Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relation between radio core length and black hole mass for active galactic nuclei

We explore the relation between the linear length of radio core and the central black hole mass for a sample of radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs). An empirical relation between the size of the broad line region (BLR) and optical luminosity is used to estimate the size of the BLR. The black hole mass is derived from Hβ linewidth and the radius of the BLR on the assumption that the clouds in BLRs are orbiting with Keplerian velocities. A significant intrinsic correlation is found between the linear length of the core and the black hole mass, which implies that the jet formation is closely related with the central black hole. We also find a strong correlation between the black hole mass and the core luminosity.
Serum Uric Acid Levels and Uric Acid/Creatinine Ratios in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients: Are These Parameters Efficient Predictors of Patients at Risk for Exacerbation and/or Severity of Disease?

Background Serum uric acid (sUA) levels were previously found to be correlated with hypoxic states. We aimed to determine the levels of sUA and sUA/creatinine ratios in stable COPD patients and to evaluate whether sUA level and sUA/creatinine ratio can be used as predictors of exacerbation risk and disease severity. Material/Methods This cross-sectional study included stable COPD patients and healthy controls. The sUA levels and sUA/creatinine ratios in each group were evaluated and their correlations with the study parameters were investigated. ROC analyses for exacerbation risk and disease severity were reported. Results The study included 110 stable COPD patients and 52 healthy controls. The mean sUA levels and sUA/creatinine ratios were significantly higher in patients with COPD compared to healthy controls. The most common comorbidities in COPD patients were hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease. While sUA levels were significantly higher in patients with hypertension (p=0.002) and malignancy (p=0.033), sUA/creatinine ratios was higher in patients with malignancy (p=0.004). The ROC analyses indicated that sUA/creatinine ratios can be more useful than sUA levels in predicting exacerbation risk (AUC, 0.586 vs. 0.426) and disease severity (AUC, 0.560 vs. 0.475) especially at higher cut-off values, but with low specificity. Conclusions Our study suggested that sUA levels and sUA/creatinine ratios increased in patients with stable COPD, especially among patients with certain comorbidities compared to healthy controls. At higher cut-off values, sUA levels and especially sUA/creatinine ratios, might be useful in predicting COPD exacerbation risk and disease severity. Also, their association with comorbidities, especially with malignancy and hypertension, may benefit from further investigation.
Apolipoprotein E4 Domain Interaction Occurs in Living Neuronal Cells as Determined by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer*

Apolipoprotein (apo) E4 is a major risk factor for Alzheimer disease. Although the mechanisms remain to be determined, the detrimental effects of apoE4 in neurobiology must be based on its unique structural and biophysical properties. One such property is domain interaction mediated by a salt bridge between Arg-61 in the N-terminal domain and Glu-255 in the C-terminal domain of apoE4. This interaction, which does not occur in apoE3 or apoE2, causes apoE4 to bind preferentially to certain lipoprotein particles in vitro and in vivo. Here we used fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to determine whether apoE4 domain interaction occurs in living neuronal cells. Neuro-2a cells were transfected with constructs encoding apoE3 or apoE4 in which yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) was fused to the N terminus, and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) was fused to the C terminus. To generate a FRET signal that can be detected by spectrum confocal microscopy, the labeled N and C termini must be in close proximity (<100 Å). FRET signals occurred in cells transfected with YFP-apoE4-CFP but not in those transfected with YFP-apoE3-CFP, suggesting that the N and C termini of apoE4 are in close proximity in living cells and that those of apoE3 are not. FRET signals did not occur in cells cotransfected with YFP-apoE4 and apoE4-CFP, suggesting that the FRET in YFP-apoE4-CFP-transfected cells was intramolecular. Mutation of Arg-61 to Thr or Glu-255 to Ala in apoE4, which disrupts domain interaction, abolished FRET in Neuro-2a cells, strongly suggesting that the FRET in YFP-apoE4-CFP cells was caused by domain interaction. ApoE4-producing cells secreted less phospholipid than apoE3-producing cells, but after disruption of domain interaction in apoE4, phospholipid secretion increased to the levels seen with apoE3, suggesting that domain interaction decreases the phospholipid-binding capacity of apoE4. Thus, apoE4 domain interaction occurs in living neuronal cells and may be a molecular basis for apoE4-related neurodegeneration.
Active Learning from Crowds

