Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Verifying Eiffel Programs with Boogie

Static program verifiers such as Spec#, Dafny, jStar, and VeriFast define the state of the art in automated functional verification techniques. The next open challenges are to make verification tools usable even by programmers not fluent in formal techniques. This paper presents AutoProof, a verification tool that translates Eiffel programs to Boogie and uses the Boogie verifier to prove them. In an effort to be usable with real programs, AutoProof fully supports several advanced object-oriented features including polymorphism, inheritance, and function objects. AutoProof also adopts simple strategies to reduce the amount of annotations needed when verifying programs (e.g., frame conditions). The paper illustrates the main features of AutoProof's translation, including some whose implementation is underway, and demonstrates them with examples and a case study.
Orientation Mediated Enhancement on Magnetic Hyperthermia of Fe3O4 Nanodisc

A two‐step chemical approach to synthesize high quality Fe3O4 nanodisc is reported. The magnetic hyperthermia properties of the nanodisc and isotropic nanoparticles are investigated systematically. The results suggest that the nanodisc shows much higher specific absorption rate (SAR) than isotropic nanoparticles. This is attributed to the parallel alignment of nanodisc with respect to the alternating current magnetic field, which is confirmed by good agreement between experimental results and micromagnetic simulation. It is found that such parallel alignment could enhance the SAR value by a factor of ≈2 with respect to the randomly oriented case. The above results indicate that the nanodisc provides an excellent thermal seed for magnetic hyperthermia. This study sheds the light on the magnetic hyperthermia mechanism of magnetic nanodisc and it also opens the window to explore high efficiency thermal seeds by controlling the orientation of magnetic nanostructures.
South Asia: Does Preferential Trade Liberalisation Make Sense?

This paper systematically analyses the issue of trade liberalisation in the South Asia region and offers a qualitative assessment of alternative approaches. I compare two broad approaches to trade liberalisation: non-discriminatory and preferential. The former approach can be pursued on a unilateral basis by each country in the region, on a concerted basis by the countries in the region, or multilateral basis under the auspices of the WTO. The latter approach can take the form of criss-crossing bilateral free trade areas between various countries in the region or a region-wide free trade area. The view I take in the paper is that the move towards preferential trading is a mistake, at least from the viewpoint of India. India continues to have very high trade barriers so that the scope for trade diversion and the losses accompanying it are likely to be considerable. Business lobbies being relatively powerful in most of the countries in the region, they are likely to exploit the rules of origin and sectoral exceptions in these arrangements in ways that will maximise trade diversion and minimise trade creation. Inasmuch as the rules of origin give bureaucrats power, employment and opportunities to share in the rents created by tariff preferences, they too will become active parties to the diversionary tactics of business lobbies. Therefore, the member countries are better advised to proceed along non-discriminatory lines in achieving further liberalisation. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2003.
Comparisons of Hospitalization Rates Among Younger Atrial Fibrillation Patients Receiving Different Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Background—Antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) are used to reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of atrial fibrillation (AF) events, which should reduce hospitalizations; however, little is known about the associations between different AADs and hospitalization—particularly among younger AF patients without structural heart disease. Methods and Results—Using MarketScan® claims data, we identified AF patients without coronary artery disease or heart failure who received their first AAD prescription (amiodarone, sotalol, dronedarone, or Class Ic) within 14 days post-first AF encounter. The primary outcome was time from first AAD prescription to AF hospitalization, and secondary outcomes included time to cardiovascular and all-cause hospitalizations. We used inverse probability-weighted estimators to adjust for differences in treatment allocation in the Cox proportional hazards model for each outcome. Among 8562 AF patients with a median age of 56 years (interquartile range 49, 61), risk of AF hospitalization was greater with dronedarone than Class Ic (hazard ratio [HR] 1.59; 95% confidence interval 1.13–2.24), amiodarone (HR 2.63; 1.77–3.89), and sotalol (HR 1.72; 1.17–2.54), but lower with amiodarone versus Class Ic (HR 0.68; 0.57–0.80) and sotalol (HR 0.63; 0.53–0.75). Risk of cardiovascular hospitalization was lower with amiodarone than Class Ic (HR 0.80; 0.70–0.92), but not non-AF cardiovascular hospitalization (HR 1.26; 1.01–1.57). There was no difference in all-cause hospitalization between amiodarone, Class Ic, and sotalol. Conclusions—Differences in hospitalization rates were found between AADs in younger AF patients without structural heart disease. Amiodarone had the lowest risk of AF hospitalization and dronedarone had the greatest risk. Additional research is needed to better understand associations between AADs and hospitalization risk.
Long-term health effects of particulate and other ambient air pollution: research can progress faster if we want it to.

