Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Application of Bayesian inference for estimating parameters of probability distributions of concentration ratios

Concentration ratios (CRs) are used to derive activity concentrations in wild plants and animals. Usually, compilations of CR values encompass a wide range of element-organism combinations, extracted from different studies with statistical information reported at varying degrees of detail. To produce a more robust estimation of distribution parameters, data from different studies are normally pooled using classical statistical methods. However, there is inherent subjectivity involved in pooling CR data in the sense that there is a tacit assumption that the CRs under any arbitrarily defined biota category belong to the same population. Here, Bayesian inference has been introduced as an alternative way of making estimates of distribution parameters of CRs. This approach, in contrast to classical methods, is more flexible and also allows us to define the various assumptions required, when combining data, in a more explicit manner. Taking selected data from the recently compiled wildlife transfer database (http://www.wildlifetransferdatabase.org/) as a working example, attempts are made to refine the pooling approaches previously used and to consider situations when empirical data are limited.
Cost efficient gradient boosting

Many applications require learning classifiers or regressors that are both accurate and cheap to evaluate. Prediction cost can be drastically reduced if the learned predictor is constructed such that on the majority of the inputs, it uses cheap features and fast evaluations. The main challenge is to do so with little loss in accuracy. In this work we propose a budget-aware strategy based on deep boosted regression trees. In contrast to previous approaches to learning with cost penalties, our method can grow very deep trees that on average are nonetheless cheap to compute. We evaluate our method on a number of datasets and find that it outperforms the current state of the art by a large margin. Our algorithm is easy to implement and its learning time is comparable to that of the original gradient boosting. Source code is made available at http://github.com/svenpeter42/LightGBM-CEGB.
Thysanoptera-Terebrantia of the Hawaiian Islands: an identification manual

Abstract An illustrated identification system is presented to 99 species and 49 genera in three families recorded from the Hawaiian Islands in the Thysanoptera suborder Terebrantia. Only seven (possibly eight) of these species are considered endemic, the remainder being adventive to these islands. The only previous study of Hawaiian Thysanoptera, by Zimmerman in 1948, included 47 Terebrantia species in 21 genera.
Strategies for data abstraction in LISP

The benefits of abstract data types are many and are generally agreed upon [Liskov and Zilles 1974, Linden 1976]. New languages are being constructed which provide for and enforce the use of data abstractions [Liskov et al 1977, Wulf et al 1976]. However, many of us are not in a position to use these new languages, but must stick to our installation's compiler. How then can we obtain the benefits of data abstraction? We discuss the implementation of data abstraction in a LISP program and the subtleties involved in doing so: specifically, how it is possible to enforce proper data abstraction in a language which does not provide for abstract data types.
N-Acetyl-d-Glucosamine Induces the Expression of Multidrug Exporter Genes, mdtEF, via Catabolite Activation in Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT The expression of MdtEF, a multidrug exporter in Escherichia coli, is positively controlled through multiple signaling pathways, but little is known about signals that induce MdtEF expression. In this study, we investigated compounds that induce the expression of the mdtEF genes and found that out of 20 drug exporter genes in E. coli, the expression of mdtEF is greatly induced by N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc). The induction of mdtEF by GlcNAc is not mediated by the evgSA, ydeO, gadX, and rpoS signaling pathways that have been known to regulate mdtEF expression. On the other hand, deletion of the nagE gene, encoding the phosphotransferase (PTS) system for GlcNAc, prevented induction by GlcNAc. The induction of mdtEF by GlcNAc was also greatly inhibited by the addition of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and completely abolished upon deletion of the cAMP receptor protein gene (crp). Other PTS sugars, glucose and d-glucosamine, also induced mdtEF gene expression. These results suggest that mdtEF expression is stimulated through catabolite control.
Anxiolytic effect and memory improvement in rats by antisense oligodeoxynucleotide to 5‐hydroxytryptamine‐2A precursor protein

