Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust Estimators for Multipass SAR Interferometry

This paper introduces a framework for robust parameter estimation in multipass interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), such as persistent scatterer interferometry, SAR tomography, small baseline subset, and SqueeSAR. These techniques involve estimation of phase history parameters with or without covariance matrix estimation. Typically, their optimal estimators are derived on the assumption of stationary complex Gaussian-distributed observations. However, their statistical robustness has not been addressed with respect to observations with nonergodic and non-Gaussian multivariate distributions. The proposed robust InSAR optimization (RIO) framework answers two fundamental questions in multipass InSAR: 1) how to optimally treat images with a large phase error, e.g., due to unmolded motion phase, uncompensated atmospheric phase, etc.; and 2) how to estimate the covariance matrix of a non-Gaussian complex InSAR multivariate, particularly those with nonstationary phase signals. For the former question, RIO employs a robust M-estimator to effectively downweight these images; and for the latter, we propose a new method, i.e., the rank M-estimator, which is robust against non-Gaussian distribution. Furthermore, it can work without the assumption of sample stationarity, which is a topic that has not previously been addressed. We demonstrate the advantages of the proposed framework for data with large phase error and heavily tailed distribution, by comparing it with state-of-the-art estimators for persistent and distributed scatterers. Substantial improvement can be achieved in terms of the variance of estimates. The proposed framework can be easily extended to other multipass InSAR techniques, particularly to those where covariance matrix estimation is vital.
An analysis of Atkinson's algorithm

An algorithm for computing a minimal invariant partition of a permutation group due to Atkinson is analysed. The analysis shows the algorithm is <i>O</i>(<i>n</i><sup>2</sup>), where <i>n</i> is the degree of the group. The leading coefficient is 3/2. Some suggested speed-ups are also analysed. The speed-ups imply that the cost of testing primitivity is <i>O</i>(<i>n</i><sup>3</sup>), with a leading coefficent of 19/16.Careful use of linked lists to represent subsets of the partition leads to an <i>O</i>(<i>nlogn</i>) algorithm for computing a minimal invariant partition, and an <i>O</i>(<i>n</i><sup>2</sup> <i>logn</i>) algorithm for testing primitivity. For both algorithms, the leading coefficient is 1.The use of trees to represent subsets, and the technique of path compression, lead to an <i>O</i>(<i>nG</i>(<i>n</i>)|S|) algorithm, where <i>S</i> is the set of generators for the group, and <i>G</i>(n) is a very slow growing function related to Ackermann's function, for computing the minimal invariant partition. The leading coefficient is such that, for degrees less than 1,000,000, the linked list version gives a smaller bound.
A Sparse Signal Reconstruction Perspective for Direction-of-Arrival Estimation with Minimum Redundancy Linear Array

In this paper, a new direction of arrival (DOA) estimation method based on minimum redundancy linear array (MRLA) from the sparse signal reconstruction perspective is proposed. According to the structure feature of MRLA which is obtaining larger antenna aperture through a smaller number of array sensors, MRLA is combined with 1 SVD −  method to estimate signal DOAs. Simulations demonstrate that the proposed method is effective and compared with 1 SVD −  method it could estimate more DOAs of signal source, and it is capable of estimating more DOAs with fewer antenna elements. Key-Words: Direction of arrival, minimum redundancy linear array, 1  -singular value decomposition, sparse signal reconstruction
AccuracyTrader: Accuracy-Aware Approximate Processing for Low Tail Latency and High Result Accuracy in Cloud Online Services

Modern latency-critical online services such as search engines often process requests by consulting large input data spanning massive parallel components. Hence the tail latency of these components determines the service latency. To trade off result accuracy for tail latency reduction, existing techniques use the components responding before a specified deadline to produce approximate results. However, they may skip a large proportion of components when load gets heavier, thus incurring large accuracy losses. This paper presents AccuracyTrader that produces approximate results with small accuracy losses while maintaining low tail latency. AccuracyTrader aggregates information of input data on each component to create a small synopsis, thus enabling all components producing initial results quickly using their synopses. AccuracyTrader also uses synopses to identify the parts of input data most related to arbitrary requests' result accuracy, thus first using these parts to improve the produced results in order to minimize accuracy losses. We evaluated AccuracyTrader using workloads in real services. The results show: (i) AccuracyTrader reduces tail latency by over 40 times with accuracy losses of less than 7% compared to existing exact processing techniques, (ii) when using the same latency, AccuracyTrader reduces accuracy losses by over 13 times comparing to existing approximate processing techniques.
Efficient Gradient‐Domain Compositing Using an Approximate Curl‐free Wavelet Projection

