Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficient Coding of Spatial Information in the Primate Retina

Sensory neurons have been hypothesized to efficiently encode signals from the natural environment subject to resource constraints. The predictions of this efficient coding hypothesis regarding the spatial filtering properties of the visual system have been found consistent with human perception, but they have not been compared directly with neural responses. Here, we analyze the information that retinal ganglion cells transmit to the brain about the spatial information in natural images subject to three resource constraints: the number of retinal ganglion cells, their total response variances, and their total synaptic strengths. We derive a model that optimizes the transmitted information and compare it directly with measurements of complete functional connectivity between cone photoreceptors and the four major types of ganglion cells in the primate retina, obtained at single-cell resolution. We find that the ganglion cell population exhibited 80% efficiency in transmitting spatial information relative to the model. Both the retina and the model exhibited high redundancy (∼30%) among ganglion cells of the same cell type. A novel and unique prediction of efficient coding, the relationships between projection patterns of individual cones to all ganglion cells, was consistent with the observed projection patterns in the retina. These results indicate a high level of efficiency with near-optimal redundancy in visual signaling by the retina.
A novel coaxial CTS antenna design

CTS (Continuous Transverse Stub) antenna radiates electromagnetic wave with its transverse stubs on transmission line, and its pattern in horizon plane is omnidirectional. This paper proposes a novel coaxial CTS structure, in which a monopole is applied in coaxial CTS antenna, instead of a matching load. This method may not only improve the radiation ratio, but also reduce the height of antenna. There are two stubs and a monopole composing an antenna, and the dielectric in stubs is air, which could predigest the manufacture progress. Through the electromagnetic simulation software CST microwave studioreg, properties of the CTS antenna working at 12GHz is obtained by finite integral method. The monopole ending makes the radiation efficiency higher, and keeps the input impedance of CTS antenna. The gain is higher than that of three-class coaxial CTS. For its characteristics, the antenna could be used in retransmission and personal communication system.
Chemical Modification of Cellulose Fibers and their Orientation in Magnetic Field

Studies that involve natural fiber orientation in a matrix were mostly based on regulating shear forces during mixing of fiber and matrix. This study attempts to propose a novel technique for orientating natural fibers like cellulose in a viscous polymer matrix such as polylactic acid (PLA) by applying the concepts of magnetism. Orientation of cellulose fibers in a PLA was achieved by modifying the cellulose fibers with a ferromagnetic entity and subjecting to a magnetic field. Chemically modified cellulose fibers (CLF) were oriented in dilute polylactic acid by subjecting the fiber and matrix to a magnetic field of ≈ 4T (Tesla). CLF and Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) were oxidized with Hydrogen peroxide and further reacted with activated Ferrous sulphate heptahydrate (FeSO4.7H2O) in order to form Cellulose-Fe complexes. Chemically modified CLF was characterized by spectroscopic, thermal and morphological methods. The results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR spectroscopy) agree that coordination bonds were formed between deprotonated and/or oxidized hydroxyl groups of cellulose and Fe
A generalized FSK-based PHY layer design for wireless sensor networks

A generalized FSK modulation employing FSK, PPM and APSK modulation alphabets is considered. The modulation combines a traditional APSK alphabet extended with a zero-symbol and the multiple-access. Analysis of the power spectral density (PSD) reveals that the bandwidth is significantly expanded whenever the transmission is periodically turned on and off. The overall probability of bit error and the overall data rate for multiple parallel generalized FSK transmissions are compared in single-user and multiuser scenarios. A rate-one repetition diversity scheme for real-valued transmitted signals is proposed to overcome the time and frequency correlations of communication channels between nodes. The overall energy consumption is shown to be reduced with the FSK modulation order, and by using multiple parallel FSK transmissions.
Genetic Algorithm-Based Optimization of SVM-Based Pedestrian Classifier

We developed a pedestrian classifier using GFB(Gabor Filter Bank)-based feature extraction and SVM(Support Vector Machine). Because the SVM uses RBF(Radial Basis Function) and is applied for nonseparable data, learning parameters should be optimized. This paper proposes GA(Ganetic Algorithm)-based optimization of SVM learning parameters.
Modeling of Molten Drop Oscillation in Gas Shielded Metal Arc Welding

