Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determination of carbon nanofiber morphology in vinyl ester nanocomposites

Key aspects of nanofiber morphology in vapor-grown carbon nanofiber (VGCNF)/vinyl ester nanocomposites were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. Three-parameter Weibull probability density functions were generated to describe the statistical variation in nanofiber outer diameters, wall thicknesses, relative wall thicknesses, visible aspect ratios, and visible waviness ratios. Based upon a linear regression of experimental data, the relative nanofiber wall thicknesses were reasonably constant over a range of nanofiber radii. Such information could be used to establish more realistic nanofiber moduli and strengths obtained from nanofiber tensile tests, as well as to develop physically motivated computational models for predicting nanocomposite behavior. While the nanofiber aspect ratios and fiber waviness measurements were restricted to the visible portions of nanofibers lying in the plane of the TEM images, such data can be used to predict bounds on the effective nanocomposite elastic properties. This study represents one of the first attempts to experimentally characterize the distribution of VGCNF features in real thermoset nanocomposites.
Looking Beyond Adoption to Understanding the User-IT Artifact Relationship

Recent papers have debated whether there are any additional insights still to be gained from traditional information systems (IS) adoption models. Independently, recent research has paid attention to the “usage” construct and offered taxonomies of IS use. In this paper, we offer an overview of a theoretical model that offers researchers the ability to study individual users’ interaction with information technology (IT) artifacts, as well repeated interactions overtime. The proposed interaction-centric model highlights how the characteristics of an IT artifact, together with the user’s internal system and other structuring factors, affect users’ choices in terms of how to utilize the artifact. This subsequently, affects the types of beliefs users form about the artifact as well as their evaluations of it. Furthermore, we introduce a new set of constructs that capture users’ overall perceptions of the artifact and the relationship with it. To facilitate the study of this dynamic relationship that develops between the user and the artifact, we further explicate the effects of evaluations of the artifact from past interaction, and evaluations of the relationship with it, on how users choose to utilize the artifact in future interactions.
Effects of Feeding Glycerol to Lactating Dairy Cows on Milk Production and Composition

A study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding glycerol on dairy cows performance. Twenty four Holstein Friesian crossbred (>87.5% Holstein Friesian) lactating dairy cows in early lactation; averaging 13+2.4 kg of milk, 64+45 days in milk, 55+16 months old and 325+26 kg live weight, were stratified for milk yield, days in milk, age, stage of lactation and body weight, and then randomly allocated to three treatment groups. All cows were fed approximate 8 kg of concentrate together with ad libitum corn silage and freely access to clean water. Nil or 150 and 300g of glycerol were supplemented to the cows according to treatment groups. All cows consumed similar concentrate, corn silage and total DM and NELP. There were no significant differences in DM intake, CP intake, NELP intake, milk and milk composition yields. All cows had similar fat, protein, lactose, solid not fat and total solid percentage. All cows gain similar live weight. The present study indicated that, supplementation of glycerol did not enhance milk yield, milk composition and live weight change. Keywords—Glycerol, Milk production and composition, Dairy cattle
To Sponsor or Not to Sponsor: Sponsored Search Auctions with Organic Links

In 2010 sponsored search advertisements generated over $12 billion in revenue for search engines in the US market and accounted for 46% of online advertising revenue. A substantial portion of this revenue was generated by the sale of search keywords using an auction mechanism. We analyze a game-theoretic model to understand the interplay between organic and sponsored links in keyword auctions. Our model allows both the relevance of the advertising firm as well as the position of its sponsored link to impact click-through-rates. Our results demonstrate how the presence of organic links (links generated by the search engine algorithm) may lead to either more or less aggressive bidding for sponsored link positions depending on consumer attitudes toward sponsored links and the extent to which sponsored and organic links are complements or substitutes. In contrast to equilibrium results in existing literature, the firm with the highest value per click does not necessarily win the first spot in the sponsored search listings. It also may be optimal for a firm to bid an amount greater than the expected value (or sale) from a click.
A Study of the Sense Annotation Process : Man v / s Machine

