Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Policy, Legal and Regulatory Implications of a Europe-Only Cloud

There has been on-going discussion regarding the alignment of cloud computing services to a range of European policy objectives. This paper provides an outline of key legal and regulatory aspects arising from recent calls for establishing a Europe-only cloud. After covering the background to such calls, it outlines the policy objectives that may underlie the Europe-only cloud proposals. It then considers some of the legal and regulatory implications of a "Europe-only cloud" or national cloud by analysing what may be meant by "cloud", "Europe", and "only" in this connection.
A novel gate charge measurement method for high-power devices

Conventional gate charge (Qg) measurement methods require high-power power supply that covers test condition of both Drain-Source voltage (Vds) and Drain current (Id). Such measurement system is not only expensive but also dangerous due to its enormous energy. In addition, its measurement accuracy and repeatability are not good enough due to the nature of its dynamic way of evaluation. We propose a new Qg measurement method that doesn't require high-power power supplies. The proposed method delivers desired Qg curve, corresponds to high-power measurement condition, from Qg curves measured at low-power conditions. We demonstrate the proposed method with commercial MOSFETs and IGBTs and validate the delivered curves match sufficiently with the curve measured by conventional method. This paper also discusses the theory of Qg curve in detail and reveals how Qg curve is calculated from other characteristics such as capacitance-voltage (CV) and current-voltage (IV) characteristics with its nonlinearity considered.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Hand Osteoarthritis: Intraobserver Reliability and Criterion Validity for Clinical and Structural Characteristics

Objective. To investigate criterion validity and intraobserver reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in hand osteoarthritis (HOA). Methods. In 16 patients with HOA (median age 57 yrs, 62% women, 13 with erosive OA), 3 Tesla MRI scans with gadolinium-chelate administration of right second to fifth distal interphalangeal/proximal interphalangeal joints were scored according to the Oslo HOA scoring method for synovial thickening, bone marrow lesions (BML), osteophytes, joint space narrowing (JSN), and erosions (grade 0–3). Ultrasound (US) was scored for synovial thickening and osteophytes, radiographs for osteophytes and JSN (Osteoarthritis Research Society International score), and anatomical phases (Verbruggen-Veys score). Pain was assessed during physical examination. Correlations of MRI with US and radiographic features were assessed with generalizability theory. With generalized estimating equations analyses, MRI features were associated with pain, adjusting for confounding. Results. Forty-three percent, 27%, 77%, and 61% of joints had synovial thickening (moderate/severe), BML, osteophytes, and erosions on MRI, respectively. Intraobserver reliability, assessed in 6 patients, was good (ICC 0.77–1.00). Correlations between osteophytes, JSN, and erosions on radiographs and MRI were moderate, substantial, and fair (ICC 0.53, 0.68, and 0.32, respectively); MRI showed more lesions than radiography. Correlation between synovial thickening and osteophytes on MRI and US was moderate (ICC 0.43 and 0.49, respectively). MRI was more sensitive for synovial thickening, US for osteophytes. Pain was associated with moderate/severe synovial thickening (adjusted OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.06–5.5), collateral ligaments (4.2, 2.2–8.3), BML (3.5, 1.6–7.7), erosions (4.5, 1.7–12.2), and osteophytes (2.4, 1.1–5.2). Conclusion. MRI is a reliable and valid method to assess inflammatory and structural features in HOA. It gives additional information over radiographs and US.
Technology Assessment in the Financial Sector 2

