Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Symbolic rule extraction with a scaled conjugate gradient version of CLARION

This paper presents a hybrid intelligent system made up of two modules. The bottom sub-symbolic module is a multi-layer feed-forward neural network trained by a modified Q-learning methodology that employs the scaled conjugate gradient algorithm. The top module is a symbolic system (implemented with a neural network built on-line) where rules are extracted from the bottom module during training, in a fashion similar to the CLARION system. The two modules augment each other in an effort to obtain a better performance than both of the modules acting alone in solving a problem. The originality of this work lies in the use of the advanced scaled conjugate learning algorithm in such a hybrid system. It is expected that the use of this algorithm would provide significant improvements in the performance of the overall system and also make it less dependent on user-selected parameters. This paper emphasises the implementation details, since the system is currently under development, rather that concrete experimental results.
Improvement of ram sperm cryopreservation protocols assessed by sperm quality parameters and heterogeneity analysis.

Semen cryopreservation processes generally decrease sperm quality and fertility rate, but this is highly dependent on the specific susceptibility of sperm cells to low temperatures. In order to study the effect of cooling, freezing, and thawing on ram spermatozoa, sperm viability (plasma membrane integrity), HOS test (hyposmotic swelling test), and individual motility were assessed in fresh, cooled, and frozen-thawed samples. The cryoprotective ability of four extenders [Triladyl-yolk (20% Triladyl, 20% egg yolk), Salamon (9.9% raffinose, 2% sodium citrate, 15% egg yolk, 5% glycerol), I.N. I.A. (6.31% Tes, 1.51% Tris, 6% egg yolk, 3% glycerol), and Fiser (F1: 3.25% Tris, 9.3% fructose, 1.7% citric acid, 25% egg yolk, 2% glycerol; F2: 0.68% sodium citrate, 0.15% TES, 0.36% glycine, 10.18% lactose, 1.18% raffinose, 0.5% fructose, 3.95% dextran (150,000-200, 000 MW); 12% of the obtained solution was replaced by the same volume of glycerol)] was tested, as well as the effect of adding various compounds (bovine lactalbumin and serum albumin, vitamin E, dithiothreitol, bull seminal plasma, glycine betaine, proline, phosphatidylcholine, and cholesterol) to Fiser's medium. Simultaneously, centrifugal counter-current distribution in an aqueous two-phase system was carried out to analyze the effect of the four extenders on sperm surface heterogeneity. The results showed that ram spermatozoa undergo a dramatic loss of heterogeneity, viability, motility, and positive response to the HOS test during freezing and thawing. These changes were partially prevented by diluting samples in Fiser's extender containing egg yolk and glycerol. A considerable increase in sperm quality with respect to that obtained in Fiser's control sample was achieved by the addition of bovine lactalbumin, vitamin E, bovine serum albumin, and bovine and ram seminal plasma.
Os limites do cotidiano no ensino da matemática para a formação de conceitos científicos

Este artigo busca apresentar as formas pelas quais o cotidiano e ressaltado na area da matematica nos primeiros anos da escolarizacao basica, a partir de dois documentos que se configuram como principais referencias de orientacao curricular nas escolas brasileiras: Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais para o Ensino Fundamental (BRASIL, 1997) e Referencial Curricular Nacional para Educacao Infantil (BRASIL, 1998). A valorizacao do cotidiano no ambiente escolar traz reflexoes acerca dos limites de um conhecimento na dimensao pratico-utilitaria para a apreensao dos conceitos matematicos elaborados em sua maxima potencialidade logico-historica. Nossas analises indicam a necessidade de recuperarmos a dimensao instrutiva da escola, consolidando assim, uma proposta de educacao matematica fundamentada na perspectiva historico-cultural.
KASANDR: A Large-Scale Dataset with Implicit Feedback for Recommendation

In this paper, we describe a novel, publicly available collection for recommendation systems that records the behavior of customers of the European leader in eCommerce advertising, Kelkoo\footnote{\url{https://www.kelkoo. com/}}, during one month. This dataset gathers implicit feedback, in form of clicks, of users that have interacted with over 56 million offers displayed by Kelkoo, along with a rich set of contextual features regarding both customers and offers. In conjunction with a detailed description of the dataset, we show the performance of six state-of-the-art recommender models and raise some questions on how to encompass the existing contextual information in the system.
DESARROLLO DE UN SISTEMA DE ENTRENAMIENTO ACÚSTICOVIRTUAL PARA LOCALIZACIÓN DE SONIDOS VIRTUALES PARA PERSONAS INVIDENTES

