Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Kernel design for isolation and assurance of physical memory

Embedded systems are evolving into increasingly complex software systems. One approach to managing this software complexity is to divide the system into smaller, tractable components and provide strong isolation guarantees between them. This paper focuses on one aspect of the system's behaviour that is critical to any such guarantee: management of physical memory resources. We present the design of a kernel that has formally demonstrated the ability to make strong isolation guarantees of physical memory. We also present the macro-level performance characteristics of a kernel implementing the proposed design.
Batch reinforcement learning on the industrial benchmark: First experiences

The Particle Swarm Optimization Policy (PSO-P) has been recently introduced and proven to produce remarkable results on interacting with academic reinforcement learning benchmarks in an off-policy, batch-based setting. To further investigate the properties and feasibility on real-world applications, this paper investigates PSO-P on the so-called Industrial Benchmark (IB), a novel reinforcement learning (RL) benchmark that aims at being realistic by including a variety of aspects found in industrial applications, such as continuous state and action spaces, a high dimensional, partially observable state space, delayed effects, and complex stochasticity. The experimental results of PSO-P on IB are compared to results of closed-form control policies derived from the model-based Recurrent Control Neural Network (RCNN) and the model-free Neural Fitted Q-Iteration (NFQ). Experiments show that PSO-P is not only of interest for academic benchmarks, but also for real-world industrial applications, since it also yielded the best performing policy in our IB setting. Compared to other well established RL techniques, PSO-P produced outstanding results in performance and robustness, requiring only a relatively low amount of effort in finding adequate parameters or making complex design decisions.
Activity and Heart Rate-based Measures for Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation

Summary Objectives: Derive activity and heart rate (HR) monitor-based clinically relevant measures for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Methods: We are currently collecting activity/ ECG data from patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation over duration of six weeks. From these data sets, we a) derive various measures which can be used in assessing home-based CR patients remotely and b) investigate the usefulness of continuous ambulatory HR and heart rate variability (HRV) for various core components of CR. Results: The information provided by these measures is interpreted according to the CR guidelines framework by American Association of Cardiovascular and Pul - monary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), thus showing how these tools can be used in assessing the progress of patients’ condition. The usefulness and significance of these measures from a health care professional perspective is also presented by evaluating them against the existing hospital-based measures through examples. Conclusions: Hospital-based CR programs, despite their clinical benefits are severely under-utilized and resource-demanding. Ambulatory monitoring technologies, which provide a means for continuous physiological monitoring of patients at home compared to hospital-based tools, can enable home-based CR. The clinically relevant measures derived from these tools not only reflect patients´ condition in a similar way as conventional tools but also show the continuous status of functional capacity (FC).
A fully programmable multi-channel electrotactile stimulator

We developed a general purpose electro-tactile stimulator that can configure with computer to generate different pattern of current waveforms. Four independent channel are provided in this system. Additionally, for one time programming by computer and multiple use by other devices, digital I/Os are embedded which serve as trigger input and output. User is being able to turn on or off each channel online without interrupting other channels and intensity of the main channel is modifiable online too. Sweeping (scanning) method has been benefited to make the system smaller and more cost effective.
Robotic selective neck dissection using a gasless postauricular facelift approach for early head and neck cancer: technical feasibility and safety.

UNLABELLED Abstract Background: Scarless and minimally invasive surgery is becoming popular in the head and neck area. We have developed a new robotic selective neck dissection procedure for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) to avoid a long visible lateral neck scar. Here we report on the technical feasibility and safety of our procedure. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We prospectively analyzed 4 patients with early HNSCC who underwent transoral robotic surgery (TORS) and concomitant robotic selective neck dissection via a gasless postauricular facelift approach using the da Vinci(®) Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA). RESULTS Of these patients, 3 were male, and 1 was female. The mean age was 59.0±8.8 years. All patients had tongue cancer, with a clinically negative neck. Three patients were T1, and 1 patient was T2. All patients underwent partial glossectomy by TORS and elective robotic selective neck dissection including levels I, II, and III. The robotic selective neck dissection procedure was completed successfully in all patients. The mean operative time was 276±48 minutes. The mean number of lymph nodes removed was 19.3±7.3. Postoperative hematoma and transient marginal nerve palsy occurred in 1 patient each. Cosmetic satisfaction was excellent in all patients. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary results indicate that robotic selective neck dissection via a gasless postauricular facelift approach is feasible and safe and allows for excellent postoperative cosmesis. Further studies are necessary to determine the oncologic safety and surgical completeness of this procedure compared with conventional neck dissection.
Multimodal interaction with mobile devices: fusing a broad spectrum of modality combinations

