Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Family of Robust Algorithms Exploiting Sparsity in Adaptive Filters

We introduce a new family of algorithms to exploit sparsity in adaptive filters. It is based on a recently introduced new framework for designing robust adaptive filters. It results from minimizing a certain cost function subject to a time-dependent constraint on the norm of the filter update. Although in general this problem does not have a closed-form solution, we propose an approximate one which is very close to the optimal solution. We take a particular algorithm from this family and provide some theoretical results regarding the asymptotic behavior of the algorithm. Finally, we test it in different environments for system identification and acoustic echo cancellation applications.
The Developmental Influence of Primary Memory Capacity on Working Memory and Academic Achievement

In this study, we investigate the development of primary memory capacity among children. Children between the ages of 5 and 8 completed 3 novel tasks (split span, interleaved lists, and a modified free-recall task) that measured primary memory by estimating the number of items in the focus of attention that could be spontaneously recalled in serial order. These tasks were calibrated against traditional measures of simple and complex span. Clear age-related changes in these primary memory estimates were observed. There were marked individual differences in primary memory capacity, but each novel measure was predictive of simple span performance. Among older children, each measure shared variance with reading and mathematics performance, whereas for younger children, the interleaved lists task was the strongest single predictor of academic ability. We argue that these novel tasks have considerable potential for the measurement of primary memory capacity and provide new, complementary ways of measuring the transient memory processes that predict academic performance. The interleaved lists task also shared features with interference control tasks, and our findings suggest that young children have a particular difficulty in resisting distraction and that variance in the ability to resist distraction is also shared with measures of educational attainment.
Video Surveillance Classification-based Multiple Instance Object Retrieval : Evaluation and Dataset

In this paper we propose a classification-based automated surveillance system for multiple-instance object retrieval task, and its main purpose, to track of a list of persons in several video sources, using only few training frames. We discuss the perspective of designing appropriate motion detectors, feature extraction and classification techniques that would enable to attain high categorization accuracy, and low percentage of false negatives. Evaluation is carried out on a new proposed dataset, namely Scouter dataset, which contains approximately 36,000 annotated frames. The proposed dataset contains 10 video sources, with variable lighting conditions and different levels of difficulty. The video database raises several challenges such as noise, low quality image or blurring, increasing the difficulty of its analysis. Also, the contribution of this paper is in the experimental part, several valuable interesting findings are reported that motivate further research on automated surveillance algorithms. The combination and calibration of appropriate motion detectors, feature extractors and classifiers allows to obtain high recall performance.
Dronedarone in the management of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of tachyarrhythmia caused by multiple re-entrant wave forms within the atria and bombarding the atrioventricular node several times making it beat in a rapid, disorganized fashion termed “fibrillation”. In atrial fibrillation, atria beat more than 300 times per minute. The arrhythmatous condition needs to be controlled, as humans cannot withstand this rapid and chaotic beating of the heart. New investigational drugs like Dronedarone® are being used. Dronedarone is the most recent antiarrhythmic drugs. It was approved by US-FDA on July 2nd 2009 and is available in the USA as Multaq tablets (400 mg). Dronedarone falls under the category of multiple ion channel blocker. It mainly targets the repolarization currents, making them less active and hence prolonging the action potential duration (APD). Dronedarone also exhibits antiadrenergic activity, thus reducing the pace of the pacemaker. Dronedarone has been proven to be a safer and efficacious AAD, evidenced by both animal and human studies. These studies showed that there was prolongation of the APD and absence of QT interval prolongation with long term administration of the drug. Also there was reduced thyroid hormone receptor expression. Dronedarone is significantly safer and effective in maintaining the sinus rhythm and reducing the ventricular proarrhythmias, justifying it for the long term treatment of atrial fibrillation compared to other antiarrhythmic drugs.
The Noise and Vibration Analysis of BLDC Motor Due to Asymmetrical Permanent Magnet Overhang Effects

This paper relates to a vibration analysis of brushless DC (BLDC) motors using the asymmetrical Z-axis overhang of permanent magnet. In BLDC motor, the asymmetrical Z-axis overhang of permanent magnet generates Z-axis thrust which leads to Z-axis eccentric force by commutated current on the rated load and then the Z-axis vibration. The Z-axis thrust ripple, the source of Z-axis vibration under commutated current, is analyzed by using 3-Dimensional Finite Element Method (3-D FEM), and the phenomena of Z-axis vibration is analyzed by experimentation.
Mapping of Structured English Sentences to CCTL Formulae