Obtaining labels can be expensive or time-consuming, but unlabeled data is often abundant and easier to obtain. Most learning tasks can be made more efficient, in terms of labeling cost, by intelligently choosing specific unlabeled instances to be labeled by an oracle. The general problem of optimally choosing these instances is known as active learning. As it is usually set in the context of supervised learning, active learning relies on a single oracle playing the role of a teacher. We focus on the multiple annotator scenario where an oracle, who knows the ground truth, no longer exists; instead, multiple labelers, with varying expertise, are available for querying. This paradigm posits new challenges to the active learning scenario. We can now ask which data sample should be labeled next and which annotator should be queried to benefit our learning model the most. In this paper, we employ a probabilistic model for learning from multiple annotators that can also learn the annotator expertise even when their expertise may not be consistently accurate across the task domain. We then focus on providing a criterion and formulation that allows us to select both a sample and the annotator/s to query the labels from.
Security Verification Techniques Applied to PatchLink COTS Software

Verification of the security of software artifacts is a challenging task. An integrated approach that combines verification techniques can increase the confidence in the security of software artifacts. Such an approach has been developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the University of California at Davis (UC Davis). Two security verification instruments were developed and then piloted on PatchLink's UNIX agent, a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software product, to assess the value of the instruments and the approach. The two instruments are the flexible modeling framework (FMF) - a model-based verification instrument (JPL), and a property-based tester (UC Davis). Security properties were formally specified for the COTS artifact and then verified using these instruments. The results were then reviewed to determine the effectiveness of the approach and the security of the COTS product
AR storyboard: an augmented reality based interactive storyboard authoring tool

In early stages of production, storyboards are used for visually describing the story and the script. In this paper, an augmented reality based storyboard-authoring tool is introduced. Proposed tool is easy-to-use, and provides intuitive interface for scene composition and camera pose/motion control. Using AR Storyboard, non-experienced users may compose 3D scenes for a Storyboard using interfaces in his/her real environments.
Development and multicenter evaluation of the N latex CDT direct immunonephelometric assay for serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin.

BACKGROUND Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is a promising biomarker of alcohol abuse. We describe the development and multicenter evaluation of N Latex CDT (Dade Behring), an automated, particle-enhanced, homogeneous immunonephelometric assay for directly determining CDT. METHODS N Latex CDT uses a monoclonal antibody that recognizes the structure of transferrin glycoforms lacking 1 or 2 complete N-glycans [i.e., disialo-, monosialo-, and asialotransferrins (CDT glycoforms)] in combination with a simultaneous assay for total transferrin. The Dade Behring BN II and BN ProSpec systems automatically calculate the CDT value as a percentage of total transferrin (%CDT). No preanalytical sample treatment is used. RESULTS Total imprecision values for serum pools containing 1.8%-8.7% CDT were 3.4%-10.4% (mean, 6.8%). The mean (SD) %CDT for 561 serum samples from healthy control individuals was 1.76% (0.27%; range, 1.01%-2.85%). No marked sex or age differences were noted. The 97.5th percentile was at 2.35%. Transferrin genetic variants did not interfere with measurements. High transferrin concentrations did not falsely increase %CDT values, but increased %CDT values were noted for some samples with transferrin concentrations <1.1 g/L. N Latex CDT results correlated with those of a commercial CDT immunoassay involving column separation (r(2) = 0.862) and an HPLC candidate reference method (r(2) = 0.978). CONCLUSION N Latex CDT is the first direct immunoassay for quantifying %CDT in serum. The specificity of N Latex CDT for identifying alcohol abuse may be higher than for immunoassays that use column separation, because transferrin genetic variants do not interfere with measurements.
Chinese characters recognition via Racah moments

