Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Munich Personal RePEc Archive Vector Autoregression with Mixed Frequency Data

Three new approaches are proposed to handle mixed frequency Vector Autoregression. The first is an explicit solution to the likelihood and posterior distribution. The second is a parsimonious, time-invariant and invertible state space form. The third is a parallel Gibbs sampler without forward filtering and backward sampling. The three methods are unified since all of them explore the fact that the mixed frequency observations impose linear constraints on the distribution of high frequency latent variables. By a simulation study, different approaches are compared and the parallel Gibbs sampler outperforms others. A financial application on the yield curve forecast is conducted using mixed frequency macro-finance data.
The Origin and Evolution of Culture and Creativity

Like the information patterns that evolve through biological processes, mental representations, or memes, evolve through adaptive exploration and transformation of an information space through variation, selection, and transmission. Since unlike genes, memes do not come packaged with instructions for their replication, our brains do it for them, strategically, guided by a fitness landscape that reflects both internal drives and a worldview that is continually updated through meme assimilation. This paper presents a model for how an individual becomes a meme-evolving agent via the emergence of an autocatalytic network of sparse, distributed memories, and discusses implications for complex, creative thought processes and why they are unique to humans. Memetics can do more than account for the spread of catchy tunes; it can pave the way for the kind of overarching framework for the humanities that the first form of evolution has provided for the biological sciences.
The Archaeology of Teaching and the Evolution of Homo docens

Teaching is present in all human societies, while within other species it is very limited. Something happened during the evolution of Homo sapiens that also made us Homo docens—the teaching animal. Based on discussions of animal and hominin learning, we analyze the evolution of intentional teaching by a series of levels that require increasing capacities of mind reading and communication on the part of the teacher and the learner. The levels of teaching are (1) intentional evaluative feedback, (2) drawing attention, (3) demonstrating, (4) communicating concepts, and (5) explaining relations between concepts. We suggest that level after level has been added during the evolution of teaching. We demonstrate how different technologies depend on increasing sophistication in the levels of cognition and communication required for teaching them. As regards the archaeological evidence for the different levels, we argue that stable transmission of the Oldowan technology requires at least teaching by demonstration and that learning the late Acheulean hand-axe technology requires at least communicating concepts. We conclude that H. docens preceded H. sapiens.
Seismic Structure of Local Crustal Earthquakes beneath the Zipingpu Reservoir of Longmenshan Fault Zone

Three-dimensional P wave velocity models under the Zipingpu reservoir in Longmenshan fault zone are obtained with a resolution of 2 km in the horizontal direction and 1 km in depth. We used a total of 8589 P wave arrival times from 1014 local earthquakes recorded by both the Zipingpu reservoir network and temporary stations deployed in the area. The 3-D velocity images at shallow depth show the low-velocity regions have strong correlation with the surface trace of the Zipingpu reservoir. According to the extension of those low-velocity regions, the infiltration depth directly from the Zipingpu reservoir itself is limited to 3.5 km depth, while the infiltration depth downwards along the Beichuan-Yingxiu fault in the study area is about 5.5 km depth. Results show the low-velocity region in the east part of the study area is related to the Proterozoic sedimentary rocks. The Guanxian-Anxian fault is well delineated by obvious velocity contrast and may mark the border between the Tibetan Plateau in the west and the Sichuan basin in the east.
On fitting a triangle into a circle: A study on employment outcomes of adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder who attended postsecondary institutions

Duquette, C. , & Orders, S. (2013). On fitting a triangle into a circle: A study on employment outcomes of adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder who attended postsecondary institutions. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 2 (3), 27-36. doi:10.7895/ijadr.v2i3. 105 ( http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.105 ) Aim: This study examined the employment outcomes of individuals with FASD who had undertaken postsecondary studies. Design: A qualitative research design using inductive thematic analysis and descriptive statistics was employed. Setting: The study took place in the United States and Canada. Participants: Ten adoptive mothers, one birth mother, one step-mother and one mother-in-law (N=13), representing 17 adult children, responded to the survey. Four adults with FASD who had undertaken postsecondary studies each participated in an individual interview. Measures: An electronic survey consisting mostly of open-ended items was used to obtain data on the postsecondary and employment experiences of adults with FASD from the perspectives of their relatives. Adults with FASD participated in individual interviews in which they elaborated on their experiences. Findings: More than half of the adults with FASD were employed, albeit mostly in the service sector and on a part-time basis. Four of the adults had received an early diagnosis, and these individuals were all employed; two were working in the area of their postsecondary studies. Six of the adults with FASD who had completed their college programs were working at the time of the research. Conclusions: For those individuals who did not graduate or were not employed, symptoms of FASD and other disabilities (e.g., substance abuse and mental health problems) were related to these negative outcomes. However, a supportive network of friends and family contributed to success in postsecondary studies and employment.
Modified cam-clay model with dynamic shear modulus under cyclic loads