Does context help determine sense? This question might seem frivolous, even preposterous to anybody sensible. However, our long time research on Word Sense Disambiguation (WSD) shows that in almost all disambiguation algorithms, the sense distribution parameter P(S/W), where P is the probability of the sense of a word W being S, plays the deciding role. The widely reported accuracy figure of around 60% for all-words-domainindependent WSD is contributed to mainly by P(S/W), as one ablation test after another reveals. The story with human annotation is different though. Our experience of working with human annotators who mark with WordNet sense ids, general and domain specific corpora brings to light the interesting fact that producing sense ids without looking at the context is a heavy cognitive load. Sense annotators do form hypothesis in their minds about the possible sense of a word (‘most frequent sense’ bias), but then look at the context for clues to accept or reject the hypothesis. Such clues are minimal, just one or two words, but are critical nonetheless. Without these clues the annotator is left in an indecisive state as to whether or not to put down the first sense coming to his mind. The task becomes all the more cognitively challenging, if the senses are fine grained and seem equally probable. These facts increase the annotation time by a factor of almost 1.5. In the current paper we explore the dichotomy that might exist between machines and humans in the way they determine senses. We study the various parameters for WSD and also the sense marking behavior of human sense annotators. The observations, though not completely conclusive, establish the need for context for humans and that for accurate sense distribution parameters for machines.
Multivoxel Pattern Analysis Reveals Increased Memory Targeting and Reduced Use of Retrieved Details during Single-Agenda Source Monitoring

We used multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of functional MRI (fMRI) data to gain insight into how subjects' retrieval agendas influence source memory judgments (was item X studied using source Y? ). In Experiment 1, we used a single-agenda test where subjects judged whether items were studied with the targeted source or not. In Experiment 2, we used a multiagenda test where subjects judged whether items were studied using the targeted source, studied using a different source, or nonstudied. To evaluate the differences between single- and multiagenda source monitoring, we trained a classifier to detect source-specific fMRI activity at study, and then we applied the classifier to data from the test phase. We focused on trials where the targeted source and the actual source differed, so we could use MVPA to track neural activity associated with both the targeted source and the actual source. Our results indicate that single-agenda monitoring was associated with increased focus on the targeted source (as evidenced by increased targeted-source activity, relative to baseline) and reduced use of information relating to the actual, nontarget source. In the multiagenda experiment, high levels of actual-source activity were associated with increased correct rejections, suggesting that subjects were using recollection of actual-source information to avoid source memory errors. In the single-agenda experiment, there were comparable levels of actual-source activity (suggesting that recollection was taking place), but the relationship between actual-source activity and behavior was absent (suggesting that subjects were failing to make proper use of this information).
DNA Repair Recognition via Support Vector Machines

DNA Repair is responsible for counteracting the effects of the constant damage incurred to DNA. Decades of study on the topic have uncovered that DNA repair comes in many forms, though the field is far from complete. We show how machine learning techniques are able to learn and distinguish DNA Repair proteins from other nuclear proteins as well as classify types of DNA Repair proteins. Application of machine learning to DNA Repair opens another way to elucidating further knowledge about the topic.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Atherosclerosis in Young Males: ARMY Study (Atherosclerosis Risk-Factors in Male Youngsters)

Background—Necropsy studies suggest that atherosclerosis begins in childhood, but in vivo confirmation of this concept is sparse and limited to selected population samples. Furthermore, new risk concepts of atherosclerosis focusing on inflammation, infections, and immunity have not yet been evaluated in this age group. Methods and Results—This study was conducted in a sample of 141 17- to 18-year-old white males homogenous in age and sex. In addition to classic risk factors, C-reactive protein and the humoral and cellular immune reactivity to heat-shock proteins (HSPs) were assessed. Intima-media thickness (IMT) was quantified at 4 vessel segments of the carotid and femoral arteries. High IMT was considered to be present if the IMT of at least 1 vessel segment exceeded the 90th percentile. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, cigarette smoking, high diastolic blood pressure, prominent immune reactivity to human and/or mycobacterial HSP60s, alcohol consumption (inverse), and low HDL cholesterol levels were all associated with high IMT. The prevalence of high IMT substantially increased from 0 to 60% when the number of risk conditions in a single individual increased from 0 to 4 (P <0.001 for linear trend). Conclusions—Our study supports the concept that atherosclerosis begins in the first decades of life and suggests a role of the immune system, especially immunoreactivity against HSP60s, in atherosclerosis of young individuals.
Investigation on femtosecond laser-assisted microfabrication in silica glasses

