Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parallel join executions in RAMCloud

Modern large-scale storage systems provide not only storage capacity, but also processing power. When such a storage system serves as persistence for a database application, it is desirable to utilize its processing power for supporting query execution. In this paper, we evaluate the parallel execution of join operations in Stanford's RAMCloud which is a DRAM-based storage system connected via RDMA-enabled network adapters. We a) provide a system model to derive the execution costs for the Grace Join, the Distributed Block Nested Loop Join, and the Cyclo Join algorithm and their corresponding implementations in RAMCloud. We describe b) how the execution time for a single join operation depends on factors such as relation sizes, numbers of nodes used for a join, and the chosen algorithm. We finally introduce and evaluate c) a set of heuristics for parameterizing the execution of many join operations in parallel with the goal of maximizing the throughput.
Nonhomogeneous nilpotent approximations for nonholonomic systems with singularities

Nilpotent approximations are a useful tool for analyzing and controlling systems whose tangent linearization does not preserve controllability, such as nonholonomic mechanisms. However, conventional homogeneous approximations exhibit a drawback: in the neighborhood of singular points (where the system growth vector is not constant) the vector fields of the approximate dynamics do not vary continuously with the approximation point. The geometric counterpart of this situation is that the sub-Riemannian distance estimate provided by the classical Ball-Box Theorem is not uniform at singular points. With reference to a specific family of driftless systems, we show how to build a nonhomogeneous nilpotent approximation whose vector fields vary continuously around singular points. It is also proven that the privileged coordinates associated to such an approximation provide a uniform estimate of the distance.
A progress report on the carbon dominated atmosphere white dwarfs

Recently, Dufour et al. (2007) reported the unexpected discovery that a few white dwarfs found in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey had an atmosphere dominated by carbon with little or no trace of hydrogen and helium. Here we present a progress report on these new objects based on new high signal-to-noise follow-up spectroscopic observations obtained at the 6.5m MMT telescope on Mount Hopkins, Arizona.
Loge: A Self-Organizing Disk Controller

While the task of organizing data on the disk has traditionally been performed by the file system, the disk controller is in many respects better suited to the task. In this paper, we describe Loge, a disk controller that uses internal indirection, accurate physical information, and reliable metadata storage to improve I/O performance. Our simulations show that Loge improves overall disk performance, doubles write performance, and can, in some cases, improve read performance. The Loge disk controller operates through standard device interfaces, enabling it to be used on standard systems without software modification. onlycraft and cunningwill seNe, such as Logeartfullyprovides. RichardWagner, Das Rheingold, Scene1/
Modeling and motion stability analysis of skid-steered mobile robots

Skid-steered mobile robots are widely used because of the simplicity of mechanism and high reliability. However, understanding of the kinematics and dynamics of such a robotic platform is challenging due to the complex wheel/ground interactions and kinematic constraints. In this paper, we attempt to develop a kinematic and dynamic modeling scheme to analyze the skid-steered mobile robot. We model wheel/ground interaction and analyze the robot motion stability. As an application example, we present how to utilize the kinematic and dynamic modeling and analysis for robot localization and slip estimation using only low-cost strapdown inertial measurement units (IMU). The extended Kalman filter (EKF)-based localization scheme incorporates the kinematic constraints. The performance of the EKF-based localization and slip estimation scheme are presented. The estimation methodology is tested and validated on a robotic testbed.
Maximum likelihood motion estimation in ultrasound image sequences

Maximum likelihood (ML) techniques are defined for optimum block matching to enable motion estimation sequences of ultrasound B-mode images. Such motion estimation is needed as a diagnostic tool in medical use of ultrasound imagery. It is also needed for the efficient compression of sequences of ultrasound images. The novel ML block matching techniques correspond to accurate statistical descriptions of ultrasound images, and are evaluated experimentally using sequences of transesophageal ultrasound images of the heart.
Comparative analysis of various Matrix Pencil methods for direction of arrival estimation

The Matrix Pencil (MP) method is a direct data domain method that can be used to estimate direction of arrivals (DOA) of coherent or non-coherent signals from a single snapshot of a uniform linear array (ULA). Recently, many variants of MP method have been proposed including Unitary Matrix Pencil (UMP), Single invariance Beamspace Matrix Pencil (SBMP) and Multiple invariance Beamspace Matrix Pencil(MBMP) methods. The main objective of this paper is to compare these algorithms with respect to computational complexity and estimation accuracy. It is shown through computer simulations that although all these methods give comparable performance in terms of average root mean square error of estimated DOA, there is a significant difference in their computational complexity.
Explicit formula for generalization of poly-Bernoulli numbers and polynomials with a,b,c parameters

