Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of intracoronary tirofiban in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND To investigate the efficacy of intracoronary tirofiban during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS AND RESULTS The 118 patients aged 70 years and above (average age 75+/-2) were divided into study (n = 58, intracoronary bolus tirofiban) and control (n = 57, intravenous tirofiban) groups. The culprit vessels were targeted with primary PCI in all patients. Compared with the control group, the study group showed better Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grades and TIMI myocardial perfusion grades (TMPG) immediately after PCI (p = 0.016 and 0.026, respectively). The 14-day composite major adverse cardiac events rate was lower in the study group (3.5% vs 17.5%, p = 0.030), but was similar between the 2 groups at 30 days following PCI (7.0% vs 1.7%, p = 0.350). The left ventricular ejection fraction in the study group was higher than in the control group 30 days following PCI (67.4+/-6.2% vs 60.7+/-4.6%, p = 0.033). The 14-day bleeding complication (p = 0.201) and platelet reduction rates (p = 0.984) were similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION In patients with ACS undergoing primary PCI, intracoronary bolus administration of tirofiban is superior to intravenous bolus injection for improving coronary flow, myocardial perfusion and short-term clinical outcomes.
Using elimination to implement scalable and lock-free FIFO queues

This paper shows for the first time that elimination, a scaling technique formerly applied only to counters and LIFO structures, can be applied to FIFO data structures, specifically, to linearizable FIFO queues. We show how to transform existing nonscalable FIFO queue implementations into scalable implementations using the elimination technique, while preserving lock-freedom and linearizablity.We apply our transformation to the FIFO queue algorithm of Michael and Scott, which is included in the Java™ Concurrency Package. Empirical evaluation on a state-of-the-art CMT multiprocessor chip shows that by using elimination as a backoff technique for the Michael and Scott queue algorithm, we can achieve comparable performance at low loads, and improved scalability as load increases.
Context-sensitive interprocedural points-to analysis in the presence of function pointers

This paper reports on the design, implementation, and empirical results of a new method for dealing with the aliasing problem in C. The method is based on approximating the points-to relationships between accessible stack locations, and can be used to generate alias pairs, or used directly for other analyses and transformations. Our method provides context-sensitive interprocedural information based on analysis over invocation graphs that capture all calling contexts including recursive and mutually-recursive calling contexts. Furthermore, the method allows the smooth integration for handling general function pointers in C. We illustrate the effectiveness of the method with empirical results from an implementation in the McCAT optimizing/parallelizing C compiler.
A Community Based Social Recommender System for Individuals &amp; Groups

Social networks provide rich new types of data that promise to personalize and improve Recommender Systems. One promising type of data extracted from social networks is relationships. While existing recommenders have capitalized on the use of explicit relationship data such as friendships, the use of implicit relationship data (that gathered from less obvious connections such as co-occurrence) offers great potential for diversifying recommendation for both individuals and groups. Our novel Community Based Social Recommender System (CBSRS) utilizes this new social data to provide personalized recommendations based on communities constructed from the users' social interaction history with the items in the target domain. It allows quick and efficient recommendations to groups as well as individuals. We propose and evaluate such approach using the Internet Movie database (IMDb). We use the underlying social network graph of the movies based on their common reviewers to model the generic network of interests. Communities are then discovered and used as a basis to provide extensive and diverse recommendation for one user, couples or group of users (friends, family, co-workers) offering them movies of their common interests. Finally we demonstrate that the proposed CBSRS increases the accuracy in the results whilst it addresses the cold sparsity of data and start problem for new users and items and provides recommendation for both individuals and groups.
THE BERLIN BRAIN-COMPUTER INTERFACE PRESENTS THE NOVEL MENTAL TYPEWRITER HEX-O-SPELL

SUMMARY: We present a novel typewriter application ‘Hex-o-Spell’ that is specifically tailored to the characteristics of direct brain-to-computer interaction. The high bandwidth at which a user may perceive information from the display is used in an appealing visualization based on hexagons. On the other hand the control of the application is possible at low bandwidth using only two control commands (mental states) and is relatively stable against delays and the like. The eectiveness and robustness of the interface was demonstrated at the CeBIT 2006 (world’s largest IT fair) where two subjects operated the mental typewriter at a speed of up to 7.6 char/min. It was developed within the Berlin BrainComputer Interface project in cooperation with specialists for Human Computer Interaction.
A non-specific agglutination problem in the rubella haemagglutination-inhibition test using trypsinised human red cells.

