Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Searching on the Web (poster abstract): two types of expertise

Efforts to improve Web search faciliti es call for improved understanding of user characteristics. We investigated the types of knowledge that are relevant for web-based information seeking, along with the knowledge structures and related strategies. In an exploratory field experiment, 12 establi shed Internet experts were first interviewed about search strategies and then performed a series of reali stic search tasks on the WWW. Based on this preliminary study a model of information searching on the WWW was derived and tested in a second study. In the second experiment two classes of potentiall y relevant types of knowledge were directly compared. Using a series of search tasks in an economics-related domain (introduction of the EURO currency) we investigated the effects of Web experience and domain-specific background knowledge on search strategies. We found independent and combined effects of both Web experience and domain knowledge, hinting at the importance of considering both types of expertise as cogniti ve factors in web-based searches.
INFORMATION EXCHANGE BETWEEN PAIRS OF SPIKE TRAINSIN THE MAMMALIAN VISUAL

We have studied the neural ring patterns of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their target lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) cells. Reliable information transmission coexists with fractal uctuations which appear in RGC and LGN ring patterns. Unexpectedly , these uctuations appear not to be independent across LGN cells; information is also shared among pairs of LGN spike trains. Over short time scales, we nd that clusters of spikes in the RGC neural ring pattern appear at the LGN output essentially unchanged, while isolated RGC ring events are more likely to be eliminated; thus the LGN action-potential sequence is not simply a randomly deleted version of the RGC spike train. Employing information-theoretic techniques, we estimate the information eeciency of the LGN neuronal output | the proportion of the variation in the LGN ring pattern that carries information about its associated RGC input | to be in the vicinity of 50% over counting windows below about 10 ms. We develop a new information-theoretic measure which helps determine at what time scale a neural spike train changes from a time code to a rate code.
A Novel Anti-CEACAM5 Monoclonal Antibody, CC4, Suppresses Colorectal Tumor Growth and Enhances NK Cells-Mediated Tumor Immunity

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA, CEACAM5, and CD66e) has been found to be associated with various types of cancers, particularly colorectal carcinoma, and developed to be a molecular target for cancer diagnosis and therapy. In present study, we generated a novel anti-CEACAM5 monoclonal antibody, namely mAb CC4, by immunizing mice with living colorectal cancer LS174T cells. Immunohistochemical studies found that mAb CC4 specifically and strongly binds to tumor tissues, especially colorectal adenocarcinoma. In xenografted mice, mAb CC4 is specifically accumulated in tumor site and remarkably represses colorectal tumor growth. In vitro functional analysis showed that mAb CC4 significantly suppresses cell proliferation, migration and aggregation of colorectal cancer cells and also raises strong ADCC reaction. More interestingly, mAb CC4 is able to enhance NK cytotoxicity against MHC-I-deficient colorectal cancer cells by blocking intercellular interaction between epithelial CEACAM5 and NK inhibitory receptor CEACAM1. These data suggest that mAb CC4 has the potential to be developed as a novel tumor-targeting carrier and cancer therapeutic.
Learning Dynamic Classes of Events using Stacked Multilayer Perceptron Networks

People often use a web search engine to find information about events of interest, for example, sport competitions, political elections, festivals and entertainment news. In this paper, we study a problem of detecting event-related queries, which is the first step before selecting a suitable time-aware retrieval model. In general, event-related information needs can be observed in query streams through various temporal patterns of user search behavior, e.g., spiky peaks for popular events, and periodicities for repetitive events. However, it is also common that users search for non-popular events, which may not exhibit temporal variations in query streams, e.g., past events recently occurred, historical events triggered by anniversaries or similar events, and future events anticipated to happen. To address the challenge of detecting dynamic classes of events, we propose a novel deep learning model to classify a given query into a predetermined set of multiple event types. Our proposed model, a Stacked Multilayer Perceptron (S-MLP) network, consists of multilayer perceptron used as a basic learning unit. We assemble stacked units to further learn complex relationships between neutrons in successive layers. To evaluate our proposed model, we conduct experiments using real-world queries and a set of manually created ground truth. Preliminary results have shown that our proposed deep learning model outperforms the state-of-the-art classification models significantly.
Multiparty quantum coin flipping

