Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Galaxy Evolution Explorer: A Space Ultraviolet Survey Mission

We give an overview of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), a NASA Explorer Mission launched on 2003 April 28. GALEX is performing the first space UV sky survey, including imaging and grism surveys in two bands (1350-1750 and 1750-2750 Å). The surveys include an all-sky imaging survey (mAB ≃ 20.5), a medium imaging survey of 1000 deg2 (mAB ≃ 23), a deep imaging survey of 100 deg2 (mAB ≃ 25), and a nearby galaxy survey. Spectroscopic (slitless) grism surveys (R = 100-200) are underway with various depths and sky coverage. Many targets overlap existing or planned surveys in other bands. We will use the measured UV properties of local galaxies, along with corollary observations, to calibrate the relationship of the UV and global star formation rate in local galaxies. We will apply this calibration to distant galaxies discovered in the deep imaging and spectroscopic surveys to map the history of star formation in the universe over the redshift range 0 < z < 2 and probe the physical drivers of star formation in galaxies. The GALEX mission includes a guest investigator program, supporting the wide variety of programs made possible by the first UV sky survey.
Macroeconomics and Arch

Although ARCH-related models have proven quite popular in finance, they are less frequently used in macroeconomic applications. In part this may be because macroeconomists are usually more concerned about characterizing the conditional mean rather than the conditional variance of a time series. This paper argues that even if one's interest is in the conditional mean, correctly modeling the conditional variance can still be quite important, for two reasons. First, OLS standard errors can be quite misleading, with a "spurious regression" possibility in which a true null hypothesis is asymptotically rejected with probability one. Second, the inference about the conditional mean can be inappropriately influenced by outliers and high-variance episodes if one has not incorporated the conditional variance directly into the estimation of the mean, and infinite relative efficiency gains may be possible. The practical relevance of these concerns is illustrated with two empirical examples from the macroeconomics literature, the first looking at market expectations of future changes in Federal Reserve policy, and the second looking at changes over time in the Fed's adherence to a Taylor Rule.
Establishing Clonal Cell Lines with Endothelial-Like Potential from CD9hi, SSEA-1− Cells in Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Embryoid Bodies

Background Differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into specific cell types with minimal risk of teratoma formation could be efficiently directed by first reducing the differentiation potential of ESCs through the generation of clonal, self-renewing lineage-restricted stem cell lines. Efforts to isolate these stem cells are, however, mired in an impasse where the lack of purified lineage-restricted stem cells has hindered the identification of defining markers for these rare stem cells and, in turn, their isolation. Methodology/Principal Findings We describe here a method for the isolation of clonal lineage-restricted cell lines with endothelial potential from ESCs through a combination of empirical and rational evidence-based methods. Using an empirical protocol that we have previously developed to generate embryo-derived RoSH lines with endothelial potential, we first generated E-RoSH lines from mouse ESC-derived embryoid bodies (EBs). Despite originating from different mouse strains, RoSH and E- RoSH lines have similar gene expression profiles (r2 = 0.93) while that between E-RoSH and ESCs was 0.83. In silico gene expression analysis predicted that like RoSH cells, E-RoSH cells have an increased propensity to differentiate into vasculature. Unlike their parental ESCs, E-RoSH cells did not form teratomas and differentiate efficiently into endothelial-like cells in vivo and in vitro. Gene expression and FACS analysis revealed that RoSH and E-RoSH cells are CD9hi, SSEA-1− while ESCs are CD9lo, SSEA-1+. Isolation of CD9hi, SSEA-1− cells that constituted 1%–10% of EB-derived cultures generated an E-RoSH-like culture with an identical E-RoSH-like gene expression profile (r2 = 0.95) and a propensity to differentiate into endothelial-like cells. Conclusions By combining empirical and rational evidence-based methods, we identified definitive selectable surface antigens for the isolation and propagation of lineage-restricted stem cells with endothelial-like potential from mouse ESCs.
Unsupervised person clustering in videos with cross-modal communication

In the existing person identification solutions, multi-modal learning is able to gain a plausible person identification accuracy in TV Content since supervised information is applied to train an identification model by explicitly customized labels or implicitly derived labels from the transcripts. However, explicit and implicit information is unavailable in various scenes. To tackle this problem, an unsupervised audio-visual person clustering scheme is proposed via exploring the inherent links of speech and faces. Firstly, deep features for individual audio and visual information are designed with metric criteria for neural networks, to provide powerful representations for person identification. Furthermore, an audio-visual cross-modal communication is built to achieve multi-modal clustering based on the same person concepts. The experiments conducted on TV Content demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed solution.
A Transformation System for Modular CLP Programs