In order to study the dynamic characteristics of clay under metro loads, a dynamic triaxial test for clay was conducted. The function formula between the dynamic shear modulus and the number of oscillation periods was presented to calculate and analyze the dynamic characteristics of clay, then the function formula applicability was verified for different regional clays. In addition, the relationship between dynamic shear modulus and the parameters of cam-clay was established. The function formula for calculating dynamic shear modulus can be generalized to apply to the cam-clay model. The results show that the dynamic shear modulus function formula can be well applied. This modified cam-clay model can not only describe hysteresis loops, but also consider the effects of loading frequency on the dynamic characteristics of clay. Therefore, it is convenient to study the dynamic characteristics of clay under metro loads for theoretical analysis and verification.
ScienceDirect International Conference on Robot PRIDE 2013-2014-Medical and Rehabilitation Robotics and Instrumentation , ConfPRIDE 2013-2014 The Beneficial Techniques in Preprocessing Step of Skin Cancer Detection System Comparing

Automatic diagnostics of skin cancer is one of the most challenging problems in medical image processing. It helps physicians to decide whether a skin melanoma is benign or malignant. So, determining the more efficient methods of detection to reduce the rate of errors is a vital issue among researchers. Preprocessing is the first stage of detection to improve the quality of images, removing the irrelevant noises and unwanted parts in the background of the skin images. The purpose of this paper is to gather the preprocessing approaches can be used in skin cancer images. This paper provides good starting for researchers in their automatic skin cancer detections. © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Peer-review under responsibility of the Center for Humanoid Robots and Bio-Sensing (HuRoBs).
DESIGNING OF A NEW OPEN FLOWSWITCH; A PERFORMANCEIMPROVEMENT PERSPECTIVE

The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) allotted a band width of UWB from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz for high data rates rapidly grooving in wireless communication technology. The antenna also plays an essential role in UWB application so that the designing of UWB antenna in reference to being small in size, the antenna presents stable far field radiation characteristics in the entire operating bandwidth, relatively high gain. Hence a performance improvement perspective designing of a new Open Flow enabled ultra wide band Antenna is being proposed here.
EFFECT OF HEAT TREATMENT AND SALT CONCENTRATION ON ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES OF SUDANESE BRAIDED ( MUDDAFFARA ) CHEESE MANUFACTURED WITH RAW OR PASTEURIZED MILK

Cheese is the most diverse group of dairy products that is widely produced and consumed worldwide. Of them, braided cheese locally known as Muddaffara is one of the most popular cheese types in Sudan. However, studies on the eating quality of Muddafara cheese is very limited. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of heat treatment and salt (0%, 5%, and 10%) on the sensory attributes of Sudanese braided cheese during ripening (3 months at 5±2°C). In this study, a factorial experiment in completely randomized design was used to evaluate the effects of these treatments on the sensory characteristics of braided cheese processed from raw (BCRM) and pasteurized (BCPM) milk and then ripened in salted whey for up to 3 months. The results indicated that the heat and salt concentration significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected the sensory attributes of braided cheese. Higher changes in texture had occurred in salted whey (SW) cheese during storage compared to that stored in 0% SW. Sensory characteristics of the cheese sample stored in 5% were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) better when compared with those stored in 0 % and 10% SW. Organoleptically, BCRM and BCPM stored in 5% SW were superior to those stored in 0% and 10% salted whey. The obtained results suggest that pasteurization and ripening in low salted whey improved the acceptability and quality life of braided cheese. Further studies are needed to ascertain the microbiological quality and safety of BCRM.
Lifecycle Prognostic Algorithm Development and Application to Test Beds

On-line monitoring of nuclear plant system degradation is quickly becoming a crucial consideration as the licenses of many nuclear power plants are being extended. Accurate measurement of the current degradation of system components and structures is important for correct estimates of their remaining useful life (RUL). The propagation of the uncertainty involved in both the measurements and model construction of these system components is vital for finding the uncertainty of the overall system RUL calculation. Prognostic methods should seamlessly operate from beginning of component life (BOL) to end of component life (EOL). We term this "Lifecycle Prognostics. " When a component is put into use, the only information available may be past failure times, and the predicted failure distribution can be estimated with reliability methods such as Weibull Analysis (Type I). As the component operates, it begins to consume its available life. This life consumption may be a function of system stresses, and the failure distribution should be updated (Type II). When degradation becomes apparent, this information can be used again to improve the failure distribution estimate (Type III). Current research typically focuses on developing methods for the three types of prognostics. This research focused on developing a framework using Bayesian methods to transition between prognostic model types and update failure distribution estimates as new information becomes available. This paper will present methods developed that integrate models from the three prognostics categories into a single prognostic system to estimate RUL over the life of the component: Lifecycle Prognostics. The methods will also be validated on a range of test beds.
Techniques to measure complex-plane fields

