Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Supporting Numerical Computations in Interactive Contexts

As computational performance becomes more readily available, there will be an increasing variety of interactive graphical applications with iterative numerical techniques at their core. In this paper, we consider how to support the unique demands of such applications. In particular, we focus on how to set up the numerical problems which must be solved. In the context of interactive systems, this requires the ability to dynamically compose systems of equations and rapidly evaluate them and their derivatives. We present an approach called Snap-Together Mathematics for doing this.
Vitamin C: Intravenous Use by Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioners and Adverse Effects

Background Anecdotal information and case reports suggest that intravenously administered vitamin C is used by Complementary and Alternate Medicine (CAM) practitioners. The scale of such use in the U.S. and associated side effects are unknown. Methods and Findings We surveyed attendees at annual CAM Conferences in 2006 and 2008, and determined sales of intravenous vitamin C by major U.S. manufacturers/distributors. We also queried practitioners for side effects, compiled published cases, and analyzed FDA's Adverse Events Database. Of 199 survey respondents (out of 550), 172 practitioners administered IV vitamin C to 11,233 patients in 2006 and 8876 patients in 2008. Average dose was 28 grams every 4 days, with 22 total treatments per patient. Estimated yearly doses used (as 25g/50ml vials) were 318,539 in 2006 and 354,647 in 2008. Manufacturers' yearly sales were 750,000 and 855,000 vials, respectively. Common reasons for treatment included infection, cancer, and fatigue. Of 9,328 patients for whom data is available, 101 had side effects, mostly minor, including lethargy/fatigue in 59 patients, change in mental status in 21 patients and vein irritation/phlebitis in 6 patients. Publications documented serious adverse events, including 2 deaths in patients known to be at risk for IV vitamin C. Due to confounding causes, the FDA Adverse Events Database was uninformative. Total numbers of patients treated in the US with high dose vitamin C cannot be accurately estimated from this study. Conclusions High dose IV vitamin C is in unexpectedly wide use by CAM practitioners. Other than the known complications of IV vitamin C in those with renal impairment or glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, high dose intravenous vitamin C appears to be remarkably safe. Physicians should inquire about IV vitamin C use in patients with cancer, chronic, untreatable, or intractable conditions and be observant of unexpected harm, drug interactions, or benefit.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: DOES REPRESENTATIVENESS MATTER?

ABSTRACT The main focus of this research is on the changing role of citizen participation in natural resource management. Evidence suggests that citizens who participate in the management of natural resources are not representative of stakeholders who are impacted by the decisions being made. In an effort to assess the representativeness of citizen participation, we conducted telephone surveys of “residents” who live in the watershed of Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Norris Reservoir and “participants” in TVA's Norris Public Lands Plan. As hypothesized, we found participants to be older, disproportionately male, more educated, and more affluent, and as having higher levels of political efficacy and trust in government than residents. Exploratory analyses revealed many other significant differences between participants and residents. We conclude by suggesting that increased and representative citizen participation is necessary for the successful implementation of an ecosystem-based approach and to address problems associated with non-point source pollution. Funds for the collection of data were provided by the Waste Management Research and Education Institute (WMREI), a state sponsored Center of Excellence at the University of Tennessee. Appreciation is expressed to David Feldman, Sherry Cable, and Chip Hastings for their support of this research. The contents are the sole responsibility of the authors and opinions expressed do not reflect the position of the WMREI or the University of Tennessee.
Quadrature PLL-Based High-Order Sliding-Mode Observer for IPMSM Sensorless Control With Online MTPA Control Strategy

To improve performance of the field-oriented controlled position sensorless interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSM) drive, a model-based high-order sliding-mode observer with a software quadrature phase-locked loop (PLL) is proposed. A simplified method of designing the feedback gain matrix of the sliding-mode observer is introduced for easy application. The PLL coefficients are analyzed by considering the expected position estimation error and the operating condition. Compared with the conventional arc-tangent calculation method, the proposed quadrature PLL estimation method can be immune to the influence of the noise and distortion. To achieve the robust high-efficiency operation of the sensorless IPMSM, an enhanced online maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) control strategy without motor parameters dependent is adopted for the vector control drive. The optimal MTPA operation is achieved by searching the optimal current angle online to make the current amplitude be the minimum. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified with a 2.2-kW IPMSM sensorless drive.
The Representation of Landmarks and Routes.

