Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stochastic Dynamics: Markov Chains, Random Transformations and Applications

Stochastic Dynamics: Markov Chains, Random Transformations and Applications Xiaofeng Ye Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Hong Qian Department of Applied Mathematics Stochastic dynamical systems, as a rapidly growing area in applied mathematics, has been a successful modeling framework for biology, chemistry and data science. Depending upon the origin of uncertainties in an application problem, the theory of stochastic dynamics has two different mathematical representations: stochastic processes and random dynamical systems (RDS). RDS is a more refined mathematical description of the reality; it provides not only the stochastic trajectory following one initial condition, but also describes how the entire phase space, with all initial conditions, simultaneously changes with time. Stochastic processes represent the stochastic movement of individual system. RDS, however, describes the motions of many systems that experience a common deterministic law that is randomly changing with time due to extrinsic noises, which represent fluctuating environment or complex external signal. The dynamics of an RDS may exhibit a quite counterintuitive phenomenon called noise-induced synchronization: the stochastic motions of noninteracting systems under a common noise synchronize; their trajectories become close to each other, while the individual one remains stochastic. In Chapter 2, I establish some elementary contradistinctions between Markov chain (MC) and RDS descriptions of stochastic dynamical systems with discrete time and discrete state space setting. In particular I study the linear representation of the RDS and show the expectation of the matrix-valued random variable is in fact the transition probability matrix of the corresponding MC induced by i.i. d. RDS. In Chapter 3, I study the metric entropy of MC and its corresponding RDS, and establish several inequalities about entropies and entropy productions. Next in Chapter 4 and Chapter 5, the theory of noise-induced synchronization is introduced together with a more intuitive version of the multiplicative ergodic theory, and then is applied to hidden Markov models for developing an efficient algorithm of parameter inference. In Chapter 6, The multi-dimensional OrnsteinUhlenbeck process is used to study the dynamics of a free-draining polymer, in particular, the mean looping time. This work points to a future direction for stochastic model reduction.
Amino Acid Uptake by Tomato Leaf Tissue under Chilling Stress: Uptake Conditions and a Comparison of Lycopersicon Species of Different Chilling Resistance

Uptake of [3H]leucine by leaf fragments and roots from Lycopersicon esculentum (domestic tomato) and L. hirsutum (a wild tomato) was compared. Uptake of amino acids was affected by metabolic inhibitors and temperature. The L. esculentum cultivars studied, Rutgers and PI.341985, showed similar uptake rates above 12°C. After preincubation at the uptake temperatures below 12°C, the Q10 for uptake for PI.341985 was about 25 while for Rutgers it was about 125. The temperature response was similar for root and leaf material and for material grown at different temperatures (24/18 and 15/5°C). The temperature response of the uptake by leaf fragments of the wild races of L. hirsutum was related to the altitude of origin. The race from the highest altitude (3100 m) showed little change in slope in a plot of tog uptake rate versus temperature over the range 4-20°C. The race from the lowest altitude (30 m) resembled the cultivars of L. esculentum in its response to temperature and showed an increasing slope below 10°C. The race of L. hirsutum from 1500 m responded to temperature in an intermediate fashion. It is concluded that the decrease in the rate of uptake of amino acids during incubation at chilling temperatures can be related to genetic adaptation to the temperature of the native habitat and chilling resistance of the variety of Lycopersicon used.
Communicating food procedures to caregivers of patients with dysphagia in inpatient care

Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder that occurs following mechanical, neurological or prebisphagia disturbances, with negative consequences for patients functioning and quality of life. The food is an extremely social activitie that become compromised, affecting the interaction with others. The intervention in dysphagia presents a great failure of communication of the professionals to the patients and their caregivers on the necessity of the change. The aim of this study is to identify the experience of health professionals and of caregivers about the communication that exists between them about dysphagia. We used the qualitative method, with the application of semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used, and representative themes were chosen. We interviewed 13 nurses, 3 speech and language pathologists, 8 clinical assistants and 10 caregivers working in six inpatient unit care, in Portugal. Three subjects were identified in the interviews of caregivers and multidisciplinar team: 1. Knowledge about food procedures in dysphagia, 2. Conflicts with the multidisciplinary team of professionals/caregivers, and 3. Application of knowledge to/into practice. Our Results show areas in which communication about dietary procedures between caregivers and health professionals can improve. They underscore the importance of professionals having more knowledge about dysphagia, communicating about risks, using basic language and implementing two-way conversation with caregivers to address 7 procedures. These concerns may promote greater awareness of dysphagia, which may lead to the promotion of patient health safety and reduced conflict with the team.
The light field of microbenthic communities: Radiance distribution and microscale optics of sandy coastal sediments

The light field in coastal sediments was investigated at a spatial resolution of 0.2-0.5 mm by spectral measurements (450-850 nm) of field radiance and scalar irradiance using fiber-optic microprobes. Depth profiles of field radiance were measured with radiance microprobes at representative angles relative to vertically incident collimated light in rinsed quartz sand and in a coastal sandy sediment colonized by microalgae. Upwelling and downwelling components of irradiance and scalar irradiance were calculated from the radiance distributions. Calculated total scalar irradiance agreed well with the scalar irradiance measured directly by a fiber-optic scalar irradiance microprobe. Close to the sediment surface, the light field was highly anisotropic, dominated by incident collimated light, and the scalar irradiance reached a maximum of 200% of incident scalar irradiance. Below the sediment surface, the light field became diffuse with a forward-biased angular light distribution. A few millimeters into the sediment surface, attenuation coefficients of field radiance, irradiance, and scalar irradiance became identical and independent of depth, indicating that the light field approached an asymptotic radiance distribution. Comparison of light fields in wet and dry quartz sand showed that the lower refractive index of air than of water caused a more forward-biased scattering in wet sand. Light penetration was therefore deeper and surface irradiance reflectance was lower in wet sand than in dry sand. The higher reflectance of dry sand resulted in a higher surface maximum of scalar irradiance. Asymptotic values of average cosines and attenuation coefficients were used to calculate the absorption coefficient in quartz sand and in a coastal sediment with diatoms. Absorption coefficients ranged from 2.5 mm-’ at 450 nm to 1.5 mm-i at 850 nm in the coastal sediment and from 0.8 to 0.4 mm-l in wet quartz sand. Both attenuation spectra and absorption spectra of the coastal sediment with diatoms exhibited a Chl
The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution

Introduction 1. Landscape and Longing 2. Art and Human Nature 3. What Is Art? 4. "But They Don't Have Our Concept of Art" 5. Art and Natural Selection 6. The Uses of Fiction 7. Art and Human Self-Domestication 8. Intention, Forgery, Dada: Three Aesthetic Problems 9. The Contingency of Aesthetic Values 10. Greatness in the Arts
A simple nanostructured polymer/ZnO hybrid solar cell—preparation and operation in air

A detailed description is given of the preparation of a polymer solar cell and its characterization. The solar cell can be prepared entirely in the ambient atmosphere by solution processing without the use of vacuum coating steps, and it can be operated in the ambient atmosphere with good operational stability under illumination (1000 W m−2, AM1.5G, 72 ± 2 °C, 35 ± 5% relative humidity) for 100 h with a 20% loss in efficiency with respect to the initial performance. The dark storability (darkness, 25 °C, 35 ± 5% relative humidity) has been shown to exceed six months without notable loss in efficiency. The devices do not require any form of encapsulation to gain stability, while a barrier for mechanical protection may be useful. The devices are based on soluble zinc oxide nanoparticles mixed with the thermocleavable conjugated polymer poly-(3-(2-methylhexan-2-yl)-oxy-carbonyldithiophene) (P3MHOCT), which through a thermal treatment is converted to the insoluble form poly(3-carboxydithiophene) (P3CT) that generally gives stable polymer solar cells. The devices employed a solution based silver back electrode. One advantage is that preparation of the devices is very simple and can be carried out by hand under ambient conditions, requiring only a hot plate that can reach a temperature of 210 °C, and preferably also a spincoater. This type of device is thus excellently suited for teaching and demonstration purposes provided that the materials are at hand.
Increasing syrphid fly diversity and density in sown flower strips within simple vs. complex landscapes

