Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
VLSI Architecture of Fuzzy Logic Hardware Implementation: a Review

A contributory paper on the study of VLSI architectures of various fuzzy processors and controllers designed for various applications is presented. The paper focuses on the study of VLSI implementation of fuzzy logic hardware to result in small silicon area, high speed of operation and adaptability to different application domains. This paper reviews the circuit and architecture level designing of various components of the fuzzy processors, such as, fuzzifiers, defuzzifiers, inference and rule base. A comparative analysis of the performance of these components has been performed. It is observed that there is a scope for further improvement in terms of power consumption, speed of operation, area and redundancy in these fuzzy processors. Further, from the study it is seen that the design emphasis should be more on inference engine performance and defuzzification units, because of the complexity of computations handled by them. The optimization in these units results in a significant improvement in the overall performance of the system.
Analyzing cycle stealing on synchronous circuits with level-sensitive latches

The authors present a new method to fully explore cycle steal opportunities in the timing analysis for level-sensitive synchronous circuit designs. The algorithm first constructs a latch graph from a timing analysis on the combinational logic, and then it analyzes cycle stealing based on overlay timing relationships among latch nodes. A breadth-first search examines all possible cycle stealing among latches. The algorithm also considers the fact that cycle stealing is topology dependent. The timing analysis program also takes into account the variation of clock width and leading and training clock edges in each latch, so the data can be used to assist physical design. The program has been implemented on an IBM RISC System/6000 coupled with an IBM IC design system. The results showed the benefit of using cycle steal opportunities in the design. <<ETX>>
Both striate cortex and superior colliculus contribute to visual properties of neurons in superior temporal polysensory area of macaque monkey.

Although the tectofugal system projects to the primate cerebral cortex by way of the pulvinar, previous studies have failed to find any physiological evidence that the superior colliculus influences visual activity in the cortex. We studied the relative contributions of the tectofugal and geniculostriate systems to the visual properties of neurons in the superior temporal polysensory area (STP) by comparing the effects of unilateral removal of striate cortex, the superior colliculus, or of both structures. In the intact monkey, STP neurons have large, bilateral receptive fields. Complete unilateral removal of striate cortex did not eliminate visual responses of STP neurons in the contralateral visual hemifield; rather, nearly half the cells still responded to visual stimuli in the hemifield contralateral to the lesion. Thus the visual properties of STP neurons are not completely dependent on the geniculostriate system. Unilateral striate lesions did affect the response properties of STP neurons in three ways. Whereas most STP neurons in the intact monkey respond similarly to stimuli in the two visual hemifields, responses to stimuli in the hemifield contralateral to the striate lesion were usually weaker than responses in the ipsilateral hemifield. Whereas the responses of many STP neurons in the intact monkey were selective for the direction of stimulus motion or for stimulus form, responses in the hemifield contralateral to the striate lesion were not selective for either motion or form. Whereas the median receptive field in the intact monkey extended 80 degrees into the contralateral visual field, the receptive fields of cells with responses in the contralateral field that survived the striate lesions had a median border that extended only 50 degrees into the contralateral visual field. Removal of both striate cortex and the superior colliculus in the same hemisphere abolished the responses of STP neurons to visual stimuli in the hemifield contralateral to the combined lesion. Nearly 80% of the cells still responded to visual stimuli in the hemifield ipsilateral to the lesion. Unilateral removal of the superior colliculus alone had only small effects on visual responses in STP. Receptive-field size and visual response strength were slightly reduced in the hemifield contralateral to the collicular lesion. As in the intact monkey, selectivity for stimulus motion or form were similar in the two visual hemifields. We conclude that both striate cortex and the superior colliculus contribute to the visual responses of STP neurons. Striate cortex is crucial for the movement and stimulus specificity of neurons in STP. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Aircraft‐based aerosol size and composition measurements during ACE‐Asia using an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer

of up to 10 m gm � 3 and 13 m gm � 3 , respectively, were measured in some pollution layers. Back-trajectory analysis shows that the polluted layers originated in urban and industrial areas of China and Korea. The mass-weighed size distribution of the submicron sulfate was relatively constant from day to day and layer to layer, with an aerodynamic diameter modeof 400–500nmand awidth (full width halfmaximum) ofabout450 nminmostof the layers. On the days with low influence of dust in the aerosol outflow, as indicated by other instruments aboard the Twin Otter, the total mass of nonrefractory aerosols estimated by the AMS correlated well with total volume of aerosols measured by a differential mobility analyzer. INDEX TERMS: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801); 0345 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Pollution—urban and regional (0305); 0365 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere—composition and chemistry;
Telework, Frequency of Working Out-of-home, and Commuting: A Labor Supply Model and an Application to the Netherlands

