Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A study of Chinese named entity and relation identification in a specific domain

This thesis aims at investigating automatic identification of Chinese named entities (NEs) and their relations (NERs) in a specific domain. We have proposed a three-stage pipeline computational model for the error correction of word segmentation and POS tagging, NE recognition and NER identification. In this model, an error repair module utilizing machine learning techniques is developed in the first stage. At the second stage, a new algorithm that can automatically construct Finite State Cascades (FSC) from given sets of rules is designed. As a supplement, the recognition strategy without NE trigger words can identify the special linguistic phenomena. In the third stage, a novel approach positive and negative case-based learning and identification (PNCBL&I) is implemented. It pursues the improvement of the identification performance for NERs through simultaneously learning two opposite cases and automatically selecting effective multi-level linguistic features for NERs and non-NERs. Further, two other strategies, resolving relation conflicts and inferring missing relations, are also integrated in the identification procedure.
Parallel performance of ensemble self-generating neural networks for chaotic time series prediction problems

Self-Generating Neural Networks (SGNN) have the feature of fast processing by automatically constructing a self-generating neural tree (SGNT) from a given training data set. The prediction accuracy of SGNNs for chaotic time series prediction is improved by ensemble averaging of various SGNNs. However, the computation time increases with the number of SGNNs on a single processor. In this paper, we investigate improvement of the prediction accuracy and parallel efficiency of ensemble SGNNs for chaotic time series prediction problems on an MIMD parallel computer. We allocate each SGNN to one processor. Our results show that as the number of node processors increases, a continuing improvement of prediction accuracy is obtained for all problems, while maintaining the high-speed processing performance of the single SGNN. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 36(10): 82–92, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience. wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.10297
Memory repair for high fault rates

We illustrate that memory repair for high fault rates allows improving yield, extending circuit life, reducing power, and improving reliability, and can be used to push aggressively the limits of technology scaling. Then we present several new concepts enabling low-cost memory repair for high fault rates, which allow realizing this promise, as well as the resolution of complex theoretical problems for, which is mandatory for making practical these concepts.
CD335 (NKp46)+ T-Cell Recruitment to the Bovine Upper Respiratory Tract during a Primary Bovine Herpesvirus-1 Infection

Bovine natural killer (NK) cells were originally defined by the NK activation receptor CD335 [natural killer cell p46-related protein (NKp46)], but following the discovery of NKp46 expression on human T-cells, the definition of conventional bovine NK cells was modified to CD335+CD3− cells. Recently, a bovine T-cell population co-expressing CD335 was identified and these non-conventional T-cells were shown to produce interferon (IFN)-γ and share functional properties with both conventional NK cells and T-cells. It is not known, however, if CD335+ bovine T-cells are recruited to mucosal surfaces and what chemokines play a role in recruiting this unique T-cell subpopulation. In this study, bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1), which is closely related to herpes simplex virus-1, was used to investigate bovine lymphocyte cell populations recruited to the upper respiratory tract following a primary respiratory infection. Immunohistochemical staining with individual monoclonal antibodies revealed significant (P < 0.05) recruitment of CD335+, CD3+, and CD8+ lymphocyte populations to the nasal turbinates on day 5 following primary BHV-1 infection. Dual-color immunofluorescence revealed that cells recruited to nasal turbinates were primarily T-cells that co-expressed both CD335 and CD8. This non-conventional T-cell population represented 77.5% of CD355+ cells and 89.5% of CD8+ cells recruited to nasal turbinates on day 5 post-BHV-1 infection. However, due to diffuse IFN-γ staining of nasal turbinate tissue, it was not possible to directly link increased IFN-γ production following BHV-1 infection with the recruitment of non-conventional T-cells. Transcriptional analysis revealed CCL4, CCL5, and CXCL9 gene expression was significantly (P < 0.05) upregulated in nasal turbinate tissue following BHV-1 infection. Therefore, no single chemokine was associated with recruitment of non-conventional T-cells. In conclusion, the specific recruitment of CD335+ and CD8+ non-conventional T-cells to viral-infected tissue suggests that these cells may play an important role in either the clearance of a primary BHV-1 infection or regulating host responses during viral infection. The early recruitment of non-conventional T-cells following a primary viral infection may enable the host to recognize viral-infected cells through NKp46 while retaining the possibility of establishing T-cell immune memory.
Is mandibular reconstruction using vascularized fibula flaps and dental implants a reasonable treatment?

