Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A deformable local image descriptor

This paper presents a novel local image descriptor that is robust to general image deformations. A limitation with traditional image descriptors is that they use a single support region for each interest point. For general image deformations, the amount of deformation for each location varies and is unpredictable such that it is difficult to choose the best scale of the support region. To overcome this difficulty, we propose to use multiple support regions of different sizes surrounding an interest point. A feature vector is computed for each support region, and the concatenation of these feature vectors forms the descriptor for this interest point. Furthermore, we propose a new similarity measure model, local-to-global similarity (LGS) model, for point matching that takes advantage of the multi-size support regions. Each support region acts as a dasiaweakpsila classifier and the weights of these classifiers are learned in an unsupervised manner. The proposed approach is evaluated on a number of images with real and synthetic deformations. The experiment results show that our method outperforms existing techniques under different deformations.
A Longitudinal, Multi-Project Study of Bug Tracking Productivity and Learning in Open Source Software Development

The dynamics of Open Source Software development have recently received a lot of attention from an organizational learning perspective. Following a network theoretic approach, we study the temporal development of communication network structure and productivity in order to detect associations among these constructs. Thereby, we identify a research gap in that related work either focuses on too few projects or utilizes insufficient numbers of analyzed timeframes. Our study is both multi-project and longitudinal in order to detect holistic influencing factors of successful Open Source Software development. First, we find that learning effects are present since productivity increases over time. Next, we observe that growth in team size impedes productivity whereas the continuous concentration on central nodes coincides with increasing productivity. Against our expectation, we also find that increasing centralization does not yield decreasing network density, possibly due to Open Source Software developers deliberately avoiding the dependence on bottleneck nodes.
An energy harvesting 2×2 60GHz transceiver with scalable data rate of 38-to-2450Mb/s for near range communication

An integrated 2×2 OOK transceiver at 60GHz with energy harvesting transmitter (TX) and TX power scalable with data rate is demonstrated. The TX power scales from 100μW to 6.3mW at 5cm range and from 260μW to 11.9mW at 10cm range, supporting 38-to-2450Mb/s with a BER<;5×10-4. Energy is harvested at 2.45GHz with an average efficiency of 33%. It occupies 1.62mm2 in 40nm CMOS and the TX energy efficiency is 4.9pJ/b and 2.6pJ/b at 10cm and 5cm respectively.
Cleavage of VP1 and modification of antigenic site 1 of type 2 polioviruses by intestinal trypsin

We have exposed 22 independent type 2 poliovirus isolates to human intestinal fluid and purified trypsin. In all cases the virus retained its infectivity, while polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of viral proteins showed disappearance of the VP1 bands. Concomitantly, the viruses became resistant to antigenic site 1-specific monoclonal antibodies, indicating that the cleavage took place at the antigenic site 1. Sera from persons immunized solely with the inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) neutralized intact type 2 polioviruses more readily than the corresponding trypsin-cleaved virus preparations. The ratio between the neutralization indices for the intact and trypsin-cleaved type 2 polioviruses was not significantly changed by a dose of trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine given to children previously immunized with IPV. These results indicate that while the antigenic site 1 of type 2 poliovirus is immunogenic in humans when IPV is used, the relative role of this antigenic site in human immunity appears to be less critical than that in the case of type 3 polioviruses. Before we obtained these results, only antigenic site 1 had been shown to be immunogenic in type 2 polioviruses.
Language model adaptation using dynamic marginals

A new method is presented to quickly adapt a given language model to local text characteristics. The basic approach is to choose the adaptive models as close as possible to the background estimates while constraining them to respect the locally estimated unigram probabilities. Several means are investigated to speed up the calculations. We measure both perplexity and word error rate to gauge the quality of our model.
Bridging the Gap between Fault Trees and UML State Machine Diagrams for Safety Analysis

Poorly designed software systems are one of main causes of accidents in safety-critical systems, and thus, the importance of safety analysis for software has greatly increased over the recent years. Software safety can be improved by analyzing both its desired and undesired behaviors, and this in turn requires expressive power such that both can be modeled. However, there is a considerable gap between modeling methods for desired and undesired behaviors. Therefore, we propose a method to bridge the gap between fault trees (for undesired behavior) and UML state machine diagrams (for desired behavior). More specifically, we present rules and algorithms that facilitate the transformation of a hazard (in the context of fault trees) to a UML state machine diagram. We illustrate our proposed approach via an example on a microwave-oven system. Our proposed transformation can help engineers identify how the hazards may occur, thereby allowing them to prevent the hazard from occurring.
Mapping the RNA-Seq trash bin

