Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of the Met98Lys optineurin variant in inherited optic nerve diseases

Aims: To investigate the role of the common OPTN Met98Lys variant as a risk allele in open-angle glaucoma (OAG), autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) and Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Methods: The presence of the Met98Lys variant was determined in a total of 498 (128 with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG)) patients with OAG, 29 patients who had myocilin-related OAG, 101 patients from ADOA pedigrees, 157 patients from LHON pedigrees and 218 examined OAG age-matched normal controls. Results: 17 of 218 (7.8%) controls had the Met98Lys variant. 28 (5.6%) patients with OAG were Met98Lys positive. More Met98Lys carriers were found in the NTG group than in the high-tension glaucoma (HTG) group (p = 0.033). However, no significant difference was observed between the NTG and control cohorts (p = 0.609). Two MYOC mutation carriers were found to have the variant. The variant was found in 1 of 10 pedigrees with ADOA and in 8 of 35 pedigrees with LHON. Conclusion: Data from this study do not support a strong role for the OPTN Met98Lys variant in glaucoma, ADOA or LHON. However, a weak association was observed of the variant with NTG compared with that with HTG. Meta-analysis of all published data on the variant and glaucoma confirmed that the association, although weak, is highly statistically significant in the cohort with glaucoma versus controls.
No Shopping in the U.S. Mortgage Market: Direct and Strategic Effects of Providing Information

We document and analyze price dispersion in the U.S. mortgage market. We find significant price dispersion in posted prices in the retail channel: for example, a consumer with a prime credit score and with a 20% down payment for a conforming loan might see a spread in interest rates of 50 basis points, controlling for all relevant consumer/property characteristics, including discount points. This amounts to extra 342 dollars per year, for every 100,000 of the loan. We also show, from survey evidence, that close to half of consumers did not shop before taking out a mortgage, and that most consumers do not seem to realize that there is price dispersion. Using a proprietary dataset of lenders' ratesheets, we estimate an equilibrium model of costly search where majority of consumers hold incorrect beliefs regarding price dispersion. In addition to search costs, we show that non-price factors, such as consumer preference of one lender over another, also play an important role in preventing consumers from searching more. In one of our counterfactuals, we show that if 20% of consumers had obtained one extra quote, consumers would save $4 billion dollars a year, most coming from the indirect/equilibrium effect of firms lowering prices in response to more shopping. In another counterfactual, we show that if consumers were to focus on mortgage cost only, they would save about $9 billion dollars a year.
Developing norms for manual carrying tasks using mechanical efficiency as the optimization criterion.

The primary objective of this investigation was to determine optimum activity levels when carrying symmetrical loads in front of the body. Efficiency of mechanical work was used as the response variable for optimization purposes. This was defined as the ratio between the rate of energy transfer between and within body segments (Wwb) and the rate of net metabolic energy expenditure during the task (RNME). Response surface methodology was used to develop a model describing the relationship between the efficiency of mechanical work and three task related variables, i.e., load handled, frequency of handling and carrying distance. It was determined that a maximum efficiency of 31.74% is achieved under a combination of task conditions as follows: load = 16.72 kg; frequency = 3.64 handlings/min and carrying distance = 10.61 m. The implications of these findings are discussed in the paper.
How to Detect Cyber-Attacks in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Network?

Security issues in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) networks attract the attention of both industry and research community. This is due to the large number of attacks that can target such networks with a goal for instance to jam the communication, disturb the network operation, inject wrong data, etc. In this paper, we propose and implement a cyber security system to protect the UAVs against the most dangerous threats: cyber-attacks that target the data integrity and network availability. Our system is based on a cyber detection mechanism to promptly detect these attacks as soon as they unfold. Minimizing false positives and false negatives rates is a major issue since classifying a legitimate node as an intruder and vice versa may compromises the efficiency of the security system . Thereby, to address this issue, a threat estimation model based on Belief approach is proposed. Simulation results show that our security system exhibits a high accuracy detection compared to cyber detection system proposed in current literature.
Adolescent risk-taking and the five-factor model of personality.