Serotonergic (5‐hydroxytryptamine; 5‐HT) mechanisms have been implicated in a number of physiological and pathophysiological processes including mood, anxiety, and cognitive functioning. Among the many 5‐HT receptor subtypes, the 5‐HT2A receptors (5‐HT2A‐R) seem to be of particular importance in mediating these effects, and they are prime targets for a variety of psychoactive substances—from hallucinogenic drugs, through atypical antipsychotics, to anxiolytics and antidepressants. Various selective 5‐HT2A‐R ligands induce different behavioral responses. To determine whether receptor downregulation is an essential part of anxiolytic action, levels of 5‐HT2A receptors were manipulated in rats using a nonpharmacological approach—by the administration of an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) to 5‐HT2A‐R. Each ASODN was injected icv between two and five times at 24‐hr intervals. Control rats received injections of either a scrambled oligodeoxynucleotide (ScrODN) or the vehicle only. On Day 6, anxiety‐related behavior was assessed in the elevated plus maze paradigm and performance of memory tasks in the Morris water maze. Gene transcripts were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results show that compared to vehicle and ScrODN control animals, icv 5‐HT2A‐R‐ASODN administrations for 4 consecutive days (but not less) significantly decreased anxietylike behavior and improved memory retention performance. The reduction in anxiety‐related behavior in 5‐HT2A‐R‐ASODN rats was accompanied by a decrease in 5‐HT2A‐R‐mRNA expression in the frontal cortex and in the hippocampus. Receptor downregulation has been proposed as one of the central mechanisms for anxiolytic drug actions. Antisense‐mediated downmanipulation of receptors in this study, especially of 5‐HT2A, supports this theory. Depression and Anxiety 22:84–93, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differential effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety: a meta-analysis.

Hand and computer searches located studies on the effects of relaxation techniques on trait anxiety. Effect sizes for the different treatments (e.g., Progressive Relaxation, EMG Biofeedback, various forms of meditation, etc.) were calculated. Most of the treatments produced similar effect sizes except that Transcendental Meditation had significantly larger effect size (p less than .005), and meditation that involved concentration had significantly smaller effect. Correlations with effect size were calculated for many variables, e.g., population, age, sex, experimental design, duration and hours of treatment, pretest anxiety, demand characteristics, experimenter attitude, type of publication, attrition, etc. Only a few variables (mainly population, duration, hours, and attrition) significantly influenced effect size. Controlling for possible confounding variables did not alter the overall conclusions. The difference in effect size between treatments was maintained both when only published studies were included and when only the studies with the strongest design were included. Possible explanations for the findings are examined.
Pemphigus foliaceus with circinated plaques and neutrophil pustules

Pemphigus is a group of autoimmune intraepidermal bullous diseases; being pemphigus foliaceus (PF) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV) the most common subtypes. Pustular variants are scarcely reported for both PV and PF. The purpose of this manuscript was to describe the clinical, microscopic and immunologic findings of an atypical case of PF presenting with pustules, including a review of the literature. PF is described as blisters and because this entity is rare, it is not known for the general medical community that they are other clinical features that can be seen as this one we present here with pustules.
Heart rate variability: a diagnostic and prognostic tool in anesthesia and intensive care

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays an important role in the human response to various internal and external stimuli, which can modify homeostasis, and exerts a tight control on essential functions such as circulation, respiration, thermoregulation and hormonal secretion. ANS dysfunction may complicate the perioperative course in the surgical patient undergoing anesthesia, increasing morbidity and mortality, and, therefore, it should be considered as an additional risk factor during pre‐operative evaluation. Furthermore, ANS dysfunction may complicate the clinical course of critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units, in the case of trauma, sepsis, neurologic disorders and cardiovascular diseases, and its occurrence adversely affects the outcome. In the care of these patients, the assessment of autonomic function may provide useful information concerning pathophysiology, risk stratification, early prognosis prediction and treatment strategies. Given the role of ANS in the maintenance of systemic homeostasis, anesthesiologists and intensivists should recognize as critical the evaluation of ANS function. Measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) is an easily accessible window into autonomic activity. It is a low‐cost, non‐invasive and simple to perform method reflecting the balance of the ANS regulation of the heart rate and offers the opportunity to detect the presence of autonomic neuropathy complicating several illnesses. The present review provides anesthesiologists and intensivists with a comprehensive summary of the possible clinical implications of HRV measurements, suggesting that autonomic dysfunction testing could potentially represent a diagnostic and prognostic tool in the care of patients both in the perioperative setting as well as in the critical care arena.
Mechanical constraints on exercise hyperpnea in a fit aging population.

We studied 12 physically fit (VO2 max = 44 ml.kg-1.min-1) older subjects (age = 63 to 77 yr) who showed the usual age-related declines in lung function (i.e., reduced maximal expiratory flow rates, vital capacity and increased functional residual capacity, closing capacity, and residual volume). We measured the optimal transpulmonary pressures for maximal expiratory airflow and the capacity of the muscles of inspiration for developing pleural pressure (taking into account the effects of lung volume and flow rate). Within these mechanical constraints to ventilation we plotted tidal pleural pressure-volume loops for mild through maximal exercise according to a measured end-expiratory lung volume (EELV). We found EELV to decrease a mean of 0.26 +/- 0.09 L and maximal effective pleural pressures to be reached in nine subjects near EELV with only light to moderate exercise intensities, whereas peak inspiratory pressure was only 45% of the capacity for pressure generation. With progressive increases in exercise intensity, EELV increased, and pleural pressures encroached to a greater extent on the maximal effective pressures; however, they remained effective in the majority of subjects. During maximal exercise EELV was 0.13 +/- 0.10 L greater than resting values, 20% of the Vt reached maximal effective pressures, and 83% of the capacity for inspiratory pressure was achieved. Three subjects significantly surpassed their maximal effective expiratory pressures, and four subjects achieved 95 to 100% of the capacity for inspiratory pressure generation. These subjects also showed no further increase in ventilation while breathing 0.02 to 0.05 FICO2 at maximal exercise. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Feedback control of multidimensional systems