Prokaryotic transcripts constitute almost always uninterrupted intervals when mapped back to the genome. Split reads, i.e., RNA-seq reads consisting of parts that only map to discontiguous loci, are thus disregarded in most analysis pipelines. There are, however, some well-known exceptions, in particular, tRNA splicing and circularized small RNAs in Archaea as well as self-splicing introns. Here, we reanalyze a series of published RNA-seq data sets, screening them specifically for non-contiguously mapping reads. We recover most of the known cases together with several novel archaeal ncRNAs associated with circularized products. In Eubacteria, only a handful of interesting candidates were obtained beyond a few previously described group I and group II introns. Most of the atypically mapping reads do not appear to correspond to well-defined, specifically processed products. Whether this diffuse background is, at least in part, an incidental by-product of prokaryotic RNA processing or whether it consists entirely of technical artifacts of reverse transcription or amplification remains unknown.
Bis[O-methyl (4-ethoxyphenyl)dithiophosphonato-κ2 S,S′]nickel(II)

In the title compound, [Ni(C9H12O2PS2)2], the NiII atom resides on an inversion center and is coordinated by four S atoms [Ni—S = 2.2328 (4) and 2.2455 (3) Å] in a distorted square-planar geometry [S—Ni—S = 88.443 (13) and 91.557 (13)°]. In the crystal, molecules related by translation in [110] are linked into chains via weak C—H⋯O interactions. The crystal packing exhibits short intermolecular S⋯S contacts of 3.3366 (5) Å.
Soaking based invisible photonic print with a fast response and high resolution

A soaking based invisible photonic print is prepared by regionally selective hydrophobization of SiO2/PEGMA photonic paper under a mask. The patterns on the prints are invisible in a dry state but visible in water, because the nonuniform swelling behavior of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions of the paper induces a different lattice expansion and a large color contrast between the pattern and the background. Due to the uncrosslinked characteristic and the superior swelling ability of the current photonic paper, the invisible patterns printed on it can be reversibly shown and hidden in several seconds and its resolution reaches the micrometer scale, both of which favor its application in antifraud labels or in the identification recognition in our daily lives.
Efficacy of Reusing NanoDot OSL Dosimeters Using Optical Bleaching

approved: ______________________________________________________ Susha Pillai Use of optically stimulated luminescence detectors (OSLDs) is rapidly increasing in the area of in vivo dosimetry. OSLDs are relatively new to the market compared to their main competitor, thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs). Currently, not all characteristics of OSLDs have been fully investigated. Landauer’s nanoDot OSLDs were used in conjunction with their MicroStar reader to ascertain a nanoDot’s ability to be reused. Annealing an OSLD signal with heat has been documented to work well. Due to the plastic casing on nanoDots, the high heat needed for annealing would destroy the OSLD. For this reason, nanoDots need to be bleached with light if they are to be reused. The strength of the light used was investigated by comparing the effects of bleaching with 15 W and 25 W lights. OSLDs use light to read out the signal, so each reading depletes some fraction of the signal. The rate of depletion per reading was looked at and compared to other data (Jursinic 2007). Most importantly, the effects of accumulated dose on the sensitivity of OSLDs were explored. This was done at different accumulated dose rates. Differences between the two wattages of light were found to play a minimal role on the total time needed for ample bleaching. The loss of signal per reading of the nanoDot was determined to be 0.04% per readout, which closely agrees with the Jursinic paper (2007). The sensitivity of the chip was shown to be stable up to 1080 cGy of accumulated dose. After this threshold point, the sensitivity of the OSLD decreases at a rate of 0.00456 cGy lost per cGy accumulated above 1080. This can be used to make a correction that can be added to the dose read out in nanoDots with accumulated doses above 1080 cGy. The use of the correction relies on the assumption that different OSLDs behave similarly under different accumulated dose rates and that differences in manufacturing between nanoDots are small enough to be negligible. ©Copyright by Gavin Graeper June 9, 2015 All Rights Reserved Efficacy of Reusing NanoDot OSL Dosimeters Using Optical Bleaching
Comparison of the transport of QX-314 through TRPA1, TRPM8, and TRPV1 channels

