Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Search of an API for Scalable Reliable Multicast

There are many scenarios in which the same data must be delivered over a packet switched network to a large set of receivers. For instance, video programming may be sent over a network much like a TV show is sent over the airwaves. As another example, network transmissions of popular software releases may attract millions of users request the same file at the same time. Finally, popular web pages can have a very large number of simultaneous users.
Bachelor Degree Project in Cognitive Neuroscience Level Ects Spring Term 2014 Mind-wandering Mind-wandering – a Human Condition 5 4 Mind-wandering – a Human Condition

Mind-wandering was until recently not a mainstream topic of research. The aim of this literature review is to present current views on the definition of mind-wandering and how the phenomenon is experienced. Furthermore, it gives an account of the implications of mind-wandering on cognitive performance, as well as its neurological correlates. In addition, the methods used to study mind-wandering are reviewed. The study of mind-wandering reveals a highly frequent phenomenon with practical consequences on a broad scale, both disruptive and supportive to goal-related behaviour and wellbeing in general. Originating from the default network, and its regions related to representations of self, memory, Theory of Mind, empathy and creativity, mind-wandering is hypothesized to be a function for planning one’s future life. Suggested further research concerns how mind-wandering can be countered, detected from the outside and whether it alters the physical feature of the brain.
Connectivity of mobile cognitive radio network with random waypoint movement

In this paper, we propose a model of mobile cognitive radio network after fully considering the analysis method of network connectivity based on Random Way-point (RWP) mobility scheme in cognitive radio network. The closed formula of connectivity probability has been derived to evaluate the network connectivity in this model. And it shows that the network connectivity is related to the size of mobile cognitive radio network, the number of secondary users, the transmission range of secondary users and primary users, the interference range of secondary users and primary users, the number of primary users and the activity factor of primary users. Such a model demonstrates that moving speed of secondary users has an impact on the network connectivity during simulation. Simulation results corroborate our theoretical analysis. Therefore, our study can provide a critical constraint function to the problem of network optimization.
HF gate drive circuit for a normally-on SiC JFET with inherent safety

A gate drive circuit for a silicon carbide (SiC) JFET is introduced from the standpoint of application to power conversion circuit. This gate drive circuit enables normally-on JFETs as close as normally-off devices at high switching frequency. The voltage and current responses of the implemented circuit are discussed under loads at the switching frequencies over 1MHz.
Pegylation of a chlorin(e6) polymer conjugate increases tumor targeting of photosensitizer.

Photodynamic therapy is emerging as a viable modality for the treatment of many cancers. A limiting factor in its use against intracavity tumors such as disseminated ovarian cancer is insufficient selectivity of the photosensitizer for tumor compared with normal tissue. We report on an approach to improve tumor targeting by exploiting differences between cell types and by chemical modification of a photosensitizer conjugate. Attachment of polyethylene glycol (pegylation) to a polyacetylated conjugate between poly-l-lysine and chlorin(e6) increased the relative phototoxicity in vitro toward an ovarian cancer cell line (OVCAR-5) while reducing it toward a macrophage cell line (J774), compared with the nonpegylated conjugate. Surprisingly, the increased phototoxicity of the pegylated conjugate correlated with reduced oxygen consumption. Pegylation also reduced the tendency of the conjugate to aggregate and reduced the consumption of oxygen when the conjugates were illuminated in solution in serum containing medium, suggesting a switch in photochemical mechanism from type II (singlet oxygen) to type I (radicals or electron transfer). Pegylation led to more mitochondrial localization as shown by confocal fluorescence microscopy in OVCAR-5 cells, and, on illumination, produced a switch in cell death mechanism toward apoptosis not seen with J774 cells. Conjugates were injected i.p. into nude mice bearing i.p. OVCAR-5 tumors, and the pegylated conjugate gave higher amounts of photosensitizer in tumor and higher tumor:normal tissue ratios and increased the depth to which the chlorin(e6) penetrated into the peritoneal wall. Taken together, these results suggest that pegylation of a polymer-photosensitizer conjugate improves tumor-targeting and may increase the efficacy of photodynamic therapy for ovarian cancer.
Improving Model-Checkers for Software Testing

In recent years, automated test-case generation with model-checkers has seen increasing attention in the research community. The use of model-checkers for testing offers full automation, a choice of different methods to derive test-suites, and is efficient under certain preconditions. Model-checkers, however, were not originally intended for this task. Therefore, there are several drawbacks that a tester has to cope with. If model-checkers were designed or adapted to take into account the needs that result from the application to software testing, this could lead to significant improvements with regard to test-suite quality and performance. In this paper, we discuss the drawbacks of current model-checkers when used for testing, and suggest ten ways in which model-checkers could be enhanced to be better suited for the task of test-case generation.
Receding Horizon Planning for Dubins Traveling Salesman Problems