The advancement of the internet and information technology has been a great vehicle for the development of solutions for all human endeavors. The banking and the financial services sector is a beneficiary of the advancement in information and communication technology, as banking has evolved from traditional services to internet-based. Examples of these are, online ATM Locator, electronic check deposit, quick bank-to-bank transfers and many more. However, the general adoption of mobile banking solutions worldwide is still not that encouraging. There are several drivers which affect the adoption of these internet-based banking solutions, such as socio-economic factors, mobile device adoption, and user behavior. This research focuses on enumerating the key factors for user adoption of mobile banking solutions. The factors are grouped into multiple perspectives and prioritized by using the Hierarchical Decision Model (HDM). Even though all the factors are shown to be important, solution reliability and consumer privacy emerged as the two to be prioritized when developing a consumer-based banking solution. The research recommends that banks should concentrate on identifying features that makes life convenient to the consumer with little to no cost involved. F. Sie • R. Khalifa • R. Viswanatha • Y.D. Kancherla • K. Phan (*) • T. Daim Department of Engineering and Technology, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA e-mail: kenny4660@gmail.com # Springer International Publishing AG 2017 T. Daim et al. (eds.), Research and Development Management, Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-54537-0_2 17
Evaluation of Clostridium difficile Fecal Load and Limit of Detection during a Prospective Comparison of Two Molecular Tests, the illumigene C. difficile and Xpert C. difficile/Epi Tests

ABSTRACT In a large prospective comparison, the illumigene test detected Clostridium difficile in 98% of toxin-positive and 58% of toxin-negative samples confirmed positive by other methods. The Xpert was uniformly sensitive. Most samples with discrepant results had C. difficile concentrations below the illumigene limit of detection. The significance of low-level C. difficile detection needs investigation.
The Lanczos-Chebyshev Pseudospectral Method for Solution of Differential Equations

In this paper, we propose to replace the Chebyshev series used in pseudospectral methods with the equivalent Chebyshev economized power series that can be evaluated more rapidly. We keep the rest of the implementation the same as the spectral method so that there is no new mathematical principle involved. We show by numerical examples that the new approach works well and there is indeed no significant loss of solution accuracy. The advantages of using power series also include simplicity in its formulation and implementation such that it could be used for complex systems. We investigate the important issue of collocation point selection. Our numerical results indicate that there is a clear accuracy advantage of using collocation points corresponding to roots of the Chebyshev polynomial.
Energy-dependent quenching of chlorophyll alpha fluorescence in isolated chloroplasts.

1 A light-induced, energy dependent quenching of chlorophyll a fluorescence in the presence of 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine (diamino-durene) and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea is described for isolated chloroplasts, and is related to the formation of the high-energy state of photophosphorylation. 2 The quenching is distinguished from the normal type, operative through the redox state of the Photosystem II quencher, by its light-intensity dependence, reversibility in the dark and sensitivity to uncoupling agents. 3 The sensitivity of the quenching to uncouplers and ionophorous antibiotics closely parallels that of photophosphorylation. 4 A similar quenching is described for other electron transport systems in the absence of dichlorophenyl-dimethylurea, when it is distinguished from Q-quenching on a time-basis. 5 The pH-optimum for the uncoupler-reversible quenching is about pH 8.0 for all electron flow systems used. This apparent discrepancy with the pH optimum for XE-formation is discussed. 6 Two other types of slow quenching seen during the Hill reaction with ferricyanide are described. One is found to be uncoupler enhanced and is related to acceleration of electron transport giving rise to a lower level of reduced Q in the steady state; the other is an irreversible loss of total fluorescence yield, which is most pronounced in coupled chloroplasts, and it is suggested that it is due to photochemical destruction of bulk pigment molecules via a side reaction of the excited state of chlorophyll.
Effects of low-molecular-weight organic acids on phosphorus sorption characteristics in some calcareous soils

Understanding the role of organic acids in phosphorus sorption in soils is very important for economic and environmentally friendly management of soil P. Thus, calcareous surface soils (0-30 cm) from West Azerbaijan Province, Iran, were sampled to study the effect of different organic acids on P sorption. Soil samples (2.5 g) were equilibrated with 25 mL of 0.01 M CaCl2 solution containing 0-20 mg P L-1 and 5 mmol L-1 of different organic acids (citric, oxalic, and malic acid). The sorption data were well fitted to Freundlich and linear equations but not to the Langmuir equation. The standard P requirements (SPRs) were lower in soils treated with organic acids than in untreated soils. The minimum and maximum values of calculated parameters (extent of sorption, energy of sorption, equilibrium buffering capacity, equilibrium P concentration, and SPR) by Freundlich and linear sorption isotherms were observed in soil 5 (sandy) and soil 4 (clayey-calcareous), respectively. Generally, organic acids decreased the amount of sorbed P and other sorption parameters in the studied soils. Oxalic acid was the most effective reagent for reducing the P sorption.
The biochemical regulation of potassium channels.

