Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Matching Pursuit Full Search Algorithm for Image Approximations

There is a growing interest on adapted signal expansions for efficient sparse approximations. For this purpose, signal expansions on over-complete bases are of high interest. Several strategies exist in order to get sparse approximations of a signal as a superposition of functions from a redundant dictionary. One of these strategies is the well known Matching Pursuit (MP). MP is an algorithm where complexity depends on the accuracy of the desired approximation. This is due to its greedy iterative nature. For very large dictionaries, however, complexity depends in great manner on the size of this, i.e. at each iteration the whole dictionary has to be browsed. Sometimes, heuristic procedures need to be adopted due to the overwhelming complexity that this may represent. However, these reduce the search space and, consequently, a poorer signal approximation is retrieved. In this work, we propose a feasible approach for Full Search Matching Pursuit (FSMP) for the particular case of natural image approximations with an-isotropically refined oriented atoms (which have the purpose of exploiting image geometry). Thanks to the structure of the dictionary and its spatio-temporal localisation, several enhancements are possible to speed-up the calculation of the most critical step: the scalar product of the signal with all the functions from the dictionary.
An analysis of human capital investments, profitability ratios and company features in the EU

The aim of this paper is to explore the dynamics between human capital investments and company profitability measured by return on equity and profit margin ratios using panel data analysis over a five-year period. The research hypothesis assumes that more profitable companies have higher employee costs (human capital investment) and the opposite is also true. This specially refers to companies in human-capital-intensive industries, such as the information technology industry, where a company’s most valuable asset is employee knowledge. Thus, the assumption is that such entities will have a greater part of intellectual capital capitalized through trademarks. Furthermore, this paper analyses whether the level of human capital investments significantly differ with regard to company size and listing status. Verification of empirical evidence is provided using a sample of approx. 5,000 companies in the European Union from the information technology industry for the period 2011-2015, i.e. approx. 25,000 company-year observations using an adequate panel data analysis technique.
ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF HERBS EXTRACTS AND IMPACT ON HEPG2 CELLS VIABILITY

Mercury poisoning is responsible for inducing serious adverse effects in living organisms. One of protection factors could be substances proven to possess high antioxi- dant and metal chelating activity - plant polyphenols. There are many sources of poly- phenols in plant kingdom but the most interesting for food industry could be widely con- sumed herbs. Aim of the research was to evaluate antioxidative potential of selected plant extracts and its influence on HepG2 cells in different conditions. Ethanolic herbs extracts were characterised by total polyphenol content. Antioxidant activity was estimated with use of DPPHand ABTS +• radicals scavenging methods and FRAP. Research included cells viability estimation by the MTT assay and cells exposition to HgCl 2, chemical agent inducing cell death. Analysis of herbs extracts antioxidative activity showed best potential represented thyme and marjoram, highest FRAP was evaluated in samples with mint and marjoram extracts. On the basis of received results it was found that examined plant ex- tracts showed weak protection against Hg presence in examined cells environment.
The Water Channel of Cytochrome c Oxidase : inferences from Inhibitor Studies

Formate inhibits cytochrome oxidase with a Ki between 5 and 30 mM at pH 7.4 (depending on assay conditions). The formate binding site is accessible in the fully oxidized ( ) and partially reduced ( ) states, but not in the fully reduced ( state). Azide competes with formate for the binding site. Formate induces a blue shift in the Soret peak of fully oxidized enzyme. The rate of formate binding, and the apparent affinity (1/Ki), increase as the pH is diminished, suggesting that HCOOH is the bound species.
Dermatoglyphics in patients with schizophrenia*