This paper analyses the case where workers have to choose between the location of work, leisure, commuting hours and the frequency to work out-of-home. Both a short-run and a long-run model are presented. In the short-run, workers are not able to set their optimal amount of commuting time, where in the long-run commuting time is treated as an endogenous variable. Moreover, frequency of working out-of-home is explicitly taken in to account, where it is assumed that there is op optimal frequency of commuting trips. An empirical model and estimation results for the Netherlands are offered. Preliminary results are that workers have an intrinsic preference to work out-of-home approximately 2.5 days a week and need at least 14 hours of leisure time.
The Francisella Intracellular Life Cycle: Toward Molecular Mechanisms of Intracellular Survival and Proliferation

The tularemia-causing bacterium Francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular organism with a complex intracellular lifecycle that ensures its survival and proliferation in a variety of mammalian cell types, including professional phagocytes. Because this cycle is essential to Francisella pathogenesis and virulence, much research has focused on deciphering the mechanisms of its intracellular survival and replication and characterizing both bacterial and host determinants of the bacterium's intracellular cycle. Studies of various strains and host cell models have led to the consensual paradigm of Francisella as a cytosolic pathogen, but also to some controversy about its intracellular cycle. In this review, we will detail major findings that have advanced our knowledge of Francisella intracellular survival strategies and also attempt to reconcile discrepancies that exist in our molecular understanding of the Francisella–phagocyte interactions.
Domestic and Foreign Effects on Prices in an Open Economy

The domestic price determination in Denmark is investigated based on three kinds of macro economic explanations: (i) internal labour market theories, describing the relation between price and wage inflation, (ii) pure monetarist theories, describing the effect of excess money on the inflation rate, and finally (iii) external theories, describing the foreign transmission effects on a small open economy. The empirical analysis makes use of the multivariate cointegration model which is based on the joint analysis of long and short run behaviour. The deviations from derived underlying steady-states in each sector were found to be the main determinants to the inflation rate. Among these the domestic effects were small compared to the foreign effects. The empirical results strongly favoured a backward looking behavioural model in terms of structurally stable parameters as opposed to a forward expectations model. The results stand up as quite strong evidence against the famous Lucas' critique.
How Valuable is Patent Protection? Estimates by Technology Field Using Patent Renewal Data

This paper presents quantitative estimates of the private value of property rights conferred by patent protection for different technology fields and countries of ownership. The measures are derived from parametric estimation of a model of patent renewal, using a new data set on patent renewals in France during the period 1969-1987. The results show that patent protection is a significant, but not the major, source of private returns to inventive activity and that its importance varies sharply across technology fields. The paper quantifies the equivalent subsidy to R&D generated by the patent system, characterizes variations in the value of patent rights across technology fields, countries of ownership and time, and explores the determinants of those differences.
I%-= Evaluation and Methodology Eleanor Chelimsky Assistant Comptroller General for Program Evaluation and Methodology

Preface GAO assists congressional decisionmakers in their deliberative process by furnishing analytical information on issues and options under consideration. Many diverse methodologies are needed to develop sound and timely answers to the questions that are posed by the Congress. To provide GAO evaluators with basic information about the more commonly used methodologies, GAO's policy guidance includes documents such as methodology transfer papers and technical guidelines. This methodology transfer paper addresses the logic of program evaluation designs. It provides a systematic approach to designing evaluations that takes into account the questions guiding a study, the constraints evaluators face in conducting it, and the information needs of its intended user. Taking the time to design evaluations carefully is a critical step toward ensuring overall job quality. Indeed, the most important outcome of a careful, sound design should be an evaluation whose quality is high in quite specific ways. Evaluation designs are characterized by the manner in which the evaluators have l defined and posed the evaluation questions for study, l developed a methodological approach for answering those questions, l formulated a data collection plan that anticipates problems, and. detailed an analysis plan for answering the study questions with appropriate data. Designing Evaluations is a guide to the successful completion of these design tasks. It also provides a discussion of three kinds of evaluation questions-descriptive, normative, and causal-and various methodological approaches appropriate to each one. For illustration, the paper contains a narration of a design undertaken by the Program Evaluation and Page 1 GAO/'PEAtD10.1. 4 Desk Eva.l~~~tiona Preface Methodology Division (PEMD) in response to a congressional request. The original paper was authored by Ray Rist and Carl Wisler in July 1984. This reissued (1991) version, prepared by Carl Wisler, supersedes the earlier edition. Designing Evaluations is one of a series of papers issued by the Program Evaluation and Methodology Division. The purpose of the series is to provide GAO evaluators with guides to various aspects of audit and evaluation methodology, to illustrate applications, and to indicate where more detailed information is available.
A Simple Protocol for Using a LDH-Based Cytotoxicity Assay to Assess the Effects of Death and Growth Inhibition at the Same Time

