Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Information Extraction Method from Different Structural Web Sites by Word Distances between a User Instantiated Label and Similar Entity

This paper addresses an information extraction from different structural web sites by using a user instantiated example. A user instantiated example consists of labels as criteria for decision making on purchasing a target product or service and instances related to the labels. When information extraction method outputs the information in table form, labels are used as column heading of table and instances are used as instances filled in the table. Because there are various labels and information that does not correspond to the target on the web site, it is difficult to extract the target information related to the target. Information of the target tends to be written in a similar string to the instances that is called "similar entity". And target information is written close to the labels. So, the proposed method extracts information using the number of words among a user instantiated label and similar entities. Additionally, in order to extract a piece of information described across the web sites, the proposed method extracts information from linked web sites that are similar to the web site used for a user instantiated example. Experimental results show that the proposed method can extract information at recall rate of 65% and precision rate of 91%.
Multicentre Evaluation of the Naída CI Q70 Sound Processor: Feedback from Cochlear Implant Users and Professionals

The aim of this survey was to gather data from both implant recipients and professionals on the ease of use of the Naída CI Q70 (Naída CI) sound processor from Advanced Bionics and on the usefulness of the new functions and features available. A secondary objective was to investigate fitting practices with the new processor. A comprehensive user satisfaction survey was conducted in a total of 186 subjects from 24 centres. In parallel, 23 professional questionnaires were collected from 11 centres. Overall, there was high satisfaction with the Naída CI processor from adults, children, experienced and new CI users as well as from professionals. The Naída CI processor was shown as being easy to use by all ages of recipients and by professionals. The majority of experienced CI users rated the Naída CI processor as being similar or better than their previous processor in all areas surveyed. The Naída CI was recommended by the professionals for fitting in all populations. Features like UltraZoom, ZoomControl and DuoPhone would not be fitted to very young children in contrast to adults. Positive ratings were obtained for ease of use, comfort and usefulness of the new functions and features of the Naída CI sound processor. Seventy-seven percent of the experienced CI users rated the new processor as being better than their previous sound processor from a general point of view. The survey also showed that fitting practices were influenced by the age of the user.
β-Mannosynthase: Synthesis of β-Mannosides with a Mutant β-Mannosidase.

Engineering enzymes: The glutamic acid nucleophile of a retaining β-mannosidase has been replaced with a serine residue to form a β-mannosynthase. When the new enzyme is provided with an α-mannosyl fluoride donor and an appropriate acceptor, β-mannoside linkages are synthesized. Remarkably, α-mannosyl fluoride can be generated in situ by providing the mannosynthase with excess fluoride ion.
Positive Selection and Functional Divergence of R2R3-MYB Paralogous Genes Expressed in Inflorescence Buds of Scutellaria Species (Labiatae)

Anthocyanin is the main pigment forming floral diversity. Several transcription factors that regulate the expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes belong to the R2R3-MYB family. Here we examined the transcriptomes of inflorescence buds of Scutellaria species (skullcaps), identified the expression R2R3-MYBs, and detected the genetic signatures of positive selection for adaptive divergence across the rapidly evolving skullcaps. In the inflorescence buds, seven R2R3-MYBs were identified. MYB11 and MYB16 were detected to be positively selected. The signature of positive selection on MYB genes indicated that species diversification could be affected by transcriptional regulation, rather than at the translational level. When comparing among the background lineages of Arabidopsis, tomato, rice, and Amborella, heterogeneous evolutionary rates were detected among MYB paralogs, especially between MYB13 and MYB19. Significantly different evolutionary rates were also evidenced by type-I functional divergence between MYB13 and MYB19, and the accelerated evolutionary rates in MYB19, implied the acquisition of novel functions. Another paralogous pair, MYB2/7 and MYB11, revealed significant radical amino acid changes, indicating divergence in the regulation of different anthocyanin-biosynthetic enzymes. Our findings not only showed that Scutellaria R2R3-MYBs are functionally divergent and positively selected, but also indicated the adaptive relevance of regulatory genes in floral diversification.
Design and prototype of a device to engage cognitively disabled older adults in visual artwork

