Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recommending Join Queries via Query Log Analysis

Complex ad hoc join queries over enterprise databases are commonly used by business data analysts to understand and analyze a variety of enterprise-wide processes. However, effectively formulating such queries is a challenging task for human users, especially over databases that have large, heterogeneous schemas. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to automatically create join query recommendations based on input-output specifications (i.e.,input tables on which selection conditions are imposed, and output tables whose attribute values must be in the result of the query). The recommended join query graph includes (i) "intermediate'' tables, and (ii) join conditions that connect the input and output tables via the intermediate tables. Our method is based on analyzing an existing query log over the enterprise database. Borrowing from program slicing techniques, which extract parts of a program that affect the value of a given variable, we first extract "query slices'' from each query in the log. Given a user specification, we then re-combine appropriate slices to create a new join query graph, which connects the sets of input and output tables via the intermediate tables. We propose and study several quality measures to enable choosing a good join query graph among the many possibilities. Each measure expresses an intuitive notion that there should be sufficient evidence in the log to support our recommendation of the join query graph. We conduct an extensive study using the log of an actual enterprise database system to demonstrate the viability of our novel approach for recommending join queries.
Evaluation criteria for assessing the usability of ERP systems

It is widely acknowledged that enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems suffer from complex user interfaces. The complexity of these user interfaces negatively affects the usability of these systems. Current research has shown that a need exists to improve the overall usability of ERP systems. Specific methods and criteria for assessing the usability of ERP systems have not been developed or widely published. This paper proposes a set of heuristics which can be used to assess the usability of ERP systems. The proposed heuristics were verified by means of a case study involving a heuristic evaluation of an ERP system.
Using narrated literacy-based behavioural interventions to decrease episodes of physical aggression in elementary students with disabilities

This study was designed to examine the effects of literacy-based behavioural interventions (Bucholz et al., 2008) to decrease acts of physical aggression with kindergarten and first grade students. The study used a multiple baseline design across three participants. The results showed a decrease in acts of physical aggression by students with significant developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders as a result of the literacy-based behavioural interventions (LBBI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Navigating in unfamiliar geometric terrain

Consider a robot that has to travel from a start location $s$ to a target $t$ in an environment with opaque obstacles that lie in its way. The robot always knows its current absolute position and that of the target. It does not, however, know the positions and extents of the obstacles in advance; rather, it finds out about obstacles as it encounters them. We compare the distance walked by the robot in going from $s$ to $t$ to the length of the shortest (obstacle-free) path between $s$ and $t$ in the scene. We describe and analyze robot strategies that minimize this ratio for different kinds of scenes. In particular, we consider the cases of rectangular obstacles aligned with the axes, rectangular obstacles in more general orientations, and wider classes of convex bodies both in two and three dimensions. For many of these situations, our algorithms are optimal up to constant factors. We study scenes with nonconvex obstacles, which are related to the study of maze traversal. We also show scenes where randomized algorithms are provably better than deterministic algorithms.
A medical image segmentation method based on watershed transform

The watershed transform is a popular segmentation method coming from the field of mathematical morphology. In order to solve the over-segmentation of watershed algorithm's applied to medical images, we first transform the original image into a morphological gradient image by using morphology methods and treat it with an opening-closing filter bank to get a reference image with less noise interference; then we segment the reference image by using the watershed algorithm; finally, according to the test criterion with respect to the gray mean of the region boundary and the region area, we merge the segment field. Experiments applying to segmentation of medical images by using watershed algorithm show that the image processing before and after segmentation prevents the over-segmentation effectively.
Energy efficiency of cooperative MISO technique in multi-hop wireless sensor networks