PURPOSE this study retrospectively analyzed the rate of screwed implant insertion and risk factors in patients undergoing mandibular reconstruction with microsurgical revascularized fibula flaps. METHODS This study retrospectively analyzed all patients with microvascularized fibula grafts between 1997 and 2005. Collected data included general data and risk factors (e.g., smoking, alcohol use), and irradiation was the main predictor variable. The number of patients rehabilitated with dental implants and the implant success rate were evaluated, possible influencing factors were identified, and the results were compared with previously published data. RESULTS The sample included 33 patients (17 men, 16 women; mean age: 52 years); 76% were smokers, 42% drank alcohol regularly, and 73% had undergone mandible irradiation. Twenty-three patients received 140 screw-retained implants for dental rehabilitation. Twenty-three implants were lost. Overall 1- and 5-year implant survival rates were 94% and 83%, respectively. Implant survival rates were 86% in non-irradiated mandibular bone, 86% in non-irradiated grafted fibular bone, 82% in irradiated mandibular bone, and 38% in irradiated grafted fibular bone. CONCLUSION This study showed that the use of dental implants in patients with fibula flaps is an appropriate and successful option for dental rehabilitation, even in those with risk factors such as smoking, alcohol use, and irradiation. Implant placement in irradiated grafted bone seems to be a high-risk procedure.
Foreign body of the rectum: An unusual case

When the early phase is over and the patient presents with upper abdominal pain, a history of recent or remote penetrating thoracoabdominal trauma on the left side should give rise to clinical suspicion of a delayed diaphragmatic hernia complication like incarceration or strangulation of the herniated stomach. [3] Proper radiological examinations will help in diagnosis. [2] Chest X-ray is the initial radiologic investigation, which reveals absence of fundic gas in its normal position, elevation of the hemidiaphragm with its absent sharp outline and coiled nasogastric tube located within the left hemithorax. Oral administration of barium or water-soluble contrast may enhance the detection of bowel within the chest. [2] MDCT is the most appropriate second-line study. [2,4] Multiplanar reformations of high spatial resolution improve the accuracy of CT in demonstrating diaphragmatic defects and hernias. The demonstration of conclusive radiologic findings of collar sign as a constriction of hollow viscus at the diaphragmatic defect and dependent viscera sign as abdominal organs set against posterior ribs enhances the diagnosis of posttraumatic diaphragmatic hernia. [4] The management strategy includes hernia reduction, pleural drainage and repair of the diaphragmatic defect. [3]
Early Termination Scheme for Binary Block Motion Estimation

For real-time video encoder, low-complexity video encoding algorithms are required in many applications. This paper provides an early termination scheme to make the conventional binary block motion estimation algorithm significantly faster. The difference between the intensity of original frame and its filtered version is used as an input to something in this paper. With video codec, the proposed scheme shows improved visual quality while reducing complexity. Experimental results are provided to compare the performance of the proposed scheme with the conventional algorithms.
Parsing Linear Context-Free Rewriting Systems with Fast Matrix Multiplication

We describe a recognition algorithm for a subset of binary linear context-free rewriting systems (LCFRS) with running time O(nωd) where M(m) = O(mω) is the running time for m × m matrix multiplication and d is the “contact rank” of the LCFRS—the maximal number of combination and non-combination points that appear in the grammar rules. We also show that this algorithm can be used as a subroutine to obtain a recognition algorithm for general binary LCFRS with running time O(nωd+1). The currently best known ω is smaller than 2.38. Our result provides another proof for the best known result for parsing mildly context-sensitive formalisms such as combinatory categorial grammars, head grammars, linear indexed grammars, and tree-adjoining grammars, which can be parsed in time O(n4.76). It also shows that inversion transduction grammars can be parsed in time O(n5.76). In addition, binary LCFRS subsumes many other formalisms and types of grammars, for some of which we also improve the asymptotic complexity of parsing.
Current steering in retinal stimulation via a quasimonopolar stimulation paradigm.

