Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A New Paradigm for Minimax Search

textabstractThis paper introduces a new paradigm for minimax game-tree search algorithms. MT is a memory-enhanced version of Pearl's Test procedure. By changing the way MT is called, a number of best-first game-tree search algorithms can be simply and elegantly constructed (including SSS*). Most of the assessments of minimax search algorithms have been based on simulations. However, these simulations generally do not address two of the key ingredients of high performance game-playing programs: iterative deepening and memory usage. This paper presents experimental data from three game-playing programs (checkers, Othello and chess), covering the range from low to high branching factor. The improved move ordering due to iterative deepening and memory usage results in significantly different results from those portrayed in the literature. Whereas some simulations show alpha-beta expanding almost 100% more leaf nodes than other algorithms [Marsland, Reinefeld & Schaeffer, 1987], our results showed variations of less than 20%. One new instance of our framework MTD(f) out-performs our best alpha-beta searcher (aspiration NegaScout) on leaf nodes, total nodes and execution time. To our knowledge, these are the first reported results that compare both depth-first and best-first algorithms given the same amount of memory.
Comparison between fuzzy and NN method for speech emotion recognition

This paper discusses an approach towards automatic recognition of emotion in speech which is adopted into a system named voice driven emotion recognizer mobile phone (VDERM). First, a design for the emotion recognizer is proposed, LPC analysis algorithm has been used for the speech emotion feature extraction. A total of 18 speech features have been selected to represent each emotion. A database consisting of emotional Malay and English, male and female voice samples have been developed for training and recognition purposes. Two recognition methods namely neural network and fuzzy model have been experimented and compared. The results show that both methods have their own advantage and disadvantage in application to emotion recognition. A recognition rate of up 60% is achievable by using these computer methods which is sufficient based on the recognition rate achieved by human.
Location area planning in cellular networks using simulated annealing

Location area (LA) planning plays an important role in cellular networks because of the trade-off caused by paging and registration signaling. The upper bound on the size of an LA is the service area of a mobile switching center (MSC). In that extreme case, the cost of paging is at its maximum, but no registration is needed. On the other hand, if each cell is an LA, the paging cost is minimal, but the registration cost is the largest. In general, the most important component of these costs is the load on the signaling resources. Between the extremes lie one or more partitions of the MSC service area that minimize the total cost of paging and registration. In this paper, we try to find an optimal method for determining the location areas. For that purpose, we use the available network information to formulate a realistic optimization problem. We propose an algorithm based on simulated annealing (SA) for the solution of the resulting problem. Then, we investigate the quality of the SA technique by comparing its results to greedy search and random generation methods.
Methylation of Adjacent CpG Sites Affects Sp1/Sp3 Binding and Activity in the p21Cip1 Promoter

ABSTRACT DNA methylation in the promoter of certain genes is associated with transcriptional silencing. Methylation affects gene expression directly by interfering with transcription factor binding and/or indirectly by recruiting histone deacetylases through methyl-DNA-binding proteins. In this study, we demonstrate that the human lung cancer cell line H719 lacks p53-dependent and -independent p21Cip1 expression. p53 response to treatment with gamma irradiation or etoposide is lost due to a mutation at codon 242 of p53 (C→W). Treatment with depsipeptide, an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, was unable to induce p53-independent p21Cip1 expression because the promoter of p21Cip1 in these cells is hypermethylated. By analyzing luciferase activity of transfected p21Cip1 promoter vectors, we demonstrate that depsipeptide functions on Sp1-binding sites to induce p21Cip1 expression. We hypothesize that hypermethylation may interfere with Sp1/Sp3 binding. By using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we show that, although methylation within the consensus Sp1-binding site did not reduce Sp1/Sp3 binding, methylation outside of the consensus Sp1 element induced a significant decrease in Sp1/Sp3 binding. Depsipeptide induced p21Cip1 expression was reconstituted when cells were pretreated with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine. Our data suggest, for the first time, that hypermethylation around the consensus Sp1-binding sites may directly reduce Sp1/Sp3 binding, therefore leading to a reduced p21Cip1 expression in response to depsipeptide treatment.
Low Prevalence of fks1 Hot Spot 1 Mutations in a Worldwide Collection of Candida Strains

