Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On an Efficient Decision Procedure for Imperative Tree Data Structures IST-2011-0005 EPFL-REPORT-165193

We present a new decidable logic called TREX for expressing constraints about imperative tree data structures. In particular, TREX supports a transitive closure operator that can express reachability constraints, which often appear in data structure invariants. We show that our logic is closed under weakest precondition computation, which enables its use for automated software verification. We further show that satisfiability of formulas in TREX is decidable in NP. The low complexity makes it an attractive alternative to more expensive logics such as monadic second-order logic (MSOL) over trees, which have been traditionally used for reasoning about tree data structures.
Image Resolution Enhancement based on Curvelet Transform

We present an image resolution enhancement method based on Curvelet transform. This transform is used to decompose the input image into different subbands. After this decomposition, a nonlinear function is applied to the Curvelet coefficients in order to enhance the content of the different frequency subbands. These enhanced frequency subbands are then interpolated. We increase the enhancement results by a fusion of the obtained data and the interpolated input image. An image database is used for experiments. The visual results are showing the superiority of the proposed technique compared to two state-of-art image resolution enhancement techniques. These results have been confirmed by quantitative image quality metrics.
Polynucleotide sequence relationships among Ent plasmids and the relationship between Ent and other plasmids

Deoxyribonucleic acid-deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization studies reveal that the plasmids coding for the production of heat stable and heat labile enteroxtoxins of Escherichia coli, regardless of their origin, have a majority of their polynucleotide sequences in common, but are not related in any significant way to those plasmids coding for the synthesis of only ST toxin. The heat stable and heat labile plasmids also share a significant degree of their polynucleotide sequences with plasmids of the FI and FII incompatibility groups, but not with R factors belonging to the I, N, W, P, or X incompatibility groups.
Imaging Techniques for Small Animal Models of Pulmonary Disease: MR Microscopy

In vivo magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) of the small animal lung has become a valuable research tool, especially for preclinical studies. MRM offers a noninvasive and nondestructive tool for imaging small animals longitudinally and at high spatial resolution. We summarize some of the technical and biologic problems and solutions associated with imaging the small animal lung and describe several important pulmonary disease applications. A major advantage of MR is direct imaging of the gas spaces of the lung using breathable gases such as helium and xenon. When polarized, these gases become rich MR signal sources. In animals breathing hyperpolarized helium, the dynamics of gas distribution can be followed and airway constrictions and obstructions can be detected. Diffusion coefficients of helium can be calculated from diffusion-sensitive images, which can reveal micro-structural changes in the lungs associated with pathologies such as emphysema and fibrosis. Unlike helium, xenon in the lung is absorbed by blood and exhibits different frequencies in gas, tissue, or erythrocytes. Thus, with MR imaging, the movement of xenon gas can be tracked through pulmonary compartments to detect defects of gas transfer. MRM has become a valuable tool for studying morphologic and functional changes in small animal models of lung diseases.
INTENSE HIGHLY CHARGED HEAVY ION BEAM PRODUCTION

With the increase in applications of heavy ions in various fields, the production of intense beams of highly charged heavy ions from ion sources become more and more important. For example, the ion sources are required to produce intense dc beams of highly charged heavy ions for accelerator facilities for radioisotope beam production, and intense short-pulsed beams for injection into synchrotrons. Additionally, in these applications, the ion sources face several important characteristics that need to be improved to meet these requirements, such as source lifetime, reliability, current stability, and beam emittance. Thus, several high-performance ion sources (including ECR, electron-beam, and laser ion sources), for production of the intense beams (dc and pulsed) of highly charged heavy ions, have been constructed and achieved remarkable breakthrough in the past decade. In this contribution, state-of-the-art ion sources for production of intense highly charged heavy ion beams is reviewed. Future perspective is also discussed.
Absence of Novel CYP4F2 and VKORC1 Coding Region DNA Variants in Patients Requiring High Warfarin Doses

Objective Warfarin is an FDA-approved oral anticoagulant for long-term prevention of thromboembolism. Substantial inter-individual variation in dosing requirements and the narrow therapeutic index of this widely-prescribed drug make safe initiation and dose stabilization challenging. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) occurring in CYP2C9, VKORC1, and CYP4F2 genes are known to impact dose, and VKORC1 and CYP4F2 polymorphisms are associated with higher therapeutic dose requirements in our cohort. However, the most advanced regression models using personal, clinical, and genetic factors to predict individual stable dose account for only 50% to 60% of the observed variability in stable theapeutic dose in Caucasians. Design and Methods In this study, we used DNA sequence analysis to determine whether additional variants in CYP4F2 and VKORC1 gene coding regions contribute to variable dosing requirements among individuals for whom the actual dose was the highest relative to regression model- predicted dose. Results and Conclusions No novel DNA variants in the coding regions of these genes were identified among subjects requiring high warfarin doses, suggesting that other factors yet to be defined contribute to variability in warfarin dose requirements in this subset of our cohort.
Space vector PWM technique for a direct five-to-three-phase matrix converter

