Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An optimization-based approach to image binarization

Image binarization is one of the main techniques for image segmentation. It segments an image into foreground and background. The foreground contains interested objects. Usually, the binarization is carried out with a threshold found from the histogram of an image automatically. It has many applications in pattern recognition, computer vision, and image and video understanding. This paper formulates the binarization as an optimization problem: finding the best threshold that minimizes a weighted sum-of-squared-error function. A fast iterative optimization algorithm is given to reach this goal. Our algorithm is also compared with a classic commonly-used binarization method. The experiments show that the two algorithms yield the same segmentation results but our algorithm is more efficient.
Thermoelektrische Eigenschaften von nanostrukturierten Halbleitern: Si/Ge-Quantenpunktkristalle und ZrCoBi/ZrNiSn Halb-Heusler Schichtstrukturen

Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der Untersuchung der thermoelektrischen Eigenschaften von Germanium Quantenpunktkristallen in Silizium, sowie Heterostrukturen aus ZrCoBi und ZrNiSn Halb-Heusler Materialien. Dazu werden die elektronischen Bandstrukturen wegen der verschiedenen Systemgrosen im ersten Fall mittels der Tight-Binding Methode im zweiten Fall mit der Dichtefunktionaltheorie berechnet. Aus den Bandstrukturen werden, basierend auf der semiklassischen Boltzmann-Transporttheorie, die relevanten Grosen, wie die Leitfahigkeit und der Seebeckkoeffizient, die in die thermoelektrische Gutezahl ZT eingehen, ausgerechnet. Fur die Quantenpunktkristalle wird fur die Bandstruktur ein detailliertes Modell fur band- und energieabhangige Streuzeiten entwickelt und gezeigt, wie die Anwesenheit der Quantenpunkte die Bandstruktur, Streuprozesse und damit auch Leitfahigkeit und Seebeckkoeffizient beeinflusst. Es wurde experimentell nachgewiesen, dass die Warmeleitfahigkeit durch das Einbringen der Quantenpunkte stark reduziert ist und dieses System einen vielversprechenden Kandidaten fur ein n-leitendes Thermoelektrikum darstellt. Im Falle der ZrCoBi und ZrNiSn Schichtsysteme werden zunachst Bulkeigenschaften beider Materialien bestimmt, da uber beide Materialien wenig bekannt ist. Weil ZrCoBi schwer zu synthetisieren ist, gibt es daruber praktisch kaum Untersuchungen. Unter anderem werden Bandstrukturen, Deformationspotentiale und elastische Konstanten berechnet, sowie die Bulkleitfahigkeit und der Seebeckkoeffizient. Weiterhin wird der Einfluss von Defekten im Ni(Co)-Untergitter auf Bandstruktur und mogliche Dotierung untersucht. Fur die Heterostrukturen werden dann Leitfahigkeit und Seebeckkoeffizient fur verschiedene Schichtdicken und Grenzflachenorientierungen berechnet. Diese lassen sich mit den zuvor berechneten Eigenschaften der Bulkmaterialien verglichen. Durch einfache Modelle, basierend auf den Phononspektren der beiden Materialien, wird zusatzlich die Warmeleitfahigkeit fur die Grenzflachen und Bulkmaterialien abgeschatzt, damit ein Wert fur ZT angegeben werden kann. Um die Warmeleitfahigkeit fur die Heterostruktur zu erhalten, werden Grenzflachen-Warmeleitfahigkeit und Bulkwarmeleitfahigkeit, genauer gesagt die Widerstande, in einem Modell aus in Reihe geschalteten Widerstanden verwendet.
Prepositional Phrase Attachment through Semantic Association using Connectionist Approach