COHEN, ROBERT, and SCHUEPFER, THERESE. The Representation of Landmarks and Routes. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1980, 51, 1065-1071. Second graders, sixth graders, and college students served in 2 experiments designed to assess (a) the selection and use of landmarks during route learning and (b) the coordination of successive environmental experiences into an overall configuration. Subjects learned a route through a series of halls presented on slides with each slide containing 3 landmarks having different route orienting values. Second graders were the most influenced by the position and sequence of landmarks. Performance of these children declined when landmarks were removed from the environment and when the sequence of slides was altered. The performances of sixth graders and adults were less affected by these manipulations. On 2 tasks designed to assess configuration knowledge only the adults produced fully consistent overall configurations of the successively presented environment. The results are consistent with the developmental sequence proposed by Siegel and White of recognition of landmarks in context to route maps to survey maps, for the representation of large-scale environments.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Marine Sediment-Derived Actinomycete Streptomyces xinghaiensis NRRL B24674T

ABSTRACT Actinobacteria are a rich source of novel natural products. We recently characterized Streptomyces xinghaiensis NRRL B24674T as a novel species of marine origin. Here we report the draft genome sequence of this species. This is the first validly published marine streptomycete for which a genome sequence has been presented.
Adjunctive Application of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy in Nonsurgical Periodontal Treatment: A Review of Literature

Periodontal disease is caused by dental plaque biofilms, and the removal of these biofilms from the root surface of teeth plays a central part in its treatment. The conventional treatment for periodontal disease fails to remove periodontal infection in a subset of cases, such as those with complicated root morphology. Adjunctive antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been proposed as an additional treatment for this infectious disease. Many periodontal pathogenic bacteria are susceptible to low-power lasers in the presence of dyes, such as methylene blue, toluidine blue O, malachite green, and indocyanine green. aPDT uses these light-activated photosensitizer that is incorporated selectively by bacteria and absorbs a low-power laser/light with an appropriate wavelength to induce singlet oxygen and free radicals, which are toxic to bacteria. While this technique has been evaluated by many clinical studies, some systematic reviews and meta-analyses have reported controversial results about the benefits of aPDT for periodontal treatment. In the light of these previous reports, the aim of this review is to provide comprehensive information about aPDT and help extend knowledge of advanced laser therapy.
Better Text Detection through Improved K-means-based Feature Learning

Better Text Detection through Improved K-means-based Feature Learning Kardo Othman Aziz, M.S. Rochester Institute of Technology, 2017 Supervisor: Dr. Richard Zanibbi In this thesis, we propose a different technique to initialize a Convolutional K-means. We propose Visual Similarity Sampling (VSS) to collect 8 × 8 sample patches from images for convolutional feature learning. The algorithm uses within-class and between-class cosine similarity/dissimilarity measure to collect samples from both foreground and background. Thus. VSS uses local frequency of shapes within a character patch and uses it as probability distribution to select them. Also, we show how that initializing Convolutional K-means from samples with high between-class and within-class similarity produce discriminative codebook. We test the codebook to detect text in the natural scene. We show that using representative property within and between class for each sample as the probability for selecting it as initial cluster center, helps achieve discriminative cluster centers, which we use as feature maps. One of the advantages of our work is; since it is not problem dependent, it can be applied for sample collection in other pattern recognition problems. The proposed algorithm
Hfq-bridged ternary complex is important for translation activation of rpoS by DsrA

The rpoS mRNA, which encodes the master regulator σS of general stress response, requires Hfq-facilitated base pairing with DsrA small RNA for efficient translation at low temperatures. It has recently been proposed that one mechanism underlying Hfq action is to bridge a transient ternary complex by simultaneously binding to rpoS and DsrA. However, no structural evidence of Hfq simultaneously bound to different RNAs has been reported. We detected simultaneous binding of Hfq to rpoS and DsrA fragments. Crystal structures of AU6A•Hfq•A7 and Hfq•A7 complexes were resolved using 1.8- and 1.9-Å resolution, respectively. Ternary complex has been further verified in solution by NMR. In vivo, activation of rpoS translation requires intact Hfq, which is capable of bridging rpoS and DsrA simultaneously into ternary complex. This ternary complex possibly corresponds to a meta-stable transition state in Hfq-facilitated small RNA–mRNA annealing process.
Hardware Accelerated Application Integration Processing: Industry Paper

The growing number of (cloud) applications and devices massively increases the communication rate and volume pushing integration systems to their (throughput) limits. While the usage of modern hardware like Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) led to low latency when employed for query and event processing, application integration adds yet unexplored processing opportunities. In this industry paper, we explore how to program integration semantics (e. g., message routing and transformation) in form of Enterprise Integration Patterns (EIP) on top of an FPGA, thus complementing the existing research on FPGA data processing. We focus on message routing, re-define the EIP for stream processing and propose modular hardware implementations as templates that are synthesized to circuits. For our real-world "connected car" scenario (i. e., composed patterns), we discuss common and new optimizations especially relevant for hardware integration processes. Our experimental evaluation shows competitive throughput compared to modern general-purpose CPUs and discusses the results.
The relation of cortisol and sex hormone levels to results of psychological, performance, IQ and memory tests in military men and women.