Background It has been demonstrated that N-ethyl-lidocaine (QX-314) can target the transient receptor protein vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) nociceptors when coadministered with capsaicin, resulting in a selective block of the nociceptors. Capsaicin is problematic in therapeutic use because it induces firing of nociceptors. The present study aimed to search for substitutes for capsaicin. We also examined the transportability of QX-314 into nociceptive neurons, through the pores of transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), transient receptor potential melastatin-8 (TRPM8), and TRPV1. Methods To investigate the effect on TRPA1, injections of a vehicle, allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), QX-314, or AITC/QX-314 were made into the hind paws of rats. The effects of menthol and capsaicin on the opening of TRPM8 and TRPV1 were also examined and compared with the potency of QX-314. To examine inhibition of the antinociceptive effect by capsaicin/ QX-314, capsazepine (50 μg/mL; 10 μL) was injected 30 minutes prior to capsaicin/QX-314 (10 μL) injection. Thermal sensitivity was investigated by the Hargreaves method. 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-conjugated QX-314 was used as a tracer to examine how many and which kind of dorsal root ganglia accumulate this molecule. QX-314-FAM, capsaicin/QX-314-FAM, AITC/QX-314-FAM, and menthol/QX-314-FAM were injected into the paw. Two weeks after injections, dorsal root ganglia were removed and sectioned with a cryostat. Results The capsaicin/QX-314 group induced longer withdrawal-response latency at 60 to 300 minutes after injection than the control. Both menthol only and menthol/QX-314 injections showed analgesia 10 to 60 minutes after injection. No significant difference was seen between the capsazepine/capsaicin/QX-314 group and the vehicle group. The fluorescence in small- and medium-sized neurons was conspicuous in only the dorsal root ganglia injected with capsaicin/ QX-314-FAM. Conclusion These results indicate that TRPA1 and TRPM8 are ineffective in the transport of QX-314 compared with TRPV1.
Simultaneous tracking & activity recognition (star) using many anonymous

A variable displacement pump control having, in addition to a pressure compensator (with or without an auxiliary modulator), a multi-purpose valve which is open at pump startup to purge air therefrom, which is automatically closed after purging of the air, and which is opened in the manner of a relief valve responsive to a sudden rise in pump discharge pressure caused as by rapid closing of a directional control valve. The control is further characterized in that the pressure compensating pilot valve also constitutes a pilot valve for the multi-purpose valve to permit opening of a relief passage by the latter when pump discharge pressure suddenly rises.
Examining Higher Order Transformations for Scale-free Small World Graphs

The degree distribution of scale-free Small World networks follows a power law. For random graph generators, its exponent is constrained by the construction mechanism, whereas in real-world data, different slopes can be observed. However, the degree distribution alone does not reveal much of the local structure of these graphs. Therefore, we propose a graph transformation we call ”higher order” transformation, which encodes the number of common neighbours two vertices share in its edge weights. Studying the degree distribution of secondand third order graphs and comparing it to natural language cooccurrence data, we find that the higher order transformation reveals differences that cannot be detected by only looking at traditional measures on the original graph.
Spectral properties of a magnetic quantum Hamiltonian on a strip

We consider a 2D Schrodinger operator H0 with constant magnetic field, on a strip of finite width. The spectrum of H0 is absolutely continuous, and contains a discrete set of thresholds. We perturb H0 by an electric potential V which decays in a suitable sense at infinity, and study the spectral properties of the perturbed operator H = H0 + V. First, we establish a Mourre estimate, and as a corollary prove that the singular continuous spectrum of H is empty, and any compact subset of the complement of the threshold set may contain at most a finite set of eigenvalues of H, each of them having a finite multiplicity. Next, we intro- duce the Krein spectral shift function (SSF) for the operator pair (H,H0). We show that this SSF is bounded on any compact subset of the complement of the threshold set, and is continuous away from the threshold set and the eigenvalues of H. The main results of the article concern the asymptotic behaviour of the SSF at th thresholds, which is described in terms of the SSF for a pair of eective Hamiltonians.
A Survey of Low Switching Frequency Modulation Techniques for Medium-Voltage Multilevel Converters

Multilevel converters (MLCs) have emerged as standard power electronic converters for medium-voltage high-power industrial applications. Owing to dominating device switching losses in high-power applications, it is preferable to use low device switching frequency (LDSF) modulation techniques. Then, it is possible to achieve higher device utilization, higher converter efficiency, and reduced cooling requirements. However, there exists a tradeoff between device switching frequency and harmonic distortion of converter output currents. Therefore, the main challenge for LDSF modulation techniques is to minimize the harmonic distortion of the output currents. The goal of this paper is to provide a review of various LDSF modulation techniques proposed in the literature and also discuss in detail about one of the emerging LDSF control techniques known as synchronous optimal pulsewidth modulation. Finally, challenges to LDSF modulation techniques for emerging multilevel topologies and future trends in applications of MLCs are discussed to motivate further research, to enhance the proposed LDSF techniques, and to explore for new alternatives.
Fractures of the tibial plateau involve similar energies as the tibial pilon but greater articular surface involvement

