Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Models, Complexity and Algorithms for the Design of Multi-fiber WDM Networks

In this paper, we study multi-fiber optical networks with wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). We extend the definition of the well-known Wavelength Assignment Problem (WAP) to the case of k fibers per link and w wavelengths per fiber, generalization that we will call (k,w)-WAP. We develop a new model for the (k,w)-WAP based on conflict hypergraphs. Furthermore, we consider two natural optimization problems that arise from the (k,w)-WAP: minimizing the number of fibers k given a number of wavelengths w, on one hand, and minimizing w given k, on the other. We develop and analyze the practical performance of two methodologies based on hypergraph coloring.
The transformation of the Afar commons in Ethiopia: State coercion, diversification and property rights change among pastoralists

"The major economic activity for pastoralists is animal husbandry. The harsh environment in which herders raise their livestock requires constant mobility to regulate resource utilisation via a common property regime. In contrast to the mobile way of life characterizing pastoralism, agriculture as a sedentary activity is only marginally present in the lowlands of the Afar regional state in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, this study reveals a situation where the traditional land-use arrangements in Afar are being transformed due to the introduction of farming. In the past, the Imperial and the Socialist governments introduced large-scale agriculture in a coercive manner, thereby instigating massive resistance from the pastoralists. Currently, the recurrence of drought in the study areas has facilitated the subdivision of the communal land on a voluntary basis for the purpose of farming. Qualitative and quantitative analysis highlight the drivers, both coercive and non-coercive, of the transformation of traditional property rights of Afar pastoralists. " authors' abstract
Assuring the Quality of Next-Generation Sequencing in Clinical Microbiology and Public Health Laboratories

ABSTRACT Clinical microbiology and public health laboratories are beginning to utilize next-generation sequencing (NGS) for a range of applications. This technology has the potential to transform the field by providing approaches that will complement, or even replace, many conventional laboratory tests. While the benefits of NGS are significant, the complexities of these assays require an evolving set of standards to ensure testing quality. Regulatory and accreditation requirements, professional guidelines, and best practices that help ensure the quality of NGS-based tests are emerging. This review highlights currently available standards and guidelines for the implementation of NGS in the clinical and public health laboratory setting, and it includes considerations for NGS test validation, quality control procedures, proficiency testing, and reference materials.
How Good is Web Based MT: A Case Study on Paper Title Translation

Web based machine translation is now public ally available to Internet users. To address its effectiveness in assisting people in real translation task, this paper presents a controlled user study on how human choose and modify MT results during translating the paper titles. It reveals the translation quality of MT system in certain aspects through an analysis of the translator log.
Teacher Characteristics and Student Achievement Gains: A Review

A large body of studies exists that examines the relationship between student achievement gains and the characteristics of teachers. To help policymakers and researchers use and build on this body of studies, this article reviews the studies systematically and synthesizes their results with deliberate consideration of each study’s qualities. Determinate relationships are described for four categories of teacher characteristics: college ratings, test scores, degrees and coursework, and certification status. The review details the implications of these relationships in light of study limitations and proposes directions for future research.
An interactive robotic walker for assisting elderly mobility in senior care unit

This paper describes a robotic walker, Johnnie, that provides assistance to mobility-challenged people, especially elderly people. Our walker is modified from a conventional unpowered four-wheel walker by equipping motors, sensors and some safety devices, providing mobility and stability to it. In our software system, we provide two modes: (1) autonomous mode in which the walker can autonomously navigate to the user without collision, and (2) rehabilitation mode in which the walker will assist the elderly to walk safely and smoothly. We have done a preliminary test of the two modes in our lab environment and analyzed the result.
Fuzzy based reconfigurable controller for BLDC motor

The development of advanced motor drive increases rapidly, because of its higher performance characteristics and reliability. The conventional motor drive technology is replaced with Brushless DC motor (BLDC) drive due to its higher efficiency, lower maintenance, high reliability and high torque to weight ratio. This paper focuses on reconfigurable controller using fuzzy logic technique for a BLDC motor for variable frequency and variable duty ratio operation. In digital controller of brushless DC motor, the control accuracy is of a high level, and it has a low response time; furthermore, this technique is implemented using reconfigurable Vertex II Pro development board. This proposed energy efficient controller consumes 70 mW, which is less compared to other conventional controllers.
AGAP2 regulates retrograde transport between early endosomes and the TGN

