Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improvement of the mechanical and rheological properties of HDPE/PET/MWCNT nanocomposites

High density polyethylene (HDPE)/poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) (90/10 wt.%) blends and HDPE/PET/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing process, and the influence of MWCNTs on the mechanical and rheological properties of the nanocomposites was investigated. MWCNTs were added up to 5 wt. % in the HDPE/PET matrix. Transmission electron microscopy images reveal that the MWCNTs were homogeneously dispersed in the HDPE/PET matrix. Improvement of mechanical properties was observed by the addition of MWCNTs compared with HDPE/PET blends. Prominent increases in the complex viscosity and storage modulus of the nanocomposites were found with increasing MWCNT content.
Convergence Analysis of Ranking Measures for Web Search

This paper theoretically verifies whether a ranking measure is appropriate for Web search, from the convergence point of view. Many ranking measures have been proposed in the literature, such as Precision@k, WTA and NDCG, most of which contain a position discount function to reflect users’ attention on top-ranked documents. A common practice to use these measures to evaluate ranking models is to check the values of these measures on a benchmark dataset, which usually contains a relatively small number of labeled documents per query. However, as we know, in real Web search, one usually needs to deal with an extremely large number of documents for many queries. Therefore, it is unclear whether the evaluation result in terms of a given measure on the benchmark dataset can consistently reflect the performance of the model in real Web search. If not, we think the ranking measure and the corresponding evaluation results cannot be used to select ranking models in a reliable manner. In this regard, we argue that the convergence of a ranking measure with the increasing number of documents is a dispensable property from both theory and application points of view. We then perform formal study on the convergence of ranking measures. Our theoretical analysis indicates that (i) when the discount function in a ranking measure decreases sharply with respect to positions (e.g., truncated at top k positions), the ranking measure will not converge; (ii) when the decrease is slow (e.g., with a logarithm discount), the ranking measure will converge to a model-independent constant; (ii) only when the decrease rate is in a certain range, the ranking measure can converge to a model-dependent value and be feasible for model selection. These findings can not only help us judge whether a ranking measure is good, but also provide a way of improving it. We have conducted experiments on both toy and real data. The corresponding experimental results well verified the above theoretical findings.
Transceiver Designs for Multipoint-to-Multipoint MIMO Amplify-and-Forward Relaying Systems

In this paper, we consider multipoint-to-multipoint multi-input multi-output relay systems where multiple source-destination pairs simultaneously communicate through a single multiple antenna relay. In this system configuration, we optimize two metrics when designing the source, relay and destination filters. The first one is sum mean-squared-error (MSE) and the second one is maximum pairwise MSE. These two problems are shown to be non-convex, and thus it is quite complex to find an analytical solution. To address this issue, we first introduce the sum MSE minimization scheme based on global channel state information (CSI) at all nodes. Then, a method which reduces complexity and CSI requirements is proposed by utilizing error covariance decomposition and MSE duality between broadcast channel and multiple access channel. Second, the pairwise MSE balancing algorithms are developed to guarantee fairness for all pairs. Similar to the case of the sum MSE minimization problem, we simplify the original pairwise MSE balancing problem to a second-order cone programming problem which can be solved using standard optimization tools. Through numerical simulations, we confirm the effectiveness of our proposed schemes.
An Algorithm for Generating Irreducible Cubic Trinomials over Prime Field

This paper proposes an algorithm for generating irreducible cubic trinomials in the form x(3) + ax + b, b ∈ F(p), where a is a certain fixed non-zero element in the prime field F(p). The proposed algorithm needs a certain irreducible cubic trinomial over F(p) to be previously given as a generator; however, the proposed algorithm can generate irreducible cubic polynomials one after another by changing a certain parameter in F(p). In this paper, we compare the calculation cost and the average computation time for generating an irreducible cubic polynomial, especially trinomial, among Hiramoto et al. irreducibility testing algorithm, Berlekamp-Massey minimal polynomial determining algorithm, and the proposed algorithm. From the experimental results, it is shown that the proposed algorithm is the fastest among the three algorithms for generating irreducible cubic trinomials.
An Effective Iterative Back Projection Based Single Image Super Resolution Approach

In this paper, an effort is made to enlarge a low resolution image. This paper presents an effective novel single image super resolution approach to recover a high resolution image from a single low resolution input image. The approach is based on an Iterative back projection (IBP) method combined with the Canny Edge Detection and error difference image to recover high frequency information. This method is applied on different natural gray images and compared with different existing image super resolution approaches. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can more accurately enlarge the low resolution image than previous approaches. Proposed algorithm increases the PSNR and decreases MSE and MAE compared to other existing algorithms and also improves visual quality of an image considerably.
Discovering Phonotactic Finite-State Automata by Genetic Search

