Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploiting Upper Approximation in the Rough Set Methodology

In this paper, we investigate enhancements to an upper classifier - a decision algorithm generated by an upper classification method, which is one of the classification methods in rough set theory. Specifically, we consider two enhancements. First, we present a stepwise backward feature selection algorithm to preprocess a given set of features. This is important because rough classification methods are incapable of removing superfluous features. We prove that the stepwise backward selection algorithm finds a small subset of relevant features that are ideally sufficient and necessary to define target concepts with respect to a given threshold. This threshold value indicates an acceptable degradation in the quality of an upper classifier. Second, to make an upper classifier adaptive, we associate it with some kind of frequency information, which we call incremental information. An extended decision table is used to represent an adaptive upper classifier. It is also used for interpreting an upper classifier either deterministically or nondeterministically.
High-Resolution Imaging of the Mantle Transition Zone beneath Japan from Sparse Receiver Functions

A new approach to estimate high-resolution receiver functions using a simultaneous iterative time-domain sparse deconvolution is presented. To test its functionality and reliability, several experiments were conducted with synthetic and real seismological data. Furthermore, this technique was employed to obtain a high-resolution image of the mantle transition zone discontinuities beneath Japan. The results show a locally elevated 410-km discontinuity with a topographic relief of up to 10 km; conversely, the 660-km discontinuity shows a large depression of up to ~30 km in regions coincident with the subducting Pacific plate. These results are consistent with previous receiver function and tomographic studies showing a flat lying slab in this region. It is still debatable whether parts of the deflected slab is sinking into the lower mantle or not; since this is not clearly observed from the results. But it appears that the 660-km discontinuity deflection extends further to the west into the Korean Peninsula.
Ensembles in adversarial classification for spam

The standard method for combating spam, either in email or on the web, is to train a classifier on manually labeled instances. As the spammers change their tactics, the performance of such classifiers tends to decrease over time. Gathering and labeling more data to periodically retrain the classifier is expensive. We present a method based on an ensemble of classifiers that can detect when its performance might be degrading and retrain itself, all without manual intervention. Experiments with a real-world dataset from the blog domain show that our methods can significantly reduce the number of times classifiers are retrained when compared to a fixed retraining schedule, and they maintain classification accuracy even in the absence of manually labeled examples.
A preliminary step of a novel strategy in suicide gene therapy with lentiviral vector

Background: One of the challenges in lentiviral vector-based suicide gene therapy by toxin or apoptosis-inducing genes is death of packaging cells. Therefore, the process of production of these lentiviral particles would be stopped in this step. We proposed that insertion of a reverse promoter between R and U5 regions of 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR) in transfer plasmid could be considered as a solution for this problem. But it is not known, whether the insertion of RΔU3 sequence between the promoter and target gene in proviral genome during the life-cycle of lentivirus may interfere whit gene expression in target cells. Materials and Methods: The following were performed in this study: insertion of RΔU3 sequence in pEGFP-N1 plasmid, evaluation of the expression of eGFP gene after calcium phosphate co-precipitation transfection of pCMV-RΔU3-GFP construction in 293T cells, and quantitative assay of eGFP gene by flow cytometry technique. Results: Our results from flow cytometry technique analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the expression of eGFP gene in transfected cells with pEGFP-N1 and pCMV-RΔU3-GFP plasmids (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In this step of our strategy, we demonstrated that modification of orientation and location of promoter may overcome some issues in lentiviral suicide gene therapy, especially when toxin or apoptosis-inducing genes are used.
Daily Experiences and Relationship Well-Being: The Paradoxical Effects of Relationship Identification.

OBJECTIVE Even couples in healthy romantic relationships experience conflict at times. We examine whether relationship identification (the extent to which the relationship is incorporated into the self) predicts immediate reactivity to partner transgressions and also promotes global resilience over time. METHOD Sixty-three couples participated in a 2-week event-contingent diary study. RESULTS On a daily basis, experiencing more partner transgressions than usual predicted decreases in relationship well-being and increases in negative affect. This within-person association was stronger for those high in relationship identification. However, after 2 weeks, changes in global relationship evaluations of low identifiers, but not of high identifiers, were contingent on the accumulation of partner transgressions and the degree of negative affect in response to these daily transgressions. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that internalizing a relationship into the self does not blind intimates to immediate negative events but rather provides a basis for their global relationship evaluations that is not contingent on recent events.
Multiple Enzymatic Activities Associated with Recombinant NS3 Protein of Hepatitis C Virus

