Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identifying Top-K Influential Nodes in Networks

Network Centrality is one of the core concepts in network analysis, which ranks the importance of a node in a network. A considerably extensive range of centrality measures exist that serve the purpose of quantifying the importance of a node according to its application and domain. One such measure is the Betweenness Centrality (BC) which computes the importance of a node in terms of total number of shortest paths that pass through that node. However, these computations are very expensive and pose different challenges for large scale networks. With an attempt to deal with these challenges, our paper presents an approximate algorithm for BC maximization problem, which tries to find a set of nodes with largest BC. The core of our algorithm is the estimation technique, which is based on progressive sampling with early stopping conditions. The reduction in sample size results not only in small computations overhead, but also scales well with large networks. We experimentally evaluate our technique using different datasets to confirm the performance of the developed techniques.
Interactive volume caustics in single-scattering media

Volume caustics are intricate illumination patterns formed by light first interacting with a specular surface and subsequently being scattered inside a participating medium. Although this phenomenon can be simulated by existing techniques, image synthesis is usually non-trivial and time-consuming. Motivated by interactive applications, we propose a novel volume caustics rendering method for single-scattering participating media. Our method is based on the observation that line rendering of illumination rays into the screen buffer establishes a direct light path between the viewer and the light source. This connection is introduced via a single scattering event for every pixel affected by the line primitive. Since the GPU is a parallel processor, the radiance contributions of these light paths to each of the pixels can be computed and accumulated independently. The implementation of our method is straightforward and we show that it can be seamlessly integrated with existing methods for rendering participating media. We achieve high-quality results at real-time frame rates for large and dynamic scenes containing homogeneous participating media. For inhomogeneous media, our method achieves interactive performance that is close to real-time. Our method is based on a simplified physical model and can thus be used for generating physically plausible previews of expensive lighting simulations quickly.
Multivariable process control using analytical decoupling and disturbance observer

Control a closed-circuit grinding process is a challenging problem due to its complex dynamic characteristics and heavy interactions among the control loops. Especially the various process disturbances and uncertain dynamics have a great influence on the control performances of the closed-loop system. In this paper, a compound control strategy by combining the analytical decoupling control and disturbance observer (DOB) technique is proposed to handle such an intricate multivariable process. The decoupling controller acts as prefiter and is used to generate appropriate control actions such that a desired setpoint tracking response is achieved. The DOB is employed to estimate the various disturbances and suppress them by feedforward compensation design. Control studies have been performed by simulation tests for setpoint tracking and disturbance rejection problems.
First-principles study of the adsorption of methanol at the α-Al2O3(0001) surface

We present density functional theory calculations of methanol molecular adsorption at the (0001) surface of α-Al2O3, for methanol coverages of 1/4 to 1 monolayer (ML). Adsorption energies, adsorption-induced restructuring of the surface, and induced changes to the electronic structure are calculated. We find that methanol bonds with its O atom to Al atoms at the α-Al2O3(0001) surface with an adsorption energy of 1.23 eV at coverage 1/4 ML, decreasing with coverage to 1.03 eV at 1 ML coverage. From calculations of the relaxed adsorption geometry and the angular dependence of the total energy, we predict an orientation of the adsorbed methanol molecule that has the molecular COH plane tilted away from the surface normal. The adsorption of methanol significantly restructures α-Al2O3(0001), especially for the outermost Al layer. Upon adsorption a small charge transfer from the molecule to the substrate takes place.
Understanding Technology Support for Organizational Transactive Memory: Requirements, Application, and Customization

Transactive memory is an effective mechanism for locating and coordinating expertise in small groups and has been shown to hold numerous benefits for groups and organizations. To extend transactive memory beyond the scope of small groups, researchers have proposed the use of information technology (IT). This paper provides an integrated discussion of our knowledge from three studies concerning IT support in transactive memory in organizations. Focusing on meta-memory, which is at the heart of transactive memory systems, we examine what meta-memory is maintained by members of transactive memory systems, whether providing this meta-memory in a technology-mediated environment can lead to transactive memory development, whether IT can realistically provide this meta-memory, and whether different requirements exist for different users and in different stages of transactive memory development. We discuss the implications of these studies to both research and practice.
Urban distance cognition: review and contribution

