditional on cognitivism. Second, decision-theoretic representation theorems are found to be less convincing in the moral case, because there they implausibly commit us to thinking that intertheoretic comparisons of value are always possible. Third and finally, certain considerations may lead one to think that imprecise probabilism provides a more plausible model of moral epistemology. The third variation considers whether, in addition to (Jeffrey) conditionalization, agents may also change their minds by becoming aware of propositions they had not previously entertained, and therefore not previously assigned any probability. More specifically, I argue that if we wish to make room for reflective equilibrium in a probabilistic moral epistemology, we must allow for awareness growth. In the third essay, I sketch the outline of such a Bayesian account of reflective equilibrium. Given that (i) this account gives a central place to awareness growth, and that (ii) the rationality constraints on belief change by awareness growth are much weaker than those on belief change by (Jeffrey) conditionalization, it follows that the rationality constraints on the credences of agents who are seeking reflective equilibrium are correspondingly weaker.
Behavior-based intrusion detection in encrypted environments

In recent years the Internet has evolved into a critical communication infrastructure that is omnipresent in almost all aspects of our daily life. This dependence of modern societies on the Internet has also resulted in more criminals using the Internet for their purposes, causing a steady increase of attacks, both in terms of quantity as well as quality. Although research on the detection of attacks has been performed for several decades, today's systems are not able to cope with modern attack vectors. One of the reasons is the increasing use of encrypted communication that strongly limits the detection of malicious activities. While encryption provides a number of significant advantages for the end user like, for example, an increased level of privacy, many classical approaches of intrusion detection fail. Since it is typically not possible to decrypt the traffic, performing analysis w.r. t. the presence of certain patterns is almost impossible. To overcome this shortcoming we present a new behavior-based detection architecture that uses similarity measurements to detect intrusions as well as insider activities like data exfiltration in encrypted environments.
Tetherin is a key effector of the antiretroviral activity of type I interferon in vitro and in vivo

Tetherin (Bst-2 CD317) is a cell-surface protein whose expression is induced by IFNα. Although tetherin expression causes the retention of retrovirus particles on the surface of infected cells, it is not known whether tetherin inhibits retroviral replication or pathogenesis in vivo. Mutation of tetherin antagonists often has little effect on retroviral replication in vitro, and, although tetherin can reduce the yield of extracellular viral particles, some studies suggest that tetherin actually enhances direct cell-to-cell viral transmission. We generated tetherin-deficient mice to determine the effect of this protein on murine retrovirus replication and pathogenesis. We find that tetherin markedly inhibits the replication of Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MLV) and is required for the antiretroviral activity of IFNα to be fully manifested in vitro. Surprisingly, Mo-MLV replication and disease progression was not significantly different in WT and tetherin-deficient mice, but this finding was explained by the fact that Mo-MLV infection did not induce detectable tetherin expression on candidate target cells in vivo. Indeed, IFNα induction was required to reveal the anti–Mo-MLV activity of tetherin in vivo. Moreover, LP-BM5, an MLV strain that has been demonstrated to induce immune activation and IFNα expression, achieved higher levels of viremia and induced exaggerated pathology in tetherin-deficient mice. These data indicate that tetherin is a bona fide antiviral protein and can reduce retroviral replication and disease in vivo.
Effects of LASIK on corneal endothelium using the 15-kHz IntraLase femtosecond laser.

PURPOSE To assess the effects of LASIK with the 15-kHz IntraLase femtosecond laser on corneal endothelium. METHODS In a prospective, single-center clinical trial, 138 patients (mean age: 32.0 ± 7.1 years [range: 21 to 42 years]) underwent femtosecond LASIK for the correction of myopia -0.75 to -9.00 diopters (D) and cylinder up to 3.25 D. Patients were divided into two groups: contact lens group (n=76) and non-contact lens group (n=62). Pre- and 12-month postoperative specular microscopy of the central corneal endothelium was performed. The integrity of the central endothelium was assessed in terms of endothelial cell density and percentage of hexagonality. RESULTS In the contact lens group, mean endothelial cell density improved significantly from 3401 ± 292 cells/mm(2) to 3587 ± 262 cells/mm(2) (P<.001) with a mean increase of 5.5%. The percentage of hexagonal cells was statistically significantly higher after surgery (32.5 ± 4.0%) compared with preoperative data (31.0 ± 5.1%) (P=.035). No statistically significant differences were noted regarding mean endothelial cell density (P=.126) or hexagonality (P=.56) before and 1 year after femtosecond LASIK in the non-contact lens group. CONCLUSIONS Femtosecond LASIK to correct myopia was safe for the corneal endothelium. Improvement in mean endothelial cell density and percentage of hexagonality was observed in the contact lens group.
Transoceanic Migration, Spatial Dynamics, and Population Linkages of White Sharks

