Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fuzzy Ranking of Financial Statements for Fraud Detection

Automatic detection of anomalies in financial statements can decrease the risk of exposure to fraudulent corporate behavior. This paper proposes a method to convert fraud classification rules learned from a genetic algorithm to a fuzzy score representing the degree to which a company's financial statements match those rules. Applying the method to financial data in real time can lead to the early detection of potentially fraudulent corporate behavior.
Grammar-based object representations in a scene parsing task

This paper addresses the nature of visual representations associated with complex structured objects, and the role of these representations in perceptual organization. We use a novel experimental paradigm to probe subjects’ intuitions about parsing a scene consisting of overlapping two-dimensional objects. The objects are generated from an abstract 2-dimensional image grammar, which specifies the set of possible configurations of object parts. We show that participants’ performance on the task depends on prior experience with the object class, and is based on structural cues. This indicates that structural representations exerted a top-down influence on parsing. To address the question of representation type, we used a computational model of object matching in conjunction with various probabilistic representational models. Our simulations indicate that grammar-based representations derived from the original grammars are superior to more restrictive exemplar-based representations in explaining human performance on this task, as well as to more inclusive, over-generalizing grammar-based representations.
Effect of annealing temperature of titanium dioxide thin films on structural and electrical properties

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films are deposited on silicon substrates by using sol-gel dip coating technique. Annealing temperature was varied to investigate its effect on the surface morphology, structural and electrical properties of the film. The crystalline structure, surface morphology and the electrical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscope (AFM), and four point probe. The results show that with an increase in annealing temperature, the value of the intensity of (101) peak increases while the value of the full-width at half maximum decreases. Thin films deposited at high annealing temperatures result in an increase in surface roughness and grain size. The electrical properties of these films show that the resistivity varies between 1.40 × 105 and 7.19 × 102 Ω. cm when the annealing temperature changes from 300 to 900°C, respectively. The TiO2 thin films annealed at 900°C exhibited lower resistivity than other f.
On the Stability of Exponential Backoff

Random access schemes for packet networks featuring distributed control require algorithms and protocols for resolving packet collisions that occur as the uncoordinated terminals contend for the channel. A widely used collision resolution protocol is the exponential backoff (EB). New analytical results for the stability of the (binary) EB are given. Previous studies on the stability of the (binary) EB have produced contradictory results instead of a consensus: some proved instability, others showed stability under certain conditions. In these studies, simplified and/or modified models of the backoff algorithm were used. In this paper, care is taken to use a model that reflects the actual behavior of backoff algorithms. We show that EB is stable under a throughput definition of stability; the throughput of the network converges to a non-zero constant as the offered load N goes to infinity. We also obtain the analytical expressions for the saturation throughput for a given number of nodes, N. The analysis considers the general case of EB with backoff factor r, where BEB is the special case with r = 2. We show that r = 1/(1 − e−1) is the optimum backoff factor that maximizes the throughput. The accuracy of the analysis is checked against simulation results.
Ionization of bases with limited solubility. Investigation of substances with local anesthetic activity.

The deionization process of six local anesthetics, i.e., procaine, lignocaine, cocaine, Rec 7–0518, Rec 7–0544, and Rec 7–0591, was investigated. The compounds are weak bases with a low or a very low solubility of the unionized form. The effects of this property on the deionization process were studied and an explanation of the irregularities of the deionization curve suggested. A method for plotting the deionization process as a straight line is described. Temperature markedly affects the ionization constant. A limited solubility of the unionized base influences its buffering capacity. Both phenomena may be relevant to tissue tolerance for solutions of these substances.
Total Dose Radiation Response of Nitrided and Non-nitrided SiO$_{2}$/4H-SiC MOS Capacitors

