Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effective performance of information retrieval on web by using web crawling

World Wide Web consists of more than 50 billion pages online. It is highly dynamic [6] i.e. the web continuously introduces new capabilities and attracts many people. Due to this explosion in size, the effective information retrieval system or search engine can be used to access the information. In this paper we have proposed the EPOW (Effective Performance of WebCrawler) architecture. It is a software agent whose main objective is to minimize the overload of a user locating needed information. We have designed the web crawler by considering the parallelization policy. Since our EPOW crawler has a highly optimized system it can download a large number of pages per second while being robust against crashes. We have also proposed to use the data structure concepts for implementation of scheduler & circular Queue to improve the performance of our web crawler. (Abstract)
Haplotype Analysis of Norwegian and Swedish Patients with Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP): Extreme Haplotype Heterogeneity for the Mutation R116W

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), the most common of the acute porphyrias, is caused by mutations in the gene encoding hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS) also called porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD). The mutation spectrum in the HMBS gene is characterized by a majority of family specific mutations. Among the exceptions are R116W and W198X, with high prevalence in both the Dutch and Swedish populations. These two mutations were also detected in unrelated Norwegian patients. Thus, Norwegian and Swedish patients were haplotyped using closely linked flanking microsatellites and intragenic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to see if the high frequency of these two mutations is due to a founder effect. Twelve intragenic SNPs were determined by a method based on fluorescent restriction enzyme fingerprinting single-strand conformation polymorphism (F-REF-SSCP). W198X occurred exclusively on one haplotype in both Norwegian and Swedish patients, showing that it has originated from a common gene source. In contrast, R116W was found on three different haplotypes in three Norwegian families, and in five Swedish families on four or five haplotypes. This extreme haplotype heterogeneity indicates that R116W is a recurrent mutation, maybe explained by the high mutability of CpG dinucleotides. This can also explain why it is the only AIP mutation reported to occur in seven different populations (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, France, Spain and South Africa).
Wearable Eye Tracking System

Tracking the user’s gaze point has great importance for the research in humnan-computer interfaces. Nowadays People are trying to build cheaper, reliable and wearable eye trackers. In this paper we built and developed accurate and efficent algorithms for a wearable real-time eye tracker. Our implementation is based on pupil center localization and homographic mapping. We also proposed possible improvements including corneal reflection detection and different mapping techniques.
Expanding JavaScript Metaobject Protocol

JavaScript has been a much maligned programming language. Browser incompatibilities, poor implementations, and some superficial flaws in its design have led to numerous headaches for developers, and for a long time, it was seen as an evil to be avoided. All of this belies the fact that JavaScript is a very powerful language. It has support for closures, functional programming, and metaprogramming. In fact, it offers many of the same features that have helped to make Ruby the recent darling of the programming world. More importantly, JavaScript might be a better scripting language choice for Java programmers. Much of JavaScript's syntax and conventions follows those of Java. Furthermore, it boasts a strong, robust JVM implementation in Netscape/Mozilla's Rhino. Rhino was rated as a close second to Jython in Steve Yegge's celebrated " JVM Language Soko-Shootout ". (The original site is down, but However, JavaScript has only a somewhat limited Metaobject Protocol (MOP). Expanding this could be a powerful addition to the language. Some possible uses include: • Allowing web browsers like Firefox or Opera to support Microsoft-specific JavaScript, without cluttering up their API. • Dynamic multiple-inheritance – Using method intercession, missing methods could be looked for in more than a single prototype chain. This might also help to make JavaScript a viable server-side language. Ruby on Rails makes extensive use of some of these metaprogramming techniques, particularly in its ActiveRecord object-relational tool. In this paper, I will explore JavaScript and Ruby's existing metaprogramming features. I will also propose extensions to JavaScript that could give it much of the same power that Ruby has.
wing blister, A New Drosophila Laminin α Chain Required for Cell Adhesion and Migration during Embryonic and Imaginal Development

We report the molecular and functional characterization of a new α chain of laminin in Drosophila. The new laminin chain appears to be the Drosophila counterpart of both vertebrate α2 (also called merosin) and α1 chains, with a slightly higher degree of homology to α2, suggesting that this chain is an ancestral version of both α1 and α2 chains. During embryogenesis, the protein is associated with basement membranes of the digestive system and muscle attachment sites, and during larval stage it is found in a specific pattern in wing and eye discs. The gene is assigned to a locus called wing blister (wb), which is essential for embryonic viability. Embryonic phenotypes include twisted germbands and fewer pericardial cells, resulting in gaps in the presumptive heart and tracheal trunks, and myotubes detached from their target muscle attachment sites. Most phenotypes are in common with those observed in Drosophila laminin α3, 5 mutant embryos and many are in common with those observed in integrin mutations. Adult phenotypes show blisters in the wings in viable allelic combinations, similar to phenotypes observed in integrin genes. Mutation analysis in the eye demonstrates a function in rhabdomere organization. In summary, this new laminin α chain is essential for embryonic viability and is involved in processes requiring cell migration and cell adhesion.
The Tecate data space exploration utility

