Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coronary endothelial dysfunction is associated with erectile dysfunction and elevated asymmetric dimethylarginine in patients with early atherosclerosis.

AIMS Coronary endothelial dysfunction (CED) precedes atherosclerosis and is associated with cardiovascular events. Both CED and erectile dysfunction (ED) are partly mediated by impairment in the nitric oxide pathway. ED is associated with established coronary atherosclerosis, but its relationship with early coronary atherosclerosis and CED is unknown. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that CED is associated with ED in men with early coronary atherosclerosis. Moreover, the role of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) was investigated; ADMA is a novel endogenous competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase and has been shown to be an independent marker for cardiovascular disease. METHODS AND RESULTS Fifty-six men without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) who underwent coronary endothelial function testing were studied. ADMA levels were determined and all men were asked to complete the International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire to assess erectile function. Patients were divided according to the presence (n = 32) or absence (n = 24) of CED. Men with CED had significant impairment of erectile function (P = 0.008) and significantly higher ADMA levels (0.50 +/- 0.06 vs. 0.45 +/- 0.07 ng/mL, P = 0.017) compared with men with normal endothelial function. Erectile function positively correlated with coronary endothelial function. This correlation was independent of age, body mass index, high-density lipoprotein, C-reactive protein, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index, and smoking status. CONCLUSION CED is independently associated with ED and plasma ADMA concentration in men with early coronary atherosclerosis. This study further supports the role of the endothelium in systemic vascular diseases and the role of ADMA in the systemic manifestations of endothelial dysfunction.
Spatial Factors in Vibrotactile Pattern Perception

The spatial acuity of the skin for pressure stimuli has been explored extensively, but there have been few attempts to study spatial resolution for vibratory stimuli of the type used in tactile aids for sensory disability or to augment communication. Because vibrotactile spatial acuity has never been empirically determined at such sites, pattern perception with these devices might be poorer than it could be if the stimulus parameters that optimize localization were employed.
DADS with short spreading sequences for high data rate communications or improved BER performance

In this paper, a method is proposed to improve the performance of the delay and add direct sequence (DADS) modulation scheme. On one hand, the selection of a short pseudonoise (PN) sequence is used to improve the data rate performance. On the other hand, when high data rates are not required, the same short PN sequence is replicated to form a long PN sequence. In this case, noise reduction by averaging is used to improve the bit error rate (BER) for high spreading factors. Theoretical BER formulas are derived and verified by simulations in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and frequency selective Rayleigh channels. The proposed DADS modulation scheme is implemented using the CogWave software to allow the exchange of video, audio and text between two USRPs through a graphical user interface (GUI) developed in Qt4.
Multiple instance learning with correlated features

Multiple instance learning (MIL) has received increasing amount of research interest in machine learning recent years for its wide applications in image classification, text categorization, computer security, etc. Unlike supervised learning, in MIL, only the labels of bags are known, the instance labels in positive bags are not available. Many algorithms make the assumption that the instances in the bags are i.i. d samples, but this may not true in practical applications. In this paper, we treat the negative instances in the positive bag as pairwise partners of the positive instances, by using this correlation information, efficient feature is built to describe the bag. Experiment results show that this description is efficient in real world applications.
Improving the Efficiency of a Generation Algorithm for Shake and Bake Machine Translation Using Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar

A Shake and Bake machine translation algorithm for Head-Driven Phrase Structure Grammar is introduced based on the algorithm proposed by Whitelock for unification categorial grammar. The translation process is then analysed to determine where the potential sources of inefficiency reside, and some proposals are introduced which greatly improve the efficiency of the generation algorithm. Preliminary empirical results from tests involving a small grammar are presented, and suggestions for greater improvement to the algorithm are provided.
A dynamic logic of iterated belief change

In this paper we propose a general framework to study iterated changes of belief. Expansions, contractions and revisions are taken as actions which may be performed by an agent, resulting in a change of its beliefs. The syntax of the framework is given by a multi-modal language, containing modalities to reason about the agent's knowledge | representing its nondefeasible, veridical information | and belief | representing its defeasible, non-veridical, working information | as well as a modality to reason about the results of belief-changing actions. The semantics is de ned using Kripke-style possible worlds models. The formalisation of single-step belief changes is proved to be sound and complete with regard to the respective AGM axiomatisations. Iterated changes of belief correspond to sequences of belief-changing actions. When dealing with sequences of actions, we allow the result of a belief-changing action to depend on other factors besides the set of beliefs and the formula that this set is changed with, thereby adopting a dynamic view on iterated belief change. Several desirable properties of iterated belief change are proved to be valid in our formalisation. Furthermore the validity of various recently proposed postulates for iterated belief revision is checked.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Fostering oral interaction in the EFL classroom Assessment and effects of experimental interventions