The retrograde transport route links early endosomes and the TGN. Several endogenous and exogenous cargo proteins use this pathway, one of which is the well-explored bacterial Shiga toxin. ADP-ribosylation factors (Arfs) are ~20 kDa GTP-binding proteins that are required for protein traffic at the level of the Golgi complex and early endosomes. In this study, we expressed mutants and protein fragments that bind to Arf-GTP to show that Arf1, but not Arf6 is required for transport of Shiga toxin from early endosomes to the TGN. We depleted six Arf1-specific ARF-GTPase-activating proteins and identified AGAP2 as a crucial regulator of retrograde transport for Shiga toxin, cholera toxin and the endogenous proteins TGN46 and mannose 6-phosphate receptor. In AGAP2-depleted cells, Shiga toxin accumulates in transferrin-receptor-positive early endosomes, suggesting that AGAP2 functions in the very early steps of retrograde sorting. A number of other intracellular trafficking pathways are not affected under these conditions. These results establish that Arf1 and AGAP2 have key trafficking functions at the interface between early endosomes and the TGN.
A dystonia-like movement disorder with brain and spinal neuronal defects is caused by mutation of the mouse laminin β1 subunit, Lamb1

A new mutant mouse (lamb1t) exhibits intermittent dystonic hindlimb movements and postures when awake, and hyperextension when asleep. Experiments showed co-contraction of opposing muscle groups, and indicated that symptoms depended on the interaction of brain and spinal cord. SNP mapping and exome sequencing identified the dominant causative mutation in the Lamb1 gene. Laminins are extracellular matrix proteins, widely expressed but also known to be important in synapse structure and plasticity. In accordance, awake recording in the cerebellum detected abnormal output from a circuit of two Lamb1-expressing neurons, Purkinje cells and their deep cerebellar nucleus targets, during abnormal postures. We propose that dystonia-like symptoms result from lapses in descending inhibition, exposing excess activity in intrinsic spinal circuits that coordinate muscles. The mouse is a new model for testing how dysfunction in the CNS causes specific abnormal movements and postures. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.11102. 001
Phonology : a cognitive view

Designed to acquaint the reader with the field of phonology -- the study of the systems of linguistically significant sounds -- this book begins with a brief introduction to linguistics and a discussion of phonology's place within that field. It then goes on to cover a variety of topics including the nature of phonological units, phonological rules, which types of phenomena interest phonologists, and the evolution of phonological theory. Suitable for many applications, this volume assumes no previous knowledge of linguistics. An excellent text for use in first or second year phonology courses, it will also be of value to those involved in cognitive science, neuroscience, artificial intelligence and computer science.
Actor-Q based active perception learning system

An active perception learning system based on reinforcement learning is proposed. A novel reinforcement architecture, called Actor-Q, is employed in which Q-learning and actor-critic are combined. The system decides its actions according to Q-values. One of the actions is to move its sensor, and the others are to make an answer of its recognition result, each of which corresponds to each pattern. When the sensor motion is selected, the sensor moves according to the actor's output signals. The Q-value for the sensor motion is trained by Q-learning, and the Actor is trained by the Q-value for the sensor motion on behalf of the critic. When one of the other actions is selected, the system outputs the recognition result. When the recognition answer is correct, the Q-value is trained to be the upper limit of the Q-value, and when the answer is not correct, it is trained to be 0.0. The module to compute Q-value and the actor module are both consisted of a neural network, and are trained by error backpropagation. The training signals are generated based on the above reinforcement learning. It was confirmed by some simulations using a visual sensor with nonuniform visual cells that the system moves its sensor to the place where it can recognize the presented pattern correctly. Even though the Q-value surface as a function of the sensor location has some local peaks, the sensor was not trapped and moved to the appropriate direction because the Q-value for the sensor motion becomes larger.
Content-based retrieval for heterogeneous domains: domain adaptation by relative aggregation points

We introduce the problem of domain adaptation for content-based retrieval and propose a domain adaptation method based on relative aggregation points (RAPs). Content-based retrieval including image retrieval and spoken document retrieval enables a user to input examples as a query, and retrieves relevant data based on the similarity to the examples. However, input examples and relevant data can be dissimilar, especially when domains from which the user selects examples and from which the system retrieves data are different. In content-based geographic object retrieval, for example, suppose that a user who lives in Beijing visits Kyoto, Japan, and wants to search for relatively inexpensive restaurants serving popular local dishes by means of a content-based retrieval system. Since such restaurants in Beijing and Kyoto are dissimilar due to the difference in the average cost and areas' popular dishes, it is difficult to find relevant restaurants in Kyoto based on examples selected in Beijing. We propose a solution for this problem by assuming that RAPs in different domains correspond, which may be dissimilar but play the same role. A RAP is defined as the expectation of instances in a domain that are classified into a certain class, e.g. the most expensive restaurant, average restaurant, and restaurant serving the most popular dishes. Our proposed method constructs a new feature space based on RAPs estimated in each domain and bridges the domain difference for improving content-based retrieval in heterogeneous domains. To verify the effectiveness of our proposed method, we evaluated various methods with a test collection developed for content-based geographic object retrieval. Experimental results show that our proposed method achieved significant improvements over baseline methods. Moreover, we observed that the search performance of content-based retrieval in heterogeneous domains was significantly lower than that in homogeneous domains. This finding suggests that relevant data for the same search intent depend on the search context, that is, the location where the user searches and the domain from which the system retrieves data.
Fuzzy sliding mode control for smooth mode changes of a parallel hybrid electric vehicle