A new prototype, interactive visualization system is described which is designed to allow anyone to browse for and then visualize data within general data spaces. The prototype, called Tecate, capitalizes on the architectural strengths of current scientific visualization systems, network browsers like Mosaic, database management system front-ends, and on virtual reality systems. Tecate is able to browse for data contained in databases managed by database management systems, and it can browse for information contained in the World Wide Web. In addition, Tecate dynamically crafts user-interfaces and interactive visualizations of selected data-sets with the aid of an intelligent system. This system automatically maps most kinds of data into a virtual world that can be explored directly by end-users.
A Survey about Fuzzy Cognitive Maps Papers (Invited Paper)

A fountain type applicator for ink or the like having a cartridge handle for containing the ink, an applicator having a roller and a threaded extension received in a threaded recessed end forming a seal in one end of the cartridge, the applicator being passaged for flow of ink from the cartridge to the roller. The extension has a tubular piercing member truncated at its distal end to form a cutting edge for penetrating a central region of the bottom of the recess in the cartridge to establish communication from the cartridge through the tubular piercing member to the roller.
Trajectory Sensitivity Analysis of Hybrid Systems

The development of trajectory sensitivity analysis for hybrid systems, such as power systems, is presented in the paper. A hybrid system model which has a differential-algebraic-discrete (DAD) structure is proposed. This model forms the basis for the subsequent sensitivity analysis. Crucial to the analysis is the development of jump conditions describing the behavior of sensitivities at discrete events, such as switching and state resetting. The efficient computation of sensitivities is discussed. A number of examples are presented to illustrate various aspects of the theory. It is shown that trajectory sensitivities provide insights into system behavior which cannot be obtained from traditional simulation.
Analysisof theRandomWalk Algorithm onRandom -CNFs

We analyzethe efficiency of the randomwalk algorithm on random -CNF instances,andprove thefirst polynomialtime upperboundfor small clausedensity, lessthan . We complementhis by proving exponentiallowerboundsfor therunningtimeof thisalgorithmontheplanted-SAT distribution with largeconstantclausedensity. Thisis thefirst polynomialupperboundontherunningtimeof a local improvementalgorithmon randominstances, andconformswith theempiricallyobservedefficiency of thesealgorithmsonrandomCNFs.
PCA-based muscle selection for interventional manipulation recognition

Vascular interventional robot is becoming increasingly popular in assisting doctors for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, natural manipulations and motion patterns of surgeons in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), including finger motion and hand motion, are potentially altered more or less through this solution. Since clinical success is highly dependent on the skills and dexterous manipulation strategies of the surgeons, but these skills and experience remains an underused resource in robot-assisted intervention. In this paper, surface electromyography (sEMG) of surgeons' hand and arm muscles, a feature of manipulation skills in intervention, is acquired to recognize six interventional manipulations with Back-Propagation (BP) neural network. A modified principal component analysis (PCA) is presented to select a sensitive and principal muscle subset for improving the fiexibility of subjects' manipulations. Experimental results show that the sensitive muscle subset with the recognition rate over 90% performs better than the insensitive one, and the sEMG-based BP neural network has the ability to recognize interventional manipulations with a high accuracy.
A novel dependency based word-level reordering model for phrased-based translation

Phrase based statistic MT (SMT) is an important milestone in MT. However, the translation model in the phrase based SMT is structure free which limits its reordering capacity to some extent. In order to enhance the reordering capacity of phrase based SMT, in this paper we propose a head-modifier relation based reordering model, which exploits the way how to utilize the structured linguistic analysis information in source language. Within very small size of reordering model, we enhance the performance of the phrase based SMT significantly.
Calibration of radially symmetric distortion based on linearity in the calibrated image

For calibration of general radially symmetric distortion of omnidirectional cameras such as fish-eye lenses, calibration parameters are usually estimated so that curved lines, which are supposed to be straight in the real-world, are mapped to straight lines in the calibrated image, which is called plumbline principle. Under the principle, the camera with radially symmetric distortion can be calibrated by at least one distorted line in a image, theoretically, and the calibrated image is equivalent to the image taken by an ideal pin-hole camera. In this paper, the method to optimize the calibration parameters by maximizing the sum of the straightness, which is invariant under translation, rotation and magnification (scaling), of distorted lines on calibrated image is proposed. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated by artificial data and a real image.
Information technologies, organizational cultures and knowledge management