In this paper we study the problem of finding the shortest global path of nonholonomic vehicles given a set of ordered waypoints. We represent the nonholonomic motion constraints using Dubins' model. Many approaches for this problem piece together smooth trajectories by considering the solution of consecutive two-point optimal trajectories, enforcing smoothness at waypoints by requiring continuity of the vehicle state between segments. In this paper, we extend the two point optimal Dubins path solution to consider three consecutive waypoints, with several variations. We use this solution in a receding horizon approach to compute a smooth path through the sequence of waypoints. We compare our approach to alternative algorithms based on two- and three-point solutions, and show the advantage of our receding horizon algorithm over these alternatives. We also consider the problem when the set of waypoints is specified, but not the order. For these problems, we compute the order using an approximate traveling salesman problem solution based on straight line distances, and then solve for a smooth path using the receding horizon algorithm. Our experimental results show that this is superior to alternative approaches proposed in the literature
Tax Buyouts Tax Buyouts * Marco Del Negro Federal Reserve Bank of New York

The paper studies a fiscal policy instrument that can reduce fiscal distortions without affecting revenues, in a politically viable way. The instrument is a private contract (tax buyout), offered by the government to each citizen, whereby the citizen can choose to pay a fixed price in exchange for a given reduction in her tax rate for a period of time. We introduce the tax buyout in a dynamic overlapping generations economy, calibrated to match several features of the US income, taxes and wealth distribution. Under simple pricing, the introduction of the buyout is revenue neutral but, by reducing distortions,it benefits a significant fraction of the population and leads to sizable increases in aggregate labor supply, income and consumption. jel codes: e62,h21 key words: Taxes, Private Information, Distortions ∗The paper previously circulated under the title of “On the Privatization of Public Debt. ” Views expressed here are our own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Federal Reserve Banks of Minneapolis and New York, or the Federal Reserve System. We are extremely grateful to our discussant Chris Sleet for excellent comments and suggestions. We thank Da Lin for research assistance, our editor Andy Abel, Lorenzo Forni, Pietro Reichlin, Aleh Tsyvinski and seminar participants at the Fall 2009 Carnegie Rochester Conference on Public Policy, Bank of Italy, NYU, the Bank of Canada, Penn State University, the University of Rochester, The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Università di Salerno, the SED, Midwest-Macro and ESSIM meetings for very helpful comments. Perri thanks the NSF (Grant SES-0820519) for financial assistance.
Extracellular amastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi are potent inducers of phagocytosis in mammalian cells

The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the aetiological agent of Chagas' disease, has two infective life cycle stages, trypomastigotes and amastigotes. While trypomastigotes actively enter mammalian cells, highly infective extracellular amastigotes (type I T. cruzi) rely on actin‐mediated uptake, which is generally inefficient in non‐professional phagocytes. We found that extracellular amastigotes (EAs) of T. cruzi G strain (type I), but not Y strain (type II), were taken up 100‐fold more efficiently than inert particles. Mammalian cell lines showed levels of parasite uptake comparable to macrophages, and extensive actin recruitment and polymerization was observed at the site of entry. EA uptake was not dependent on parasite‐secreted molecules and required the same molecular machinery utilized by professional phagocytes during large particle phagocytosis. Transcriptional silencing of synaptotagmin VII and CD63 significantly inhibited EA internalization, demonstrating that delivery of supplemental lysosomal membrane to form the phagosome is involved in parasite uptake. Importantly, time‐lapse live imaging using fluorescent reporters revealed phagosome‐associated modulation of phosphoinositide metabolism during EA uptake that closely resembles what occurs during phagocytosis by macrophages. Collectively, our results demonstrate that T. cruzi EAs are potent inducers of phagocytosis in non‐professional phagocytes, a process that may facilitate parasite persistence in infected hosts.
Statistical Anomaly Detection Technique for Real Time Datasets

Data mining is the technique of discovering patterns among data to analyze patterns or decision making predictions. Anomaly detection is the technique of identifying occurrences that deviate immensely from the large amount of data samples. Advances in computing generates large amount of data from different sources, which is very difficult to apply machine learning techniques due to existence of anomalies in the data. Among data mining techniques, anomaly detection plays an important role. The identified rules or patterns from the data mining techniques can be utilized for scientific discovery, business decision making, or future prediction. Several algorithms has been proposed to solve problems in anomaly detection, usually these problems are solved using a distance metric, data mining techniques, statistical techniques etc. But existing algorithms doesn’t give optimal solution to detect anomaly objects in the heterogeneous datasets. This paper presents statistical control chart approach to solve anomaly detection problem in continuous datasets. Experimental results shows that proposed approach give better results on continuous datasets but doesn’t perform well in heterogeneous datasets.
The Divergence between Book and Tax Income