Uno de los sentidos mas importantes para el ser humano es la vista. La falta de vision hace que el resto de los sentidos se agudicen para intentar suplir esta carencia. Las personas invidentes tienen muy agudizado el sentido del oido lo que les permite desenvolverse en el entorno con mayor destreza auditiva que las personas con vision normal y que no se han entrenado para mejorarlo. En la presente tesis se detalla el trabajo de investigacion llevado a cabo con el proposito de desarrollar un sistema de ayuda a las personas invidentes para la localizacion de obstaculos en su entorno habitual. Para ello, el sistema transforma en sonidos virtuales los objetos que encuentran en su camino las personas que no pueden ver. Para alcanzar este objetivo, se entrena a la persona invidente para que se habitue al uso de un dispositivo que transforma un entorno real en un entorno acustico-virtual. De esta manera, es capaz de detectar los objetos que le rodean y asi poder deambular de forma segura por ese entorno real. Dado que se necesitaba tener un sistema de entrada de informacion lo mas preciso posible, se opto por un sistema laser 3D-CMOS (Three Dimensional Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), compuesto por 1x64 pixeles del laser miniaturizado e integrado en unas gafas. La informacion recibida por los laseres se transmite a una memoria Correlated Double Sampling (CDS), en la que la distancia entre el sistema y los objetos se calcula mediante el metodo Tiempo de Vuelo ? Time-of-Flight? (ToF). Este tipo de dispositivo se caracteriza por su alta precision en el calculo de distancias y permite llegar a obtener errores inferiores al 1% en el dispositivo utilizado para esta tesis y desarrollado por SIEMENS. Una vez obtenidos los parametros de entrada, se necesitaba transformar en sonidos virtuales la ubicacion exacta de los objetos en distancia y angulo. Esto se consiguio mediante las Funciones de Transferencia (HRTF) medidas en una sala anecoica con la ayuda de un robot KEMAR. Estas funciones consiguen transformar en sonidos las posiciones captadas con el dispositivo de entrada ubicandolos en su posicion real. Los resultados presentados en esta tesis demuestran que es posible entrenar a una persona con discapacidad visual para que pueda utilizar este sistema como una herramienta fiable para la localizacion de obstaculos en su entorno habitual.
Website Appeal: Development of an Assessment Tool and Evaluation Framework of E-Marketing

The aim of this study is twofold; firstly, to develop a comprehensive measure that quantitatively assesses an e-store's web appeal, and secondly, to propose a framework that evaluates effectiveness of online marketing efforts in terms of overall appeal of e-tailing sites. The paper adopts a hybrid approach to website assessment which involves studying both information system elements and dimensions of e-marketing to define and measure the concept of web appeal. A total of five information system elements and seven e-marketing elements were identified as essential components of web appeal, and were used to build a measurement instrument. The instrument's validity was confirmed by testing it across 80 e-stores in the Middle East and its usefulness with respect to the identification of an e-store's strengths and weaknesses was established. In addition to being a measure of overall web appeal, the instrument also contributes towards conceptualization of a theoretically sound framework that aligns elements of web appeal to e-marketing objectives. This model provides a systematic criteria for comparing websites, and offers valuable insights into how website attributes can be used to achieve desired performance in terms of attracting, engaging, and retaining customers, as well as competing with rival stores.
ASPECTOS CIENTÍFICOS Y HUMANOS EN TORNO AL PROBLEMA DE LA ENFERMEDAD DE ALZHEIMER: CONOCIMIENTOS, CARENCIAS Y LÍMITES DE LA SABIDURÍA HUMANA

La comprension del fenomeno de la demencia resulta cada vez mas complejo de abordar. Su estudio implica atender, por parte de un mayor numero de ciencias, un numero cada vez mas elevado de cuestiones, si bien ello ha mejorado la atencion a los pacientes. Como resultado de esto, el concepto de enfermedad de Alzheimer no es solo una realidad cientifica, sino tambien cultural, social y politica. Mientras la sociedad se encuentra a la espera de un tratamiento que remedie en lo posible la enfermedad, es provechoso profundizar en cuestiones menos contempladas hasta ahora, como en los conceptos de persona y de enfermedad y, sobre manera, sobre cual es la condicion humana de aquellos pacientes en las formas mas evolucionadas del mal. A partir de aqui surgen nuevos problemas, como el de las obligaciones morales hacia ellos, fundamento de las obligaciones de la sociedad y sus sanitarios
Helisel Yapılı Anahtarlamalı Relüktans Motorun (Hy-Arm) Bilgisayar Destekli 3 Boyutlu Statik Manyetik Analizi