We investigate technological solutions for arts therapists who work with older adults with cognitive disabilities, such as Alzheimer's disease. We present ethnographic analysis of a survey of arts therapists in the UK and Canada, and show how there is a need for devices that can be used to promote autonomy and independence through engagement with creative visual arts. We then demonstrate a novel device that uses a touch-screen interface, and artificial intelligence software to monitor and interact with a user. Using a probabilistic model, the device monitors the behaviours of a user as well as aspects of their affective or internal state, including their responsiveness and engagement with the device. The device then uses decision theoretic reasoning to take situated actions that promote engagement from the user. We show how the device fits with the ethnographic design, and we give a laboratory demonstration of the functionality of the device. We present and discuss our next steps with this device, including end user testing.
Zero Alignment of Verb Arguments in a Parallel Treebank

This paper analyses several points of interlingual dependency mismatch on the material of a parallel Czech-English dependency treebank. Particularly, the points of alignment mismatch between the valency frame arguments of the corresponding verbs are observed and described. The attention is drawn to the question whether such mismatches stem from the inherent semantic properties of the individual languages, or from the character of the used linguistic theory. Comments are made on the possible shifts in meaning. The authors use the findings to make predictions about possible machine translation implementation of the data.
ICCAD 2015 contest in 3D interlayer cooling optimized network

Microchannel liquid cooling has been proposed since the late 2000s as a viable enabler for 3D integration of microprocessors to continue scaling of computing power in the face of increasingly reduced returns from CMOS technology scaling. Thermal and electrical demonstrations of microchannel liquid-cooled heat sinks on the back side of IC dies exist in the literature and the compatibility of its fabrication with the existing CMOS process has been shown. This compatibility also gives rise to the prospect of building of nearly an infinite variety of channel networks with no additional manufacturing cost. This ICCAD 2015 problem aims to identify methods to optimize such microchannel fluid networks, and to evaluate impact of different cooling networks on different computing architectures floorplans.
Modeling and Performance Evaluation of LTE Networks with Different TCP Variants

Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a 4G wireless broadband technology developed by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) release 8, and it's represent the competitiveness of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) for the next 10 years and beyond. The concepts for LTE systems have been introduced in 3GPP release 8, with objective of high-data-rate, low-latency and packet-optimized radio access technology. In this paper, performance of different TCP variants during LTE network investigated. The performance of TCP over LTE is affected mostly by the links of the wired network and total bandwidth available at the serving base station. This paper describes an NS-2 based simulation analysis of TCP-Vegas, TCP-Tahoe, TCP- Reno, TCP-Newreno, TCP-SACK, and TCP-FACK, with full modeling of all traffics of LTE system. The Evaluation of the network performance with all TCP variants is mainly based on throughput, average delay and lost packet. The analysis of TCP performance over LTE ensures that all TCP's have a similar throughput and the best performance return to TCP-Vegas than other variants.
Analytic Solution of the Regularized Latent Truth Model for Binary Maps

Consider two maps having the same spatial extent and the same mapping categories but where each map is subject to classi ̄cation error. An overlay of the maps yields a (dis)similarity matrix whose (i; j)-entry is the areal proportion placed into category i by the ̄rst map and into category j by the second map. Patil and Taillie (2003) have proposed a latent truth model which speci ̄es the dissimilarity matrix in terms of the true (but unknown) proportions for the mapping categories and the unknown error rates for the two maps. The number of parameters in the model exceeds the degrees of freedom in the dissimilarity matrix. However, a method of regularization is applied to e®ectively reduce the dimension of the parameter space and to permit model ̄tting. From the ̄tted model, one obtains estimates for the true mapping proportions as well as estimated error matrices for each of the maps. This paper considers binary maps and obtains explicit expressions for the ̄tted parameters of the regularized latent truth model.
A Novel Human TPIP Splice-Variant (TPIP-C2) mRNA, Expressed in Human and Mouse Tissues, Strongly Inhibits Cell Growth in HeLa Cells