A tie replacing system is adapted to replace worn ties in a railroad track of the type including longitudinally extending metal rails supported on wooden cross ties by metal tie plates and a gravel ballast roadbed supporting and at least partially enclosing the ties. The system includes a tie biter-tie plate holder assembly comprising a pair of opposed jaws each including a plurality of teeth positioned at spaced intervals across the entire width of a worn tie. Upon closure of the jaws, the teeth function to remove any portion of the worn tie which projects above the under surfaces of the tie plates. The jaws also include tie plate gripping members which engage the tie plates corresponding to the worn tie and thereby retain the tie plates in engagement with the under surfaces of the rails.
MiniNAM: A network animator for visualizing real-time packet flows in Mininet

In this demonstration we present MiniNAM, a utility that provides real-time animation of networks created by the Mininet emulator. Mininet is one of the most well-known network emulators in research and academia. Although Mininet is capable of emulating both traditional and software-defined networks, it does not provide a tool to visually observe and monitor the packets flowing over the created network topology. Our utility includes all the components required to initiate, visualize and modify Mininet network flows in real-time. MiniNAM provides a graphical user interface that allows dynamic modification of preferences and packet filters: a user can view selective flows with options to color code packets based on packet type and/or source node. This establishes MiniNAM as a very powerful tool for debugging network protocols or teaching, learning and understanding network concepts. This demonstration illustrates a number of sample use cases and examples of using MiniNAM to create networks and view the generated network flows with customized preferences.
Slack and Net Technical Efficiency Measurement: a Bootstrap Approach

Statistical properties of DEA methods for efficiency estimation are poorly understood and currently the best way forward must be to use bootstrap techniques. The article seeks to extend bootstrap methods to allow investigation of the properties of estimates of inefficiencies due to the slack in the use of resources as well as technical efficiency. In an empirical application, it is found that inefficiency due to slack is a small component of the overall inefficiency and that the DEA technical efficiency estimates have a small downward bias, with confidence intervals that are wide enough to suggest cautious interpretation.
Energy expenditure of “Kinect™” exergaming in schoolchildren

Objective: With declining levels of physical activity and increasing body mass indexes recent research has proposed that active video gaming could be a potential tool in the fight against childhood obesity. This study was designed to evaluate the energy and physiological costs of the latest technology of active gaming, KinectTM for the Xbox360®, in healthy schoolchildren. The hypothesis was that energy expenditure would be significantly greater when children engaged in activity promoting video games using KinectTM compared to both traditional sedentary video gaming and rest. Methods: Energy expenditure, heart rate and oxygen consumption were measured in 18 healthy schoolchildren (10 boys and 8 girls) aged 11 to 15 years during rest, whilst playing a traditional non-active video game and also whilst playing two activity promoting KinectTM video games. Participants played each game for 15 minutes in a fixed order and measurements were made by indirect calorimetry using the Cosmed K4 b2 metabolic cart. Repeated measurement mixed-model analysis was conducted to compare the physiological costs and energy expenditures across conditions with multiple post hoc comparisons. Results: Mean heart rates, oxygen and energy costs all increased significantly (p < .05) during activity promoting video game play compared to rest and sedentary gaming. Mean heart rate increased by 53% above rest (77.4 ± 14.6 bpm) during a dance simulation game (118.3 ± 17.8 bpm) and by 70% during a boxing game (131.3 ± 15.3 bpm). Mean energy expenditures of 3.00 ± 1.03 kcal·min and 4.35 ± 1.55 kcal·min were demonstrated during “Dance Central” and “Kinect Sports Boxing”, 150% and 263% greater than resting values (1.20 ± 0.25 kcal·min) and 103% and 194% higher than during sedentary gaming (1.48 ± 0.33 kcal·min). Activity levels of 2.91 and 4.02 child-specific METs were achieved when playing the KinectTM dance and boxing game. Conclusion: Active gaming using KinectTM on the Xbox360® significantly increased energy expenditure compared to rest and almost tripled when compared to traditional sedentary gaming. In our sample, KinectTM active gaming expended up to the equivalent of 261 kcal·h, 172 kcal·hgreater than sedentary gaming. Such expenditure could potentially help bridge the ‘energy gap’ that is thought to be responsible for the increasing incidence of obesity seen in children and adolescents.
Fixed Switching Frequency Sliding Mode Control for Single-Phase Unipolar Inverters

