Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dissimilarity measure for comparison of fuzzified instances and its application in a fuzzy rule-based system for heart failure domain

The aim of this study is to improve a fuzzy rule based system that helps to manage heart failure patients in home telemonitoring. The system is intended to give notifications to a decision-making support system and medical experts when there is a possibility of death for a telemonitored patient. The improvement consists in inclusion of a formulated dissimilarity measure into the algorithm for creation of fuzzy rules on the basis of collected patient data. The dissimilarity measure compares two instances which have defined linguistic variables and known membership degrees for particular linguistic terms and gives a value between 0 and 1 inclusive. It takes the order of the membership degrees for a particular linguistic variable into consideration and makes use of the Euclidian distance in one dimension. Experimental results show that the introduced dissimilarity measure improves the accuracy and interpretability of the fuzzy rule-based system. Its accuracy results are also promising in comparison to many other classification algorithms.
Exploring the Impact of BDNF Val66Met Genotype on Serotonin Transporter and Serotonin-1A Receptor Binding

Background The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) may impact on the in-vivo binding of important serotonergic structures such as the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and the serotonin-1A (5-HT1A) receptor. Previous positron emission tomography (PET) studies on the association between Val66Met and 5-HTT and 5-HT1A binding potential (BPND) have demonstrated equivocal results. Methods We conducted an imaging genetics study investigating the effect of Val66Met genotype on 5-HTT or 5-HT1A BPND in 92 subjects. Forty-one subjects (25 healthy subjects and 16 depressive patients) underwent genotyping for Val66Met and PET imaging with the 5-HTT specific radioligand [11C]DASB. Additionally, in 51 healthy subjects Val66Met genotypes and 5-HT1A binding with the radioligand [carbonyl-11C]WAY-100635 were ascertained. Voxel-wise and region of interest-based analyses of variance were used to examine the influence of Val66Met on 5-HTT and 5-HT1A BPND. Results No significant differences of 5-HTT nor 5-HT1A BPND between BDNF Val66Met genotype groups (val/val vs. met-carrier) were detected. There was no interaction between depression and Val66Met genotype status. Conclusion In line with previous data, our work confirms an absent effect of BDNF Val66Met on two major serotonergic structures. These results could suggest that altered protein expression associated with genetic variants, might be compensated in vivo by several levels of unknown feedback mechanisms. In conclusion, Val66Met genotype status is not associated with changes of in-vivo binding of 5-HTT and 5-HT1A receptors in human subjects.
Towards self-organising global supply chains in the internet of things

Current supply chain management software architectures, although distributed, typically put decision making and control at the centre of the network. Such architectures do not scale well with increasing complexity, dynamism and volume of available business information from the so-called “Internet of things”. In this paper, we investigate highly decentralised and self-organising middleware architectures for global supply chain management. We propose to model supply chains as collections of cooperating/competing agents that represent smart artefacts, services, and/or business processes. We outline the key requirements to be addressed in order to support this decentralised self-organising network of agents governed by high-level policy specifications.
A fixed-point image denoising algorithm with automatic window selection

A novel image denoising approach based on iterated median filtering is proposed. It is well suited for removing white noise and produces visually pleasing smooth surfaces while preserving edges and without producing artifacts. The denoised image is the fixed point of a nonlinear operator and can be obtained as the limit of a convergent sequence. We show that the sequence converges at an exponential rate. An algorithm implementing the proposed method is described; in addition to the fixed-point iteration, it automatically selects a suitable window and optimizes a scalar parameter based on an assumed noise level. The results of preliminary simulation experiments on well-known test images are presented. While the proposed method does not outperform earlier methods, it offers a theoretically well-understood foundation for future development; promising further research directions are discussed.
Parallel Iteration to the Radiative Transport in Inhomogeneous Media with Bootstrapping

This paper presents a fast parallel method to solve the radiative transport equation in inhomogeneous participating media. We apply a novel approximation scheme to find a good initial guess for both the direct and scattered components. Then, the initial approximation is used to bootstrap an iterative multiple scattering solver, i.e., we let the iteration concentrate just on the residual problem. This kind of bootstrapping makes the volumetric source approximation more uniform, thus it helps to reduce the discretization artifacts and improves the efficiency of the parallel implementation. The iterative refinement is executed on a face-centered cubic grid. The implementation is based on CUDA and runs on the GPU. For large volumes that do not fit into the GPU memory, we also consider the implementation on a GPU cluster, where the volume is decomposed to blocks according to the available GPU nodes. We show how the communication bottleneck can be avoided in the cluster implementation by not exchanging the boundary conditions in every iteration step. In addition to light photons, we also discuss the generalization of the method to γ-photons that are relevant in medical simulation.
Parametric Intra-Task Dynamic Voltage Scheduling