The large-scale spatial dynamics and population structure of marine top predators are poorly known. We present electronic tag and photographic identification data showing a complex suite of behavioral patterns in white sharks. These include coastal return migrations and the fastest known transoceanic return migration among swimming fauna, which provide direct evidence of a link between widely separated populations in South Africa and Australia. Transoceanic return migration involved a return to the original capture location, dives to depths of 980 meters, and the tolerance of water temperatures as low as 3.4°C. These findings contradict previous ideas that female white sharks do not make transoceanic migrations, and they suggest natal homing behavior.
Economic Growth and Financial Intermediation in Southest Asia

This study aims to determine the effect of financial intermediation on economic growth in five Southeast Asian countries namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, using panel data for the period 1992 to 2015. In the proposed model, the author has used the growth of the real Gross Domestic Product as the dependent variable and the independent variables were domestic credit for the private sector, international trade, inflation, economic growth of previous year and a dummy variable to differentiate the period before and after the crisis of 1997-1998. The results of this study are concluded as follows: (1) financial intermediation is negatively correlated with economic growth; (2) inflation is negatively correlated or tends to slow down the economy; (3) international trade can spur economic growth, and the previous year's growth is not statistically significant to spur economic growth; (4) state factors can make a difference in the effect of financial intermediation on economic growth.
Variable Pay Systems and/or Collective Wage Bargaining? Complements or Substitutes?

Whether collective wage bargaining impedes the implementation of variable pay systems is uncertain. The authors argue that much of this uncertainty is attributable to the fact that research neglects differences in the institutional structure of bargaining. Using representative company-level data for all member states of the European Union, the authors investigate the incidence of variable pay systems in general as well as pay types that include payment-by-results, performance-related pay, and team-related pay under various bargaining arrangements. Findings show that the institutional structure of collective bargaining matters: Variable pay systems thrive under company and multilevel collective bargaining, whereas their implementation is limited under national-level collective wage bargaining.
A New Approach to Design and Use of Management Information

Information, that is both accurate and timely, is probably the most important resource needed by managers to make sound decisions regarding the problems and issues facing their organizations. Unfortunately, sophisticated information systems often fail to meet this need. Managers complain that the data produced by information systems arrive too late, are too general and lack accuracy. Daft and MacIntosh studied the system problems of a number of organizations, discovering that understanding their work activities is critical to the design of successful information systems. The authors also considered the volume of information, preciseness of information and the way in which it is handled by users to develop a model describing information systems. The article illustrates how the model was applied successfully to four case situations.
The effects of hyper‐ and hypocarbia on intraparenchymal arterioles in rat brain slices

THIS investigation examined the direct effects of hyper and hypocarbia on intracerebral resistance vessels within an intact neuronal synctium. Hippocampal rat brain slices were superfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF). Arterioles were located and diameter changes in response to alterations in aCSF carbon dioxide tension (pCO2) were monitored with video-microscopy. Microvessels dose dependently dilated and constricted during hyper- and hypocarbia, respectively. A two-fold rise in pCO2 produced a 20% increase in diameter, while a 47% decrease in pCO2 vasoconstricted microvessels by 11%. This is the first model allowing the investigation of the direct actions of physiologic mediators on discrete intracerebral resistance vessels in situ. The results suggest that intracerebral microvessels significantly respond to changes in pCO2 and may be intimately involved in alterations in cerebral vascular resistance.
Study of hepatocyte differentiation using embryonic stem cells