ABSTRACT We evaluated the prevalence of fks1 hot spot (HS) 1 mutations among 133 Candida strains from six species displaying various caspofungin MIC values (from ≤0.008 to >8 μg/ml). Only 4 (2.9%) strains displayed FKS1 HS1 amino acid substitutions: 1 C. albicans (F641Y) among 32 isolates tested (3.1%), 1 C. glabrata (S645P) among 34 isolates tested (2.9%), and 2 C. tropicalis (F641S) among 12 isolates tested (16.7%). The 4 isolates displaying FKS1 HS1 alterations showed elevated caspofungin MIC results (1 to >8 μg/ml) but lower anidulafungin and micafungin MIC values (0.12 to 4 μg/ml and 0.25 to 4 μg/ml, respectively) in some instances within the wild-type MIC population, as determined using the epidemiologic cutoff values (ECV). Candida krusei, C. parapsilosis, and C. guilliermondii isolates tested showed no FKS1 HS1 alterations regardless of echinocandin MIC result. We additionally analyzed 8 C. albicans and 7 C. glabrata strains for mutations on other HS regions of fks1 and fks2. Three C. glabrata strains showed alterations on FKS2 HS1 (two S645P and one L644W). In general, strains displaying S645P alteration showed higher echinocandin MIC values than strains harboring other mutations. Overall, Candida spp. strains showing caspofungin MIC values within the ECV did not display fks HS mutations. In contrast, strains showing alterations in this region displayed anidulafungin and/or micafungin MIC values within the wild-type population, suggesting that caspofungin could be the most sensitive agent for detection of these resistance mutations. Furthermore, results from this large, geographically diverse Candida spp. collection demonstrated that fks1 HS1 mutations remain uncommon among isolates with various echinocandin MIC levels.
Encoding and retrieval of episodic memories: Role of cholinergic and GABAergic modulation in the hippocampus

This research focuses on linking episodic memory function to the cellular physiology of hippocampal neurons, with a particular emphasis on modulatory effects at cholinergic and γ‐aminobutyric acid B receptors. Drugs which block acetylcholine receptors (e.g., scopolamine) have been shown to impair encoding of new information in humans, nonhuman primates, and rodents. Extensive data have been gathered about the cellular effects of acetylcholine in the hippocampus. In this research, models of individual hippocampal subregions have been utilized to understand the significance of particular features of modulation, and these hippocampal subregions have been combined in a network simulation which can replicate the selective encoding impairment produced by scopolamine in human subjects. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Improving activity recognition using temporal coherence

Assessment of daily physical activity using data from wearable sensors has recently become a prominent research area in the biomedical engineering field and a substantial application for pattern recognition. In this paper, we present an accelerometer-based activity recognition scheme on the basis of a hierarchical structured classifier. A first step consists of distinguishing static activities from dynamic ones in order to extract relevant features for each activity type. Next, a separate classifier is applied to detect more specific activities of the same type. On top of our activity recognition system, we introduce a novel approach to take into account the temporal coherence of activities. Inter-activity transition information is modeled by a directed graph Markov chain. Confidence measures in activity classes are then evaluated from conventional classifier's outputs and coupled with the graph to reinforce activity estimation. Accurate results and significant improvement of activity detection are obtained when applying our system for the recognition of 9 activities for 48 subjects.
Singular Perturbations in Infinite-Dimensional Control Systems

In this paper, we consider a singularly perturbed control system involving differential inclusions in Banach spaces with slow and fast solutions. Using the averaging approach, we obtain sufficient conditions for the Hausdorff convergence of the set of slow solutions in the supremum norm. We present applications of the theorem to prove convergence of the fast solutions in terms of invariant measures and convergence of equi-Lipschitz solutions.
Effect of CPAP on insulin resistance and HbA1c in men with obstructive sleep apnoea and type 2 diabetes

Background: The effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) on insulin resistance are not clear. Trials have found conflicting results and no appropriate control groups have been used. Methods: Forty-two men with known type 2 diabetes and newly diagnosed OSA (>10 dips/h in oxygen saturation of >4%) were randomised to receive therapeutic (n = 20) or placebo CPAP (n = 22) for 3 months. Baseline tests were performed and repeated after 3 months. The study was double blind. Results: Results are expressed as mean (SD). CPAP improved the Epworth sleepiness score significantly more in the therapeutic group than in the placebo group (−6.6 (4.5) vs −2.6 (4.9), p = 0.01). The maintenance of wakefulness test improved significantly in the therapeutic group but not in the placebo group (+10.6 (13.9) vs −4.7 (11.8) min, p = 0.001). Glycaemic control and insulin resistance did not significantly change in either the therapeutic or placebo groups: HbA1c (−0.02 (1.5) vs +0.1 (0.7), p = 0.7, 95% CI −0.6% to +0.9%), euglycaemic clamp (M/I: +1.7 (14.1) vs −5.7 (14.8), p = 0.2, 95% CI −1.8 to +0.3 l/kg/min1000), HOMA-%S (−1.5 (2.3) vs −1.1 (1.8), p = 0.2, 95% CI −0.3% to +0.08%) and adiponectin (−1.1 (1.2) vs −1.1 (1.3), p = 0.2, 95% CI −0.7 to +0.6 &mgr;g/ml). Body mass index, bioimpedance and anthropometric measurements were unchanged. Hours of CPAP use per night were 3.6 (2.8) in the treatment group and 3.3 (3.0) in the placebo group (p = 0.8). There was no correlation between CPAP use and the measures of glycaemic control or insulin resistance. Conclusion: Therapeutic CPAP does not significantly improve measures of glycaemic control or insulin resistance in men with type 2 diabetes and OSA.
Multipartite Entangled States, Symmetric Matrices, and Error-Correcting Codes