This paper presents a parametric intra-task dynamic voltage scheduling (IntraVS) method that scales voltage/frequency based upon the parameterization of the remaining worst case exection cycles (RWEC) of a task. The parametric RWEC of the task is determined by static analysis of code. The parameterization of the RWEC of loops with symbolic bounds, whose iteration space sizes are runtime dependent, allows the strategic placement of voltage scaling operations early on the execution path before the loop actually executes. This allows for greater energy reduction than with methods that scale voltage after loops are executed.
A software high performance APL interpreter

The design of a high performance APL system is presented along with an evaluation of the performance improvement measured on a partial implementation. The system contains a compiler which translates APL into the instructions of a virtual APL machine. Numerous special techniques suitable for optimized interpretation of this virtual machine entirely in software on a System 370 are described. The overhead for executing APL programs has been reduced by a factor ranging between 5 and 10 when compared to conventional interpretive systems.
Game Transfer Phenomena: Origin, Development, and Contributions to the Video Game Research Field

Game Transfer Phenomena (GTP) is a multimodal and holistic research approach for understanding the effects of playing video games on cognition, sensory perceptions, and behaviors, considering the interplay of video game contents, in-game phenomena (e.g., immersion, trance state, embodiment), in-game activities, and the manipulation of hardware and peripherals. Research with over 6,000 gamers from different samples has demonstrated that playing video games can lead to at least temporarily seeing images, hearing music, sounds, voices, tactile sensations, involuntary movements of limbs, sensations of unreality, illogical thoughts, verbal outbursts, etc., with video game contents. This chapter encompasses an overview of the research on GTP conducted to date, including contributions to the video game research field and future research directions. The chapter is divided into three main sections: i) the phenomena comprises characteristics and the prevalence of GTP; ii) the gamer covers the underlying factors associated with GTP, appraisal and consequences of GTP, and iii) the game includes structural characteristics associated with GTP.
Building secure and anonymous communication channel: formal model and its prototype implementation

Various techniques need to be combined to realize anonymously authenticated communication. Cryptographic tools enable anonymous user authentication while anonymous communication protocols hide users' IP addresses from service providers. One simple approach for realizing anonymously authenticated communication is their simple combination. but this gives rise to another issue; how to build a secure channel. The current public key infrastructure cannot be used since the user's public key identifies the user. To cope with this issue, we propose a protocol that uses identity-based encryption for packet encryption without sacrificing anonymity, and group signature for anonymous user authentication. Communications in the protocol take place through proxy entities that conceal users' IP addresses from service providers. The underlying group signature is customized to meet our objective and improve its efficiency. We also introduce a proof-of-concept implementation to demonstrate the protocol's feasibility. We compare its performance to SSL communication and demonstrate its practicality, and conclude that the protocol realizes secure, anonymous, and authenticated communication between users and service providers with practical performance.
Selection of Genes Associated with Variations in the Circle of Willis in Gerbils Using Suppression Subtractive Hybridization

Deformities in the Circle of Willis (CoW) can significantly increase the risk of cerebrovascular disease in humans. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these deformities have not been understood. Based on our previous studies, variations in the CoW of gerbils are hereditary. A normal CoW is observed in approximately 60% of gerbils, a percentage that also applies to humans. Thus, gerbil is an ideal experimental model for studying variations in the CoW. To study the mechanisms underlying these variations, we selected genes associated with different types of the CoW using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH). After evaluating the efficiency of SSH using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) on subtracted and unsubtracted cDNA and Southern blotting on SSH PCR products, 12 SSH libraries were established. We identified 4 genes (CST3, GNAS, GPx4 and PFN2) associated with variations in the CoW. These genes were identified with qPCR and Western blotting using 70 expressed sequence tags from the SSH libraries. Cloning and sequencing allowed us to demonstrate that the 4 genes were closely related to mouse genes. We may assume that these 4 genes play an important role in the development of variations in the CoW. This study provides a foundation for further research of genes related to development of variations in the CoW and the mechanisms of dysmorphosis of cerebral vessels.
Comparative efficacy and safety of mavacoxib and carprofen in the treatment of canine osteoarthritis