BACKGROUND: There are controversial evidences on the association between fingerprint traits and schizophrenia. We compared fingerprint traits of patients with schizophrenia and normal individuals in Iranian population. METHODS: Finger tip dermal ridge of 290 patients with schizophrenia and 290 normal subjects were studied for four dermal traits. Data was analyzed with Pearson correlation and student's tests. RESULTS: Finger print patterns and secondary creases were not significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05). Although mean ridge counts of left and right index fingers of the case group were greater than the control group (p < 0.05), these differences were not significant in females. CONCLUSIONS: Probably the left index ridge counts and fluctuating asymmetry in schizophrenic patients are different from those of the normal population. This difference may serve as a diagnostic biological marker for screening people susceptible to schizophrenia. Further studies are needed to determine predictive value of fingerprint trait as a biomarker for the schizophrenia.
Comparison of Image and Transmission Line Models of Energized Horizontal Wire Above Two-Layer Soil

The paper presents comparison between two approximate models of energized horizontal thin-wire conductors above two-layer soil. The formulation is posed in frequency domain by using two approaches. The first one is based on quasi-static image theory within Mixed Potential Integral Equation. The second one is based on transmission line theory with approximation of per unit length parameters. The authors compare currents computed by the both approximate models of a center fed wire to establish the computation errors over a wide frequency range. The main objective is to validate the proposed image and transmission line models for various lengths of wire conductors, and various cases of low and high conductivities of two-layer soil. The verification of the results is done by comparison with exact model based on full-wave theory. Detailed parametric analysis clearly illustrate validity domain and problems when using both approximate models with respect to their use in practical EMC studies.
Supporting Data Currency in Replicated DHTs using a Key-based Timestamping Service

Distributed Hash Tables (DHTs) provide a scalable solution for data sharing in P2P systems. To ensure high data availability, DHTs typically rely on data replication, yet without data currency guarantees. Supporting data currency in replicated DHTs is difficult as it requires the ability to return a current replica despite peers leaving the network or concurrent updates. In this paper, we give a complete solution to this problem. We propose an Update Management Service (UMS) to deal with data availability and efficient retrieval of current replicas based on timestamping. For generating timestamps, we propose a Key-based Timestamping Service (KTS) which performs distributed timestamp generation using local counters. Through probabilistic analysis, we compute the expected number of replicas which UMS must retrieve for finding a current replica. Except for the cases where the availability of current replicas is very low, the expected number of retrieved replicas is typically small, e.g. if at least 35% of available replicas are current then the expected number of retrieved replicas is less than 3. We validated our solution through implementation and experimentation over a 64-node cluster and evaluated its scalability through simulation up to 10,000 peers using SimJava. The results show the effectiveness of our solution. They also show that our algorithm used in UMS achieves major performance gains, in terms of response time and communication cost, compared with a baseline algorithm.
PID Control Using Presearched Genetic Algorithms for a MIMO System

This correspondence presents a new approach that utilizes evolutionary computation and proportional-integral differential (PID) control to a multi-input multioutput (MIMO) nonlinear system. This approach is demonstrated through a laboratory helicopter called the twin rotor MIMO system (TRMS). The goals of control are to stabilize the TRMS in significant cross-couplings, reach a desired position, and track a specified trajectory efficiently. The proposed control scheme includes four PID controllers with independent input. In order to reduce total error and control energy, all parameters of the controller are obtained by a real-value-type genetic algorithm (RGA) with a system performance index as the fitness function. The system performance index was applied to the integral of time multiplied by the square error criterion to build a suitable fitness function in the RGA. We also investigated a new method for the RGA to solve more than ten parameters in the control scheme. The initial search range of the RGA was obtained by a nonlinear control design (NCD) technique. The NCD provided a narrow initial search range for the RGA. This new method led chromosomes to converge to optimal solutions more quickly in a complicated hyperplane. Computer simulations show that the proposed control scheme conquers system nonlinearities and influence between two rotors successfully.
Three-Dimensional Deformation Retrieval in Geosynchronous SAR by Multiple-Aperture Interferometry Processing: Theory and Performance Analysis