Fabrication of microstructures embedded in silica glasses using a femtosecond (fs)-laser-assisted chemical etching technique is systematically studied in this work. By scanning the laser pulses inside samples followed by the treatment of 5%-diluted hydrofluoric (HF) acid, groups of straight channels are fabricated and the relationship between the etching rate and processing parameters, including laser power, scanning speed, scanning time and laser polarization, is demonstrated. Based on the optimization of these parameters, complicated microstructures such as channels, cavities and their combinations are manufactured. The work has great potential applications in microelectromechanical systems, biomedical detection and chemical analysis.
Small steps in dynamics of information

Iedere dag van ons leven is gevuld met kleine handelingen die onze informatie wijzigen. We zien nieuwe feiten, concluderen nieuwe dingen op grond daarvan, veronderstellen dingen, worden ons bewust van nieuwe mogelijkheden, erkennen wat we wel en niet weten, vergeten dingen en herinneren ons weer andere. Al deze handelingen veranderen onze kennis, opvattingen, verlangens, intenties en andere houdingen op een kleine, maar beslissende manier. Fernando Velazquez deed onderzoek naar deze handelingen. Hij presenteert een formeellogisch raamwerk waarin hij niet alleen de kleine stappen van de dynamiek van informatie analyseert, maar er ook over redeneert.
Mutation analysis of the SLC26A4, FOXI1 and KCNJ10 genes in individuals with congenital hearing loss

Pendred syndrome (PDS) and DFNB4 comprise a phenotypic spectrum of sensorineural hearing loss disorders that typically result from biallelic mutations of the SLC26A4 gene. Although PDS and DFNB4 are recessively inherited, sequencing of the coding regions and splice sites of SLC26A4 in individuals suspected to be affected with these conditions often fails to identify two mutations. We investigated the potential contribution of large SLC26A4 deletions and duplications to sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) by screening 107 probands with one known SLC26A4 mutation by Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA). A heterozygous deletion, spanning exons 4–6, was detected in only one individual, accounting for approximately 1% of the missing mutations in our cohort. This low frequency is consistent with previously published MLPA results. We also examined the potential involvement of digenic inheritance in PDS/DFNB4 by sequencing the coding regions of FOXI1 and KCNJ10. Of the 29 probands who were sequenced, three carried nonsynonymous variants including one novel sequence change in FOXI1 and two polymorphisms in KCNJ10. We performed a review of prior studies and, in conjunction with our current data, conclude that the frequency of FOXI1 (1.4%) and KCNJ10 (3.6%) variants in PDS/DFNB4 individuals is low. Our results, in combination with previously published reports, indicate that large SLC26A4 deletions and duplications as well as mutations of FOXI1 and KCNJ10 play limited roles in the pathogenesis of SNHL and suggest that other genetic factors likely contribute to the phenotype.
Fault Tolerant Analysis of Automotive Systems