This publication presents a multimodal architecture for use in mobile scenarios such as shopping and navigation. It also analyses a wide range of feasible modality input combinations for these contexts. For this purpose, two interlinked demonstrators were designed for stand-alone use on mobile devices. Of particular importance was the design and implementation of a modality fusion module capable of combining input from a range of communication modes like speech, handwriting, and gesture. The implementation is able to account for confidence value biases arising within and between modalities and also provides a method for resolving semantically overlapped input. Tangible interaction with real-world objects and symmetric multimodality are two further themes addressed in this work. This work concludes with the results from two usability field studies that provide insight on user preference and modality intuition for different modality combinations, as well as user acceptance for anthropomorphized objects.
A Characterization of Convex Problems in Decentralized Control$^ast$

We consider the problem of constructing optimal decentralized controllers. We formulate this problem as one of minimizing the closed-loop norm of a feedback system subject to constraints on the controller structure. We define the notion of quadratic invariance of a constraint set with respect to a system, and show that if the constraint set has this property, then the constrained minimum-norm problem may be solved via convex programming. We also show that quadratic invariance is necessary and sufficient for the constraint set to be preserved under feedback. These results are developed in a very general framework, and are shown to hold in both continuous and discrete time, for both stable and unstable systems, and for any norm. This notion unifies many previous results identifying specific tractable decentralized control problems, and delineates the largest known class of convex problems in decentralized control. As an example, we show that optimal stabilizing controllers may be efficiently computed in the case where distributed controllers can communicate faster than their dynamics propagate. We also show that symmetric synthesis is included in this classification, and provide a test for sparsity constraints to be quadratically invariant, and thus amenable to convex synthesis.
Journal of Software Maintenance and Evolution: Research and Practice towards a Taxonomy of Software Change

SUMMARY Previous taxonomies of software change have focused on the purpose of the change (i.e. the why) rather than the underlying mechanisms. This paper proposes a taxonomy of software change based on characterizing the mechanisms of change and the factors that influence these mechanisms. The ultimate goal of this taxonomy is to provide a framework that positions concrete tools, formalisms and methods within the domain of software evolution. Such a framework would considerably ease comparison between the various mechanisms of change. It would also allow practitioners to identify and evaluate the relevant tools, methods and formalisms for a particular change scenario. As an initial step towards this taxonomy, the paper presents a framework that can be used to characterize software change support tools and to identify the factors that impact on the use of these tools. The framework is evaluated by applying it to three different change support tools and by comparing these tools based on this analysis.
Why is the Government Spending Multiplier Larger at the Zero Lower Bound ? Not (Only) Because of the Zero Lower Bound

I develop a New Keynesian model with search and matching frictions, in which the government buys goods produced by the firms. I solve the non-linear model globally and examine the magnitude of government spending multipliers in and out of the ZLB. I distinguish the cases of Nash-bargained and rigid real wages. The model with Nash-bargained wages gives results that do not differ qualitatively from the existing literature. It generates a high multiplier at the ZLB due to a higher elasticity of real marginal cost to aggregate demand in those conditions—which is at odds with empirical evidence. The model with rigid real wages exhibits job rationing (Michaillat (2012a)) and also delivers a higher multiplier at ZLB than in normal times. In this setup however, the multiplier is not larger because real marginal cost is more responsive to aggregate demand, but just the opposite. With a slack labor market, it is easy to recruit and real marginal cost is less responsive to aggregate demand. This is in line with available empirical evidence
Mixed differentiation of primary carcinoma of the urinary bladder

Two patients with primary tumors of bladder of mixed histologic composition (adenocarcinoma and transitional cell) are reported. Both patients were women and were treated with total cystectomy and urinary diversion. Histologic study of the specimens demonstrated cystitis cystica and cystitis glandularis. The authors believe that both of these cases represent examples of mixed differentiation of primary tumors of bladder rather than separate malignancies.
Resistance Status of the Malaria Vector Mosquitoes, Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles subpictus Towards Adulticides and Larvicides in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas of India