Bu calismada, geleneksel Anahtarlamali Reluktans Motorunun (ARM) rotor ve statorunun ikisine birden heliselyapi (HY) verilmistir. Burada rotorun kendisi bir dogrudan tahrik uygulamasinda eyleyici gorevi yapmaktadir.HY-ARM’nin analitik ve sonlu elemanlar metodu (Ansoft Maxwell 3D) ile tahmin edilen tasarimindan eldeedilen induktans, verim, rotor uzerine etkiyen kuvvetler, statoru ovallestirici kuvvetler ve uretilen torklar gibielektriksel ve manyetik buyuklukleri ayni olcudeki rotor ve statoru duz geleneksel ARM ile karsilastirilmistir.Duz ARM icin gelistirilmis geleneksel bazi esitlikler helisellik dikkate alinarak yeniden duzenlenmistir. HYARM’deakustik gurultuye neden olan statoru ovallestirici kuvvetler bir avantaj olarak azalirken, helisel yapininverimi bir sakinca olarak dusmektedir. Ornegin, 15 A’lik faz uyartiminda statoru ovallestirmeye calisan veakustik gurultuye neden olan kuvvetin genligi, Fx duz ARM’de 4017 N iken β h = 45° ’lik HY-ARM’de 3647 Ndegerine dusmus ve ayrica 2 kW’lik bir duz ARM’nin verimi %94 iken β h = 45° ’lik bir HY-ARM’de verim%88’e dusmustur. Rotorun kendisinin ozellikle bir eyleyici oldugu dogrudan tahrik uygulamasinda (tasarimuzerinde AR-GE calismalari devam ederken) HY-ARM ayrica bir surucu motorun, kaplinlerin ve devir ayarlamaelemanlarinin kullanilmamasi ustunlugu ile cazip bir secim olarak gozukmektedir.
Codon 104(-G), a dominant β0-thalassemia-like phenotype in a German Caucasian family is associated with mild chronic hemolytic anemia but influenced in severity by co-inherited genetic factors

Codon 104(−G), a heterozygous frameshift mutation in exon 2 of HBB, resulted in a dominantly inherited β0-phenotype with mild anemia in a German kindred, and thalassemia intermedia in the index patient. A co-inherited α gene triplication, long-term transfusion therapy, and ineffective erythropoiesis were confounding factors.
Structured primary care for type 2 diabetes has positive effects on clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND Patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of developing microvascular and macrovascular complications. In routine diabetes care an adequate reduction of risk factors for these complications is often not achieved. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of structured diabetes care on clinical outcomes of patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care. METHODS We performed a quasi-experimental study on the effects of structured care consisting of organizational and educational components (n = 581) compared with care-as-usual (n = 152). We assessed clinical outcomes of HbA1c, blood pressure, cholesterol, creatinine and body mass index, at baseline and after 1 year. The long-term effects in the structured care group were determined after another 2 years. RESULTS Structured care led to improvement in HbA1c and long-term improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol compared with care-as-usual. After 1 year, the percentage of patients who did not deteriorate was higher in the structured care group, again for HbA1c, diastolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS Structured diabetes care consisting of multiple components has a positive effect on clinical outcomes compared with care-as-usual. Our findings support its further implementation in order to reduce complications in type 2 diabetes patients.
Xenobiotic Responsiveness of Arabidopsis thaliana to a Chemical Series Derived from a Herbicide Safener*