In this paper we consider the problem of controlling an nD system by means of a feedback connection. First, we characterize the system interconnections that can be implemented as feedback connections. Then, given an nD system with behaviorB and a desired controlled performance, described as a sub-behavior Bd ⊂ B, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the possibility of obtaining Bd fromB by a feedback connection with a suitable controller. Our results generalize those obtained in [4] for the 1D case.
Combined LTE and IEEE 802.11p antenna for vehicular applications

Vehicles may contain multiple antennas for different applications. Among all of them, Vehicle-to-Vehicle and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2X) is one of the most recent applications. This new technology focuses on traffic safety and traffic efficiency. In this paper we present a new compact antenna module suitable for vehicular applications. This module could be easily integrated into the rear-spoiler on a vehicle. The module consists of two identical monopoles for V2X applications based on the IEEE 802.11p standard and two identical printed inverted F-antennas for Long-Term Evolution (LTE) communications. The evaluation of the proposed module is done by analyzing the simulated and measured antenna S-parameters, antenna efficiencies, radiation patterns, as well as by calculating the diversity performance. The results show that the antennas are well matched and well isolated for both LTE and V2X and exhibits a radiation pattern close to the desired omnidirectional in the horizontal plane for V2X. The two LTE antennas have radiation patterns that complement each other ensuring an omnidirectional coverage by combination. Furthermore the module presents good radiation efficiency for both LTE and V2X.
Rhinovirus Infections in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients with Pneumonia

Abstract Little is known about the impact of human rhinovirus (HRV) and coronavirus infections in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. We tested bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples obtained from HSCT recipients with acute pulmonary infiltrates for HRV (n = 122) and coronavirus (n = 46) by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. HRV RNA was detected in 6 (8%) of 77 patients, and coronavirus RNA was detected in 0 of 46 of BAL samples from HSCT recipients. The fatality rate in HRV-infected patients was high (83%), but all patients had significant coinfections, and the overall mortality rate was not different from that of patients who were negative for HRV in BAL samples. These results suggest that HRV may be a cause of lower respiratory tract infections in HSCT recipients and that its detection in BAL samples is associated with frequent copathogens. Whether the poor prognosis is due to HRV or the copathogen is not clear.
Clinical presentation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in preschool children: the Preschoolers with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Treatment Study (PATS).

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to describe the clinical presentation of preschoolers diagnosed with moderate to severe attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) recruited for the multisite Preschool ADHD Treatment Study (PATS). The diagnosis and evaluation process will also be described. METHOD A comprehensive multidimensional, multi-informant assessment protocol was implemented including the semistructured PATS Diagnostic Interview. Parent and teacher-report measures were used to supplement information from interviews. Consensus agreement by a cross-site panel on each participant's diagnoses was required. Analyses were conducted to describe the sample and to test associations between ADHD severity and demographic and clinical variables. RESULTS The assessment protocol identified 303 preschoolers (3-5.5 years) with moderate to severe ADHD Hyperactive/Impulsive or Combined type. The majority of participants (n = 211, 69.6%) experienced co-morbid disorders, with oppositional defiant disorder, communication disorders, and anxiety disorders being the most common. Participants with co-morbid communication disorders were found to be more anxious and depressed. ADHD severity was found to correlate with more internalizing difficulties and lower functioning. Although boys and girls had similar symptom presentations, younger children had significantly higher ADHD severity. CONCLUSIONS Preschoolers with moderate to severe ADHD experience high co-morbidity and impairment, which have implications for both assessment and treatment.
Control of direct-prive permanent-magnet wind power system connected to grid

This paper discusses a control strategy of direct-drive permanent magnet wind power system, and proposes back-to-back PWM converter control method that PWM technology is employed both in generator-side and grid-side. The system consists of permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG), PWM rectifier in generator-side, intermediate DC circuit, and PWM inverter in grid-side. DC voltage control is used as external loop while current control as internal loop to maintain DC voltage a constant, the active power is controlled by q-axis current whereas the reactive power is controlled by the d-axis current in generator-side ; In grid-side, active power and reactive power are controlled respectively as external loop. Experimental tests are carried out to verify the feasibility of the system.
The GATS and regional approaches to services trade and investment liberalisation