Determining the correct attachment site for Prepositional Phrase (PP) is one of the major sources of ambiguity in natural language parsing and analysis. In this paper, we describe a neural network based approach to prepositional phrase attachment for natural language text. Our approach disambiguates the attachment site for PP through semantic association among the constituents namely verb, noun and PP, using the WordNet semantic classes. It is essentially a corpus based approach. In most of previous corpus based statistical approaches, accurate estimation of probabilities was dependent on the data sufficiency in terms of size and coverage of the features. Moreover, rule-based systems are inappropriate for handling uncertain knowledge. Managing and maintaining rule based systems is also very difficult task and poses many problems. Our method, using the semantic class properties of words, reduces the lexical ( word) level data sparseness problem. Neural networks are also very good in capturing the complex nature of semantic association among the words, and as a result capture the selectional restrictions. We have tested our method on Wall Street Journal corpus, and the experimental results show much better accuracy in PP attachment disambiguation and comparable to state-of-the-art approaches and the accuracy of the results shows the effectiveness of our approach.
Profiling students on their course-taking patterns in higher educational institutions (HEIs)

Data mining techniques have been found useful in understanding and enhancing student performance as well as decision making related to teaching and learning in HEIs. Literature review enabled the choice of time to degree and cumulative grade point average (CGPA) as examples of student performance factors for investigation. Student features that could be extracted using SQL query from student dataset and related to time to degree and CGPA were analysed. However hidden features were extracted using data mining only. Course taking pattern was used as an example of the hidden feature of students to determine time to degree and CGPA. Profiling of students was considered as an important decision that affects teaching and learning. Clustering was used as the data mining model to profile students whose performance in terms of time to degree and CGPA was related to course taking pattern of students and other features. K-means and EM algorithms were used to generate clusters of student profiles. K-means algorithm did not produce meaningful clusters whereas EM algorithm produced 10 clusters that could be interpreted. Results showed that the best cluster was rated as excellent and only one such cluster was found and it was found that there are other features other than course taking pattern that could determine the profiling of students which could be used in determining time to degree and CGPA and providing better academic support to students.
A distributed service-oriented architecture for business process execution

The Business Process Execution Language (BPEL) standardizes the development of composite enterprise applications that make use of software components exposed as Web services. BPEL processes are currently executed by a centralized orchestration engine, in which issues such as scalability, platform heterogeneity, and division across administrative domains can be difficult to manage. We propose a distributed agent-based orchestration engine in which several lightweight agents execute a portion of the original business process and collaborate in order to execute the complete process. The complete set of standard BPEL activities are supported, and the transformations of several BPEL activities to the agent-based architecture are described. Evaluations of an implementation of this architecture demonstrate that agent-based execution scales better than a non-distributed approach, with at least 70% and 120% improvements in process execution time, and throughput, respectively, even with a large number of concurrent process instances. In addition, the distributed architecture successfully executes large processes that are shown to be infeasible to execute with a nondistributed engine.
Antisense Reduction of the Protein Tau Attenuates Neuronal Hyperexcitability and Permits Clearance of Intraneuronal Tau Accumulations in vivo

OF THE DISSERTATION.xi CHAPTER 1: Introduction and Perspective. 2 The Protein Tau . 3 Tau and Primary Tauopathies . 4 Possible Tau-Targeted Therapies. 5 Antisense Oligonucleotide Introduction. 7 Antisense Oligonucleotides in the Context of Human Neurodegeneration. 10 Tau Knockout Mouse Model. 12 Human Tauoapthy Mouse Models.15 Summary.18 Figures.19 References.24 CHAPTER 2: Antisense Reduction of Endogenous Tau in Adult Mice Protects Against Seizures. 34 Preface.35 Abstract.36 Introduction.37 Materials and Methods . 39 Results.47 Discussion . 55 Figures.59 References.73 CHAPTER 3: Human Tau Reduction Reverses Pathological Tau Deposition in a Mouse Model of Tauopathy. 81 Preface.82 iii Abstract.83 Introduction.84 Materials and Methods.87 Results.92 Discussion.101 Figures.105 References.122 CHAPTER 4: Conclusions and Future Directions.128 Summary of Results.129 Implications for neurodegenerative disease.132 Future Directions.135 Concluding remarks.136 References.137 CIRRICULUM VITAE: Sarah L DeVos.140
HyperSAT Domagoj Babić

