Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of televised movies about suicide.

Gould and Shaffer studied suicides by teenagers in the New York City area before and after three fictional films about suicide were televised, and presented evidence suggesting that the films were followed by a significant increase in teenage suicides. Using their methods, we studied teenage suicides in California and Pennsylvania before and after the television broadcast of the same three films. In these states, there was no evidence of an increase in teenage suicides after the films were shown. This remained true when data for New York from the study of Gould and Shaffer were combined with our data from California and Pennsylvania. We conclude that it is premature to be concerned about possibly fatal effects of fictional televised films about suicide.
The low-rank hurdle model

A composite loss framework is proposed for low-rank modeling of data consisting of interesting and common values, such as excess zeros or missing values. The methodology is motivated by the generalized low-rank framework and the hurdle method which is commonly used to analyze zero-inflated counts. The model is demonstrated on a manufacturing data set and applied to the problem of missing value imputation.
Permeability Properties of Jointed Rock with Periodic Partially Filled Fractures

Rock fractures always influence the hydrological properties of a rock mass. To investigate the seepage characteristics of a rock mass with partly filled fractures, a mathematical model is established. In this model, the clear fluid in fractures is governed by the Navier-Stokes equation, and the fluid both in the porous medium and rock matrix are subjected to the Brinkman-Extended Darcy equation. The analytic solution of an equivalent permeability coefficient for a rock mass with partly filled fractures is solved, and it could be reduced to some special known results. Comparisons with experimental data show good agreement, thus verifying the validity of the present computations.
Sweet taste receptors in rat small intestine stimulate glucose absorption through apical GLUT2

Natural sugars and artificial sweeteners are sensed by receptors in taste buds. T2R bitter and T1R sweet taste receptors are coupled through G‐proteins, α‐gustducin and transducin, to activate phospholipase C β2 and increase intracellular calcium concentration. Intestinal brush cells or solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs) have a structure similar to lingual taste cells and strongly express α‐gustducin. It has therefore been suggested over the last decade that brush cells may participate in sugar sensing by a mechanism analogous to that in taste buds. We provide here functional evidence for an intestinal sensing system based on lingual taste receptors. Western blotting and immunocytochemistry revealed that all T1R members are expressed in rat jejunum at strategic locations including Paneth cells, SCCs or the apical membrane of enterocytes; T1Rs are colocalized with each other and with α‐gustducin, transducin or phospholipase C β2 to different extents. Intestinal glucose absorption consists of two components: one is classical active Na+–glucose cotransport, the other is the diffusive apical GLUT2 pathway. Artificial sweeteners increase glucose absorption in the order acesulfame potassium ∼ sucralose > saccharin, in parallel with their ability to increase intracellular calcium concentration. Stimulation occurs within minutes by an increase in apical GLUT2, which correlates with reciprocal regulation of T1R2, T1R3 and α‐gustducin versus T1R1, transducin and phospholipase C β2. Our observation that artificial sweeteners are nutritionally active, because they can signal to a functional taste reception system to increase sugar absorption during a meal, has wide implications for nutrient sensing and nutrition in the treatment of obesity and diabetes.
Dependency Reduction with Divisive Normalization: Justification and Effectiveness

Abstract Efficient coding transforms that reduce or remove statistical dependencies in natural sensory signals are important for both biology and engineering. In recent years, divisive normalization (DN) has been advocated as a simple and effective nonlinear efficient coding transform. In this work, we first elaborate on the theoretical justification for DN as an efficient coding transform. Specifically, we use the multivariate t model to represent several important statistical properties of natural sensory signals and show that DN approximates the optimal transforms that eliminate statistical dependencies in the multivariate t model. Second, we show that several forms of DN used in the literature are equivalent in their effects as efficient coding transforms. Third, we provide a quantitative evaluation of the overall dependency reduction performance of DN for both the multivariate t models and natural sensory signals. Finally, we find that statistical dependencies in the multivariate t model and natural sensory signals are increased by the DN transform with low-input dimensions. This implies that for DN to be an effective efficient coding transform, it has to pool over a sufficiently large number of inputs.
NEURAL NETWORK ANALYSIS OF SEISMIC INTENSITY FROM INSTRUMENTAL RECORDS

Seismic intensity provides useful information on the distribution of earthquake effects. The concept of felt intensity has been used for a long time and is considered a method to classify the severity of the ground motion at a given location on the basis of effects observed either during the earthquake or afterwards. The Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale is the most common felt intensity scale in use and is used to indicate seismic hazard and level of damage.
Carnivore-livestock conflicts in Chile: Evidence and methods for mitigation