Philipson, K. D. (1985) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 821,367-376 Reeves, J. P., Hale, C. C. , de la Pena, P., Slaughter, R. S. , Boulware, T. , Froehlich, J., Kaczorowski, G. J. & Cragoe, E. J. (1984) in Epithelial Calcium and Phosphate Transport: Molecular and Cellular Aspects (Bronner, F. & Peterlik, M., eds.), pp. 77-82, Alan Liss Inc., New York Blaustein, M. P. (1977) Biophys. J . 20,79-111 Chapman, R. A. (1983) Am. J.Physiol. 245, H535-H552 Mullins, L. J. (1981) in Ion Transport in the Heart Raven, New York Baker, P. F. , Blaustein, M. P., Hodgkin, A. L. & Steinhardt, R. A. (1969) J. Physiol. (London) 200,431-458 ter Keurs, H. E. D. J., Schouten, V. J. A. , Bucx, J. J., Mulder, B. M. & de Tombe, P. P. (1987) Can. J . Physiol. Pharmacol. 65, 76,590-594
pJT2: unusual H1 plasmid in a highly virulent lactose-positive and chloramphenicol-resistant Salmonella typhimurium strain from calves

A lactose-positive and chloramphenicol-resistant strain of Salmonella typhimurium of high virulence was isolated from an outbreak of enteric and septicemic salmonellosis in veal calves. the lactose-positive marker was located on an H1 plasmid, pJT2, together with resistance to chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfonamides, and tetracycline, pJT2 was unusually large and had a molecular weight of about 150 X 10(6). A similar plasmid was also present in a third of the Escherichia coli strains isolated from the intestines of septicemic calves during the outbreak. Spontaneously derived Lac- derivatives of pJT2 had an approximate molecular weight of 140 X 10(6).
Selective memory biases in individuals’ memory for health-related information and behavior recommendations

Behavior change is central to both prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases. Frequently, however, individuals do not initiate the behavior change recommendations suggested by health professionals. One explanation for low rates of compliance with such recommendations may be selective memory biases in favor of information supporting the idea that one is healthy. Two studies examined whether memory for health information would be biased by preexisting health beliefs. In the first study (N = 113), individuals’ attitudes about the value of alcohol consumption influenced their memory for pro- versus anti-alcohol information. Participants showed better memory for information supporting their attitudes. In Study 2 (N = 50), memory for behavioral recommendations depended on participants’ behavioral practices. Participants displayed better memory for behavioral recommendations consistent with the idea that they were healthy than for recommendations which challenged those beliefs. These findings illustrate an additional manner in which selective processing can affect health promotion efforts, suggest that a motivation to maintain existing health beliefs may underlie the memory differences, and demonstrate that there may be value in developing efforts to ensure that people remember potentially threatening health recommendations.
Pharmacokinetics of guanazole in patients with acute myelocytic leukemia

Levels of guanazole (GZ) in plasma and packed cells were determined after a single tracer dose of 14C‐guanazole or during a 5‐day continuous intravenous therapeutic infusion of unlabeled drug to 5 patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (A ML). The levels of unlabeled drug were determined colorimetrically. GZ injected as a tracer dose was rapidly distributed in an apparent volume of 0.61/kg, which is somewhat less than that of total body water, and the drug appeared to be eliminated essentially unchanged by glomerular filtration. The mean apparent volume of distribution increased by about 15% during infusion. An increase of 60% was also noted in the half‐life (t½) values, with a concomitant decrease in the mean value of renal clearance rate by 40%, except in 1 case. The study demonstrates that monitoring levels of guanazole is possible during infusion therapy and indicates that the data could be used to evaluate pharmacokinetic parameters predicting the time‐course of such levels in patients.
The relationship between the virus of infectious ectromelia of mice and vaccinia virus.