The aim of this study was to investigate the links between adolescent risk-taking and personality in a comprehensive manner, as opposed to focusing on any one particular risk or personality factor as has occurred in much previous research. We conceptualized risk-taking broadly through use of the Adolescent Risk Questionnaire (ARQ) which yields information relating to risk judgements and behaviours in four areas (i.e. thrill-seeking risk behaviours, reckless risks, rebellious risks and antisocial risks). Personality was conceptualized using the Five-factor Model of personality, a comprehensive trait model of personality. The ARQ and the NEO Five-factor Inventory were administered to 459 school-based adolescents aged 11 to 18 years. Consistent with past research, younger adolescents and girls generally reported engaging in risk behaviours less frequently than older adolescents and boys. Also, younger adolescents and girls generally rated the ARQ behaviours as more risky than their older male counterparts. This was in line with the significant negative correlations found between risk judgements and risk behaviours of all types. Also consistent with past research, few age differences were found for the personality traits. Sex differences were evident, with female adolescents scoring higher on neuroticism, agreeableness and conscientiousness than male adolescents. Together, risk judgements, personality factors, age and sex were found to be significant predictors of risk behaviours; however, the personality factor of significance was found to differ depending upon the risk type. This was also true for age and sex which differed in importance depending upon the risk type. Overall, these factors were most successful in predicting rebellious risk-taking and least successful in predicting thrill-seeking.
Securin Associates with APCCdh1 in Prometaphase but its Destruction is Delayed by Rae1 and Nup98 until the Metaphase/Anaphase Transition

Precisely timed ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis of mitotic regulators by the anaphase-promoting complex (APC) governs the orderly passage of cells through mitosis. The established view is that Cdc20-activated APC (APCCdc20) mediates the destruction of cyclin B and the anaphase inhibitor securin at the metaphase/anaphase transition, and that Cdh1-activated APC (APCCdh1) has no role in this process. We recently reported that securin, but not cyclin B, is prematurely targeted for destruction by the APC in mutant mice that have low levels of the nuclear transport factors Rae1 and Nup98. We found that Rae1 and Nup98 assemble into a complex with APCCdh1 in prometaphase and act to delay APCCdh1-mediated ubiquitination of securin until the metaphase/anaphase transition. Here we show that Rae1 and Nup98 not only form a complex with APCCdh1 in prometaphase but also with securin. This finding suggests that the Rae1–Nup98 complex does not inhibit early destruction of securin by preventing APCCdh1 from binding to securin, but by preventing ubiquitination of APCCdh1-bound securin. We propose that the formation of APCCdh1-securin complexes in prometaphase primes the cell for rapid securin degradation after release of the inhibitory Rae1–Nup98 complex at the metaphase/anaphase transition. We further report here that mutant mice with low levels of the Rae1–Nup98 complex are not prone to develop spontaneous tumors, despite massive aneuploidy. However, Rae1/Nup98 mutant mice are significantly more susceptible to DMBA-induced lung tumors than wild-type mice, indicating that combined Rae1/Nup98 haplo-insufficiency does promote tumorigenesis when certain cancer-critical genes are also mutated.
Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy is multiorgan not mono-organ

Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally inherited mitochondrial disorder with bilateral loss of central vision primarily due to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in subunits of complex I in the respiratory chain (primary LHON mutations), while other mtDNA mutations can also be causative. Since the first description, it is known that LHON is not restricted to the eyes but is a multisystem disorder additionally involving the central nervous system, ears, endocrinological organs, heart, bone marrow, arteries, kidneys, or the peripheral nervous system. Multisystem involvement may start before or after the onset of visual impairment. Involvement of organs other than the eyes may be subclinical depending on age, ethnicity, and possibly the heteroplasmy rate of the responsible primary LHON mutation. Primary LHON mutations may rarely manifest without ocular compromise but with arterial hypertension, various neurodegenerative diseases, or Leigh syndrome. Patients with LHON need to be closely followed up to detect at which point organs other than the eyes become affected. Multiorgan disease in LHON often responds more favorably to symptomatic treatment than the ocular compromise.
Prevalence of sleep problems and habits in a sample of Saudi primary school children

BACKGROUND Sleep problems in children vary not only with age, but also with ethnic and sociocultural background. No research has been conducted to assess sleep problems in Saudi elementary school children. This study surveyed parents (or guardians) about their elementary school children’s sleep to assess the prevalence of certain sleep problems. METHODS The study population comprised boys and girls attending regular public elementary schools in all grades and was conducted during springtime of the year 1999. A questionnaire inquiring about demographic data, specific sleep problems and habits and home environment was distributed and completed by the parents or guardians. RESULTS A total of 1012 complete questionnaires were included in the analysis. The sample comprised 511 boys (50.5%) and 501 girls (49.5%). The mean age was 9.5±1.9 years, ranging from 5 to 13 years. Daytime fatigue was the most prevalent sleep problem (37.5%) followed by bedtime resistance (26.2%), difficulty rising in the morning during weekdays (20.7%), and sleep-onset delay (11.8%). Cosleeping with parents was reported in 12.4% of children. The study revealed some differences between boys and girls. Napping during the daytime was reported in 40.8% of children. CONCLUSION The study showed that sleep problems are prevalent among Saudi elementary school children. Moreover, the study shed some light on sleep habits and practices in this age group in Saudi Arabia, like the high prevalence of daytime napping.
Oval cell proliferation in cirrhosis in rats. An experimental study