The 3-D deformation retrieval is significant for the accurate evaluation of geologic disasters (e.g., earthquakes and landslides). Multiple-aperture interferometry (MAI) is an effective method to obtain 3-D deformation, combined with the cross-heading tracks synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. However, because of the limitations of the low earth orbit SAR, a long satellite revisit time, small common areas of the cross-heading tracks data, and the unsatisfied along-track deformation measurement accuracy usually exist in the traditional MAI 3-D deformation retrieval. Geosynchronous SAR (GEO SAR) runs in the geosynchronous orbit, which has the advantages of a large observation area and a short revisit time. This paper focuses on 3-D deformation retrieval by GEO SAR MAI processing. Aiming at the high orbit and the squint looking of GEO SAR, the accurate expressions of the along-track deformation, 3-D deformation, and the errors in GEO SAR MAI processing are given. The distortions and their correction in the MAI interferogram brought by the geometrical difference between the forward- and backward-looking interferograms and the multicycles flat-earth and topographic phases are given. Moreover, an optimal subaperture selection method based on minimum position dilution of precision is proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by simulations and the experiment of BeiDou-2 inclined geosynchronous orbit navigation satellite. The theoretical analysis and the experimental results suggest centimeter-level and even millimeter-level deformation measurement accuracy could be obtained in 3-D by GEO SAR MAI processing.
The History of Psychiatry

The psychoanalytical sections, as would be expected from a distinguished psychoanalyst, are at once the main strength of the book and the main weakness in that they are relatively so full as to make the whole work appear overbalanced towards this school of thought. Drugs, physical treatments and community therapies each merit five or six pages? much less than is devoted to recent changes in personality theory. The style of the book is somewhat ponderous and humourless. The general layout and production are good, while the full references and appendices will be useful. In sum, it is the best general historical survey available of the mid-century position of
The mutation c.1196_1202dup7bp (p.Ser402X) in the SLC12A3 gene clusters in Italian Gitelman syndrome patients and reflects the presence of a common ancestor.

BACKGROUND Inactivating mutations in the SLC12A3 gene are the main cause of Gitelman's syndrome (GS), a renal tubular disorder inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. In our cohort of patients, we identified 11 probands from 11 apparently unrelated Italian families that carry the c. 1196_1202dup7bp mutation, which appears to be more frequent than other mutations in Italian GS patients. Therefore, we characterized in greater detail the SLC12A3 locus and its vicinity in those patients that carry this mutation in order to detect a possible shared haplotype. Three further probands characterized in France, carrying the same mutation, were also included in this study. METHODS Sequence or fragment analyses were carried out to investigate seven intragenic polymorphisms (rs3217425, rs3816119, rs2304483, rs2278490, rs2278489, rs2289116 and rs2289115) that flank the mutation, as well as two extragenic markers, D16S3071 and D16S3057, flanking the SLC12A3 locus in the 5' and 3' termini, respectively. RESULTS A shared haplotype co-segregates with the mutation both in Italian and French probands. Moreover, all the Italian families originate from a restricted area of Italy. Likewise, the French probands come from an area of France close to the north of Italy. CONCLUSION It is likely that the c. 1196_1202dup7bp mutation in the SLC12A3 gene reflects the presence of a common ancestor in an area covering the northern-central part of Italy and eastern France. A modified genotyping strategy for GS patients originating from this area has to be considered.
An improved interface temperature distribution in shallow hot mix asphalt patch repair using dynamic heating