Summary Apart from the identification of a general tendency to overestimate distances there has been only limited agreement between published papers on urban distance cognition. Major contributions are reviewed and it is hypothesized that variations in results are attributable to the application of different measurement techniques. A number of methods are compared at different urban scales in Sydney and Armidale (N.S.W.) and it is established that while choice of technique is not generally significant, variations between sample groups may be attributed to extremely large within‐group variances. Although the experiments illustrated a general tendency for overestimation to be reduced by familiarity it is concluded that future research should be more concerned with individual variations than with somewhat misleading average estimates.
Analysis of the influence of Walsh-Hadamard code allocation strategies on the performance of multi-carrier CDMA systems in the presence of HPA non-linearities

We investigate the influence of different Walsh-Hadamard (WH) code allocation techniques on the performance of multi-carrier code division multiple access (CDMA) systems in the presence of high power amplifier (HPA) non-linearities. We consider two different multi-carrier CDMA schemes: multi-carrier CDMA (MC-CDMA) and multi-carrier direct sequence CDMA (MC-DS-CDMA) and analyse their performance in terms of total degradation and spectral spreading for different numbers of active users.
Sound Scene Segmentation by Dynamic Detection of Correlogram Comodulation

A new technique for sound-scene analysis is presented. This technique operates by discovering common modulation behavior among groups of frequency subbands in the autocorrelogram domain. The analysis is conducted by first analyzing the autocorrelogram to estimate the amplitude modulation and period modulation of each channel of data at each time step, and then using dynamic clustering techniques to group together channels with similar modulation behavior. Implementation details of the analysis technique are presented, and its performance is demonstrated on a test sound.
Robust and Inexpensive Six-Axis Force–Torque Sensors Using MEMS Barometers

Current commercial force–torque sensors are sensitive and accurate, but are also typically expensive and fragile. These features limit their use in cost-sensitive applications and unstructured environments such as people's homes. This paper presents a new design for an inexpensive and robust force–torque sensor that uses microelectromechanical system barometer transducers. The new design results in a six-axis force–torque sensor with an <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R^2$</tex-math></inline-formula> greater than 0.90 for <italic>F</italic><inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$_{x}$</tex-math></inline-formula> and <italic>F</italic> <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$_{y}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, and an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R^2$</tex-math></inline-formula> greater than 0.98 for <italic>F</italic><inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$_{z}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, <italic>M</italic><inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$_{x}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, <italic>M</italic><inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$_{y}$</tex-math></inline-formula>, and <italic>M</italic><inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$_{z}$</tex-math></inline-formula> during compound loading. Furthermore, this sensor can be assembled in two days with off-the-shelf components for less than 20 USD.
Complexity Reduction for MC-CDMA With MMSEC

The minimum mean square error combining (MMSEC) scheme performs best among various equalization and combining schemes for downlink multicarrier code-division multiple access (MC-CDMA). However, it is also the most computationally complex to realize as it involves the complex matrix inversion operation of a large matrix. In this paper, a new method is proposed to calculate the equalizer coefficient for MMSEC based on reduced-size matrices. It is shown that as long as the number of users is even, the matrix inversion size is reduced to at least , where is the number of subcarriers.
Centre based chromosomal representation of genetic algorithms to cluster new student

This paper is presented to explain application of Genetic Algorithms (GA) to cluster new students into several classes. It is very essential since good educational service for a large number of student needs clustering of them. There is no clustering method can handle it due to the capacity of each class. The supervised clustering method can only cluster students where number of class is predefined, but it cannot handle the class capacities. The proposed approach is GA which succeeded in solving difficult optimization problems. Since clustering method can be solved by minimizing the distance between each object in the cluster with the corresponding cluster center, we proposed GA with cluster centre based chromosomal representation. We developed it as software and evaluated it with random data. The result showed that the class generated by GA consists of more similar students than the class generated by traditional sorting method.
Pentosidine in synovial fluid in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis: relationship with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE Pentosidine is an advanced glycation endproduct formed by glycosylation and oxidation. Our aim was to develop a means to measure pentosidine in synovial fluid (SF), and to compare its concentration in SF in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to investigate the relationship between its concentration in SF and the disease activity of RA. METHODS SF was collected from knee joints in 31 patients with RA and 40 with OA, who had hydrarthrosis. One patient with RA and 7 with OA who had the complication of diabetes mellitus or chronic renal failure made up the DM/CRF group, and the remaining patients made up the RA group (n = 30) and the OA group (n = 33). Pentosidine was measured by the direct HPLC method with column switching after hydrolysis of SF. RESULTS Pentosidine was detected in all SF and was greater in RA (83.9 +/- 46.0 nmol/l, mean +/- SD) than in OA (40.1 +/- 19.6 nmol/l). Three DM/CRF patients undergoing hemodialysis had markedly high pentosidine levels (482.5 +/- 280.8 nmol/l). There was a significant correlation between pentosidine and C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and Lansbury Index (p < 0.01). Patients with RA were divided into high and low activity groups according to the CRP and Lansbury Index. Pentosidine was significantly higher in the high activity group (CRP > or = 2.0 mg/dl and Lansbury Index > or = 50%) than in the low activity group (CRP < 2.0 and/or Lansbury Index < 50) (100.9 +/- 42.8 vs 58.5 +/- 39.6 nmol/; p = 0.0013). CONCLUSION Pentosidine in synovial fluid was higher in RA than in OA. Pentosidine levels in SF were related to the disease activity in RA.
An adapted adult day centre for older adults with sensory impairment

The MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre runs a Day Centre Programme whose objectives are to maintain or improve the seniors’ biological, psychological, and social health while delaying or avoiding institutionalization. Activities include walking groups, language courses, and memory games, supervised by an interdisciplinary team. Services include rehabilitation follow-up and referrals to community resources. The present study reports on the impact of the Day Centre on the holistic health of older adults with visual impairment. Between September 2011 and October 2012, 30 newly referred clients (age = 71–98 years, M = 85, visual acuity [VA] 20/50 to no-light-perception [NLP], M = 20/126) were evaluated at intake, and after 6 and 12 months, including the Visual Function Questionnaire-14, Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly, Geriatric Depression Scale, Friendship Scale, Timed Up and Go Test, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). In all, 19 participants completed the 1-year follow-up and continued to live independently in the community 12 months after entering the Day Centre. Only one person was transferred into long-term care. Comorbid conditions included high blood pressure, asthma, cardiac problems, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, and osteoporosis. Participants reported statistically unchanged scores on all the measures, except for improved MoCA scores, p < . 05. Considering the vulnerability of this population, the data indicate that the Day Centre contributes to prevent decline in its clients’ general well-being. The increase in cognitive scores is possibly linked to practice effects and reduced test anxiety. Participation in adapted Day Centre activities, as an integrated part of rehabilitation services, may support independent living in older adults with vision loss.
University of Birmingham Working within an Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) framework: Consultant practice and athlete reflections on refining emotion regulation skills

Objective: To examine how working within Hanin ’ s (2000a) Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning theoretical model (IZOF) informs intervention development for enhancing athletes ’ emotion regulation skills. Design: A single case study design was adopted to examine the applied process of facilitating a female university cross-country runner ’ s emotion regulation skills. Method: Consultant re ﬂ ections followed Boud ’ s (2001) re ﬂ ective learning model for immediate and delayed re ﬂ ection that informed an action research narrative organized round Kellmann and Beckmann ’ s (2003) action research cycle. A social validation interview was conducted following program completion to examine the athlete ’ s responses to the emotion regulation intervention. Results: Consultant ’ s professional practice decisions and action taken to support the intervention are highlighted.
The route in to the academy: the liminal state of the nursing and construction professions?

Nursing and the construction industry arguably enjoy uneasy membership of the academy. As both move closer towards university-based learning, debates remain about where discipline-specific training should best be provided and the importance of softer, graduate skills for the professions. This paper contextualises that debate by describing both professions route into the academy and the similarities and differences in that historical journey and their present position. What emerges is a complex picture of negotiation and shifting priorities that can present challenges for students as well as teaching staff. Whilst students may be vocationally orientated, the need for generic, critical attributes has increased. A model of academic skills provision has been developed at one university in order to accommodate these potentially conflicting priorities. The devolved, embedded approach allows for the creation of support tailored to specific cohorts and aligned to professional identity and language and, thus far, has proven successful in engaging students.
An Equation to Estimate the Concentration of Serum Apolipoprotein B

Background Several large prospective studies have demonstrated that apolipoprotein B (apoB) has greater value in predicting cardiovascular risk than any other lipid measurements. Currently, however, serum apoB levels are not routinely measured, because of the additional cost. The aim of this study was to develop an equation to estimate apoB from conventional lipid measurements including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Methods Data from a total of 78,127 subjects (47,057 men and 31,070 women), aged 15 to 88 years (mean age 41.8 years) were reviewed to develop an apoB equation. Additional datasets from the same institution and the NHANES obtained in 2007–2008 were used for internal (n = 73,445) and external validation (n = 3,097), respectively. Results We developed an apoB equation based on a linear regression model that contains total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol as terms (model 1). To more precisely estimate the serum apoB level, we adjusted mode1 1 using a cutoff serum triglyceride value of 270 mg/dl (model 2). Model 2 showed more randomly distributed residuals in patients with diabetes, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and those taking lipid-lowering agents than model 1. The residuals in the development, internal validation, and external validation datasets were also randomly distributed around 0 with no clear trends. Conclusion The new equation we developed to estimate serum apoB concentrations is accurate and can be used in diverse subgroups of patients including those with diabetes, atherogenic dyslipidemia, and those taking lipid-lowering agents.
The Role of Socio-Psychological Capital Assets on Identification with Self-employment and Perceived Entrepreneurial Success among Spilled Professionals