We investigate coin-flipping protocols for multiple parties in a quantum broadcast setting: (1) we propose and motivate a definition for quantum broadcast. Our model of quantum broadcast channel is new. (2) We discovered that quantum broadcast is essentially a combination of pairwise quantum channels and a classical broadcast channel. This is a somewhat surprising conclusion, but helps us in both our lower and upper bounds. (3) We provide tight upper and lower bounds on the optimal bias /spl epsiv/ of a coin which can be flipped by k parties of which exactly g parties are honest: for any 1 /spl les/ g /spl les/ k, /spl epsiv/ = 1/2 - /spl Theta/ (g/k). Thus, as long as a constant fraction of the players are honest, they can prevent the coin from being fixed with at least a constant probability. This result stands in sharp contrast with the classical setting, where no non-trivial coin-flipping is possible when g /spl les/ k/2.
Hardness as randomness: a survey of universal derandomization

We survey recent developments in the study of probabilistic complexity classes. While the evidence seems to support the conjecture that probabilism can be deterministic ally simulated with relatively low overhead, i.e., that P = BPP, it also indicates that this may be a difficult question to resolve. In fact, proving that probalistic algorithms have non-trivial deterministic simulations is basically equivalent to proving circuit lower bounds, either in the algebraic or Boolean models.
Controllable growth of NbTe4 micro/nanostructures on Nb substrates and their field-emission performance

Single-crystalline NbTe4 microcone, microplate, and nanorod arrays were grown on Nb substrates by a surface-assisted chemical-vapor-transport under different conditions. The microcones are composed of small and large cones with a bending top. The small cones have a top diameter of about 0.2 µm, a bottom diameter of about 1.2 µm, and a length up to approx. 7.7 µm. The large cones originate from self-assembled small cones. The microplates mostly stand on Nb foils, with a diameter of about 2–3 µm and a thickness from 50 to 250 nm. The nanorods have a rectangle section of 250 × 150 to 250 × 250 nm2 or a triangle section with a side of about 250 nm, and a length up to 4.5 µm, partly standing on the substrates. Their growth mechanisms are briefly discussed. Field-emission experiments showed that the three micro/nanostructures have a notable emission current, and their turn-on fields (defined as the electric field required to produce a current density of 10 µA cm−2) are 4.7, 2.0, and 1.9 V µm−1, respectively, suggesting their potential application in electron emission devices.
Valence Induction with a Head-Lexicalized PCFG

Introduction Either directly or indirectly, the lexicon for a natural language specifies complementation frames or valences for open-class words such as verbs and nouns. Constructing a lexicon of complementation fram<:~s for larg<-'! vocabularies constitutes a challenge of scale, with the further complication that frame usage, like vocabulary, varies with genre and undergoes ongoing: innovation in a living language. This paper addresses this problem by means of a learning tech·· niquc baswi on probabilistic lexicalized context free grammars and the expectation-maximi~";ation (EM) algorithm. Given a hand-written grammar and a text corpus, frequencies of a head word accompanied by a frame are estimated using the inside-outside algorithm, and such frequencies are used to compute probability para.meters characterizing subcategorization. The procedure can be iterated for improved models. \Nc show that the scheme is practical for large vocabularies and accurate enough to capture differences in usage, such as those characteristic of different domains.
SOGOS - A Distributed Meta Level Architecture for the Self-Organizing Grid of Services