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the issue of hot mix asphalt patch repairs, the performance of which is greatly reduced by repair edge disintegration. This is caused by low interface temperatures which result in poor repair bonding between fill material and host pavement. Twenty-four pothole repairs, 45 mm in depth, comprising 12 static and 12 dynamic repairs heated for 10 min 15 s and 21 min 49 s, respectively have been investigated. Dynamic heating has been completed using an experimental infrared heater. Temperatures were measured at 11 locations on the repair interfaces during the pouring and compaction of the fill mix. Volumetric of asphalt mixtures were also investigated. The results demonstrated that for static repairs, the lowest maximum temperatures were located at corners and on vertical repair boundaries. It was found that high thermal contact resistance in these interfaces dramatically affect the temperature levels. However, the figures improved in dynamically heated repairs. Comparing dynamically heated repairs of 10 min 15 s and 21 min 49 s with static repairs, showed average corner temperatures increase 10.85–24.45°C and 29.51–36.73°C, respectively, with accompanying increases in vertical interface temperatures 34.97°C and 46.41°C, respectively.
Small RNAs Control Sodium Channel Expression, Nociceptor Excitability, and Pain Thresholds

To examine the role of small RNAs in peripheral pain pathways, we deleted the enzyme Dicer in mouse postmitotic damage-sensing neurons. We used a Nav1.8-Cre mouse to target those nociceptors important for inflammatory pain. The conditional null mice were healthy with a normal number of sensory neurons and normal acute pain thresholds. Behavioral studies showed that inflammatory pain was attenuated or abolished. Inflammatory mediators failed to enhance excitability of Nav1.8+ sensory neurons from null mutant mice. Acute noxious input into the dorsal horn of the spinal cord was apparently normal, but the increased input associated with inflammatory pain measured using c-Fos staining was diminished. Microarray and quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that Dicer deletion lead to the upregulation of many broadly expressed mRNA transcripts in dorsal root ganglia. By contrast, nociceptor-associated mRNA transcripts (e.g., Nav1.8, P2xr3, and Runx-1) were downregulated, resulting in lower levels of protein and functional expression. qRT-PCR analysis also showed lowered levels of expression of nociceptor-specific pre-mRNA transcripts. MicroRNA microarray and deep sequencing identified known and novel nociceptor microRNAs in mouse Nav1.8+ sensory neurons that may regulate nociceptor gene expression.
Measurement of endothelial function and its clinical utility for cardiovascular risk

Over the past two decades, the central role of the endothelium in the initiation, progression, and clinical sequelae of atherosclerosis has been increasingly recognized. Assessment of the pathobiology of the endothelium and its ability to act as a potential therapeutic target remains an area of active research interest. Whilst endothelial function has been shown to be a marker for risk of cardiovascular events in high-risk groups, there remains considerable debate about the most appropriate way to assess this. We discuss the different clinical methods to assess endothelial function, focusing on flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery, highlighting the importance of using a standardized methodology, as well as discussing the clinical limitations of using FMD in individuals.
DISCONNECTED : A STUDY OF MOBILE TELEPHONE REJECTION By Nina Aversano Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Quantitative Research Report in the Executive Doctor of Management Program at the Weatherhead School of Management Advisors :

If rejection was the simple inverse of adoption, we would expect people to reject mobile telephony based on negative evaluations of usefulness and ease of use, dominant constructs in technology acceptance models. This research suggests, however, that the reasons for mobile phone rejection transcend those traditionally explained in the vast literature focused on adoption. Using an information systems-communications technology innovation diffusion framework, this study proposes a causal model of mobile telephony rejection that is tested against data collected from a survey of 1585 respondents. Logistic regression modeling was used to test the significance and independence of associations of relevant factors to mobile telephony rejection. The results indicate that ten characteristics can increase or decrease the odds of mobile phone rejection – communication intensity preference, 24-7 work/school related e-mail accessibility, challenges to learning, perceptions of necessity, usage of personal digital assistant, perceptions of dependency, instances of usage, income, computer usage and concerns regarding safety/security. Our model produced a high degree of accuracy in classifying respondents. Specifically, we were able to predict with 68% accuracy those self-proclaimed rejecters.
Introduction to the Evolution of Preferences