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Improving semantic video indexing: Efforts in Waseda TRECVID 2015 SIN system

In this paper, we propose a method for improving the performance of semantic video indexing. Our approach involves extracting features from multiple convolutional neural networks (CNNs), creating multiple classifiers, and integrating them. We employed four measures to accomplish this: (1) utilizing multiple evidences observed in each video and effectively compressing them into a fixed-length vector; (2) introducing gradient and motion features to CNNs; (3) enriching variations of the training and the testing sets; and (4) extracting features from several CNNs trained with various large-scale datasets. Using the test dataset from TRECVID's 2014 evaluation benchmark, we evaluated the performance of the proposal in terms of the mean extended inferred average precision measure. On this measure, our system's performance was 35.7, outperforming the state-of-the-art TRECVID 2014 benchmark performance of 33.2. Based on this work, our submission at TRECVID 2015 was ranked second among all submissions.
A comparison of the strong lensing properties of the Sérsic and the Navarro, Frenk and White profiles

We investigate the strong lensing properties of the Sérsic profile as an alternative to the Navarro, Frenk and White (NFW) profile, focusing on applications to lens modelling of clusters. Given an underlying Sérsic dark matter profile, we study whether an NFW profile can provide an acceptable fit to strong lensing constraints in the form of single or multiple measured Einstein radii. We conclude that although an NFW profile that fits the lensing constraints can be found in many cases, the derived parameters may be biased. In particular, we find that for n∼2, which corresponds to massive clusters, the mass at r200 of the best fit NFW is overestimated (by a factor of ∼2) and the concentration is very low (c∼2). The differences are important enough to warrant the inclusion of the Sérsic profile for future analysis of strong lensing clusters.
Dynamic Simulation, Nonlinear Control and Collision Avoidance of Hydraulically Driven Large Redundant Manipulators

A detailed dynamic model of hydraulically driven mobile large-scale manipulators is presented. The model can be used as simulation model, for the calculation of the forces in the design process and for the development of the controllers, which are required for tracking given trajectories, but also to avoid vibrations. It takes into account all relevant coupling effects between hydraulic drives and arm elements as well as between flexible deformations and large nonlinear rigid body motion. The control concept makes use of the redundancy of the system in order to avoid collisions.
Embolization of uterine arteriovenous malformation

Background: Uterine arteriovenous malformation is a rare but potential life-threatening source of bleeding. A high index of suspicion and accurate diagnosis of the condition in a timely manor are essential because instrumentation that is often used for other sources of uterine bleeding can be lead to massive hemorrhage. Case: We describe here a case of uterine arteriovenous malformation. A 32-year-old woman presented abnormal vaginal bleeding following the induced abortion. A diagnosis of uterine arteriovenous malformation made on the basis of Doppler ultrasonraphy was confirmed through pelvic angiography. The embolization of bilateral uterine arteries was performed successfully. Conclusion: Uterine arteriovenous malformation should be suspected in patient with abnormal vaginal bleeding, especially who had the past medical history incluing cesarean section, induced abortion, or Dillation and Curethage and so on. Although angiography remains the gold standard, Doppler ultrasonography is also a good noninvasive technique. The transcatheter uterine artery embolization offers a safe and effective treatment
Pediatric procedural approach-avoidance coping and distress: a multitrait-multimethod analysis.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the construct validity of children's approach-avoidance coping and distress during immunizations, and to examine the instruments used to assess these domains. METHODS We used a multitrait-multimethod matrix to examine the validity of the approach-avoidance coping and distress constructs for 62 4- to 6-year-old children receiving immunization injections. Assessment instruments of both constructs consisted of child, parent, and nurse ratings, and three behavior observation scales. RESULTS Pediatric procedural distress demonstrated adequate convergent and discriminant validity, and it can be assessed in a valid manner. Whereas most approach-avoidance measures demonstrated good convergent validity, several measures did not adequately distinguish between avoidance and distress. CONCLUSIONS It is possible that children's approach-avoidance coping may be qualitatively different than adult's approach-avoidance. Researchers should be cognizant of these differences when designing treatments for child procedural distress.
Comparing pre- and post-copulatory mate competition using social network analysis in wild crickets

