Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
OLPS: A Toolbox for On-Line Portfolio Selection

On-line portfolio selection is a practical financial engineering problem, which aims to sequentially allocate capital among a set of assets in order to maximize long-term return. In recent years, a variety of machine learning algorithms have been proposed to address this challenging problem, but no comprehensive open-source toolbox has been released for various reasons. This article presents the first open-source toolbox for "On-Line Portfolio Selection" (OLPS), which implements a collection of classical and state-of-the-art strategies powered by machine learning algorithms. We hope that OLPS can facilitate the development of new learning methods and enable the performance benchmarking and comparisons of different strategies. OLPS is an open-source project released under Apache License (version 2.0), which is available at https://github.com/OLPS/ or http://OLPS.stevenhoi. org/.
Paroxetine Treatment of Problematic Pornography Use: A Case Series

Background How best to conceptualize problematic pornography use (PPU) and intervene most effectively remain debated, with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and addiction frameworks. We investigated the efficacy of the serotonin-reuptake inhibitor paroxetine in combination with cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of problematic pornography use (PPU). Case presentation Three heterosexual males with PPU were treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy and paroxetine. Frequency of pornography use, other sexual behaviors, and anxiety were assessed during treatment. Discussion Paroxetine treatment, although seemingly initially effective in reducing pornography use and anxiety, appeared related to new compulsive sexual behaviors after 3 months. Conclusions Paroxetine may hold promise for short-term reduction of PPU and related anxiety, but new potentially distressing sexual behaviors may emerge. The cases suggest that PPU may arise from multiple domains. We propose an explanation of the effects based on recent neuroscientific research on sexual behaviors and alcohol use.
Countering kernel malware in virtual execution environments

iii For my family iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I wish to express my sincere thanks to my advisor, Dr. John Copeland for his insight guidance, endless patience and support. Without his help, this research could not have been completed. I am indebted to him. Dr. Alessandro (Alex) Orso and Dr Raheem Beyah for their valuable times, professional suggestions and gracious services on my committee. Myounghwan Lee for their valuable time and friendship. My most special thanks go to my parents Jiarang Xuan, Xiuying Zhu, and my wife Hu Tu for their everlasting encouragement, support and love.
Time-Dependent Mechanical Properties of Polymeric Coatings Used in Rupturable Pulsatile Release Dosage Forms

Abstract The mechanical properties of polymer films used in pharmaceutical coatings of pulsatile drug delivery systems were evaluated in the dry and the wet state by a newly developed puncture test, which allowed the time-dependent measurement of the mechanical properties on the same film specimen. Force, puncture strength, energy at break, modulus, and strain were investigated as a function of water exposure time with respect to the type of polymer and the type and concentration of plasticizer and pore former (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, HPMC). Eudragit® RS films were very flexible, had a high strain, and broke upon puncture with only small cracks. In contrast, ethylcellulose films were more brittle with a lower strain and showed complete film rupture. Increased amounts of the hydrophilic pore former, HPMC, resulted in a reduced puncture strength and in an increase in water uptake and weight loss of the films. The puncture strength decreased with increasing plasticizer concentration and was lower with the lipophilic dibutyl sebacate than with the hydrophilic triethyl citrate.
A Real-Time Multichannel Memory Controller and Optimal Mapping of Memory Clients to Memory Channels