The total dose radiation response of nitrided and non-nitrided n-type 4H-SiC is reported for metal oxide semiconductor capacitors exposed to 10-keV X-rays under positive bias. The radiation response is affected strongly by differences in the SiC band gap and interface/near interface SiO2 trap density from typical Si MOS devices. Significantly higher net trapped positive charge densities were observed in nitrided n-SiC MOS capacitors compared to the non-nitrided samples. The mechanisms contributing to the differences in the charge trapping in these devices are discussed. Differences in the interfacial layer between SiO2/Si and SiO2/SiC are responsible for the observed dissimilarities in charge trapping behavior
Prediction of hospital readmission for heart failure: development of a simple risk score based on administrative data.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop a convenient and inexpensive method for identifying and individual's risk for hospital readmission for congestive heart failure (CHF) using information derived exclusively from administrative data sources and available at the time of an index hospital discharge. BACKGROUND: Rates of readmission are higher after hospitalization for CHF. The significant determinants of rehospitalization are debated. METHODS: Administrative information on all 1995 hospital discharges in New York State which were assigned International Classification of Diseases--9--Clinical Modification codes indicative of CHF in the principal diagnosis position were obtained. The following were compared among hospital survivors who did and did not experience readmission: demographics, comorbid illness, hospital type and location, processes of care, length of stay and hospital charges. RESULTS: A total of 42,731 black or white patients were identified. The subgroup of 9,112 (21.3%) who were readmitted were distinguished by a greater proportion of blacks, a higher prevalence of Medicare and Medicaid insurance, more comorbid illnesses and the use of telemetry monitoring during their index hospitalization. Patients treated at rural hospitals, those discharged to skilled nursing facilities and those having echocardiograms or cardiac catheterization were less likely to be readmitted. Using multiple regression methods, a simple methodology was devised that segregated patients into low, intermediate and high risk for readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Patient characteristics, hospital features, processes of care and clinical outcomes may be used to estimate the risk of hospital readmission for CHF. However, some of the variation in rehospitalization risk remains unexplained and may be the result of discretionary behavior by physicians and patients.
The Retinoid-Related Orphan Receptor RORα Promotes Keratinocyte Differentiation via FOXN1

RORα is a retinoid-related orphan nuclear receptor that regulates inflammation, lipid metabolism, and cellular differentiation of several non-epithelial tissues. In spite of its high expression in skin epithelium, its functions in this tissue remain unclear. Using gain- and loss-of-function approaches to alter RORα gene expression in human keratinocytes (HKCs), we have found that this transcription factor functions as a regulator of epidermal differentiation. Among the 4 RORα isoforms, RORα4 is prominently expressed by keratinocytes in a manner that increases with differentiation. In contrast, RORα levels are significantly lower in skin squamous cell carcinoma tumors (SCCs) and cell lines. Increasing the levels of RORα4 in HKCs enhanced the expression of structural proteins associated with early and late differentiation, as well as genes involved in lipid barrier formation. Gene silencing of RORα impaired the ability of keratinocytes to differentiate in an in vivo epidermal cyst model. The pro-differentiation function of RORα is mediated at least in part by FOXN1, a well-known pro-differentiation transcription factor that we establish as a novel direct target of RORα in keratinocytes. Our results point to RORα as a novel node in the keratinocyte differentiation network and further suggest that the identification of RORα ligands may prove useful for treating skin disorders that are associated with abnormal keratinocyte differentiation, including cancer.
Biped walking pattern generation by a simple three-dimensional inverted pendulum model

For three-dimensional (3D) walking control of a biped robot we analyze the dynamics of a 3D inverted pendulum in which motion is constrained to move along an arbitrarily defined plane. This analysis leads us to a simple linear dynamics, the Three-Dimensional Linear Inverted Pendulum Mode (3D-LIPM). The geometric nature of the trajectories under the 3D-LIPM and a method for walking pattern generation are discussed. A simulation result of a walking control using a 12-d.o. f. biped robot model is also shown.
An adaptive FPGA implementation of multi-core K-nearest neighbour ensemble classifier using dynamic partial reconfiguration

Classification of highly dimensional Microarray data using K-nearest neighbour (K-NN) is a time-consuming task when implemented on general purpose processors (GPPs), and such it can benefit greatly from a parallel hardware implementation. In this work, an FPGA implementation of the K-NN classifier is presented and compared with an equivalent implementation running on GPP. Then, a novel FPGA-based multi-core implementation of the K-NN ensemble classifier, which exploits dynamic partial reconfiguration (DPR) is presented. The FPGA implementation of the single core K-NN classifier was found to be 92× faster than a GPP implementation, and the ensemble implementation was found to offer ~5× speed-up of the FPGA reconfiguration time. In addition, the paper investigates the effect of data dimensionality on classification time on both FPGAs and GPPs, showing that FPGAs scale up better than GPPs with higher data dimensionality.
Precocious Metamorphosis in the Juvenile Hormone–Deficient Mutant of the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Insect molting and metamorphosis are intricately governed by two hormones, ecdysteroids and juvenile hormones (JHs). JHs prevent precocious metamorphosis and allow the larva to undergo multiple rounds of molting until it attains the proper size for metamorphosis. In the silkworm, Bombyx mori, several “moltinism” mutations have been identified that exhibit variations in the number of larval molts; however, none of them have been characterized molecularly. Here we report the identification and characterization of the gene responsible for the dimolting (mod) mutant that undergoes precocious metamorphosis with fewer larval–larval molts. We show that the mod mutation results in complete loss of JHs in the larval hemolymph and that the mutant phenotype can be rescued by topical application of a JH analog. We performed positional cloning of mod and found a null mutation in the cytochrome P450 gene CYP15C1 in the mod allele. We also demonstrated that CYP15C1 is specifically expressed in the corpus allatum, an endocrine organ that synthesizes and secretes JHs. Furthermore, a biochemical experiment showed that CYP15C1 epoxidizes farnesoic acid to JH acid in a highly stereospecific manner. Precocious metamorphosis of mod larvae was rescued when the wild-type allele of CYP15C1 was expressed in transgenic mod larvae using the GAL4/UAS system. Our data therefore reveal that CYP15C1 is the gene responsible for the mod mutation and is essential for JH biosynthesis. Remarkably, precocious larval–pupal transition in mod larvae does not occur in the first or second instar, suggesting that authentic epoxidized JHs are not essential in very young larvae of B. mori. Our identification of a JH–deficient mutant in this model insect will lead to a greater understanding of the molecular basis of the hormonal control of development and metamorphosis.
Clinicopathological significance of vascular endothelial growth factor‐C and cyclooxygenase‐2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor‐C (VEGF‐C) is a specific growth factor of lymphatics, which is known to play some role in tumor growth and metastasis to lymph nodes and distant organs in various malignancies. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression of VEGF‐C in human esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) to elucidate its role in tumor progression and lymph node metastasis. Another aim of the study was to investigate the relation between VEGF‐C and cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) in ESCC.
Coordinating Monetary and Fiscal Policies in an Open Economy