In Gas shielded Metal Arc Welding process, the molten drop at the electrode wire tip is detached and transferred into the weld pool by various driving forces, which have been discussed mainly focusing on gravity force, electro-magnetic force, surface tension force and plasma drag force. In this paper the oscillation phenomena of metal drop and their numerical model are described. The numerical model developed is an axial symmetrical 2D model which enables to calculate and visualize time-change of the drop shape and the flow in the drop using VOF-CSF method. The validity of the model is verified through the comparison between calculations and experiments using waterdrop. It is shown that the natural frequency of the pendant drop decreases with increase of the drop size. And the numerical simulation predicts that it is possible to detach the molten drop from the electrode wire by exciting the forced oscillation around the natural frequency with pulsed current.
GEOVAQA: A VOICE ACTIVATED GEOGRAPHICAL QUESTION ANSWERING SYSTEM

In this paper we present GeoVAQA, a Restricted Domain Spoken Question Answering system in the scope of the Spanish geography. The system consists of a webbased application that allows speech input questions about Spanish geography and sends back a concise textual answer. In our system, spoken questions are recognised by an automatic speech recognition (ASR) system. We have used RAMSES, a Spanish recogniser based on semi-continuous HMMs, to perform this task. The transcribed question is the input of GeoTALP-QA, a multilingual Geographical Domain QA system. The retrieval mechanism of the QA system uses Natural Language Processing tools, a Geographical Knowledge Base and the search engine Google to get snippets. A speech question is recorded from web client and transmitted through the Internet to the demo server which transcribes the speech and retrieves a concise answer and a set of relevant snippets.
Dopamine D2 and D3 receptors are linked to the actin cytoskeleton via interaction with filamin A

We have used a yeast two-hybrid approach to uncover protein interactions involving the D2-like subfamily of dopamine receptors. Using the third intracellular loop of the D2S and D3 dopamine receptors as bait to screen a human brain cDNA library, we identified filamin A (FLN-A) as a protein that interacts with both the D2 and D3 subtypes. The interaction with FLN-A was specific for the D2 and D3 receptors and was independently confirmed in pull-down and coimmunoprecipitation experiments. Deletion mapping localized the dopamine receptor–FLN-A interaction to the N-terminal segment of the D2 and D3 dopamine receptors and to repeat 19 of FLN-A. In cultures of dissociated rat striatum, FLN-A and D2 receptors colocalized throughout neuronal somata and processes as well as in astrocytes. Expression of D2 dopamine receptors in FLN-A-deficient M2 melanoma cells resulted in predominant intracellular localization of the D2 receptors, whereas in FLN-A-reconstituted cells, the D2 receptor was predominantly localized at the plasma membrane. These results suggest that FLN-A may be required for proper cell surface expression of the D2 dopamine receptors. Association of D2 and D3 dopamine receptors with FLN-A provides a mechanism whereby specific dopamine receptor subtypes may be functionally linked to downstream signaling components via the actin cytoskeleton.
Expressing cloud security requirements for SLAs in deontic contract languages for cloud brokers

The uptake of cloud computing is hindered by the fact that current cloud SLAs are not written in machine-readable language, and also fail to cover security requirements. This article considers a cloud brokering model that helps negotiate and establish SLAs between customers and providers. This broker handles security requirements on two different levels: between the customer and the broker, where the requirements are stated in natural language; and between the broker and different cloud providers, where requirements are stated in deontic contract languages. There are several such languages available today with different properties and abstraction levels, from generic container languages to more domain-specific languages for specifying the various details in a contract. In this article, we investigate the suitability of ten deontic contract languages for expressing security requirements in SLAs, and exemplify their use in the cloud brokering model through a practical use case for a video streaming service.
The Texas implementation of medication algorithms: update to the algorithms for treatment of bipolar I disorder.

BACKGROUND A panel consisting of academic psychiatrists and pharmacist administrators of the Texas Department of State Health Services (formerly Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation), community mental health physicians, advocates, and consumers met in May 2004 to review new evidence in the pharmacologic treatment of bipolar I disorder (BDI). The goal of the consensus conference was to update and revise the current treatment algorithm for BDI as part of the Texas Implementation of Medication Algorithms, a statewide quality assurance program for the treatment of major psychiatric illness. The guidelines for evaluating possible medications, the criteria for selection and ranking, and the updated algorithms are described. METHOD Principles from previous consensus conferences were reviewed and amended. Medication algorithms for the acute treatment of hypomanic/manic or mixed and depressive episodes in BDI were developed after examining recent efficacy and safety and tolerability data. Recommendations for maintenance treatments were developed. RESULTS The panel updated the 2 primary algorithms (hypomanic/manic/mixed and depressive) based on clinical evidence for efficacy, tolerability, and safety developed since 2000. Expert consensus was utilized where clinical evidence was limited. Prevention of new episodes or prophylaxis treatment recommendations were developed based on recent data from longer-term trials. Maintenance recommendations are provided as levels versus a specified staged algorithm, as for acute treatment, due to the relatively limited database to inform treatment. CONCLUSIONS These algorithms for the treatment of BDI represent the recommendations based on the most recent evidence available. These recommendations are meant to provide a framework for clinical decision making, not to replace clinical judgment. As with any algorithm, treatment practices will evolve beyond the recommendations of this consensus conference as new evidence and additional medications become available.
Seroprevalence of Antibody-Mediated, Complement-Dependent Opsonophagocytic Activity against Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup B in England