In this paper we investigate special generalized Bernoulli polynomials with a,b,c parameters that generalize classical Bernoulli numbers and polynomials. The present paper deals with some recurrence formulae for the generalization of poly-Bernoulli numbers and polynomials with a,b,c parameters. Poly-Bernoulli numbers satisfy certain recurrence relationships which are used in many computations involving poly-Bernoulli numbers. Obtaining a closed formula for generalization of poly-Bernoulli numbers with a,b,c paramerers therefore seems to be a natural and important problem. By using the generalization of poly-Bernoulli polynomials with a,b,c parameters of negative index we define symmetrized generalization of poly-Bernoulli polynomials with a,b parameters of two variables and we prove duality property for them. Also by stirling numbers of the second kind we will find a closed formula for them. Furthermore we generalize the Arakawa-Kaneko Zeta functions and by using the Laplace-Mellin integral, we define generalization of Arakawa-Kaneko Zeta functions with a,b parameters and we obtain an interpolation formula for the generalization of poly-Bernoulli numbers and polynomials with a,b parameters. Furthermore we present a link between this type of Zeta functions and Dirichlet series. By our interpolation formula, we will interpolate the generalization of Arakawa-Kaneko Zeta functions with a,b parameters.
A Miniaturized Microfluidically Reconfigurable Coplanar Waveguide Bandpass Filter With Maximum Power Handling of 10 Watts

In this paper, a microfluidically reconfigurable coplanar waveguide (CPW) filter is presented with a tuning range of ~ 1.6:1 and four different states. The passband frequency of the filter is changed based on employing the capacitive loading effect of a liquid metal placed on top of each CPW resonator using three parallel micro-channels. In addition, because of the loading effect of the metal bridges, miniaturization by a factor of 40% is achieved. The filter is digitally tuned from 3.4 to 5.5 GHz with an insertion loss of less than 5.0 dB and a relative bandwidth of 5 ± 0.35%. The RF power-handling capability of the filter is characterized using a customized measurement setup. It is observed that the filter can be used for input RF powers of up to ~ 20 W for short-duration excitation conditions and 10 W for high-average-power excitation conditions. The filter is realized using common printed circuit board technology and a polydimethylsiloxane structure. Design methodology, simulation, and measurement results of the filter prototype are presented.
Double Topic Shifts in Open Domain Conversations: Natural Language Interface for a Wikipedia-based Robot Application

The paper describes topic shifting in dialogues with a robot that provides information from Wiki-pedia. The work focuses on a double topical construction of dialogue coherence which refers to discourse coherence on two levels: the evolution of dialogue topics via the interaction between the user and the robot system, and the creation of discourse topics via the content of the Wiki-pedia article itself. The user selects topics that are of interest to her, and the system builds a list of potential topics, anticipated to be the next topic, by the links in the article and by the keywords extracted from the article. The described system deals with Wikipedia articles, but could easily be adapted to other digital information providing systems.
Putty-Putty, Two Sector, Vintage Capital Growth Models

Most growth models assume capital is homogeneous with regard to technology. This contradicts intuition and empirical evidence that the majority of technology is embodied in the capital stock. Berger (2001) showed that neoclassical vintage capital (embodied technology) and non-vintage capital (disembodied technology) models have different convergence rates, although identical steady state growth rates. Removing the neoclassical assumption that technological growth is exogenous, I examine two-sector, putty-putty, vintage capital models. Technological growth is tied to investment in the research sector. Savings rates and the allocation of labor differ between the vintage and non-vintage cases. It is shown for the first time that vintage and non-vintage versions of a model can have different steady state growth rates.
Can Experienced Observers Differentiate between Lipoma and Well-Differentiated Liposarcoma Using Only MRI?

Well-differentiated liposarcoma represents a radiographic diagnostic dilemma. To determine the accuracy, interrater reliability, and relationship of stranding, nodularity, and size in the MRI differentiation of lipoma and well-differentiated liposarcoma, MRI scans of 60 patients with large (>5 cm), deep, pathologically proven lipomas or well-differentiated liposarcomas were examined by 10 observers with subspecialty training blinded to diagnosis. Observers indicated whether the amount of stranding, nodularity, and size of each tumor suggested a benign or malignant diagnosis and rendered a diagnosis of lipoma or well-differentiated liposarcoma. The accuracy, reliability, and relationship of stranding, nodularity, and size to diagnosis were calculated for all samples. 69% of reader MRI diagnoses agreed with final pathology diagnosis (95% CI 65–73%). Readers tended to err choosing a diagnosis of liposarcoma, correctly identifying lipomas in 63% of cases (95% CI 58–69%) and liposarcomas in 75% of cases (95% CI 69–80%). Assessment of the relationship of stranding, nodularity, and size to correct diagnosis showed that the presence of each was associated with a decreased likelihood of a lipoma pathological diagnosis (P < 0.01). While the radiographic diagnosis of lipoma or well-differentiated liposarcoma cannot be made with 100% certainty, experienced observers have a 69% chance of rendering a correct diagnosis.
Hypothermia-induced acute kidney injury in an elderly patient