There is need for the assessment of long-term effects of outdoor air pollution. In fact, a considerable part of the large amount of U.S. research money that has been dedicated to investigate effects of ambient particulate pollution should be invested to address long-term effects. Studies that follow the health status of large numbers of subjects across long periods of time (i.e., cohort studies) should be considered the key research approach to address these questions. However, these studies are time consuming and expensive. We propose efficient strategies to address these questions in less time. Apart from long-term continuation of the few ongoing air pollution cohort studies in the United States, data from large cohorts that were established decades ago may be efficiently used to assess cardiorespiratory effects and to target research on detection of the most susceptible subgroups in the population, which may be related to genetic, molecular, behavioral, societal, and/or environmental factors. This approach will be efficient only if the available air pollution monitoring data will be used to spatially model long-term outdoor pollution concentrations across a given country for each year with available pollution data. Such concentration maps will allow researchers to impute outdoor air pollution levels at any residential location, independent of the location of monitors. Exposure imputation may be based on residential location(s) of participants in long-standing cardiorespiratory cohort studies, which can be matched to pollutant levels using geographic information systems. As shown in European impact assessment studies, such maps may be derived relatively quickly.
Quantum algorithms for Simon's problem over general groups

Daniel Simon's 1994 discovery of an efficient quantum algorithm for solving the hidden subgroup problem (HSP) over Z<sup><i>n</i></sup><inf>2</inf> provided one of the first algebraic problems for which quantum computers are exponentially faster than their classical counterparts. In this paper, we study the generalization of Simon's problem to arbitrary groups. Fixing a finite group <i>G</i>, this is the problem of recovering an involution <i>m</i> = (<i>m</i><inf>1</inf>,.,<i>m<inf>n</inf></i>) ε <i>G<sup>n</sup></i> from an oracle <i>f</i> with the property that <i>f(x)</i> = <i>f(x · y)</i> ⇔ <i>y</i> ε {1, <i>m</i>}. In the current parlance, this is the hidden subgroup problem (HSP) over groups of the form <i>G<sup>n</sup></i>, where <i>G</i> is a nonabelian group of constant size, and where the hidden subgroup is either trivial or has order two. Although groups of the form <i>G<sup>n</sup></i> have a simple product structure, they share important representation-theoretic properties with the symmetric groups <i>S<inf>n</inf></i>, where a solution to the HSP would yield a quantum algorithm for Graph Isomorphism. In particular, solving their HSP with the so-called "standard method" requires highly entangled measurements on the tensor product of many coset states. Here we give quantum algorithms with time complexity 2<sup>O</sup>(√<i>n</i> log <i>n</i>) that recover hidden involutions <i>m</i> = (<i>m</i><inf>1</inf>,., <i>m<inf>n</inf></i>) ε <i>G<sup>n</sup></i> where, as in Simon's problem, each <i>m<inf>i</inf></i> is either the identity or the conjugate of a known element <i>m</i> and there is a character <i>X</i> of <i>G</i> for which <i>X</i>(<i>m</i>) = - <i>X</i>(1). Our approach combines the general idea behind Kuperberg's sieve for dihedral groups with the "missing harmonic" approach of Moore and Russell. These are the first nontrivial hidden subgroup algorithms for group families that require highly entangled multiregister Fourier sampling.
Comparative Eye Tracking Study on Node-Link Visualizations of Trajectories

We present the results of an eye tracking study that compares different visualization methods for long, dense, complex, and piecewise linear spatial trajectories. Typical sources of such data are from temporally discrete measurements of the positions of moving objects, for example, recorded GPS tracks of animals in movement ecology. In the repeated-measures within-subjects user study, four variants of node-link visualization techniques are compared, with the following representations of directed links: standard arrow, tapered, equidistant arrows, and equidistant comets. In addition, we investigate the effect of rendering order for the halo visualization of those links as well as the usefulness of node splatting. All combinations of link visualization techniques are tested for different trajectory density levels. We used three types of tasks: tracing of paths, identification of longest links, and estimation of the density of trajectory clusters. Results are presented in the form of the statistical evaluation of task completion time, task solution accuracy, and two eye tracking metrics. These objective results are complemented by a summary of subjective feedback from the participants. The main result of our study is that tapered links perform very well. However, we discuss that equidistant comets and equidistant arrows are a good option to perceive direction information independent of zoom-level of the display.
A genome-wide search for genes predisposing to manic-depression, assuming autosomal dominant inheritance.