Aim: Oval cells are liver stem cells involved in liver regeneration following liver damage. Previous studies have shown that pretreatment with a hepatocyte inhibitor is required to allow full oval cell activation. This study investigates whether oval cells develop and proliferate in a model of experimental liver fibrosis without pretreatment with a known hepatocyte inhibitor.
A new regularized recursive dynamic factor analysis with variable forgetting factor for wireless sensor networks with missing data

Missing data imputation is often required in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to fill up missing measurements due to transmission loss, hardware failure and other factors. In this paper, we propose new variable forgetting factor (VFF) and regularization extensions to the recursive dynamic factor analysis (RDFA) algorithm for imputation of missing data in WSN data. It takes advantage of the correlated structure of the redundancy among WSN measurements by decomposing WSN measurements into orthogonal factor loadings and de-correlated factors. A new local polynomial model (LPM) based variable forgetting factor is proposed for the RDFA algorithm and it enables us to better adapt to the time-varying environment. Finally, ℓ2 regularization is further incorporated to RDFA for improving the numerical conditioning. Experimental results using a real WSN dataset show that the proposed algorithm is able to achieve better accuracy than other conventional approaches.
Experimental and Numerical Assessment of Board-Level Temperature Cycling Performance for Eutectic and Pb-free windows-Chip-Scale-Package (wCSP)

This paper examines the board-level solder joint reliability of UTAC's windows-chip-scale-package (wCSP) under temperature cycling (TC) condition, both experimentally and numerically. Five legs of wCSP test vehicles were assembled with different solder ball sizes, mold compound materials and solder materials, i.e., eutectic Pb-Sn and Sn3Ag0.5Cu. Those assemblies were subject to TC condition using UTAC internal TC chamber and data collection system. TC condition was specified using the widely used industry standard, which is -40degC-125degC with 15mins ramp/dwell. For the numerical study, Darveaux's approach, which uses Anand's viscoplasticity constitutive model plus fracture mechanics based fatigue model, was used for legs with eutectic 62Sn36Pb2Ag solders; while for Pb-free legs, various publicly available Pb-free constitutive and fatigue models were applied to evaluate their prediction capability
The Russian Stock Market during the Ukrainian Crisis: A Network Perspective

The goal of the this paper is to investigate the shock spillover characteristics of the Russian stock market during different rounds of sanctions imposed as a reaction to Russia’s alleged role in the Ukrainian crisis. We consider six stock markets, represented by their respective stock indices, namely the US (DJIA), the UK (FTSE), the euro area (Euro Stoxx 50), Japan (Nikkei 225), China (SSE Composite) and Russia (RTS). Linking these markets together in a network on the basis of vector autoregressive processes, we can measure, among other things: (i) direct daily return and volatility spillovers from RTS to other market indices, (ii) daily propagation values quantifying the relative importance of the Russian stock market as a return or volatility shock propagator, and (iii) the amount of network repercussions after a shock. The last two are methodological innovations in this context. It turns out that distinct spillover patterns exist in different rounds of sanctions. Large-scale sanctions, beginning in July 2014, rendered the consequences of shocks from Russia less predictable. While these sanctions reduced the importance of the Russian stock market as a propagator of return shocks, they also increased its importance as a propagator of volatility shocks, thus making the network more vulnerable with respect to volatility shocks from the Russian stock market. This is a form of backlash that the sanctioning economies have been facing.
Comparisons of Performance Potentials of Si and InAs Nanowire MOSFETs Under Ballistic Transport

In this paper, we study the band structures of Si and InAs nanowires based on a first-principles calculation and project performance potentials of Si and InAs nanowire field-effect-transistors (NWFETs) by using a semiclassical ballistic transport model. We demonstrate that the device performance of InAs NWFETs strongly depends on its cross-sectional dimension and gate oxide thickness. In particular, InAs NWFETs unexpectedly indicate lower current drivability than Si NWFETs as the gate oxide thickness is extremely scaled down to 0.5 nm in the ballistic limit. We discuss the mechanism in terms of operation in quantum capacitance limit (QCL). We also demonstrate that the advantage in the lower power operation with InAs NWFETs reduces when the devices operate in the QCL or higher subbands with a heavier transport effective mass participate in the transport.
Choroidal changes associated with reticular pseudodrusen.