Handling highly dynamic scenarios as they arise in emergency situations requires lots of semantic information about the situation and an extremely flexible, selforganizing IT infrastructure that provides services that can be used to manage the situation. We show that a distributed meta level architecture is particularly suited for the implementation of such a self-organizing grid of services. This architecture (SOGOS) distinguishes between an object level and a meta level. The middleware processes of the grid are running on the object level. The meta level defines an explicitly and declaratively represented dynamic meta model that provides the semantics for the object level processes. Additionally, this level runs processes that plan, supervise and control mobile agents on the object level. The levels are linked together by reflection processes that ensure that relevant changes on the object level are reflected in the meta model and vice versa. The corresponding reflection principles provide the basis for the implementation of the selforganizing mechanisms that govern the overall system.
Mycolic Acid Analysis by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography for Identification of Mycobacterium Species

SUMMARY Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the etiologic agent of tuberculosis and can be accurately detected by laboratories using commercial genetic tests. Nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) causing other mycobacterioses can be difficult to identify. The identification processes are confounded by an increasing diversity of newly characterized NTM species. The ubiquitous nature of NTM, combined with their potential to be opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised as well as nonimmunodeficient patients, further complicates the problem of their identification. Since clinical case management varies depending on the etiologic agent, laboratories must identify the species in a timely manner. However, only a few identification methods can detect the species diversity within the Mycobacterium genus. Over the last decade, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the mycolic acids has become an accepted method for identification of mycobacteria. In this review, we assess its development and usefulness as an identification technique for Mycobacterium species.
The desmoplakin carboxyl terminus coaligns with and specifically disrupts intermediate filament networks when expressed in cultured cells

Specific interactions between desmoplakins I and II (DP I and II) and other desmosomal or cytoskeletal molecules have been difficult to determine in part because of the complexity and insolubility of the desmosome and its constituents. We have used a molecular genetic approach to investigate the role that DP I and II may play in the association of the desmosomal plaque with cytoplasmic intermediate filaments (IF). A series of mammalian expression vectors encoding specific predicted domains of DP I were transiently expressed in cultured cells that form (COS-7) and do not form (NIH-3T3) desmosomes. Sequence encoding a small antigenic peptide was added to the 3' end of each mutant DP cDNA to facilitate immunolocalization of mutant DP protein. Light and electron microscopical observations revealed that DP polypeptides including the 90-kD carboxy-terminal globular domain of DP I specifically colocalized with and ultimately resulted in the complete disruption of IF in both cell lines. This effect was specific for IF as microtubule and microfilament networks were unaltered. This effect was also specific for the carboxyl terminus of DP, as the expression of the 95-kD rod domain of DP I did not visibly alter IF networks. Immunogold localization of COS-7 cells transfected with constructs including the carboxyl terminus of DP demonstrated an accumulation of mutant protein in perinuclear aggregates within which IF subunits were sequestered. These results suggest a role for the DP carboxyl terminus in the attachment of IF to the desmosome in either a direct or indirect manner.
Practical LEEPL masks for sub-65-nm node

We manufactured LEEPL masks for 65-nm node and evaluated the masks for the critical dimension (CD), image placement (IP) and defects. Although the CD uniformity was 8.0 nm (3σ), an improvement is promising by resist upgrading. The CD linearity was within 5 nm (3σ) through the range of 80- to 300-nm width and the 65-nm hole patterns were successfully resolved. The local and global IP errors obtained were 23.2/16.4 nm and 8.76/6.66 nm (in the x/y directions), respectively. A defect inspection was conducted and detected defects were classified. Most of the defects were miss-placement and miss-size, which seemed to be non-killer defects. On the other hands, foreign materials that must be killer defects were analyzed using energy dispersion X-ray (EDX) and found that they consist of Si. Si fragments mainly came from strut walls and by employing new backside-etching conditions, we improved roughness of strut walls. As a result, no closed defects were detected.
Ca2+-dependent Inactivation of a Store-operated Ca2+ Current in Human Submandibular Gland Cells