Abstract This study investigates the role of Socio-psychological capital assets on identification with self-employment and perceived entrepreneurial success. The study survey was conducted on 201 skilled professional in micro-enterprise with a mean age of 38.2 years (SD = 7.34). Results of the stepwise multiple regression analysis show that need for achievement, mother's occupation and training contribution show significant positive contributions while father's occupation is a significant negative contributor to self-employment identification. It also shows that 23.8% of the vaziance in self-employment identification is jointly accounted for by the vaziables under study. On the perceived entrepreneurial success, family business contribution is a significant positive predictor, while self-esteem and age aze significant negative predictors. The key finding indicates that need for achievement and family business contribution are the dominating factors affecting self-employment identification and perceived entrepreneurial success respectively. The study raises suggestions towards the future ofself-employment growth.
Breaking up is Hard to do, Especially for Strongly “Preoccupied” Lovers

Abstract Is a relationship breakup harder on certain people? To address this question, the present study investigated the relationship of individuals’ attachment styles to various reported aspects of a relationship's dissolution: initiation of the breakup, emotional reactions to the breakup, reasons for the breakup, and experiences and perceptions following the breakup. One hundred nineteen undergraduates completed an extensive questionnaire concerning a past romantic relationship that had broken up. Feeney, Noller, and Hanrahan's (1994) Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ) provided continous measures for five attachment styles or “attitudes”: confidence, discomfort with closeness, need for approval, preoccupation with relationships, and relationships as secondary. Principal-components analyses served to derive criterion indexes from the breakup questionnarie measures, which were individually regressed on the five ASQ scales. As predicted form attachment theory, respondents scoring high on preoccupation with relationships (reflcting anxious/ambivalent attachment) showed distinctive responses to the relationship breakup, in contrast to those scoring high on other attachment styles. Specifically, those strongly preoccupied with relationships reported (a) that their partner was unhappy in the relationship and had initiated the breakup, (b) having experienced difficulty adjusting to the breakup and felling it had been a mistake, and (c) more negative emotion and less positive emotion following the breakup. Implications of these findings are discussed
WebOCD: a RESTful web-based overlapping community detection framework

We introduce WebOCD, a Web-based framework for developing, evaluating and analysing (overlapping) community detection (OCD) algorithms. WebOCD is not only open source and extensible but also comprises several baseline algorithms. Thus, it provides a test bed for comparison of innovative algorithms. Moreover, all the functionalities are accessible as RESTful Web services and are consequently easily integratable into other software packages. An additional Web client provides a simple interface for end users. Besides the OCD algorithms, the framework allows the generation of benchmark graphs, metric calculation and community visualization.
Some Experimental and Theoretical Results on Test Case Generators for the Maximum Clique Problem

We describe and analyze test case generators for the maximum clique problem (or equivalently for the maximum independent set or vertex cover problems). The generators produce graphs with specified number of vertices and edges, and known maximum clique size. The experimental hardness of the test cases is evaluated in relation to several heuristics for the maximum clique problem, based on neural networks, and derived from the work of A. Jagota. Our results show that the hardness of the graphs produced by this method depends in a crucial way on the construction parameters; for a given edge density, challenging graphs can only be constructed using this method for a certain range of maximum clique values; the location of this range depends on the expected maximum clique size for random graphs of that density; the size of the range depends on the density of the graph. We also show that one of the algorithms, based on reinforcement learning techniques, has more success than the others at solving the test cases produced by the generators. In addition, NP-completeness reductions are presented showing that (in spite of what might be suggested by the results just mentioned) the maximum clique problem remains NP-hard even if the domain is restricted to graphs having a constant edge density and a constant ratio of the maximum clique size to the number of vertices, for almost all valid combinations of such values. Moreover, the set of all graphs produced by the generators, and having a constant ratio and edge density, is also NP-hard for almost all valid parameter combinations.