HyperSAT is a DPLL solver with a new search space pruning technique based on the theory of BCubing [3, 2, 1], powerful preprocessing, and standard 1-UIP learning [10]. The core of the solver is based on a simple watched literal scheme as implemented in LIMMAT [4], with some minor optimizations and extended to support equivalence clauses. The decision heuristic is fairly complex. The solver keeps counters for each literal. Counters are incremented by certain values, depending on the properties of the literal and the conflict, and frequently scaled (every 300 conflicts). The priority of each variable is computed according to the following heuristic function:
Exercise as Prescription Therapy: Benefits in Cancer and Hypertensive Patients

PURPOSE Exercise therapy in patients with metabolic chronic disease produces several positive response. This study aims to verify the effects of fast walking associated to a resistance exercise to reduce cardiovascular risk factor. METHODS: Two groups of subjects (10 cancer survivors and 19 hypertensive patients) were evaluated by 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT), bioimpedance, the Sit & Reach Test (S&R) evaluate the flexibility, Handgrip and 30” Chair Test for muscular strength. Patients were tested before and after 3 months of regular physical exercise. RESULTS: A significant change in anthropometric parameters was observed (BMI: T0 = 29.2±6.8, T3= 27.4±4.4 kg/m2 p<.001; waist circumference: T0=92.5±14.1, T3=92.1±12.8 cm, p<.05) in the hypertensive population. A predominant improvement of the cardiovascular parameters was observed in the cancer survivors (rest DBP T0=76.4±6.5, T3=72.2±7.1 mmhg p<.05; 6MWT: T0=487.8±116.0, T3= 525.6±117.3 m p<.05; S&R: T0= 0.4±7.4, T3=4.1±6.1 cm p<.05). CONCLUSION: A combined aerobic and resistance exercise programme can improve cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive subjects. The same programme induces improvement in exercise tolerance and flexibility variables in cancer survivors.
Performance assessment of buildings isolated with S-FBI system under near-fault earthquakes

This study investigates the optimum design parameters of a superelastic friction base isolator (S-FBI) system through a multi-objective genetic algorithm to improve the performance of isolated buildings against near-fault earthquakes. The S-FBI system consists of a flat steel-PTFE sliding bearing and superelastic NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) cables. Sliding bearing limits the transfer of shear across the isolation interface and provides damping from sliding friction. SMA cables provide restoring force capability to the isolation system together with additional damping characteristics. A three-story building is modeled with S-FBI isolation system. Multiple-objective numerical optimization that simultaneously minimizes isolation-level displacements and superstructure response is carried out with a genetic algorithm in order to optimize S-FBI system. Nonlinear time history analyses of the building with optimal S-FBI system are performed. A set of 20 near-fault ground motion records are used in numerical simulations. Results show that S-FBI system successfully control response of the buildings against near-fault earthquakes without sacrificing in isolation efficacy and producing large isolation-level deformations.
Hox Genes and Axial Specification in Vertebrates1

Abstract The colinear, anterior to posterior expression domains of the Hox genes in vertebrate embryos is strongly correlated with regional changes in vertebral morphology. The limbs of tetrapods are consistently aligned with specific areas of the vertebral column. However, control of limb development is apparently situated in the lateral plate mesoderm, and has been experimentally shown to be independent of an axial Hox code (Cohn et al., 1997, Nature 387:97–101). We have used experimental manipulation of chick embryos to test the causal role of Hox genes in patterning derivatives of the paraxial mesoderm. Hox expression in heterotopically transplanted segmental plate responds in a manner consistent with a patterning role for these genes in the morphological behavior of the transplants. Expression is maintained in dorsal paraxial regions where patterning is also intrinsic to the donor site of the graft. However, expression is apparently lost in somite cells that migrate into the host lateral plate environment and form appropriate host-level muscles. This arrangement could enable increased plasticity in the evolution of transpositional variation in the vertebrate body plan.
A Role-Based Approach for Modeling Flexible Business Processes