Summary 1. The structural complexity of agricultural landscapes influences the local biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Hence, developing effective biodiversity management requires a better understanding of the relative importance of local and landscape changes, especially for functionally important organisms such as hoverflies benefiting from flowering plants. 2. We examined hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae) communities in broad and narrow sown flower strips, in naturally developed grassy strips and in wheat fields (as a control). We also investigated the effects of these four habitat types on syrphid occurrence in the adjacent wheat fields. 3. The relative influence of local vs. landscape effects was tested by selecting study sites along a gradient of structural complexity from simple landscapes (∼100% arable land) to complex landscapes (up to 70% semi-natural habitats such as fallows, field margins, hedges and grassland). Landscape complexity was assessed within landscape sectors of 0·5–4·0 km radius around strips. 4. Syrphid density and in particular, the density of aphidophagous species, was higher in narrow and broad sown flower strips compared to grassy strips and wheat–wheat boundary controls at the milk-ripening stage of the wheat. In addition, species richness of aphidophagous syrphids within wheat fields adjacent to broad sown flower strips was higher at the wheat peak-ripening stage. This indicates a spillover between habitats and a positive effect of these sown flower strips on potential biocontrol of cereal aphids. Flower densities and syrphid diversity and density, respectively, were closely related. 5. Species richness and abundance in the sown flower strips increased as the proportion of arable land in the surrounding landscape increased, suggesting that within structurally simple landscapes (at 0·5–1 km radius around the sites) syrphid flies concentrated on the most rewarding resources within the sown flower strips. Sown flower strips were more effective at increasing syrphid species richness and abundance in simple landscapes, presumably because the creation of flower resources made the greatest difference in such homogeneous, intensively managed arable landscapes. 6. Synthesis and applications. Agri-environment schemes should take the surrounding landscape characteristics into account when considering using sown flower strips to enhance syrphid density and diversity, and their biocontrol function, in arable landscapes. Creating locally such flower strips is more effective in simple landscapes containing a high proportion of arable land, while in complex landscapes, keeping the overall diversity is important.
Research of the Real-Time Detection of Traffic Flow Based on OpenCV

A vehicle detection algorithm was proposed based on the morphology and wavelet transform, in the context of the traditional difference. First, the background model was established, using statistical means of the rapid sequence. As background to transform the impact of light obviously, the corresponding easy and quick to update the background algorithm was used. Using the background of the video images to do background subtraction, and then images of the vehicles were accurate detection of mathematical morphology and wavelet transform. A video vehicle detection system was developed using visual C++6.0 and OpenCV image and development kits. A highway traffic flow has been detected by a background extraction, image filtering, image binary, morphological transformation, vehicle detection and segmentation methods and steps. To achieve some highway traffic flow analysis, results showed that: the system to identify the correct rate of more than 98 percent, satisfying the requirements of practical applications.
Spectral approach to reliability evaluation of flow networks

In this paper we consider flow networks, which is an important class of networks, and which includes, for example, communication networks, transportation and supply networks, oil and power supply systems, etc. In our model, the edges are subject to failure, which may be caused by "enemy attack", earthquakes, disruption of communication channels etc. Each edge is characterized by its failure probability and flow capacity. The network reliability is defined as the probability that the flow between the source node and sink node is not less than some given threshold. Our approach to flow network reliability evaluation is based on estimating by means of an efficient Monte Carlo simulation, the network topological invariant called network destruction spectrum (D-spectrum). We consider also a design problem on flow network, namely its edge reinforcement in order to increase in an "optimal" way the network reliability.
ANALYSIS OF CLASSIFICATION ALGORITHMS ON DIFFERENT DATASETS

