Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Calculs approchés de la borne inférieure de valeurs réparties

The Distributed Infinimum Approximation (or DIA, for short) problem is to compute or approximate a lower bound off a set of values distributed over different sites and channels of a distributed system. The values themselves change in time, but according to some rules implying monotonicity of their lower bound. We demonstrate that approximation of the Global Virtual Time (GVT) and distributed termination detection are instances of DIA. We propose several classes of distributed solutions for the DIA problem, corresponding to different assumptions about the communication subsystem (synchronous, FIFO, causal order, unrestricted). All algorithms need to determine observation periods during which the local control algorithms observes the local basic computation (including its communications). It is demonstrated that wave algorithms can be used as a building block inside DIA algorithms for the determination of observation periods, for combining the local observation results find for disseminating the subsequent approximations of the lower bound.
Antecedents and Effects of Wisdom in Old Age

Using longitudinal data on 82 White, California women from the Berkeley Guidance Study, this study examines the relationship between wisdom (defined as a combination of cognitive, reflective, and affective personality qualities) and aging well and explores the early antecedents of wisdom. In structural equation models with latent variables, the social environment of early adulthood has a significant positive influence on wisdom over 40 years later, whereas mature personality characteristics during the early years of life and the quality of one’s childhood exert no enduring effects. Wisdom in the later years has a positive effect on women’s life satisfaction, physical health, and the quality of their family relationships. Hence, wisdom appears to be an important predictor of aging well.
Which efforts towards conservative treatment of male infertility will be successful? Reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, and sperm phospholipids

Polymorphonuclear white blood cells in semen and, to a lesser extent, incompletely matured spermatozoa generate excess reactive oxygen species (ROS), mostly hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide. Due to their paucity in cytoplasm and antioxidant mechanisms, spermatozoa have little defence against these ROS, which damage their membrane and DNA (Fig. 1). The former results in a lower proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, mainly docosohexaenoic acid (2256v3), with increased mean melting point and decreased fluidity of the membrane, particularly of the sperm head (Zalata et al., 1998). As a consequence, sperm acrosome reaction and fusogenic capacity are inhibited, causing decreased probability of conception, lower success rate of Figure 1. Overview of the effects of ROS and the alleged protective influence of antioxidants. intra-uterine insemination (IUI) (Milingos et al., 1996) and of conventional IVF (Aitken, 1989). included antibiotics in case of documented infection Damage to sperm DNA may result in transition of the accessory sex glands, spermatic venous mutagenesis whereby the oxidized product of embolization in case of varicocele, or Tamoxifen the nucleotide guanine (8-OH-2-deoxyguanosine) (Zambon) for idiopathic oligozoospermia. binds to thymine instead of cytosine (C5G conSperm concentration increased significantly verting to A5T). When spermatozoa with damaged in cases with initial oligozoospermia (<20 DNA are introduced into oocytes during ICSI, million ml−1, P<0.01), and the concentration of genetic disturbance may occur in the offspring if peroxidase-positive round cells (polymorphonuthe repair mechanisms are insufficient. clear white blood cells) remained unchanged. In Antioxidant treatment may reduce the oxidative 21 out of 22 cases ROS was decreased during damage and it may increase the in vivo and in vitro treatment to 16% of the initial value (P<0.001). fertility of spermatozoa, as well as their relative In parallel, the concentration of 8-OH-2-deoxysafety for use in ICSI. We have performed a pilot guanosine was decreased to 37% of the value study treating subfertile patients with either oral before treatment (P<0.001) and, in addition, the acetyl-cysteine (gift of Zambon, Brussels, Belgium) calcium–ionophore-induced acrosome reaction and/or a mixture of essential fatty acids (rich in increased significantly (P<0.01). docosohexaenoic acid) and natural vitamins A and Five couples out of 22 with adequate follow-up E (gift of Scotia, Stirling, Scotland) as a complement of 5.4 months (median) achieved pregnancy, correto conventional medical treatment. The latter sponding to a fecundability of 3.5% per cycle, as compared with 1.2% per cycle in historically Correspondence: F. Comhaire, Department of Endocrinology and Centre for Andrology, University Hospital Gent, Belgium. untreated or placebo-treated controls.
Angels or Demons? Evidence on the Impact of Private Equity Firms on Employment