Over the years, Fault Tolerance has become the most sought-after requirement in high-availability or life-critical systems. Fault-tolerant electronic sub-systems are becoming a standard requirement in the automotive industrial sector as electronics becomes pervasive in present cars. The existing fault-tolerance analysis approach can handle quality faults emanating from loss of precision in signal values of automotive systems, in addition to logical faults. This analysis can aid the designer to identify where and how precision losses occur in both software and hardware components. This analysis is performed on operation-level (Simulink) models, and hence provides early detection of weak spots in the system. The existing approach uses two fault analysis methods in tandem: a faultinjection and simulation method is used which evaluates the quality degradation of output signals of the system, under specific testcases and faultscenarios; and a look-up table based approach, in which quality degradation of the complete system is obtained by a series of table lookups, which store the characterized quality degradation behavior of individual components. The LUT based method performs a quick but approximate analysis and yields better coverage with respect to quality behavior. The exhaustive analysis of quality fault-tolerance is a computationally intensive problem. So, we focus on improving the LUT based approach for performing fault tolerant analysis. In this thesis, we present a novel technique to perform characterization of components using multiple functional testcases that are quite varied and hence capture most of the component behaviour in various faulty scenarios. Improving the characterization methodology, leads to improved quality LUTs for each component, using which dynamic analysis produces much better results. We use our approach to characterize two systems, namely a Fault Tolerant Fuel Controller and an Anti-lock Braking System. Apart from this, we also suggest techniques for performing compaction of LUTs to satisfy time and storage requirements.
Generalized Backward Decoding Strategies for the Relay Channel

This correspondence studies coding strategies for a three-node relay channel. We start with the basic coding strategies of Cover and El Gamal: the relay decodes the source message and forward it to the destination (cooperation); the relay transmits its compressed channel outputs to the destination (facilitation); or the relay superimposes both cooperation and facilitation (generalized). In this paper, two new generalized strategies superimposing cooperation and facilitation are introduced and investigated on the general relay channel. The first strategy makes use of sequential backward (SeqBack) decoding while the second strategy makes use of simultaneous backward (SimBack) decoding. The achievable rate for the second strategy is shown to include that of the generalized strategy of Cover and El Gamal. Assuming zero-mean, jointly Gaussian random variables, the two new strategies give higher achievable rates than the generalized strategy of Cover and El Gamal for certain parameters on the Gaussian relay channel
Performance and code length optimization of joint decoding tardos fingerprinting

To trace back copyright infringements, digital transaction watermarking today is a widely accepted method. Here, copies of a single work are individualized by embedding userspecific watermark messages. However, transaction watermarking is vulnerable to collusion attacks, where multiple individualized copies of one work are compared and/or combined to attack the integrity or availability of the embedded watermark message. To resist such attacks one may apply so called fingerprinting codes. These are mathematical codes that achieve collusion resistance by i.e. enforcing a higher payload. But due to the payload limitations of many multimedia files, e.g. short audio files or images, reducing the code length of fingerprinting codes is of immense importance. The reduction of only few bits may make the difference whether a fingerprint message can be embedded to ensure collusion security or not. In this work we propose a combined tracing algorithm of Škorić et al [13] and Meerwald and Furon [9] based on the fingerprint generation process of [4]. To combine these algorithms, [13] and [9] have been modified according to this manner. For the same error rates as in [9], we achieve both a significant reduction in the code length as well as an improvement of the decoding performance. Additionally, our joint decoding tracing strategy also works for collusion sizes larger than 8.
Exponential Bounds and Tails for Additive Random Recursive Sequences