In this paper, the energy efficiency of cooperative multiple-input single-output (MISO) technique for a multi-hop wireless sensor network is investigated and compared with other transmission schemes. Firstly, we present different schemes for data transmission of the cluster farther from base station and calculate their energy consumptions. The results show that the optimal transmission scheme varies with the inter-cluster distance in different networks. Then we explore the lifetime of the network and find that it is not always the optimal to employ the multihop transmission and the single-hop transmission outperform the multi-hop under a certain distance threshold. In addition, the effects of the transmission bit rate and the required bit error ratio (BER) on the distance threshold are also clarified.
Systemic Grammar in Computation: The Nigel Case

Abstract : Systemic grammar, the framework developed by M.A.K. Halliday and others, has been used successfully in the service of computational linguistic tasks, both in generation and in parsing. Currently a large computational systemic grammar of English, the Nigel grammar, is being developed for text generation. This report uses this grammar for an examination of what the design properties of systemic grammar are that make it attractive for text generation. In particular, the functional character of the grammar and its organization around the notion of choice are presented. The generation of one example is discussed. (Author)
Erwinia teleogrylli sp. nov., a Bacterial Isolate Associated with a Chinese Cricket

A bacterial isolate (SCU-B244T) was obtained in China from crickets (Teleogryllus occipitalis) living in cropland deserted for approximately 10 years. The isolated bacteria were Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, oxidase-negative rods. A preliminary analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain belongs to either the genus Erwinia or Pantoea. Analysis of multilocus sequence typing based on concatenated partial atpD, gyrB and infB gene sequences and physiological and biochemical characteristics indicated that the strain belonged to the genus Erwinia, as member of a new species as it was distinct from other known Erwinia species. Further analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed SCU-B244T to have 94.71% identity to the closest species of that genus, Erwinia oleae (DSM 23398T), which is below the threshold of 97% used to discriminate bacterial species. DNA-DNA hybridization results (5.78±2.52%) between SCU-B244T and Erwinia oleae (DSM 23398T) confirmed that SCU-B244T and Erwinia oleae (DSM 23398T) represent different species combined with average nucleotide identity values which range from 72.42% to 74.41. The DNA G+C content of SCU-B244T was 55.32 mol%, which also differs from that of Erwinia oleae (54.7 to 54.9 mol%). The polyphasic taxonomic approach used here confirmed that the strain belongs to the Erwinia group and represents a novel species. The name Erwinia teleogrylli sp. nov. is proposed for this novel taxon, for which the type strain is SCU-B244T (= CGMCC 1.12772T = DSM 28222T = KCTC 42022T).
Small‐Conductance Calcium‐Activated Potassium Current Is Activated During Hypokalemia and Masks Short‐Term Cardiac Memory Induced by Ventricular Pacing

Background— Hypokalemia increases the vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation. We hypothesize that the apamin‐sensitive small‐conductance calcium‐activated potassium current (IKAS) is activated during hypokalemia and that IKAS blockade is proarrhythmic. Methods and Results— Optical mapping was performed in 23 Langendorff‐perfused rabbit ventricles with atrioventricular block and either right or left ventricular pacing during normokalemia or hypokalemia. Apamin prolonged the action potential duration (APD) measured to 80% repolarization (APD80) by 26 milliseconds (95% confidence interval [CI], 14‐37) during normokalemia and by 54 milliseconds (95% CI, 40‐68) during hypokalemia (P=0.01) at a 1000‐millisecond pacing cycle length. In hypokalemic ventricles, apamin increased the maximal slope of APD restitution, the pacing cycle length threshold of APD alternans, the pacing cycle length for wave‐break induction, and the area of spatially discordant APD alternans. Apamin significantly facilitated the induction of sustained ventricular fibrillation (from 3 of 9 hearts to 9 of 9 hearts; P=0.009). Short‐term cardiac memory was assessed by the slope of APD80 versus activation time. The slope increased from 0.01 (95% CI, −0.09 to 0.12) at baseline to 0.34 (95% CI, 0.23‐0.44) after apamin (P<0.001) during right ventricular pacing and from 0.07 (95% CI, −0.05 to 0.20) to 0.54 (95% CI, 0.06‐1.03) after apamin infusion (P=0.045) during left ventricular pacing. Patch‐clamp studies confirmed increased IKAS in isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes during hypokalemia (P=0.038). Conclusions— Hypokalemia activates IKAS to shorten APD and maintain repolarization reserve at late activation sites during ventricular pacing. IKAS blockade prominently lengthens the APD at late activation sites and facilitates ventricular fibrillation induction.
Faithfulness in Chain Graphs: The Gaussian Case