Alternative splicing of mRNAs is known to involve a major regulation of gene expression at RNA level in mammalian cells. The PTEN (Phosphatase and TENsin homologue deleted from the human chromosome 10), TPTE (Transmembrane Phosphatase with TEnsin homology) and TPIP (TPTE and PTEN homologous Inositol lipid Phosphatase) belong to a family of dual-specific lipid and protein phosphatases. PTEN is a well characterized tumor suppressor, which plays crucial role in cell survival, cell cycle regulation, cell proliferation as well as adhesion, motility and migration of cells. The C2-domain of PTEN is essential for PTEN-functions. We have isolated a novel 1019 bp human TPIP cDNA (TPIP-C2) from a human testis cDNA library. In silico analysis of the cDNA revealed that it is produced from the TPIP-locus on the human chromosome 13 by alternative RNA-splicing. It has a unique 5'-Alu sequence, a LINE sequence followed by a 582 bp Open Reading Frame (ORF) encoding a 193 aa polypeptide with a partial phosphatase domain and a C2-domain. TPIP-C2 mRNA is expressed in human testis and in mouse tissues. Mouse testis and brain showed higher levels of TPIP-C2 mRNA in comparison to the heart, liver and kidney under normal physiological conditions. TPIP-C2 mRNAs from human and mouse testes show extensive sequence identity. Over-expression of TPIP-C2 cDNA in HeLa cells strongly (up to 85%) inhibited cell growth/proliferation and caused apoptosis in a caspase 3-dependent manner. These findings suggest for the first time that a TPIP splice-variant mRNA with a partial phosphatase domain and a C2-domain is expressed in cells and tissues of human and murine origins under normal physiological conditions. Inhibition of cell growth/proliferation and induction of apoptosis by overexpression of TPIP-C2 mRNA in HeLa cells suggest that it may be involved in negative regulation of cell growth/proliferation.
Channel estimation and signal detection for UWB

In this paper, we investigate channel estimation and signal detection for UWB communications. We first investigate channel estimation for UWB systems and then develop a minimum mean-square-error (MMSE) Rake receiver with joint timing and MMSE equalization. The key property of the estimator is that it uses sampling at UWB symbol rate (200Msamples/s), while estimating all relevant channel parameters for the full 7.5 GHz channel bandwidth. Computer simulations verify the usefulness of our approach for channel estimation and signal detection.
Identifying and modeling botnet C&C behaviors

Through the analysis of a long-term botnet capture, we identified and modeled the behaviors of its C&C channels. They were found and characterized by periodicity analyses and statistical representations. The relationships found between the behaviors of the UDP, TCP and HTTP C&C channels allowed us to unify them in a general model of the botnet behavior. Our behavioral analysis of the C&C channels gives a new perspective on the modeling of malware behavior, helping to better understand botnets.
Evolving Visual Routines

Traditional machine vision assumes that the vision system recovers a complete, labeled description of the world [10]. Recently, several researchers have criticized this model and proposed an alternative model that considers perception as a distributed collection of task-specific, context-driven visual routines [1, 12]. Some of these researchers have argued that in natural living systems these visual routines are the product of natural selection [11]. So far, researchers have hand-coded task-specific visual routines for actual implementations (e.g., [3]). In this article we propose an alternative approach in which visual routines for simple tasks are created using an artificial evolution approach. We present results from a series of runs on actual camera images, in which simple routines were evolved using genetic programming techniques [7]. The results obtained are promising: The evolved routines are able to process correctly up to 93% of the test images, which is better than any algorithm we were able to write by hand.
Master of Engineering Thesis Proposal: \Argus: Instrumentation for Rapidly Acquiring Dense Pose Imagery"