Lay Summary In many animals, males compete for fertilizations both before and after mating. But do males specialize in 1 type of competition? And do physical fights between males lead to less competition between their ejaculates within females? We studied competitions between wild crickets by building networks of interactions. We found that males that had more fights were more likely to meet in sperm competition, suggesting that evolution will not favor specialists in one of the 2 types of competition. Twitter: @DFofFreedom
Decidable and Computational properties of Cellular Automata (PhD Thesis)

In this thesis we investigate decidable and computational properties of Cellular Automata. This investigation is intended to be a contribute to the study of the more general theory of Complex Systems. A central interest in the sciences of complex systems is to understand the laws by which a global complex behavior can emerge for the collective interaction of simple components. Computation Theory and Dynamical System Theory provide a general framework for understanding and describing the behavior of such systems. Since Cellular Automata offer a very large and diverse dynamical behavior as well as a wide variety of possible computational models, they represent an ideal subject to investigate the possible relations between dynamics and computation. In the first part of the dissertation, we investigate the class of regular Cellular Automata. We are mostly interested in decidable properties of regular Cellular Automata. We show that regularity is an undecidable property, i.e. there is no algorithm which can decide if some cellular automaton is regular. Despite this negative result, the dynamics of regular Cellular Automata is, in some sense, predictable. A fact which supports this argument is that some of the topological properties which are in general undecidable for general Cellular Automata are decidable if we restrict only to the class of regular Cellular Automata. This suggests that regularity is a property which cannot be related to computational universality. In the second part of the dissertation, we introduce a measure of computational complexity for Cellular Automata. We consider the process of computation in Cellular Automata as a a flow toward a subshift attractor. The basins of attraction of subshift attractors are dense open sets. We characterize such basins of attraction by using formal language theory and we show that deciding whether some Turing machine halts on some input word is equivalent to decide if some basin of attraction contains some open set. We can then have arbitrarly high basin languages complexity. We introduce a classification of Cellular Automata related to such basin languages complexity. In our classification the computational power of Cellular Automata is explicitly related to a topological property. We can then explore the intersection classes between our classification and other topological classification of Cellular Automata. From the emptiness of some intersection classes we can easily derive some necessary dynamical conditions for the universality. In particular we show that, according to our model, regular Cellular Automata cannot be universal.
A Model-Based Approach to Constructing Music Similarity Functions

Several authors have presented systems that estimate the audio similarity of two pieces of music through the calculation of a distance metric, such as the Euclidean distance, between spectral features calculated from the audio, related to the timbre or pitch of the signal. These features can be augmented with other, temporally or rhythmically based features such as zero-crossing rates, beat histograms, or fluctuation patterns to form a more well-rounded music similarity function. It is our contention that perceptual or cultural labels, such as the genre, style, or emotion of the music, are also very important features in the perception of music. These labels help to define complex regions of similarity within the available feature spaces. We demonstrate a machine-learning-based approach to the construction of a similarity metric, which uses this contextual information to project the calculated features into an intermediate space where a music similarity function that incorporates some of the cultural information may be calculated.
Motherhood Situation and Life Satisfaction: Are Reasons for Having No Children Important?