Exponential bounds and tail estimates are derived for additive random recursive sequences, which typically arise as functionals of recursive structures, of random trees or in recursive algorithms. In particular they arise as parameters of divide and conquer type algorithms. We derive tail bounds from estimates of the Laplace transforms and of the moment sequences. For the proof we use some classical exponential bounds and some variants of the induction method. The paper generalizes results of Rosler (% \citeyearNPRoesler:91, % \citeyearNPRoesler:92) and % \citeNNeininger:05 on subgaussian tails to more general classes of additive random recursive sequences. It also gives sufficient conditions for tail bounds of the form \exp(-a t^p) which are based on a characterization of \citeNKasahara:78.
Effects of acepromazine, hydromorphone, or an acepromazine-hydromorphone combination on the degree of sedation in clinically normal dogs.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of IM administration of acepromazine, hydromorphone, or the acepromazine-hydromorphone combination on degree of sedation in clinically normal dogs and to compare 2 sedation scoring techniques. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled trial. Animals-46 random-source dogs. PROCEDURES Dogs were assigned to receive IM administrations of acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg [0.023 mg/lb]; [DOSAGE ERROR CORRECTED] n = 12), hydromorphone (0.1 mg/kg [0.045 mg/lb]; 11), acepromazine-hydromorphone (0.5 mg/kg and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively; 12), or saline (0.9% NaCI) solution (0.05 mL/kg [0.023 mL/lb]; 11). Sedation scores were determined at 0 (time of administration), 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes by use of a subjective scoring system (SSS) and a simple numeric rating scale (NRS). RESULTS Acepromazine caused significantly greater sedation than did saline solution at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. Acepromazine-hydromorphone caused significantly greater sedation than did saline solution at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes and than did hydromorphone alone at 30 minutes. Hydromorphone alone did not cause significantly greater sedation than did saline solution. All treatments, including saline solution, caused significantly greater sedation at 45 and 60 minutes, compared with sedation at time 0. There was a significant correlation (r(2) = 0.72) between scores obtained with the SSS and NRS, but the NRS was less sensitive for detecting clinically important sedation. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Administration of acepromazine or acepromazine-hydromorphone caused sedation in clinically normal dogs, whereas administration of hydromorphone alone did not. The NRS was a less-reliable measure of sedation.
Efficient hardware solution for low power and adaptive image-compression in WSN

In this paper, we present and evaluate a hardware implementation for user-driven and packet-loss tolerant image compression, especially designed to enable low-power image compression and communication over wireless sensors networks (WSNs). The proposed compression scheme, presented as a CMOS circuit, is intended to be embedded in the camera sensor. It will be considered as a co-processor for tasks related with image compression and data packetization, which unloads the main microcontroller so that it will spend less time in active mode. The interest of our solution is twofold. First, compression settings can be changed at runtime (upon reception of a request message sent by an end-user or according to the internal state of the camera sensor node). Second, the image compression chain includes a (block of) pixel interleaving scheme which significantly improves the robustness against packet loss in image communication. The main part of this paper focuses on the specification and the performances analysis of this solution when implemented on FPGA and ASIC circuits.
Isolated limb perfusion for in‐transit melanoma metastases: Melphalan or TNF‐melphalan perfusion?

Indications for treatment of melanoma in‐transit metastases (ITMs) confined to the limb with isolated limb perfusion (ILP) are not well defined. This study reports the Groningen regional therapeutic perfusion experience with melphalan (M‐ILP) and TNF‐melphalan (TM‐ILP) for ITMs, and reviews of the melanoma TNF‐melphalan ILP literature. Between 1991 and 2012, 60 patients were treated with ILP. Patients with “small” ITMs received M‐ILP (10–13 mg melphalan/L limb volume) and patients with “bulky” disease TM‐ILP (1–4 mg TNF); 19 M‐ILPs and 41 TM‐ILPs were performed, 26 Stage IIIB, 31 Stage IIIB and 1 stage IV disease. Overall response after 57 ILPs was 90%; CR 27 (45%), PR 27 (45%), no response 3 (5%); after 9 M‐ILPs CR 6 (32%) and 41 TM‐ILPs CR 21 (51%, P = 0.124). For younger patients (<65 years) CR was 69% and for elderly patients 29% (P = 0.003). For low volume disease (<5 ITMs) CR was 75% and for high volume disease (≥5 ITMs) 41% (P = 0.038). After median follow‐up of 15 months (range, 1–144) there was local recurrence or disease progression in 36 patients (60%). Positive lymph node status was associated with local progression, absence of CR and Stage IIIC disease; these were independent prognostic factors for progression to systemic disease. M‐ILP is an effective regional treatment for melanoma ITMs, whereas for bulky disease TM‐ILP should be the first choice. In‐field progression‐free survival after ILP is determined by the biological behavior of the ITMs and the patient's immune system. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014 109:338–347. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.