With the development of the moment technology, the moment descriptors have been used in many applications in the field of object recognition. In recent years, discrete orthogonal moments have been studied and proposed in moment applications as features to characterize image shapes. In this paper, a set of Racah moment based feature vectors is proposed for a Chinese character recognition system. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed Racah moment feature vectors can effectively recognize Chinese characters, including the Chinese characters that have very similar structures and shapes.
Development of a Mobile Arm Support (Armon): Design Evolution and Preliminary User Experience

This paper regards three design iterations of a mobile arm support (Armon): the initial proof-of-concept version, the intermediate clinical-experimental version, and the present first-product version. This is done by comparing the mechanical architecture, features and specification on the one hand, and some user experiences with these successive devices on the other hand. Furthermore, several users report on their use of the device in activities of daily living.
A revised completeness result for the simply typed λμ-calculus using realizability semantics

In this paper, we correct some errors in [21]. We define a new realizability semantics for the simply typed λµ-calculus. We show that if a term is typable, then it inhabits the interpretation of its type. We also prove a completeness result of our realizability semantics using a particular term model.
Localization and function of a 5-HT transporter in crypt epithelia of the gastrointestinal tract

The peristaltic reflex can be evoked in the absence of input from the CNS because the responsible neural pathways are intrinsic to the intestine. Mucosal enterochromaffin cells have been postulated to be pressure transducers, which activate the intrinsic sensory neurons that initiate the reflex by secreting 5-HT. All of the criteria necessary to establish 5-HT as this transmitter have been fulfilled previously, except that no mucosal mechanism for 5-HT inactivation was known. In the current investigation, desensitization of 5-HT receptors was demonstrated to inhibit the peristaltic reflex in the guinea pig large intestine in vitro. At low concentration (1.0 nM), the 5-HT uptake inhibitor fluoxetine potentiated the reflex, but higher concentrations blocked it, suggesting that the peristaltic reflex depends on the 5-HT transporter-mediated inactivation of 5-HT. Specific (Na+ -dependent, fluoxetine-sensitive) uptake of 3H-5-HT by intestinal crypt epithelial cells was found by radioautography. mRNA encoding the neuronal 5-HT transporter was demonstrated in the intestinal mucosa by Northern analysis and located in crypt epithelial cells as well as in myenteric neurons by in situ hybridization. cDNA encoding the 5-HT transporter was cloned from the mucosa and completely sequenced. 5-HT transporter immunoreactivity was detected in crypt epithelial cells and enteric neurons. Mucosal epithelial cells thus express a plasmalemmal 5-HT transporter identical to that of serotonergic neurons. This molecule seems to play a critical role in the peristaltic reflex.
Decoupling Control Based on Dynamic Surface Control for MIMO Nonlinear Systems

A dynamic surface controller (DSC) is designed for a class of MIMO nonlinear systems. Firstly, the nonlinear system is transformed into a new system, which is viewed as a Parallel system composed of nominal system and its disturb system in induced by coupling, secondly, DSC are designed according to each system in ordered to synthesize the expectation control law, finally, ultimate control law is induced by the principle of least squares and Taylor series. Theoretical analysis gives the whole system stability.
An adaptive solar photovoltaic array reconfiguration method based on fuzzy control

As the complicated structure of the PV generation systems and variety of application environments, the mismatch and hot spot phenomena caused by partial shade or non-uniform illumination not only heavily affect the output characteristics of photovoltaic arrays, but also create safety and reliability problems. This paper proposes a self-adaptive reconfiguration method based on fuzzy control, introduces how to apply it to the photovoltaic power generation systems, and explains why fuzzy control based on the shading degree of PV arrays can quickly respond to the changes of external environments. The experimental results show when the partial shade phenomenon occurs, changing the connections of the solar PV submodules using switching matrix can quickly reduce the loss of output power.
18-Month Effectiveness of Short-Course Antiretroviral Regimens Combined with Alternatives to Breastfeeding to Prevent HIV Mother-to-Child Transmission