ABSTRACT The correlate of protection for the licensure of meningococcal vaccines is serum bactericidal activity. However, evidence indicates that a complex situation and other mechanisms, such as antibody-mediated, complement-dependent opsonophagocytosis (OP), may play a role in protection and should be investigated in order to understand immunity to this disease. In this study, a high-throughput flow cytometric opsonophagocytic assay (OPA) was optimized. The assay measures the presence of killed fluorescently labeled Neisseria meningitidis within human granulocytes (differentiated HL60 cells) by flow cytometry, using IgG-depleted pooled human plasma as an exogenous source of complement. This method was found to be reliable and correlated with the results of an opsonophagocytic killing assay. The OPA was used to measure OP activity in 1,878 serum samples from individuals ranging from 0 to 99 years of age against N. meningitidis strain NZ98/254 (B:4:P1.7-2,4). The levels of OP activity in individual serum samples varied greatly. OP activity showed an initial peak in the 6- to 12-month age group corresponding to a peak in disease incidence. The OP activity dropped in childhood until the late teenage years, although there was still a higher percentage of individuals with OP activity than with protective bactericidal antibody titers. OP activity reached a peak in the 30- to 39-year age group and then declined. This later peak in OP activity did not coincide with the young adults in whom peak serum bactericidal activity and disease incidence occurred. The demonstration of OP activity when disease incidence is low and when protective bactericidal antibody titers are not detected may indicate a role for OP in protection from meningococcal disease in these age groups.
On the use of metatypes for safe embedded operating system extension

We present in this paper an extensible system for small secure embedded devices. We advocate the use of a typed intermediate language as a transformation of various high level languages. We present an extensible type system that unifies in a unique hierarchy some type systems from various source languages and ensures integrity and confidentility. To increase execution efficiency and use flexibility, we propose a dynamic binding mechanism that allows the programmer to describe the bindings of his code without breaking the type system. We also design the whole type system so that future addition of new kinds of objects has as little impact as possible.
A computational framework for modelling grain-structure evolution in three dimensions

We describe a simulation framework designed to track individual grains in a material during simulations of formation, processing and usage. The framework, which we call parallel level-set environment for nanoscale topography evolution, is designed to fill the clear and present need to account for grain structure in understanding and predicting the performance of structures in some products, such as metal lines in integrated circuits. It is the realization of ‘grain continuum’ models of films by Cale et al. and can be used to complement discrete atomistic simulations and to link them to continuum simulations. We demonstrate the use of multiple level-set methods to track islands nucleated on substrates, during growth and impingement to form a polycrystalline film. Individual grains in the film are defined in the finite-element data structure. We briefly discuss how this simulation tool might be used in an integrated multiscale process simulation environment previously described by Bloomfield et al. to establish a link from atomistic simulations upwards to feature-, pattern- and reactor-scale simulations.
An investigation of cepstral parameterisations for large vocabulary speech recognition

We examined variants of MFCC and PLP cepstral parameterisations in the context of large vocabulary continuous speech recognition under different acous-tical environmental conditions: Compared to MFCC, mel-frequency PLP uses a cubic root intensity-to-loudness law, and an LPC analysis is applied to the mel-warped spectrum. In LPC-smoothed MFCC, the only difference to MFCC is the additional LPC smoothing of the warped spectrum. While neither technique was able to significantly outperform the MFCC parameterisation in our setup which includes an LDA feature transformation, feature set combination via DMC at the acoustic likelihood level and via ROVER at the recognized word level delivered small but consistent improvements.
An evaluation of the WPE algorithm using tangent distance

Weighting prototype editing (WPE) is a novel approach to editing a given set of prototypes so that the resulting set can outperform the original one in terms of the nearest neighbor (NN) classification accuracy. This technique is applied in this work along with an interesting dissimilarity measure between pixel maps, known as tangent distance (TD). Experiments on the USPS handwriting digits benchmark corpus are presented, with results showing the capability of the WPE to improve the already good results based on TD NN classification.
Finding bugs efficiently with a SAT solver

