Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aggregating semantic information nuggets for answering clinical queries

In this paper, we address the issue of answering PICO clinical queries formulated within the Evidence Based Medicine framework. Answering clinical questions gives raise to numerous challenges among wich term ambiguity and relevane estimation based on the distribution of the query facets in the documents. The contributions of this work include (1) a new algorithm for query refinement based on the semantic mapping of each facet of the query to a reference terminology and (2) a new document ranking model based on a prioritized aggregation operator that leverages the importance of each facet with regard to a candidate relevant document. The effectiveness of our PICO-based search approach is empirically evaluated using a clinical retrieval collection including 423 queries and more than 1.2 million of medical abstracts from PubMed. The experimental results show that our approach for PICO query answering significantly overpasses state-of-the-art document ranking models.
An organizing principle for a class of voluntary movements

This paper presents a mathematical model which predicts both the major qualitative features and, within experimental error, the quantitative details of a class of perturbed and unperturbed large-amplitude, voluntary movements performed at intermediate speed by primates. A feature of the mathematical model is that a concise description of the behavioral organization of the movement has been formulated which is separate and distinct from the description of the dynamics of movement execution. Based on observations of voluntary movements in primates, the organization has been described as though the goal were to make the smoothest movement possible under the circumstances, i.e., to minimize the accelerative transients. This has been formalized by using dynamic optimization theory to determine the movement which minimizes the rate of change of acceleration (jerk) of the limb. Based on observations of muscle mechanics, the concept of a “virtual position” determined by the active states of the muscles is rigorously defined as one of the mechanical consequences of the neural commands to the muscles. This provides insight into the mechanics of perturbed and unperturbed movements and is a useful aid in the separation of the descriptions of movement organization and movement execution.
The Maxwell demon in the osmotic membrane

The dielectric with index of refraction n is inserted in the Planck blackbody. The spectral formula for photons in such dielectric medium and the equation for the temperature of photons is derived. The new equation is solved for the constant index of refraction. The photon flow initiates the osmotic pressure of he Debye phonons. The dielectric crystal surface works as the osmotic membrane with the Maxwell demonic refrigerator. Key words: Thermodynamics, blackbody, photons, phonons, dielectric medium, dispersion.
Batched Kronecker product for 2-D matrices and 3-D arrays on NVIDIA GPUs

We describe an interface and an implementation for performing Kronecker product actions on NVIDIA GPUs for multiple small 2-D matrices and 3-D arrays processed in parallel as a batch. This method is suited to cases where the Kronecker product component matrices are identical but the operands in a matrix-free application vary in the batch. Any batched GEMM (General Matrix Multiply) implementation, for example ours [1] or the one in cuBLAS, can also be used for performing batched Kronecker products on GPUs. However, the specialized implementation presented here is faster and uses less memory. Partly this is because a simple GEMM based approach would require extra copies to and from main memory. We focus on matrix sizes less than or equal to 16, since these are the typical polynomial degrees in Finite Elements, but the implementation can be easily extended for other sizes. We obtain 143 and 285 GFlop/s for single precision real when processing matrices of size 10 and 16, respectively on NVIDIA Tesla K20c using CUDA 5.0. The corresponding speeds for 3-D array Kronecker products are 126 and 268 GFlop/s, respectively. Double precision is easily supported using the C++ template mechanism.
Comparison of Extremum-Seeking Control Techniques for Maximum Power Point Tracking in Photovoltaic Systems

Due to Japan’s recent nuclear crisis and petroleum price hikes, the search for renewable energy sources has become an issue of immediate concern. A promising candidate attracting much global attention is solar energy, as it is green and also inexhaustible. A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller is employed in such a way that the output power provided by a photovoltaic (PV) system is boosted to its maximum level. However, in the context of abrupt changes in irradiance, conventional MPPT controller approaches suffer from insufficient robustness against ambient variation, inferior transient response and a loss of output power as a consequence of the long duration required of tracking procedures. Accordingly, in this work the maximum power point tracking is carried out successfully using a sliding mode extremum-seeking control (SMESC) method, and the tracking performances of three controllers are compared by simulations, that is, an extremum-seeking controller, a sinusoidal extremum-seeking controller and a sliding mode extremum-seeking controller. Being able to track the maximum power point promptly in the case of an abrupt change in irradiance, the SMESC approach is proven by simulations to be superior in terms of system dynamic and steady state responses, and an excellent robustness along with system stability is demonstrated as well.
Shape-aware Surface Reconstruction from Sparse Data