ABSTRACT The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 3 protein (NS3) contains at least two domains associated with multiple enzymatic activities; a serine protease activity resides in the N-terminal one-third of the protein, whereas RNA helicase activity and RNA-stimulated nucleoside triphosphatase activity are associated with the C-terminal portion. To study the possible mutual influence of these enzymatic activities, a full-length NS3 polypeptide of 67 kDa was expressed as a nonfusion protein in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity, and shown to retain all three enzymatic activities. The protease activity of the full-length NS3 was strongly dependent on the activation by a synthetic peptide spanning the central hydrophobic core of the NS4A cofactor. Once complexed with the NS4A-derived peptide, the full-length NS3 protein and the isolated N-terminal protease domain cleaved synthetic peptide substrates with comparable efficiency. We show that, as in the case of the isolated protease domain, the protease activity of full-length NS3 undergoes inhibition by the N-terminal cleavage products of substrate peptides corresponding to the NS4A-NS4B and NS5A-NS5B. We have also characterized and quantified the NS3 ATPase, RNA helicase, and RNA-binding activities under optimized reaction conditions. Compared with the isolated N-terminal and C-terminal domains, recombinant full-length NS3 did not show significant differences in the three enzymatic activities analyzed in independent in vitro assays. We have further explored the possible interdependence of the NS3 N-terminal and C-terminal domains by analyzing the effect of polynucleotides on the modulation of all NS3 enzymatic functions. Our results demonstrated that the observed inhibition of the NS3 proteolytic activity by single-stranded RNA is mediated by direct interaction with the protease domain rather than with the helicase RNA-binding domain.
Maximum Quadratic Assignment Problem: Reduction from Maximum Label Cover and LP-based Approximation Algorithm

We show that for every positive ϵ > 0, unless NP ⊂ BPQP, it is impossible to approximate the maximum quadratic assignment problem within a factor better than 2<sup>log<sup>1-ϵ</sup> <i>n</i></sup> by a reduction from the maximum label cover problem. Our result also implies that Approximate Graph Isomorphism is not robust and is, in fact, 1 - ϵ versus ϵ hard assuming the Unique Games Conjecture. Then, we present an <i>O</i>(√n)-approximation algorithm for the problem based on rounding of the linear programming relaxation often used in state-of-the-art exact algorithms.
Results on a Binding Neuron Model and Their Implications for Modified Hourglass Model for Neuronal Network

The classical models of single neuron like Hodgkin-Huxley point neuron or leaky integrate and fire neuron assume the influence of postsynaptic potentials to last till the neuron fires. Vidybida (2008) in a refreshing departure has proposed models for binding neurons in which the trace of an input is remembered only for a finite fixed period of time after which it is forgotten. The binding neurons conform to the behaviour of real neurons and are applicable in constructing fast recurrent networks for computer modeling. This paper develops explicitly several useful results for a binding neuron like the firing time distribution and other statistical characteristics. We also discuss the applicability of the developed results in constructing a modified hourglass network model in which there are interconnected neurons with excitatory as well as inhibitory inputs. Limited simulation results of the hourglass network are presented.
Comparative evaluation of two epoxy mica insulation systems using IEC 60034-27-3 and API 541 recommended factory acceptance limits

Recent revisions of IEC 60034-27-3 and API 541 now include recommended acceptance criteria for dissipation factor (DF, or tangent delta) measurements and offline partial discharge (PD) analysis, which are common factory acceptance tests of sacrificial coil samples of new medium voltage stator windings. IEC 60034-27-3 recommends acceptance limits for DF & tip-up and API 541 recommends 100 pC for PD on sacrificial coils. DF and PD measurements from 10 sample coils manufactured with two service-proven epoxy mica insulation systems (“A” and “B”) were compared against the recommended acceptance criteria. Sample coils in Group A met the acceptance criteria for DF specified by IEC 60034-27-3, while the Group B coils did not. Neither group met the recommended PD value offered by API 541. The sample coils were subjected to a highly accelerated voltage endurance (VE) life test per IEEE 1553. The similar characteristic life of both groups signified that specified DF and PD levels alone may not be an appropriate measure of stator winding quality. The experimental study suggests that a better alternative is to consider acceptance criteria based on statistical distributions drawn from similar test conditions.
Systematic identification of genes involved in metabolic acid stress resistance in yeast and their potential as cancer targets