A multi-site, masked, randomised parallel group study employing a double dummy treatment design was performed in canine veterinary patients to determine the comparative efficacy and safety of mavacoxib and carprofen in the treatment of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis for a period of 134 days. Treatments were administered according to their respective summaries of product characteristics. Of 139 dogs screened, 124 were suitable for study participation: 62 of which were dosed with mavacoxib and 62 with carprofen. Both treatments resulted in a very similar pattern of considerable improvement as indicated in all parameters assessed by both owner and veterinarian. The primary efficacy endpoint ‘overall improvement’ was a composite score of owner assessments after approximately six weeks of treatment. Both drugs were remarkably effective, with 57/61 (93.4 per cent) of mavacoxib-treated dogs and 49/55 (89.1 per cent) of carprofen-treated dogs demonstrating overall improvement and with mavacoxib's efficacy being non-inferior to carprofen. The treatments had a similar safety profile as evidenced by documented adverse events and summaries of clinical pathology parameters. The positive clinical response to treatment along with the safety and dosing regimen of mavacoxib makes it an attractive therapy for canine osteoarthritis.
MapCheckReduce: An Improved MapReduce Computing Model for Imprecise Applications

Optimizing the Map Phase is an important way to reduce the MapReduce (MR) job runtime. The common way for such studies is to design more efficient scheduling policies. However, there exists a kind of MapReduce applications, named imprecise applications, where the reduce phase can be completed based on the outputs of part of the map tasks. According to the feature of imprecise applications, we propose an improved MapReduce model, named MapCheckReduce (MCR). MCR can terminate the map process when the requirements of imprecise applications are satisfied. Compared to MR, a Check mechanism and a set of extended programming interfaces are added to MCR. The Check mechanism can receive and analyze messages submitted by mappers and then determine whether to terminate the map phase. The programming interfaces can be used by the programmers of imprecise applications to define the termination conditions of the map phase. The MCR prototype has been implemented and experiment results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of MCR.
Dissociable Neural Networks Supporting Metacognition for Memory and Perception

Metacognition in its broadest sense refers both to knowledge about our mental abilities and to the regulatory processes by which we might use that knowledge to control cognition; for example, changing how we perform a task if we feel our current strategy is not optimal ([Fernandez-Duque et al., 2000
A Design of a Hybrid System for DNA Sequence Alignment

This paper describes a parallel algorithm and its needed architecture and a complementary sequential algorithm for solving sequence alignment problem on DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) molecules. The parallel algorithm is considered much faster than sequential algorithms used to perform sequence alignment; the initialization operation is done by activating a number of processing elements each compares the two sequences simultaneously and weights this comparison between each nucleotide from the first and the second DNA sequences. Then, the sequence matching operation is performed also simultaneously on the same processing elements. Both the initialization operation and the sequence matching operation are done in only two clock cycles. The proposed sequence matching operation is considered a new approach that highlights the subsequences matched between the given two DNA sequences. This operation provides a good indication for linking the matched subsequences of the two DNA sequences depending on a threshold K. which indicates the number of subsequences of highest score that can be linked. A parallel architecture is also presented as the algorithms are performed using it. A simple sequential algorithm is then presented to get the final alignment between the two DNA sequences. This hybrid system is considered a step towards a complete parallel processing architecture to solve computationally intensive applications of DNA.
Ratio of Waist-to-Calf Circumference and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Korean Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE To investigate whether waist circumference (WC), calf circumference (CC), and waist-to-calf ratio (WCR) are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This was an observational study performed in 3,694 Korean patients with type 2 diabetes. Anthropometric measures and carotid ultrasound were performed on each subject. Carotid atherosclerosis was defined as having a clearly isolated focal plaque or mean carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥1.1 mm. RESULTS CIMT and the frequency of carotid atherosclerosis were higher with increasing WC quartiles and decreasing CC quartiles. There was an augmentative effect of CC and WC on the frequency of carotid atherosclerosis, which was dramatically higher in both the highest WC quartile and lowest CC quartile. However, except for the relationship between the quartile of CC with the frequency of carotid atherosclerosis in men, those associations disappeared after adjusting for potential confounders. In contrast, WCR was significantly related to CIMT (only in women) and carotid atherosclerosis, even after adjustment (adjusted odds ratio for carotid atherosclerosis for the highest quartile of WCR compared with the lowest quartile being 1.178 [95% CI 1.026–1.353] and 1.276 [1.053–1.545] in men and women, respectively). CONCLUSIONS A low CC and high WC seems to be associated with a carotid atherosclerotic burden in Korean diabetic patients. In particular, compared with each circumference, WCR is independently associated with carotid atherosclerosis. However, the cross-sectional nature of the study limits conclusions regarding the direction or causality. Further longitudinal study is warranted in this and other ethnic groups.
Combining image-processing and image compression schemes