This paper proposes space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique for a direct matrix converter with five-phase input and three-phase output. This topology of matrix converter is developed exclusively for feeding three-phase stiff grid system with five-phase variable input supply. One of the presumed applications is wind electric energy generation system. The paper presents the complete space vector model of the five-to-three-phase matrix converter topology. The major breakthrough of the proposed control scheme is the enhanced input to output voltage transfer ratio. The maximum output phase voltage can go up to 104.4% of the input phase voltage in the linear modulation range and hence can act as a boost converter. The space vector model yields 215 total switching combinations, which reduce to 125 states (for SVPWM implementation) considering the imposed constraints, out of which 120 are active and 5 are zero vectors. However, for SVPWM implementation only 30 active and 5 zero vectors can be used. A generalized formula for maximum modulation index for n-phase input and 3-phase output is also formulated. The SVPWM algorithm is presented in the paper, and the viability of the proposed solution is proved using analytical, simulation and real-time approach.
Prehospital Delay for Acute Coronary Syndrome in China

Background:Despite the effectiveness of timely reperfusion therapy for acute coronary syndrome, prehospital delay remains a global concern. Objective:This article assesses the state-of-the-science regarding prehospital delay for acute coronary syndrome in China. Method:Electronic databases and hand searching were undertaken using key words such as prehospital delay, care-seeking delay, coronary heart disease, heart disease, acute coronary syndrome, unstable angina pain, acute myocardial infarction, cardiovascular disease, chest pain, and Chin (China/Chinese). The Chinese search was supervised by a Chinese health librarian. Results:Based on the search criteria, 28 studies were identified and reviewed using a standardized data extraction tool. Older age, attribution of symptoms to noncardiac causes, lack of health insurance coverage, poor access to transportation, and female sex were identified as contributing to prehospital delay. Conclusion:Health system reforms in China are necessary, particularly with regard to addressing the needs of older people, women, and other vulnerable populations in the context of the rising number of people with coronary heart disease. Developing targeted strategies, learned from both national and international experience, are required to develop targeted interventions.
Assessment of tumor blood flow in breast tumors with T1‐dynamic contrast‐enhanced MR Imaging: Impact of dose reduction and the use of a prebolus technique on diagnostic efficacy

To prospectively evaluate whether dose reduction and the application of a prebolus technique can effectively alleviate signal saturation effects in T1 dynamic contrast enhanced (T1‐DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data in breast tumors and lead to increased diagnostic efficacy of the regional tumor blood flow (TBF) values obtained with deconvolution of T1‐DCE MRI data.
Fast Encoder Design for Multi-view Video

Multi-view video coding is an international encoding standard that attains good performance by fully utilizing temporal and inter-view correlations. However, it suffers from high computational complexity. This paper presents a fast encoder design to reduce the level of complexity. First, when the temporal correlation of a group of pictures is sufficiently strong, macroblock-based inter-view prediction is not employed for the non-anchor pictures of B-views. Second, when the disparity between two adjacent views is above some threshold, frame-based inter-view prediction is disabled. Third, inter-view prediction is not performed on boundary macroblocks in the auxiliary views, because the references for these blocks may not exist in neighboring views. Fourth, finer partitions of inter-view prediction are cancelled for macroblocks in static image areas. Finally, when estimating the disparity of a macroblock, the search range is adjusted according to the mode size distribution of the neighboring view. Compared with reference software, these techniques produce an average time reduction of 83.65%, while the bit-rate increase and peak signal-to-noise ratio loss are less than 0.54% and 0.05dB, respectively.
Functional compatibility between isoform α and β of type II DNA topoisomerase

DNA topoisomerase II (topo II) plays a crucial role in controlling the conformation of both DNA and whole chromosomes. This activity is essential for several cellular events such as DNA replication, transcription, chromosome condensation and segregation. In mammals, two genes code for isoforms of topo II, termed α and β. They are similar in primary structure and have almost identical catalytic properties in vitro. We transfected HeLa cells with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeted against either topo IIα or IIβ, and succeeded in knocking down the expression of the corresponding protein. Chromosomes were condensed and aligned at metaphase in topo IIα-knockdown cells. Although some lagging chromosomes were observed, they were still segregated at anaphase despite the absence of topo IIα. When both topo IIα and topo IIγ were removed, the segregation of chromosomes was severely arrested, suggesting that topo IIγ could partially substitute for topo IIα. Double-knockdown experiments also revealed that topo II was required for shortening of the chromosome axis.
Semi-supervised fuzzy c-medoids clustering algorithm with multiple prototype representation