Stimulation of human submandibular gland cells with carbachol, inositol trisphosphate (IP3), thapsigargin, or tert-butylhydroxyquinone induced an inward current that was sensitive to external Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+] e ) and was also carried by external Na+ or Ba2+ (in a Ca2+-free medium) with amplitudes in the order Ca2+ > Ba2+ > Na+. All cation currents were blocked by La3+and Gd3+ but not by Zn2+. The IP3-stimulated current with 10 μm3-deoxy-3-fluoro-d-myo-inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate and 10 mm1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid in the pipette solution, showed 50% inactivation in <5 min and >5 min with 10 and 1 mm [Ca2+] e , respectively. The Na+ current was not inactivated, whereas the Ba2+ current inactivated at a slower rate. The protein kinase inhibitor, staurosporine, delayed the inactivation and increased the amplitude of the current, whereas the protein Ser/Thr phosphatase inhibitor, calyculin A, reduced the current. Thapsigargin- andtert-butylhydroxyquinone-stimulated Ca2+currents inactivated faster. Importantly, these agents accelerated the inactivation of the IP3-stimulated current. The data demonstrate that internal Ca2+ store depletion-activated Ca2+ current (ISOC) in this salivary cell line is regulated by a Ca2+-dependent feedback mechanism involving a staurosporine-sensitive protein kinase and the intracellular Ca2+ pump. We suggest that the Ca2+ pump modulates ISOC by regulating [Ca2+] i in the region of Ca2+influx.
Predtron: A Family of Online Algorithms for General Prediction Problems

Modern prediction problems arising in multilabel learning and learning to rank pose unique challenges to the classical theory of supervised learning. These problems have large prediction and label spaces of a combinatorial nature and involve sophisticated loss functions. We offer a general framework to derive mistake driven online algorithms and associated loss bounds. The key ingredients in our framework are a general loss function, a general vector space representation of predictions, and a notion of margin with respect to a general norm. Our general algorithm, Predtron, yields the perceptron algorithm and its variants when instantiated on classic problems such as binary classification, multiclass classification, ordinal regression, and multilabel classification. For multilabel ranking and subset ranking, we derive novel algorithms, notions of margins, and loss bounds. A simulation study confirms the behavior predicted by our bounds and demonstrates the flexibility of the design choices in our framework.
A self-organized, fault-tolerant and scalable replication scheme for cloud storage

Failures of any type are common in current datacenters, partly due to the higher scales of the data stored. As data scales up, its availability becomes more complex, while different availability levels per application or per data item may be required. In this paper, we propose a self-managed key-value store that dynamically allocates the resources of a data cloud to several applications in a cost-efficient and fair way. Our approach offers and dynamically maintains multiple differentiated availability guarantees to each different application despite failures. We employ a virtual economy, where each data partition (i.e. a key range in a consistent-hashing space) acts as an individual optimizer and chooses whether to migrate, replicate or remove itself based on net benefit maximization regarding the utility offered by the partition and its storage and maintenance cost. As proved by a game-theoretical model, no migrations or replications occur in the system at equilibrium, which is soon reached when the query load and the used storage are stable. Moreover, by means of extensive simulation experiments, we have proved that our approach dynamically finds the optimal resource allocation that balances the query processing overhead and satisfies the availability objectives in a cost-efficient way for different query rates and storage requirements. Finally, we have implemented a fully working prototype of our approach that clearly demonstrates its applicability in real settings.
Changes in the Arabidopsis thaliana Proteome Implicate cAMP in Biotic and Abiotic Stress Responses and Changes in Energy Metabolism

The second messenger 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is increasingly recognized as having many different roles in plant responses to environmental stimuli. To gain further insights into these roles, Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension culture was treated with 100 nM of cell permeant 8-bromo-cAMP for 5 or 10 min. Here, applying mass spectrometry and comparative proteomics, 20 proteins were identified as differentially expressed and we noted a specific bias in proteins with a role in abiotic stress, particularly cold and salinity, biotic stress as well as proteins with a role in glycolysis. These findings suggest that cAMP is sufficient to elicit specific stress responses that may in turn induce complex changes to cellular energy homeostasis.
Optimal Linear Precoding Strategies for Wideband Non-Cooperative Systems Based on Game Theory—Part II: Algorithms