Analyzing the effects on cell growth inhibition and/or cell death has been an important component of biological research. The MTS assay and LDH-based cytotoxicity assays are two of the most commonly used methods for this purpose. However, data here showed that MTS cell proliferation assay could not distinguish the effects of cell death or cell growth inhibition. In addition, the original LDH-based cytotoxicity protocol grossly underestimated the proportion of dead cells in conditions with growth inhibition. To overcome the limitation, we present here a simple modified LDH-based cytotoxicity protocol by adding additional condition-specific controls. This modified protocol thus can provide more accurate measurement of killing effects in addition to the measurement of overall effects, especially in conditions with growth inhibition. In summary, we present here a simple, modified cytotoxicity assay, which can determine the overall effects, percentage of cell killing and growth inhibition in one 96-well based assay. This is a viable option for primary screening for many laboratories, and could be adapted for high throughput screening.
Detecting edges of reflections from a single image via convex optimization

We propose to detect edges of reflections, which we call the REF-edges, from a single image via convex optimization. Our method is designed based on two observations on reflections: (i) reflections have almost monotone color and (ii) color around REF-edges varies smoothly. The first one can be translated into the property that gradients around REF-edges distribute linearly in the RGB color space, which we call the REF-linearity. The second one can be interpreted as follows: color differences around REF-edges are small; for an entry of REF-edges, gradients among its surrounding entries have small variance. Using the above properties, we characterize REF-edges as a solution of a constrained convex optimization problem. The optimization problem is solved by the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM). Experiments using real-world images with reflections show the utility of our proposed method.
The impact of Dutch works councils according to managers

Although works councils have, by and large, equally extensive legal rights in Germany and the Netherlands, this is the first econometric analysis that investigates the influence of Dutch works councils on firm performance. We use a nation-wide Dutch dataset with information on managementâ€™s perceptions of the works councilâ€™s impact on their firmsâ€™ efficiency and innovation. Inspired by the German study of Jirjahn and Smith (2006), we analyze which determinants influence managementâ€™s attitude toward employee participation in the Netherlands. We establish a preponderant influence emanating from the works councilâ€™s role attitude and managementâ€™s leadership style.
Modified RELT for Display and Navigation of Large Hierarchy on Handheld Touch-Screen Devices

Visualizing and exploring a hierarchical structure on a smartphone screen is challenging. On larger screens of PCs and laptops these types of structures are often shown in a tabular view. Due to the width restriction, tabular view is not feasible on smaller screens. This paper presents a visualization technique that displays multiple levels of a hierarchical structure on a single view for small screens and allows users to explore the structure rapidly through touch input. The visualization technique makes full use of the available space and distributes the space fairly among nodes. The system allows selection and display of relevant information based on user query or user habit, while hiding less important items from the view.
Analysis of Crowded Scenes using Holistic Properties

We present results on the PETS 2009 dataset using surveillance systems based on holistic properties of the video. In particular, we evaluate a crowd counting system, based on regression of holistic (global) features, on the PETS 2009 dataset. We also present experimental results on crowd event detection when using the dynamic texture model to represent holistic motion flow in the video.
Specific T Regulatory Cells Display Broad Suppressive Functions against Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis upon Activation with Cognate Antigen1

To date, very few Ag-based regimens have been defined that could expand T regulatory (Treg) cells to reverse autoimmunity. Additional understanding of Treg function with respect to specificity and broad suppression should help overcome these limitations. Ig-proteolipid protein (PLP)1, an Ig carrying a PLP1 peptide corresponding to amino acid residues 139-151 of PLP, displayed potent tolerogenic functions and proved effective against experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). In this study, we took advantage of the Ig-PLP1 system and the PLP1-specific TCR transgenic 5B6 mouse to define a regimen that could expand Ag-specific Treg cells in vivo and tested for effectiveness against autoimmunity involving diverse T cell specificities. The findings indicate that in vivo exposure to aggregated Ig-PLP1 drives PLP1-specific 5B6 TCR transgenic cells to evolve as Treg cells expressing CD25, CTLA-4, and Foxp3 and producing IL-10. These Treg cells were able to suppress PLP1 peptide-induced EAE in both SJL/J and F1 (SJL/J × C57BL/6) mice. However, despite being effective against disease induced with a CNS homogenate, the Treg cells were unable to counter EAE induced by a myelin basic protein or a myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide. Nevertheless, activation with Ag before transfer into the host mice supports suppression of both myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein- and myelin basic protein peptide-induced EAE. Thus, it is suggested that activation of Treg cells by the cognate autoantigen is necessary for operation of broad suppressive functions.
Optimal Linear Control of Blood Glucose

