Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship of Asphalt Binder Properties to Cracking in Five Year Old Test Sections

Asphalt binder low temperature grade is based on creep compliance and stiffness. Many believe this is sufficient to control the low temperature cracking properties of an asphalt mixture. Still, projects with the same asphalt binder grade have resulted in starkly different performance. The Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) believes that this difference originates from the asphalt binder and has supported research that identified two additional tests; the Double Edged Notch Test (DENT) and the Extended Bending Beam Rheometer (Extended BBR). In 2003, MTO constructed seven test sections near Timmins, Ontario to investigate low temperature cracking. The same mix design was used with seven different asphalt binders. This paper evaluates the performance after five years correlated to routine asphalt binder properties and properties from the new tests. Results show that the standard AASHTO aging procedures did not simulate field aging well and laboratory-aged properties measured with the BBR did not correlate well with performance. However, the properties measured on field-aged asphalt binder did correlate well. Properties measured by the Extended BBR on both the laboratory-aged and field-aged binders correlated better with observed performance. Properties as measured with the DENT test did not correlate well with observed performance in either situation. (A)
Biologically Inspired Techniques for Autonomous Shop Floor Control

Currently, the conventional manufacturing systems, such as the Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FMSs) are unable to adapt to the complexity and dynamic of the manufacturing environment. These systems activate the automatic operations by using the pre-instructed programs and should be stopped to re-program and re-plan in case of changes of the manufacturing environment, which reduce the flexibility of the systems and increase the downtime. Self-adaptation to disturbances is a crucial issue in the development of intelligent manufacturing systems, which keeps the manufacturing system running and avoids stopping completely. Many methods for the management of changes and disturbances within manufacturing systems were proposed in the literature such as rescheduling (Vieira et al., 2003; Wang et al., 2008), reactive and collaborative approaches (Monostoni et al., 1998; Leitao & Restivo, 2006). These methods can be classified by two criteria: reconfiguration and autonomy (Saadat et al. 2008). Reconfiguration is to rearrange and restructure manufacturing resources that require the rescheduling method (Vieira et al., 2003) and reconfigurable ability of manufacturing systems (Park & H.W. Choi, 2008). A dynamic rescheduling is done when there is an occurrence of disturbances such as the machine breakdown, malfunction of robot or transporter with long recovering time. Here, a new schedule is generated when the current schedule is affected by disturbances (Vieira et al., 2003; Wang et al., 2008). Autonomy allows the system to recover autonomously without modifying scheduling. Reactive and collaborative methods were proposed following this criterion (Monostoni et al., 1998). Reactive method is an autonomous control of an entity to overcome disturbances by itself, while the collaborative method is used for a cooperation of an entity with other entities in order to adapt to disturbances. These methods are suitable for disturbances, which are not necessary to reschedule. In order to implement reactive/collaborative methods, the distributed control architecture is required (Park & Lee, 2000). The control architecture changes from centralized control of non-intelligent entities in hierarchical structures of the FMSs towards decentralized control of intelligent entities in distributed structures.
Duration-Based Volatility Estimation

We develop a novel approach to estimating the integrated variance of a general jump-diffusion with stochastic volatility. Our approach exploits the relationship between the speed (distance traveled per fixed time unit) and passage time (time taken to travel a fixed distance) of the Brownian motion. The new class of duration-based IV estimators derived in this paper is shown to be robust to both jumps and market microstructure noise. Moreover, their asymptotic and finite sample properties compare favorably to those of commonly used robust IV estimators.
Defection Detection: Measuring and Understanding the Predictive Accuracy of Customer Churn Models

This article provides a descriptive analysis of how methodological factors contribute to the accuracy of customer churn predictive models. The study is based on a tournament in which both academics and practitioners downloaded data from a publicly available Web site, estimated a model, and made predictions on two validation databases. The results suggest several important findings. First, methods do matter. The differences observed in predictive accuracy across submissions could change the profitability of a churn management campaign by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Second, models have staying power. They suffer very little decrease in performance if they are used to predict churn for a database compiled three months after the calibration data. Third, researchers use a variety of modeling “approaches,” characterized by variables such as estimation technique, variable selection procedure, number of variables included, and time allocated to steps in the model-building process. The authors find important differences in performance among these approaches and discuss implications for both researchers and practitioners.
Computation of Convolutions and Discrete Fourier Transforms by Polynomial Transforms

Discrete transforms are introduced and are defined in a ring of polynomials. These polynomial transforms are shown to have the convolution property and can be computed in ordinary arithmetic, without multiplications. Polynomial transforms are particularly well suited for computing discrete two-dimensional convolutions with a minimum number of operations. Efficient algorithms for computing one-dimensional convolutions and Discrete Fourier Transforms are then derived from polynomial transforms.
Semantic Indexing Based on Description Logics