The purpose of this study is to empirically explore the effects of information technologies and organizational cultures in the implementation of knowledge management. Moreover, based on the definition of the five knowledge management gaps, the relationships among knowledge management, information technologies and organizational cultures are analyzed and demonstrated by mean of case studies. The findings reveal that information technologies and organizational cultures play very important roles in determining the magnitudes of these knowledge management gaps. Furthermore, this research discusses how to enhance the effectiveness of implementing knowledge management through appropriate information technologies and organizational cultures.
Projector View Synthesis and Virtual Texturing

We propose a technique to project a synthesized texture onto 3D textureless real objects without contact, which can be applied for example, in medical or archaeological applications. Our system uses two cameras and one projector. By projecting a suitable set of light patterns onto the surface of a 3D real object and by capturing images with one or several cameras, a large number of correspondences can be determined and the 3D geometry can be estimated. Since we deal with textureless objects, traditional corner detection algorithms can not be applied, but our approach successfully determines both 3D geometry and the appropriate texture to be projected onto the 3D model.
Frequency and causes of failed MODIS cloud property retrievals for liquid phase clouds over global oceans

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) retrieves cloud droplet effective radius (re) and optical thickness (τ) by projecting observed cloud reflectances onto a precomputed look‐up table (LUT). When observations fall outside of the LUT, the retrieval is considered “failed” because no combination of τ and re within the LUT can explain the observed cloud reflectances. In this study, the frequency and potential causes of failed MODIS retrievals for marine liquid phase (MLP) clouds are analyzed based on 1 year of Aqua MODIS Collection 6 products and collocated CALIOP and CloudSat observations. The retrieval based on the 0.86 µm and 2.1 µm MODIS channel combination has an overall failure rate of about 16% (10% for the 0.86 µm and 3.7 µm combination). The failure rates are lower over stratocumulus regimes and higher over the broken trade wind cumulus regimes. The leading type of failure is the “re too large” failure accounting for 60%–85% of all failed retrievals. The rest is mostly due to the “re too small” or τ retrieval failures. Enhanced retrieval failure rates are found when MLP cloud pixels are partially cloudy or have high subpixel inhomogeneity, are located at special Sun‐satellite viewing geometries such as sunglint, large viewing or solar zenith angles, or cloudbow and glory angles, or are subject to cloud masking, cloud overlapping, and/or cloud phase retrieval issues. The majority (more than 84%) of failed retrievals along the CALIPSO track can be attributed to at least one or more of these potential reasons. The collocated CloudSat radar reflectivity observations reveal that the remaining failed retrievals are often precipitating. It remains an open question whether the extremely large re values observed in these clouds are the consequence of true cloud microphysics or still due to artifacts not included in this study.
Istituto Di Analisi Dei Sistemi Ed Informatica Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche

The short-term Unit Commitment (UC) problem in hydro-thermal power generation is a largescale, Mixed-Integer NonLinear Program (MINLP), which is difficult to solve efficiently, especially for large-scale instances. It is possible to approximate the nonlinear objective function of the problem by means of piecewise-linear functions, so that UC can be approximated by a Mixed-Integer Linear Program (MILP); applying the available efficient general-purpose MILP solvers to the resulting formulations, good quality solutions can be obtained in a relatively short amount of time. We build on this approach, presenting a novel way to approximating the nonlinear objective function based on a recently developed class of valid inequalities for the problem, called “Perspective Cuts”. At least for many realistic instances of a general basic formulation of UC, a MILP-based heuristic obtains comparable or slightly better solutions in less time when employing the new approach rather than the standard piecewise linearizations, while being not more difficult to implement and use. Furthermore, “dynamic” formulations, whereby the approximation is iteratively improved, provide even better results if the approximation is appropriately controlled.
Preliminary study of religious, spiritual and mystical experiences. Thematic analysis of Poles adult’s narratives

The aim of this study was to examine narratives of the personal religious, spiritual and mystical experiences of adult Poles (N = 74) and their impact on narrative identity. The method for collecting qualitative data about individual understandings and spiritual, religious and mystical experiences was the narrative interview, developed on the basis of the Life Story Interview. During the analysis, the following key topics were identified: awareness of the presence/protection of God, a peak experience, the awareness of oneness with nature and the world, and a sense of closeness/contact with a person who has died. This study provides specific information on the spiritual, religious and mystical experiences of the investigated group of Poles.
A Skill Transfer Approach for Continuum Robots - Imitation of Octopus Reaching Motion with the STIFF-FLOP Robot