This paper presents a genetic algorithm based approach to the automatic discovery of finite-state automata (FSAs) from positive data. FSAs are commonly used in computational phonology, but-given the limited learnability of FSAs from arbitrary language subsets-are usually constructed manually. The approach presented here offers a practical automatic method that helps reduce the cost of manual FSA construction.
Training data with TMX Markup Method 2 : Complete Tokenisation Method 3 : Partial Tokenisation SMT translation

Translation memory (TM) plays an important role in localisation workflows and is used as an efficient and fundamental tool to carry out translation. In recent years, statistical machine translation (SMT) techniques have been rapidly developed, and the translation quality and speed have been significantly improved as well. However, when applying SMT technique to facilitate post-editing in the localisation industry, we need to adapt SMT to the TM data which is formatted with special mark-up. In this paper, we explore some issues when adapting SMT to Symantec formatted TM data. Three different methods are proposed to handle the Translation Memory eXchange (TMX) markup and a comparative study is carried out between them. Furthermore, we also compare the TMX-based SMT systems with a customised SYSTRAN system through human evaluation and automatic evaluation metrics. The experimental results conducted on the French and English language pair show that the SMT can perform well using TMX as input format either during training or at runtime.
User-interface aspects in recognizing connected-cursive handwriting

There are at least two major stumbling blocks for user acceptance of pen-based computers: the recognition performance is not good enough, especially on cursive handwriting; and the user interface technology has not reached a mature stage. The initial reaction of product reviewers and potential user groups to pen-based computers varies. The realistic assessment is that this is a technology with a large potential, but still too brittle for serious real-world use. The author focuses on user interface aspects of handwriting recognition systems. Various reasons for errors in such systems are outlined. Possible solutions which involve user interface design are given: constrain the writer; give the writer more control; improve the recovery from error; clarify to the user what is going on; and give up the paper metaphor.
Cloning and Functional Expression of a Human Y4 Subtype Receptor for Pancreatic Polypeptide, Neuropeptide Y, and Peptide YY (*)

The pancreatic polypeptide family includes pancreatic polypeptide (PP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), and peptide YY (PYY). Members of the PP family regulate numerous physiological processes, including appetite, gastrointestinal transit, anxiety, and blood pressure. Of the multiple Y-type receptors proposed for PP family members, only the Y1 subtype has been cloned previously. We now report the cloning of an additional Y-type receptor, designated Y4, by homology screening of a human placental genomic library with transmembrane (TM) probes derived from the rat Y1 gene. The Y4 genomic clone encodes a predicted protein of 375 amino acids that is most homologous to Y1 receptors from human, rat, and mouse (42% overall; 55% in TM). I-PYY binding to transiently expressed Y4 receptors was saturable (pK = 9.89) and displaceable by human PP family derivatives: PP (pK = 10.25) PP (pK = 10.06) > PYY (pK = 9.06) [Leu,Pro]NPY (pK = 8.95) > NPY (pK = 8.68) > PP (pK = 7.13) > PP (pK = 6.46) > PP free acid (pK < 5). Human PP decreased [cAMP] and increased intracellular [Ca] in Y4-transfected LMTK cells. Y4 mRNA was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in human brain, coronary artery, and ileum, suggesting potential roles for Y4 receptors in central nervous system, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal function.
Low Latency Software Rate Limiters for Cloud Networks

A lot of recent work has focused on reducing in network queueing latency in datacenter networks. In this paper, we focus on a less explored topic --- latency increases caused by queueing in rate limiters on the end-host. First, we show that latency can be increased by an order of magnitude by rate limiters in cloud networks. To solve this problem, we extend ECN marking into rate limiters and use a datacenter congestion control algorithm --- DCTCP. Unfortunately, while this reduces latency, it also leads to throughput oscillation. Thus, this solution is not sufficient. In this paper, we also analyze the specific reasons that ECN marking in software rate limiters leads to the throughput oscillation problem. Finally, we propose two potential solutions to design software rate limiters that can achieve stable high throughput and low latency.
Identifying and Tracking Entity Mentions in a Maximum Entropy Framework

We present a system for identifying and tracking named, nominal, and pronominal mentions of entities within a text document. Our maximum entropy model for mention detection combines two pre-existing named entity taggers (built to extract different entity categories) and other syntactic and morphological feature streams to achieve competitive performance. We developed a novel maximum entropy model for tracking all mentions of an entity within a document. We participated in the Automatic Content Extraction (ACE) evaluation and performed well. We describe our system and present results of the ACE evaluation.
Brillouin optical frequency domain analysis in polymer optical fiber