Abstract Susceptibility studies of malaria vectors Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae) and An. subpictus Grassi collected during 2004–2007 from various locations of Arid and Semi-Arid Zone of India were conducted by adulticide bioassay of DDT, malathion, deltamethrin and larvicide bioassay of fenthion, temephos, chlorpyriphos and malathion using diagnostic doses. Both species from all locations exhibited variable resistance to DDT and malathion from majority of location. Adults of both the species were susceptible to Deltamethrin. Larvae of both the Anopheline species showed some evidence of resistance to chlorpyriphos followed by fenthion whereas susceptible to temephos and malathion.
Adolescents, Adults and Rewards: Comparing Motivational Neurocircuitry Recruitment Using fMRI

Background Adolescent risk-taking, including behaviors resulting in injury or death, has been attributed in part to maturational differences in mesolimbic incentive-motivational neurocircuitry, including ostensible oversensitivity of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) to rewards. Methodology/Principal Findings To test whether adolescents showed increased NAcc activation by cues for rewards, or by delivery of rewards, we scanned 24 adolescents (age 12–17) and 24 adults age (22–42) with functional magnetic resonance imaging while they performed a monetary incentive delay (MID) task. The MID task was configured to temporally disentangle potential reward or potential loss anticipation-related brain signal from reward or loss notification-related signal. Subjects saw cues signaling opportunities to win or avoid losing $0, $. 50, or $5 for responding quickly to a subsequent target. Subjects then viewed feedback of their trial success after a variable interval from cue presentation of between 6 to17 s. Adolescents showed reduced NAcc recruitment by reward-predictive cues compared to adult controls in a linear contrast with non-incentive cues, and in a volume-of-interest analysis of signal change in the NAcc. In contrast, adolescents showed little difference in striatal and frontocortical responsiveness to reward deliveries compared to adults. Conclusions/Significance In light of divergent developmental difference findings between neuroimaging incentive paradigms (as well as at different stages within the same task), these data suggest that maturational differences in incentive-motivational neurocircuitry: 1) may be sensitive to nuances of incentive tasks or stimuli, such as behavioral or learning contingencies, and 2) may be specific to the component of the instrumental behavior (such as anticipation versus notification).
Genderqueer(ing): ‘On this side of the world against which it protests’

Deconstructionism as a method in transgender studies has been useful to collapse concepts and ideas about (trans) gender and sexuality. In spite of the usefulness of undoing the gender and sexuality canon, by way of concentrating on transgender practices, the resulting deconstructions often leave us with no place to go. This article develops an analysis of transsexual and genderqueer people’s bodily aesthetic assemblages, challenging theorizations that exclusively pit transsexual people as subjugated and genderqueer people as subversive. Drawing on interview data from 23 transsexual and genderqueer people, this article argues that transsexual and genderqueer people, regardless of their desire for particular bodily aesthetic interventions and gender recognition, productively flee, elude, flow, leak and disappear from categorizing legal statutes and healthcare protocols. The article concludes by arguing that deconstructive work becomes divisive and unproductive for theorizing and understanding the bodily aesthetics and diverse connectivities and affectivities of transsexual and genderqueer people, all of whom become territorialized, deterritorialized and reterritorialized through polyvocal bodily aesthetic assemblages.
Social Connectedness and Health

A digital system and method of operation is provided in which several processors (1400, 1402, 1404) are connected to a shared resource (1432). Each processor has an access priority register (1410) that is loaded with an access priority value by software executing on the processor. Arbitration circuitry (1430) is connected to receive a request signal from each processor along with the access priority value from each access priority register. The arbitration circuitry is operable to schedule access to the shared resource according to the access priority values provided by the processors. A software priority state is established during execution of an instruction module on each of the several processors. An instruction is executed on each processor to form an access request to the shared resource. An access priority value is provided with each access request that is responsive to the software priority state of the respective processor. The sequence of instructions is part of a task and the software state is established by defining a task priority for the task and setting the software state in accordance with the task priority. The software priority state is saved during a context switch.
The Scale and Structure of Personal File Collections

Although many challenges of managing computer files have been identified in past studies -- and many alternative prototypes made -- the scale and structure of personal file collections remain relatively unknown. We studied 348 such collections, and found they are typically considerably larger in scale (30-190 thousand files) and structure (folder trees twice taller and many times wider) than previously thought, which suggests files and folders are used now more than ever despite advances in Web storage, desktop search, and tagging. Data along many measures within and across collections were log normally distributed, indicating that personal collections resemble imbalanced, group-made collections and confirming the intuition that personal information management behaviour varies greatly. Directions for the generation of test collections and other future research are discussed.
Cognitive intervention for early stage dementia: Research and techniques