As organisation environments become more complex, business process models have to provide means to suit the flexibility and adaptability requirements at any given time. A rolebased approach for modelling business processes is a natural way to reflect organisational structures and to highlight responsibilities assigned to actors. The purpose of this paper is to improve this kind of approach in order to support flexible business processes modelling. This can be done through introducing the concept of mission. In addition, to make the approach more flexible in changing organisational and functional contexts, we investigate issues related to the delegation and the constraint aspects.
The neurodevelopmental trajectory of Borderline Personality Disorder: a review

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex psychological condition characterised by affective instability, cognitive impairment, problematic behaviours and social dysfunction. Due to the variability in symptomatic profiles, efforts have recently been directed towards comprehending the disorder from a neurological standpoint within the aforementioned domains. Although adolescent-onset BPD is now reliably diagnosed as the adult-onset variant, a limited number of studies address the neural correlates of first presentation BPD. Moreover, research investigating the outcomes of therapeutic interventions on brain function and morphology is scarce. Preliminary findings consistently cite the involvement of grey matter deficiencies of the orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala in the neuropathology of BPD. Additionally, frontolimbic white matter deficits are thought to be implicated. Functionally, over-activity in limbic regions such as the cingulate cortices and amygdala are believed to partially account for emotion dysregulation, though the neural correlates of cognitive, social and behavioural impairments are relatively poorly understood. The present review will endeavour to evaluate the existing neurobiological evidence for BPD in adolescence as well as adulthood. Finally, a rudimentary neurodevelopmental model of BPD will be proposed.
Data Memes for Personal Visualization

We introduce the concept of Data Memes as artistic visuals of data in which users can merge data visualizations with an image such that the structure of the image supports the user’s intended meaning (or interpretation) of the data. Since Data Memes can represent very personal views, it is natural to employ them in the visualization of personal data. Hence, in this paper we focus on the use of Data Memes for this purpose and also explain how they can be constructed with relative ease. Data Memes as a general concept are meant to engage users with the visualization and persuade a viewer to look at the data. Communicating personal achievements is often the wish of posters in social networks, and although we have not tested this yet, we believe that Data Memes augmented with pertinent personal data have good potential to achieve higher levels of attention in these circles, and elsewhere.
CTCF Target Sites Genome-Wide Largest Subunit of RNA Polymerase II to CTCF Interacts with and Recruits the

Published Ahead of Print 8 January 2007. 10.1128/MCB.01993-06. 2007, 27(5):1631. DOI: Mol. Cell. Biol. Rolf Ohlsson and Elena Klenova Cheng-Ming Chiang, Dmitri Loukinov, Victor Lobanenkov, Dawn Farrar, Ian Morrison, Marc Vigneron, Shwu-Yuan Wu, Whitehead, Rituparna Mukhopadhyay, France Docquier, Rosita Bergström, Yoo-Wook Kwon, WenQiang Yu, Joanne Igor Chernukhin, Shaharum Shamsuddin, Sung Yun Kang, CTCF Target Sites Genome-Wide Largest Subunit of RNA Polymerase II to CTCF Interacts with and Recruits the
LingoBee and Social Media: Mobile Language Learners as Social Networkers