This paper deals with chain graphs under the classic Lauritzen-Wermuth-Frydenberg interpretation. We prove that the regular Gaussian distributions that factorize with respect to a chain graph $G$ with $d$ parameters have positive Lebesgue measure with respect to $\mathbb{R}^d$, whereas those that factorize with respect to $G$ but are not faithful to it have zero Lebesgue measure with respect to $\mathbb{R}^d$. This means that, in the measure-theoretic sense described, almost all the regular Gaussian distributions that factorize with respect to $G$ are faithful to it.
Downregulation of Protein 4.1R, a Mature Centriole Protein, Disrupts Centrosomes, Alters Cell Cycle Progression, and Perturbs Mitotic Spindles and Anaphase

ABSTRACT Centrosomes nucleate and organize interphase microtubules and are instrumental in mitotic bipolar spindle assembly, ensuring orderly cell cycle progression with accurate chromosome segregation. We report that the multifunctional structural protein 4.1R localizes at centrosomes to distal/subdistal regions of mature centrioles in a cell cycle-dependent pattern. Significantly, 4.1R-specific depletion mediated by RNA interference perturbs subdistal appendage proteins ninein and outer dense fiber 2/cenexin at mature centrosomes and concomitantly reduces interphase microtubule anchoring and organization. 4.1R depletion causes G1 accumulation in p53-proficient cells, similar to depletion of many other proteins that compromise centrosome integrity. In p53-deficient cells, 4.1R depletion delays S phase, but aberrant ninein distribution is not dependent on the S-phase delay. In 4.1R-depleted mitotic cells, efficient centrosome separation is reduced, resulting in monopolar spindle formation. Multipolar spindles and bipolar spindles with misaligned chromatin are also induced by 4.1R depletion. Notably, all types of defective spindles have mislocalized NuMA (nuclear mitotic apparatus protein), a 4.1R binding partner essential for spindle pole focusing. These disruptions contribute to lagging chromosomes and aberrant microtubule bridges during anaphase/telophase. Our data provide functional evidence that 4.1R makes crucial contributions to the structural integrity of centrosomes and mitotic spindles which normally enable mitosis and anaphase to proceed with the coordinated precision required to avoid pathological events.
A BMP-Shh negative-feedback loop restricts Shh expression during limb development

Normal patterning of tissues and organs requires the tight restriction of signaling molecules to well-defined organizing centers. In the limb bud, one of the main signaling centers is the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA) that controls growth and patterning through the production of sonic hedgehog (SHH). The appropriate temporal and spatial expression of Shh is crucial for normal limb bud patterning, because modifications, even if subtle, have important phenotypic consequences. However, although there is a lot of information about the factors that activate and maintain Shh expression, much less is known about the mechanisms that restrict its expression to the ZPA. In this study, we show that BMP activity negatively regulates Shh transcription and that a BMP-Shh negative-feedback loop serves to confine Shh expression. BMP-dependent downregulation of Shh is achieved by interfering with the FGF and Wnt signaling activities that maintain Shh expression. We also show that FGF induction of Shh requires protein synthesis and is mediated by the ERK1/2 MAPK transduction pathway. BMP gene expression in the posterior limb bud mesoderm is positively regulated by FGF signaling and finely regulated by an auto-regulatory loop. Our study emphasizes the intricacy of the crosstalk between the major signaling pathways in the posterior limb bud.
Ameliorative Effect of Vanillic Acid on Serum Bilirubin, Chronotropic and Dromotropic Properties in the Cholestasis-Induced Model Rats