Gradient‐domain compositing has been widely used to create a seamless composite with gradient close to a composite gradient field generated from one or more registered images. The key to this problem is to solve a Poisson equation, whose unknown variables can reach the size of the composite if no region of interest is drawn explicitly, thus making both the time and memory cost expensive in processing multi‐megapixel images. In this paper, we propose an approximate projection method based on biorthogonal Multiresolution Analyses (MRA) to solve the Poisson equation. Unlike previous Poisson equation solvers which try to converge to the accurate solution with iterative algorithms, we use biorthogonal compactly supported curl‐free wavelets as the fundamental bases to approximately project the composite gradient field onto a curl‐free vector space. Then, the composite can be efficiently recovered by applying a fast inverse wavelet transform. Considering an n‐pixel composite, our method only requires 2n of memory for all vector fields and is more efficient than state‐of‐the‐art methods while achieving almost identical results. Specifically, experiments show that our method gains a 5× speedup over the streaming multigrid in certain cases.
Grain: a stream cipher for constrained environments

A new stream cipher, Grain, is proposed. The design targets hardware environments where gate count, power consumption and memory is very limited. It is based on two shift registers and a non-linear output function. The cipher has the additional feature that the speed can be increased at the expense of extra hardware. The key size is 80 bits and no attack faster than exhaustive key search has been identified. The hardware complexity and throughput compares favourably to other hardware oriented stream ciphers like E0 and A5/1.
Development of Yes/No Arabic Question Answering System

Developing Question Answering systems has been one of the important research issues because it requires insights from a variety of disciplines,including,Artificial Intelligence,Information Retrieval, Information Extraction,Natural Language Processing, and Psychology.In this paper we realize a formal model for a lightweight semantic based open domain yes/no Arabic question answering system based on paragraph retrieval with variable length. We propose a constrained semantic representation. Using an explicit unification framework based on semantic similarities and query expansion synonyms and antonyms.This frequently improves the precision of the system. Employing the passage retrieval system achieves a better precision by retrieving more paragraphs that contain relevant answers to the question; It significantly reduces the amount of text to be processed by the system.
3-D path planning for a mobile robot

A reliable navigation of a mobile robot in a dynamic change condition is demonstrated. To complete non-collision movement when the robot is in a complex dynamic change condition, a trajectory prediction system is developing to reliably predict the target trajectory during occlusion caused by obstacles. Algorithms for the device to perform path planning and trajectory prediction are described. After the information of the dynamic workspace is constructed, a path planning algorithm based on neural network is used to realize path planning. Neural network retraining is automatically triggered if major changes in the target behavior pattern are detected. The path planner uses super quadratic potential fields and incorporates a height change mechanism that is triggered where necessary and in order to get over short massif or pass by the taller obstacle. Simulation results for the system are presented.
Spike response properties of an AER EAR

We present measured frequency-gain functions and the spike rate outputs of the different sections in a spiking silicon cochlea chip. The chip consists of a matched pair of silicon cochleae with an address event interface for the output. Each section of the cochlea is modelled by a second-order low-pass filter followed by a simplified inner hair cell circuit and a spiking neuron circuit. When the neuron spikes, an address event is generated on the asynchronous data bus. These spike outputs are analogous to the spikes on an auditory nerve, connecting the cochlea with the brain
Immunostimulatory combinations: designing the next generation of vaccine adjuvants

Agents that activate dendritic cells are essential components for vaccines and can be conceptualized as molecular adjuvants. Other molecular adjuvants affect downstream factors that shape the resulting immune response. This review provides a compendium of recently studied molecular adjuvants, focusing on CD8+ T cell responses, which have important roles in HIV vaccines. Reference is also made to CD8+ T cell antitumor responses, where parallel studies of molecular adjuvants are being pursued. Molecular adjuvants can be considered in the following groups: TNF superfamily molecules such as CD40 ligand; agonists for TLRs; agonists for NAIP, CIITA, HET‐E, TP‐1‐leucine‐rich repeat pathway receptors, such as nucleotide‐binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)1, NOD2, and cryopyrin; chemokines; ILs; CSFs; IFNs; alarmins; and purinergic P2X7 receptor agonists. Complementing these positively acting agents are strategies to reduce the immunosuppressive effects of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and negatively acting factors such as TGF‐β, IL‐10, suppressor of cytokine signaling 1, and programmed cell death‐1 using neutralizing antibodies, antisense, and small interfering RNA. Especially effective are combinations of molecular adjuvants, which can elicit a massive expansion of antigen‐specific CD8+ T cells and show unprecedented efficacy in vaccine and tumor models. Taken together, these new approaches provide significant incremental progress in the development of vaccines to elicit cell‐mediated immunity against HIV and other pathogens.
Adaptable Web interfaces for networked robots