Hypothermia, defined as an unintentional decline in the core body temperature to below 35℃, is a life-threatening condition. Patients with malnutrition and diabetes mellitus as well as those of advanced age are at high risk for accidental hypothermia. Due to the high mortality rates of accidental hypothermia, proper management is critical for the wellbeing of patients. Accidental hypothermia was reported to be associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) in over 40% of cases. Although the pathogenesis remains to be elucidated, vasoconstriction and ischemia in the kidney were considered to be the main mechanisms involved. Cases of AKI associated with hypothermia have been reported worldwide, but there have been few reports of hypothermia-induced AKI in Korea. Here, we present a case of hypothermia-induced AKI that was treated successfully with rewarming and supportive care.
Data compression for synthetic aperture radar and resolution improvement

This paper studies co-prime sampling for two-dimensional synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging and proposes a new approach based on co-prime up-sampling and compressive sensing to improve the resolution of SAR images. In order to decrease the redundancy in SAR phase history, we extend the co-prime down sampling structure to the fast-time domain and introduce a random matrix to compress the data in the slow-time domain. Since the SAR image is very sparse, directly applying compressive sensing algorithm can not recover clear picture. As a result, co-prime up-sampling with gradient projection for sparse reconstruction (GPSR) algorithm is proposed in this work. Simulation results show that even after data reduction, the new approach could still acquire high resolution images. The compression ratio could be 10:1 overall.
The discrete Fundamental Group of the Associahedron, and the Exchange Module

The associahedron is an object that has been well studied and has numerous applications, particularly in the theory of operads, the study of non-crossing partitions, lattice theory and more recently in the study of cluster algebras. We approach the associahedron from the point of view of discrete homotopy theory. We study the abelianization of the discrete fundamental group, and show that it is free abelian of rank . We also find a combinatorial description for a basis of this rank. We also introduce the exchange module of the type An cluster algebra, used to model the relations in the cluster algebra. We use the discrete fundamental group to the study of exchange module, and show that it is also free abelian of rank .
RF-Based Indoor Locating System for NLOS Environment

RTLS (Real-time locating systems) are used for tracking the location of people or assets in real time. In general, these systems use the radio frequency (RF) for wireless communication within a local coverage area. However, when we attempt to apply this system to an indoor environment, the non-line-of-sight (NLOS) problem is critical to the system performance because of the obstacles in the room. In this paper, we suggest a new location estimation method for an indoor NLOS environment using a reader-selection strategy. We have implemented all components of the locating system and carried out experiments in a testbed.
Detritus Quality and Locality Determines Survival and Mass, but Not Export, of Wood Frogs at Metamorphosis

Single-site experiments have demonstrated detritus quality in wetlands can have strongly negative, neutral, and even positive influences on wildlife. However, an examination of the influence of detritus quality across several regions is lacking and can provide information on whether impacts from variation in detritus quality are consistent across species with wide ranges. To address this gap in regional studies we examined effects of emergent and allochthonous detritus of different nutrient qualities on amphibians and assessed a mechanism that may contribute to potential impacts. We used aquatic mesocosms to raise wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) from two regions of the United States with whole plants from purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), leaf litter from native hardwood trees, and a mixture of both. We examined several metrics of amphibian fitness and life history, including survival, number of days to metamorphosis, and size at metamorphosis. Further, we quantified whether the effects of detritus type could translate to variation in anuran biomass or standing stock of nitrogen or phosphorus export. Our results show detritus with high nutrient quality (purple loosestrife) negatively influenced survival of wood frogs, but increased size of metamorphic individuals in two different regions of the United States. Despite the decrease in survival, the increase in size of post-metamorphic anurans raised with high quality detritus resulted in anuran biomass and standing stock of N and P export being similar across treatments at both locations. These results further demonstrate the role of plant quality in shaping wetland ecosystem dynamics, and represent the first demonstration that effects are consistent within species across ecoregional boundaries.
Telomerase Inhibition Targets Clonogenic Multiple Myeloma Cells through Telomere Length-Dependent and Independent Mechanisms