ABSTRACT A hallmark of all primary and metastatic tumours is their high rate of glucose uptake and glycolysis. A consequence of the glycolytic phenotype is the accumulation of metabolic acid; hence, tumour cells experience considerable intracellular acid stress. To compensate, tumour cells upregulate acid pumps, which expel the metabolic acid into the surrounding tumour environment, resulting in alkalization of intracellular pH and acidification of the tumour microenvironment. Nevertheless, we have only a limited understanding of the consequences of altered intracellular pH on cell physiology, or of the genes and pathways that respond to metabolic acid stress. We have used yeast as a genetic model for metabolic acid stress with the rationale that the metabolic changes that occur in cancer that lead to intracellular acid stress are likely fundamental. Using a quantitative systems biology approach we identified 129 genes required for optimal growth under conditions of metabolic acid stress. We identified six highly conserved protein complexes with functions related to oxidative phosphorylation (mitochondrial respiratory chain complex III and IV), mitochondrial tRNA biosynthesis [glutamyl-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase complex], histone methylation (Set1C–COMPASS), lysosome biogenesis (AP-3 adapter complex), and mRNA processing and P-body formation (PAN complex). We tested roles for two of these, AP-3 adapter complex and PAN deadenylase complex, in resistance to acid stress using a myeloid leukaemia-derived human cell line that we determined to be acid stress resistant. Loss of either complex inhibited growth of Hap1 cells at neutral pH and caused sensitivity to acid stress, indicating that AP-3 and PAN complexes are promising new targets in the treatment of cancer. Additionally, our data suggests that tumours may be genetically sensitized to acid stress and hence susceptible to acid stress-directed therapies, as many tumours accumulate mutations in mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes required for their proliferation. Summary: Altered metabolism in tumours creates metabolic acid stress in tumour cells, which is a target for chemotherapeutics. We identify six new complexes with roles in resistance to metabolic acid stress.
Aneka—Integration of Private and Public Clouds

A growing interest in moving software applications, services, and even infrastructure resources from in-house premises to external providers has been witnessed recently. A survey conducted by F5 Networks between June and July 2009 showed that such a trend has now reached a critical mass; and an increasing number of IT managers have already adopted, or are considering adopting, this approach to implement IT operations. This model of making IT resources available, known as Cloud Computing [1], opens new opportunities to small, medium-sized, and large companies. It is not necessary anymore to bear considerable costs for maintaining the IT infrastructures or to plan for peak demand. Instead, infrastructure and applications can scale elastically according to the business needs at a reasonable price. The possibility of instantly reacting to thedemandof customerswithout long-termplanning is oneof themost appealing features of cloud computing, and it has been a key factor in making this trend popular among technology and business practitioners. As a result of this growing interest, the major players in the IT industry such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Sun, and Yahoo have started offering cloudcomputing-based solutions that cover the entire IT computing stack, from hardware to applications and services. These offerings have become quickly
Multiple Offspring Sampling in Large Scale Global Optimization

Continuous optimization is one of the most active research lines in evolutionary and metaheuristic algorithms. Through CEC 2005 to CEC 2011 competitions, many different algorithms have been proposed to solve continuous problems. The advances on this type of problems are of capital importance as many real-world problems from very different domains (biology, engineering, data mining, etc.) can be formulated as the optimization of a continuous function. In this paper we analyze the behavior of a hybrid algorithm combining two heuristics that have been successfully applied to solving continuous optimization problems in the past. We show that the combination of both algorithms obtains competitive results on the proposed benchmark by automatically selecting the most appropriate heuristic for each function and search phase.
EGFR Expression in Gallbladder Carcinoma in North America

BACKGROUND: Increased epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF receptor) expression has been noted in various cancers and has become a useful target for therapeutic interventions. Small studies from Asia and Australia have demonstrated EGFR over-expression in gallbladder cancer. We sought to evaluate the expression of EGFR in a series of 16 gallbladder cancer patients from North America. METHODS: Using tumor registry data, we identified 16 patients diagnosed with gall bladder carcinoma at our medical center between the years of 1998 and 2005. We performed a retrospective review of these patients' charts, obtained cell blocks from pathology archives and stained for EGFR and Her2/neu. RESULTS: Fifteen of sixteen patients were noted to over-express EGFR. Three were determined 1+, nine were 2+ and three were 3+. Eight patients had poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, six had moderately differentiated and two had well-differentiated tumors. In this small series, there was a trend toward shorter survival and more poorly differentiated tumors in patients with greater intensity of EGFR expression. One patient was EGFR negative but 3+ for erb-2/Her 2-neu expression. No patient co-expressed EGFR and Her-2-neu. Median survival of patients in this series was 17 months. CONCLUSION: In view of our observations confirming the over-expression of EGFR in our patient population in North America, and the recent success of EGFR targeted therapies in other solid tumors that over-express EGFR, it may now be appropriate to evaluate agents targeting this pathway either as single agents or in combination with standard chemotherapy.
Wiener System identification using B-spline functions with De Boor recursion