We propose a transformation system for CLP programs and modules. The framework is inspired by the one of Tamaki and Sato for pure logic programs [19]. Here, the use of CLP allows us to introduce some new operations such as splitting and constraint replacement. We provide two sets of applicability conditions. The first one guarantees that the original and the transformed programs have the same computational behavior, in terms of answer constraints. The second set contains more restrictive conditions that ensure compositionality: we prove that under these conditions the original and the transformed modules have the same answer constraints also when they are composed with other modules. As corollaries we obtain the correctness of both the modular and the non-modular system w.r. t. the least model semantics.
Preserving Private Knowledge In Decision Tree Learning

Data mining over multiple data sources has become an important practical problem with applications in different areas. Although the data sources are willing to mine the union of their data, they don’t want to reveal any sensitive and private information to other sources due to competition or legal concerns. In this paper, we consider two scenarios where data are vertically or horizontally partitioned over more than two parties. We focus on the classification problem, and present novel privacy preserving decision tree learning methods. Theoretical analysis and experiment results show that these methods can provide good capability of privacy preserving, accuracy and efficiency.
Design of Heating Network Management System Based on ArcGIS

The traditional design method and information management method cannot satisfy the design demand of municipal infrastructure such as heating network. The problem can be improved by the method of the geographic information management (GIS) system for the construction of modern heating network. The heating network management system based on ArcGIS was put forward in the paper. The system structure, database structure, functional define has been established. The geographic information management system could dramatically improve the design efficiency, operation monitoring and dispatching capabilities of heating network.
Developing an Unsupervised Grammar Checker for Filipino Using Hybrid N-grams as Grammar Rules

This study focuses on using hybrid n-grams as grammar rules for detecting grammatical errors and providing corrections in Filipino. These grammar rules are derived from grammatically-correct and tagged texts which are made up of part-of-speech (POS) tags, lemmas, and surface words sequences. Due to the structure of the rules used by this system, it presents an opportunity to have an unsupervised grammar checker for Filipino when coupled with existing POS taggers and morphological analyzers. The approach is also customized to cover different error types present in the Filipino language. The system achieved 82% accuracy when tested on checking erroneous and error-free texts.
A Simple Model of Stability Limits Applied to Sidestepping in Young, Elderly and Elderly Fallers

Impaired lateral balance involving the frontal plane is particularly relevant to the problem of falls with aging. Protective stepping is critical to avoiding falling, and medio-lateral (M-L) stepping involves two quite complicated action choices - lateral side step and crossover stepping. The aims of this study were to identify differences in movement patterns between young healthy subjects and elderly fallers and non-fallers (determined prospectively over a year), and to identify performance differences for the two types of stepping response. Our tool for these evaluations was a computational model of the center of mass as a pendulum, which identifies the limits of stability beyond which additional steps are required. In response to multi-directional stepper-motor induced waist-pull perturbations of standing balance, the older groups took multiple steps more often than the young (55% compared to 9% of the trials), and the largest differences were seen in the pulls to the side. On these side pulls, crossover stepping and limb collisions increased with age and prospectively determined fall risk. Consequently the model analysis focused only on the most problematic lateral pulls, and only on pulls to the right. In both stepping off and landing, the young most closely approached the stability limits predicted by the model, followed by the older non-fallers and then fallers. In crossover stepping, all groups landed closer to their limits when multiple steps occurred, though older fallers were closest to instability. These findings revealed distinctive age differences related to fall risk and shed light on such modeling approaches for understanding the reasons why older fallers may select stepping responses and the effectiveness of such responses in recovering balance
Graduating Mortality Rates via Divergences

One of the most important tasks in actuarial science is to describe the actual but unknown mortality pattern of a population. In order to achieve this, the actuary calculates from raw data the crude mortality rates, which usually form an irregular series. Because of this, it is common to revise the initial estimates with the aim of producing smoother estimates, with a procedure called graduation. There are several parametric and non-parametric methods to achieve this. In this paper initially we critically review the method of graduation using information theoretic ideas. Starting with Brockett’s idea to use the Kullback - Leibler divergence (Brockett, 1991) we explore the use of a family of divergence indices - the family of power divergence statistics (Read and Cressie, 1998) - with analogous linear and/or quadratic constraints with the aim of finding the best divergence to use in order to obtain the “best” graduation. “Bestness” is defined as an acceptable level of both smoothness and goodness of fit. The results so far indicate that divergences with non-probability vectors in their arguments, as is the case with mortality rates, share, under some conditions, some of the properties of probabilistic or information theoretic divergences. The power divergence statistics also give results equivalent to those that other frequently used graduation methods give. A numerical investigation did not produce the best value or best values of , the power of the divergence statistic, for best graduation. The topic is under further investigation.
Near-Optimal Location Tracking Using Sensor Networks