The liver has many crucial functions including metabolizing dietary molecules, detoxifying compounds, and storing glycogen. The hepatocytes, comprising most of the liver organ, progressively modify their gene expression profile during the fetal development according to their roles in the different phases of development. Embryonic stem (ES) cells serve as a major tool in understanding liver development. These cells may also serve as a source of hepatic cells for cellular therapy. In this review, we aim to summarize the research that has been performed in the field of hepatocyte differentiation from mouse and human ES cells. We discuss the various methodologies for the differentiation of ES cells towards hepatic cells using either spontaneous or directed differentiation protocols. Although many protocols for differentiating ES cells to hepatic cells have been developed, the analysis of their status is not trivial and can lead to various conclusions. Hence, we discuss the issues of analyzing hepatocytes by means of the specificity of the markers for hepatocytes and the status of the cells as fetal or adult hepatocytes. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rat kidney papilla contains abundant synaptobrevin protein that participates in the fusion of antidiuretic hormone-regulated water channel-containing endosomes in vitro.

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) regulates renal water excretion by altering the permeability of the collecting duct to water. ADH-responsive epithelial cells are the major cell type lining kidney tubules in the inner medulla and papilla. ADH modulates apical membrane water permeability by the insertion and removal of vesicles containing aquaporin collecting duct water channel protein (now termed AQP-2). To identify and characterize proteins responsible for trafficking of AQP-2-containing vesicles, we utilized antibody and cDNA probes to synaptobrevin b (also termed VAMP-2, for vesicle-associated membrane protein 2), a protein that mediates synaptic vesicle exocytosis in the brain and whose structural homologs are now considered to be components of a complex responsible for intracellular vesicle fusion in all cells. We now report that rat kidney inner medulla and papilla contain abundant synaptobrevin protein. Only light endosomes, one of two types of purified papillary AQP-2-containing endosomes, possess synaptobrevin. Light endosomes fuse in vitro by means of an ATP-dependent process that is significantly inhibited when endosomes are preincubated with either anti-synaptobrevin antibody or tetanus toxin. These data define a functional role for a synaptobrevin protein in the fusion of endosomes in vitro. The presence of abundant synaptobrevin proteins in endosomes containing AQP-2 water channels, as well as insulin-sensitive glucose transporters [Cain, C. C. , Trimble, W. S. & Lienhard, G. E. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 11681-11684], and in cells of Malpighian tubules responsible for urine formation in insects [Chin, A. S. , Burgess, R. W. , Wong, B. R. , Schwartz, T. L. & Scheller, R. H. (1993) Gene 131, 175-181] suggests a specialized role for synaptobrevin in vesicle-mediated membrane transport modulated by peptide hormones.
Dysfunction of Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels in an Inherited Cardiac Arrhythmia

ABSTRACT: The rapid (lKr) and slow (IKs) delayed rectifier K+ currents are key regulators of cardiac repolarization. HERG encodes the Kr channel, and KVLQT1 and hminK encode subunits that coassemble to form Ks channels. Mutations in any one of these genes cause Romano‐Ward syndrome, an autosomal dominant form of long QT syndrome (LQT). Mutations in KVLQT1 and HERG are the most common cause of LQT. Not all missense mutations of HERG or KVLQT1 have the same effect on K+ channel function. Most mutations result in a dominant‐negative effect, but the severity of the resulting phenotype varies widely, as judged by reduction of current induced by coexpression of wild‐type and mutant subunits in heterologous expression systems. Mutations in hminK (S74L, D76N) reduce IKs by shifting the voltage dependence of activation and accelerating channel deactivation. A recessive form of LQT is caused by mutations in either KVLQT1 or hminK. The functional consequences of mutations in delayed rectifier K+ channel subunits are delayed cardiac repolarization, lengthened QT interval, and an increased risk of torsade de pointes and sudden death.
Modeling power semiconductor losses in HEV powertrains using Si and SiC devices

Silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductor devices are known to have potential benefits over conventional silicon (Si) devices, particularly in high power applications such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Recent literature studying the use of SiC JFETs in HEV inverters indicate a substantially increased gas mileage. This paper further investigates this change in inverter efficiency due to the adoption of SiC using analytical loss models and empirical loss data obtained from experimental Cree 1200V 10A DMOSFETs and Schottky diodes. A motor inverter efficiency map is developed and used in the VEHLIB simulator to evaluate fuel consumption benefits. Distribution of conduction and switching losses in both Si and SiC inverters is explored.
A Strategic Approach to Sustainable Tourism Development Using the A’WOT Hybrid Method: A Case Study of Zonguldak, Turkey