We present an approach for checking code against rich specifications, based on existing work that consists of encoding the program in a relational logic and using a constraint solver to find specification violations. We improve the efficiency of this approach with a new encoding of the program that effectively slices it at the logical level with respect to the specification. We also present new encodings for integer values and arrays, enabling the verification of realistic fragments of code that manipulate both. Our technique can handle integers of much larger ranges than previously possible, and permits large sparse arrays to be handled efficiently. We present a soundness proof for our slicing algorithm and a general condition under which relational formulae may be sliced. We implemented our technique and evaluated it by checking data structure invariants of several classes taken from the Java Collections Framework. We also checked for violations of Java's equality contract in a variety of open-source programs, and found several bugs.
Comparing different classifiers for automatic age estimation

We describe a quantitative evaluation of the performance of different classifiers in the task of automatic age estimation. In this context, we generate a statistical model of facial appearance, which is subsequently used as the basis for obtaining a compact parametric description of face images. The aim of our work is to design classifiers that accept the model-based representation of unseen images and produce an estimate of the age of the person in the corresponding face image. For this application, we have tested different classifiers: a classifier based on the use of quadratic functions for modeling the relationship between face model parameters and age, a shortest distance classifier, and artificial neural network based classifiers. We also describe variations to the basic method where we use age-specific and/or appearance specific age estimation methods. In this context, we use age estimation classifiers for each age group and/or classifiers for different clusters of subjects within our training set. In those cases, part of the classification procedure is devoted to choosing the most appropriate classifier for the subject/age range in question, so that more accurate age estimates can be obtained. We also present comparative results concerning the performance of humans and computers in the task of age estimation. Our results indicate that machines can estimate the age of a person almost as reliably as humans.
Differential Evolution With Neighborhood and Direction Information for Numerical Optimization

Differential evolution (DE) is a simple and powerful population-based evolutionary algorithm, successfully used in various scientific and engineering fields. Although DE has been studied by many researchers, the neighborhood and direction information is not fully and simultaneously exploited in the designing of DE. In order to alleviate this drawback and enhance the performance of DE, we first introduce two novel operators, namely, the neighbor guided selection scheme for parents involved in mutation and the direction induced mutation strategy, to fully exploit the neighborhood and direction information of the population, respectively. By synergizing these two operators, a simple and effective DE framework, which is referred to as the neighborhood and direction information based DE (NDi-DE), is then proposed for enhancing the performance of DE. This way, NDi-DE not only utilizes the information of neighboring individuals to exploit the regions of minima and accelerate convergence but also incorporates the direction information to prevent an individual from entering an undesired region and move to a promising area. Consequently, a good balance between exploration and exploitation can be achieved. In order to test the effectiveness of NDi-DE, the proposed framework is applied to the original DE algorithms, as well as several state-of-the-art DE variants. Experimental results show that NDi-DE is an effective framework to enhance the performance of most of the DE algorithms studied.
Tracking set correlations at large scale

In this work, we consider the continuous computation of correlations between co-occurring tags that appear in messages published in social media streams. The vast amount and pace these messages are created makes it necessary to parallelise the computation of correlations to various nodes in a computing cluster. The main challenge in this is to ensure that each node will compute a subset of the coefficients and every coefficient will be computed by some node. The core task is to continuously create and maintain partitions of the tags and forward the incoming messages based on them. Our approach proposes and evaluates several algorithms that partition the tags to the nodes while at the same time they minimise the replication of tags to the nodes and balance the load on them. The proposed framework is implemented in Java within the Storm stream processing platform. We evaluate the partitioning algorithms and validate the feasibility of our approach through a thorough experimental study performed using real data.
Molecular Characterization and Expression Analysis of Creatine Kinase Muscle (CK-M) Gene in Horse

Since ancient days, domestic horses have been closely associated with human civilization. Today, horse racing is an important industry. Various genes involved in energy production and muscle contraction are differentially regulated during a race. Among them, creatine kinase (CK) is well known for its regulation of energy preservation in animal cells. CK is an iso-enzyme, encoded by different genes and expressed in skeletal muscle, heart, brain and leucocytes. We confirmed that the expression of CK-M significantly increased in the blood after a 30 minute exercise period, while no considerable change was observed in skeletal muscle. Analysis of various tissues showed an ubiquitous expression of the CK-M gene in the horse; CK-M mRNA expression was predominant in the skeletal muscle and the cardiac muscle compared to other tissues. An evolutionary study by synonymous and non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism ratio of CK-M gene revealed a positive selection that was conserved in the horse. More studies are warranted in order to develop the expression of CK-M gene as a biomarker in blood of thoroughbred horses.