Human population growth and habitat loss have exacerbated human–wildlife conflicts worldwide. We explored trends in human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) in Chile using scientific and official reports to identify areas and species with higher risk of conflicts and tools available for their prevention and mitigation. The puma (Puma concolor) was considered the most frequent predator; however, fox (Lycalopex spp.) and free-ranging or feral dog (Canis lupus familiaris) attacks were also common. Our results suggest that the magnitude of puma conflicts may be overestimated. Domestic sheep (Ovis spp.) and poultry (Galliformes) were the most common species predated. Livestock losses were widespread across Chile but were highest in San Jose de Maipo, located in central Chile, and Cochrane, La Unión, and Lago Verde in south Chile municipalities. Livestock guardian dogs and the livestock insurance, as a part of the Agriculture Insurance of Chile, were identified as the most promising tools to mitigate HWCs, shortand mid-term, respectively. However, longer-term strategies should focus on improving livestock management through extension (i.e., farmer education) programs for local communities. In Chile, HWCs negatively impact small farmers and wild carnivore populations. An interinstitutional and interdisciplinary strategy integrating input from government and nongovernmental organizations, farmers, and academia is needed to achieve effective carnivore conservation in the long-term.
A compact tunable microstrip diplexer using varactor-tuned dual-mode stub-loaded resonators

A new compact tunable microstrip diplexer based on varactor-tuned dual-mode stub-loaded resonators is investigated. By using the dual coupling paths, the two channel filters can then be designed independently. In addition, by properly varying the dc bias voltages applied to the varactors loaded onto the dual-mode resonators, the passband frequencies of the diplexer can be changed over a wide tuning range while still keeping a good in-band performance. For the demonstration, a compact tunable second-order bandpass diplexer with a size of 0.13 λg by 0.21 λg has been designed and fabricated. The measured results show that a wide frequency tuning range of about 25% is achieved, while the isolation is better than 22 dB for the two channels over the entire tuning range.
EVALUATING THE FINANCIAL ATTRACTIVENESS OF SMART-CHARGING SCHEMES FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES DRIVERS AND AGGREGATORS

Uncontrolled charging of a large fleet of electric vehicles (EVs) represents a challenge for the electricity network. However, a suitable controlled strategy could not only ease the process but also provide grid services by increasing or decreasing the charging load. So far research lacks understanding how individual behaviours may impact the availability of EVs for grid services. This paper presents a simulation model of a fleet of electric vehicles and an EV aggregator to assess availability in offering demand response services. A case study using London neighbourhoods was developed to analyse the charging demand and the potential for grid services to compare attractiveness to customers and profitability for the aggregator The model leads to two main outputs: the aggregated availability of cars and owners’ bills and savings. Therefore it helps understand the attractiveness of these schemes for both actors. Additionally agent-based modelling allows analysing the influence of each agent on the system, which leads to valuable insights for grid operators who can better understand the local impact of individual behaviours on EV charging and grid services, and subsequently on their network. It was notably demonstrated that the tested Smart-charging schemes should be offered to drivers who own a domestic charger.
Gadolinium accumulation and fibrosis in the liver after administration of gadoxetate disodium in a rat model of active hepatic fibrosis.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of gadoxetate disodium on fibrosis in a rat model of active hepatic fibrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS The local committee for animal research approved this study. Hepatic fibrosis was induced during 12 weeks of intraperitoneal injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). Gadoxetate disodium was administered at 10 mmol/kg for 5 consecutive days starting after the final dose of CCl(4) (clinical dose of gadoxetate disodium is 0.25 mmol/kg). Three groups of Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Group 1 consisted of six rats treated only with gadoxetate disodium, group 2 consisted of nine rats treated only with CCl(4), and group 3 consisted of nine rats treated with both gadoxetate disodium and CCl(4). Seven days after the final injection of gadoxetate disodium, the rats were sacrificed, and histologic findings and gadolinium deposition in the liver were examined. Fibrosis stage and gadolinium deposition were compared by using the Mann-Whitney test and Student t test. RESULTS Fibrosis grading in groups 2 and 3 did not differ significantly (mean Batts-Ludwig fibrosis stage in group 2 was 2.67 and in group 3 was 2.78, P = .70; mean Ishak fibrosis stage in group 2 was 3.89 and in group 3 was 4.11, P = .71). Gadolinium deposition in the liver was slightly increased in group 3 in comparison to group 1 (3.2 ppm versus 4.0 ppm, P = .01), although this reversed when corrected as a percentage of total injected dose (0.022% versus 0.017%, P = .003). CONCLUSION The high-dose administration of gadoxetate disodium in the setting of active hepatic fibrosis was not associated with increased fibrosis, suggesting that gadoxetate disodium does not incite a nephrogenic systemic fibrosis-like fibrotic change in the setting of active hepatic inflammation.
Retardation of first ovulation in pubertal rats after treatment with 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol or its 3 beta-epimer.