Plants respond to synthetic chemicals by eliciting a xenobiotic response (XR) that enhances the expression of detoxifying enzymes such as glutathione transferases (GSTs). In agrochemistry, the ability of safeners to induce an XR is used to increase herbicide detoxification in cereal crops. Based on the responsiveness of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to the rice safener fenclorim (4,6-dichloro-2-phenylpyrimidine), a series of related derivatives was prepared and tested for the ability to induce GSTs in cell suspension cultures. The XR in Arabidopsis could be divided into rapid and slow types depending on subtle variations in the reactivity (electrophilicity) and chemical structure of the derivatives. In a comparative microarray study, Arabidopsis cultures were treated with closely related compounds that elicited rapid (fenclorim) and slow (4-chloro-6-methyl-2-phenylpyrimidine) XRs. Both chemicals induced major changes in gene expression, including a coordinated suppression in cell wall biosynthesis and an up-regulation in detoxification pathways, whereas only fenclorim selectively induced sulfur and phenolic metabolism. These transcriptome studies suggested several linkages between the XR and oxidative and oxylipin signaling. Confirming links with abiotic stress signaling, suppression of glutathione content enhanced GST induction by fenclorim, whereas fatty acid desaturase mutants, which were unable to synthesize oxylipins, showed an attenuated XR. Examining the significance of these studies to agrochemistry, only those fenclorim derivatives that elicited a rapid XR proved effective in increasing herbicide tolerance (safening) in rice.
In vivo 1H MR spectroscopic imaging and difusion weighted mri in experimental hydrocephalus

The severity and progression of ventricular enlargement, the occurrence of cerebral edema, and the localization of isch‐emic metabolic changes were investigated in a rat model of hydrocephalus, using in vivo 1H MR spectroscopic imaging (SI) and diffusion weighted MRI (DW MRI). Hydrocephalic rats were studied 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after injection of kaolin into the cisterna magna. Parametric images of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) revealed a varying degree of ventricu‐lomegaly in all rats, with different time courses of ventricular explansion. Extracellular white matter edema was observed during the early stages of hydrocephalus, most extensively in cases of progressive ventriculomegaly. In gray matter regions, ADC values were not changed, compared with controls. In case of fatal hydrocephalus, high lactate levels were observed throughout the whole brain. In all other rats, at all time points after kaolin injection, lactate was detected only in voxels containing cerebrospinal fluid. This suggests accumulation of lactate in the ventricles, and/or an ongoing peri ventricular production of lactate as a consequence of cerebral ischemia in experimental hydrocephalus.
Effectiveness and Efficiency of Imperfect Therapeutic HSV-2 Vaccines

BACKGROUND: Efforts are currently underway to develop therapeutic vaccines for Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2). Methods: We use a mathematical model to predict the potential public health impact of imperfect, therapeutic HSV-2 vaccines. We evaluate vaccine effectiveness and efficiency for the general population in the United States where HSV-2 prevalence is currently 22%. We assume that therapeutic vaccines will produce two therapeutic benefits in vaccinated infected-individuals: (i) the rate of viral reactivation will decrease (hence infected-individuals will experience fewer viral shedding episodes), and (ii) the average length of the viral shedding episodes will be shortened. In addition, we assume that therapeutic vaccines will benefit uninfected individuals by reducing viral shedding in (and hence transmission from) vaccinated infected-individuals. RESULTS: Our predictions show that therapeutic vaccines could substantially reduce HSV-2 epidemics by reducing new infections by 77% and preventing 0.84 new infections for each vaccinated individual. These vaccines could prevent 212,600 (median; IQR, 156,064-288,558) new infections after only one year. We show that increased effectiveness and efficiency are more strongly correlated with a vaccine-induced reduction in transmission probability than with either of the two therapeutic benefits that accrue directly to the infected individuals (specifically, the reduction in episode length and number of episodes). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that current vaccine development efforts target mechanisms that reduce viral shedding (thereby reducing transmission) thus providing both a beneficial therapeutic and a beneficial epidemic-level impact. Our results also demonstrate that therapeutic vaccines would be substantially more useful than prophylactic vaccines for epidemic control.
Etude de l’impact des procédés de transformation sur la diffusion des caroténoïdes : cas du lycopène de la tomate