One criticism of neural network controllers (neuro-controllers) is that the analytical model of the controller is not defined; therefore contemporary optimization techniques in control systems cannot be applied to the closed loop system. Often control parameters are tuned online because of inaccuracies due to linearity assumptions and reduction of order. This paper demonstrates how the specialized learning technique can be applied to develop an optimal controller which does not require additional online tuning even when the process model is a complex one such as the blood glucose control system for a Type I diabetic patient. The system has been modeled using the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) technique to ensure optimal control and then used to train the neuro-controller via the specialized learning technique. The result is an optimal neuro-controller which controls the blood glucose system in a Type I diabetic patient, even in the presence of large disturbances.
Creating the Japanese Electric Vehicle Industry: The Challenges of Uncertainty and Cooperation

The author analyzes the creation of the Japanese electric vehicle (EV) industry by focusing on how firms overcome barriers to bilateral collaboration and multilateral cooperation. The key to understanding this emerging industry is the evolution of interfirm relational skills under conditions constrained by uncertainty (for example, market failures compounded by bounded rationality and opportunism), yet which necessitate collaboration. The evolution of interfirm relations takes two forms: core firms and suppliers devise new means of bilateral relations in a situation where neither can invest in a committed relationship; competing auto makers and suppliers create and support multilateral institutions necessary to industry and market development. Evidence from EV auto-maker—supplier bilateral relations and from auto-maker—supplier relations with multilateral institutions are analyzed for motive, mechanisms, and effect, and are categorized.
Transmitter and receiver optimization in multicarrier CDMA systems

We consider transmitter and receiver optimization in multicarrier code-division multiple-access (MC-CDMA) systems under Rayleigh fading channels. Receiver optimization is performed in a decentralized manner, while transmitter optimization can be performed through either centralized or decentralized control of the powers of different carriers. Results show that when the number of users is smaller than or equal to the number of carriers, each transmitter often tends to concentrate its power on a different carrier which does not suffer deep fading. The MC-CDMA system then tends to a frequency-division multiple-access system with near-optimal frequency assignment. When the number of users gets large, each user tends to choose more than one carrier, which do not suffer deep fading, while interference suppression is performed across the chosen carriers by the corresponding receiver.
Graph Drawing Heuristics for Path Finding in Large Dimensionless Graphs

This paper presents a heuristic for guiding A*search for approximating the shortest path between two vertices in arbitrarily-sized dimensionless graphs. First we discuss methods by which these dimensionless graphs are laid out into Euclidean drawings. Next, two heuristics are computed based on drawings of the graphs. We compare the performance of an A*-search using these heuristics with breadth-first search on graphs with various topological properties. The results show a large savings in the number of vertices expanded for large graphs.
Inhibition of Nitric Oxide Synthase by L-NAME Promotes Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Male Rats

Objective. Nitric oxide (NO) has numerous important functions in the kidney. The role of NO in cisplatin (CP)-induced nephrotoxicity is not completely understood. This study was designed to determine the role of NO synthase inhibitor (L-NAME) on the severity of CP-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Methods. Sixty four male (M) and female (F) Wistar rats were randomly divided into eight groups. The sham groups (group 1, male, n = 6 and group 2, female, n = 6) received saline. Groups 3 (male, n = 8) and 4 (female, n = 8) were treated with L-NAME (4 mg/kg, i.p.), and groups 5 (male, n = 8) and 6 (female, n = 8) received CP (3 mg/kg) for 7 days. Groups 7 (male, n = 8) and 8 (female, n = 8) were treated with L-NAME and CP for 7 days. Results. The CP-alone treated rats showed weight loss and increase in serum levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr). Coadministration of L-NAME and CP did not improve weight loss, and it increased the levels of BUN and Cr in male but not in female rats (P < 0.05). CP alone increased kidney damage significantly (P < 0.05 ), however, the damage induced by combination of CP and L-NAME was gender-related. Conclusion. NOS inhibition by L-NAME increased CP-induced nephrotoxicity, which was gender-related.
Liquidation with self-exciting price impact

We study optimal execution with “self-exciting” price impact, where persistent trades not only incur price impact but also increase the execution costs for successive orders. This model is motivated by an equilibrium between fundamental sellers, market makers, and end users. For risk-neutral investors, it leads to faster initial trading compared to the constant execution rate of Bertsimas and Lo [5]. For risk-averse liquidation as in Almgren and Chriss [2, 3] or Huberman and Stanzl [15], self-excitement has a moderating effect: slow liquidation is sped up, whereas fast schedules are slowed down.