Model checking has received wide acceptance as a valuable technique in the field of electronic design automation and is currently of growing interest in general systems design. Though its concepts and applications are well understood it often turns out that engineers have severe problems with the specification process and the underlying notation, i.e., formulation and understanding of specifications through means of temporal logic formulae. In this paper we present a set of structured English sentences that is applied to property specifications in the context of symbolic model checking. Moreover we formulated sentences regearding timing analysis of a given model, thus being able to receive (minimum and maximum) time values when investigating state transitions. To give a formal semantic to these sentences, a mapping to a propositional temporal logic is described in detail.
Motion learning from observation using Affinity Propagation clustering

During robot imitation learning, a key problem when observing the motions of a demonstrator is the modeling and recognition of movement prototypes. This paper proposes using Affinity Propagation (AP) to cluster motions modeled using either Dynamic Movement Primitives (DMPs) or Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). The proposed AP clustering algorithm is simple and efficient, provides robust results and automatically identifies representative exemplars for each motion group, leading to a minimal representation of the observations that can also be used to generate motions. In experiments using videos and motion capture data of human demonstrations, it is shown that the weight parameters of the DMP model can be used as features for motion recognition and the proposed method can distinguish between different (coarse distinction) or similar (fine distinction) motion groups.
High Serum C-Reactive Protein Level Is Not an Independent Predictor for Stroke: The Rotterdam Study

Background— Current guidelines recommend the assessment of C-reactive protein (CRP) levels with a high-sensitivity assay in cardiovascular risk prediction. Recent studies have put forward that although elevated CRP is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, it is not helpful in the prediction of cardiovascular disease risk. We studied the importance of CRP as a risk factor and as a risk predictor of future stroke. Methods and Results— The present study was based on 6430 participants of the Rotterdam Study who at baseline (1990–1993) were ≥55 years of age, were stroke free, and had blood taken. Strokes were classified as hemorrhagic, ischemic, or unspecified. Ischemic strokes were further subclassified. Whether stroke risk varied with baseline CRP serum levels was assessed with Cox proportional hazards models. Whether CRP was helpful in the prediction of individual stroke risk was assessed with receiver operating characteristic curves and by comparing the distribution of strokes between predicted risk strata. During an average of 8.2 years of follow-up, 498 first-ever strokes occurred. High CRP levels were significantly associated with risk of any stroke (age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio per SD, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 1.24) and risk of ischemic stroke (age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratio per SD, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 1.32). Taking CRP levels into account did not improve the individual stroke risk prediction, however, regardless of whether it was based on the Framingham stroke risk score or on age and sex only. Conclusions— Although CRP levels are associated with stroke risk, their use in the assessment of individual stroke risk seems limited.
On Approximation Preserving Reductions: Complete Problems and Robust Measures (Revised Version)

We investigate the well-known anomalous differences in the approximability properties of NP-complete optimization problems. We define a notion of polynomial time reduction between optimization problems, and introduce conditions guaranteeing that such reductions preserve various types of approximate solutions. We then prove that a weighted version of the satisfiability problem, the traveling salesperson problem, and the zero-one integer programming problem are in a strong sense approximation complete for the class of NP minimization problems. Finally, we discuss the reasons that cause the standard relative error approximation quality measure to break down in computationally simple problem transformations, and give a general construction for producing quality measures that are more robust with respect to an arbitrary given class of invertible transformations.
The survival of differentiating embryonic stem cells is dependent on the SCF-KIT pathway

The stem cell factor (SCF)-KIT signal transduction pathway plays a role in the proliferation, differentiation and survival of a range of stem and progenitor cell types but little is known about its function in embryonic stem (ES) cells. We generated ES cells carrying a null allele of Kit as well as a knock-in allele that encodes an SCF-independent hybrid KIT receptor that can be activated by the FKBP binding drug, AP20187. KIT null ES cells die when induced to differentiate upon withdrawal of leukaemia inhibitory factor in monolayer culture. This phenotype is recapitulated in wild-type ES cells treated with a KIT-neutralising antibody and reversed in mutant cells by activation of the hybrid KIT receptor. Differentiating KIT null ES cells exhibit elevated levels of DNA laddering and reduced BCL2 expression, indicative of apoptosis. We conclude that mouse ES cell differentiation in vitro is dependent on the SCF-KIT pathway contrasting with the apparently normal differentiation of KIT null inner cell mass or epiblast cells in vivo. This discrepancy could be explained by the presence of compensatory signals in the embryo or it could lend support to the idea of a phenotypic relationship between ES cells and early germ cells.
The AIMD Model for TCP Sessions Sharing a Common Router

