Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pulse pile-up recovery for the front-end electronics of the PANDA Electromagnetic Calorimeter

At the future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research near Darmstadt in Germany the PANDA detector will be employed to study the charmonium spectrum and to search for narrow exotic hadronic states, predicted by Quantum Chromodynamics. In the PANDA experiment, 1.5 to 15 GeV/c anti-protons will annihilate with a hydrogen target at an average rate of 20MHz. Among the sub-detectors of PANDA is the Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMC) planned for the studies of electromagnetic transitions and neutral meson decays. Due to the high annihilation rates, the EMC will be exposed to single-detector hit rates up to 500kHz, which may lead to pulse overlap. Hence, to recover the energy and time information of the overlapping pulses, a pulse pile-up recovery method is developed. The method is easy to implement in FPGA for online data processing. The Constant Fraction Timing algorithm is applied at the trailing edge to determine the time stamp of pile-up pulses. The energy and the time information of pile-up pulses can be recovered up to time differences of 50ns, equal to the pulse rise-time, in a large dynamic energy range.
BiQ Analyzer HT: locus-specific analysis of DNA methylation by high-throughput bisulfite sequencing

Bisulfite sequencing is a widely used method for measuring DNA methylation in eukaryotic genomes. The assay provides single-base pair resolution and, given sufficient sequencing depth, its quantitative accuracy is excellent. High-throughput sequencing of bisulfite-converted DNA can be applied either genome wide or targeted to a defined set of genomic loci (e.g. using locus-specific PCR primers or DNA capture probes). Here, we describe BiQ Analyzer HT (http://biq-analyzer-ht.bioinf.mpi-inf.mpg.de/), a user-friendly software tool that supports locus-specific analysis and visualization of high-throughput bisulfite sequencing data. The software facilitates the shift from time-consuming clonal bisulfite sequencing to the more quantitative and cost-efficient use of high-throughput sequencing for studying locus-specific DNA methylation patterns. In addition, it is useful for locus-specific visualization of genome-wide bisulfite sequencing data.
Code clones in program test sequence identification

In this work, we have emphasized the need for software clones in test sequence identification. We have provided some relevant features of code clones which make them apt in assisting test sequence identification. In this paper, we have pointed out the relevance of automated test sequence generation in software development life cycle and we have also presented a classification of clones. We have used program slicing technique to obtain slices of the source program and from these slices software code clones are identified. The main contribution of this work is to highlight the relevance of code clones in test sequence identification and the importance of using program slicing in code clone detection. Applying both static and forward dynamic slicing techniques will make code clone detection more factual. We have also mentioned the need for mapping of values in test sequence identification.
Getting in touch with a cognitive character

We provide computer-animated characters with haptic interaction, allowing human users to interfere with cognitive characters. Our work presents an interface between control and animation of virtual characters (CONTACT) and HapTEK, a framework for haptic interaction of a human hand with virtual reality (VR). This way, human-computer interaction becomes truly bidirectional, i.e. an animated character directly provides feedback to a human user, and vice versa, introducing a new quality with respect to the behavior of both. Our system for the first time offers the opportunity for human and artificial intelligence to get in touch.
A real-time ICA-based activity recognition in video sequences

Action recognition has become more and more important over the past years. The currently existing action recognition algorithms have proven successful for the recognition of sign language, aerobics, tennis sports, etc. However, most of the algorithms require a simple and steady background. They may fail when both foreground and background objects present in the video sequence are moving. In this paper, we propose an independent component analysis (ICA) based scheme for action recognition. It uses the exponential motion history image (EMHI) for spatiotemporal representation of an action, and the discriminant features are then automatically extracted from the EMHI by ICA basis image reconstruction. A complex action can be constructed with only a few training samples of a reference action. If the input video contains an action similar to the training sample, then the corresponding EMHI can be reconstructed from the linear combination of the ICA basis images. The coefficients of the linear combination are thus used as the discriminant feature vector for action classification. Compared to the existing methods, the proposed scheme is simple, and yet very effective and computationally very fast for activity recognition. It achieves 67 fps for images of size 200×150. �! The proposed method does not require the feature design or modeling process. It can be easily implemented for on-line, real-time applications on a low-cost/low-end personal computer or even a portable smart phone. Experimental results reveal that it is robust under disturbed backgrounds where both foreground and background objects are moving simultaneously in the scene. The experiments also demonstrate the potential applications of the proposed method for humancomputer interaction and video retrieval.
Aerothermal Load and Drag Force Analysis of the Electromagnetically Launched Projectiles Under Rarefied Gas Conditions