This paper presents language learners as social networkers and describes and discusses the types of users that can be identified by analysing the content created by them using a situated mobile language learning app, LingoBee, based on the idea of crowd sourcing. Borrowing ideas from other studies conducted on social network users, we can identify that language learners use LingoBee as a social network and they behave as social networkers by creating content, acting as Conversationalists, Critics and displaying other behaviours shown by social networkers. In addition to this, from our user studies, it can be seen that the language learners are stimulated by the contributions of other users as well as welcoming competition among users. LingoBee users as social networkers were analysed and discussed based on Luckin's idea of the Zone of Proximal Assistance and the Zone of Available Assistance (Luckin, 2009).
jReality: a java library for real-time interactive 3D graphics and audio

We introduce jReality, a Java library for creating real-time interactive audiovisual applications with three-dimensional computer graphics and spatialized audio. Applications written for jReality will run unchanged on software and hardware platforms ranging from desktop machines with a single screen and stereo speakers to immersive virtual environments with motion tracking, multiple screens with 3D stereo projection, and multi-channel audio.
Adapting a Generic Platform for Poetry Generation to Produce Spanish Poems

PoeTryMe was created as a generic system for the generation of poetry that takes into account both semantics, in the form of triplets of relations between concepts, and textual structure, in the form of a grammar of templates extracted from existing poems. It was originally instantiated to generate poetry in Portuguese. The present paper describes an effort to create a different instantiation of PoeTryMe, this time focused on the production of poems in Spanish. The instantiation effort involved the creation of a set of triplets of relations to represent the semantics of Spanish terms, the extraction of a grammar of templates for Spanish from a corpus of Spanish poetry, the application of a different tool for Spanish syllabic division, the integration of the various modules, and several experiments with the resulting system.
Heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVE To examine the relation between cardiac autonomic tone, assessed by baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability, and left ventricular function, arrhythmias on Holter monitoring, and clinical variables in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. DESIGN A prospective observational study. PATIENTS 160 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and preserved sinus rhythm in the absence of antiarrhythmic drug treatment. Measures of heart rate variability obtained by digital 24 hour Holter recordings included the mean of all coupling intervals between normal beats (RRm), the standard deviation of the mean of normal RR intervals (SDNN), and the square root of the mean of the squared differences between adjacent normal RR intervals (rMSSD). Baroreflex sensitivity testing was performed using the phenylephrine method. RESULTS Mean SDNN (SEM) was 112 (46) ms, and baroreflex sensitivity was 7.5 (5.0) ms/mm Hg. SDNN showed a weak correlation with baroreflex sensitivity (r = 0.19, p < 0.05) and with left ventricular ejection fraction (r = 0.29, p < 0.05). SDNN showed no significant correlation with age (r = −0.07), the presence of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (r = −0.13), or left ventricular end diastolic diameter (r = −0.07). In addition, baroreflex sensitivity showed no significant correlation with age (r = −0.13), non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (r = −0.08), left ventricular end diastolic diameter (r = 0.09), or ejection fraction (r = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS The weak correlation between baroreflex sensitivity and heart rate variability suggests that these two indices explore different aspects of cardiac autonomic control in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The weak or absent correlation between baroreflex sensitivity, heart rate variability, and other potential non-invasive risk predictors, including left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end diastolic diameter, and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on Holter monitoring, indicate that these variables may have independent prognostic value in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
Collective Free Music Improvisation as a Sociocommunicative Endeavor: A Literature Review

This article is a review of literature that conceptualizes the practice of collective free music improvisation as a sociocommunicative endeavor, with its appended value and implications to musicians and music learners. Researchers have revealed that this conceptualization breaks down cultural and stylistic music boundaries to establish understanding and empathy among diverse and unique performers—through live music interactions and communication on an egalitarian and evolving platform that is negotiated by all participants. To enable collective free music improvisation pedagogically, researchers have highlighted the importance and ways of approaching it as a form of social interactionism, developing a personal music language to converse fluently and meaningfully, and establishing shared understanding among fellow improvisers as the foundation for music interaction. Together, these pedagogical implications may be synergized to inform ways in which classroom free improvisational practices may nurture expressive and confident improvisers rooted in the reality of the moment, as well as in the music conversations with one’s self and others.