This paper looks at the possible coordination problems that might result when monetary and fiscal policies are operated by separate authorities. In an open economy the feedback from movements in the exchange rate to the rate of consumer price inflation means fiscal policy can have a non-neutral effect on output even if monetary policy acts to keep inflation at target. This might encourage governments to run an overly expansive fiscal policy at the expense of weakness in the tradable sector. Preventing this scenario might require the monetary authority to target a measure of domestically-generated inflation or have a separate target for the exchange rate. Alternatively the government could delegate the assessment of policy against its fiscal rules to an independent fiscal council.
A Community-Based Study of Factors Associated with Continuing Transmission of Lymphatic Filariasis in Leogane, Haiti

Seven rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) have been administered in Leogane, Haiti, an area hyperendemic for lymphatic filariasis (LF). Sentinel site surveys showed that the prevalence of microfilaremia was reduced to <1% from levels as high as 15.5%, suggesting that transmission had been reduced. A separate 30-cluster survey of 2- to 4-year-old children was conducted to determine if MDA interrupted transmission. Antigen and antifilarial antibody prevalence were 14.3% and 19.7%, respectively. Follow-up surveys were done in 6 villages, including those selected for the cluster survey, to assess risk factors related to continued LF transmission and to pinpoint hotspots of transmission. One hundred houses were mapped in each village using GPS-enabled PDAs, and then 30 houses and 10 alternates were chosen for testing. All individuals in selected houses were asked to participate in a short survey about participation in MDA, history of residence in Leogane and general knowledge of LF. Survey teams returned to the houses at night to collect blood for antigen testing, microfilaremia and Bm14 antibody testing and collected mosquitoes from these communities in parallel. Antigen prevalence was highly variable among the 6 villages, with the highest being 38.2% (Dampus) and the lowest being 2.9% (Corail Lemaire); overall antigen prevalence was 18.5%. Initial cluster surveys of 2- to 4-year-old children were not related to community antigen prevalence. Nearest neighbor analysis found evidence of clustering of infection suggesting that LF infection was focal in distribution. Antigen prevalence among individuals who were systematically noncompliant with the MDAs, i.e. they had never participated, was significantly higher than among compliant individuals (p<0.05). A logistic regression model found that of the factors examined for association with infection, only noncompliance was significantly associated with infection. Thus, continuing transmission of LF seems to be linked to rates of systematic noncompliance.
Joint Estimation of PLDA and Nonlinear Transformations of Speaker Vectors

The Gaussian probabilistic linear discriminant anal-ysis (PLDA) model assumes Gaussian distributed priors for the latent variables that represent the speaker and channel factors. Assuming that each training i-vector belongs to a different speaker, as is usually done in i-vector extraction, i-vectors generated by a PLDA model can be considered independent and identically distributed with Gaussian distribution. Thus, we have recently proposed to transform the development i-vectors so that their distribution becomes more Gaussian-like. This is obtained by means of a sequence of affine and nonlinear transformations whose parameters are trained by maximum likelihood (ML) estimation on the development set. The evaluation i-vectors are then subject to the same transformation. Although the i-vector “gaussianization” has shown to be effective, since the i-vectors extracted from segments of the same speaker are not independent, the original assumption is not satisfactory. In this work, we show that the model can be improved by properly exploiting the information about the speaker labels, which was ignored in the previous model. In particular, a more effective PLDA model can be obtained by jointly estimating the PLDA parameters and the parameters of the nonlinear transformation of the i-vectors. In other words, while the goal of the previous approach was to “gaussianize” the training i-vectors distribution, the objective of this work is to embed the estimation of the nonlinear i-vector transformation in the PLDA model estimation. We will thus refer to this model as the nonlinear PLDA model. We show that this new approach provides significant gain with respect to PLDA, and a small, yet consistent, improvement with respect to our former i-vector “gaussianization” approach, without further additional costs.
Machinability of Kevlar® 49 Composite Laminates While Using Standard TiN Coated HSS Drills