The problem of transferring skills to hyper-redundant system requires the design of new motion primitive representations that can cope with multiple sources of noise and redundancy, and that can dynamically handle perturbations in the environment. One way is to take inspiration from invertebrate systems in nature to seek for new versatile representations of motion/behavior primitives for continuum robots. In particular, the incredibly varied skills achieved by the octopus can guide us toward the design of such robust encoding scheme. This abstract presents our ongoing work that aims at combining statistical machine learning, dynamical systems and stochastic optimization to study the problem of transferring skills to a flexible surgical robot (STIFF-FLOP) composed of 2 modules with constant curvatures. The approach is tested in simulation by imitation and self-refinement of an octopus reaching motion.
One-pass clustering superpixels

A superpixel is an image patch which is better aligned with intensity edges than a rectangular patch. Superpixels are perceptually consistent units which carry more information than pixels and adhere well to image boundaries. Nowadays superpixels are widely used for segmentation in computer vision and biomedicai applications. There are many approaches to generate superpixels such as SLIC, QuickShift, Turbopixels and Normalized cuts algorithms, each with its own advantages and drawbacks that may be better suited to a particular application. In this paper we propose a one-pass clustering (OPC) technique to efficiently generate superpixels in the combined five-dimensional feature space of CIELAB colour and XY image plane. The Berkeley segmentation dataset (BSDS500) is used to quantitatively compare the performance of OPC with SLIC superpixels method as measured by boundary recall and under-segmentation error. OPC superpixels achieve comparable performance to previously reported results which allow a trade-off between a less regular space superpixels but accurate boundaries or better efficiency.
Role of the Water–Metal Ion Bridge in Mediating Interactions between Quinolones and Escherichia coli Topoisomerase IV

Although quinolones have been in clinical use for decades, the mechanism underlying drug activity and resistance has remained elusive. However, recent studies indicate that clinically relevant quinolones interact with Bacillus anthracis (Gram-positive) topoisomerase IV through a critical water–metal ion bridge and that the most common quinolone resistance mutations decrease drug activity by disrupting this bridge. As a first step toward determining whether the water–metal ion bridge is a general mechanism of quinolone–topoisomerase interaction, we characterized drug interactions with wild-type Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) topoisomerase IV and a series of ParC enzymes with mutations (S80L, S80I, S80F, and E84K) in the predicted bridge-anchoring residues. Results strongly suggest that the water–metal ion bridge is essential for quinolone activity against E. coli topoisomerase IV. Although the bridge represents a common and critical mechanism that underlies broad-spectrum quinolone function, it appears to play different roles in B. anthracis and E. coli topoisomerase IV. The water–metal ion bridge is the most important binding contact of clinically relevant quinolones with the Gram-positive enzyme. However, it primarily acts to properly align clinically relevant quinolones with E. coli topoisomerase IV. Finally, even though ciprofloxacin is unable to increase levels of DNA cleavage mediated by several of the Ser80 and Glu84 mutant E. coli enzymes, the drug still retains the ability to inhibit the overall catalytic activity of these topoisomerase IV proteins. Inhibition parallels drug binding, suggesting that the presence of the drug in the active site is sufficient to diminish DNA relaxation rates.
Linking surface- and ground-water levels to riparian grassland species along the Platte River in central Nebraska, USA

Nearly all the techniques used to quantify how plants are linked to environmental gradients produce results in general terms, such as low to high elevation, xeric to mesic, and low to high concentration. While ecologists comprehend these imprecise scales, managers responsible for making decisions affecting these gradients need more precise information. For our study, we preserved the measurement scale and units of a dominant environmental gradient by using non-linear models to fit plant frequency to a water-level gradient ranging from shallow ground water to standing water along the Platte River in central Nebraska, USA. Non-linear models, unlike polynomials, have coefficients that can be interpreted with a biological meaning such as population peak, optimum gradient position, and ecological amplitude. Sixty-three riparian grassland species had sufficient information to link their plant frequency to the water-level gradient. From among 10 water-level summary statistics evaluated for a subset of 22 species, the best plant-frequency response curves were obtained by using the growing season 10% cumulative frequency water level, followed closely by the growing season 7-day moving average high water level and two other high water-level statistics. This suggests that for Platte River riparian grasslands, high water levels are more influential than mean, median, or low water levels. Land-management practices (i.e., grazing, haying, and extended rest) affected six species by a change in frequency or a shift in position along the water-level gradient. Four general plant communities composed of species responding individually to the water-level gradient and other factors were identified for Platte River riparian grasslands: emergent, sedge meadow, mesic prairie, and dry ridge. Plant response curves are the first step toward predicting how plants responding to riparian-grassland water levels might also respond to river management.