Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimizing beer distribution game order policy using numerical simulations

One of the major challenges in supply chain management is the level of information availability. It is very hard yet important to coordinate each stage in the supply chain when the information is not centralized and the demand is uncertain. In this thesis, I analyzed the bullwhip effect in supply chain management using the MIT Beer Distribution Game. I also proposed heuristics and models to optimize the MIT Beer Distribution Game order policy when the customer's demand is both known and unknown. The proposed model provides each player with an order policy based on how many weeks of inventory the player needs to keep ahead to minimize the global cost of the supply chain. The optimized order policy is robust, practical, and generated by numerical simulations. The model is applied in a number of experiments involving deterministic and random demand and lead time. The simulation results of my work are compared with two other artificial agent algorithms, and the improvements brought by my results are presented and analyzed. Thesis Supervisor: James B. Orlin Title: Professor of Sloan School of Management Thesis Supervisor: David Simchi-Levi Title: Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Acknowledgments I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor James B. Orlin and Professor David Simchi-Levi, for coming up with this meaningful topic and their guidance throughout my research. Without their invaluable advice and assistance, it would not have been possible for me to complete this thesis. During my stay at MIT, I learned how to consider a problem and conduct research, and gained much other knowledge, which, I think, will benefit my future study, career, and my whole life. I really thank them for giving me this opportunity to study with them. I would like to thank all my friends at MIT: Jan, H6skuldur, Michael, Jonathan, Alex, Ben, Constantin, etc. With all you guys, I have spent a wonderful time during my study at MIT. I appreciate all your encouragement, companionship, and help. Also, I want to thank all the members in the program of Computation for Design and Optimization and the Singapore-MIT Alliance. I would like to thank Laura Koller and Jocelyn Sales for their help with my academic affairs.
Shivering and nonshivering thermogenic responses of rats subjected to different patterns of heat acclimation.

Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: a control group kept at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees C for 14 days, and four heat-acclimated groups (two groups subjected to a constant ambient temperature of 33 degrees C for 4 days or 14 days (HC-14) immediately preceding the measurement; and another two groups subjected to an ambient temperature of 33 degrees C for about 5 h once a day for 4 days, or 14 days (HI-14) just prior to the measurement). After the completion of the schedule, the rats were placed in a temperature-controlled chamber. Hypothalamic (Thy) and interscapular brown adipose tissue (TBAT) temperatures, oxygen consumption (VO2), and shivering activity were measured during a gradual fall in temperature of a water jacket surrounding the chamber (TW) from 30 to 10 degrees C at a constant rate of 0.18 degree C/min. During the fall in TW, VO2 and TBAT increased significantly and shivering was induced without associate changes in Thy in all groups. TW at the onset of a rise in metabolic heat production (onset of cold-induced thermogenesis) coincided with that at the onset of a rise in TBAT (onset of BAT thermogenesis), but was significantly higher than that at the onset of shivering. In HC-14 and HI-14 rats, TWS at the onset of cold-induced thermogenesis and BAT thermogenesis were significantly higher than those in control rats, whereas TWS at the onset of shivering were not different from those in control rats. The onset of cold-induced thermogenesis did not change after the 4-day heat exposure. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Interaction and critical inquiry in asynchronous computer‐mediated conferencing: a research agenda

This paper reviews research on learner and tutor interaction in asynchronous computer‐mediated (ACM) conferences used in distance learning. The authors note claims made for the potential of ACM conferences to promote higher‐order critical inquiry and the social construction of knowledge, and argue that there is a general lack of evidence regarding the actual achievement of these aims in such conferences. We present and discuss the relevant research literature currently available on the effects of social presence, the tutor’s teaching and moderating strategies, and task type. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research in each of these areas.
Clinical Implications of Drug Interactions with Coxibs

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) often are prescribed to patients who are taking concomitant drugs. Cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 inhibitors (coxibs) rofecoxib and celecoxib are highly selective inhibitors of COX‐2, differentiating them from nonselective NSAIDs, which substantially inhibit both COX‐1 and COX‐2. Like nonselective NSAIDs, coxibs are hepatically metabolized: rofecoxib primarily by reduction by cytosolic enzymes and celecoxib by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme system. Because rofecoxib is not significantly metabolized by CYP, it has fewer confirmed or potential drug interactions than celecoxib. However, potent inducers of CYP, such as rifampin, may decrease rofecoxib concentrations because of induction of general hepatic metabolic activity. Celecoxib is metabolized by CYP2C9 and may be increased or decreased by CYP2C9 modifiers. It also inhibits CYP2D6 and may affect concentrations of CYP2D6 substrates. Similar to NSAIDs, many pharmacodynamic interactions involving coxibs are related to inhibition of production of renal prostaglandins. However, coxibs have no antiplatelet activity and may be preferred to NSAIDs in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy. Nonetheless, when a potential for an interaction exists, standard monitoring is recommended when starting or discontinuing a coxib. Due to lack of data to support these interactions, which are primarily theoretical, additional studies are necessary to establish the drug interaction profiles of coxibs.
Allelic loss at PTEN locus leads to progression of colorectal carcinoma among North Indian patients