A method for constructing and maintaining a `semantic index' using a system based on description logics is described. A persistent index into a large number of objects is built by classifying the objects with respect to a set of indexing concepts and storing the resulting relation between object-ids and most speciic indexing concepts on a le. These les can be incre-mentally updated. The index can be used for eeciently accessing the set of objects matching a query concept. The query is classiied, and, based on subsumption and disjointness reasoning with respect to indexing concepts, instances are immediately categorized as hits, misses or candidates with respect to the query. Based on the index only, delayless feedback concerning the cardinality of the query (upper and lower bounds) can be provided during query editing.
Modeling and design optimization for quadcopter control system using L1 adaptive control

Quadcopters have generated considerable interest in both the control community due to their complex dynamics and a lot of potentials in outdoor applications because of their advantages over regular aerial vehicles. This paper presents the design and new control method of a quadcopter using L1 adaptive control design process in which control parameters are systematically determined based on intuitively desired performance and robustness metrics set by the designer.
Development of high-speed InGaAs linear array and camera for OCT and machine vision

Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) is a rapidly growing imaging technique for high-resolution visualization of structures within strongly scattering media. It is being used to create 2-D and 3-D images in biological tissues to measure structures in the eye, image abnormal growths in organ tissue, and to assess the health of arterial walls. The ability to image to depths of several millimeters with resolutions better than 5 microns has driven the need to maximize the image depth, while also increasing the imaging speed. Researchers are using short-wave-infrared light wavelengths from 1 to 1.6 microns to penetrate deeper in denser tissue than visible or NIR wavelengths. This, in turn, has created the need to increase the line rates of InGaAs linear array cameras by a factor of ten, while also increasing gain and reducing dead time. This paper will describe the development and characterization of a 1024 pixel linear array with 25 micron pitch and readout rate of over 45,000 lines per second and the resulting camera. This camera will also have application for machine vision inspection of hot glass globs, for sorting of fast moving agricultural materials and for quality control of pharmaceutical products.
Affine Domains of Finite Gelfand‐Kirillov Dimension which are Right, but not Left, Noetherian

Examples of noncommutative domains which are right, but not left, noetherian have long been known, the standard one being a skew polynomial ring of the form F\t; <T] , where F is a field and a is a nonsurjective monomorphism of F (see [15, p. 53]). If one imposes some additional hypothesis on the left-hand properties of the domain, however, then finding such examples becomes decidedly more difficult. It is unknown, for example, whether a right noetherian domain which has left Krull dimension need be left noetherian, and an example of a right noetherian, left Ore domain which is not also left noetherian was only recently discovered by Jordan [6]. In this note we shall extend Jordan's result by constructing examples of right, not left, noetherian domains which are not only of finite Gelfand-Kirillov dimension (hence automatically Ore [13, p. 253]) but which are also affine, that is, finitely generated algebras over a base field k. In Section 2 we show that such a ring can be obtained by taking the idealizer of the kernel of a nonfaithful, infinite dimensional, simple representation of an enveloping algebra, while in Section 3 we show that the idealizer of the standard maximal right ideal in the second Weyl algebra has the same properties. The existence of Gelfand-Kirillov dimension in an affine algebra can often be regarded as a "symmetrizing condition" (see, for example, [12] or [14]); it is this, in our opinion, which makes these examples somewhat surprising. Throughout this paper k will denote a commutative field, and the word "algebra", when unmodified, will mean an associative /c-algebra with identity element. All modules and all subalgebras will be unital, and all module homomorphisms will be taken opposite scalars. For the definition and basic properties of Gelfand-Kirillov dimension we refer the reader to [1]. The few basic results on enveloping algebras that we shall require can all be found in [2].
Mesenchymal Stromal (Stem) Cell Therapy Fails to Improve Outcomes in Experimental Severe Influenza

Rationale Severe influenza remains a major public health threat and is responsible for thousands of deaths annually. Increasing antiviral resistance and limited effectiveness of current therapies highlight the need for new approaches to influenza treatment. Extensive pre-clinical data have shown that mesenchymal stromal (stem) cell (MSC) therapy can induce anti-inflammatory effects and enhance repair of the injured lung. We hypothesized that MSC therapy would improve survival, dampen lung inflammation and decrease acute lung injury (ALI) in a murine model of severe influenza. Methods C57Bl/6 mice were infected with influenza A/PuertoRico/8/34 (mouse-adapted H1N1) or influenza A/Mexico/4108/2009 (swine-origin pandemic H1N1) and administered human or mouse MSCs via the tail vein, either pre- or post- infection. MSC efficacy was evaluated as both an independent and adjunctive treatment strategy in combination with the antiviral agent, oseltamivir. Weight loss and survival were monitored. Inflammatory cells, cytokine/chemokines (IFN-γ, CXCL10, CCL2 and CCL5) and markers of ALI (total protein and IgM), were measured in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung parenchyma. Results Administration of murine MSCs or human MSCs in a prophylactic or therapeutic regimen failed to improve survival, decrease pulmonary inflammation/inflammatory cell counts or prevent ALI in influenza virus-infected mice. MSCs administered in combination with oseltamivir also failed to improve outcomes. Conclusions Despite similarities in the clinical presentation and pathobiology of ALI and severe influenza, our findings suggest that MSC therapy may not be effective for prevention and/or treatment of acute severe influenza.
“Algorithm and Its Application on Mobile AD HOC Network Survey”