The reconstruction of an object's shape or surface from a set of 3D points is a common topic in materials and life sciences, computationally handled in computer graphics. Such points usually stem from optical or tactile 3D coordinate measuring equipment. Surface reconstruction also appears in medical image analysis, e.g. in anatomy reconstruction from tomographic measurements or the alignment of intra-operative navigation and preoperative planning data. In contrast to mere 3D point clouds, medical imaging yields contextual information on the 3D point data that can be used to adopt prior information on the shape that is to be reconstructed from the measurements. In this work we propose to use a statistical shape model (SSM) as a prior for surface reconstruction. The prior knowledge is represented by a point distribution model (PDM) that is associated with a surface mesh. Using the shape distribution that is modelled by the PDM, we reformulate the problem of surface reconstruction from a probabilistic perspective based on a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM). In order to do so, the given measurements are interpreted as samples of the GMM. By using mixture components with anisotropic covariances that are oriented according to the surface normals at the PDM points, a surface-based tting is accomplished. By estimating the parameters of the GMM in a maximum a posteriori manner, the reconstruction of the surface from the given measurements is achieved. Extensive experiments suggest that our proposed approach leads to superior surface reconstructions compared to Iterative Closest Point (ICP) methods.
Whom to remove? Breaking the covert network

The law enforcement analyst had a necessity for a new type of network analysis to understand the structure of the organization behind such brutal and well executed attacks so that experts could identify the involved key players. The network analysis which studies who is related to whom based on what relation called as Social Network Analysis (SNA) is applied here. In this paper we present graph theoretic and POSET oriented methodologies to efficiently fragment a clandestine network using a naïve Relationship Centrality CR. Our results evidently show that the predominant cut-set of actors recognized, isolate the covert network into multiple fragments with minimum number of actors. CR measure could precisely identify the top ordered crucial nodes of the attack by not only using the distance measure as other centralities but also considers various other attributes like relations, time order and importance of the event occurrence. This paper also compares the relational measure with other conventional distance based centralities.
Frequent discordance between morphology and mitochondrial DNA in a species group of European water beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

The Hydroporus memnonius species group includes both widespread and range restricted diving beetle taxa in the western Palaearctic, some of which have been divided into a number of geographical subspecies. Of these, Hydroporus necopinatus is distributed in the far west of Europe, from central Spain to southern Britain, and has been split into three subspecies, occurring in Iberia (necopinatus sst.), France (robertorum) and England (roni) respectively—the last of these being a rare example of an insect taxon apparently endemic to northern Europe. Here we explore inter-relationships between populations and subspecies of H. necopinatus and related members of the Hydroporus melanarius subgroup, using mitochondrial COI sequence data. We reveal widespread discordance between mitochondrial DNA sequence variation and morphology in areas where H. necopinatus and H. melanarius come into contact, consistent with historical introgressive hybridization between these taxa. In light of this discordance, the lack of clear genetic divergence between H. necopinatus subspecies, and the fact that both robertorum and roni are morphologically intermediate between H. necopinatus sstr. and H. melanarius, we suggest that these taxa may be of hybridogenic origin, rather than representing discrete evolutionary lineages.
Face Hallucination via Semi-Kernel Partial Least Squares

In this paper, a patch-based super-resolution (SR) method is proposed to hallucinate facial images. Two steps are involved in this method. In the first step, semi-kernel partial least squares (semi-KPLS) algorithm is used to generate a nonlinear correlative space. In the second step, we use collaborative representation (CR) to infer a high-resolution (HR) face. The experiments conducted on FERET database demonstrate the proposed algorithm can generate better results, in comparison with some state-of-the-art approaches.
Error Estimates of B-spline based finite-element method for the wind-driven ocean circulation

We present the error analysis of a B-spline based finite-element approximation of the stream-function formulation of the large scale winddriven ocean circulation. In particular, we derive optimal error estimates for h-refinement using a Nitsche-type variational formulations of the two simplied linear models of the stationary quasigeostrophic equations, namely the Stommel and Stommel–Munk models. Numerical results on rectangular and embedded geometries confirm the error analysis.
Drain-Site Hernia Containing the Vermiform Appendix: Report of a Case

The herniated vermiform appendix has been described as content of every hernia orifice in the right lower quadrant. While the femoral and inguinal herniated vermiform appendix is frequent enough to result in an own designation, port-site or even drain-site hernias are less frequently described. We report the case of a 62-year-old woman who presented with right lower quadrant pain seven years after Roux-en-Y Cystojejunostomy for a pancreatic cyst. CT scan showed herniation of the vermiform appendix through a former drain-site. A diagnostic laparoscopy with appendectomy and direct closure of the abdominal wall defect combined with mesh reinforcement was performed. Despite the decreasing use of intraperitoneal drains over the recent years, a multitude of patients had intraperitoneal drainage in former times. These patients face nowadays the risk of drain-site hernias with sometimes even unexpected structures inside.
Inhibition of Fast Axonal Transport by Pathogenic SOD1 Involves Activation of p38 MAP Kinase