Ever-increasing demands for main memory bandwidth and memory speed/power tradeoff led to the introduction of memories with multiple memory channels, such as Wide IO DRAM. Efficient utilization of a multichannel memory as a shared resource in multiprocessor real-time systems depends on mapping of the memory clients to the memory channels according to their requirements on latency, bandwidth, communication, and memory capacity. However, there is currently no real-time memory controller for multichannel memories, and there is no methodology to optimally configure multichannel memories in real-time systems. As a first work toward this direction, we present two main contributions in this article: (1) a configurable real-time multichannel memory controller architecture with a novel method for logical-to-physical address translation and (2) two design-time methods to map memory clients to the memory channels, one an optimal algorithm based on an integer programming formulation of the mapping problem, and the other a fast heuristic algorithm. We demonstrate the real-time guarantees on bandwidth and latency provided by our multichannel memory controller architecture by experimental evaluation. Furthermore, we compare the performance of the mapping problem formulation in a solver and the heuristic algorithm against two existing mapping algorithms in terms of computation time and mapping success ratio. We show that an optimal solution can be found in 2 hours using the solver and in less than 1 second with less than 7% mapping failure using the heuristic for realistically sized problems. Finally, we demonstrate configuring a Wide IO DRAM in a high-definition (HD) video and graphics processing system to emphasize the practical applicability and effectiveness of this work.
TOP: Tail Optimization Protocol For Cellular Radio Resource Allocation

In 3G cellular networks, the release of radio resources is controlled by inactivity timers. However, the timeout value itself, also known as the tail time, can last up to 15 seconds due to the necessity of trading off resource utilization efficiency for low management overhead and good stability, thus wasting considerable amount of radio resources and battery energy at user handsets. In this paper, we propose Tail Optimization Protocol (TOP), which enables cooperation between the phone and the radio access network to eliminate the tail whenever possible. Intuitively, applications can often accurately predict a long idle time. Therefore the phone can notify the cellular network on such an imminent tail, allowing the latter to immediately release radio resources. To realize TOP, we utilize a recent proposal of 3GPP specification called fast dormancy, a mechanism for a handset to notify the cellular network for immediate radio resource release. TOP thus requires no change to the cellular infrastructure and only minimal changes to smartphone applications. Our experimental results based on real traces show that with a reasonable prediction accuracy, TOP saves the overall radio energy (up to 17%) and radio resources (up to 14%) by reducing tail times by up to 60%. For applications such as multimedia streaming, TOP can achieve even more significant savings of radio energy (up to 60%) and radio resources (up to 50%).
InGaAs strained-layer single-quantum-well lasers' spontaneous emission spectra and their features

The existence of equidistant smooth maxima series was found in the spontaneous emission spectra of stripe single-quantum-well 0.98 micrometers range lasers with a strained InGaAs active layer. Within the limits of a 200 angstrom wide general envelope the characteristic distance between maxima for different lasers varied from 20 to 40 angstrom, corresponding to 10 to 20 longitudinal Fabry-Perot cavity mode intervals. Possible physical models of observed maxima origin are considered: recombination of electrons and holes with selection rules (Delta) u equals 0, and (Delta) u equals 1, 2, . , where u is the level number; resonant self-effect of Fabry-Perot cavity modes field via the volume of laser crystal, layers of which, including GaAs substrate, are transparent in the 0.98 micrometers wavelength range. The latter model was confirmed experimentally.
Understanding PubMed® user search behavior through log analysis

This article reports on a detailed investigation of PubMed users’ needs and behavior as a step toward improving biomedical information retrieval. PubMed is providing free service to researchers with access to more than 19 million citations for biomedical articles from MEDLINE and life science journals. It is accessed by millions of users each day. Efficient search tools are crucial for biomedical researchers to keep abreast of the biomedical literature relating to their own research. This study provides insight into PubMed users’ needs and their behavior. This investigation was conducted through the analysis of one month of log data, consisting of more than 23 million user sessions and more than 58 million user queries. Multiple aspects of users’ interactions with PubMed are characterized in detail with evidence from these logs. Despite having many features in common with general Web searches, biomedical information searches have unique characteristics that are made evident in this study. PubMed users are more persistent in seeking information and they reformulate queries often. The three most frequent types of search are search by author name, search by gene/protein, and search by disease. Use of abbreviation in queries is very frequent. Factors such as result set size influence users’ decisions. Analysis of characteristics such as these plays a critical role in identifying users’ information needs and their search habits. In turn, such an analysis also provides useful insight for improving biomedical information retrieval. Database URL: http://www.ncbi. nlm.nih. gov/PubMed
TTP Based High-Efficient Multi-Key Exchange Protocol