This paper motivates and describes the thesis work that will be done as part of the author's Master of Engineering degree requirements. We present the primary thesis of the work: it is desirable, feasible, and practical to build a device for rapidly acquiring dense pose image datasets. Pose images are digital images tagged with estimates of the camera's 6 degreeof-freedom (DOF) position and orientation (pose). We describe how such a device is useful for building an end-to-end system which can automatically reconstruct three-dimensional (3D) models of the real world. We list the tasks that will be performed for the author's thesis, including a central deliverable of the thesis: a pose image data set acquired using Argus. Argus is a device which is designed to rapidly acquire large pose image data sets.
A Short Course on Credit Risk Modeling with Affine Processes

8 Correlated Default 19 I am extremely grateful for the wonderful work done by Maurizio Pratelli in arranging my visit to Pisa and for organizing this course, for the hospitality of the Scuola Normale Superiore, and for the support for the course offered by the Associazione Amici della Scuola Normale Superiore, who were generously represented by Mr. Carlo Gulminelli. These notes are currently in the form of a rough draft. Future improvements can be obtained at www.stanford. edu/∼duffie/.
The pathogenic role of the canonical Wnt pathway in age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE The authors' previous studies showed that the Wnt signaling pathway is activated in the retinas and retinal pigment epithelia of animal models of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the canonical Wnt pathway in pathogenesis of these diseases. METHODS The Wnt pathway was activated using the Wnt3a-conditioned medium and adenovirus expressing a constitutively active mutant of beta-catenin (Ad-S37A) in ARPE19, a cell line derived from human RPE. Ad-S37A was injected into the vitreous of normal rats to activate the Wnt pathway in the retina. Accumulation of beta-catenin was determined by Western blot analysis, and its nuclear translocation was revealed by immunocytochemistry. Inflammatory factors were quantified by Western blot analysis and ELISA. Oxidative stress was determined by measuring intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and nitrotyrosine levels. RESULTS The Wnt3a-conditioned medium and Ad-S37A both increased beta-catenin levels and its nuclear translocation in ARPE19 cells, suggesting activation of the canonical Wnt pathway. Activation of the Wnt pathway significantly upregulated the expression of VEGF, NF-kappaB, and TNF-alpha. Further, Ad-S37A induced ROS generation in a dose-dependent manner. Wnt3a also induced a twofold increase of ROS generation. Intravitreal injection of Ad-S37A upregulated the expression of VEGF, ICAM-1, NF-kappaB, and TNF-alpha and increased protein nitrotyrosine levels in the retinas of normal rats. CONCLUSIONS Activation of the canonical Wnt pathway is sufficient to induce retinal inflammation and oxidative stress and plays a pathogenic role in AMD and DR.
Finding An Optimal Segmentation for Audio Genre Classification

In the automatic classification of music many different segmentations of the audio signal have been used to calculate features. These include individual short frames (23 ms), longer frames (200 ms), short sliding textural windows (1 sec) of a stream of 23 ms frames, large fixed windows (10 sec) and whole files. In this work we present an evaluation of these different segmentations, showing that they are sub-optimal for genre classification and introduce the use of an onset detection based segmentation, which appears to outperform all of the fixed and sliding windows segmentation schemes in terms of classification accuracy and model size.
Corticotomy-assisted orthodontic treatment