— Bio information and corresponding algorithms are providing the solutions for various large and complex data mining applications and network utilities. in this paper we review the various approaches and techniques that utilized in problem of search processes in order to find the best solutions. MANET is a new networking concept, which is keep attracted different researches and engineers to improve the working and performance due to their ad hoc nature. in this paper we also include the MANET and their path discovery process to optimize the route discovery process, Which leads to overcome the resource consumption in MANET and increases the performance of the MANET.
Buck–Boost-Type Unity Power Factor Rectifier With Extended Voltage Conversion Ratio

A buck-boost-type unity power factor rectifier is proposed in this paper. The main advantage of the proposed rectifier over the conventional buck-boost type is that it can perform input power factor correction (PFC) over a wider voltage conversion range. With a single switch, a fast well-regulated output voltage is achieved with a zero-current switch at turn-on. Moreover, the switch voltage stress is independent of converter load variation. The proposed converter is well suited for universal offline PFC applications for a low power range (<150 W ). The feasibility of the converter is confirmed with results obtained from a computer simulation and from an experimental prototype.
A 13-MHz 68-dB SNDR CTDSM using SAB loop filter and interpolating flash quantizer with random-skip IDWA function in 90-nm CMOS

A 4th-order 4-bit continuous-time delta-sigma modulator (CTDSM) employing single-amplifier biquad (SAB) based loop filter and an interpolating quantizer is presented. By adopting the SAB-based topology, the proposed loop filter achieves 4th-order noise shaping function with only two op-amps. Furthermore, the proposed twin-T SAB minimizes the latency of the excess loop delay (ELD) compensation path (s0) and 1st-order path (s-1), which achieves better system stability. A low-power interpolating flash quantizer with an embedded random-skip incremental data weighted averaging (RS-IDWA) function is also proposed to address the nonlinearity of the quantizer and feedback DACs. With this technique, signal-dependent harmonic tones induced by the conventional DWA are avoided. Fabricated in a 90-nm CMOS, the proposed CTDSM achieves a peak SNDR of 68 dB over 13-MHz signal bandwidth, while consuming 5.1 mW at 320-MHz sampling frequency. The FoM is 95 fJ/conv. -step.
Cross-Sectional Imaging of Renal Masses: Image Interpretation-Related Potential Pitfalls and Possible Solutions.

Introduction After identifying and correcting pitfalls related to image acquisition, radiologists should focus their attention on the potential errors that can occur during image interpretation. Among them, thefirst andmost important one is inappropriate characterization of a focus of normal renal tissue, congenital variant, or a benign infectious or inflammatory condition as a renal neoplasmon imaging studies. Secondly, identification of fat within a solid renalmass can create problems in distinguishing benign angiomyolipoma (AML) from malignant entities such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and liposarcoma. Thirdly, inappropriate assessment of contrast enhancement in solid or cystic masses, especially in hyperattenuating and heavily calcified renal masses, may pose significant problems that result in a faulty interpretation of a benign neoplasm as a malignant one and vice versa. In this article, we would review potential errors that radiologistsmay encounter during interpretation of ultrasound (US), multiple detector computed tomography (MDCT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in patients with renal masses and provide possible solutions to overcome these pitfalls.
Optical Spectra of Composite One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals With Extended Stop Bands Based on a Si-Air Structure

The optical spectra of composite one-dimensional photonic crystals (1-D PCs), fabricated by microstructuring of Si, are investigated. The composite PC is based on a Si-air structure and consists of two periodic 1-D PCs with various lattice constants a with a1 = 2.7 μm and a2 = 4 μm and various filling fractions f. The PCs are fabricated using photolithography followed by anisotropic chemical etching of (1 1 0) Si. Reflection and transmission spectra of this structure are measured using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer combined with an IR microscope. The transmission spectra obtained demonstrate extended photonic stop bands (SBs), with characteristic transmission bands between the SBs. Theoretical and experimental transmission results indicate that the position of the extended SBs does not depend on the sequence of the individual PCs within the composite structure. In general, the calculated electric field distribution in the composite structure is similar to that of the individual PC components.
Color quantization using octrees

We describe methods for performing color quantization on fu ll color RGB images, using an octree data structure. The advantage of the octree is that it is simple to generate both a good partitioning of the color space and a fast inverse color table to find the color index for each pixel in the image. With only 256 colors, it is often nece ssary to error-diffusion dither the color for appearance, even though this increases the RMS pix el error. We dither using integers for efficiency without loss of color accuracy.
Dietary outcomes in a Spanish-language randomized controlled diabetes prevention trial with pregnant Latinas.