A pure quantum state is called <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-uniform if all its reductions to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-qudit are maximally mixed. We investigate the general constructions of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-uniform pure quantum states of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula> subsystems with <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$d$ </tex-math></inline-formula> levels. We provide one construction via symmetric matrices and the second one through the classical error-correcting codes. There are three main results arising from our constructions. First, we show that for any given even <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n\ge 2$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, there always exists an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n/2$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-uniform <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-qudit quantum state of level <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$p$ </tex-math></inline-formula> for sufficiently large prime <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$p$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. Second, both constructions show that there exist <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-uniform <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-qudit pure quantum states such that <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is proportional to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, i.e., <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k=\Omega (n)$ </tex-math></inline-formula> although the construction from symmetric matrices in general outperforms the one by error-correcting codes. Third, our symmetric matrix construction provides a positive answer to the open question on whether there exists a 3-uniform <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-qudit pure quantum state for all <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n\ge 8$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. In fact, we can further prove that, for every <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, there exists a constant <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$M_{k}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> such that there exists a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-uniform <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-qudit quantum state for all <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n\ge M_{k}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. In addition, by using the concatenation of algebraic geometry codes, we give an explicit construction of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-uniform quantum state when <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula> tends to infinity.
Lithium toxicity in yeast is due to the inhibition of RNA processing enzymes

Hal2p is an enzyme that converts pAp (adenosine 3′,5′ bisphosphate), a product of sulfate assimilation, into 5′ AMP and Pi. Overexpression of Hal2p confers lithium resistance in yeast, and its activity is inhibited by submillimolar amounts of Li+ in vitro. Here we report that pAp accumulation in HAL2 mutants inhibits the 5′→3′ exoribonucleases Xrn1p and Rat1p. Li+ treatment of a wild‐type yeast strain also inhibits the exonucleases, as a result of pAp accumulation due to inhibition of Hal2p; 5′ processing of the 5.8S rRNA and snoRNAs, degradation of pre‐rRNA spacer fragments and mRNA turnover are inhibited. Lithium also inhibits the activity of RNase MRP by a mechanism which is not mediated by pAp. A mutation in the RNase MRP RNA confers Li+ hypersensitivity and is synthetically lethal with mutations in either HAL2 or XRN1. We propose that Li+ toxicity in yeast is due to synthetic lethality evoked between Xrn1p and RNase MRP. Similar mechanisms may contribute to the effects of Li+ on development and in human neurobiology.
Dependency Parsing of Modern Standard Arabic with Lexical and Inflectional Features

We explore the contribution of lexical and inflectional morphology features to dependency parsing of Arabic, a morphologically rich language with complex agreement patterns. Using controlled experiments, we contrast the contribution of different part-of-speech (POS) tag sets and morphological features in two input conditions: machine-predicted condition (in which POS tags and morphological feature values are automatically assigned), and gold condition (in which their true values are known). We find that more informative (fine-grained) tag sets are useful in the gold condition, but may be detrimental in the predicted condition, where they are outperformed by simpler but more accurately predicted tag sets. We identify a set of features (definiteness, person, number, gender, and undiacritized lemma) that improve parsing quality in the predicted condition, whereas other features are more useful in gold. We are the first to show that functional features for gender and number (e.g., “broken plurals”), and optionally the related rationality (“humanness”) feature, are more helpful for parsing than form-based gender and number. We finally show that parsing quality in the predicted condition can dramatically improve by training in a combined gold+predicted condition. We experimented with two transition-based parsers, MaltParser and Easy-First Parser. Our findings are robust across parsers, models, and input conditions. This suggests that the contribution of the linguistic knowledge in the tag sets and features we identified goes beyond particular experimental settings, and may be informative for other parsers and morphologically rich languages.
Temporal Causality and the Dynamics of Exports, Human Capital and Real Income in China

This article employs cointegration and error-correction modelling to test the causal relationship between real income, exports and human capital stock using data for China over the period 1960 to 1999. We find that real exports, human capital and real income are cointegrated when real exports is the dependent variable, but are not cointegrated when human capital or real income are the dependent variable. In the short-run we find evidence of bi-directional Granger causality between human capital and real exports, unidirectional Granger causality running from real income to human capital and neutrality between real exports and real income.
Friction Stir Spot Welding (FSSW) of Aluminum Sheets: Experimental and Simulative Analysis