Electromagnetically launched projectiles fly with hypersonic speeds in different regions of the Earth's atmosphere. Because of their hypersonic speeds, these projectiles are designed to withstand extreme thermal loads. Drag forces should also be considered to maximize the operational range. To reduce the thermal loads and drag forces, the geometric shape of these projectiles should be carefully designed. We can utilize either experimental or numerical methods to calculate these heating effects and drag forces. Numerical methods are more economic in terms of monetary cost and time. However, we cannot use the same numerical method in different regions of the Earth's atmosphere. In this paper, we used direct simulation Monte Carlo method to calculate thermal loads and drag forces of four different projectile geometries in the rarefied part of the atmosphere. Simulation results show that thermal loads and drag forces vary considerably depending on the projectile geometry.
Influence of process parameters on filament distribution and blending quality in commingled yarns used for thermoplastic composites

A prospective method for manufacturing thermoplastic composites involves commingling to produce hybrid yarn consisting of two components: reinforcement fibres and thermoplastic matrix. In this work, various types of commingled hybrid yarns were developed to improve blend uniformity and achieve homogeneous filament distribution in two-component hybrid yarns. An experiment was carried out to examine the distribution of filaments in a series of glass/polypropylene commingled hybrid yarns. The influence of changes in process parameters such as the degree of overfeeding, production speed, and air pressure on the filament distribution in the cross-section of commingled hybrid yarns was investigated. In this study, new technological approaches to achieve blend uniformity in commingled hybrid yarns are developed. The radial distribution index and a new blending coefficient were used to evaluate the blending uniformity of the yarns.
Bordetella pertussis binds the human complement regulator C4BP: role of filamentous hemagglutinin

C4BP (C4b-binding protein) is a high-molecular-weight plasma protein that inhibits the classical pathway of complement activation. Recent experiments have demonstrated that C4BP binds to many strains of the gram-positive bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes, a major respiratory tract pathogen. Binding to S. pyogenes was shown to be due to members of the M protein family, a group of surface proteins important for virulence. Here we report that human C4BP also binds to all clinical isolates of the gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis, the etiologic agent of whooping cough. In addition, binding of C4BP was demonstrated for other Bordetella species that can cause disease in humans. Characterization of different B. pertussis mutants showed that the binding of C4BP is strongly dependent on the expression of the cell surface protein filamentous hemagglutinin, a well-known virulence factor. Inhibition experiments suggested that B. pertussis and S. pyogenes bind to the same region in C4BP. The finding that B. pertussis and S. pyogenes both have the ability to bind human C4BP suggests that these two unrelated respiratory tract pathogens may use a common mechanism during the establishment of an infection.
Conceptual structure: Towards an integrated neurocognitive account

How are the meanings of concepts represented and processed? We present a cognitive model of conceptual representations and processing—the Conceptual Structure Account (CSA; Tyler & Moss, 2001)—as an example of a distributed, feature-based approach. In the first section, we describe the CSA and evaluate relevant neuropsychological and experimental behavioural data. We discuss studies using linguistic and nonlinguistic stimuli, which are both presumed to access the same conceptual system. We then take the CSA as a framework for hypothesising how conceptual knowledge is represented and processed in the brain. This neurocognitive approach attempts to integrate the distributed feature-based characteristics of the CSA with a distributed and feature-based model of sensory object processing. Based on a review of relevant functional imaging and neuropsychological data, we argue that distributed accounts of feature-based representations have considerable explanatory power, and that a cognitive model of conceptual representations is needed to understand their neural bases.
Permanent Draft Genome Sequence of Nocardia sp. BMG111209, an Actinobacterium Isolated from Nodules of Casuarina glauca

ABSTRACT Nocardia sp. strain BMG111209 is a non-Frankia actinobacterium isolated from root nodules of Casuarina glauca in Tunisia. Here, we report the 9.1-Mbp draft genome sequence of Nocardia sp. strain BMG111209 with a G + C content of 69.19% and 8,122 candidate protein-encoding genes.
Suicidal behaviour in Indigenous compared to non-Indigenous males in urban and regional Australia: Prevalence data suggest disparities increase across age groups