This paper examines the approaches to liberalization of trade in services adopted within existing regional agreements (RTAs) as compared to prevailing GATS’ commitments. Using examples from Africa, Latin America, and Asia (of total of over 30 RTAs), it explores how the difficult issues associated with services trade and investment liberalisation are tackled in the RTA-type arrangement and how much further access is granted under RTAs. The results show that in all market access areas, RTAs generally offer superior value added over GATS. In nearly all the modes of supply and sectors, RTA commitments tend to go significantly beyond GATS offers in terms of improved and new bindings (although improvements in mode 4 remains modest in scope across all RTAs). Most RTAs, however, are at the same pace with GATS in securing the rule-making interface between domestic regulation and trade in services and with regard to special treatment for less developed members. RTA commitments tend to lag behind GATS on safeguard mechanism, and disciplines on subsidies.
Emergent states in dense systems of active rods: from swarming to turbulence

Dense suspensions of self-propelled rod-like particles exhibit a fascinating variety of non-equilibrium phenomena. By means of computer simulations of a minimal model for rigid self-propelled colloidal rods with variable shape we explore the generic diagram of emerging states over a large range of rod densities and aspect ratios. The dynamics is studied using a simple numerical scheme for the overdamped noiseless frictional dynamics of a many-body system in which steric forces are dominant over hydrodynamic ones. The different emergent states are identified by various characteristic correlation functions and suitable order parameter fields. At low density and aspect ratio, a disordered phase with no coherent motion precedes a highly cooperative swarming state with giant number fluctuations at large aspect ratio. Conversely, at high densities weakly anisometric particles show a distinct jamming transition whereas slender particles form dynamic laning patterns. In between there is a large window corresponding to strongly vortical, turbulent flow. The different dynamical states should be verifiable in systems of swimming bacteria and artificial rod-like micro-swimmers.
Energy barriers in SK-spin glass model

The height of barriers separating metastable states is studied for the infinite range Ising spin-glass model. A barrier configuration corresponds to a saddle point {m i , i=1,. , N, -1≤m i ≤1} of an energy surface that smoothly interpolates the energy in the hypercube. For low energy barriers, which are relevant for the dynamics, the number of independent descending directions from the saddle point is finite when N→∞. It is found that these descending directions are contained in the linear subspace of the hypercube [-1,1] N generated by directions for which Σ j J ij m j =0. Numerical estimates were performed by two distinct algorithms which lead to consistent results. Assuming barrier heights growing with system size N as Nα we find α=0.34±0.08 Nous etudions les hauteurs de barriere separant des etats metastables pour le modele de verre de spin avec symetrie d'Ising et portee infinie. Une configuration de barriere correspond a un col de {m i , i=1,. , N, -1≤m i ≤1} de la surface d'energie qui interpole de facon reguliere l'energie dans l'hypercube. Pour des barrieres d'energie faibles, qui sont importantes pour la dynamique, le nombre de directions descendantes au col est fini dans la limite N→∞. Nous trouvons que ces directions sont contenues dans un sous-espace lineaire de l'hypercube [-1,1] N engendre par les directions pour lesquelles Σ j J ij m j =0. Nous avons fait des simulations numeriques par deux algorithmes differents. Les resultats sont coherents. Si nous supposons que les hauteurs de barriere croissent avec la taille N du systeme comme Nα, nous trouvons α=0,34±0,08
Modelling Competitive Mortgage Termination Option Strategies: Default vs Restructuring and Prepayment vs Defeasance

We build a two-stage competing risk model for pricing four types of early Termination options written on commercial mortgages: default vs restructuring and prepayment vs defeasance as two pairs of competitions. It is the first study to consider restructuring as a “competitor” with default. The key feature of our model is to introduce collateral underlying property market supply constraints into a property Price process which would determine values of early termination options. Our simulations find out greater probability to restructure mortgages by reducing interest and extending maturity and to prepay in cash. We also prove that tightening property supply constraints pushes up values of default, restructuring and prepayment by pricing their analogous options: default (a series of compound European Call on Put options), mortgage restructuring (an exchange option between mortgages with different cash flow structures), prepayment in cash (a series of compound European Call on Call options),and defeasance (an exchange option of more liquid assets with less liquid ones)in different scenarios. Therefore, we suggest controlling property supply constraints as an alternative risk management measure for mortgage markets.