The impact of private equity firms on employment in their portfolio companies is a controversial topic widely discussed in academia and in practice in recent years. A large body of research has resulted from this debate. The studies are focused on different aspects of employment and are based on a variety of methodologies as well as samples representing e.g. different types of buyouts and geographies. The aim of this paper is to provide access to and enhance the understanding of the highly fragmented literature by way of a systematic review and to discuss areas for future research. We review evidence on employment growth, financial and non-financial indicators of employment in a total of 49 studies. The analysis of similarities and differences of the studies revealed manifold consequences of private equity on employment. Our review reveals that the impact varies across different employment indicators and between geographies. We therefore conclude that it is not possible to label private equity firms either positively or negatively – as 'angels or demons' – as this would not take account of their complex and heterogeneous effects on employees post-buyout.
Linguistic knowledge acquisition system on facial caricature drawing system

In this paper, a data oriented linguistic knowledge acquisition system which should obtain linguistic expressions for facial caricature is discussed. That acquisition process was made upon a framework of linguistic-based facial caricature-drawing system. Human knowledge nature is too complicated to implement on computers. Thus, we need a lot of approximation techniques. Fuzzy sets could act as magic cloak of simplicity for ambiguity and complexity of human thinking process. When fuzzy set is used for an instance of linguistic words, it might have complicated extents instead of simple Cartesian product form on multidimensional space. This paper introduced a knowledge acquisition system to obtain fuzzy set in nonsimplified form. It could get some result of linguistic instance, "frightening face" Linguistic knowledge has still complicated extent.
Impact of statins on progression of atherosclerosis: rationale and design of SATURN (Study of Coronary Atheroma by InTravascular Ultrasound: Effect of Rosuvastatin versus AtorvastatiN)

Abstract Background: Previous imaging studies have demonstrated that the beneficial impact of high-dose statins on the progression of coronary atherosclerosis associates with their ability to lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and to raise high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The Study of Coronary Atheroma by InTravascular Ultrasound: Effect of Rosuvastatin versus AtorvastatiN (SATURN, NCT00620542) aims to compare the effects of high-dose atorvastatin and rosuvastatin on disease progression. Methods: A total of 1385 subjects with established coronary artery disease (CAD) on angiography were randomized to receive rosuvastatin 40 mg or atorvastatin 80 mg for 24 months. The primary efficacy parameter will be the nominal change in percent atheroma volume (PAV), determined by analysis of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) images of matched coronary artery segments acquired at baseline and at 24-month follow-up. The effect of statin therapy on plasma lipids and inflammatory markers, and the incidence of clinical cardiovascular events will also be assessed. The study does not have the statistical power to directly compare the treatment groups with regard to clinical events. Conclusion: Serial IVUS has emerged as a sensitive imaging modality to assess the impact of treatments on arterial structure. In this study, IVUS will be used to determine whether high-dose statins have different effects on plaque progression.
Step-up DC-DC converter passive component dimensioning in photovoltaic applications

Boost converter is a common solution for power conditioning of photovoltaic systems. Inductance and capacitance values of the boost converter are of high importance when the panel voltage ripple is examined. The ripple has a severe effect on the maximum power point tracking efficiency. Dimensioning guidelines for these components are presented in this paper. They are examined with simulations and experimental measurements.
Higher Fluctuating Asymmetry: Indication of Stress on Anadara trapezia Associated with Contaminated Seagrass

Seagrasses are marine angiosperms that colonize near-shore environments. Concern has arisen over increasing concentrations of heavy metals in these systems resulting from industrial and urban development due to the ability of seagrass to accumulate trace metals from the environment without showing any impact on their productivity. This may pose a threat to a coastal community because the polluted seagrass will then provide a source of contamination to seagrass consumers. The main aim of this study was to determine whether there was any detectable effect of heavy metal pollution in seagrass on associated fauna. Fluctuating asymmetry of shell structure of a bivalve, Anadara trapezia, were employed as biomarkers for this environmental study. The result from this study revealed that A. trapezia showed distinct morphological characters and high shell asymmetry in the polluted location. Thus, A. trapezia associated with seagrass may be responsive to heavy metal stress and possibly a good indicator of heavy metal pollution in this system. The present study discusses the possibility of using a more cost-effective biomarker to define areas of heavy metal pollution.
A Longitudinal Perspective of the Relationship between Perceived Motivational Climate, Goal Orientations, and Strategy Use

Abstract Achievement goal theory suggests that goal orientations and the perceived motivational climate may influence one another and other motivational variables over time. Therefore, the purpose of this study was threefold: (a) to examine the relationship between perceived motivational climate and goal orientations over time (b) to investigate how goal orientations may fluctuate when the climate was in opposition to the initial goal orientation, (c) to determine how the climate may impact practice strategies. A set of inventories was administered to 162 college students at preselected times throughout several 16-week physical activity classes. Changes occurred in students' goal orientations, particularly when the perceived motivational climate was in opposition to their goal orientation. Aspects of the task-involving climate positively predicted practice strategies.
Platelet Lysate as Replacement for Fetal Bovine Serum in Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Cultures