The virus of infectious ectromelia of mice gives rise to a haemagglutinin closely resembling that produced by vaccinia virus. Preparations of infected chorioallantois or mouse liver agglutinate fowl cells from a proportion of birds only, cells which are agglutinable by vaccinia preparations are agglutinable by ectromelia material, cells inagglutinable by one are also inagglutinable by the other. Neither virus acts on rat, rabbit, guinea pig, calf or human cells, but ectromelia virus preparations agglutinate mouse cells against which vaccinia preparations of equal or higher titre are inert. Ectromelia hemagglutinin is completely absorbable with “susceptible” fowl cells but not by “insusceptible” cells. The two types of cell produce equal small reductions in virus titre. This indicates that as is the case with vaccinia the virus itself is not the haemagglutinin. Sera produced by immunization of calves, rabbits, mice and men against one or other virus show specific inhibition of hemagglutination by both types of virus preparation, the titers being usually higher against the homologous type. Rabbits can be infected sometimes fatally by intravenous injection of ectromelia virus, survivors are solidly immune to intradermal infection with vaccinia virus. Mice inoculated intravenously with vaccinia virus develop antibody against both viruses and become resistant to at least 104 infective doses of ectromelia virus. These findings are discussed with reference to— The relationship of ectromelia virus to the mammalian pox viruses. The significance of hemagglutination as a possible index of species susceptibility to the viruses concerned, and a table of the types of virus hemagglutination so far described is presented.
Methane from acetate

The general features are known for the pathway by which most methane is produced in nature. All acetate-utilizing methanogenic microorganisms contain CODH which catalyzes the cleavage of acetyl-CoA; however, the pathway differs from all other acetate-utilizing anaerobes in that the methyl group is reduced to methane with electrons derived from oxidation of the carbonyl group of acetyl-CoA to CO2. The current understanding of the methanogenic fermentation of acetate provides impressions of nature's novel solutions to problems of methyl transfer, electron transport, and energy conservation. The pathway is now at a level of understanding that will permit productive investigations of these and other interesting questions in the near future.
Predicting impacts of Arctic climate change: Past lessons and future challenges

General circulation models predict increases in temperature and precipitation in the Arctic as the result of increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Arctic ecosystems are strongly constrained by temperature, and may be expected to be markedly influenced by climate change. Perturbation experiments have been used to predict how Arctic ecosystems will respond to global climatic change, but these have often simulated individual perturbations (e.g. temperature alone) and have largely been confined to the short Arctic summer. The importance of interactions between global change variables (e.g. CO2, temperature, precipitation) has rarely been examined, and much experimentation has been short-term. Similarly, very little experimentation has occurred in the winter when General circulation models predict the largest changes in climate will take place. Recent studies have clearly demonstrated that Arctic ecosystems are not dormant during the winter and thus much greater emphasis on experimentation during this period is essential to improve our understanding of how these ecosystems will respond to global change. This, combined with more long-term experimentation, direct observation of natural vegetation change (e.g. at the tundra/taiga boundary) and improvements in model predictions is necessary if we are to understand the future nature and extent of Arctic ecosystems in a changing climate.
EM-SLAM With Inertial/Visual Applications