Introduction The liver modulates several important roles, such as metabolism and liver cirrhosis, which have several cardiovascular problems. Due to preservative role of antioxidant agents in cardiovascular disease, consequently, many of them are applied as medicinal plants in traditional medicine. Vanillic acid (VA), as an antioxidant agent, has a principal preservative role on some diseases. In this study, the effect of vanillic acid was examined on heart rate (as chronotropic property), P-R interval (as dromotropic property), and serum bilirubin in cholestasis-induced model rats. Methods In this study, 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200–250 g were allocated into four groups, and each group contained eight rats as follows: Control (normal saline, 1 ml/kg, gavage, daily for 4 weeks), cirrhotic (normal saline, 1 ml/kg, gavage, daily for 4 weeks), vanillic acid (10 mg/kg, gavage, daily for 4 weeks), cirrhotic treated with vanillic acid (10 mg/kg, gavage, daily for 4 weeks). Chronic biliary cirrhosis was induced in cirrhotic groups by four weeks Bile Duct Ligation (BDL). At the first day and four weeks after surgery, the animals were anesthetized, electrocardiograms were recorded (lead II), and chronotropic and dromotropic properties (HR and PR interval) were investigated. At the end of experimental duration, the animals were anesthetized, and blood samples were taken to measure serum bilirubin. The results were analyzed using t-test and one-way ANOVA by SPSS software, version 22. Results After induced of BDL, the results presented that laboratory parameter (bilirubin) in the cirrhotic group significantly increased compared to the control group. The P-R interval was reduced in the cirrhotic group compared to the control group, and there was no significant difference between heart rate in all groups. Bilirubin were reduced in cirrhotic groups treated with vanillic acid (VA) compared to cirrhotic group and also administration of VA in the cirrhotic treated with VA increased dromotropic property in comparison with the cirrhotic group. Conclusion According to the results obtained in this study, preventing elevated bilirubin and increase dromotropic property in cirrhotic group taking the VA suggested that the consumption of vanillic acid as an antioxidant can be effective in the prevention of liver diseases.
FinePoint: A Novel Technique for Object Manipulation that Bridges the Gap Between Virtual Reality and the Desktop

We present FinePoint, a technique for positioning and orienting objects in three-dimensional space using a six-degreeof-freedom (6DOF) tracking device. In conventional desktopbased techniques, 2D interfaces such as the mouse and keyboard are used, but with these tools rotation tasks are difficult because the rotation has to be broken down into a few 1or 2D rotations, and translation tasks are difficult due to lack of depth cues. This puts a greater burden on the user to orient the object correctly. Standard VR interfaces focus on free one-to-one movement with 6-DOF input devices, but their accuracy is limited by the un-steadiness of the user’s hands. FinePoint bridges the gap between the full one-to-one manipulation of a 6-DOF tracker, often described by users as the most natural user interface, and the precision of a conventional mouse and keyboard by giving the user many ways of manipulating an object that vary in speed and accuracy. These methods can be switched between on the fly, and new methods can be added on a perapplication basis. We use a hierarchical control scheme to select these methods. We report on a pilot test comparing a partial implementation of FinePoint to a standard one-toone freehand technique. Counter to our initial hypothesis, we found that FinePoint was slower than the one-to-one approach when performing 3D docking tasks at a similar level of accuracy. This pilot has helped us to refine our hypotheses about which aspects of FinePoint will be most useful in practice and in which tasks FinePoint will be most useful. Specifically, we find that separating movement methods into logical groupings is useful, but that further work is needed to make it practical. These methods would be most useful for translation tasks rather than rotation. Ultimately, we believe a FinePoint technique revised and refined according to the lessons described in this thesis will allow more free exploration of data in scientific and medical research, and allow for faster iteration on design tasks in engineering fields.
ERP systems usage: An extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology

There is no question that a properly implemented Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can help an organization to transform and gain more value from its operations. But no organization should invest in ERP without understanding the risks involved. The key objective of this paper is to discuss critical factors impacting on the use of (ERP) systems usage within organizations. The paper highlights the factors that are critical but too familiar with the missteps organizations make in ERPs implementation and usage. By using textual analysis this study identified twenty seven factors that have been cited in different literatures as paramount to the successful usage of ERPs. The identified factors were incorporated in the conceptual framework that was validated using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results of the study showed that there is an increasing paradigm shift from technology to organizational factors that play a critical role in ERP systems' usage. This paper contributes methodologically and practically to the information systems body knowledge in the domain of ERP systems.
Prior Art Search and Its Evaluation

Prior Art Search is an information seeking task where searchers, for instance patent examiners, search for published literature to determine whether the claimed invention in a patent application is novel. In Prior Art Search, search tasks are often timesensitive and consist of rich information needs with multiple aspects/subtopics. In this thesis, we explore information retrieval techniques and evaluation metrics for prior art search. The work consists of three parts. Given a patent application document, we rst manage to retrieve relevant patent documents by performing retrieval at both the document level and the passage level. At the document level, we focus on automatically formulating e ective search queries. The queries are formed by extracting terms from claims, titles and hyphenating phrases in a patent application and re ned based on Inverse Document Frequency (IDF) and Part-of-Speech (POS) tagging. At the passage level, we propose a TF-IDF-based retrieval algorithm to calculate the relevance score for each passage and select the most relevant passages. Second, we propose a novel evaluation metric for prior art search. The new evaluation metric, termed the Cube Test (CT), is based on the proposed conceptual user utility model the Water Filling Model, which describes the process of prior art search. We compare our metric with existing prior art search evaluation metrics, as well as existing Web search evaluation metrics in correlation and discriminative power. Experiment results show that our metric e ectively captures the characteristics of prior art search.
Toward actionable, broadly accessible contests in Software Engineering

Software Engineering challenges and contests are becoming increasingly popular for focusing researchers' efforts on particular problems. Such contests tend to follow either an exploratory model, in which the contest holders provide data and ask the contestants to discover “interesting things” they can do with it, or task-oriented contests in which contestants must perform a specific task on a provided dataset. Only occasionally do contests provide more rigorous evaluation mechanisms that precisely specify the task to be performed and the metrics that will be used to evaluate the results. In this paper, we propose actionable and crowd-sourced contests: actionable because the contest describes a precise task, datasets, and evaluation metrics, and also provides a downloadable operating environment for the contest; and crowd-sourced because providing these features creates accessibility to Information Technology hobbyists and students who are attracted by the challenge. Our proposed approach is illustrated using research challenges from the software traceability area as well as an experimental workbench named TraceLab.
X FUZZY : A D ESIGN E NVIRONMENT FOR F UZZY S YSTEMS

Xfuzzy is a CAD tool that eases the development of fuzzy systems from their conception to their final implementation. It is composed of a set of modules and programs that share a common specification language and cover the different stages of the design process. Modules for describing, verifying and tuning the behavior of the system are integrated within the environment. In addition to these features, common to other fuzzy design tools, a relevant characteristic of Xfuzzy is that it includes several synthesis facilities for implementing the system on either software or hardware.
Distributed Control Plane for 4D Architecture

We explore the design of a logically centralized but physically distributed control plane for 4D architecture. 4D architecture proposes centralization of network-wide decision making state and logic in a logical control plane to ease the management complexity of data networks. However, the current design implementations of the 4D control plane are limited to physical centralization. We argue that exploration of physically distributed control plane designs would be beneficial to the scalability and practical deployment of the architecture, and present design guidelines for different routing strategies that can be used to optimize the deployment of distributed 4D architecture.