In this two-part paper, we address the problem of finding the optimal precoding/multiplexing scheme for a set of noncooperative links sharing the same physical resources, e.g., time and bandwidth. We consider two alternative optimization problems: P.l) the maximization of mutual information on each link, given constraints on the transmit power and spectral mask; and P.2) the maximization of the transmission rate on each link, using finite-order constellations, under the same constraints as in P.l, plus a constraint on the maximum average error probability on each link. Aiming at finding decentralized strategies, we adopted as optimality criterion the achievement of a Nash equilibrium and thus we formulated both problems P.l and P.2 as strategic noncooperative (matrix-valued) games. In Part I of this two-part paper, after deriving the optimal structure of the linear transceivers for both games, we provided a unified set of sufficient conditions that guarantee the uniqueness of the Nash equilibrium. In this Part II of the paper, we focus on the achievement of the equilibrium and propose alternative distributed iterative algorithms that solve both games. Specifically, the new proposed algorithms are the following: 1) the sequential and simultaneous iterative waterfilling-based algorithms, incorporating spectral mask constraints and 2) the sequential and simultaneous gradient-projection-based algorithms, establishing an interesting link with variational inequality problems. Our main contribution is to provide sufficient conditions for the global convergence of all the proposed algorithms which, although derived under stronger constraints, incorporating for example spectral mask constraints, have a broader validity than the convergence conditions known in the current literature for the sequential iterative waterfilling algorithm.
Digital Simulation of DC Links and AC Machines

This paper discusses the digital simulation of HVDC transmission and ac machines by an electromagnetic transients computer program. Ease in interfacing user written control system models with the network solution is presented along with discussion of means to simplify dc valve group representation in simulation. A working digital simulator has been developed enabling flexible in-house studies to be undertaken. Test results of its performance are presented.
H7N9 T-cell epitopes that mimic human sequences are less immunogenic and may induce Treg-mediated tolerance

Avian-origin H7N9 influenza is a novel influenza A virus (IAV) that emerged in humans in China in 2013. Using immunoinformatics tools, we identified several H7N9 T cell epitopes with T cell receptor (TCR)-facing residues identical to those of multiple epitopes from human proteins. We hypothesized that host tolerance to these peptides may impair T helper response and contribute to the low titer, weak hemagglutination inhibiting (HI) antibody responses and diminished seroconversion rates that have been observed in human H7N9 infections and vaccine trials. We found that the magnitude of human T effector responses to individual H7N9 peptides was inversely correlated with the peptide's resemblance to self. Furthermore, a promiscuous T cell epitope from the hemagglutinin (HA) protein suppressed responses to other H7N9 peptides when co-administered in vitro. Along with other highly ‘human-like’ peptides from H7N9, this peptide was also shown to expand FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs). Thus, H7N9 may be camouflaged from effective human immune response by T cell epitope sequences that avert or regulate effector T cell responses through host tolerance.
Efficient computation of the characteristic polynomial

We deal with the computation of the characteristic polynomial of dense matrices over word size finite fields and over the integers. We first present two algorithms for finite fields: one is based on Krylov iterates and Gaussian elimination. We compare it to an improvement of the second algorithm of Keller-Gehrig. Then we show that a generalization of Keller-Gehrig's third algorithm could improve both complexity and computational time. We use these results as a basis for the computation of the characteristic polynomial of integer matrices. We first use early termination and Chinese remaindering for dense matrices. Then a probabilistic approach, based on integer minimal polynomial and Hensel factorization, is particularly well suited to sparse and/or structured matrices.