Les carotenoides sont une famille de molecules lipidiques que l’on trouve en particulier dans les vegetaux, et qui ont pour caracteristique visuelle d’etre colores, du jaune au rouge. Ils ont ete identifies comme nutritionnellement actifs par des etudes epidemiologiques. Afin de pouvoir jouer un role dans l’organisme les carotenoides doivent etre absorbes. Pour ce faire ils doivent etre liberes de la matrice alimentaire afin de passer apres plusieurs etapes dans la circulation sanguine. Or les carotenoides des vegetaux sont connus pour etre peu biodisponible. Cette biodisponibilite augmente apres transformation. L’objectif de ce travail est donc de comprendre l’effet des procedes de fabrication sur la bioaccessibilite, en developpant un outil simple permettant aux industriels de l’evaluer facilement. Le lycopene de la tomate a ete choisi comme molecule d’interet. Dans un premier temps, une methode d’etude de la diffusion du lycopene entre la matrice vegetale et la phase lipidique du bolus alimentaire est mise en place. En utilisant cette methode avec un large extrait d’huile, seulement 31%±1% du lycopene a put etre extrait du jus de tomate vers la phase huile. Avec des ratio faible (entre 0.11 et 1) huile/tomate, l’extraction du lycopene est limitee par la saturation de l’huile. La diffusion du lycopene ne varie pas significativement avec le pH mais va augmenter lorsque la temperature varie de 10 °C a 37 °C. A partir de ces resultats sont calcules les facteurs de partition du lycopene dans l’huile ainsi que sa diffusivite.Dans un deuxieme temps, des echantillons contrastes a base de tomates sont realises par l’utilisation des procedes Hot Break (HB) et Cold Break (CB) afin de verifier l’impact des procedes de transformation sur les proprietes de diffusion du lycopene. Enfin, le test de diffusion a ete applique a differentes matrices, produits commerciaux, ou frais transformes en laboratoire afin de verifier son aptitude a les classifier. Ce travail a permis de construire les bases d’un modele de diffusion du lycopene prenant en compte la premiere etape de son ingestion, la diffusion vers la phase lipidique. Les resultats obtenus pourront etre confrontes a des resultats sur d’autre matrice et ainsi permettre l’elaboration d’un modele de digestion tenant compte des differents parametres mis en avant au cours de cette etude
Real Options Literature Review

After 30 years of discussion and research, the academic community has established a complete theoretical system of real options and provided an excellent framework for the use of real options theory in the investment appraisal of high-tech projects. An option is an entitlement without any obligation and it has been used to describe a variety of management decisions in business investment. The description of management is effective and proper. Due to the introduction of real options theory, there has been a major breakthrough in the investment area. Project evaluation is the core content of bank credit risk assessment and business evaluation. The core content never changes from the investment evaluation framework to the credit risk evaluation framework. The project evaluation meets various needs of subject s in different ways. In this paper, the importance of real options is analyzed and the literature is reviewed
Utilization of phytate and nonphytate phosphorus in chicks as affected by source and amount of vitamin D3.

Commercial and laboratory-strain crossbred chicks responded (P < .01) markedly to 1alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol (1alpha-OH D3) during the 2nd and 3rd wk of life. Bone-ash responses exceeded 50% when this compound was added at 20 microg/kg to phosphorus (P)-deficient corn-soybean meal diets containing surfeit levels (25 microg/kg) of cholecalciferol (D3). Phosphorus excretion was decreased (P < .01) and, thus, retention was increased (P < .01) when 1alpha-OH D3 was supplemented. A P-deficient (.10% P) casein-amino acid purified diet, devoid of D3, was used to determine whether 15 microg/kg of D3 was sufficient to facilitate optimal absorption of the nonphytate P contained in this diet. Bone ash responded to . 075% P addition (KH2PO4), and chicks fed diets with . 175% nonphytate P exhibited further bone-ash responses to 15 microg/kg of D3 or 10 microg/kg 1alpha-OH D3. Higher levels of either of these D3 compounds did not produce additional responses. This suggested that 15 to 25 microg/kg of D3 in a P-deficient corn-soybean meal diet (.28% phytate P and .14% nonphytate P) is more than adequate to facilitate optimal absorption of the nonphytate P present in the diet. A P-deficient casein-dextrose diet (.13% nonphytate P and 15 microg/kg D3) was fed in the final chick assay, and chicks fed this diet did not show bone ash responses to 1alpha-OH D3 or to microbial-derived phytase (1,470 units/kg). Thus, with P-deficient corn-soybean meal diets containing at least 15 microg D3/kg, 1alpha-OH D3 supplementation markedly increased weight gain and bone ash because it increased the utilization of phytate P.
Echocardiography in Pediatric Infective Endocarditis

Transesophageal echocardiography is more sensitive than transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in detecting endocarditis in adults; however, pediatric data are limited. Retrospectively, 39 subjects with endocarditis were divided into adult-sized (≥60 kg) and pediatric-sized (<60 kg). TTE was 97% sensitive in pediatric-sized subjects but 70% in adult-sized subjects (P < 0.05). TTE is usually sufficient for detection of endocarditis in children <60 kg.