Patients with tibial pilon fractures have a higher incidence of post‐traumatic osteoarthritis than those with fractures of the tibial plateau. This may indicate that pilon fractures present a greater mechanical insult to the joint than do plateau fractures. We tested the hypothesis that fracture energy and articular fracture edge length, two independent indicators of severity, are higher in pilon than plateau fractures. We also evaluated whether clinical fracture classification systems accurately reflect severity. Seventy‐five tibial plateau fractures and 52 tibial pilon fractures from a multi‐institutional study were selected to span the spectrum of severity. Fracture severity measures were calculated using objective CT‐based image analysis methods. The ranges of fracture energies measured for tibial plateau and pilon fractures were 3.2–33.2 Joules (J) and 3.6–32.2 J, respectively, and articular fracture edge lengths were 68.0–493.0 mm and 56.1–288.6 mm, respectively. There were no differences in the fracture energies between the two fracture types, but plateau fractures had greater articular fracture edge lengths (p < 0.001). The clinical fracture classifications generally reflected severity, but there was substantial overlap of fracture severity measures between different classes. Similar fracture energies with different degrees of articular surface involvement suggest a possible explanation for dissimilar rates of post‐traumatic osteoarthritis for fractures of the tibial plateau compared to the tibial pilon. The substantial overlap of severity measures between different fracture classes may well have confounded prior clinical studies relying on fracture classification as a surrogate for severity. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:618–624, 2017.
ANALYZING SILAGE CROPS FOR QUALITY: WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT?

Animal productivity depends on the nutrient composition of the ration presented to the animal as well as on the quality of feed ingredients. In assessing animal productivity the nutritionist must determine if ration composition is the factor limiting productive potential. In order to do this one must have an accurate assessment of feed quality and delivery. Having as complete a set of information as possible on the feeds and delivered ration will assist the nutritionist in making this determination and allow for the identification of limiting factors. With advances in the use of Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) thirty or more items of nutrient information can be provided with minimal cost. Various evaluations beyond the scope of NIR are available as well. This volume of information can often overwhelm the nutritional diagnostician and make it more difficult to focus on critical indexes of forage quality. With so many analyses available which characterize different aspects of feed quality, where does one start in order to critically assess feed quality in silages?
Distributed Bayesian estimation of arrival rates in asynchronous monitoring networks

In this paper we consider a network of agents monitoring a spatially distributed traffic process. Each node measures the number of arrivals seen at its monitoring point in a given time-interval. We propose an asynchronous distributed approach based on a hierarchical Bayes model with unknown hyperparameter, which allows each node to compute the minimum mean square error (MMSE) estimator of the local arrival rate by suitably fusing the information from the whole network. Simulation results show that the distributed scheme improves the estimation accuracy compared to a purely decentralized setup and is reliable even in presence of limited local data. An ad-hoc algorithm with reduced complexity is also proposed, which performs very closely to the optimal MMSE estimator.
Inactivation of ompR Promotes Precocious Swarming and flhDC Expression in Xenorhabdus nematophila

ABSTRACT The response regulator OmpR is involved in numerous adaptive responses to environmental challenges. The role that OmpR plays in swarming behavior and swarm-cell differentiation in the symbiotic-pathogenic bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila was examined in this study. Swarming began 4 h sooner in an ompR mutant strain than in wild-type cells. Precocious swarming was correlated with elevated expression of fliC, early flagellation, and cell elongation. The level of flhDC mRNA was elevated during the early period of swarming in the ompR strain relative to the level in the wild type. These findings show that OmpR is involved in the temporal regulation of flhDC expression and flagellum production and demonstrate that this response regulator plays a role in the swarming behavior of X. nematophila.
Run-Time Exploitation of Application Dynamism for Energy-Efficient Exascale Computing (READEX)

Efficiently utilizing the resources provided on current petascale and future exascale systems will be a challenging task, potentially causing a large amount of underutilized resources and wasted energy. A promising potential to improve efficiency of HPC applications stems from the significant degree of dynamic behavior, e.g., run-time alternation in application resource requirements in HPC workloads. Manually detecting and leveraging this dynamism to improve performance and energy-efficiency is a tedious task that is commonly neglected by developers. However, using an automatic optimization approach, application dynamism can be analyzed at design-time and used to optimize system configurations at run-time. The European Union Horizon 2020 READEX project will develop a tools-aided scenario based auto-tuning methodology to exploit the dynamic behavior of HPC applications to achieve improved energy-efficiency and performance. Driven by a consortium of European experts from academia, HPC resource providers, and industry, the READEX project aims at developing the first of its kind generic framework for split design-time run-time automatic tuning for heterogeneous system at the exascale level.
The nonsense of knowledge management

Examines critically the origins and basis of 'knowledge management', its components and its development as a field of consultancy practice. Problems in the distinction between 'knowledge' and 'information' are explored, as well as Polanyi's concept of 'tacit knowing'. The concept is examined in the journal literature, the Web sites of consultancy companies, and in the presentation of business schools. The conclusion is reached that 'knowledge management' is an umbrella term for a variety of organizational activities, none of which are concerned with the management of knowledge. Those activities that are not concerned with the management of information are concerned with the management of work practices, in the expectation that changes in such areas as communication practice will enable information sharing.