Background Plasma cells constitute the majority of tumor cells in multiple myeloma (MM) but lack the potential for sustained clonogenic growth. In contrast, clonotypic B cells can engraft and recapitulate disease in immunodeficient mice suggesting they serve as the MM cancer stem cell (CSC). These tumor initiating B cells also share functional features with normal stem cells such as drug resistance and self-renewal potential. Therefore, the cellular processes that regulate normal stem cells may serve as therapeutic targets in MM. Telomerase activity is required for the maintenance of normal adult stem cells, and we examined the activity of the telomerase inhibitor imetelstat against MM CSC. Moreover, we carried out both long and short-term inhibition studies to examine telomere length-dependent and independent activities. Methodology/Principal Findings Human MM CSC were isolated from cell lines and primary clinical specimens and treated with imetelstat, a specific inhibitor of the reverse transcriptase activity of telomerase. Two weeks of exposure to imetelstat resulted in a significant reduction in telomere length and the inhibition of clonogenic MM growth both in vitro and in vivo. In addition to these relatively long-term effects, 72 hours of imetelstat treatment inhibited clonogenic growth that was associated with MM CSC differentiation based on expression of the plasma cell antigen CD138 and the stem cell marker aldehyde dehydrogenase. Short-term treatment of MM CSC also decreased the expression of genes typically expressed by stem cells (OCT3/4, SOX2, NANOG, and BMI1) as revealed by quantitative real-time PCR. Conclusions Telomerase activity regulates the clonogenic growth of MM CSC. Moreover, reductions in MM growth following both long and short-term telomerase inhibition suggest that it impacts CSC through telomere length-dependent and independent mechanisms.
From list learning to semantic knowledge: search and learning of associative memory

Book synopsis: Meanings—semantics—matter in the study of cognition. Recent advances in computational modeling have demonstrated how semantic information can be incorporated into episodic or experiential free recall tasks to better account for participant performance. However, one limitation of current uses of semantic representations with the SAM model is a disconnect between how the semantic representations are created and the method of learning used by SAM. By extending the contextual representation used in SAM to incorporate both temporal drift and item-based drift, inspired by the Temporal Context Model (TCM), we demonstrated how the SAM learning mechanism can be used to create semantic representations.
Drug release kinetics and physicochemical characteristics of floating drug delivery systems

Introduction: Absorption of drugs through the gastrointestinal tract poses a variety of limitations, making the in vivo performance of drug delivery systems uncertain. Following on from recent advances, in a time of increased consideration of floating drug delivery systems, it is as important as ever to continue the progress by studying different aspects of these systems. Moreover, it seems imperative to gain a deeper insight into drug release mechanisms, in order to design a more systematic and intellectual floating system. Areas covered: This paper summarizes current approaches in the research and development of ideal floating drug delivery systems, from recent literature. Also, in order to have predictability and reproducibility in designing an efficient floating dosage form, some kinetic studies are mentioned, and the drug release mechanism from floating drug delivery systems is discussed. Expert opinion: Developing an efficient floating dosage form is reliant on a better understanding of the relation between formulation variables and performance of the floating systems. Generally, the combination of two buoyancy mechanisms and gas-generating systems with swellable polymers would be beneficial for obtaining an appropriate floating lag time and duration of buoyancy, which in turn guarantees optimum efficiency of the pharmaceutical dosage form.
Bootstrap estimation of resource selection probability functions

Resource selection functions (RSFs) are used for quantify how animals are selective in the use of the habitat period or food. A Resource Selection Probability Function (RSPF) can be estimated if N, the total number of units in the population, and n1 the total number of used units in the study period are both known and small. An approximation of the RSPF can then be estimated using any standard program for logistic regression but the variances of the estimates of the parameters are too small. Three methods of bootstrap sampling, parametric, nonparametric and a modified parametric method are proposed for the estimation of variances, with a discussion about the limitations of logistic regression for estimating RSPF. The method for estimating the RSPF described here has potential applications in medicine, ecology and other areas.
Nitrate or NaCl regulates floral induction in Arabidopsis thaliana

Flowering, the transition from the vegetative to reproductive phase in plants, is regulated by both endogenous and environmental signals. Exposure to an extended period of stress (such as low nitrate or NaCl) can also promote flowering in many species, but little is known about how these forms of stress regulate floral induction. In this study, we found that stress induced by low concentrations of nitrate or NaCl activated the biosynthesis of gibberellin (GA) as evidenced by increased expression of the GA biosynthetic enzyme GA1. Expression of CO and SOC1 were also enhanced, leading to an acceleration of flowering. The effects of nitrate and NaCl on the photoperiod pathway were distinct, however. Two genes related to the photoperiod pathway, CCA1 and LHY, were repressed only under low NaCl treatment, while expression was unaltered by nitrate. Therefore, we suggest that the biosynthesis of gibberellin (GA) may play an important role in integrating signals induced by exogenous stress to regulate flowering in Arabidopsis.