Most research in networked robots that use Web interfaces for robot control has been focused recently on the network part, since Ethernet involves poor (unpredictable) time performance. However, we believe that the problem to be addressed is more general and should not be restricted only to communication engineering: the interfaced system as a whole should adapt to get the most from the user, from the connection, and from the robot, even when no strict performance is possible. For that purpose, this paper introduces a new architecture for Web remote operation of robots that exhibits a high degree of flexibility in its adaptation to each particular user (through modular, configurable JAVA applets), to the system time-varying performance (through probability-guided, run-time adaptation of control loops), and to the robot software architecture (the standard CORBA is assumed as its middleware). Our approach constitutes an initial step for adapting comprehensively to all the mentioned issues, hence permitting to be employed in very different scenarios: realtime control, telecare, remote surveillance, etc.
Nonlinear predictive control of a wastewater model

This paper aims to demonstrate the application of nonlinear generalised predictive control (NLGPC) methods to a simplified model of a wastewater treatment plant. Wastewater treatment control has as yet concentrated either on low-level control methods such as PI, or indeed on-off control using PLC’s, but in recent years attention has turned to the application of more advanced control methods, both linear and nonlinear. The research reported in this paper employs the state dependant “state space” models. The predictive capabilities of the control designed using this state-dependant model allows the construction of a linear time-varying model, computed using the future trajectory determined by the predictive controller. The control scheme developed here concentrates on the dissolved oxygen and substrate processes within a wastewater treatment plant, via the application of nonlinear GPC on this process. Copyright © 2006 USTARTH
Expanding non‐invasive prenatal testing beyond chromosomes 21, 18, 13, X and Y

Non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) based on cell‐free DNA in maternal plasma is being expanded to include additional chromosome abnormalities beyond those involving chromosomes 21, 18, 13, X and Y. Review of population cytogenetic data provides insight into the likely number of additional abnormalities detectable. Additional clinically significant and cytogenetically recognizable abnormalities are present in less than 0.1% of newborns but clinically significant, or potentially significant, sub‐microscopic imbalances are expected to be present in 1.7%. Cytogenetic studies on chorionic villus samples suggests that after excluding abnormalities involving chromosomes 21, 18, 13, X and Y, approximately 0.6% of NIPT results may be positive for an unbalanced abnormality attributable to mosaicism but most of these will not be confirmed at amniocentesis or in newborns. NIPT has also been developed for specific microdeletion syndromes and initial experience is now available. Laboratory procedures such as deeper sequencing and additional data analytics are rapidly evolving but even with existing protocols, it is already clear that NIPT does not necessarily need to be limited to trisomies 21, 18, 13 and the sex‐chromosome abnormalities. Patient educational materials and genetic counseling services need to be available for women offered expanded NIPT.
On the synthesis of the system graph for 3D mechanics

This paper presents a methodology for deriving the system graph of a 3D mechanism from CAD models. That is, a linear graph that captures the energy flow in a system. This work is part of a larger research effort in composable simulation. In composable simulation, CAD models of system components are augmented with simulation models describing the component's dynamic behavior in different energy domains. By composable simulation we mean the ability to automatically generate system-level simulations through composition of individual component models. From the system graph, the system-level dynamic equations can be derived independently of the underlying energy domains.
New Perspectives on Blowing Snow in Antarctica and Implications for Ice Sheet Mass Balance

Blowing snow processes commonly occur over the earth ’ s ice sheets and snow covered regions when near surface wind speed exceeds a threshold value. These processes play a key role in the sublimation and redistribution of snow, thereby influencing the surface mass balance. Prior field studies and modeling results have shown the importance of blowing snow sublimation and transport on the surface mass budget and hydrological cycle of high latitude regions. Until recently, most of our knowledge of blowing snow was obtained from field measurements or modeling. Recent advances in satellite remote sensing have enabled a more complete understanding of the nature of blowing snow. Using 12 years of satellite lidar data, climatology of blowing snow frequency has been compiled, showing the spatial and temporal distribution of blowing snow frequency over Antarctica. Other characteristics of blowing snow such as backscatter structure and profiles of temperature, relative humidity, and winds through the layer are explored. A new technique that uses direct measurements of blowing snow backscatter combined with model meteorological reanalysis fields to compute the magnitude of blowing snow sublimation and transport is also discussed.
CANCER OF THE LUNG

Materialists consider that scientific investigation-i.e., theory and experiment (practice)-is the only way to knowledge of reality. Every scientist in practice really endorses the materialist view. Knowledge is the key to power-i.e., to the use of nature in the interests of man. Engels's statement that freedom is the appreciation of necessity means exactly that. Socialism, by making the . means of production collectively owned, and by efficient scientific education of the people, makes all as free as is possible at the given time in the given state of knowledge.
Highway Hierarchies Star