Dying-back degeneration of motor neuron axons represents an established feature of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS) associated with superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutations, but axon-autonomous effects of pathogenic SOD1 remained undefined. Characteristics of motor neurons affected in FALS include abnormal kinase activation, aberrant neurofilament phosphorylation, and fast axonal transport (FAT) deficits, but functional relationships among these pathogenic events were unclear. Experiments in isolated squid axoplasm reveal that FALS-related SOD1 mutant polypeptides inhibit FAT through a mechanism involving a p38 mitogen activated protein kinase pathway. Mutant SOD1 activated neuronal p38 in mouse spinal cord, neuroblastoma cells and squid axoplasm. Active p38 MAP kinase phosphorylated kinesin-1, and this phosphorylation event inhibited kinesin-1. Finally, vesicle motility assays revealed previously unrecognized, isoform-specific effects of p38 on FAT. Axon-autonomous activation of the p38 pathway represents a novel gain of toxic function for FALS-linked SOD1 proteins consistent with the dying-back pattern of neurodegeneration characteristic of ALS.
How to Solve Key Escrow Problem in Proxy Re-encryption from CBE to IBE

In 1998, Blaze, Bleumer, and Strauss proposed a kind of cryptographic primitive called proxy re-encryption. In proxy re-encryption, a proxy can transform a ciphertext computed under Alice's public key into one that can be opened under Bob's decryption key. In 2007, Matsuo proposed a new type of re-encryption scheme which can re-encrypt the ciphertext in the certificate based encryption(CBE) setting to one that can be decrypted in identity based setting (IBE). Now this scheme is being standardized by IEEEP1363.3 working group. In this paper, we further extend their research. One feature of their scheme is that it inherits the key escrow problem from IBE, that is, KGC can decrypt every re-encrypted ciphertext for IBE users.We ask question like this: can the malicious KGC not decrypt the re-encryption ciphertext? Surprisingly, the answer is affirmative. We construct such a scheme and prove its security in the standard model. So we give the conclusion that key escrow problem is not unavoidable in re-encryption from CBE to IBE.
Measuring Light Pollution with a Calibrated High Dynamic Range All-Sky Image Acquisition System

Combining series of exposures with different exposure times made with a digital SLR camera and a fish-eye lens allow to create highresolution images that contain the full dynamic range of daylight, including the Sun, usable as scene background and for skylight illumination computation purposes. These High Dynamic Range (HDR) images can also be calibrated with a luminance meter, so the image data contain meaningful values, and the system becomes a measuring device. At night, long-time exposures can be combined, and the setup, once fine-calibrated with a Sky Quality Meter or another low-level light measuring device, becomes a valuable tool to provide absolute values of sky brightness. Using data from the astronomical literature, false-colour plots of sky luminance can be created that closely match visual estimation of visible stellar magnitudes.
The Horus System

Although group communication systems have become popular, software support for such computing remains complex and poorly integrated with modern operating systems structures. We describe the Horus system , which brings microkernel design techniques to bear on this problem. Horus has proved lightweight and fast, is well suited for embedding into operating systems like Mach and Chorus, and is exible enough to serve as a base for experiments in high availability security technologies, real-time communication, and control of high speed communication devices.
Role of neuron-glial junctional domain proteins in the maintenance and termination of neuronal migration across the embryonic cerebral wall

To identify glial membrane proteins that contribute to the process of neuronal migration in the developing brain, we developed a polyclonal antiserum (D4) and a monoclonal antibody (NJPA1: neuron-glial junctional polypeptide antibody) that recognize membrane proteins localized to the plasmalemmal junction between migrating neurons and adjacent radial glial fibers (Cameron and Rakic, 1994). Here, we show that in the developing cerebral cortex, immunoreactivity for these junctional polypeptides is present throughout the neuronal migratory pathway but becomes minimal or absent where radial glial cell processes enter the marginal zone region, the barrier at which newly arrived neurons normally stop their migration and detach from their glial fiber substrate. We thus tested, using imprints of embryonic cerebral wall and slice preparations, whether the junctional membrane proteins detected by our antibodies contribute to the regulation of neuronal migration in the cerebral cortex. The rate of neuronal migration on glial cell substrates was reduced significantly in the presence of D4 or NJPA1 antibodies. Antibody exposure typically led to the withdrawal of leading processes, changes in microtubular organization and, in some instances, to detachment of neurons from their glial cell substrates. These results suggest that the polypeptides recognized by the D4 and NJPA1 antibodies are essential for the maintenance of normal neuronal migration. Dismantling of neuron-glial cell junctional domains formed by these membrane proteins may underlie neuronal cell detachment from glial migratory substrates at the interface between cortical plate and marginal zone in the developing cerebral wall.
Compact Test Generation Using a Frozen Clock Testing Strategy