With a trusted-third-party (TTP)-based key exchange protocol, when a user would like to transmit a message to another user, the transmitted data are encrypted by a session key exchanged between the two ends of the corresponding connection with the help of the TTP. Up to present, due to the assistance of a TTP, this type of protocols has performed well in protecting messages delivered between two authorized users. Even this, inflexibility, unreliability, and inefficiency problems still exist in these previously proposed protocols. Therefore, in this paper, a multi-key exchange protocol, named the TTP-based high-efficient multi-key exchange protocol (THMEP), is proposed to provide users with a secure and efficient protocol, which employs the elliptic curve cryptography, a 2-D operation, and a current time encryption key, to exchange their session keys. The proposed protocol not only effectively hides important encryption parameters, but also achieves fully mutual authentication between a user and his/her trusted server. It can resist known-key, impersonation, replay, eavesdropping, and forgery attacks. Besides, the THMEP generates 40 session keys in a key exchange process, meaning the proposed protocol can support 40 sessions simultaneously. It also shortens the processing time, which is 3.78 times faster than that of a specific previous study. Its security level and performance are higher than those of the compared state-of-the-art protocols. In other words, the THMEP is very suitable for IoT applications.
Limits of CSP Problems and Efficient Parameter Testing

We present a unified framework on the limits of constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) and efficient parameter testing which depends only on array exchangeability and the method of cut decomposition without recourse to the weakly regular partitions. In particular, we formulate and prove a representation theorem for compact colored $r$-uniform directed hypergraph ($r$-graph) limits, and apply this to $r$CSP limits. We investigate the sample complexity of testable $r$-graph parameters, we discuss the generalized ground state energies and demonstrate that they are efficiently testable.
Herpes simplex virus specifies two subunits of ribonucleotide reductase encoded by 3'-coterminal transcripts

We have previously described a transcription unit located between map coordinates 0.558 and 0.595 on the herpes simplex virus type 2 strain 333 genome which encodes two mRNAs of 5.0 and 1.2 kilobases that share a common 3' terminus, and we have determined the nucleotide sequence of a 38,000-dalton protein specified by the smaller RNA (D. A. Galloway and M. A. Swain, J. Virol. 49:724-730, 1984). The entire nucleotide sequence of the 140,000-dalton protein specified by a 3,432-base-pair open reading frame within the large mRNA is presented, as are transcriptional regulatory sequences upstream of the RNA. The 140,000-dalton protein shows strong homology with the large subunit of well-characterized ribonucleotide reductase enzymes from the mouse and from Escherichia coli and with an Epstein-Barr virus gene. The 38,000-dalton protein has been shown previously to have homology with the small subunit of these enzymes (B.-M. Sjoberg, H. Eklund, J. A. Fuchs, J. Carlson, N. M. Standart, J. V. Ruderman, S. J. Bray, and T. Hunt, FEBS Lett. 183:99-102, 1985). This is the first example of a herpesvirus transcriptional unit that encodes functionally related proteins.
Experimental Characterization of Radio Channel in Ruins Environment

This letter addresses the fading statistics of a radio propagation channel in a ruins environment, which is of vital importance for a pedestrian localization system based on cellphone signals. The channel of ruins is investigated in eight typical rescue scenarios at two common mobile communication bands (900 MHz and 1.8 GHz). To characterize the channel, an empirical path loss model is parameterized through experiments. Based on extensive measurements, large-scale fading characteristics at different polarizations and various antenna heights are examined and analyzed. Furthermore, the properties of small-scale fading including coherence bandwidth, decorrelation distance, and distance-dependent features are studied in this work. The results reported here can be applied to simulate the ruins channel and design the rescue system.
Optimization of Tagged MRI for Quantification of Liver Stiffness Using Computer Simulated Data