Abstract We evaluated the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 10q23.3 locus of microsatellite markers; D10S198, D10S192, and D10S541 of PTEN gene in 223 North Indian colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens. DNA was isolated and microsatellite-specific markers polymerase chain reaction was performed. Out of total 223 cases 102 showed LOH for at least one of the locus. In addition, thereto a significant association was found with the clinicopathologic features like grade of differentiation, clinical stage, invasion, lymph node invasion, and the clinical outcome (p < 0.05). These data argue that the given markers to check the possible LOH of PTEN gene at locus 10q23.3 could be considered as one of the diagnostic markers in CRC.
Heuristic and Algorithmic Processing in English, Mathematics, and Science Education

Many college students experience difficulties in basic academic skills. Recent research suggests that much of this difficulty may lie in heuristic competency—the ability to use and successfully manage general cognitive strategies. In the present study, the authors evaluated this possibility. They compared participants' performance on a practice California Basic Educational Skills Test and on a series of questions in the natural sciences with heuristic and algorithmic performance on a series of mathematics and reading comprehension exercises. Heuristic competency in mathematics was associated with better scores in science and mathematics. Verbal and algorithmic skills were associated with better reading comprehension. These results indicate the importance of including heuristic training in educational contexts and highlight the importance of a relatively domain-specific approach to questions of cognition in higher education.
An application of composite nano-patterns to compiler selected profiling techniques

Machine learning techniques have been used in compilers to automatically determine which optimizations are best for each method of a program developed in Java language to reduce the execution time of the program. Profile data of Java methods such as their characteristics and their execution time are used to train the machine learning tools. We can get the execution time of the method by instrumentation your code. However, instrumentation of code interferes with the execution time of the method and also of the program. To minimize the problem, we can instrument only methods that can benefit, in a practical way, of the optimizations applied by the compiler. This paper presents a framework for the instrumentation of the method codes of a Java program, to measure the execution time of each method. It has a nano-pattern-based method characterization mechanism that automatically identifies methods that can be excluded from the process of code instrumentation. We performed experiments to verify the efficiency of the mechanism of automatic selection of methods that should not be instrumentalized. There was a gain in the total execution time of the program when compared to the same program with its all instrumented methods.
An efficient proxy adaptive gateway discovery algorithm based on quality of service parameters

Integration of MANET with internet requires gateways for increasing its usability and accessibility to fixed IP networks. However, such integrations prove complex owing to differences in mobility, routing and addressing between mobile ad hoc networks and fixed IP networks. Existing gateway discovery schemes suffer from low network throughput and performance trade-off. In our proposed gateway discovery scheme, apart from considering timestamp factor, hop count and interface queue length for selection of an optimal gateway, stability of link along the route is also taken into account. Stability of link ensures that message exchange after gateway discovery procedure will not be lost during transit. The proposed approach performance is evaluated through simulation and also analytically validated. Results show our approach has found to be outperforming other ones.
Output feedback control based on event triggered for nonlinear systems with full state constraints

This paper investigates the problem of full state constrained control based on event triggered for a class of high-order nonlinear systems. Compared with the previous designs, the reduced order dynamic gain observer (RDGO) is constructed to estimate the state variables unmeasured. By introducing a barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) to every step in the backstepping procedure, an adaptive backstepping design is well developed to ensure that the full-state constraints are not violated. Then, to relax the requirement of continuous monitoring of controller, we further propose an event-triggered method to deal with this matter. Finally, a simulation example is given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed design method.
GrIMS: Green Information-Centric Multimedia Streaming Framework in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

Information-centric networking (ICN), as a novel network paradigm, is expected to natively support mobility, multicast, and multihoming in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). In this paper, the adoption of ICN principles for multimedia streaming in multihomed VANETs is investigated, with a major emphasis on the tradeoff between the quality of experience and energy efficiency (EnE). To formalize this problem, a cost optimization model is first proposed, based on queueing theory arguments. Then, a novel green information-centric multimedia streaming (GrIMS) framework is designed to drive the system toward optimal working points in practical settings. GrIMS consists of three enhanced mechanisms for on-demand cloud-based processing, adaptive multipath transmission, and cooperative in-network caching. Finally, a massive simulation campaign has been carried out, demonstrating that, thanks to its core components, the GrIMS enables flexible multimedia service provisioning and achieves an improved performance in terms of start-up delay, playbacks continuity, and EnE with respect to state-of-the-art solutions.
Basiliximab vs. limited-dose daclizumab (2 mg/kg) administered in single or two separated doses in kidney transplantation.