Purpose. Data mining is the forthcoming research area to solve different problems and classification is one of main problem in the field of data mining. In this paper, we use two classification algorithms J48 and Sequential Minimal Optimization alias SMO of the Weka interface. Methodology. It can be used for testing several datasets. The performance of J48 and Sequential Minimal Optimization has been analyzed to choose the better algorithm based on the conditions of the datasets. The datasets have been chosen from UCI Machine Learning Repository. Findings. Algorithm J48 is based on C4.5 decision-based learning and algorithm Sequential Minimal Optimization uses the Support Vector Machine approach for classification of datasets. When comparing the performance of both algorithms we found Sequential Minimal Optimization is better algorithm in most of the cases. Originality. This is the first implemented research work up to my knowledge, data sets classification problem handled in data mining using SMO with Weka interface.
Recomendações para o tratamento do AVC isquémico e do acidente isquémico transitório 2008

Peter A. Ringleb, Heidelberg, Alemanha; Marie-Germaine Bousser, Paris, França; Gary Ford, Newcastle, Reino Unido; Philip Bath, Nottingham, UK; Michael Brainin, Krems, Austria; Valerica Caso, Perugia, Italia; Álvaro Cervera, Barcelona, Espanha; Angel Chamorro, Barcelona, Espanha; Charlotte Cordonnier, Lille, França; László Csiba, Debrecen, Hungria; Antoni Davalos, Barcelona, Espanha; Hans-Christoph Diener, Essen, Alemanha; José Ferro, Lisboa, Portugal; Werner Hacke, Heidelberg, Alemanha; Michael Hennerici, Mannheim, Alemanha; Markku Kaste, Helsinquia, Finlandia; Peter Langhorne, Glasgow, Reino Unido; Kennedy Lees, Glasgow, Reino Unido; Didier Leys, Lille, França; Jan Lodder, Mastricht, Holanda; Hugh S. Markus, Londres, Reino Unido; Jean-Louis Mas, Paris, França; Heinrich P. Mattle, Berna, Suiça; Keith Muir, Glasgow, Reino Unido; Bo Norrving, Lund, Suécia; Victor Obach, Barcelona, Espanha; Stefano Paolucci, Roma, Italia; E. Bernd Ringelstein, Münster, Alemanha; Peter D. Schellinger, Erlangen, Alemanha; Juhani Sivenius, Kuopio, Finlandia; Veronika Skvortsova, Moscovo, Russia; Katharina Stibrant Sunnerhagen, Göteborg, Suécia; Lars Thomassen, Bergen, Noruega; Danilo Toni, Roma, Italia; Rüdiger von Kummer, Dresden, Alemanha; Nils Gunnar Wahlgren, Estocolmo, Suécia; Marion F. Walker, Nottingham, Reino Unido; Joanna Wardlaw, Edinburgo, Reino Unido
Antimicrobial resistance trends of Typhoidal Salmonellae In Southern Pakistan

Objective: To study the pattern of antimicrobial sensitivity to Salmonella Typhoid in Southern part of Pakistan. Methodology: This retrospective analysis included all blood culture samples positive for Salmonella typhi, paratyphi A, and paratyphi B in adults of age >18 years seen at Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College and Hospital, Sukkur from January to December 2017. Multidrug resistant (MDR) typhoid was defined as the strains resistant to all first line agents. Extended drug resistant (XDR) cases were taken as those resistant to all first line agents along with resistance to fluoroquinolones and ceftriaxone. Data were analyzed using SPSS version. 21.0 Results: Of 465 salmonella positive isolates, 69.4% were S. typhi, 20.6% were S. paratyphi A and 9.9% were S. paratyphi B. S. typhi was more common in males (52.6%). Among the S. typhi strains, ciprofloxacin showed highest resistance (62.5%); ceftriaxone showed a resistance of 20.7%. There were 17% MDR and 3.7% XDR strains of S. typhi. Conclusion: There is alarming rise in antimicrobial resistance against Salmonellae in Pakistan. Surveillance studies must be used to monitor the typhoid spread and its evolving antimicrobial resistance.
Outcome of pregnancy among HIV infected women in a tertiary care centre, Hubli, Karnataka, India