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) emerged as highly attractive in cell-based regenerative medicine. Initially thought to provide cells capable of differentiation towards mesenchymal cell types (osteoblasts, chondrocytes, adipocytes etc.), by and by potent immunoregulatory and pro-regenerative activities have been discovered, broadening the field of potential applications from bone and cartilage regeneration to wound healing and treatment of autoimmune diseases. Due to the limited frequency in most tissue sources, ex vivo expansion of MSC is required compliant with good manufacturing practice (GMP) guidelines to yield clinically relevant cell doses. Though, still most manufacturing protocols use fetal bovine serum (FBS) as cell culture supplement to isolate and to expand MSC. However, the high lot-to-lot variability as well as risk of contamination and immunization call for xenogenic-free culture conditions. In terms of standardization, chemically defined media appear as the ultimate achievement. Since these media need to maintain all key cellular and therapy-relevant features of MSC, the development of chemically defined media is still - albeit highly investigated - only in its beginning. The current alternatives to FBS rely on human blood-derived components: plasma, serum, umbilical cord blood serum, and platelet derivatives like platelet lysate. Focusing on quality aspects, the latter will be addressed within this review.
Role of NO/VASP Signaling Pathway against Obesity-Related Inflammation and Insulin Resistance

Obesity has quickly become a worldwide pandemic, causing major adverse health outcomes such as dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and cancers. Obesity-induced insulin resistance is the key for developing these metabolic disorders, and investigation to understand the molecular mechanisms involved has been vibrant for the past few decades. Of these, low-grade chronic inflammation is suggested as a critical concept in the development of obesity-induced insulin resistance, and the anti-inflammatory effect of nitric oxide (NO) signaling has been reported to be linked to improvement of insulin resistance in multiple organs involved in glucose metabolism. Recently, a body of evidence suggested that vasodilatory-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP), a downstream mediator of NO signaling plays a crucial role in the anti-inflammatory effect and improvement of peripheral insulin resistance. These preclinical studies suggest that NO/VASP signaling could be an ideal therapeutic target in the treatment of obesity-related metabolic dysfunction. In this review, we introduce studies that investigated the protective role of NO/VASP signaling against obesity-related inflammation and insulin resistance in various tissues.
Individualized Targeted Therapy for Glioblastoma: Fact or Fiction?

PurposeThis review will address the current state of individualized cancer therapy for glioblastoma. Glioblastomas are highly malignant primary brain tumors presumably originating from neuroglial progenitor cells. Median survival is less than 1 year. DesignRecent developments in the morphologic, clinical, and molecular classification of glioblastoma were reviewed, and their impact on clinical decision making was analyzed. ResultsGlioblastomas can be classified by morphology, clinical characteristics, complex molecular signatures, single biomarkers, or imaging parameters. Some of these characteristics, including age and Karnofsky Performance Scale score, provide important prognostic information. In contrast, few markers help to choose between various treatment options. Promoter methylation of the O6-methylguanine methyltransferase gene seems to predict benefit from alkylating agent chemotherapy. Hence, it is used as an entry criterion for alkylator-free experimental combination therapy with radiotherapy. Screening for a specific type of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation is currently being explored as a biomarker for selecting patients for vaccination. Positron emission tomography for the detection of &agr;&ngr;&bgr;3/5 integrins could be used to select patients for treatment with anti-integrin antiangiogenic approaches. DiscussionDespite extensive efforts at defining biological markers as a basis for selecting therapies, most treatment decisions for glioblastoma patients are still based on age and performance status. However, several ongoing clinical trials may enrich the repertoire of criteria for clinical decision making in the very near future. The concept of individualized or personalized targeted cancer therapy has gained significant attention throughout oncology. Yet, data in support of such an approach to glioblastoma, the most malignant subtype of glioma, are limited, and personalized medicine plays a minor role in current clinical neuro-oncology practice. In essence, this concept proposes that tumors that are currently lumped together based on common morphologic features can be subclassified in a way that the resulting subentities are more homogeneous, for example, in molecular signatures and will therefore be amenable to selective therapeutic interventions. At present, the major “biomarkers” used to allocate treatment in glioblastoma are age and Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and these markers have so far survived all efforts at more sophisticated approaches to the management of this disease. Treatment allocation basically means intensity of treatment, especially the use of the standard-of-care or radiotherapy alone beyond age 65 to 70 years or below a Karnofsky Performance Scale score of 60.
Deficit Irrigation and Partial Root-Zone Drying Techniques in Processing Tomato Cultivated under Mediterranean Climate Conditions