INTRODUCTION Addition of anti-IL2r monoclonal antibodies (chimeric or humanized) for induction therapy has reduced the frequency of acute rejection (AR). This study compares the impact of type and dosage of induction therapy on frequency of acute rejection and on renal function during the first year post-transplant. PATIENTS AND METHODS Comparative retrospective study. Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) were divided in three groups according to induction therapy, as follows: (1) Basiliximab in two 20 mg doses, (2) Daclizumab 2 mg/kg in one dose, and (3) Daclizumab 2 mg/kg divided in two doses (1 mg/kg each). Groups were paired for age, sex, number of shared haplotypes, and previous transplant history. Primary endpoints were AR episodes, time to first AR, graft loss, and death. Secondary endpoints were SCr (at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months), frequency and type of infection, and cost. RESULTS There were no baseline differences between groups. Twenty one patients were included in each group. The incidence of AR was similar: 14.2% in group 1, and 9.5% for groups 2 and 3. Two deaths were reported, one in group 1 and another in group 2. Mean SCr was similar between groups. Incidence of infection was 6, 5, and 7 in groups 1 to 3, respectively without a significant difference. The cost was higher in group 1 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Low dose Daclizumab in one or two doses is equally effective and safe as basiliximab at 12-month follow-up, with inferior cost.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Shrimp White Spot Bacilliform Virus

ABSTRACT We report the first complete genome sequence of a marine invertebrate virus. White spot bacilliform virus (WSBV; or white spot syndrome virus) is a major shrimp pathogen with a high mortality rate and a wide host range. Its double-stranded circular DNA genome of 305,107 bp contains 181 open reading frames (ORFs). Nine homologous regions containing 47 repeated minifragments that include direct repeats, atypical inverted repeat sequences, and imperfect palindromes were identified. This is the largest animal virus that has been completely sequenced. Although WSBV is morphologically similar to insect baculovirus, the two viruses are not detectably related at the amino acid level. Rather, some WSBV genes are more homologous to eukaryotic genes than viral genes. In fact, sequence analysis indicates that WSBV differs from all known viruses, although a few genes display a weak homology to herpesvirus genes. Most of the ORFs encode proteins that bear no homology to any known proteins, either suggesting that WSBV represents a novel class of viruses or perhaps implying a significant evolutionary distance between marine and terrestrial viruses. The most unique feature of WSBV is the presence of an intact collagen gene, a gene encoding an extracellular matrix protein of animal cells that has never been found in any viruses. Determination of the genome of WSBV will facilitate a better understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of the WSBV virus and will also provide useful information concerning the evolution and divergence of marine and terrestrial animal viruses at the molecular level.
KioskAR: An Augmented Reality Game as a New Business Model to Present Artworks

This paper presents the architecture of KioskAR, which is a pervasive game implemented using augmented reality (AR). This game introduces a new business model that makes it possible for players to present their artworks in virtual kiosks using augmented reality, while they are having fun playing the game. In addition to competition between the players in the game, this game requires social interaction between players to earn more points. A user study is conducted to evaluate the sense of presence and the usability of the application. The results of experiments show that KioskAR can achieve a high level of usability as well as sense of presence.
Is vitamin D deficiency important in the natural history of COPD?