ABSTRACT Dementia is a growing world-wide phenomenon, impacting more than six million people in the United States. Despite its high projected prevalence, it is a significantly under-estimated phenomena, with estimates ranging from 15 to 25% of the current U.S. population. The effect of the aging of the population and significant increase in life expectancy has combined to catapult dementia into the range of one of world’s most alarming healthcare problems. Diverse and emerging literature in the area of cognitive prevention/intervention for mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/early stage dementia will be reviewed. Additionally, future research and clinical directions will be explored.
In vitro activity of a new macrolide, A-56268, compared with that of roxithromycin, erythromycin, and clindamycin

A new macrolide (A-56268) was found to be approximately twice as active as erythromycin and four to eight times more active than roxithromycin. All three macrolides were similar in their potency against anaerobes. Human plasma enhanced the antistaphylococcal activity of A-56268 and erythromycin but reduced the activities of roxithromycin and clindamycin.
Ultrasound detection of plantar bursitis of the forefoot in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To study the plantar forefoot of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by ultrasound to detect bursitis and to correlate sonographic findings with symptoms and clinical observations. METHODS Clinical examination, dorsoplantar radiographs, and transverse sonographic scans of the plantar region of the forefoot were performed on 30 healthy persons as well as 25 patients with early RA and forefoot symptoms. RESULTS In 8 patients the examiner could clinically suspect plantar bursitis. Ultrasound revealed 22 incidents of plantar bursitis in 14 of the 25 patients. Except for bursitis in the forefoot no inflammatory findings were detected by ultrasound in 6 patients. CONCLUSION Not only metatarsophalangeal arthritis or flexor tenosynovitis but also plantar bursitis can promote symptoms of the forefoot. Ultrasound is a more objective procedure than clinical examination in diagnosing plantar bursitis. This finding has diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
Individual differences in the phase and amplitude of the human circadian temperature rhythm: with an emphasis on morningness–eveningness

We studied the relationship between the phase and the amplitude of the circadian temperature rhythm using questionnaires that measure individual differences in personality variables, variables that relate to circadian rhythms, age and sex. The ambulatory core body temperature of 101 young men and 71 young women was recorded continuously over 6 days. The temperature minimum (Tmin) and amplitude (Tamp) were derived by fitting a complex cosine curve to each day’s data for each subject. Participants completed the Horne–Ostberg Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), the Circadian Type Inventory (CTI) and the MMPI‐2, scored for the Psychopathology‐5 (PSY‐5) personality variables. We found that the average Tmin occurred at 03.50 h for morning‐types (M‐types), 05.02 h for the neither‐types and 06.01 h for evening‐types (E‐types). Figures were presented that could provide an estimate of Tmin given an individual’s morningness–eveningness score or weekend wake time. The Tmin occurred at approximately the middle of the 8‐h sleep period, but it occurred closer to wake in subjects with later Tmin values and increasing eveningness. In other words, E‐types slept on an earlier part of their temperature cycle than M‐types. This difference in the phase‐relationship between temperature and sleep may explain why E‐types are more alert at bedtime and sleepier after waking than M‐types. The Tmin occurred about a half‐hour later for men than women. Another interesting finding included an association between circadian rhythm temperature phase and amplitude, in that subjects with more delayed phases had larger amplitudes. The greater amplitude was due to lower nocturnal temperature.
State-Dependent Propagation of Neuronal Sub-Population in Spontaneous Synchronized Bursts

Repeating stable spatiotemporal patterns emerge in synchronized spontaneous activity in neuronal networks. The repertoire of such patterns can serve as memory, or a reservoir of information, in a neuronal network; moreover, the variety of patterns may represent the network memory capacity. However, a neuronal substrate for producing a repertoire of patterns in synchronization remains elusive. We herein hypothesize that state-dependent propagation of a neuronal sub-population is the key mechanism. By combining high-resolution measurement with a 4096-channel complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) microelectrode array (MEA) and dimensionality reduction with non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), we investigated synchronized bursts of dissociated rat cortical neurons at approximately 3 weeks in vitro. We found that bursts had a repertoire of repeating spatiotemporal patterns, and different patterns shared a partially similar sequence of sub-population, supporting the idea of sequential structure of neuronal sub-populations during synchronized activity. We additionally found that similar spatiotemporal patterns tended to appear successively and periodically, suggesting a state-dependent fluctuation of propagation, which has been overlooked in existing literature. Thus, such a state-dependent property within the sequential sub-population structure is a plausible neural substrate for performing a repertoire of stable patterns during synchronized activity.