Due to climate change, the application of water saving strategies is of particular interest. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of deficit irrigation (DI) and partial root-zone drying (PRD) techniques on the crop water stress index (CWSI), water use efficiency (WUE), and quality parameters in processing tomatoes grown in open field conditions in a Mediterranean climate. Two cultivars were grown for two growing seasons under four irrigation regimes as follows: (i) IR100: full irrigation by restoring 100% of the maximum tomato evapotranspiration (ETc); (ii) IR70DI: 70% of the amount of water given to the IR100; (iii) IR70PRD: 70% of the amount of water given to the IR100 by applying partial root-zone drying and (iv) IR0: irrigation only at transplanting and during fertigation. During the flowering period, the first growing season was characterized by an absence of rainfall and by higher temperatures also showing a higher CWSI. Despite, under IR70PRD, the CWSI was significantly higher than under IR70DI, the marketable yield obtained was significantly higher. Both IR70DI and IR70PRD regimes received approximately 24% less water than IR100, but the yield reduction with relation to the optimum regime was equal to 16.2% under IR70DI, and only 7.6% under IR70PRD. The WUE increment of IR70PRD with respect to IR100 was equal to 27% in the first growing season and to 17% in the second one, showing that the positive effect of PRD on the WUE is more evident in the more stressed year. Finally, the results from the principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the two cultivars had different qualitative responses in the two extreme regimes (IR100 and IR0) but not under PRD and DI regimes.
1 Optimal Parameter Exploration for Online 2 Change-Point Detection in Activity Monitoring Us3 ing Genetic Algorithms 4

In recent years, smart phones with inbuilt sensors have become popular devices to facili13 tate activity recognition. The sensors capture a large amount of data, containing meaningful events, 14 in a short period of time. The change points in this data are used to specify transitions to distinct 15 events and can be used in various scenarios such as identifying change in a patient’s vital signs in 16 the medical domain or requesting activity labels for generating real-world labeled activity datasets. 17 Our work focuses on change-point detection to identify a transition from one activity to another. 18 Within this paper, we extend our previous work on multivariate exponentially weighted moving 19 average (MEWMA) algorithm by using a genetic algorithm (GA) to identify the optimal set of pa20 rameters for online change-point detection. The proposed technique finds the maximum accuracy 21 and F_measure by optimizing the different parameters of the MEWMA, which subsequently identi22 fies the exact location of the change point from an existing activity to a new one. Optimal parameter 23 selection facilitates an algorithm to detect accurate change points and minimize false alarms. Results 24 have been evaluated based on two real datasets of accelerometer data collected from a set of differ25 ent activities from two users, with a high degree of accuracy from 99.4% to 99.8% and F_measure of 26 up to 66.7%. 27
Energy issues in microwave food processing: A review of developments and the enabling potentials of solid-state power delivery

ABSTRACT The enormous magnitude and variety of microwave applications in household, commercial and industrial food processing creates a strong motivation for improving the energy efficiency and hence, sustainability of the process. This review critically assesses key energy issues associated with microwave food processing, focusing on previous energy performance studies, energy performance metrics, standards and regulations. Factors affecting energy-efficiency are categorised into source, load and source-load matching factors. This highlights the need for highly-flexible and controllable power sources capable of receiving real-time feedback on load properties, and effecting rapid control actions to minimise reflections, heating non-uniformities and other imperfections that lead to energy losses. A case is made for the use of solid-state amplifiers as alternatives to conventional power sources, magnetrons. By a full-scale techno-economic analysis, including energy aspects, it is shown that the use of solid-state amplifiers as replacements to magnetrons is promising, not only from an energy and overall technical perspective, but also in terms of economics.
Narrowing the Innovation Gap: Factors Influencing Outcomes of Industry-University Collaborations

Universities have played a continued role in facilitating and enhancing the innovative potential of U.S. companies. Key to these relationships is the transfer of knowledge both from university to industry as well as from industry to university. But, few researchers have explored how different relationships necessitate specific cultural orientations, absorptive capacity abilities, and management tasks. As industry and universities engage in relationships designed to accelerate innovation it is critical to understand the factors that impact the outcomes of these relationships. Based on literature related to open innovation and industry-university relationships, an integrative explanatory theoretical framework is proposed for identifying key factors shown to play a role in the success of industry-university relationships. Applying data from a study of knowledge exchange between university and industry partners, the applicability of the framework in identifying key factors related to successful outcomes is illustrated.