Objective We assessed the 18-month effectiveness of short-course (sc) antiretroviral peripartum regimens combined with alternatives to prolonged breastfeeding to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV-1 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Methodology HIV-1 infected pregnant women received from ≥32–36 weeks of gestation scZidovudine (ZDV)+/−Lamivudine (3TC)+single-dose Nevirapine (sdNVP) at delivery within the ANRS 1201/1202 DITRAME-Plus cohort (2001–2003). Neonates received a sdNVP+7-day ZDV prophylaxis. Two infant-feeding interventions were systematically offered free of charge: formula-feeding or exclusive shortened breastfeeding with early cessation from four months. The reference group was the ANRS 049a DITRAME cohort (1994–2000) exposed to scZDV from 36 weeks, then to prolonged breastfeeding. Pediatric HIV infection was defined by a positive plasma HIV-1 RNA at any age, or if aged ≥18 months, a positive HIV-1 serology. Turnbull estimates of cumulative transmission risks (CTR) and effectiveness (HIV-free survival) were compared by exposure group using a Cox model. Findings Among 926 live-born children enrolled, 107 (11.6%) were HIV-infected at 18 months. CTRs were 22.3% (95% confidence interval[CI]:16–30%) in the 238 ZDV long-term breastfed reference group, 15.9% (CI:10–27%) in the 169 ZDV+sdNVP shortened breastfed group; 9.4% (CI:6–14%) in the 195 ZDV+sdNVP formula-fed group; 6.8% (CI:4–11%) in the 198 ZDV+3TC+sdNVP shortened breastfed group, and 5.6% (CI:2–10%) in the 126 ZDV+3TC+sdNVP formula-fed group. Each combination had a significantly higher effectiveness than the ZDV long-term breastfed group except for ZDV+sdNVP shortened breastfed children, ranging from 51% (CI:20–70%) for ZDV+sdNVP formula fed children to 63% (CI:40–80%) for ZDV+3TC+NVPsd shortened breastfed children, after adjustment for maternal eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART), home delivery and low birth-weight. Substantial MTCT risk reductions are reachable in Africa, even in short-term breastfed children. The two sc antiretroviral combinations associated to any of the two infant feeding interventions, formula-feeding and shortened breastfeeding, reduce significantly MTCT with long-term benefit until age 18 months and without increasing mortality.
Validation of a Modified Early Warning Score (Mews) in Emergency Department Observation Ward Patients

Objective The Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) is a simple physiological scoring system, which can easily be applied at the bedside. The ability of MEWS to identify patients at risk of deterioration in a busy ward was investigated. Method In a prospective cohort study, we applied MEWS to patients admitted to the 16-bed emergency department observation ward (EDOW) of a tertiary teaching hospital. Results Data on 427 consecutive EDOW admissions were collected from 7 June to 4 July 2004. Main outcome measures were death, intensive care unit (ICU) admission and inpatient hospital admission. Scores of > 4 were associated with increased risk of death (OR 54.4, 95% CI = 4.7–633.7), ICU admission (OR 12.7, 95% CI = 1.1–147.3) and hospital admission (OR 9.5, 95% CI = 3.3–27.9). Conclusion MEWS is suitable for bedside application in an EDOW setting and may help identify patients at risk of deterioration who require increased levels of care as hospital inpatients and in ICU. Where experienced staff is not available to closely monitor patients in an EDOW, the use of the MEWS system may aid close monitoring and identification of high-risk patients.
© 2013Samuel J. Rivera ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY INDICATORS THROUGH TEXT MINING: A FEASIBILITY DEMONSTRATION BY SAMUEL J. RIVERA THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Civil Engineering