The effect was studied of five daily injections of 50 microgram of either 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha, 17 beta-diol (3 alpha-androstanediol) or its 3 beta-epimer (3 beta-androstanediol), starting on day 22 of life, on sexual maturation in female rats. No difference was found in the age and body weight at first oestrus between oil-treated rats and rats treated with either 3 alpha- or 3 beta-androstanediol. The only difference observed between these groups consisted of the occurrence of a "pinhole" vaginal opening a few days before oestrus in 50% of the steroid-treated rats; in oil-treated rats immediate full vaginal opening and first oestrus coincided in ten out of 12 rats. Different effects were obtained when the higher dose of 100 microgram daily was used; effects were dissimilar in rats treated with 3 alpha- and 3 beta-androstanediol. If administration of the higher dose of 3 beta-androstanediol was started on day 22 and continued until the day of full vaginal opening and first oestrus, a significant delay of this first oestrus, preceded by a few days of a "pinhole" type of vaginal opening was observed. After administration of the higher dose of 3 alpha-androstanediol a "pinhole" type of vaginal opening, accompanied by dioestrous-like vaginal smears, was also found, but oestrus did not occur during the period when injections were given. After the injections were stopped on day 45, first oestrus developed within 6 days in all rats. The previous findings of others that administration of 3 beta-androstanediol to the immature female rat may induce precocious puberty (i.e. precocious vaginal opening and first ovulation) were not confirmed in the present study. Out results indicate that high doses of free 3 alpha-androstanediol, and to a lesser degree 3 beta-androstanediol, may even delay first ovulation in the rat. A possible interference of 3 alpha-androstanediol with the triggering of the first ovulatory gonadotrophin peaks is discussed.
Program Partitioning for NUMA Multiprocessor Computer Systems

Abstract Program partitioning and scheduling are essential steps in programming non-shared-memory computer systems. Partitioning is the separation of program operations into sequential tasks, and scheduling is the assignment of tasks to processors. To be effective, automatic methods require an accurate representation of the model of computation and the target architecture. Current partitioning methods assume today′s most prevalent models - macro dataflow and a homogeneous/two-level multicomputer system. Based on communication channels, neither model represents well the emerging class of NUMA multiprocessor computer systems consisting of hierarchical read/write memories. Consequently, the partitions generated by extant methods do not execute well on these systems. In this paper, we extend the conventional graph representation of the macro-dataflow model to enable mapping heuristics to consider the complex conununication options supported by NUMA architectures. We describe two such heuristics. Simulated execution times of program graphs show that our model and heuristics generate higher quality program mappings than current methods for NUMA architectures.
in statistical data analysis for high-energy physics

These lectures concern two topics that are becoming increasingly important in the analysis of High Energy Physics (HEP) data: Bayesian statistics and multivariate methods. In the Bayesian approach we extend the interpretation of probability to cover not only the frequency of repeatable outcomes but also to include a degree of belief. In this way we are able to associate probability with a hypothesis and thus to answer directly questions that cannot be addressed easily with traditional frequentist methods. In multivariate analysis we try to exploit as much information as possible from the characteristics that we measure for each event to distinguish between event types. In particular we will look at a method that has gained popularity in HEP in recent years: the boosted decision tree (BDT).
Dynamics of the peptidoglycan biosynthetic machinery in the stalked budding bacterium Hyphomonas neptunium

Most commonly studied bacteria grow symmetrically and divide by binary fission, generating two siblings of equal morphology. An exception to this rule are budding bacteria, in which new offspring emerges de novo from a morphologically invariant mother cell. Although this mode of proliferation is widespread in diverse bacterial lineages, the underlying mechanisms are still incompletely understood. Here, we report the first molecular‐level analysis of growth and morphogenesis in the stalked budding alphaproteobacterium Hyphomonas neptunium. Peptidoglycan labeling shows that, in this species, buds originate from a stalk‐like extension of the mother cell whose terminal segment is gradually remodeled into a new cell compartment. As a first step toward identifying the machinery mediating the budding process, we performed comprehensive mutational and localization studies of predicted peptidoglycan biosynthetic proteins in H. neptunium. These analyses identify factors that localize to distinct zones of dispersed and zonal growth, and they suggest a critical role of the MreB‐controlled elongasome in cell morphogenesis. Collectively, our work shows that the mechanism of growth in H. neptunium is distinct from that in related, polarly growing members of the order Rhizobiales, setting the stage for in‐depth analyses of the molecular principles regulating the fascinating developmental cycle of this species.
[The changes of interdigestive migrating motor complex in rats with acute liver failure].