Filter paper discs impregnated with spores are commonly used for testing various sterilising procedures. Kelsey (1961) and, more recently, Everall and Morris (1978) claimed that the quantitative recovery of spores from such discs was difficult, and the latter workers described a method of achieving it by means of a macerating machine. In this laboratory the task is accomplished by a simple hand shaking procedure, which takes 15 seconds or less. The following is an illustrative experiment. Antibiotic assay discs (Whatman, 6 mm) were inoculated with single drops of a dilute suspension of spores of Bacillus subtilis var globigii. The spores were suspended in distilled water and dispensed by a syringe-pipette (Annear, 1956), using drop volumes of 0-02 ml. The discs were dried at 56°C for 24 hours. Counts of the inoculum were made by delivering single drops into 20-ml volumes of 1/4 strength broth (Oxoid Nutrient Broth No. 2). Four drops (0-1 ml) of this suspension were spread on the surface of dried nutrient agar plates (Oxoid Blood Agar Base No. 2) for viable counts. The spores were recovered from a disc by shaking in 2 ml of eluent (1/4 strength broth) in a 20-ml screw-capped bottle together with about 10 small beads (3 mm diam). Vigorous shaking for 15 seconds or less resulted in maceration of the disc into a homogenous suspension of fine fibres. The volume was then made up to 20 ml, and within a minute or two the fibres had sedimented, leaving clear supernatant fluid. Counts were made from this fluid as for the inoculum. All plates were incubated at 37°C overnight. The results from duplicate plates of three sets of counts were as follows: Inoculum (1) 92, 62 (2) 71, 92 (3) 69, 94 Total = 480 Discs (1) 72, 66 (2) 68, 76 (3) 89, 87 Total = 458 Analysis of these figures reveals no significant difference between the inoculum and recovery (x2 = 0-52, p = 045); complete release and recovery of the spores has thus been demonstrated. Similar results were obtained from heavier inocula (100 x that reported above) of the same organism and also for heavy inocula of spores of Bacillus stearothermophilus. The factors, apart from shaking, that facilitate the ready liberation of the spores from the paper are the disparity of the container and eluent volumes during shaking, the use of beads, and, possibly, the surface active properties of the eluent. Microscopy may indicate organisms adhering to fibres, but the results here show that the adhesion is not a firm one and that the spores are homogeneously distributed throughout the eluting fluid and fine fibres after shaking.
Multilingual Term Extraction from Domain-specific Corpora Using Morphological Structure

Morphologically complex terms composed from Greek or Latin elements are frequent in scientific and technical texts. Word forming units are thus relevant cues for the identification of terms in domain-specific texts. This article describes a method for the automatic extraction of terms relying on the detection of classical prefixes and word-initial combining forms. Word-forming units are identified using a regular expression. The system then extracts terms by selecting words which either begin or coalesce with these elements. Next, terms are grouped in families which are displayed as a weighted list in HTML format.
Thermo-Physical Properties of Mould Flux Slags for Continuous Casting of Steel

Due to the high efficiency and productivity of continuous casting process, this method has been the most employed process to produce steel in past decades. The need to improve and optimize the finished product made it essential to gain more knowledge about the process, types of defects that may occur and the reasons for them. Moreover, the solutions for reducing the shortcomings in continuous casting process have been an intriguing subject to study. Many attempts have been done in order to reach this goal. Understanding, determining and optimizing the mould flux slag properties is especially important, since it plays an important and significant role in this process. For this, it is of outmost importance to acquire more knowledge about different properties of mould flux powders. Hence, there has been a world wide effort to measure and model the properties of mould flux properties, such as liquidus and solidus temperatures, heat capacity, enthalpy, thermal expansion, density, viscosity, electrical conductivity, surface tension and thermal conductivity. This thesis presents a brief review on continuous casting process, mould flux powder and its properties and characteristics. Furthermore, it focuses on the thermo-physical properties of mould fluxes. In present work, different industrial mould flux powders have been analyzed to measure their viscosity, break temperature, physical properties such as density, flowablity of powder, slag structure and chemical composition. The experimental data have been compared to some of the most commonly used models such as Riboud model, Urbain model, Iida model and KTH model.
Spectral phase-encoded time-spreading (SPECTS) optical code-division multiple access for terabit optical access networks

This paper discusses design, simulation, and experimental investigations of optical-code-division multiple-access (O-CDMA) networking using a spectral phase-encoded time spreading (SPECTS) method. O-CDMA technologies can potentially provide flexible access of optical bandwidths in excess of 1Tb/s without relying on wavelength- or time-division-multiplexing modules, provided that they overcome the interference caused by other users broadcasting over the same channel, called multiuser interference (MUI). This paper pursues theoretical and experimental methods to mitigate the MUI. Analysis shows that nonuniform phase coding can increase the orthogonality of the code set, thereby reducing the impact of the MUI. The experiment conducted in a SPECTS O-CDMA testbed incorporating a highly nonlinear thresholder demonstrated error-free operation for four users at 1.25-Gb/s/user and for two users at 10-Gb/s/user.
Approximate Natural Language Understanding for an Intelligent Tutor

Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS’s) have a rich history of helping students in certain scientific domains, like geometry, chemistry, aztd progranmdng. These domains are ideal for ITS’s, because they cazl bc easily represented and because the type of interaction between the student and the tutor can be limited to entering a few simple numbers, symbols, or ke)~’ords. Students need help in other areas, but without the ability to robustly understand a student’s input, ITS’s in these areas are inherently limited. Recently a tec-hnique ("ailed Latent Semantic Analysis has offered a corpus-based approach to understanding textual input which is not sensitive to errors in spelling or grammar -- in fact, it pays no attention to word order at all. We are using this technique as part of an ITS system which promotes learning using natural human-like dialogue between the human and the student. This paper describes the tutoring system and Latent Semantic Analysis, and how they operate together. Then it describes our evaluation of LSA’s performance by comparing its judgments with those of human raters.
Using game theory to configure P2P SIP

In this paper we propose a framework for the analysis of the security in peer-to-peer Session Initiation Protocol based infrastructures. The proposed approach defines a game theoretical model for both an attacker as well as the defender and uses the Nash equilibrium to derive optimal attack and defensive strategies for both entities. We address the specific threats related to SPam over Internet Telephony, flooding and non-cooperative behavior and assess defensive mechanisms based on thresholds and redundant retransmissions. The paper summarizes the main results based on extensive Monte-Carlo simulations of this game.
A generalized Young’s equation for contact angles of droplets on homogeneous and rough substrates

Using Gibbs’ method of dividing surfaces, the contact angle of a drop on a flat homogeneous rough non-deformable solid substrate is investigated. For this system, a new generalized Young’s equation for the contact angle, including the influences of line tension and which valid for any dividing surface between liquid phase and vapor phase is derived. Under some assumptions, this generalized Young’s equation reduces to the Wenzel’s equation or Rosanov’s equation valid for the surface of tension.
A taxonomy of suffix array construction algorithms

In 1990, Manber and Myers proposed suffix arrays as a space-saving alternative to suffix trees and described the first algorithms for suffix array construction and use. Since that time, and especially in the last few years, suffix array construction algorithms have proliferated in bewildering abundance. This survey paper attempts to provide simple high-level descriptions of these numerous algorithms that highlight both their distinctive features and their commonalities, while avoiding as much as possible the complexities of implementation details. New hybrid algorithms are also described. We provide comparisons of the algorithms' worst-case time complexity and use of additional space, together with results of recent experimental test runs on many of their implementations.
Block-median pyramidal transform: analysis and denoising applications

A nonlinear multiscale pyramidal transform based on nonoverlapping block decompositions using the median operation and a polynomial approximation is considered. It is shown that this structure can be useful for denoising of oneand two-dimensional (1-D and 2-D) signals. Various denoising techniques are analyzed, including methods based on spatially adaptive thresholding and partial cycle-spinning algorithms. An analytical method for deriving the distribution function of the transform coefficients is also presented. This, in turn, can be used for the selection of thresholds for denoising applications.
Variation in the Growth Traits and Wood Properties of Chinese Fir from Six Provinces of Southern China

To determine the phenotypic variation in 700 ten-year grafted Chinese fir collected from six provinces in southern China, 10 phenotypic traits were investigated: tree height, diameter at breast height, bark thickness, volume of timber, heartwood ratio, density of wood, hygroscopicity, tracheid length, tracheid diameter, and ratio of tracheid length to tracheid diameter. Abundant phenotypic variation was found among the six populations; the phenotypic variation coefficients all exceeded 10%, and the largest was for volume of timber. Significant variation (p < 0.01 or 0.05) in traits was found among the populations, except for diameter at breast height, heartwood ratio, and tracheid diameter, while all traits differed significantly (p < 0.01) within populations. The high value of repeatability (broad-sense heritability) suggested moderate genetic control of the traits. The 10 traits were strongly correlated within the entire population; strong positive correlations (p < 0.01) were observed between growth traits, and significant negative correlations (p < 0.01 or 0.05) were found between the density of wood and most other characteristics, except for heartwood ratio and ratio of tracheid length to tracheid diameter. Using diameter at breast height and density of wood as criteria, 98 relatively fast-growing genotypes with relatively high wood basic density were identified.
A conceptual model for digital forensic readiness