We consider the problem of tracking mobile objects using a sensor network. We present a distributed tracking algorithm, called Mobile Object Tracking using Sensors MOT, that scales well with the number of sensors and also with the number of mobile objects. MOT maintains a hierarchical structure of detection lists that can efficiently track mobile objects and resolve object queries at any time. MOT guarantees that the cost to update its data structures will be at most O(min{log n, log D}) times the optimal update cost and query cost will be within O(1) of the optimal query cost in the constant-doubling graph model, where n and D, respectively, are the number of nodes and the diameter of the network. Moreover, MOT achieves polylogarithmic approximations for both costs in the general graph model and performs well in practical scenarios. To our best knowledge, MOT is the first algorithm for this problem in a distributed setting that is traffic-oblivious, i.e. agnostic to a priori knowledge of objects movement patterns, mobility and query rate, etc., and is load balanced.
Virtualization-level security in cloud computing

Cloud computing is one of today's most exciting technology because of its cost-reducing, flexibility, and scalability. With the fast growing of cloud computing technology, Data security becomes more and more important in it. In evaluating whether to move to cloud computing, it is important to compare benefits and also risks of it. Thus, security and other existed issues in the cloud cause cloud clients need more time to think about moving to cloud environments. But Security-related topics is one of the most arguable issues in the cloud computing which caused several enterprises looks to this technology uncertainly and move toward it warily. In this paper I try to summarize cloud computing RAS (Reliability, Availability, and Security) issues and also clarify available solution for some of them. In this paper I try to summarize virtualization level of cloud computing security in detailed view.
The QRSim Quadrotors Simulator

Examples of quadrotor helicopters models described in the literature (e.g. [6], [4], [17]) tend to focus on reproducing only the dynamic aspects the aerial platform and their primary use is in the domain of closed loop flight control. When the aim is simulating more general higher level tasks that involve multiple platforms which sense and react in their environment, the usefulness of such models is limited. This document describes the multi-vehicle simulator software QRSim developed to devise and test algorithm that allow a set of UAVs to communicate and cooperate to achieve common goals. In addition to realistically simulate the dynamic of the aerial platform (learned from flight tests), the software simulates the sensors suite that typically equip a UAV (i.e. GPS, IMU, camera) and the endogenous and exogenous sources of inaccuracies that characterize them. Environmental effects that affect directly (e.g. wind) or indirectly (e.g. the plume dispersion) the task are also part of the simulation. To offer a well structured and challenging set of control and machine learning problems we present a number of non trivial task scenarios and their implementations. The QRSim Quadrotors Simulator Renzo De Nardi
Formulation and Optimization of Clarithromycin Loaded with Pullulan Acetate Microsphere for Sustained Release by Response Surface Methodology

The aim of this investigation was to develop and optimize Claritromycin loaded with pullulan acetate for sustained release application by response surface methodology based on factorial design with reduced 2FI Model. Total 8 formulations (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7 and F8) were prepared, out of which F5 was found to be best formulation for the sustained release of the Clarithromycin. Further, Various parameters like RPM, Time, Drug (Clarithromycin) Concentration and Pullulan acetate concentration were optimized with respect to F5. It was found that RPM and Time were having more effect as compared to Clarithromycin and Pullulan acetate concentration for sustained release of the drug. The 3D response plot were drawn and optimum interactions were selected by feasibility and grid searches. The observed responses were coincided well with the predicted values by the experimental design. The optimized formulation F5 showed prolonged sustained release of Clarithromycin over 7 hours. The release profile of the drug loaded microsphere reveals that pH of the medium was influencing it at in vitro condition. In the optimized conditions, the sustained release can be reached up to 9 h. Therefore Pullulan acetate loaded with Clarithromycin is a useful polymerised materials for the development and formulation of pH sensitive drug.
Generalized Thirring Models

Abstract The Thirring Model and various generalizations of it are analyzed in detail. The four-Fermi interaction modifies the equation of state. Chemical potentials and twisted boundary conditions both result in complex fermionic determinants which are computed. The nonminimal coupling to gravity leads to a deformation of the conformal algebra which in particular contains the minimal models. We compute the central charges, conformal weights and finite size effects. For the gauged model we derive the partition functions and the explicit expression for the chiral condensate at finite temperature and curvature. The Bosonization in compact curved space-times is also explained.
Linking Italian university statistics