The strategy T strictly dominates B, and R is a strict best response to T. The game thus has a unique rationalizable outcome and hence a unique Nash equilibrium, given by (T, R). Normal-form games are commonly interpreted as describing situations in which strategy choices are effectively simultaneous, in the sense that each player must choose without knowing the other's choice. Suppose, however, that before the game is played Player 1 (the row player) could commit to playing B instead of T and could make this commitment known to Player 2. Player 2 would respond by choosing her best response, L, leading to (B, L), an outcome that Player 1 prefers to the Nash equilibrium (T, R). The observation that players can gain by making commitments is a familiar one, beginning with Stackelberg's ([20], translated in Peacock [15]) analysis of commitment by a duopolist and continuing with Schelling's [18] discussion of commitment in The Strategy of Conflict. Early theories of bargaining, including Binmore [1] and Crawford and Varian [3], explore the benefits of commitment more formally, as does Frank [5]. doi:10.1006 jeth.2000. 2753, available online at http: www.idealibrary. com on
Psychiatrists' judgments about antipsychotic benefit and risk outcomes and formulation in schizophrenia treatment.

OBJECTIVE The objectives were to quantify psychiatrists' judgments of the benefits and risks of antipsychotic treatments of patients with schizophrenia and to evaluate how patient adherence history affects these judgments. METHODS Weights assigned by respondents to risks, benefits, and alternative drug formulations in the treatment of schizophrenia were assessed via a Web-based survey by using a discrete-choice experiment. Respondents in the United States and the United Kingdom chose among alternative scenarios characterized by various levels of improvement in positive symptoms, negative symptoms, social functioning, weight gain, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), hyperprolactinemia, and hyperglycemia and by formulation. The effect of patient adherence history on respondents' judgments was also assessed. Random-parameters logit and bivariate probit models were estimated. RESULTS The sample included 394 psychiatrists. Improvement in positive symptoms from "no improvement" to "very much improved" was the most preferred outcome over the range of improvements included and was assigned a relative importance score of 10. Other outcomes, in decreasing order of importance, were improvement in negative symptoms from "no improvement" to "very much improved" (5.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]=4.2-6.2), social functioning from "severe problems" to "mild problems" (4.6, CI=3.8-5.4), no hyperglycemia (1.9, CI=1.5-2.4), <15% weight gain (1.5, CI=.9-2.0), no hyperprolactinemia (1.3, CI=.8-1.6), and no EPS (1.1, CI=.7-1.5). As adherence decreased, formulation became more important than modest efficacy changes and injections were preferred to daily pills (p<.05). CONCLUSIONS Psychiatrists favored treatments that primarily improve positive symptoms. Choice of formulation became more important as likely adherence declined.
Accounting for U.S. Real Exchange Rate Changes

This study measures the proportion of U.S. real exchange rate movements that can be accounted for by movements in the relative prices of nontraded goods. The decomposition is done at all possible horizons that the data allow‐from one month up to 30 years. The accounting is performed with five different measures of non‐traded‐goods prices and real exchange rates, for exchange rates of the United States relative to a number of other high‐income countries in each case. The outcome is surprising: relative prices of movement of U.S. real exchange rate with Japan. The possibility of mismeasurement of traded‐goods prices is explored.
Toward Socially-Infused Information Extraction: Embedding Authors, Mentions, and Entities

Entity linking is the task of identifying mentions of entities in text, and linking them to entries in a knowledge base. This task is especially difficult in microblogs, as there is little additional text to provide disambiguating context; rather, authors rely on an implicit common ground of shared knowledge with their readers. In this paper, we attempt to capture some of this implicit context by exploiting the social network structure in microblogs. We build on the theory of homophily, which implies that socially linked individuals share interests, and are therefore likely to mention the same sorts of entities. We implement this idea by encoding authors, mentions, and entities in a continuous vector space, which is constructed so that socially-connected authors have similar vector representations. These vectors are incorporated into a neural structured prediction model, which captures structural constraints that are inherent in the entity linking task. Together, these design decisions yield F1 improvements of 1%-5% on benchmark datasets, as compared to the previous state-of-the-art.