The ever-growing threats of fraud and security incidents present many challenges to law enforcement and organisations across the globe. This has given rise to the need for organisations to build effective incident management strategies, which will enhance the company's reactive capability to security incidents. The aim of this paper is to propose proactive activities an organisation can undertake in order to increase its ability to respond to security incidents and create a digitally forensic ready workplace environment. The study constitutes exploratory research, with the use of a systematic literature review as a basis to identify activities relating to a digitally forensic ready environment.While much has been written about how organisations can prepare to respond to security incidents, findings show an absence of a digital forensic readiness model. This paper concludes by presenting such a conceptual model. This study contributes to the greater body of knowledge on the design and implementation of a digital forensic readiness programme, aimed at maximising the use of digital evidence in an organisation.
Health care workers’ perceptions of point-of-care testing in a low-income country—A qualitative study in Southwestern Uganda

Background Point-of-care (POC) tests have become increasingly available and more widely used in recent years. They have been of particular importance to low-income settings, enabling them with clinical capacities that had previously been limited. POC testing programs hold a great potential for significant improvement in low-income health systems. However, as most POC tests are developed in high-income countries, disengagement between developers and end-users inhibit their full potential. This study explores perceptions of POC test end-users in a low-income setting, aiming to support the development of novel POC tests for low-income countries. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in Mbarara District, Southwestern Uganda, in October 2014. Fifty health care workers were included in seven focus groups, comprising midwives, laboratory technicians, clinical and medical officers, junior and senior nurses, and medical doctors. Discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded through a data-driven approach for qualitative content analysis. Results Nineteen different POC tests were identified as currently being in use. While participants displayed being widely accustomed to and appreciative of the use of POC tests, they also assessed the use and characteristics of current tests as imperfect. An ideal POC test was characterized as being adapted to local conditions, thoughtfully implemented in the specific health system, and capable of improving the care of patients. Tests for specific medical conditions were requested. Opinions differed with regard to the ideal distribution of POC tests in the local health system. Conclusion POC tests are commonly used and greatly appreciated in this study setting. However, there are dissatisfactions with current POC tests and their use. To maximize benefit, stakeholders need to include end-user perspectives in the development and implementation of POC tests. Insights from this study will influence our ongoing efforts to develop POC tests that will be particularly usable in low-income settings.
New concept of in-water surface cleaning robot

This paper introduces a new concept of flexible crawling mechanism to design an industrial underwater cleaning robot, which is evaluated from the viewpoint of the capability to work underwater, scanning the desired surface, and bearing the reactions. This can be used as a robotic application in underwater surface cleaning and maintenance. We designed a robot that realizes the motion by contraction and extraction using DC-motors and vacuum technology. In this study we first focused on realizing the adhesion, bearing reactions, and achieving a stable locomotion on the surface.
national assessment of green infrastructure and change for the conterminous nited States using morphological image processing ames

Green infrastructure is a popular framework for conservation planning. The main elements of green infrastructure are hubs and links. Hubs tend to be large areas of ‘natural’ vegetation and links tend to be linear features (e.g., streams) that connect hubs. Within the United States, green infrastructure projects can be characterized as: (1) reliant on classical geographic information system (GIS) techniques (e.g., overlay, buffering) for mapping; (2), mainly implemented by states and local jurisdictions; and (3) static assessments that do not routinely incorporate information on land-cover change. We introduce morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) as a complementary way to map green infrastructure, extend the geographic scope to the conterminous United States, and incorporate land-cover change information.
Optimized study of polarization technique — Imaging sensors

In today's smart world of people images are also gathering good hand in the field of technology. Image Processing is a compressed set of operation of different types of visualization and their virtual analysis. It supports multi-programmed processors, VPUs, and C-programmed generation. Polarization or called it as silicon polarised filters is the upcoming technique for creating the illusion of three-dimensional images by restricting the light that reaches each eye. The emerging concept of Polarization involves light, radiation, or magnetism moving in specific directions. It basically converts a beam of light of undefined or mixed polarization into a beam with well-defined polarization, polarized light. The motivate behind this paper is to analysis the various types of implemented algorithm and proposed optimized algorithm according to new innovative technology and also improving the clarity and recovery of colors in high definition colour-cromed images.
Laser materials processing in the Nordic countries

This article reviews the current state of laser materials processing in the Nordic countries. The effects of the recent recession are shown to have depressed machine tool investment in Europe, but the numbers of lasers continues to grow. Metal cutting is the predominate use for high–power carbon–dioxide lasers, although welding accounts for 20% of the carbon–dioxide lasers installed in the Nordic countries. Welding is predicted to be the fastest growing application area over the next few years for carbon–dioxide lasers. High–power Nd:YAG lasers are used predominately for welding.