Semi-supervised clustering is a special form of classification that uses a large amount of unlabeled data together with labeled data to achieve better classification results. This paper introduces a semi-supervised fuzzy clustering algorithm of relational data with multiple prototype representation (SS-CLAMP) that aims to furnish a partition and a set of prototypes for each fuzzy cluster as well as to learn a relevance weight for each dissimilarity matrix by optimizing an adequacy criterion that measures the fit between the fuzzy clusters and their representatives in a competitive way and that takes into account pairwise constraints must-link and cannot-link. Experiments with real-valued data sets show the usefulness of the proposed algorithm.
A Dynamic Regrouping Based Dynamic Programming Approach for Unit Commitment of the Transmission-Constrained Multi-Site Combined Heat and Power System

Combined heat and power (CHP) systems offer additional advantage and flexibility for addressing power grid balance resulting from large-scale introduction of intermittent renewable energy sources (RES) in contrast to power-only systems. The dependence between heat and power production in the CHP plant can be utilized to adjust power production level to accommodate more RES. Furthermore, electricity can be transformed into heat by electric heater and heat pump to avoid starting up heat led CHP plants when RES production is abundant. This paper focuses on solving efficiently unit commitment of the interconnected multi-site CHP system without considering RES. A relaxed on/off state based dynamic programming applying sequential commitment scheme in conjunction with dynamic regrouping is used to coordinate heat and power production in each site (region) as well as power transmission across sites. Computational experiments for real-life daily scheduling demonstrate that our method generates solutions much more quickly than a standard high-performance optimizer (CPLEX) with comparable solution quality, and lays foundation for the future handling of uncertainties of intermittent RES.
La fauna de mamíferos de la cova de Canet, Esporles, y su cronología

espanolSe realiza un breve estudio de la fauna de mamiferos de la Cova . de Canet (Esporles, Mallorca), como avance de otros que posteriormente publicaremos. Se citan las especies fosiles encontradas, asi como su cronologia merced a las dataciones por mediacion del paleomagnetismo que vienen siendo realizadas por uno de nosotros (KOPPER). EnglishA brief study is made of the mammalian fauna of the Cova de Canet (Esporles, Mallorca), as an introduction to others which will later be published. The fossil species found are cited as well as their chronology, thanks to dating by measurement of paleomagnetism which one of us (KOPPER) has been doing.
Analysis of the Diluents Used for Rubella Virus Hemagglutination and Hemagglutination-Inhibition Tests

A new diluent (ADGP) for the rubella virus hemagglutination (HA) and hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) tests is described. It was found that the HA and HI titers and the erythrocyte agglutination pattern were improved in ADGP compared to previously described diluents. The influence of the components of ADGP and of various test conditions on optimal HA and HI results were examined.
Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy versus Escitalopram in Chronic Major Depression

Background: A specific psychotherapy for chronic depression, the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), was compared to escitalopram (ESC). Methods: Sixty patients with chronic major depression were randomized to ‘CBASP' (22 sessions) or ‘ESC plus clinical management' (ESC/CM) at two treatment sites. The primary outcome measure was the score on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) after 8 weeks of acute treatment assessed by blinded raters. In the case of nonimprovement (<20% reduction in the MADRS score), the other condition was augmented for the following 20 weeks of extended treatment. Secondary end points were, among others, depressive symptoms, remission (MADRS score of ≤9) and response rates (reduction of MADRS score of ≥50%) 28 weeks after randomization. Results: An intent-to-treat analysis revealed that clinician-rated depression scores decreased significantly after 8 and 28 weeks with no significant differences between the groups. The response rates after 28 weeks of treatment were high (CBASP: 68.4%, ESC/CM: 60.0%), and the remission rates were moderate (CBASP: 36.8%, ESC/CM: 50.0%) with neither group being superior. Nonimprovers to the initial treatment caught up with the initial improvers in terms of depression scores and response and remission rates by the end of the treatment after being augmented with the respective other condition. Conclusions: CBASP and ESC/CM appear to be equally effective treatment options for chronically depressed outpatients. For nonimprovers to the initial treatment, it is efficacious to augment with medication in the case of nonresponse to CBASP and vice versa.
Regulation of the small GTP‐binding protein Rho by cell adhesion and the cytoskeleton