Vitamin D consists of a group of fat-soluble prohormones, the most important of which are vitamin D2 and D3, with measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) closely representing a person's vitamin D2 and D3 status. D2 (ergocalciferol) is plant and fungal derived, while vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is made from 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin. This conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to previtamin D3 is governed by both the intensity and appropriate wavelength of the ultraviolet (UV) B irradiation reaching 7-dehydrocholesterol. Adequate amounts of vitamin D3 can be made in the skin after only 10–15 min of sun exposure at least twice a week without sunscreen. However, with longer exposure to UVB rays, equilibrium is achieved in the skin and the vitamin degrades as fast as it is generated. Serum concentrations of vitamin D have been found to vary with age, race, sex, season and geographic location, and subclinical deficiency is common, particularly in temperate climates.1 Once in its physiologically active form vitamin D is released into the circulation, binds to a carrier protein in the plasma (vitamin D-binding protein (DBP)) and is transported to various target organs. The hormonally active form of vitamin D mediates its biological effects by binding to the vitamin D receptor (VDR), which is principally located in the nuclei of target cells. This VDR is constitutively expressed in monocytes, activated macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and T and B cells. Activation has potent antiproliferative, prodifferentiative and immunomodulatory functions; both immune enhancing and immunosuppressive.2 It is these immunomodulatory properties of vitamin D that have particularly attracted interest in recent years with regards …
Identification of sarV (SA2062), a New Transcriptional Regulator, Is Repressed by SarA and MgrA (SA0641) and Involved in the Regulation of Autolysis in Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT The expression of genes involved in the pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus is known to be controlled by global regulatory loci, including agr, sarA, sae, arlRS, lytSR, and sarA-like genes. Here we described a novel transcriptional regulator called sarV of the SarA protein family. The transcription of sarV is low or undetectable under in vitro conditions but is significantly augmented in sarA and mgrA (norR or rat) (SA0641) mutants. The sarA and mgrA genes act as repressors of sarV expression, as confirmed by transcriptional fusion and Northern analysis data. Purified SarA and MgrA proteins bound specifically to separate regions of the sarV promoter as determined by gel shift and DNase I footprinting assays. The expression of 19 potential target genes involved in autolysis and virulence, phenotypes affected by sarA and mgrA, was evaluated in an isogenic sarV mutant pair. Our data indicated that the sarV gene product played a role regulating some virulence genes and more genes involved in autolysis. The sarV mutant was more resistant to Triton X-100 and penicillin-induced lysis compared to the wild type and the sarA mutant, whereas hyperexpression of sarV in the parental strain or the sarV mutant rendered the resultant strain highly susceptible to lysis. Zymographic analysis of murein hydrolase activity revealed that inactivation of the sarV gene results in decreased extracellular murein hydrolase activity compared to that of wild-type S. aureus. We propose that sarV may be part of the common pathway by which mgrA and sarA gene products control autolysis in S. aureus.
The Comparison of T/RX Switch Performance for UWB Communication

This paper compares performance of three transmitter/receiver (T/RX) switch structures, which can be included as UWB RF transceiver. They are designed using complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) 0.13 um technology and simulated each structure. They can be operated from 3 to 5 GHz and package model are applied for chip on board(COB) test. They have 1.8 dB insertion loss and more than 30 dB isolation at 5 GHz.
A Short History of the RecSys Challenge

The RecSys Challenge is a yearly recurring competition focusing on creating the best performing recommendation approach for a specific scenario. Over the years, the competition has drawn many participants from industry and academia, and has become an key part of the ACM Conference on Recommender Systems series. This article presents a brief historical overview of the RecSys Challenge from its inception in 2010 until the seventh iteration in 2016.
The information content of realized volatility forecasts ∗

We examine the relative information content of monthly volatility forecasts derived from option prices and time-series forecasts of realized volatility. If volatility risk is priced the return variance process is different under the physical and risk-neutral pricing measures, which has important implications for the interpretation of implied volatility as an expectation of future volatility. We use recent developments in volatility measurement and modeling to capture and forecast the variance process. Our results suggest that forecasts of future realized volatility based on past realized volatility are unbiased, more efficient than VIX model-free implied volatility, and roughly as efficient as Black and Scholes implied volatility. Forecasts of future volatility based on historical realized volatility contain incremental information relative to both model-free and Black-Scholes implied volatility. This finding can be explained in the context of priced variance risk. Given the finding of different information contained in individual volatility forecasts, we show that conditional volatility forecasts can be improved upon by combining individual measures. We also show that predictive regressions of realized volatility on option implied volatility are likely to be misspecified due to the presence of long memory in such measures and the variance risk premium. ∗We would like to thank M. Ø. Nielsen for sharing option price data with us and providing helpful comments. †Department of Finance, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, and NBER; phone: +1-847-467-1285; e-mail: t-andersen@kellogg.northwestern. edu ‡Equity Trading & Derivatives, Nordea Markets, Strandgade 3, 0900 Copenhagen C, Denmark; phone: +45-3333-6683; e-mail: per.frederiksen@nordea.com §Lehman Brothers, 745 7th Ave., New York, NY 10019; e-mail: arne.staal@lehman.com
Toward development of neem‐based repellents against the Scottish Highland biting midge Culicoides impunctatus

Abstract. Oil of neem, from the tree Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Meliaceae), was evaluated for repellent and antifeedant activity against Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), by three complementary methods with serial dilutions. Electroantennograms revealed the sensitivity of Culicoides nubeculosus (Meigen) females to neem ≥ 0.10%. Culicoides impunctatus Goetghebuer females were repelled by ≥ 1% in a Y‐tube olfactometer, Using a membrane feeder for wild‐caught parous females of C. impunctatus, the proportion blood‐feeding was significantly reduced by topical applications of neem oil ≥ 0.10% concentrations, with blood‐feeding completely prevented by ≥€1%. On the basis of these response data, we developed 2% neem‐based formulations for personal protection against biting midges.