PURPOSE Research to restore some degree of vision to patients suffering from retinal degeneration is becoming increasingly more promising. Several groups have chosen electrical stimulation of the remaining network of a degenerate retina as a means to generate discrete light percepts (phosphenes). Approaches vary significantly, with the greatest difference being the location of the stimulating electrode itself. METHODS Suprachoroidal positioning offers excellent mechanical stability and surgical simplicity; however, at the cost of activation thresholds and focused stimulation due to the distance from the electrodes to the target neurons. Past studies proposed a hexapolar electrode configuration to focus the cortical activation and minimize cross-talk between electrodes during concurrent stimulation. The high impedance nature of the choroid and pigment epithelium, however, cause current to shunt between the stimulating and return electrodes, resulting in even higher activation thresholds. In our study, we analyzed the effect of stimulating the feline retina using a quasimonopolar stimulation by simultaneously stimulating a hexapolar and distant monopolar return configurations. RESULTS Results of in vivo studies showed that quasimonopolar stimulation can be used to maintain the activation containment properties of hexapolar stimulation, while lowering the activation threshold to values almost equivalent to those of monopolar stimulation. CONCLUSIONS The optimal stimulus was found to be composed of a subthreshold monopolar stimulus combined with a suprathreshold hexapolar stimulation. This resulted in a decrease of activation threshold of 60% with respect to hexapolar alone, but with no discernible deleterious effect on the charge containment of a pure hexapolar stimulation.
A New Blind Joint Timing and Frequency Offset Estimator for OFDM Systems Over Multipath Fading Channels

A blind joint timing and frequency synchronization algorithm is derived for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signals transmitting over multipath fading channels. The proposed estimator requires neither the knowledge of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) nor the power delay profile of the fading channels, except that the maximum delay spread L should be known and should be shorter than the guard interval. In the proposed estimator, the transmitted time-domain OFDM samples are modeled as an independent Gaussian random sequence, and the received time-domain OFDM samples are partitioned into a few subsets in such a way that the neighboring entries in each subset are uncorrelated. This is achieved by picking out OFDM samples that are spaced L samples apart into each subset. By modeling the channel gains as unknown deterministic variables, a joint symbol timing and frequency offset (FO) estimation algorithm is derived based on these subsets. Simulation results show that, in terms of lock-in probability, the proposed blind ST estimator achieves better performance than the estimators studied by Van De Beek and Speth , as well as the approximate maximum-likelihood estimator described by Lee and Cheun when the SNR is sufficiently high. For FO estimation, in terms of mean square error (MSE), the proposed estimator outperforms the estimators studied by Van De Beek and Speth at medium and high SNR. In terms of bit error rate (BER), the proposed estimator is superior to the estimators studied by Van De Beek and Speth Furthermore, the simulation results show that the performance of the proposed estimator is tolerant to the variation in the number of delay paths. This means that the proposed estimator will still adequately perform, even when the number of delay paths is time varying and is not estimated at the receiver. Finally, simulation results show that the use of virtual subcarriers has negligible performance loss in the proposed estimator.
Notice of RetractionThe Effect of Water Level on Microbial Activity and Active Organic Carbon under Calamagrostis angustifolia Marsh in Sanjiang Plain, China

Water plays a key role to sustain the stability of wetland and change of water level will influence soil microbial activity and plant growth. In order to investigate the response of aboveground biomass, soil enzyme activities and soil active organic carbon including microbial biomass (MBC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and labile organic carbon (LOC) to water gradient in freshwater marsh, the field simulation experiment with soil water level treatments of -5cm (W1), 0cm (W2), 5cm (W3) and 10cm (W4) were carried out under a typical Camagrostis angustifolia marsh of Sanjiang Plain in China. C. angustifolia was shown to be best adapted to the water level of 0 cm, at which its aboveground biomass was the highest and the activities of invertase, amylase, acid phosphatase and urease in this condition were also greater than those in waterlogged soil, moreover waterlogged soils inhibited their activities and the inhibiting effect was enhanced with water level increasing. The influence of water level on MBC was similar to that on enzymes. That is, waterlogging suppressed the growth of microorganism and the content of MBC obviously decreased along with the increase of water level. When the water level was 0 cm, the content of MBC was significantly higher than other treatments (P <;0.05). Nevertheless, the content of DOC and LOC increased as the water level rose. By Pearson analysis, the activities of marsh soil invertase, amylase, acid phosphotase and urease were significant positive correlation with aboveground biomass and MBC(P <;0.05), however, negative correlations with the content of DOC and LOC.
Familial Risks for Type 2 Diabetes in Sweden