Manic-depressive illness (MDI), also known as "bipolar affective disorder," is a common and devastating neuropsychiatric illness. Although pivotal biochemical alterations underlying the disease are unknown, results of family, twin, and adoption studies consistently implicate genetic transmission in the pathogenesis of MDI. In order to carry out linkage analysis, we ascertained eight moderately sized pedigrees containing multiple cases of the disease. For a four-allele marker mapping 5 cM from the disease gene, the pedigree sample has > 97% power to detect a dominant allele under genetic homogeneity and has > 73% power under 20% heterogeneity. To date, the eight pedigrees have been genotyped with 328 polymorphic DNA loci throughout the genome. When autosomal dominant inheritance was assumed, 273 DNA markers gave lod scores < -2.0 at recombination fraction (theta) = . 0, 174 DNA loci produced lod scores < -2.0 at theta = . 05, and 4 DNA marker loci yielded lod scores > 1 (chromosome 5--D5S39, D5S43, and D5S62; chromosome 11--D11S85). Of the markers giving lod scores > 1, only D5S62 continued to show evidence for linkage when the affected-pedigree-member method was used. The D5S62 locus maps to distal 5q, a region containing neurotransmitter-receptor genes for dopamine, norepinephrine, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid. Although additional work in this region may be warranted, our linkage results should be interpreted as preliminary data, as 68 unaffected individuals are not past the age of risk.
The atomic structure of asymmetric [001] tilt boundaries in SrTiO3

Abstract The atomic structures of 25° and 45° asymmetric [001] tilt boundaries in SrTiO3 have been determined experimentally using the unique combination of high-resolution Z-contrast imaging and simultaneous electron-energy-loss spectroscopy in the scanning transmission electron microscope. These complementary techniques permit the direct location of the cation columns at the boundary to an accuracy of 0.2A and the coordination of the O atoms to be investigated with atomic resolution. Using bond-valence sum calculations, the structural and electronic results were combined to produce models for the grain-boundary structures. These calculations highlighted the presence of half-occupied columns at both grain boundaries as an important feature for reducing the grain-boundary energy associated with these ionic materials. In addition, the grain-boundary structure units identified in the experimental images were used to predict structures for other misorientations by the application of the principles of continu.
Titanium Cage-assisted Polymethylmethacrylate Reconstruction for Cervical Spinal Metastasis: Technical Note

OBJECTIVE: Reconstruction and stabilization of the cervical spine after vertebrectomy is an important goal in the surgical management of spinal metastasis. The authors describe their reconstruction technique using a titanium cage-Silastic tube construct injected with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) augmented by an anterior cervical plate. The surgical results using this technique are reviewed. METHODS: Six patients ranging from 43 to 70 years of age underwent resection of metastatic tumor in the cervical spine followed by cage-assisted PMMA reconstruction of the anterior spinal column. The following reconstruction technique was performed. A Silastic tube is incised longitudinally and placed circumferentially around a titanium cage with the opening facing anteriorly. The cage-Silastic tube construct is carefully tapped into the corpectomy defect and filled with PMMA. The final construct is then augmented with anterior cervical plate fixation. RESULTS: Two patients required additional posterior stabilization with lateral mass screws and rods. All patients achieved immediate stabilization, restoration of vertebral body height and normal lordosis, and preservation of the ability to walk independently. Five patients experienced significant palliation of biomechanical neck pain. There were no complications of neurological worsening, postoperative hematoma, wound infection, subsidence, graft dislodgement, or construct failure during a follow-up period of 1 to 19 months (mean, 6.8 mo). CONCLUSION: Titanium cage-assisted PMMA reconstruction augmented with an anterior cervical plate is an effective means of reconstruction after tumor resection in patients with cervical spinal metastasis. The Silastic tube holds the PMMA within the cage and protects the spinal cord from potential thermal injury.
Synchronization of Chaotic Systems Using Time-Delayed Fuzzy State-Feedback Controller

This paper presents the fuzzy-model-based control approach to synchronize two chaotic systems subject to parameter uncertainties. A fuzzy state-feedback controller using the system state of response chaotic system and the time-delayed system state of drive chaotic system is employed to realize the synchronization. The time delay which complicates the system dynamics makes the analysis difficult. To investigate the system stability and facilitate the design of fuzzy controller, Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy models are employed to represent the system dynamics of the chaotic systems. Furthermore, the membership grades of the T-S fuzzy models become uncertain due to the existence of parameter uncertainties which further complicates the system analysis. To ease the stability analysis and produce less conservative analysis result, the membership functions of both T-S fuzzy models and fuzzy controller are considered. Stability conditions are derived using Lyapunov-based approach to aid the design of fuzzy state-feedback controller to synchronize the chaotic systems. Simulation examples are presented to illustrate the merits of the proposed approach.
miRBase: microRNA sequences, targets and gene nomenclature