The general simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem aims at estimating the state of a moving platform simultaneously with map building of the local environment. Current state-of-the-art methods such as given by Williams et al. relies on nonlinear least-squares (NLS) batch formulations with structure exploitation for memory efficiency and speed. We investigate the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for solving a generalized version of the NLS problem. This EM-SLAM algorithm solves two simpler problems iteratively yielding a low computational complexity. The iterations switch between state estimation, which can use any state-space smoother, and map estimation, where a quasi-Newton method is suggested. The proposed method is evaluated in real experiments and also in simulations on a platform with a monocular camera attached to an inertial measurement unit. The results show that EM-SLAM has much lower computational complexity than NLS while maintaining comparable accuracy.
PETRORISK: A risk assessment framework for petroleum substances

PETRORISK is a modeling framework used to evaluate environmental risk of petroleum substances and human exposure through these routes due to emissions under typical use conditions as required by the European regulation for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). Petroleum substances are often complex substances comprised of hundreds to thousands of individual hydrocarbons. The physicochemical, fate, and effects properties of the individual constituents within a petroleum substance can vary over several orders of magnitude, complicating risk assessment. PETRORISK combines the risk assessment strategies used on single chemicals with the hydrocarbon block approach to model complex substances. Blocks are usually defined by available analytical characterization data on substances that are expressed in terms of mass fractions for different structural chemical classes that are specified as a function of C number or boiling point range. The physicochemical and degradation properties of the blocks are determined by the properties of representative constituents in that block. Emissions and predicted exposure concentrations (PEC) are then modeled using mass‐weighted individual representative constituents. Overall risk for various environmental compartments at the regional and local level is evaluated by comparing the PECs for individual representative constituents to corresponding predicted no‐effect concentrations (PNEC) derived using the Target Lipid Model. Risks to human health are evaluated using the overall predicted human dose resulting from multimedia environmental exposure to a substance‐specific derived no‐effect level (DNEL). A case study is provided to illustrate how this modeling approach has been applied to assess the risks of kerosene manufacture and use as a fuel. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2014;10:437–448. © 2014 SETAC
Assessment of Feeding Acceptance and Injury of Kerman Pistachios, Pistacia vera, by Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Abstract In the United States, California (CA) is the primary commercial producer of pistachio nuts, Pistacia vera L. (Anacardiaceae). The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), an invasive and polyphagous insect pest from Asia, has established in urban areas in several pistachio-growing counties in CA. Breeding BMSB populations have not been detected in commercial pistachio acreage. However, the detection of BMSB in Kern and Fresno counties, major Kerman pistachio producing areas in CA, underscored key knowledge gaps on BMSB ecology in CA and motivated investigations on the susceptibility of pistachio nuts to BMSB feeding. Laboratory feeding trials conducted in quarantine under permit indicated that adult BMSB stylets can penetrate developing pistachio shells and associated feeding was correlated with kernel necrosis for nuts collected mid to late season (June to August 2016). Feeding damage estimates indicated that higher levels of kernel injury were associated with female BMSB when compared to feeding by male BMSB. These results suggest that there is probable risk of feeding damage to field grown pistachios from BMSB. The implications of this study for BMSB pest management in the CA pistachio system and future research directions are discussed.
Personalized Web Search via Query Expansion based on User's Local Hierarchically-Organized Files

Users of Web search engines generally express information needs with short and ambiguous queries, leading to irrelevant results. Personalized search methods improve users’ experience by automatically reformulating queries before sending them to the search engine or rearranging received results, according to their specific interests. A user profile is often built from previous queries, clicked results or in general from the user’s browsing history; different topics must be distinguished in order to obtain an accurate profile. It is quite common that a set of user files, locally stored in sub-directory, are organized by the user into a coherent taxonomy corresponding to own topics of interest, but only a few methods leverage on this potentially useful source of knowledge. We propose a novel method where a user profile is built from those files, specifically considering their consistent arrangement in directories. A bag of keywords is extracted for each directory from text documents within it. We can infer the topic of each query and expand it by adding the corresponding keywords, in order to obtain a more targeted formulation. Experiments are carried out using benchmark data through a repeatable systematic process, in order to evaluate objectively how much our method can improve relevance of query results when applied upon a third-party search engine.