We study two speedup techniques for route planning in road net- works: highway hierarchies (HH) and goal directed search using landmarks (ALT). It turns out that there are several interesting synergies. Highway hi- erarchies yield a way to implement landmark selection more efficiently and to store landmark information more space efficiently than before. ALT gives queries in highway hierarchies an excellent sense of direction and allows some pruning of the search space. For computing shortest distances and approxi- mately shortest travel times, this combination yields significant speedups (be- tween a factor of 2.5 and 5) over HH alone, while for exact queries using the travel time metric only minor improvements are achieved. We also explain how to compute actual shortest paths very efficiently.
Exploiting symmetry in SAT-based boolean matching for heterogeneous FPGA technology mapping

The Boolean matching problem is a key procedure in technology mapping for heterogeneous field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), and SAT-based Boolean matching (SAT-BM) provides a highly flexible solution for various FPGA architectures. However, the computational complexity of state-of-the-art SAT-BM prohibits its application practically. In this paper we propose an efficient SAT-BM algorithm by exploring function and architectural symmetries. While the most recent work obtained up to 13times speedup, we achieve up to 200times speedup, when both are compared to the original SAT-BM algorithm.
A Low Cost Checker for Matrix Multiplication

The implementation of a low cost checker, using an extension of a randomized verification technique is proposed as an approach to detect errors in matrix multiplication operations with a small overhead in both area and performance. The proposed extended technique is shown to be able to detect all errors affecting a single element of the product matrix, thereby providing a significant improvement in the fault detection capabilities of the original one.
Integrated Product and Process Family Data Modeling for Product Lifecycle Management

Recognizing the importance of product lifecycle management in current manufacturing environment, we propose an integrated data framework of product and process families. The integrated data framework organizes all data of a product and the associated process families as a generic structure. Such integrated modeling lends itself to assist manufacturing companies in achieving design and production integration through managing product and process variety coherently. The unified modeling language is adopted in this research to shed light on the various elements of both product and process types and the complex relationships to be included in the integrated data framework. The framework has been tested in a local electronics company that produces a high variety of vibration motors for mobile phones.
Linear List-Approximation for Short Programs (or the Power of a Few Random Bits)

A c-short program for a string x is a description of x of length at most C(x) + c, where C(x) is the Kolmogorov complexity of x. We show that there exists a randomized algorithm that constructs a list of n elements that contains a O(log n)-short program for x. We also show a polynomial-time randomized construction that achieves the same list size for O(log2 n)-short programs. These results beat the lower bounds shown by Bauwens et al. [1] for deterministic constructions of such lists. We also prove tight lower bounds for the main parameters of our result. The constructions use only O(log n) (O(log2 n) for the polynomial-time result) random bits. Thus using only few random bits it is possible to do tasks that cannot be done by any deterministic algorithm regardless of its running time.
New insight on the Xq28 association with systemic sclerosis

Objective To evaluate whether the systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated IRAK1 non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism rs1059702 is responsible for the Xq28 association with SSc or whether there are other independent signals in the nearby methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 gene (MECP2). Methods We analysed a total of 3065 women with SSc and 2630 unaffected controls from five independent Caucasian cohorts. Four tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms of MECP2 (rs3027935, rs17435, rs5987201 and rs5945175) and the IRAK1 variant rs1059702 were genotyped using TaqMan predesigned assays. A meta-analysis including all cohorts was performed to test the overall effect of these Xq28 polymorphisms on SSc. Results IRAK1 rs1059702 and MECP2 rs17435 were associated specifically with diffuse cutaneous SSc (PFDR=4.12×10−3, OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.47, and PFDR=5.26×10−4, OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.48, respectively), but conditional logistic regression analysis showed that the association of IRAK1 rs1059702 with this subtype was explained by that of MECP2 rs17435. On the other hand, IRAK1 rs1059702 was consistently associated with presence of pulmonary fibrosis (PF), because statistical significance was observed when comparing SSc patients PF+ versus controls (PFDR=0.039, OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.58) and SSc patients PF+ versus SSc patients PF− (p=0.025, OR=1.26, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.55). Conclusions Our data clearly suggest the existence of two independent signals within the Xq28 region, one located in IRAK1 related to PF and another in MECP2 related to diffuse cutaneous SSc, indicating that both genes may have an impact on the clinical outcome of the disease.
Cognitive Load and Analogy-making in Children: Explaining an Unexpected Interaction

The aim of the present study is to investigate the performance of children of different ages on an analogy-making task involving semantic analogies in which there are competing semantic matches. We suggest that this can be best studied in terms of developmental changes in executive functioning. We hypothesize that the selection of the common relational structure requires the inhibition of other salient features, such as, semantically related semantic matches. Our results show that children's performance in classic A:B::C:D analogy-making tasks seems to depend crucially on the nature of the distractors and the association strength between the A and B terms, on the one hand, and the C and D terms on the other. These results agree with an analogy-making account (Richland et al., 2006) based on varying limitations in executive functioning at different ages.