An investigation into the combining of image-processing schemes, speciflcally an image enhancement scheme, with existing compression schemes is discussed. Results are presented on the pyramid coding scheme, the subband coding scheme, and progressive transmission. Encouraging results are demonstrated for the combination of image enhancement and pyramid image coding schemes, especially at low bit rates. Adding the enhancement scheme to progressive image transmission allows enhanced visual perception at low resolutions. In addition, further processing of the transmitted images, such as edge detection schemes, can gain from the added image resolution via the enhancement. I. Introduction There is a new trend developing in the image-processing and image compression flelds that has to do with the convergence of the two flelds. This convergence has now become known as \second generation" image coding. It is the result of a growing need to handle large amounts of image data either in transmission or in automated image handling|such as image database query and retrieval|while the classical compression schemes are reaching their limits. It is now accepted that, in order to achieve more advanced compression schemes, we need to use our knowledge about images and their characteristic behavior to advantage in compression. In this article, we present an initial attempt to combine an image-processing scheme, speciflcally, an image enhancement scheme, with existing image compression schemes. At the image-processing end, we use our knowledge about the behavior of edges across scale (across difierent resolutions) in order to extrapolate in scale and increase the resolution of a blurred input image. The ability to extrapolate in scale is very useful for compression. We can envision data rate savings by not transmitting at certain frequencies and trying to reconstruct the information back at the receiver’s end; we can think about combining image processing with existing image compression schemes, such as the subband coding (SBC) and pyramid schemes, to achieve additional savings; and, flnally, we can use this ability in progressive transmission applications, whereby the lower resolution images get enhanced and, thus, information can be extracted at earlier stages of the transmission.
Detection method of cracks by using magnetic fields in underground pipeline

Among the nondestructive testing methods, the MFL(Magnetic Flux Leakage) PIG(Pipeline Inspection Gauge) and CMFL(Circumferential MFL) PIG are especially suitable for testing pipelines because the pipeline has high magnetic permeability. This paper introduces design process of magnetic instrument, namely, MFL PIG, and computational method useful for its analysis by using 3D finite element method is explained. Also, by simulating and measuring the signal of magnetic leakage field, it is possible to detect of axially or circumferentially oriented cracks in underground pipeline.
Impact of language dominance on phonetic transfer in Cantonese–English bilingual language switching

Abstract Bilinguals are susceptible to interaction between their two phonetic systems during speech processing. Using a language-switching paradigm, this study investigated differences in phonetic transfer of Cantonese–English bilingual adults with various language dominance profiles (Cantonese-dominant, English-dominant, and balanced bilinguals). Measurements of voice onset time revealed that unbalanced bilinguals and balanced bilinguals responded differently to language switching. Among unbalanced bilinguals, production of the dominant language shifted toward the nondominant language, with no effect in the opposite direction. However, balanced bilinguals’ speech production was unaffected by language switching. These results are analogous to the inhibitory control model, suggesting an asymmetrical switch cost of language switching at the phonetic level of speech production in unbalanced bilinguals. In contrast, the absence of switch cost in balanced bilinguals implies differences in the mechanism underlying balanced bilinguals’ and unbalanced bilinguals’ speech production.
Invalidity Patent Search System of NTT DATA

In this paper, we give an overview of our invalidity patent search system for NTCIR-4 PATENT. The system is based on the document retrieval technique and the new methods that are suitable for the invalidity search; the query term extraction based on characteristics of invention, the retrieval model using components of invention, the ranking using the term weighting based on category information, and so on. This paper describes these methods, and evaluates the search results given by our methods.
Experimental evolution of sexual host populations in response to sterilizing parasites

Hypothesis: Sexual host populations rapidly evolve specific resistance against parasites, and consequently diverge from populations under relaxed parasite-mediated selection or selection imposed by different parasite populations. Organisms: The freshwater snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, and two different populations of a naturally prevalent sterilizing trematode, Microphallus sp. Methods: Experimental populations of the host snail were exposed to one of the two parasite populations, or allowed to evolve in the absence of parasites. After three generations of experimental evolution, replicate hosts were exposed to parasites from one of the parasite source populations, and resistance was compared across parasite treatments. Results: Host populations rapidly diverged as each evolved to their experimental parasite populations. This resistance was associated with an increased susceptibility, relative to the control and other parasite treatments, to the other experimental parasite population. Hence, resistance to infection by Microphallus is specific, rather than generalized.