The heartbeat has been proposed as an intrinsic source of motion that can be used in combination with tagged Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to measure displacements induced in the liver as an index of liver stiffness. Optimizing a tagged MRI acquisition protocol in terms of sensitivity to these displacements, which are in the order of pixel size, is necessary to develop the method as a quantification tool for staging fibrosis. We reproduced a study of cardiac-induced strain in the liver at 3T and simulated tagged MR images with different grid tag patterns to evaluate the performance of the Harmonic Phase (HARP) image analysis method and its dependence on the parameters of tag spacing and grid angle. The Partial Volume Effect (PVE), T1 relaxation, and different levels of noise were taken into account. Four displacement fields of increasing intensity were created and applied to the tagged MR images of the liver. These fields simulated the deformation at different liver stiffnesses. An Error Index (EI) was calculated to evaluate the estimation accuracy for various parameter values. In the absence of noise, the estimation accuracy of the displacement fields increased as tag spacings decreased. EIs for each of the four displacement fields were lower at 0° and the local minima of the EI were found to correspond to multiples of pixel size. The accuracy of the estimation decreased for increasing levels of added noise; as the level increased, the improved estimation caused by decreasing the tag spacing tended to zero. The optimal tag spacing turned out to be a compromise between the smallest tag period that is a multiple of the pixel size and is achievable in a real acquisition and the tag spacing that guarantees an accurate liver displacement measure in the presence of realistic levels of noise.
Leveraging Innate Piezoelectricity of Ultra-Smooth Silk Thin Films for Flexible and Wearable Sensor Applications

In this paper, the innate peizoelectricity of silk is utilized to demonstrate an optimized silk thin film-based pressure sensor. Furthermore, a novel approach to pattern silk films is proposed, which could potentially lead to the development of a variety of miniaturized, flexible, and wearable sensors. The key in this endeavor is to achieve a uniform thin film of silk. The preparation methodology was optimized to achieve an ultra-smooth, reproducible thin film. The surface quality of the optimized thin film was analyzed using atomic force microscopy and the RMS roughness was found to be 2.43 nm. The piezo-response of the silk film was measured using Piezo force microscopy and the average $d_{33}$ value of the silk piezoelectric thin film was estimated at 56.7 pm/V. A pressure sensor using silk piezoelectric thin film was developed with a simple process flow. This process is devoid of any silk patterning steps. Keeping in view the potentiality of piezoelectric silk films in MEMS, a novel lithography-based technique was developed to pattern the silk films. This patterning technique can easily be integrated with any standard MEMS/Post CMOS process flow, thus opening up a new avenue in developing a variety of sensors.
Is the Peritoneum a Significant Transport Barrier in Peritoneal Dialysis?

Objectives The anatomic peritoneum is often considered equivalent to the barrier between the dialysate and the blood, and is also called “the peritoneal membrane. ” Our hypothesis is that the normal peritoneum is not a significant barrier to solute or water flow. The goal of this study was to explore the effects of alteration of the anatomic peritoneum on the transperitoneal transport of water and solute. Design In vivo transport experiments were carried out in control and treated rats. Treatments consisted of frequent mixing of the peritoneal solution versus no mixing, drying the peritoneum prior to the experiment, or selective removal of the entire peritoneum. Transport experiments were carried out via a plastic chamber affixed to the parietal peritoneum. After measuring solute transport or osmotically induced filtration, the tissue underlying the chamber was collected and stained for histology. Results Mixing the chamber solution every 5 minutes versus no mixing over 90 minutes did not result in a significant change in the mass transfer coefficient for mannitol (MTCmannitol, n = 14, p > 0.25). Drying the peritoneum prior to the transport experiment did not significantly alter the MTC of albumin or mannitol (n = 17, p > 0.6; n = 19, p > 0.1, respectively). Manual drying did not remove or significantly alter the apparent peritoneal coating on the surface of the mesothelium. Removal of the entire peritoneum did not significantly alter the osmotically induced volume flux from the tissue, nor did it change the MTCmannitol (n = 9, p > 0.9; n = 9, p > 0.4, respectively). Conclusions Mixing of the solution directly over the tissue, manual drying of the peritoneum, or removal of the entire peritoneum does not result in significant alterations in transport. We conclude that the anatomic peritoneum is relatively unimportant as a physical transport barrier in peritoneal dialysis.
Development of a High-Throughput Screening Assay for Inhibitors of Aggrecan Cleavage Using Luminescent Oxygen Channeling (AlphaScreen™)