Background: Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in pregnancy has become the most common medical complication of pregnancy in some countries. Reports have shown that HIV infection during pregnancy can have adverse effects on both the mother and the infant. As of 2007, 90% of HIV infected children got the virus through MTCT. Hence, this study was planned to assess the outcome of pregnancy among HIV infected women. Methodology: A case series study was carried out on all HIV positive pregnant women on ART who delivered in KIMS hospital, Hubli during the six months of study period. Results: Of the total 25 HIV positive women, 16 (64%)were primi-gravida and 6 (24%) had obstetric history of G2P1L1A0. Seventeen (68%) women had full time normal vaginal delivery, 3 (12%) had a preterm and 3 (12%) delivered by emergency LSCS. Pregnancy outcome showed that 19 (76%) delivered a full term baby, 3 (12%) preterm baby, 1 (4%) had a stillbirth, 1 (4%) encountered intra uterine death of foetus and 1 (4%) underwent medical termination of pregnancy. Conclusion: Majority of HIV infected pregnant women delivered full term normal vaginal delivery of near normal birth weight without any birth defects. It indicates that antiretroviral therapy of pregnant HIV infected women is beneficial and should be emphasized.
Phylodynamics reveals the role of human travel and contact tracing in controlling COVID-19 in four island nations

Most populated corners of the planet have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus behind the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the progression of COVID-19 in four island nations that fared well over the first three months of the pandemic: New Zealand, Australia, Iceland, and Taiwan. Using Bayesian phylodynamic methods, we estimated the effective reproduction number of COVID-19 in the four islands as 1-1.4 during early stages of the pandemic, and show that it declined below 1 as human movement was restricted. Our reconstruction of COVID-19's phylogenetic history indicated that this disease was introduced many times into each island, and that introductions slowed down markedly when the borders closed. Finally, we found that New Zealand clusters identified via standard health surveillance largely agreed with those defined by genomic data. Our findings can assist public health decisions in countries with circulating SARS-CoV-2, and support efforts to mitigate any second waves or future epidemics.
Commodity Prices and Monetary Policy in Emerging East Asia

In the first-half of the global financial turmoil, rising inflation was a major concern for emerging East Asian central banks. Coupled with a slowing US economy, regional central banks faced an inevitable monetary policy choice of either addressing higher inflation or supporting moderate growth. Higher food and fuel prices were the major drivers of headline inflation. Their causes, however, were a confluence of factors--whether cyclical or structural, domestic or global, supply or demand--all reinforcing each other and contributing to widespread price escalations in all classes of commodities. In response, a raft of fiscal and administrative measures of questionable effectiveness was widely implemented. Understandably, different economies faced different balance of risks between price stability and growth, but to attribute the causes of inflation to supply shocks alone was misleading and probably explained why many central banks were reluctant and/or slow to raise interest rates. This was all the more puzzling given that inflation and inflation expectations were on the rise, and central bank credibility was not in abundance. Without much credibility, inflation expectations cannot be well-anchored. To gain credibility, a central bank must "walk-the-talk" and this is only possible if it has the autonomy to do so.
Adaptive Divergence of Trophic Phenotype among Freshwater Populations of the Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

We investigated differences in the morphological and behavioural contributions to foraging success among three morphotypes (open-water, littoral, and intermediate) of the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from a single drainage system on Vancouver Island. Stomach contents from wild samples showed diet to be dependent on morphotype. Interpopulation differences in trophic morphology were associated with differences in foraging success on given prey types. The longer jaw of the bottom-browsing littoral morphotype allowed it to ingest significantly larger prey then either the intermediate or open-water populations. In addition, the littoral type spent less time manipulating benthic prey then either the open-water or intermediate morphotype. The latter observation is independent of interpopulation differences in jaw length. Both the planktivorous open-water morphotype and intermediate morphotypes were superior foragers in experiments on water column prey. The differences in water column foraging .