Nowadays, tourism-led economic growth has become a major outcome of the public policy. Researchers have recently begun to address the development of tourism from a perspective that is based on economic, cultural, social, and environmental sustainability. This paper aims at presenting a strategic approach that can help to develop sustainable tourism at touristic destinations. In order to pursue our aim, the A’WOT (AHP-SWOT) hybrid method, developed in combination with SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method, was used. SWOT analysis was used to determine the significant strategic factors, and the AHP method was applied to prioritize these factors. The province of Zonguldak, located in Northwest Turkey, was chosen as the research area to suggest tourism strategies that can be sustainable by means of the application of the A’WOT method. Proposed strategies for the research area are related to product diversification and event management, the image of the destination, a sustainable visitor management system, promotion and branding strategies, partnerships, and cooperation. The results illustrate that the dependent economic structure may be broken down with the development of the tourism industry and, therefore, that some strategic initiatives are required to achieve sustainable tourism in the province.
Aspect-based ABV for SystemC transaction level models

Transaction level modeling (TLM) is increasingly being adopted to describe hardware designs at high abstraction levels. This paper proposes a framework that targets the assertion-based verification (ABV) of SystemC transaction level models during simulation. Aspect-oriented (AO) mechanisms are exploited to write temporal properties that fit TLM requirements. No modifications are needed in the design's SystemC code. Functional as well as performance properties are addressed. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on TLM 2.0 standard compliant models.
Suicide mortality among individuals receiving treatment for depression in the Veterans Affairs health system: associations with patient and treatment setting characteristics.

OBJECTIVES We sought to report clinical and demographic factors associated with suicide among depressed veterans in an attempt to determine what characteristics identified depressed veterans at high risk for suicide. METHODS We used longitudinal, nationally representative data (1999-2004) to determine suicide rates among depressed veterans, estimating time until suicide using Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS Of 807694 veterans meeting study criteria, 1683 (0.21%) committed suicide during follow-up. Increased suicide risks were observed among male, younger, and non-Hispanic White patients. Veterans without service-connected disabilities, with inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations in the year prior to their qualifying depression diagnosis, with comorbid substance use, and living in the southern or western United States were also at higher risk. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with comorbid depression was associated with lower suicide rates, and younger depressed veterans with PTSD had a higher suicide rate than did older depressed veterans with PTSD. CONCLUSIONS Unlike the general population, older and younger veterans are more prone to suicide than are middle-aged veterans. Future research should examine the relationship between depression, PTSD, health service use, and suicide risks among veterans.
Microinjection of an Adenosine A1 Agonist into the Medial Pontine Reticular Formation Increases Tail Flick Latency to Thermal Stimulation

Background Both pain and the pharmacologic management of pain can cause the undesirable effect of sleep disruption. One goal of basic and clinical neuroscience is to facilitate rational drug development by identifying the brain regions and neurochemical modulators of sleep and pain. Adenosine is thought to be an endogenous sleep promoting substance and adenosinergic compounds can contribute to pain management. In the pontine brain stem adenosine promotes sleep but the effects of pontine adenosine on pain have not been studied. This study tested the hypothesis that an adenosine agonist would cause antinociception when microinjected into pontine reticular formation regions that regulate sleep. Methods The tail flick latency (TFL) test quantified the time in seconds for an animal to move its tail away from a thermal stimulus created by a beam of light. TFL measures were used to evaluate the antinociceptive effects of the adenosine A1 receptor agonist N6-p-sulfophenyladenosine (SPA). Pontine microinjection of SPA (0.1 &mgr;g/0.25 &mgr;l, 0.88 mm) was followed by TFL measures as a function of time after drug delivery and across the sleep–wake cycle. Results Compared with saline (control), pontine administration of the adenosine agonist significantly increased latency to tail withdrawal (P < 0.0001). The increase in antinociceptive behavior evoked by the adenosine agonist SPA was blocked by pretreatment with the adenosine A1 receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1, 3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, 0.75 ng/0.25 &mgr;l, 10 &mgr;m). Conclusions These preclinical data encourage additional research on the cellular mechanisms by which adenosine in the pontine reticular formation contributes to the supraspinal modulation of pain.