Soluble factors from serum such as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) are thought to activate the small GTP‐binding protein Rho based on their ability to induce actin stress fibers and focal adhesions in a Rho‐dependent manner. Cell adhesion to extracellular matrices (ECM) has also been proposed to activate Rho, but this point has been controversial due to the difficulty of distinguishing changes in Rho activity from the structural contributions of ECM to the formation of focal adhesions. To address these questions, we established an assay for GTP‐bound cellular Rho. Plating Swiss 3T3 cells on fibronectin‐coated dishes elicited a transient inhibition of Rho, followed by a phase of Rho activation. The activation phase was greatly enhanced by serum. In serum‐starved adherent cells, LPA induced transient Rho activation, whereas in suspended cells Rho activation was sustained. Furthermore, suspended cells showed higher Rho activity than adherent cells in the presence of serum. These data indicate the existence of an adhesion‐dependent negative‐feedback loop. We also observed that both cytochalasin D and colchicine trigger Rho activation despite their opposite effects on stress fibers and focal adhesions. Our results show that ECM, cytoskeletal structures and soluble factors all contribute to regulation of Rho activity.
OTR imaging of intense 120 GeV protons in the NuMI beamline at fnal

An Optical Transition Radiation (OTR) detector has been installed in the Fermilab NuMI proton beamline, which operates at beam powers of up to -350 kW, to obtain real-time, spill-by-spill beam profiles for neutrino production. As part of the Run II collider plan and the NuMI neutrino program, a series of OTR detectors were designed, constructed and installed in various beamlines at Fermilab. NuMI OTR images of 120 GeV protons for 13 beam intensities up to 4.1times1013 at a spill rate of 0.5 Hz and small transverse beam size of ~1 mm (sigma) are presented here. Beam profiles are extracted from the OTR images and compared with an adjacent secondary- electron emission (SEM) monitor. The OTR detector provides two-dimensional beam shape, such as ellipticity and tilt, as well as beam centroid and beam intensity information. In addition, the response of the OTR detector over time is examined to look for signs of foil aging.
A Compact Ground-Based Interferometric Radar for Landslide Monitoring: The Xerém Experiment

A real-time monitoring system based on ground-based synthetic aperture radar interferometry (GB-InSAR) were developed and deployed with the objective to gain understanding of landslide dynamics in an area in Xerém (district of Duque de Caxias - RJ, Brazil). The area is subjected to landslide risk and the deployed system aims to provide subsidies to the authorities to prepare actions related to prevention and evacuation, and serve as the basis for a future early-warning system in the framework of the Civil Defense of Duque de Caxias. The system consists of a compact and rugged X-band GB-InSAR newly developed by Bradar, Brazil. The processing and monitoring methodology are proposed. Two campaigns, totaling six days, were carried out. The acquisitions of the first campaign occurred without rain. In the second campaign, rain events, varying from light to torrential rainfall, occurred for a period of time, in subsequent days, during the radar acquisitions. New insights on landslide dynamics are revealed. The monitoring data show that, approximately 10 h after heavy rainfall, the terrain movement on a slope reached 4 mm/h during ca. 5 to 8 h, resulting in velocities of 20 to 32 mm/day.
Information extraction from legal texts: the potential of discourse analysis

Abstract There is an urgent need to automatically identify information in legal texts. In this paper, we argue that discourse analysis yields valuable knowledge to be incorporated in text processing systems. Knowledge about discourse patterns has already been applied in legal text generation systems. But, it is equally important to incorporate this kind of knowledge in legal information extraction systems. This knowledge is helpful for locating information in texts. Also, we demonstrate the need for adequate, maintainable, and possibly sharable knowledge representations of discourse patterns. The findings are illustrated by explicating the role discourse analysis played when building the SALOMON system, a system that automatically abstracts Belgian criminal cases.
Cloning, expression and characterization of the proteinase from human herpesvirus 6

After the U53 gene encoding the proteinase from human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) was sequenced, it was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the activity of the purified, recombinant HHV-6 proteinase was characterized quantitatively by using synthetic peptide substrates mimicking the release and maturation cleavage sites in the polyprotein precursors of HHV-6, human cytomegalovirus (CMV), murine CMV, and Epstein-Barr virus. Despite sharing 40% identity with other betaherpesvirus proteinases such as human CMV proteinase, the one-chain HHV-6 enzyme was distinguished from these two-chain proteinases by the absence of an internal autocatalytic cleavage site.
Repeated image analyses improves accuracy in assessing arterial flow-mediated dilatation

Objectives. A high degree of variability has been reported regarding the ultrasound-based assessment of flow-mediated dilatation. We wanted to investigate the variability and find out how it might be reduced most efficiently. Design. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation was measured by high-resolution ultrasound in 22 healthy adults on two consecutive days. Two observers analysed all images twice. The total variance was split into variance components and estimated hierarchically using the method of restricted maximum likelihood. Results. The relative proportional contributions from intraobserver (residual), interobserver, interpatient and interday variance components, with percentage dilatation as outcome variable, were 0.41, 0.18, 0.25, and 0.15, respectively. Conclusions. The major source of variability when assessing flow-mediated dilatation was found to be intraobserver variability. The simplest way to reduce total variability is for the observer to average results from repeated image analyses. We suggest that three repetitions are sufficient. This will reduce the total variance by 30%.