Sliding mode control (SMC) is recognized as robust controller with a high stability in a wide range of operating conditions, although it suffers from chattering problem. In addition, it cannot be directly applied to multiswitches power converters. In this paper, a high performance and fixed switching frequency sliding mode controller is proposed for a single-phase unipolar inverter. The chattering problem of SMC is eliminated by smoothing the control law in a narrow boundary layer, and a pulsewidth modulator produces the fixed frequency switching law for the inverter. The smoothing procedure is based on limitation of pulsewidth modulator. Although the smoothed control law limits the performance of SMC, regulation and dynamic response of the inverter output voltage are in an acceptable superior range. The performance of the proposed controller is verified by both simulation and experiments on a prototype 6-kVA inverter. The experimental results show that the total harmonic distortion of the output voltage is less than 1.1% and 1.7% at maximum linear and nonlinear load, respectively. Furthermore, the output dynamic performance of the inverter strictly conforms the standard IEC62040-3. Moreover, the measured efficiency of the inverter in the worst condition is better than 95.5%.
A hybrid system for knowledge-based synthesis of robot grasps

Addresses the grasp synthesis problem arising in task planning for robotic dextrous hands. For this purpose, a hybrid architecture is proposed, which relies on symbolic and subsymbolic computations to exploit heterogeneous sources of knowledge, such as practical experience learned through experiments with a real device, heuristic rules gained from human observation, geometric reasoning and, when applicable, analytical results. After a preliminary discussion of representation levels and techniques, this paper describes the design of a tool for selecting the feasible grasps of a robotic hand under various situations and for ranking them according to task-oriented criteria. The interaction of a rule-based expert system with a neural network-based classifier provides support to both explicit reasoning and direct learning from experience. The features taken into account by the tool are object geometry, hand kinematic capabilities, task requirements, (in terms of both accessibility and robustness) and workspace constraints.
Looking for Outflows from Brown Dwarfs

Initial evidence of IR excess and disk mass accretion (strong Hα emission) around brown dwarfs (BDs) seems to indicate the existence of circumstellar disks around these substellar objects. Nothing is known at present about outflows that might be launched from BDs, although jets are typically associated with the accretion in the case of standard T Tauri star disks. In this paper we calculate the Hα emission of internal working surfaces produced by a radiative jet in a neutral and in a photoionized environment as a function of the jet parameters (the ejection velocity vj, shock velocity vs, mass-loss rate , and radius rj of the jet), and we provide estimates of the Hα luminosity for the parameters of "standard" Herbig-Haro (HH) jets from T Tauri stars and for the parameters expected for jets from BDs. Interestingly, we find that while the mass-loss rates associated with jets from BDs are 2 orders of magnitude lower than the mass-loss rates associated with "standard" HH jets (from T Tauri stars), their velocities are likely to be similar. Based on our calculations, we discuss the conditions in which jets from BDs can be detected, and we conclude that the Hα luminosities of internal working surfaces of jets from BDs in a photoionized environment should be only 1 order of magnitude lower than the Hα luminosities of T Tauri jets in a neutral environment.
ForEVeR

As silicon technology scales, modern processor and embedded systems are rapidly shifting towards complex chip multi-processor (CMP) and system-on-chip (SoC) designs. As a side effect of complexity of these designs, ensuring their correctness has become increasingly problematic. Within these domains, Network-on-Chips (NoCs) are a de-facto choice to implement on-chip interconnect; their design is quickly becoming extremely complex in order to keep up with communication performance demands. As a result, design errors in the NoC may go undetected and escape into the final silicon. In this work, we propose ForEVeR, a solution that complements the use of formal methods and runtime verification to ensure functional correctness in NoCs. Formal verification, due to its scalability limitations, is used to verify smaller modules, such as individual router components. To deliver correctness guarantees for the complete network, we propose a network-level detection and recovery solution that monitors the traffic in the NoC and protects it against escaped functional bugs. To this end, ForEVeR augments the baseline NoC with a lightweight checker network that alerts destination nodes of incoming packets ahead of time. If a bug is detected, flagged by missed packet arrivals, our recovery mechanism delivers the in-flight data safely to the intended destination via the checker network. ForEVeR's experimental evaluation shows that it can recover from NoC design errors at only 4.9% area cost for an 8x8 mesh interconnect, over a time interval ranging from 0.5K to 30K cycles per recovery event, and it incurs no performance overhead in the absence of errors. ForEVeR can also protect NoC operations against soft-errors: a growing concern with the scaling of silicon. ForEVeR leverages the same monitoring hardware to detect soft-error manifestations, in addition to design-errors. Recovery of the soft-error affected packets is guaranteed by building resiliency features into our checker network. ForEVeR incurs minimal performance penalty up to a flit error rate of 0.01% in lightly loaded networks.
Categorizing Binary Topological Relations Between Regions, Lines, and Points in Geographic Databases

This research was partially funded by NSF grant No. IRI-9309230 and grants from Intergraph Corporation. Additional support from NSF for the NCGIA under No. SBR-9204141 is gratefully acknowledged. Max J. Egenhofer University of Maine, National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis and Department of Surveying Engineering, Department of Computer Science, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5711, max@mecan1.maine. edu