In this work we construct coherent superpositions of Gaussian and vortex modes which can be described to occupy the complex-plane. We demonstrate how these fields can be experimentally constructed in a digital, controllable manner with a spatial light modulator. Once these fields have been generated we illustrate, with three separate techniques, how the constituent components of these fields can be extracted, namely by measuring the intensity of the field at two adjacent points; performing a modal decomposition and a new digital Stokes measurement.
Impaired oxygen uptake kinetics in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Objective The time needed to increase oxygen utilisation to meet metabolic demand (V̇O2 kinetics) is impaired in heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction and is an independent risk factor for HF mortality. It is not known if V̇O2 kinetics are slowed in HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We tested the hypothesis that V̇O2 kinetics are slowed during submaximal exercise in HFpEF and that slower V̇O2 kinetics are related to impaired peripheral oxygen extraction. Methods Eighteen HFpEF patients (68±7 years, 10 women) and 18 healthy controls (69±6 years, 10 women) completed submaximal and peak exercise testing. Cardiac output (acetylene rebreathing, Q̇c), ventilatory oxygen uptake (V̇O2, Douglas bags) and arterial-venous O2 difference (a-vO2 difference) derived from Q̇c and V̇O2 were assessed during exercise. Breath-by-breath O2 uptake was measured continuously throughout submaximal exercise, and V̇O2 kinetics was quantified as mean response time (MRT). Results HFpEF patients had markedly slowed V̇O2 kinetics during submaximal exercise (MRT: control: 40.1±14.2, HFpEF: 65.4±27.7 s; p<0.002), despite no relative impairment in submaximal cardiac output (Q̇c: control: 8.6±1.7, HFpEF: 9.7±2.2 L/min; p=0.79). When stratified by MRT, HFpEF with an MRT ≥60 s demonstrated elevated Q̇c, and impaired peripheral oxygen extraction that was apparent during submaximal exercise compared with HFpEF with a MRT <60 s (submaximal a-vO2 difference: MRT <60 s: 9.7±2.1, MRT ≥60 s: 7.9±1.1 mL/100 mL; p=0.03). Conclusion HFpEF patients have slowed V̇O2 kinetics that are related to impaired peripheral oxygen utilisation. MRT can identify HFpEF patients with peripheral limitations to submaximal exercise capacity and may be a target for therapeutic intervention.
QUORUM SENSING SCREENING OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS FROM MONGOLIA

The purpose of this study was to search for a novel quorum sensinginhibitor and analyseits inhibitory activity of medicinal plants of Mongolia. This study investigated the effects of some plant extracts on the bacterial communication system, expressed as quorum sensing activity. Quorum sensinghas directly propotional effect on the amount of certain compound such as pigments, produced by the bacteria. Alcohol extracts of 103 extracts of 66 medicinal plants were tested for anti-quorum sensingactivity by the Chromobacterium violaceum assay using the standard disc-diffusion method. The screening revealed the anti-quorum sensing activity of 18 extracts of 13 plants; particularly aerial part of Hedysarum alpinum L. , Spongiocarpella gruboviiUlzii and Goniolimon speciosum (L.) Boiss. Mongolian Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol.13(2) 2014: 63-65
Hepatitis C: A New Future Everyday

Hepatitis C (HCV) is one of the most important cause of liver disease throughout the world, having the potentiality to develop cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma with the passage of time. Recent advances in the management of HCV infection have brought this healthcare burden under limelight. With ongoing research in this field, the future seems to be more promising in the management of HCV infection that has been bothering humanity for decades. Bangladesh J Medicine Jul 2016; 27(2) : 74-77
An Empirical Study on the Effects of the Beach on Mood and Mental Health in Japan

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether beach-going affects the mood and mental health of Japanese people, and to examine gender-based differences with regard to these effects of beach-going. We used a short version of Sakano et al.’s Mood Inventory to measure tension and excitement, fatigue, depressive, anxious, and refreshed moods; and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) to measure mental health. We randomly selected data from 180 people in Japan, including 104 males (57.8%), and 76 females (42.2%). Based on the participants’ degree of enthusiasm for going to the beach, they were categorized into three groups: the high enthusiasm group, moderate enthusiasm group, and low enthusiasm group. The findings of this study showed that (1) a high degree of enthusiasm for beach-going had a greater significant effect on mood and mental health than did moderate and low degrees of enthusiasm for beach-going. There were vast differences in scores on the subscales assessing depressive mood, anxious mood, and refreshed mood, and the GHQ-12 scores, among the three groups, and (2) for males, the differences in the mood inventory and GHQ-12 scores among the high, moderate, and low enthusiasm groups were more pronounced and significant than they were for females. Although the females did not differ much in terms of the quality of their mood and mental health status, there was a slight difference among the three groups. These results suggest that especially for Japanese males, the beach has a great influence on improving mood and mental health.
Potential ship strikes and density of humpback whales in the Abrolhos Bank breeding ground, Brazil