Objectives: To systematically review the literature to assess the quality of evidence related to corticotomy-assisted orthodontic treatment (CAOT) as adjunctive treatment in orthodontics. Methods: The study was conducted in the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between 2013 and 2014. Various electronic databases were searched and abstracts were retrieved. Defined inclusion criteria were then applied to the obtained original articles for further evaluation by 2 examiners independently. The criteria of selection included human, or animal studies, which assessed some aspects of CAOT and/or the biological principles behind it. Case reports and series were excluded. The quality of the studies was evaluated by the methodological score for clinical trials developed. Results: Fourteen articles were retrieved initially, but only 12 articles were finally selected for the study. The CAOT was found to accelerate tooth movement by 2-2.5 folds when compared with conventional orthodontic tooth movement. The CAOT was found safe on periodontal health and exhibits no or little risk of root resorption. A localized turnover of alveolar spongiosa and the absence of a hyalinized zone was the acceptable biological explanation of CAOT. There is no evidence to support that CAOT enhances the movement of ankylosed teeth, closing old extraction sites, post-orthodontic stability, or transverse expansion. Conclusions: Corticotomy-assisted orthodontic treatment should be considered with caution. Long term randomized clinical trials are still needed.
Effect of Activation Function Symmetry on Training of SFFANNs with RPROP Algorithm

On ten learning tasks (5 function approximation and 5 real life regression problems), we compare the effciency and efficacy of using asymmetric or anti-symmetric activation functions in sigmoidal feedforward artificial neural network training and usage. The result obtained in the experiment allows us to conclude that for networks trained using the improved variant of the resilient backpropagation algorithm, the usage of asymmetric activation functions like the logistic or the log-sigmoid function should be preferred as compared to anti-symmetric function such that the two functions have the same derivative.
Petroleum Exploration Domain Ontology-Based Knowledge Integration and Sharing System Construction

Data in major commercial petroleum industries are complex in nature and often poorly organized and duplicated, and exist in different formats. Due to the diverse nature of business products and operations in different geographic locations, these industries demand more accurate and precise information and data. This study presents petroleum exploration domain ontology-based knowledge integration and sharing system framework to minimize the complexity of heterogeneous data, and enhances power of knowledge integration and information sharing among different operational units. The mechanism can support collaborative petroleum exploration process development by providing functions of knowledge integration and sharing. Results of this study facilitate the knowledge integration and sharing of petroleum exploration businesses to satisfy the knowledge demands of participants, and increase company's competitive capability, reduce exploration and development life cycle time and costs, and ultimately increase enterprise marketability.
A generic framework for anytime execution-driven planning in robotics

Robotic missions require to implement various functionalities in order to link reactive functions at actuators and sensors level to deliberative functions like vision, supervision and planning at decisional level. All these functionalities must be versatile and generic enough to interact differently according to the missions while minimizing recoding effort. Moreover, deliberative functions like automated planning consume lots of memory and CPU time and usually complete in time incompatible with robotic missions' durations. Thus, we present a new generic and anytime planning concept for modular robotic architectures, which manages multiple planning requests at a time, solved in background, while allowing for reactive execution of planned actions at the same time. Different planners based on various formalisms and data structures can be plugged to the planning component without changing its behavior nor its code, facilitating reusability and validation of the component. We highlight the versatility of our concept on different use cases; then we demonstrate the efficiency of our approach in terms of mission duration and success, compared with traditional plan-then-execute approaches; we finally present a search and rescue mission by an autonomous rotorcraft solved with our paradigm, that cannot be tackled by traditional approaches.
Image annotation refinement using random walk with restarts

Image annotation plays an important role in image retrieval and management. However, the results of the state-of-the-art image annotation methods are often unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is necessary to refine the imprecise annotations obtained by existing annotation methods. In this paper, a novel approach to automatically refine the original annotations of images is proposed. On the one hand, for Web images, textual information, e.g. file name and surrounding text, is used to retrieve a set of candidate annotations. On the other hand, for non-Web images that are lack of textual information, a relevance model-based algorithm using visual information is used to decide the candidate annotations. Then, candidate annotations are re-ranked and only the top ones are reserved as the final annotations. To re-rank the annotations, an algorithm using Random Walk with Restarts (RWR) is proposed to leverage both the corpus information and the original confidence information of the annotations. Experimental results on both non-Web images of Corel dataset and Web images of photo forum sites demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.