In this paper we describe our experience with building the loius dataset, an interlinked RDF-based version of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research data, containing statistics about University student activities. The "Linking Italian University Statistics" Project (from now on LOIUS) aims to set up a semantic platform serving both humans and machines to efficiently explore the MIUR statistics and, at the same time, to be a contribute to the Linked Data community.
Diversity schemes in interference-limited wireless networks with low-cost radios

We investigate the impact of time diversity and space-time diversity schemes on the traffic capacity of large-scale wireless networks with low-cost radios. Especially, we analyze the tradeoff between relaying gain and increased interference due to additional traffic. The results of a simulation-based study imply that cooperative relaying with selection combining shows benefits for low interference scenarios. For high traffic, however, higher-order modulation schemes outperform the investigated cooperative relaying scenario due to lower interference.
Using rough set theory to construct e-learning faq retrieval infrastructure

We propose a framework of e-learning FAQ (frequently asked questions) retrieval system by applying hierarchical agglomerative clustering method and rough set theory. We try to provide a possible solution to improve the learning performance of e-Learning system. The clustering method and FAQ collection are used to construct a FAQ clustering concept hierarchy. Then, we use lower/upper approximations in rough set theory to classify userspsila queries. The rough set theory can help solve uncertain problem well. Finally, the relevant FAQs for the user query are generated. The relevant FAQs are those in the cluster to which the user query is assigned.
Temporal Text Classification for Romanian Novels set in the Past

In this paper we look at a task in historical linguistics and the study of language development, namely that of identifying the time when a text was written. The novelty is that we evaluate our classifier and our selected features on literary texts having their action placed in the past and written so as to give off the impression of the respective epoch. We investigate several types of features and ultimately go with a very simple set of 10 features which very accurately classifies the texts based on the century they were actually written in. We use random forests to obtain high performance.
Active forms for responsive environments

Active Forms are interactive artefacts that are a focal point of attention for the user. Such devices are interactive and can change shape. They are embedded with both sensors and actuators and are a visualisation and embodiment of some application or service. To be more specific, Active Forms are defined as interactive products or devices that can render content thanks to perceptible changes to their physical form and appearance. We see Active Forms as ideal gateway for the interaction with and the control of Responsive Environments (RE) as defined in [1]. Tangible interaction is the precursor of Active Forms, it was essentially about coupling digital content and physical elements of an interface in an integrating combination. The content is about the internal state of the products and about some of the application(s) and service(s) they support. The tangible interaction focuses on the interface or systems that are physically embodied in the physical artifact. Tangible User Interfaces (TUI) are reactive devices that require a user input to change shape. Active Forms, on the other hand are interactive devices that change shape and appearance. The changes in the Active Forms are a result of either, user actions or internal actuators, both the physical form, such as shape or size, and the appearance, such as colour or temperature, can change. Within Active Forms, there is a balance to be had between the cognitive load on the user, the selection of modalities, the media bandwidth and the user attention. The aim being to have the Active Forms as the user focus of interaction and attention. We have listed below some of the key features of Active Forms: Active Forms are interactive devices that are both reactive to user actions and proactive in displaying information. Active Forms are a gateway to applications or services within the RE and there is a change to the internal state of the device. The user actions and the device reactions of an Active Form are merged and are spatially co-located. Active Forms act as their embodiment, as physical objects, Active Forms also have aesthetic value per se. § The changes in the Active Forms are a result of either, user actions or internal actuators, both the physical form, such as shape or size, and the appearance, such as colour or temperature, can change.
Design Reuse through Frameworks and Patterns

In large service organizations such as banks and insurance companies, the role of application software has changed tremendously, considering the evolution from data input terminals to today's multimedia information and consulting instruments. Banks, for example, must offer their customers a broad range of services, from investment consulting to travellers checks. This places great demands on the usability of information systems, for instance, adaptability to task requirements, short response times, and ability to learn. Because of the trend for banks to offer all-in-one services at all branches, standard software solutions are increasingly in demand. However, as standardization increases, users increasingly demand individual workstation adaptations to meet their specific needs. Frameworks and design patterns are an answer to this and to similar, in principle mutually exclusive, standardization and flexibility requirements. From the perspective of human-computer interaction, this article focuses not only on the numerous advantages of using frameworks in design reuse but also on the problems and obstacles that can arise.