OBJECTIVE To observe the changes and characteristics of interdigestive migrating motor complex (MMC) in rat models of acute liver failure. METHODS 30 rat models with acute liver failure were induced with D-galactosamine and another 30 normal rats were used as controls. The indexes of MMC recorded by multi-channel physiological recorder were compared. RESULTS No significant differences found between the two groups in antral and duodenal MMC cycles and frequencies of duodenal and jejunal MMC III phase. Compared with normal controls, the MMC II phase in the acute liver failure rats was significantly prolonged (t=-3.97, -3.85, P<0.05), the MMC III duration of antrum and duodenum (u=-4.99, t=4.66, P<0.05) was shorter and the MMC III frequency of antrum (u=-4.73, P<0.05) was faster. In addition, the MMC cycle and MMC III phase of jejunum were significantly prolonged (u=-1.63, t=-4.94, P<0.05) and the MMC III phase duration was significantly shorter in the acute liver failure rats (t=5.10, P<0.05). CONCLUSION Significantly prolonged MMC II phase characterized by migrating clustered contraction, shortened MMC III phase and extended jejunal MMC cycles were probably the major contributors to the gastrointestinal motility disorders in the rats with acute liver failure.
Research of Video Retrieval based on Image and Audio Feature

Recently as computer technology and multimedia information have developed, text information as well as various types of image information can easy to obtain and be stored. In this paper, we proposed the efficient method of context based image retrieval to extract the face image and audio features in the video sequence. The eigenvectors for face can be obtained by the principal component analysis in the face image data. The feature parameter of audio information can be collected by classification of the voiced, unvoiced and silence of the voice in speech interval through the frame energy and zero-crossing rate. After the histogram feature vectors collect the cross function and similarity measurement, the database with the set of several face image and voice is able to create by applying fuzzy integral and assigning the weights. Our experiments and result shows that the method is more efficient and suitable result than the conventional image retrieval method. Keywords—Image Feature; Audion Feature; Video Retrieval
Factors Influencing Malnutrition among Under Five Children at Kitwe Teaching Hospital , Zambia

The nutritional status of under-five children in the country is one of the indicators of the countries health status as well as its economic status. Malnutrition is capable of affecting the physical growth, mortality, morbidity, cognitive development, reproduction, and physical work capacity. It is one of the underlying factors in many diseases affecting children today. This study aimed at identifying and determining the factors influencing malnutrition among the under five children admitted at Kitwe Teaching Hospital. An unmatched case control study was conducted. A total of 236 children were recruited in this study with 79 being malnourished and the rest not malnourished. Data collection was done using structured questionnaires. Following placement of the data in regression models, the factors that were found to be significantly associated with child malnutrition were child’s birth weight (Adjusted OR= 30.83, 95% CI 3.43-277.43), the number of meals per day (Adjusted OR= 379.54, 95% CI 32.50-4433.25) and the mother’s knowledge of the causes and prevention of malnutrition (Adjusted OR= 549.61, 95% CI 47.27-6490.71). The findings of this study showed that malnutrition in children that are admitted at Kitwe Teaching Hospital was dependent on a number of factors. Some of these factors were birth weight of the child, number of meals given to a child in a day and the parent’s knowledge about malnutrition. Therefore, intensifying health education and antenatal care could contribute in the reduction of malnutrition cases in under-five children.
Salient features of Trypanosoma congolense in African Animal Trypanosomiasis in the sub-Saharan Africa

Despite the multiple causes, contribution of Trypanosoma congolense in African Animal Trypanosomosis (AAT) in the sub-Saharan Africa is great. More than 80% of AAT and losses in domestic animals (cattle, goats, sheep, horses, pigs and dogs) in South, East and Central Africa are due to T. congolense infections. In the West, T. congolense remains one of the major causes of AAT in livestock. This chapter discusses the biology and disease caused by T. congolense, challenges and opportunities for control are highlighted.
Jitter test in production for high speed serial links

1. The new definitions of jitter In the last few years, more and more serial link standards adopted the concept of separating jitter into deterministic jitter (DJ), periodic jitter (PJ) and random jitter (RJ). The old concept of histogram based peak-to-peak jitter has been replaced by the concept of total jitter (TJ), which is associated with a certain bit-error-rate for the serial link (typically 10). This makes the jitter test more meaningful with a direct connection to system performance. It is much harder to perform a proper jitter test directly in production, as it is specified in terms of DJ, PJ, RJ and TJ, rather than a simple peak-to-peak or rms jitter measurement. It means we need to decompose the jitter measured into various types, each having its own budget on the spec sheet. The trend of separating jitter into different types also applies to the jitter tolerance test. To conduct a jitter tolerance test, jitter must be deliberately injected into the data stream in a controlled fashion. That means we need to mix a certain amount of DJ (including some PJ) with a certain amount of RJ to perform this test to the spec. [1] In this panel discussion, we need to distinguish jitter test solutions for production between full standard compliant tests and tests providing only partial coverage.