We report distributed temperature measurements in a perfluorinated graded-index polymer optical fiber (POF) with 50 μm core diameter, carried out by stimulated Brillouin scattering. Brillouin optical frequency-domain analysis (BOFDA) has been performed to extract the temperature profile along a 20-m POF fiber sample, at a nominal spatial resolution of 4 m. The results indicate that POFs are potentially useful for distributed temperature measurements based on stimulated Brillouin scattering.
Optimizing PLLR Features for Spoken Language Recognition

Phone Log-Likelihood Ratios (PLLR) have been recently introduced as features for spoken language and speaker recognition systems. This representation has proven to be an effective way of retrieving acoustic-phonotactic information into frame-level vectors, which can be easily plugged into state-of-the-art systems. In a previous work, we began the search of reduced representations of PLLRs, as a mean of reducing computational costs. In this paper, we extend this search, by looking for the optimal compromise between feature vector size and system performance. Results achieved by Principal Component Analysis projection on the PLLR space are extensively analyzed. Also, to evaluate the effect of using larger temporal contexts, a Shifted Delta transformation is applied (and its optimal configuration explored) on highly reduced sets of PCA-projected PLLR features, leading to further performance improvements over the best PCA-projected PLLR set.
Cytochemical identification of monocytes and granulocytes.

Cytochemical methods for chloroacetate esterase, nonspecific esterase, peroxidase, and metachromasia were used to identify monocytes and neutrophilic, basophilic, or eosinophilic granulocytes. These methods are very simple, sensitive, and easily reproducible. Their reaction products are highly chromogenic and insoluble in most organic solvents. Any of these methods may be used independently or in combination with another cytochemical method to demonstrate a particular type of cell as desired. The specific aims and possible areas for clinical application of these cytochemical methods are discussed.
SVM Model Tampering and Anchored Learning: A Case Study in Hebrew NP Chunking

We study the issue of porting a known NLP method to a language with little existing NLP resources, specifically Hebrew SVM-based chunking. We introduce two SVM-based methods ‐ Model Tampering and Anchored Learning. These allow fine grained analysis of the learned SVM models, which provides guidance to identify errors in the training corpus, distinguish the role and interaction of lexical features and eventually construct a model with ∼10% error reduction. The resulting chunker is shown to be robust in the presence of noise in the training corpus, relies on less lexical features than was previously understood and achieves an F-measure performance of 92.2 on automatically PoS-tagged text. The SVM analysis methods also provide general insight on SVM-based chunking.
Metal nanodot array fabrication using self-assembled diblock copolymer

By combining PS-PMMA self-assembled diblock copolymer (BC) and lift off process, gold nanodot array was fabricated. For surface neutralization, a novel method using conventional self assembled monolayer (SAM), MPTS (3-(p-methoxyphenyl)propyltrichlro-silane) was used. Surface treatment with SAM was analyzed by contact angle measurement and XPS. Upon the fabricated cylindrical nanohole array, gold was evaporated and 10 nm size gold nanoparticle array was fabricated by lift-off process.
Susceptibility to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus isolates correlates directly with early and high cytotoxic T cell activity, as well as with footpad swelling reaction, and all three are regulated by H-2D

The lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) isolates Docile (D) and Aggressive (A) of Pfau et al. were studied in various strains of mice. Disease susceptibility, assessed as mortality and time to death to LCMV- D or -A varied greatly amongst mouse strains, and all four possible susceptibility patterns were observed: susceptibility to both (e.g. SWR/J), resistance to both (e.g. DBA/2), susceptibility to A but resistance to D (C57BL/6), or vice versa (CBA/J). Irrespective of the virus isolate or the mouse strain tested, susceptibility correlated with both early and high cytotoxic T cell activity found in spleens or leptomeningeal infiltrates, and with early and high primary footpad swelling reaction after local infection. C57BL/6 mice infected with A or SWR/J infected with A or with D showed, in both test systems, early and high activities; in contrast, DBA/2 mice infected with either D or A, and C57BL/6 infected with D showed no or only slow and low responses in both tests. Early and high LCMV-specific cytotoxic T cell activity, and the rapidity and extent of the primary footpad reaction directly correlated with susceptibility to LCM and all were dominantly regulated by H-2D.
An Algebraic Approach on Globally Exponential Stability of Polynomial Dynamical Systems

This paper presents a constructive method for analyzing globally exponential stability of polynomial dynamical systems by discovering quadratic Lyapunov functions. First, we derive an algebraic sufficient condition for analyzing globally exponential stability. Then, we apply a real root classification (RRC) based method step by step to under-approximate this derived condition as a semi-algebraic set which only involves the parametric coefficients of the candidate polynomials and the parameter associated with the exponential decay rate. Finally, we compute a sample point in the resulting semi algebraic set for the parameters resulting in a Lyapunov function and an exponential decay rate. The experimental results and comparisons demonstrate the feasibility and promise of our approach.
Phosphotyrosine-mediated LAT assembly on membranes drives kinetic bifurcation in recruitment dynamics of the Ras activator SOS