Objectives: We compare the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts between Indigenous and non-Indigenous males in urban and regional Australia, and examine the extent to which any disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous males varies across age groups. Methods: We used data from the baseline wave of The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men), a large-scale cohort study of Australian males aged 10–55 years residing in urban and regional areas. Indigenous identification was determined through participants self-reporting as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or both. The survey collected data on suicidal thoughts in the preceding 2 weeks and lifetime suicide attempts. Results: A total of 432 participants (2.7%) identified as Indigenous and 15,425 as non-Indigenous (97.3%). Indigenous males were twice as likely as non-Indigenous males to report recent suicidal thoughts (17.6% vs 9.4%; odds ratio = 2.1, p < 0.001) and more than three times as likely to report a suicide attempt in their lifetime (17.0% vs 5.1%; odds ratio = 3.6; p < 0.001). The prevalence of recent suicidal thoughts did not differ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous males in younger age groups, but a significant gap emerged among men aged 30–39 years and was largest among men aged 40–55 years. Similarly, the prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts did not differ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous males in the 14- to 17-years age group, but a disparity emerged in the 18- to 24-years age group and was even larger among males aged 25 years and older. Conclusion: Our paper presents unique data on suicidal thoughts and attempts among a broad age range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous males. The disparity in the prevalence of suicidal thoughts increased across age groups, which is in contrast to the large disparity between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous suicide rates in younger age groups.
Design of robust digitally controlled DC–DC converters in the presence of strong interference

One of the main advantages of digital control is the ability to design more sophisticated control strategies to enable high‐performance dc–dc converters. One such example is a buck converter operating with a digital state‐feedback controller. Previous works characterise the nonlinear dynamics of such systems under ideal operating conditions. However, in practical applications, these conditions cannot be guaranteed. The focus of this work is on the behaviour of such systems when they operate in the presence of strong interference signals. Previous works on the effect of noise have shown that intermittent operation is possible when the frequency of the noise signal is close to the switching frequency. Intermittent operation can be characterised by long periods of stable operation interspersed with periods of unstable or chaotic operation, which greatly downgrade the efficiency and performance of the converter and reduce its lifetime as for example increase the current ripple or add extra AC components at its output. Typically, such behaviour is avoided by modifying the circuit parameters. However, little or no work exists on developing design guidelines in order to effect its elimination. This is the focus of this research, that is, by utilising Filippov's theory on discontinuous differential equations, to set out a design procedure that can be applied to any dc–dc converter, to tune its controller in order to eliminate intermittent operation. As a case study, the digitally controlled buck converter with a state‐feedback control law is selected. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Combining multiple-type input units using recurrent neural network for LVCSR language modeling

In this paper, we investigate the use of a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) in combining hybrid input types, namely word and pseudo-morpheme (PM) for Thai LVCSR language modeling. Similar to other neural network frameworks, there is no restriction on RNN input types. To exploit this advantage, the input vector of a proposed hybrid RNN language model (RNNLM) is a concatenated vector of word and PM vectors. After the first-pass decoding with an n-gram LM, a word-based lattice is expanded to include the corresponding PMs of each word. The hybrid RNNLM is then used to re-score the hybrid lattice in the second-pass decoding. We tested our hybrid RNNLM on two recognition tasks: broadcast news transcription and mobile speech-to-speech translation. The proposed model achieved better recognition performance than a baseline word-based RNNLM as hybrid input types provide more flexible unit choices for language model re-scoring. The computational complexity of a full-hybrid RNNLM can be reduced by limiting the input vector to include only frequent words and PMs. In a reduced-hybrid RNNLM, the size of the input vector can be reduced by half which can considerably save both training and decoding time without affecting recognition accuracy.
Ventricular Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction: Experimental Observations and Clinical Implications

An acute myocardial infarction, particularly one that is large and transmural, can produce alterations in the topography of both the infarcted and noninfarcted regions of the ventricle. This remodeling can importantly affect the function of the ventricle and the prognosis for survival. In the early period, infarct expansion has been recognized by echocardiography as a lengthening of the noncontractile region. The noninfarcted region also undergoes an important lengthening that is consistent with a secondary volume-overload hypertrophy and that can be progressive. The extent of ventricular enlargement after infarction is related to the magnitude of the initial damage to the myocardium and, although an increase in cavity size tends to restore stroke volume despite a persistently depressed ejection fraction, ventricular dilation has been associated with a reduction in survival. The process of ventricular enlargement can be influenced by three interdependent factors, that is, infarct size, infarct healing, and ventricular wall stresses. A most effective way to prevent or minimize the increase in ventricular size after infarction and the consequent adverse effect on prognosis is to limit the initial insult. Acute reperfusion therapy has been consistently shown to result in a reduction in ventricular volume. The reestablishment of blood flow to the infarcted region, even beyond the time frame for myocyte salvage, has beneficial effects in attenuating ventricular enlargement. The process of scarification can be interfered with during the acute infarct period by the administration of glucocorticosteroids and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents, which result in thinner infarcts and greater degrees of infarct expansion. Modification of distending or deforming forces can importantly influence ventricular enlargement. Even short-term augmentations in afterload have deleterious long-term effects on ventricular topography. Conversely, judicious use of nitroglycerin seems to be associated with an attenuation of infarct expansion and long-term improvement in clinical outcome. Long-term therapy with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor can favorably alter the loading conditions on the left ventricle and reduce progressive ventricular enlargement as demonstrated in both experimental and clinical studies. With the former therapy, this attenuation of ventricular enlargement was associated with a prolongation in survival. The long-term clinical consequences of long-term angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor therapy after myocardial infarction is currently being evaluated. Although studies directed at attenuating left ventricular remodeling after infarction are in the early stages, it does seem that this will be an important area in which future research might improve long-term outcome after infarction.
FLASH: a fast look-up algorithm for string homology