PURPOSE To analyze choroidal changes associated with reticular pseudodrusen by indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (EDI SD-OCT). METHODS Twenty-two consecutive patients (22 eyes) with reticular pseudodrusen, and without medium/large drusen, underwent ICGA and EDI OCT. Twenty-one age- and sex-matched subjects (21 eyes) with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and without pseudodrusen, also underwent EDI OCT. RESULTS Mean age of patients with reticular pseudodrusen and with early AMD was 82.5 ± 0.9 and 79.3 ± 4.4 years of age, respectively (P = 0.9), and 59.0% and 76.2% were females, respectively (P = 0.7). On ICGA, reticular patterns appeared as hypofluorescent, not overlying the large choroidal vessels. Areas of iso/hyperfluorescence on ICGA, occurring adjacently to reticular patterns, appeared on OCT as subretinal deposits. The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was significantly reduced in the group with reticular pseudodrusen compared with that in the control group (174.6 ± 10.1 and +241.4 ± 16.5, respectively; P < 0.001). At all measurement points, but the 3000 μm superior to the fovea, the choroidal thickness of eyes with reticular pseudodrusen appeared thinner than that of the control group. Interestingly, the choroid of eyes with reticular pseudodrusen appeared thicker at 3000 μm superior to the fovea compared with that at all other measurement points. CONCLUSIONS It was shown that the reticular patterns appeared as hypofluorescent lesions on ICGA, closely abutting, but not overlying the large choroidal vessels. In eyes with reticular pseudodrusen, EDI OCT revealed an overall thinned choroid.
Living on a flammable planet: interdisciplinary, cross-scalar and varied cultural lessons, prospects and challenges

Living with fire is a challenge for human communities because they are influenced by socio-economic, political, ecological and climatic processes at various spatial and temporal scales. Over the course of 2 days, the authors discussed how communities could live with fire challenges at local, national and transnational scales. Exploiting our diverse, international and interdisciplinary expertise, we outline generalizable properties of fire-adaptive communities in varied settings where cultural knowledge of fire is rich and diverse. At the national scale, we discussed policy and management challenges for countries that have diminishing fire knowledge, but for whom global climate change will bring new fire problems. Finally, we assessed major fire challenges that transcend national political boundaries, including the health burden of smoke plumes and the climate consequences of wildfires. It is clear that to best address the broad range of fire problems, a holistic wildfire scholarship must develop common agreement in working terms and build across disciplines. We must also communicate our understanding of fire and its importance to the media, politicians and the general public. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The interaction of fire and mankind’.
Studying software descriptions in SourceForge and app stores for a better understanding of real-life requirements

Users prefer natural language software requirements because of their usability and accessibility. Many approaches exist to elaborate these requirements and to support the users during the elicitation process. But there is a lack of adequate resources, which are needed to train and evaluate approaches for requirement refinement. We are trying to close this gap by using online available software descriptions from SourceForge and app stores. Thus, we present two real-life requirements collections based on online-available software descriptions. Our goal is to show the domain-specific characteristics of content words describing functional requirements. On the one hand, we created a semantic role-labeled requirements set, which we use for requirements classification. On the other hand, we enriched software descriptions with linguistic features and dependencies to provide evidence for the context-awareness of software functionalities.
Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting in India: Exploring Linkages with Firm Performance

The study examines the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies and activities of firms as disclosed in annual reports, and explores its linkages to accounting and market performance of firms. The study examines the annual reports of a sample of 30 firms (out of 50) belonging to the benchmark index of the National Stock Exchange of India and tracks these reports for evidence of CSR activities over a 5-year period from 2007 to 2011. The study employs content analysis to study CSR disclosure and classifies and rates these activities using items from an established scale followed by construction of category-wise CSR indexes. The association of these indexes with firm performance is explored through a pooled regression model after provisioning for control variables and lag effects. The study finds that CSR reporting may not have any significant impact on accounting and market performance of the firm in the short term but environment-oriented CSR disclosure may be negatively related to the market performance of the firm. The study also finds that firms focus heavily on employee- and customer-oriented CSR and the modes of CSR investments are more contributory rather than participative in nature.
A Wireless Power Transfer system optimized for high efficiency and high power applications

This paper summarizes the research progress in the field of Wireless Power Transmission (WPT) using Magnetic Resonance Coupling. To make the technique of WPT feasible for industrial and commercial applications it is vital to achieve a stable operation of power transmission from the source to the load under different conditions such as load and distance variations and antennas misalignment. To achieve a highly efficient transmission there are two parts that need to be improved. The AC/DC converter and the antenna system. We will show that a rectifier operating at 13.56 MHz with efficiency of 94% at power level of 1kW or more is feasible. On the other hand, the theoretical approach for optimizing the antenna system for optimum operation is derived along with its equivalent circuit and simulation. An overall efficiency of 89.11% at 1.5kW power and 12cm distance for the complete system from the RF source to the DC load was estimated by simulation and confirmed experimentally. A 3.7kW maximum power could be transferred in the experiment.