A simple and effective algorithm is introduced for the system identification of Wiener system based on the observational input/output data. The B-spline neural network is used to approximate the nonlinear static function in the Wiener system. We incorporate the Gauss-Newton algorithm with De Boor algorithm (both curve and the first order derivatives) for the parameter estimation of the Wiener model, together with the use of a parameter initialization scheme. The efficacy of the proposed approach is demonstrated using an illustrative example. (5 pages)
Differential activation of Myf 5 and MyoD by different Wnts in explants of mouse paraxial mesoderm and the later activation of myogenesis in the absence of Myf 5

S. Tajbakhsh 1, U. Borello 2, E. Vivarelli 2, R. Kelly 1, J. Papkoff 3, D. Duprez 4, M. Buckingham 1 and G. Cossu 2,* 1Département de Biologie Moléculaire CNRS URA 1947, Institut Pasteur, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France 2Istituto Pasteur-Cenci Bolognetti, Dipartimento di Istologia ed Embriologia Medica. Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Via A. Scarpa 14, 00161 Rome, Italy 3ARIAD Pharmaceuticals Inc., 26 Landsdowne St, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA 4Institute d’Embryologie Cellulaire et Moleculaire du CNRS et du College de France, 49bis Avenue de la Belle Gabrielle, 94736 Nogent Sur Marne Cedex, France
Analysis of column compression multipliers

Column compression multipliers are frequently used in high-performance computer systems due to their short worst case delay. This paper examines the area, delay, and power characteristics of Dadda (1965) and Wallace (1964) column compression multipliers in deep submicron technology. Our analysis shows that Wallace multipliers have slightly more area and approximately the same worst case delay as Dadda multipliers. It also shows the importance of considering parasitic capacitances when determining the delay of column compression multipliers, since parasitics can increase the delay of the multiplier by over 60%. As multiplier size increases, the ratio of power to area also increases, due to longer interconnect lines and increased glitching.
Single Ih Channels in Pyramidal Neuron Dendrites: Properties, Distribution, and Impact on Action Potential Output

The hyperpolarization-activated cation current (Ih) plays an important role in regulating neuronal excitability, yet its native single-channel properties in the brain are essentially unknown. Here we use variance-mean analysis to study the properties of single Ih channels in the apical dendrites of cortical layer 5 pyramidal neurons in vitro. In these neurons, we find that Ih channels have an average unitary conductance of 680 ± 30 fS (n = 18). Spectral analysis of simulated and native Ih channels showed that there is little or no channel flicker below 5 kHz. In contrast to the uniformly distributed single-channel conductance, Ih channel number increases exponentially with distance, reaching densities as high as ∼550 channels/μm2 at distal dendritic sites. These high channel densities generate significant membrane voltage noise. By incorporating a stochastic model of Ih single-channel gating into a morphologically realistic model of a layer 5 neuron, we show that this channel noise is higher in distal dendritic compartments and increased threefold with a 10-fold increased single-channel conductance (6.8 pS) but constant Ih current density. In addition, we demonstrate that voltage fluctuations attributable to stochastic Ih channel gating impact on action potential output, with greater spike-timing precision in models with the experimentally determined single-channel conductance. These data suggest that, in the face of high current densities, the small single-channel conductance of Ih is critical for maintaining the fidelity of action potential output.
SurfCuit: Surface-Mounted Circuits on 3D Prints

The SurfCuit system integrates circuits into 3D prints by mounting them on the printed surface. SurfCuit does not require tedious circuit casing design or expensive setups, allowing users to build complex, highly conductive circuit patterns for consumer-level desktop fused decomposition modeling (FDM) 3D printers and thus expediting the process of circuit construction for 3D models.https://extras.computer. org/extra/mcg2017030052s1.mp4
Improving health-related quality of life through an evidence-based obesity reduction program: the Healthy Weights Initiative

When evaluating any health intervention, it is critical to include the impact of the intervention on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Among those who are obese, HRQL is often lower than the general population and even more when considering obesity-related comorbidities and bodily pain. The objectives of this paper were to determine the impact of a multidisciplinary, community-based obesity reduction program on HRQL and to determine the independent risk factors for lack of improvement from baseline to follow-up. HRQL was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) at baseline and follow-up (24 weeks). To date, 84.5% of those who completed the program had improvements in their overall SF-36 score. Significant increases in the mean scores on eight dimensions of health were also observed. Lack of improvement was independently affected by smoking status (odds ratio 3.75; 95% confidence interval 1.44–9.78; P=0.007) and not having a buddy to attend the program (odds ratio 3.70; 95% confidence interval 1.28–10.68; P=0.015). Obesity reduction programs that target increasing exercise, improving diet, and cognitive behavioral therapy can positively impact HRQL in obese adults. Social support has a strong role to play in improving outcomes.