Sustainability indicators are metrics that are used to assess and track sustainable development, such as the number of people living in poverty or the conservation status of endangered species. Defining sustainability indicators is challenging because the studies are often expensive and time consuming, the resulting indicators are difficult to track, and they usually have limited social input and acceptance, which is a critical element of the social component of sustainability. The central premise of this work is to explore the feasibility of identifying, tracking and reporting sustainability indicators by analyzing unstructured digital news articles with text mining methods. Using San Mateo County, California, as a case study, a non-mutually exclusive supervised classification algorithm with natural language processing techniques is applied to analyze sustainability content in news articles and compare the results with annual sustainability indicator reports created by Sustainable San Mateo County (SSMC) using traditional methods. The results showed that the text mining approach could identify all of the indicators highlighted as important in the SSMC reports and the method has potential for identifying region-specific sustainability indicators, as well as providing insights on the underlying causes of sustainability problems. Some chronic problems that are considered less newsworthy proved more difficult to track with news articles and may be better monitored using other types of online media, such as blogs and reports. Such use of online media can improve the incorporation of society's values in the process of selecting and tracking the indicators, a component that had been missing in previous approaches. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A Sensitive Search for Methane in the Infrared Spectrum of τ Bootis

We have searched for a methane signature in the infrared spectrum of τ Bootis, produced by the planetary companion. The observations comprise 598 low-noise (signal-to-noise ratio ~100), high-resolution (λ/δλ = 4 × 104) spectra near 3044 cm-1, which we analyze by cross-correlating with a modeled planetary spectrum based on the work of Burrows & Sharp and Sudarsky, Burrows, & Pinto. The 3 σ random noise level of our analysis is ~ 5 × 10-5 stellar continuum flux units, and the confusion noise limit—measuring the resemblance of a cross-correlation feature to the spectrum of methane—is ~ 2.5 × 10-4. We find a significant cross-correlation amplitude of ~ 3.3 × 10-4 continuum units at a velocity near that of the star. This is likely due to methane from a low-mass companion in a long-period orbit. Fischer, Butler, & Marcy report a long-term velocity drift indicative of such a companion. But the system is known to be a visual binary with an eccentric orbit and is rapidly approaching periastron. Whether the visual companion can account for our observations and the Fischer et al. velocity drift depends on knowing the orbit more precisely. The stability of planetary orbits in this system also depends crucially on the properties of the binary orbit. A second cross-correlation feature, weaker and much more diffuse, has intensity amplitude ~ 2 × 10-4 continuum units and occurs at a velocity amplitude of 71(±10) km s-1, in agreement with the orbit claimed for the planet by Cameron et al. Like the first feature, it has passed several tests designed to reject systematic errors. We discuss the possibility that this second feature is due to the planet.
Probabilistic model-based clustering of complex data

In many emerging data mining applications, one needs to cluster complex data such as very high-dimensional sparse text documents and continuous or discrete time sequences. Probabilistic model-based clustering techniques have shown promising results in many such applications. For real-valued low-dimensional vector data, Gaussian models have been frequently used. For very high-dimensional vector and non-vector data, model-based clustering is a natural choice when it is difficult to extract good features or identify an appropriate measure of similarity between pairs of data objects. This dissertation presents a unified framework for model-based clustering based on a bipartite graph view of data and models. The framework includes an information-theoretic analysis of model-based partitional clustering from a deter ministic annealing point of view and a view of model-based hierarchical clustering that leads to several useful extensions. The framework is used to develop two new variations of model-based clustering—a balanced model-based partitional clustering algorithm that produces clusters of comparable sizes and a hybrid model-based clustering approach that combines the advantages of partitional and hierarchical model-based algorithms. I apply the framework and new clustering algorithms to cluster several distinct types of complex data, ranging from arbitrary-shaped 2-D synthetic data to high dimensional documents, EEG time series, and gene expression time sequences. The empirical results demonstrate the usefulness of the scalable, balanced model-based clustering algorithms, as well as the benefits of the hybrid model-based clustering approach. They also showcase the generality of the proposed clustering framework.
An experiment in integrated exploration

Integrated exploration strategy advocated in this paper refers to a tight coupling between the tasks of localization, mapping, and motion control and the effect of this. coupling on the overall effectiveness of an exploration strategy. Our approach to exploration calls for a balanced evaluation of alternative motion actions from the point of view of information gain, localization quality, and navigation cost. To provide a uniform basis of comparison of localization quality between different locations, a "localizability" metric is introduced. It is based on the estimate of the lowest vehicle pose covariance attainable from a given location.