The proportion of adult women without children in the United States has increased in recent years and there are multiple reasons women do not have children. Past research concerning the well-being of women relative to their motherhood status does not recognize the great diversity among women without children. I attempt to fill that gap by classifying women based on the presence or absence of children, fertility barriers, and childbearing intentions. The classification results in five motherhood situations: mothers, voluntarily childfree, women delaying motherhood, involuntarily childless with situational barriers and involuntarily childless with biomedical barriers. This study specifies the relationship between women's life satisfaction and motherhood situation using data from the first wave of the National Survey of Fertility Barriers (N=4,712). I draw on identity theory and life course theory to compare the life satisfaction of women with and without children to see if the status (not having children) is more important than the process (the reason women have no children). I also test the moderating effects of importance of motherhood, age, and marital status. Findings show that women who delay motherhood and childless women with situational barriers are different from women who choose to be childfree or women who have biomedical barriers. Therefore it is important not only to compare mothers to non-mothers, but also to explore the reasons why women do not have children when examining differences in life satisfaction. Acknowledgements I would like to thank all of the members of my thesis committee at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Drs. McQuillan has been an invaluable mentor since the beginning of my graduate studies, and I am grateful for her guidance. Dr. Cheadle has also provided support throughout my graduate training and I appreciate his insight. Dr. Kazyak's positive feedback has helped me to refine this project. Finally, I would like to thank Kelley Sittner Hartshorn for her patience and willingness to help each time I walked down the hall and interrupted her work to ask a thesis-related question. 4 INTRODUCTION There has been a substantial increase in the proportion of adult women without
Integrated context-dependent networks in very large vocabulary speech recognition

All the components used in the search stage of speech recognition systems – language model, pronunciation dictionary, context-dependent network, HMM model – can be represented by ﬁnite-state labeled networks. To construct real-time recognition systems, it is important to optimize these networks and to efﬁciently combine them. We present new methods that substantially improve these steps. We show that an efﬁcient recognition network including context-dependent and HMM models can be built using weighted determinization of transducers [6]. We re-port experiments with a 463,331-word vocabulary North American Business News Task that show a substantial improvement of the recognition speed over our previous method [9]. Further-more, the size of the integrated context-dependentnetworks constructed can be dramatically reduced using a factoring algorithm that we brieﬂy describe. With our construction, the integrated NAB network contains only about 1:3 times as many arcs as the language model it is constructed from.
Visualizing Nuclear Scission through a Multifield Extension of Topological Analysis

In nuclear science, density functional theory (DFT) is a powerful tool to model the complex interactions within the atomic nucleus, and is the primary theoretical approach used by physicists seeking a better understanding of fission. However DFT simulations result in complex multivariate datasets in which it is difficult to locate the crucial `scission' point at which one nucleus fragments into two, and to identify the precursors to scission. The Joint Contour Net (JCN) has recently been proposed as a new data structure for the topological analysis of multivariate scalar fields, analogous to the contour tree for univariate fields. This paper reports the analysis of DFT simulations using the JCN, the first application of the JCN technique to real data. It makes three contributions to visualization: (i) a set of practical methods for visualizing the JCN, (ii) new insight into the detection of nuclear scission, and (iii) an analysis of aesthetic criteria to drive further work on representing the JCN.
Preventing Information Inference in Access Control

Technological innovations like social networks, personal devices and cloud computing, allow users to share and store online a huge amount of personal data. Sharing personal data online raises significant privacy concerns for users, who feel that they do not have full control over their data. A solution often proposed to alleviate users' privacy concerns is to let them specify access control policies that reflect their privacy constraints. However, existing approaches to access control often produce policies which either are too restrictive or allow the leakage of sensitive information. In this paper, we present a novel access control model that reduces the risk of information leakage. The model relies on a data model which encodes the domain knowledge along with the semantic relations between data. We illustrate how the access control model and the reasoning over the data model can be automatically translated in XACML. We evaluate and compare our model with existing access control models with respect to its effectiveness in preventing leakage of sensitive information and efficiency in authoring policies. The evaluation shows that the proposed model allows the definition of effective access control policies that mitigate the risks of inference of sensitive data while reducing users' effort in policy authoring compared to existing models.
Expected perception: an anticipation-based perception-action scheme in robots

The paper proposes an anticipation mechanism to improve the perception-action loop of robots interacting with real-world environments. According to recent neuroscientific findings, sensory anticipation can increase the effectiveness of perception-action loops and reduce the delays in obtaining the sensory information, especially in case of complex sensory modalities like vision, that affect pure feed-back structures. In the proposed scheme, perception crucially involves comparison processes between incoming stimuli and expected perceptions (EPs), built from previous perceptions, current motor commands, and internal models of the robot and the environment. Background knowledge plays here a helpful role, as it reduces the computational burden of perception and motor coordination tasks in partially structured environments. In the work presented here, an EP mechanism has been applied in the visuo-motor coordination of an anthropomorphic 8 d.o. f. robotic manipulator equipped with a vision system, in order to evaluate the conditions of applicability of the proposed strategy, and to validate the viability and effectiveness of the initial hypothesis.