Test application time is an important factor in the overall cost of VLSI chip testing. We present a new ATPG approach to generating compact test sequences for sequential circuits. Our approach combines a conventional ATPG algorithm, a technique based on the frozen clock testing strategy, and a dynamic compaction method based on a genetic algorithm. The frozen clock strategy temporarily suspends the sequential behavior of the circuit by stopping its clock and applying several vectors to increase the number of faults detected without changing the circuit state. Results show that test sets generated using the new approach are more compact than those generated by previous approaches for many circuits.
An Unfolding Journey

reverent as sacrament your eyes spilling into each word . then every poem unfolded its journey as if through a forest dark and green or discovering an ocean green and dark before dawn and you standing reverent before your arrest as if in a meadow green with wild flowers: the concrete the barbed wire the fence that, too, was an unfolding journey like a forest, an ocean, a meadow green dark waking slowly to sunrise
On semilocal modules and rings

It is well-known that a ring Ris semiperfect if and only if RR (orRR ) is a supplemented module. Considering weak supplementsinstead of supplements we show that weakly supplemented modules Mare semilocal (i.e.M/Rad(M) is semisimple) and that R is a semilocal ring if and only if RR (orRR ) is weakly supplemented. In this context the notion of finite hollow dimension (or finite dual Goldie dimension) of modules is of interest and yields a natural interpretation of the Camps-Dicks characterization of semilocal rings. Finitely generated modules are weakly supplemented if and only if they have finite hollow dimension (or are semilocal).
A survey of cross-validation procedures for model selection

Used to estimate the risk of an estimator or to perform model selection, cross-validation is a widespread strategy because of its simplicity and its apparent universality. Many results exist on the model selection performances of cross-validation procedures. This survey intends to relate these results to the most recent advances of model selection theory, with a particular emphasis on distinguishing empirical statements from rigorous theoretical results. As a conclusion, guidelines are provided for choosing the best cross-validation procedure according to the particular features of the problem in hand.
First Steps towards Dialogue Modelling from an Un-annotated Human-Human Corpus Sudeep Gandhe

Virtual human characters equipped with natural language dialogue capability have proved useful in many fields like simulation training and interactive games. Generally behind such dialogue managers lies a complex knowledge-rich rule-based system. Building such system involves meticulous annotation of data and hand autoring of rules. In this paper we build a statistical dialogue model from roleplay and wizard of oz dialog corpus with virtually no annotation. We compare these methods with the traditional approaches. We have evaluated these systems for perceived appropriateness of response and the results are presented here.
Asset Price Dynamics in a Model of Investors Operating on Different Time Horizons

We present a dynamic asset pricing model based on a heterogenous class of traders. These traders are homogenous in the sense that they are fundamentalists who base their investment decisions on an exogenoulsy given fundamental value. They are heterogenous in the sense that each trader is working with a different frequency of the underlying price data. As a result we have a system of interacting investors who together influence the market price. We derive a system that characterizes out-of-equilibrium dynamics of prices in this market which is structurally equivalent to the Nose-Hoover thermostat equation in non-equilibrium thermodynamics. We explore the time series properties of these prices and find that they exhibit fat tails of returns distributions, volatility clustering and power laws. (author's abstract)
FFP Version 2 , 0 : An Implementation of COSMIC Functional Size Measurement Concepts

The Full Function Points functional size measurement method was first released in the fall of 1997. Since this initial presentation, significant improvements to the description of functional size measurement concepts have been achieved by the COSMIC group. In its second release, the Full Function Points method has been enhanced significantly in order to implement the findings of the COSMIC group. Highlights of the improvements will be presented, including the clarifications to the measurement process model as well as enhancements to the functional size model and to the measurement procedures.
Accelerated Adaptive Integration Method

Conformational changes that occur upon ligand binding may be too slow to observe on the time scales routinely accessible using molecular dynamics simulations. The adaptive integration method (AIM) leverages the notion that when a ligand is either fully coupled or decoupled, according to λ, barrier heights may change, making some conformational transitions more accessible at certain λ values. AIM adaptively changes the value of λ in a single simulation so that conformations sampled at one value of λ seed the conformational space sampled at another λ value. Adapting the value of λ throughout a simulation, however, does not resolve issues in sampling when barriers remain high regardless of the λ value. In this work, we introduce a new method, called Accelerated AIM (AcclAIM), in which the potential energy function is flattened at intermediate values of λ, promoting the exploration of conformational space as the ligand is decoupled from its receptor. We show, with both a simple model system (Bromocyclohexane) and the more complex biomolecule Thrombin, that AcclAIM is a promising approach to overcome high barriers in the calculation of free energies, without the need for any statistical reweighting or additional processors.