The miRBase database aims to provide integrated interfaces to comprehensive microRNA sequence data, annotation and predicted gene targets. miRBase takes over functionality from the microRNA Registry and fulfils three main roles: the miRBase Registry acts as an independent arbiter of microRNA gene nomenclature, assigning names prior to publication of novel miRNA sequences. miRBase Sequences is the primary online repository for miRNA sequence data and annotation. miRBase Targets is a comprehensive new database of predicted miRNA target genes. miRBase is available at .
Measurement based Voltage Stability Monitoring of Power system

Many papers discuss the voltage stability assessment of power system using power flow analysis methods. In this paper, a method for online monitoring of a power system based on measurements is proposed, which is aimed at detection of the voltage instability. Thereby an indicator is derived from the fundamental Kirchoff-Laws. Since in the transient process, at any time point, the electric power of the system is in balance, and the Kirchoff-Law is obeyed, this indicator will still work during the transient process. From the indicator, it is allowed to predict the voltage instability or the proximity of a collapse. The advantage of the method lies in the simple numerical calculation and strong adaptation in steady state and transient process. Through the indicator of voltage stability, it is easy to find the most vulnerable area in a system, to find the impacts of other loads, areas and power transactions.
User pairing and resource allocation for multi-antenna users in uplink multiuser MIMO system

In a multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MUMIMO) system where users are equipped with multiple transmit antennas, user pairing and resource allocation can enormously improve cell throughput by means of spatial multiplexing and multiuser diversity. In this paper, we first establish the optimization problem of user pairing and resource allocation in the uplink of Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) system. The problem is too complex to achieve an optimal solution. We propose a suboptimal user pairing and resource allocation algorithm, which reduces the complexity by separating the process of user selection and antenna selection. Furthermore, to guarantee user fairness, the proportional fair criteria is introduced into the proposed suboptimal algorithm. The simulation results show that the suboptimal algorithm with proportional fair criteria achieves significant gains of cell throughput and better fairness compared with traditional algorithms.
Splice Site Prediction using Support Vector Machines with Context-Sensitive Kernel Functions

This paper focuses on the use of support vector machines on a typical context-dependent classification task, splice site prediction. For this type of problems, it has been shown that a context-based approach should be preferred over a transfor- mation approach because the former approach can easily incorporate statistical mea- sures or directly plug sensitivity information into distance functions. In this paper, we designed three types of context-sensitive kernel functions: polynomial-based, radial basis function-based and negative distance-based kernels. From the experimental re- sults it becomes clear that the radial basis function-based kernel with information gain weighting gets the best accuracies and can always outperform their simple non-sensitive counterparts both in accuracy and in model complexity. And with well designed fea- tures and carefully chosen context sizes, our system can predict splice sites with fairly high accuracy, which can achieve the FP95% rate, 3.94 for donor sites and 5.98 for acceptor sites, an approximate state of the art performance for the moment.
Issue analysis for residual structural coverage in dynamic symbolic execution

The process of achieving high structural coverage of the program under test can be automated using Dynamic Symbolic Execution (DSE), which generates test inputs to iteratively explore paths of the program under test. When applied on real-world applications, DSE faces various challenges in generating test inputs to achieve high structural coverage. Among issues related to these challenges, our preliminary study identified two main types of issues: (1) object-creation issues (OCI), where DSE fails to generate method-call sequences to produce desirable object states; (2) external-method-call issues (EMCI), where symbolic values are passed as arguments to third-party library methods that are not instrumented by DSE. Automatically solving these two main types of issues is challenging, since the exploration space of generating method-call sequences for desirable object states is usually too huge, and instrumenting all third-party libraries can cause explosion of the exploration space. However, when provided with informative information of issues, users can effectively assist DSE to achieve high structural coverage. In this paper, we propose a general approach, called Covana, to identify issues faced by DSE via analyzing runtime information, and filter out irrelevant issues using residual structural coverage. We provide two techniques to instantiate our general approach to identify OCIs and EMCIs. To show the effectiveness of Covana, we conduct evaluations on two open source projects. Our results show that Covana effectively identifies 155 OCIs, and 43 EMCIs. Moreover, Covana effectively reduces 296 irrelevant issues out of 451 OCIs and 1567 irrelevant issues out of 1610 EMCIs produced by a straightforward approach.
Real-Time DSP-Based License Plate Character Segmentation Algorithm Using 2D Haar Wavelet Transform

The potential applications of Wavelet Transform (WT) are limitless including image processing, audio compression and communication systems. In image processing, WT is used in applications such as image compression, denoising, speckle removal, feature analysis, edge detection and object detection. The use of WT algorithms in image processing for real-time custom applications may require dedicated processors such as Digital Signal Processor (DSPs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) as reported in (Ma et al., 2000), (Benkrid et al., 2001) and (Wong et al., 2007) respectively.