Aggrecan is one of the most important structural components of joint cartilage, and members of the metalloprotease (MMP) and ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) protease families have been shown to degrade aggrecan in vivo. A robust assay for aggrecan-degrading activity suitable for high-throughput screening (HTS) was set up and measured using AlphaScreen™. In this technology, beads brought into proximity through cross-linking and stimulated with laser light generate a signal through luminescent oxygen tunneling, the outcome of which is a time-resolved fluorescent signal. Specific antibodies to the carbohydrate side chains of aggrecan were harnessed to create a scaffold whereby aggrecan could form a cross-link between donor and acceptor AlphaScreen detector beads. Digested aggrecan, which failed to form a cross-link, generated no signal, so that inhibitors of the digestion could be detected as a restoration of signal. The development of this assay and its validation for HTS are described in this report. (Journal of Biomolecular Screening 2003:136-148)
A research protocol for developing a Point-Of-Care Key Evidence Tool ‘POCKET’: a checklist for multidimensional evidence reporting on point-of-care in vitro diagnostics

Introduction Point-of-care in vitro diagnostics (POC-IVD) are increasingly becoming widespread as an acceptable means of providing rapid diagnostic results to facilitate decision-making in many clinical pathways. Evidence in utility, usability and cost-effectiveness is currently provided in a fragmented and detached manner that is fraught with methodological challenges given the disruptive nature these tests have on the clinical pathway. The Point-of-care Key Evidence Tool (POCKET) checklist aims to provide an integrated evidence-based framework that incorporates all required evidence to guide the evaluation of POC-IVD to meet the needs of policy and decisionmakers in the National Health Service (NHS). Methods and analysis A multimethod approach will be applied in order to develop the POCKET. A thorough literature review has formed the basis of a robust Delphi process and validation study. Semistructured interviews are being undertaken with POC-IVD stakeholders, including industry, regulators, commissioners, clinicians and patients to understand what evidence is required to facilitate decision-making. Emergent themes will be translated into a series of statements to form a survey questionnaire that aims to reach a consensus in each stakeholder group to what needs to be included in the tool. Results will be presented to a workshop to discuss the statements brought forward and the optimal format for the tool. Once assembled, the tool will be field-tested through case studies to ensure validity and usability and inform refinement, if required. The final version will be published online with a call for comments. Limitations include unpredictable sample representation, development of compromise position rather than consensus, and absence of blinding in validation exercise. Ethics and dissemination The Imperial College Joint Research Compliance Office and the Imperial College Hospitals NHS Trust R&D department have approved the protocol. The checklist tool will be disseminated through a PhD thesis, a website, peer-reviewed publication, academic conferences and formal presentations.
Temperature-Aware Register Mapping in GPGPUs

Various architectural-based techniques have been proposed to reduce power consumption in GPGPUs. However, these techniques mostly ignore temperature of GPGPUs. In this paper, we focus on the register file and propose a new technique to reduce its peak temperature. Register file in GPGPUs is very large, even larger than caches, to support thousands of simultaneously execution threads. This makes register file a power-hungry component in GPGPUs and increases its heat dissipation. We propose Distant wArp Register maPping (DARP) to maximize distance between warp registers. By maximizing distance between consecutively accessed regions of the register file, we minimize the hotspots in the register file, and hence reduce the peak temperature. Furthermore, we power gate unallocated registers and reduce voltage of idle registers to reduce leakage power and so the temperature further. To overcome performance penalty of voltage scaling, we change voltage of registers in granularity of regions and reduce the number of state switching in register file. Overall, our optimization techniques reduce peak temperature by 5.02°C with negligible impact on performance.