The control objective of minimization of the fuel consumption and exhaust emission in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) has generally been achieved by a supervisory controller. The drivability and NVH of HEV especially during mode changes, on the other hand, have drawn significant attention in recent years. In this paper, for the purpose of control simulation, a hybrid drivetrain model including a slipping clutch is first developed. A robust control strategy based on fuzzy sliding mode control (FSMC) technique is then proposed for smooth mode changes of HEV. Simulation results demonstrate that smooth and fast transition from pure electrical driving to hybrid driving can be achieved by controlling the integrated starter generator (ISG). The FSMC smoothing controller, along with a rule-based supervisory controller, is robust against modeling uncertainties in the vehicle mass and the friction coefficient of the clutch.
Impact of EGFR mutation status on tumor response and progression free survival after first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring sensitive epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations derive greater benefits from EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) than those with wild type tumors. However, whether EGFR mutation status is associated with the efficacy of cytotoxic chemotherapy or prognosis in advanced NSCLC patients remained controversial. Thus, we sought to conduct a meta-analysis to answer this question. METHODS Electronic databases were searched for eligible literatures. The primary outcomes were objective response rate (ORR) and 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate. The pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated using random-effects model. Subgroup analyses stratified by study types, EGFR mutation detection methods, chemotherapy regimens, and patient origins were proposed. RESULTS A total of 14 studies involving 1,772 advanced NSCLC patients with known EGFR mutation status who had received first-line chemotherapy were included. Patients with positive EGFR mutation had numerically higher ORR than wild type patients (36.2% vs. 30.1%) without significant differences (OR 1.24, 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.70; P=0.19). However, patients with EGFR mutants had significantly superior 6-month PFS rate than wild-type patients (58.6% vs. 47.2%; OR 1.88, 95% CI, 1.33 to 2.65; P=0.0003). Results of the subgroup analyses were concordant with the overall ones. CONCLUSIONS This comprehensive analysis revealed that advanced NSCLC patients with sensitivity EGFR mutation had higher 6-month PFS rate and potentially greater ORR compared with wild-type patients after first-line chemotherapy. It suggested that EGFR mutation status should be considered a significant factor for patient stratification in evaluating the efficacy of antitumor agents in addition to EGFR-TKIs.
Emotion detection using brain and peripheral signals

An emotion recognition system on the basis of physiological signals is proposed in this paper. The aim is to perform a multimodal fusion between electroencephalographic signals of the brain (EEG) and peripheral physiological signals. our acquisition protocol is based on a subset of pictures which correspond to three specific areas of valance-arousal emotional space (positively excited, negatively excited, and calm). Preprocessing and feature extraction methods have been set up in such away that emotion-specific characteristics can be extracted from input signals. The performance of two classifiers has been evaluated on different feature sets: peripheral signals, EEG's, and both. A comparison among the results of different feature sets confirms the interest of using brain signals as peripherals in emotion assessment.
Predicting men's perceptions of date rape using the heuristic-systematic model

We investigated the relationship between belief in token resistance to sex and two characteristics of a dating situation, verbal refusal and situational cues suggesting sexual availability, in determining men's judgments of the occurrence of date rape. We hypothesized that men whose belief in token resistance is weak would be relatively more influenced by the strength of the verbal refusal and less influenced by situational cues, whereas the reverse would be true for men whose belief in token resistance is stronger. Nearly 200 male undergraduates read a date rape scenario varying in strength of verbal refusal and the number of cues of sexual availability. They then completed a perception of rape scale. Compared to men with a weaker belief, men whose belief in token resistance was stronger were less likely to judge that rape had occurred except when the verbal refusal was strong and there were few cues of availability. Men with a stronger belief in token resistance were relatively more sensitive to situati.
Antenatal corticosteroids and outcomes of preterm small-for-gestational-age neonates in a single medical center