BACKGROUND Cortisol, along with other hormones of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, belongs to one of the main factors influencing psychological and pathognomic factors, intelligence, and memory. METHODS The aim of our study was to review a large battery of psychological, performance, IQ and memory tests as to their relation with cortisol, testosterone and estrogen levels in groups of 100 men and 93 women who attended the Central Military Hospital in Prague for regular entrance psychological examinations for military personnel. RESULTS In men, we detected positive correlations between cortisol and emotional lability, and negative correlations with impulsivity, while in women hypochondria and psychopathology were negatively correlated, and aggression measured with the Meili selective memory test had a positive relation to cortisol level. Testosterone correlated positively with emotional liability and negatively with impulsivity in men, and negatively with hypochondria and psychasteny, indirect aggression, irritability and paranoia in women. Estradiol correlated positively with psychopathology in men, and negatively with phobia. It was positively correlated with negativism in women. No clear correlation was observed between the concentration of steroid hormones and psychomotor performance or intelligence. CONCLUSIONS Concentrations of steroid hormones correlate with results of several psychological tests, the sign and magnitude of these correlations, however, very often differ in military men and women.
Viti, the Soil from Eden: On Historical Praxis as a Mode of Connecting in Kadavu

Looking at Fijian Methodism and its role in discourses on identity in Fiji leads to the question of the relationship between Christianity and the vanua, the complex notion of land so crucial for ethnic Fijians' traditionalistic identity constructions. How is it possible to retain important dimensions of the vanua within a Christian worldview? An attempt to understand this relationship using the example of a Fijian meke makes clear that specific ways of constructing the past are crucial here. A concept of history as a symbolic form renders these ways of constructing the past understandable as historical - and it is exactly this historical character which opens the possibility of establishing a relationship to the Christian God while retaining essential dimensions of the vanua, a possibility which can provide one experiential background for the plausibility of an ethnic interpretation of Christianity. HISTORICAL PRAXIS, CHRISTIANITY AND CONNECTEDNESS In the contexts of ethnicized political conflicts between Fijians1 and Indo-Fijians Methodism, still the denomination of an estimated 70% of the Fijians, became politically relevant as certain circles within the Methodist Church tried to make an ethnically interpreted form of it part of Fijian identity in contrast to the mainly non-Christian Indo-Fijians.2 Both, Christianity (lotu vaKarisito) and a life according to the norms and values conceived to be traditional, or, in Fijian terms, vakavanua ('in the manner of the land (vanuaY) have been declared to be cornerstones of being Fijian.3 Such convictions are founded in the history of Fijian Methodism since its beginnings in 1835, which is characterized by its close relationship with the chiefly elite and its acceptance of many traditional Fijian norms, values and institutions within the religious praxis of Methodism. This history poses the question: how is it possible that Christianity, itself characterized by a strong universalistic orientation, can become part of a particularistic agenda, an agenda founded on the complex notion of vanua ('land') with its socio-political, territorial, moral and spiritual dimensions including the chiefly system as well as the realms of ancestors, mana and tabuT The answer to this question is not a simple one and probably there are as many answers as individual actors. But all these actors use cultural resources to bring about these processes of forming Christian worldviews. In this article an attempt is made to show one possible way to link Christianity and the vanua through a historical praxis made possible by structurally similar modes of constructing the past. The ethnographic context of this article is the Nabukelevu district in western Kadavu, where I conducted my fieldwork in the village of Levuka.5 In this rural area the relationship between the Christian religion {lotu) and the realm of norms, values, beliefs, and practices conceived of as traditional {vakavanua) is felt very strongly among many faithful Methodists. It is expressed in many ways: In the churches the special seats for the chiefs
Simulations of Power System dynamic phenomena

The Power System Simulation package PSS®NETOMAC (Network Torsion Machine Control) offers a wide range of modern methods of analyzing and synthesizing electric power systems. In order to design individual elements of transmission systems or to perform stability calculations on large systems, it is possible to simulate electrical networks in the time domain and also, with the aid of Eigenvalue calculations, to study in frequency domain too. These methods find general application in the design of control systems and in analyzing the behavior of large networks. User support is provided in the form of a graphical interface to facilitate the inputting of the electrical systems and control structures. One uniform database is being used for all calculations regardless of whether steady state, time domain, frequency domain or Eigenvalue and Modal Analysis is being investigated. Standard Windows PCs or Notebooks provide the platform from which PSS®NETOMAC can provide the user with the flexibility, mobility and speed that he needs.
"Going Native" In Europe?