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to characterize familial risks for type 2 diabetes by the type and number of affected family members, including half-siblings, adoptees, and spouses, to quantify risks and estimate the contribution of environmental effect. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Families were identified from the Multigeneration Register, and type 2 diabetic patients were obtained from the Hospital Discharge Register. Standardized incidence ratios were calculated for offspring with type 2 diabetes whose family members were hospitalized for type 2 diabetes at ages >39 years compared with those lacking affected family members. RESULTS The number of hospitalized type 2 diabetic patients was 157,549. Among 27,895 offspring, 27.9% had a parent or sibling also hospitalized for type 2 diabetes. The familial relative risk (RR) ranged from 2.0 to >30, depending on the number and type of probands. The highest RRs of type 2 diabetes were found in individuals who had at least two siblings affected by type 2 diabetes, irrespective of the parental disease. Adoptees showed no risk from adopted parents. CONCLUSIONS The study, the largest yet published, showed that familial RRs varied by the number and type of affected family member. However, much of the familial clustering remains yet to be genetically explained. The high risk should be recognized in clinical genetic counseling. The data from adoptees confirmed the genetic basis of the familial associations, but those from half siblings and spouses suggested that a smaller part of familial clustering may be accounted for by environmental factors.
Plugging in or going wireless: strategies for interspecies electron transfer

Interspecies exchange of electrons enables a diversity of microbial communities to gain energy from reactions that no one microbe can catalyze. The first recognized strategies for interspecies electron transfer were those that relied on chemical intermediates that are recycled through oxidized and reduced forms. Well-studied examples are interspecies H2 transfer and the cycling of sulfur intermediates in anaerobic photosynthetic communities. Direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) in which two species establish electrical contact is an alternative. Electrical contacts documented to date include electrically conductive pili, as well as conductive iron minerals and conductive carbon moieties such as activated carbon and biochar. Interspecies electron transfer is central to the functioning of methane-producing microbial communities. The importance of interspecies H2 transfer in many methanogenic communities is clear, but under some circumstances DIET predominates. It is expected that further mechanistic studies and broadening investigations to a wider range of environments will help elucidate the factors that favor specific forms of interspecies electron exchange under different environmental conditions.
A PD-type regulator with exact gravity cancellation for robots with flexible joints

We present a new control approach to regulation tasks for robots with elastic joints in the presence of gravity. The control law combines a term that cancels the gravity effects on the robot link dynamics with a PD-type error feedback on the motor variables. The first control component follows from the feedback equivalence principle when imposing to the link variables the same dynamic behavior as if gravity were absent. The PD component can then be designed in a rather straightforward way. Global asymptotic stability is shown via Lyapunov analysis, without the need of strictly positive lower bounds neither on the proportional control gain nor on the structural joint stiffness. The control approach is also extended to the case of robot joints with nonlinear stiffness.
An MPEG performance model and its application to adaptive forward error correction

We present a general analytical model for predicting the reconstructed frame rate of an MPEG stream. Our model captures the temporal relationships between I-, P, and B-frames but is independent of the channel and media characteristics. We derive an adaptive FEC scheme from the general model and verify it by comparing it to the results of a simulation. The prediction error of the model compared to the simulation for a wide array of parameter values is less than 5%. We then use the derived adaptive FEC scheme to study the optimal rate allocation (i.e., between generating a higher frame rate or increasing the protection for a lower frame rate) when equation-based TCP rate control is used to couple packet rates to channel characteristics such as round trip time and packet loss probabilities. Surprisingly, we find that optimal protection levels for I- and P-frames are relatively static as loss rates increase from 1% to 4% while changes in the frame type pattern are used to ameliorate the effects of the increased loss. The study demonstrates how our model can be used to reveal joint source/channel coding tradeoffs and how they relate to encoding and transmission parameters.
Hemodialysis Patients’ Information and Associated Characteristics

Introduction: of this study was to explore characteristics associated with hemodialysis patients’ degree of information. Material and Methods: The sample of the study included 650 patients undergoing hemodialysis. For data collection a questionnaire specially designed for the needs of the research was used. More specifically, socio-demographic, clinical and other patients’ characteristics were associated with the degree of information as it was reported by patients. Results: of the 650 participants, 55.4% was men while 58.6% of the sample was aged over 60 years. Regarding information level, results showed that only 9.8% was “little” or “not all” informed about their health problem, 61,7% was “enough” informed whereas 28.5% were “very” informed. Statistically significant association was observed between degree of information and age (p=<0.001), family status (p=0.005), education (p=0.001), job (p=0.005) and number of children (p=0.019). In terms of clinical characteristics, statistically significant association was observed between the degree of information and whether patients had other disease or not (p=0.037), whether patients reported adherence to treatment guidelines (p=<0.001). Finally, statistically significant association was observed between the degree of information and relations with nursing staff (p=<0.001), doctors (p=0.007) and other patients (p=0.003), and whether patients faced difficulties in social (p=0.001) and family environment (p=0.002). Conclusion: Health professionals when planning information interventions for orienting hemodialysis patients is increasingly important to evaluate socio-demographic, clinical and other patients ‘ characteristics and incorporate them in their project.