Ship strikes are one of the major threats to large whales worldwide. The potential impact from increasing vessel traffic therefore is a concern for the future of the Brazilian humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) population. In order to evaluate the risk of collision between large vessels and humpback whales along coastal shipping routes in the region of the Abrolhos Bank – the most important breeding ground for the species in the south-western Atlantic Ocean – commercial vessels were used as platforms of opportunity to monitor the coastal shipping routes. Humpback whale density along coastal routes was estimated through multiple covariate line-transect ‘distance sampling’. The number of potential collisions per year was estimated using a model based on vessel size and speed, track lengths, population density and the surfacing behaviour of whales. During the peak of the 2011 breeding season, whale density on the coastal route between Belmonte and Caravelas was estimated to be 0.085 whales km-2 and between Caravelas and Barra do Riacho, 0.023 whales km-2. The three commercial vessels operating in coastal waters between Belmonte and Barra do Riacho had the potential to collide with 25 humpback whales in total, and kill 17 of these, during the 2011 breeding season. As vessel traffic increases in the Abrolhos Bank region and humpback whale population grows, the likelihood of a vessel collision will increase. A simple and effective framework to study how changes in whale density will affect their vulnerability to ship strikes, and ensure the suitability of alternative shipping routes is presented, while evaluating whether additional mitigation measures are necessary, such as speed limits in areas or periods with higher densities of whales. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Conceptual Model on Relationship between Structure and Functions in Rangeland Ecosystems

One of the most important issues in structure-function relationship modeling is that each rangeland has numerous functions and each of them can provide the most benefits in a certain state of that ecosystem. In fact, relationship between structure and function can be varied in different states. After presentation of the Linear Structure-Function Model based on the Clementsian succession theory, another conceptual model was proposed to modify it based on more realistic State and Transition theory. While previous models mostly suppose one single function in their simulations, in this article, we suggest a conceptual model that summarizes the relationships between Ecosystem Structure and Multiple Functions (ESMF) in various states. The model can be useful for rangeland managers to get a rather correct understanding about multiple functions in rangelands. By this right understanding, the rangeland managers will be able to identify the best states for their ecosystems and try to reach to these states which can provide totally maximum benefits. This model shows that some functions in rangelands may conflict with or overlapped each other and some functions may not show a meaningful relationship with structure in ecosystems so that it is a very important task for managers to choose the states with the highest benefits and less conflict.
Homozygous loss‐of‐function variants of TASP1, a gene encoding an activator of the histone methyltransferases KMT2A and KMT2D, cause a syndrome of developmental delay, happy demeanor, distinctive facial features, and congenital anomalies

We report four unrelated children with homozygous loss‐of‐function variants in TASP1 and an overlapping phenotype comprising developmental delay with hypotonia and microcephaly, feeding difficulties with failure‐to‐thrive, recurrent respiratory infections, cardiovascular malformations, cryptorchidism, happy demeanor, and distinctive facial features. Two children had a homozygous founder deletion encompassing exons 5–11 of TASP1, the third had a homozygous missense variant, c.701 C>T (p.Thr234Met), affecting the active site of the encoded enzyme, and the fourth had a homozygous nonsense variant, c.199 C>T (p.Arg67*). TASP1 encodes taspase 1 (TASP1), which is responsible for cleaving, thus activating, the lysine methyltransferases KMT2A and KMT2D, which are essential for histone methylation and transcription regulation. The consistency of the phenotype, the critical biological function of TASP1, the deleterious nature of the TASP1 variants, and the overlapping features with Wiedemann–Steiner and Kabuki syndromes respectively caused by pathogenic variants in KMT2A and KMT2D all support that TASP1 is a disease‐related gene.
Nervous-Like Circuits in the Ribosome Facts, Hypotheses and Perspectives

In the past few decades, studies on translation have converged towards the metaphor of a “ribosome nanomachine”; they also revealed intriguing ribosome properties challenging this view. Many studies have shown that to perform an accurate protein synthesis in a fluctuating cellular environment, ribosomes sense, transfer information and even make decisions. This complex “behaviour” that goes far beyond the skills of a simple mechanical machine has suggested that the ribosomal protein networks could play a role equivalent to nervous circuits at a molecular scale to enable information transfer and processing during translation. We analyse here the significance of this analogy and establish a preliminary link between two fields: ribosome structure-function studies and the analysis of information processing systems. This cross-disciplinary analysis opens new perspectives about the mechanisms of information transfer and processing in ribosomes and may provide new conceptual frameworks for the understanding of the behaviours of unicellular organisms.