Friction Stir welding (FSW) is a solid state joining process developed by TWI (The Welding Institute) in 1991. This technology is suitable for joining different materials even considered difficult to be welded using more traditional techniques and it is appropriate to weld materials in different configurations (such as butt, lap, circumferential, T-joint etc). Recently, starting from the FSW approach, a new technology called Friction Stir Spot Welding (FSSW) was developed. In this case, instead of moving along the weld seam, the tool only indents two overlapped parts. In some applications, this technology can be considered as a valid alternative for single point joining processes like resistance spot welding (RSW) and riveting processes. This work deals with an experimental study of the FSSW process for the lap-joining of thin aluminum sheets. In particular, an experimental campaign was performed on AA6060 T6 aluminum sheets having a thickness equal to 2 mm. The FSSW process was applied on couples of overlapped sheets by varying the tool rotational speed, and by keeping fixed the other process parameters, such as axial feed rate, indentation depth, and dwell time. Welding forces distributions were recorded during the process. Preliminary tensile tests and metallurgical analyses were also performed to evaluate the quality of the joints as function of the chosen process parameters. A numerical model of the FSSW process was developed and implemented using the commercial FEM code Deform 3D. The model parameters were set according to the experimental evidence.
Kinetic Study of the Pyrolysis of Waste Printed Circuit Boards Subject to Conventional and Microwave Heating

This paper describes a kinetic study of the decomposition of waste printed circuit boards (WPCB) under conventional and microwave-induced pyrolysis conditions. We discuss the heating rates and the influence of the pyrolysis on the thermal decomposition kinetics of WPCB. We find that the thermal degradation of WPCB in a controlled conventional thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) occurred in the temperature range of 300 °C–600 °C, where the main pyrolysis of organic matter takes place along with an expulsion of volumetric volatiles. The corresponding activation energy is decreased from 267 kJ/mol to 168 kJ/mol with increased heating rates from 20 °C/min to 50 °C/min. Similarly, the process of microwave-induced pyrolysis of WPCB material manifests in only one stage, judging by experiments with a microwave power of 700 W. Here, the activation energy is determined to be only 49 kJ/mol, much lower than that found in a conventional TGA subject to a similar heating rate. The low activation energy found in microwave-induced pyrolysis suggests that the adoption of microwave technology for the disposal of WPCB material and even for waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) could be an attractive option.
Body Composition Changes in the First 6 Months of Life According to Method of Feeding

Background: Early feeding choices may affect long-term health outcomes. Therefore, understanding body composition changes in healthy breastfed infants has become an important research focus. Objectives: The aims of this review were to investigate the body composition changes that occur during weight loss in breastfed term newborns and to examine body composition differences between exclusively/predominantly breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants in the first 6 months of life. Methods: We performed a review of the existing literature using PubMed. We searched for studies published in English since January 1, 2000, that involved human infants ranging in age from birth to 6 months. We used the following MEDLINE Medical Subject Headings: ((breastfeeding) OR (infant formula)) AND ((body composition) OR (bioelectrical impedance) OR (absorptiometry, photon) OR (total body potassium) OR (isotope dilution) OR (air-displacement plethysmography)). Our search yielded 6 studies. Results: Two studies reported that newborn weight loss was due to a reduction in the quantity of both fat mass and fat-free mass. Three out of 4 articles that evaluated body composition changes according to method of feeding reported no differences in body composition between exclusively/predominantly breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants in the first 4.5 months of life. One study reported that exclusively breastfed infants at 3 months of age and exclusively breastfed boys at 6 months of age had higher fat mass contents compared to exclusively formula-fed infants. Conclusion: Because of the limited number of studies available, larger studies are needed to clarify the differences in body composition between exclusively/predominantly breastfed and exclusively formula-fed infants.
Not Your Everyday Case of Acute Pancreatitis: A Rare Complication of a Common Diagnosis

Pancreaticopericardial fistula is an extremely rare complication of chronic pancreatitis and is virtually unheard of in the setting of acute pancreatitis. A 67-year-old male presented with acute pancreatitis complicated by pancreaticopericardial fistulization. The patient's initial presentation was consistent with tamponade physiology. Computed tomography demonstrated a gas-containing pericardial fluid llection extending into the anterior upper abdomen and ill-defined fluid collections within the pancreas representing necrosis with probable infection. Surgical exploration of the window revealed a pancreatic pericardial fistula and an infected window. The patient ultimately passed away from septic shock. We present this rare complication of pancreatitis and review the relevant literature.