Objective This study investigated the effect of an antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) in preterm small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonate. Methods This study was a retrospective cohort study. We compared women who received ACS with unexposed controls and evaluated neonatal complications among those having a singleton SGA neonate born between 29 and 34 complete gestational weeks. The neonates born after 32 weeks of gestation were divided into subgroups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. Results A total 82 of the preterm infants met inclusion criteria; 57 (69.5%) were born after 32 weeks of gestation. There were no significant differences in terms of mechanical ventilation, seizure, intracranial hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity, necrotizing enterocolitis, feeding difficulty, and neonatal mortality between infants whose mothers received ACS ant those whose mothers did not (all P>0.05). However, newborns whose mothers received ACS exhibited a significantly increased risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 3.271; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.038–10.305; P=0.043). In case of neonates born beyond 32 weeks of gestation, the risk of neonatal hypoglycemia was significantly higher in women receiving ACS after controlling for confounding factors (aOR, 5.832; 95% CI, 1.096–31.031; P=0.039). Conclusion ACS did not improve neonatal morbidities, in SGA neonates delivered between 29 and 34 gestational weeks. Rather, ACS could increase the risk of RDS. In cases of SGA neonate delivered between 32 and 34 complete gestational weeks, the risk of hypoglycemia was significantly increased. The use of ACS in women with preterm SGA infants needs to be evaluated further, especially after 32 weeks' gestation.
Dip - it: digital infrared painting on an interactive table

In this paper we report on our work to develop a novel input technique for a digital paint system. Using a brush with infrared (IR) light emitting fibers, we were able to create a natural paint interface on an interactive table. This IR-brush adds two important properties to our paint environment: haptic feedback and an accurate brush footprint. The modified brush approaches the haptic feedback of the traditional paint brush. The use of IR-light in the brush enables tracking the contact area of the brush on the interactive table. Informal usability tests show that our digital paint environment offers an intuitive interface and contributes to an enhanced user experience in digital painting.
Analysis of lightning surge characteristics for typical mobile phone tower

Now a days the effect lightning overvoltage on mobile phone network coverage tower is an important issue of major interest for telecommunication utility companies. If a return stroke hit on a tower the communication system and network can be hampered, and if the tower suited over the roof of multi-storied building then the building and people live inside the building affected badly, this matter has been deserving even more attention for healthy communication system and safety of livestock near it. This paper demonstrates the lightning surge response and effect of direct stroke for typical mobile phone tower suited on the roof. Numerical electromagnetic code (NEC-2) is used to analyze the surge response of the tower. Voltage, current and surge impedance are evaluated at different portion of the tower and every floor of the building to observe the lightning phenomena for designing protective equipment to save the sensitive parts and devices contains in the tower, control room and inside the building.
COMET DUST FROM AIRBORNE LEONID STORM OBSERVATIONS

For the past five years, rare Leonid meteor storms offered unique access to cometary dust by spectacular manifestations of recently ejected dust grains, which could be observed by exceptional meteor observing techniques. The final storms, those of November 19, 2002, measured the dust distribution in a comet dust trail far from the position of the comet itself. The measured spatial and particle size distribution of dust still reflect the conditions of ejection and the influence of radiation pressures on the grains, and provide unique insight into the dust-to-ice ratio in cometary matter. The meteor observations also provide data on meteoroid composition and morphology for grains of mm-cm size that are larger than studied by Stardust. The meteoroids derive from comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle and were ejected in 1866 and 1767, respectively, only 4 and 7 orbits ago. Both meteor storms were well observed from two research aircraft operated by NASA and USAF. This final mission in the Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign provided an international team of 38 researchers prime viewing without interference of moonlight and with a radiant position high in the sky. En route from Madrid, Spain, to Omaha, Nebraska, the storms were observed to peak at 04:06 UT and 10:47 UT, respectively. A range of spectroscopic and imaging techniques was used to measure the physical properties and composition of the meteors. Apart from accurate flux profiles, highlights include the first near-IR spectra of meteors, high frame-rate (1000/s) images, mid-IR spectra of persistent trains, as well as spectacular video images with a background of aurora. Introduction: We use Fischer-Tropsch type (FTT) synthesis to produce hydrocarbons by hydrogenating carbon monoxide via catalytic reactions. The products of these reactions have been studied using 'natural' catalysts [1] and calculations of the efficiency of FTT synthesis in the Solar Nebula suggest that these types of reactions could make significant contributions to the composition of material near three AU [2]. We coat Fe-silicate grains with organic material using FTT synthesis to simulate the chemistry in the early Solar Nebula [3]. In our experimental setup, we roughly model a nebular environment where grains are successively transported from hot to cold regions of the nebula. In other words, the starting gases and FTT products are continuously circulated through the grains at high temperature with intervals of cooling (see Fig 1). Organics generated in this manner could represent the carbonaceous material incorporated in comets and meteorites. We analyze the …