Abstract This article addresses the machinability of plain weave Kevlar® 49 prepeg composite laminates of different thickness while using 135° split-point TiN coated 6 mm diameter HSS drills. The effect of composite preparation parameters and the drilling conditions on the machinability of the laminates is assessed using the drilling thrust force, cutting torque, and specific cutting energy. The thickness and processing time of the laminates as well as the drilling process parameters were found to influence the maximum value of thrust force and torque as well as the quality of drilled holes. The wear features of the drills used in machining Kevlar composites have been found to be different from the conventional wear patterns that occur during drilling metals and alloys.
An expressive mechanism for auctions on the web

Auctions are widely used on the Web. Applications range from internet advertising to platforms such as eBay. In most of these applications the auctions in use are single/multi-item auctions with unit demand. The main drawback of standard mechanisms for this type of auctions, such as VCG and GSP, is the limited expressiveness that they offer to the bidders. The General Auction Mechanism (GAM) of [1] is taking a first step towards addressing the problem of limited expressiveness by computing a bidder optimal, envy free outcome for linear utility functions with identical slopes and a single discontinuity per bidder-item pair. We show that in many practical situations this does not suffice to adequately model the preferences of the bidders, and we overcome this problem by presenting the first mechanism for piece-wise linear utility functions with non-identical slopes and multiple discontinuities. Our mechanism runs in polynomial time. Like GAM it is incentive compatible for inputs that fulfill a certain non-degeneracy requirement, but our requirement is more general than the requirement of GAM. For discontinuous utility functions that are non-degenerate as well as for continuous utility functions the outcome of our mechanism is a competitive equilibrium. We also show how our mechanism can be used to compute approximately bidder optimal, envy free outcomes for a general class of continuous utility functions via piece-wise linear approximation. Finally, we prove hardness results for even more expressive settings.
A Decreased Level of Serum Soluble Klotho Is an Independent Biomarker Associated with Arterial Stiffness in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background Klotho was originally identified in a mutant mouse strain unable to express the gene that consequently showed shortened life spans. In humans, low serum Klotho levels are related to the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in community-dwelling adults. However, it is unclear whether the serum Klotho levels are associated with signs of vascular dysfunction such as arterial stiffness, a major determinant of prognosis, in human subjects with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods We determined the levels of serum soluble Klotho in 114 patients with CKD using ELISA and investigated the relationship between the level of Klotho and markers of CKD-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) and various types of vascular dysfunction, including flow-mediated dilatation, a marker of endothelial dysfunction, ankle-brachial pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a marker of arterial stiffness, intima-media thickness (IMT), a marker of atherosclerosis, and the aortic calcification index (ACI), a marker of vascular calcification. Results The serum Klotho level significantly correlated with the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D level and inversely correlated with the parathyroid hormone level and the fractional excretion of phosphate. There were significant decreases in serum Klotho in patients with arterial stiffness defined as baPWV≥1400 cm/sec, atherosclerosis defined as maximum IMT≥1.1 mm and vascular calcification scores of ACI>0%. The serum Klotho level was a significant determinant of arterial stiffness, but not endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis or vascular calcification, in the multivariate analysis in either metabolic model, the CKD model or the CKD-MBD model. The adjusted odds ratio of serum Klotho for the baPWV was 0.60 (p = 0.0075). Conclusions Decreases in the serum soluble Klotho levels are independently associated with signs of vascular dysfunction such as arterial stiffness in patients with CKD. Further research exploring whether therapeutic approaches to maintain or elevate the Klotho level could improve arterial stiffness in CKD patients is warranted.
A low power UWB CMOS low noise amplifier for 3.1–10.6 GHz in receivers

An ultra-wideband (UWB) low noise amplifier (LNA) with low power is presented in this paper. The proposed circuit is common gate and cascode topology that the power consumption, input and output impedance matching are optimized. Simulation results show that maximum gain and noise figure are 22.1dB and 2.4–2.9dB over a 3.1–10.6 GHz, respectively. Power consumption of the LNA core, buffer power and IIP3 are 7.7mW, 1.3 mW with 1.8 V supply and −9dBm respectively. The wideband input impedance matching of LNA is obtained by employing a degenerating inductor (|S11|<−7.5 dB). The circuit proposed UWB LNA is implemented using 0.18 µm based CMOS technology under TSMC.