A key issue in managing large amounts of data is the availability of efficient, accurate, ad selective techniques to detect homology (similarity) between newly recovered and previously acquired sequences. The algorithm presented is based on a probabilistic indexing framework which requires minimal access to the database for each match. A highly redundant number of descriptive tuples from the sequences of interest are generated and used as indices in a table look-up paradigm. Theoretical and experimental results on the sensitivity and accuracy of the approach are provided. These include the probability of correct and random matches and the storage and computational requirements. An experimental system is implemented for a database containing the complete genome of the bacteria E. Coli (approximately 2 million nucleotides). Search time is a few seconds on a workstation class machine. The algorithm is shown to scale well to databases containing billions of nucleotides with performances that are orders of magnitude better than the fastest of the current techniques. <<ETX>>
Understanding Cancer Development Processes after HZE-Particle Exposure: Roles of ROS, DNA Damage Repair and Inflammation

During space travel astronauts are exposed to a variety of radiations, including galactic cosmic rays composed of high-energy protons and high-energy charged (HZE) nuclei, and solar particle events containing low- to medium-energy protons. Risks from these exposures include carcinogenesis, central nervous system damage and degenerative tissue effects. Currently, career radiation limits are based on estimates of fatal cancer risks calculated using a model that incorporates human epidemiological data from exposed populations, estimates of relative biological effectiveness and dose-response data from relevant mammalian experimental models. A major goal of space radiation risk assessment is to link mechanistic data from biological studies at NASA Space Radiation Laboratory and other particle accelerators with risk models. Early phenotypes of HZE exposure, such as the induction of reactive oxygen species, DNA damage signaling and inflammation, are sensitive to HZE damage complexity. This review summarizes our current understanding of critical areas within the DNA damage and oxidative stress arena and provides insight into their mechanistic interdependence and their usefulness in accurately modeling cancer and other risks in astronauts exposed to space radiation. Our ultimate goals are to examine potential links and crosstalk between early response modules activated by charged particle exposure, to identify critical areas that require further research and to use these data to reduced uncertainties in modeling cancer risk for astronauts. A clearer understanding of the links between early mechanistic aspects of high-LET response and later surrogate cancer end points could reveal key nodes that can be therapeutically targeted to mitigate the health effects from charged particle exposures.
The Trade and Health Effects of Tobacco Regulations

This paper examines how domestic and foreign tobacco regulations affect tobacco trade flows and consumer health in importing countries. We develop a gravity equation incorporating domestic and foreign tobacco regulations into a country’s tobacco import demand. We estimate the bilateral trade effects of marketing, counter-advertising, age and smoking tobacco location regulations. There are two striking results: smoking location regulations reduce tobacco exports and imports, and marketing regulations may actually increase tobacco trade. The magnitude of these effects is larger when the trading partners are rich exporters and poor importers. Using existing health effect elasticities in conjunction with our results, we show how these changes affect tobacco-related mortality and morbidity in importing countries. Our results highlight the importance of implementing policies that account for potential spillover effects in an increasingly multilateral economy.
Responses and feedbacks of coupled biogeochemical cycles to climate change: examples from terrestrial ecosystems

The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) are fundamental to life on Earth. Because organisms require these elements in strict proportions, the cycles of C, N, and P are coupled at molecular to global scales through their effects on the biochemical reactions controlling primary production, respiration, and decomposition. The coupling of the C, N, and P cycles constrains organismal responses to climatic and atmospheric change, suggesting that present-day estimates of climate warming through the year 2100 are conservative. N and P supplies constrain C uptake in the terrestrial biosphere, yet these constraints are often not incorporated into global-scale analyses of Earth's climate. The inclusion of coupled biogeochemical cycles is critical to the development of next-generation, global-scale climate models.