Significance The assembly of receptors and downstream signaling molecules into extended networks is a commonly observed phenomenon in signal transduction. However, little is known about how such assemblies physically modulate signal propagation. Here, based on single-molecule kinetics studies, we report that phosphotyrosine-mediated assembly of adaptor protein LAT networks yields two distinct kinetic species of the Ras activator SOS. This system regulates the transmission of signal from activated T-cell receptor to Ras. We propose and evaluate how the emergence of a long-dwelling SOS species may serve as a kinetic proofreading mechanism to discriminate stochastic noise from genuinely activated receptors. The assembly of cell surface receptors with downstream signaling molecules is a commonly occurring theme in multiple signaling systems. However, little is known about how these assemblies modulate reaction kinetics and the ultimate propagation of signals. Here, we reconstitute phosphotyrosine-mediated assembly of extended linker for the activation of T cells (LAT):growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2):Son of Sevenless (SOS) networks, derived from the T-cell receptor signaling system, on supported membranes. Single-molecule dwell time distributions reveal two, well-differentiated kinetic species for both Grb2 and SOS on the LAT assemblies. The majority fraction of membrane-recruited Grb2 and SOS both exhibit fast kinetics and single exponential dwell time distributions, with average dwell times of hundreds of milliseconds. The minor fraction exhibits much slower kinetics, extending the dwell times to tens of seconds. Considering this result in the context of the multistep process by which the Ras GEF (guanine nucleotide exchange factor) activity of SOS is activated indicates that kinetic stabilization from the LAT assembly may be important. This kinetic proofreading effect would additionally serve as a stochastic noise filter by reducing the relative probability of spontaneous SOS activation in the absence of receptor triggering. The generality of receptor-mediated assembly suggests that such effects may play a role in multiple receptor proximal signaling processes.
A new haplotype in BMP4 implicated in ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) in a Chinese population

Previous genome‐wide microarray analysis of candidate genes involved in the ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the spine resulted in the identification of a novel, clinically relevant gene encoding bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) but was defined only by its expression patterns. The complete genomic BMP4 coding DNA from 450 patients with OPLL and 550 matched controls were sequenced and compared. We identified 18 SNPs, among which the minor alleles of SNP8 (C>T; p < 0.001; OR: 1.58), SNP13 (rs17563C>T; p < 0.001; OR: 1.76), and SNP14 (rs76335800A>T; p < 0.001; OR: 1.68) were associated with OPLL. Logistic regression analysis showed that the additive model of SNP8 (p < 0.001; OR: 3.48), SNP13 (p < 0.001; OR: 2.22), and SNP14 (p < 0.001; OR: 1.99) retained statistical significance. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis identified a 3‐kbp block of intense LD in BMP4 and 1 specific haplotype, TGGGCTT (p < 0.001, OR: 2.54), which was associated with OPLL‐associated risk alleles and increased severity of OPLL, as shown by the distribution of ossified vertebrae in patients with OPLL (p = 0.002). Novel mutations in the BMP4 gene and a specific haplotype TGGGCTT appear to contribute to the risk of developing OPLL. Also the severity of OPLL seems to be mediated predominantly by genetic variations in this specific BMP4 gene region, but might be associated with other certain clinical and demographic characteristics in the Chinese population studied. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:748–756, 2012
A switched-capacitor based high conversion ratio converter for renewable energy applications: Principle and generation

A high step-up switched-capacitor based converter is proposed in this paper. The proposed converter features high conversion ratio, low voltage stress and continuous input current, which makes it very suitable for renewable energy applications like photovoltaic systems. More importantly, the proposed switched-capacitor cells in series with converter can be generalized in two ways, resulting in dc-dc converters of ultra-high dc conversion ratios. Theoretical analysis, simulation and experimental tests have demonstrated the superior performance of the proposed converter in terms of high dc voltage gain, low voltage stress on the switches, continuous input current, and relatively high efficiency.
A practical localization solution for wireless sensor networks deployed in linear topography

In this paper, we propose a practical range-free localization solution for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Different from existing localization approaches, the proposed solution is specially designed for an ultra sparse mobile WSNs deployed in coal mine tunnels with linear topography. To obtain more reference information requited for localization with limited anchor nodes, the proposed solution sets asymmetrical transmission range for the sensor nodes and makes best use of a priori knowledge about the location of the anchor nodes. Numerous real measurements and real localization experiments were made in a coal mine tunnel in the ShanDong province, China. The experimental results show that our proposed solution achieves a high localization accuracy with an error less than 13% of the transmission range of the anchor nodes, while, the traditional range-free solution, i.e., Ad-Hoc Positioning System, has an error about 44% of the transmission range under the same conditions.