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the effectiveness of a community-based healthy lifestyle intervention in improving dietary behaviors of pregnant Latinas from 2004 to 2006 in Detroit, Michigan. METHODS The 11-week, culturally tailored, Spanish-language Healthy Mothers on the Move (MOMs) intervention offered home visits, group classes, related activities, and social support from trained community health workers (CHWs) and peers. Dietary behaviors were measured by food frequency questionnaire. Linear mixed models estimated pre- and post-intervention changes, within and between MOMs intervention and minimal intervention (MI) groups. RESULTS MOMs (n = 139) and MI (n = 139) participants had similar baseline characteristics and dietary intake. Post-intervention, MOMs participants showed significant improvement in all dietary behaviors, except fruit and fiber consumption. Compared with MI participants, MOMs participants had significantly decreased consumption of added sugar (P = .05), total fat (P < .05), saturated fat (P < .01), percentage of daily calories from saturated fat (P < .001), solid fats and added sugars (P < .001), and had increased vegetable consumption (P < .001). Their increase in fiber consumption (P < .05) was significant relative to MI participants' decrease in fiber intake. CONCLUSIONS We confirmed the hypothesis that a community-planned, CHW-led healthy lifestyle intervention could improve dietary behaviors of low-income Latina women during pregnancy.
A Chronically Implanted System for Automatic Defibrillation in Active Conscious Dogs: Experimental Model for Treatment of Sudden Death from Ventricular Fibrillation

SUMMARY Ventricular defibrillation was achieved in active conscious dogs with a chronically implanted automatic system composed of a defibrillator and an alternating current fibrillator. The hermetically sealed defibrillator is encased in titanium, weighs 250 g and has a volume of 145 ml. The sensor continuously monitors ventricular electrical activity and recognizes fibrillation by the absence of isoelectric potential segments. Fibrillation is induced by placing a magnet over the implanted fibrillator. The resulting syncope closely resembles the clinical entity of sudden death, while the defibrillator automatically restores normal rhythm with a truncated exponential pulse of 30 J, 15 seconds after the onset of the arrhythmia. The operational status of the defibrillator can be tested in vitro and noninvasively in vivo with an external analyzer. This experimental model allows for the first time a long-term study of the automatic implantable defibrillator approach to prevent sudden death from ventricular fibrillation under a variety of physiopathologic conditions.
GreenMap: MapReduce with Ultra High Efficiency Power Delivery

Energy consumption has become a significant fraction of the total cost of ownership of data centers. While much work has focused on improving power efficiency per unit of computation, little attention has been paid to power delivery, which currently wastes 10-20% of total energy consumption even before any computation takes place. A new power delivery architecture using series-stacked servers has recently been proposed in the power community. However, the reduction in power loss depends on the difference in power consumption of the series-stacked servers: The more balanced the computation loads, the more reduction in power conversion loss. In this preliminary work, we implemented GreenMap, a modified MapReduce framework that assigns tasks in synchronization, and computed the conversion loss based on the measured current profile. At all loads, GreenMap achieves 81×-138× reduction in power conversion loss from the commercial-grade high voltage converter used by data centers, which is equivalent to 15% reduction in total energy consumption. The average response time of GreenMap suffers no degradation when load reaches 0.6 and above, but at loads below 0.6, the response time suffers a 26-42% increase due to task synchronization. For the low-load region, we describe the use of GreenMap with dynamic scaling to achieve a favorable tradeoff between response time and power efficiency.
Using SAS ® Software to Perform a Case-Control Match on Propensity Score in an Observational Study

In large observational studies there are often significant differences between characteristics of a treatment group and a no treatment group. Such differences should not exist in a randomized trial. These differences must be adjusted for in order to reduce treatment selection bias and determine treatment effect. There are several methods to reduce the bias of these differences and make the two groups more similar. One method is to perform analyses after matching cases (members of the treatment group) to controls (members of the no treatment group) based on a number of individual characteristics. A refinement of this method is to create a propensity score to represent the relationship between multiple characteristics and an outcome as a single score, and then match on that single score. This paper will show SAS users how to create a propensity score using the LOGISTIC procedure and then match cases to controls based on this score with a user-written SAS macro program. The results of using the presented code, run on a large observational database of myocardial infarction patients, will be given as an example.