This article advances hypotheses linking specific European institutions to changes in agent preferences, with the objective to explore the pathways and mechanisms through which such shifts occur. Drawing on work in social psychology and communications research, the author develops a micro-, process-, and agency-based argument on the nature of social interaction within institutions. Empirically, he examines committees of the Council of Europe, the main European rights institution, asking whether the preferences/interests of social agents changed as they discussed and debated issues. Put differently, did they "go native" in Strasbourg? Theoretically, a series of scope conditions for when argumentative persuasion will be effective in "changing minds" is advanced. By thus defining clear domains of application, the article contributes to a central goal of this special issue: building bridges to other-rationalist, in this case-views on social interaction.
In vivo optical coherence tomography for the diagnosis of oral malignancy

Oral cancer results in 10,000 U.S. deaths annually. Improved highly sensitive diagnostics allowing early detection of oral cancer would benefit patient survival and quality of life. Objective was to investigate in vivo non‐invasive optical coherence tomography (OCT) techniques for imaging and diagnosing neoplasia‐related epithelial, sub‐epithelial changes throughout carcinogenesis.
A social psychological basis of corruption and sociopathology

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the social psychological basis of pathologies, from which result neuroses and behaviours like corruption and sociopathic behaviour. It takes the perspective that social collectives have normative minds and can be explored in terms of their social psychological processes.Design/methodology/approach – Knowledge cybernetics will be used to show how pathologies can develop from the interconnection between such noumenal attributes as ideology and ethics.Findings – Social entities have similar psychological pathologies to individual ones. Piaget's notions of how the mind operates can be applied to corporate personality, and their inability to create and coordinate different perspectives can be seen as an organisational pathology.Research limitations/implications – The paper is a theoretical construct that explores corruption and sociopathology at a deep conceptual level. It requires elaboration through case examples to provide pragmatic meaning.Practical implica.
Challenges in Spatial Data Infrastructure research: a role for transdisciplinarity?

The field of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is developing and approaches rapidly a critical masss of more or less operational SDIs. The purpose of the paper is to anticipate the possible impact of the maturing SDI field on its research agenda. Initial initiatives were predominantly techno centred whereas present initiatives are generally placed within current practices and developments in the exchange of spatial data between multitudes of diverse societal stakeholders. But the nature of the SDI concept is changing as well. Recent trends suggest the inclusion of data collection when needed (geo-sensors) without necessarily storing the ad-hoc collected data after use. Moreover, SDI may gradually loose its distinctiveness and become part of general information infrastructures (e.g. e-government). Once operational, SDIs need assured (self) sustainability and continuous development. Different challenges and dilemmas will also be met. The many possible data sources bring the need to choose; the initial scarcity of available data is traded for the scarcity in the ability to select. Similarly, the ability to communicate with more-and-more people (network externalities) brings diverse and often mutually conflicting worldviews and perceptions of reality. The paper first explores this maturing SDI concept as socio-technical and multi-facetted assembly, and the approaches for assessment and support of concrete SDI initiatives respectively. Future research on SDI initiatives has to address a variety of dilemmas like long-term versus short-term influences, generalization versus the ad-hoc and particular, standardization versus multiple perspectives of reality.
Generalized Threshold-Based Epidemics in Random Graphs: The Power of Extreme Values

Bootstrap percolation is a well-known activation process in a graph, in which a node becomes active when it has at least r active neighbors. Such process, originally studied on regular structures, has been recently investigated also in the context of random graphs, where it can serve as a simple model for a wide variety of cascades, such as the spreading of ideas, trends, viral contents, etc. over large social networks. In particular, it has been shown that in G(n,p) the final active set can exhibit a phase transition for a sub-linear number of seeds. In this paper, we propose a unique framework to study similar sub-linear phase transitions for a much broader class of graph models and epidemic processes. Specifically, we consider i) a generalized version of bootstrap percolation in G(n,p) with random activation thresholds and random node-to-node influences; ii) different random graph models, including graphs with given degree sequence and graphs with community structure (block model). The common thread of our work is to show the surprising sensitivity of the critical seed set size to extreme values of distributions, which makes some systems dramatically vulnerable to large-scale outbreaks. We validate our results running simulation on both synthetic and real graphs.