We propose a natural and simple model for the joint throughpu t evolution of a set of TCP sessions sharing a single bottleneck router, via prod ucts of random matrices. This model leads to several results on TCP such as the quantificati on of throughput fluctuations, that of fairness, the characterization of the autocorrelat ion function of inter-loss periods, or the evaluation of the performance degradation due to sync hro ization of losses in the shared router. Surprisingly enough, even when based on the a ssumption of i.i. d losses, this model yields a fractal scaling of aggregates of traffic a t short time scales, as recently identified on real traces by a statistical analysis based on w avelets.
An Investigation of UWB-Based Wireless Networks in Industrial Automation

Summary Ultra-wideband (UWB) communication has been the subject of extensive research due to its unique capabilities and potential applications. Some see UWB as an enabling technology for new wireless applications that span from high-data-rate transmission of raw multimedia video to new location-aware, low-data-rate, and low-power communication of sensor and actuator data. Underground mines, which are characterized by their tough working conditions and hazardous environments, require foolproof mine-wide communication systems for smooth functioning of mine workings and ensuring better safety. During the last years, a number of Canadian mining companies have started to deploy modern communications systems in order to automate processes, reduce operational costs and with the objective of increasing safety and productivity. However, many important aspects of UWB communication systems have not yet been thoroughly investigated in this kind of environments. In this paper we give an overview on UWB communication. Also we investigate via measurements and simulations the applications and design challenges for UWB communication and ranging in underground mines.
Biting releases constraints on moray eel feeding kinematics

SUMMARY We present an analysis of prey capture functional morphology in eels by comparing two species of moray eels, Muraena retifera and Echidna nebulosa (Family Muraenidae), to the American eel Anguilla rostrata (Family Anguillidae). The skulls of both moray species exhibited extreme reductions of several prominent components of the suction-feeding mechanism, including the hyoid bar, the sternohyoideus muscle and the pectoral girdle. Associated with these anatomical modifications, morays showed no evidence of using suction during prey capture. From 59 video sequences of morays feeding on pieces of cut squid we saw no hyoid depression and no movement of prey toward the mouth aperture during the strike, a widely used indicator of suction-induced water flow. This was in contrast to A. rostrata, which exhibited a robust hyoid, sternohyoideus muscle and pectoral girdle, and used suction to draw prey into its mouth. Average prey capture time in morays, about 500 ms, was roughly 10 times longer than in A. rostrata, and morays frequently reversed the direction of jaw and head rotation in the midst of the strike. We tested whether the absence of suction feeding reduces temporal constraints on feeding kinematics, permitting greater variance in traits that characterize timing and the extent of motion in the neurocranium, by comparing moray eel species with A. rostrata, two Centrarchids and a cichlid. Kinematic variance was roughly 5 times higher in morays than the suction-feeding species. Prey capture by suction demands a rapid, highly coordinated series of cranial movements and the loss of this mechanism appears to have permitted slower, more variable prey capture kinematics in morays. The alternative prey capture strategy in morays, biting, may be tied to their success as predators in the confined spaces of reef crevices where they hunt for cephalopods, crustaceans and fish.
SHOCK-GENERATED VORTICITY IN THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM AND THE ORIGIN OF THE STELLAR INITIAL MASS FUNCTION

Observations of the interstellar medium (ISM) and molecular clouds suggest these astrophysical flows are strongly turbulent. The main observational evidence for turbulence is the power-law energy spectrum for velocity fluctuations, E(k) ∝ kα, with α ∈ [ − 1.5, − 2.6]. The Kolmogorov scaling exponent, α = −5/3, is typical. At the same time, the observed probability distribution function (PDF) of gas densities in both the ISM as well as in molecular clouds is a log-normal distribution, which is similar to the initial mass function (IMF) that describes the distribution of stellar masses. In this paper we examine the density and velocity structure of interstellar gas traversed by curved shock waves in the kinematic limit. We demonstrate mathematically that just a few passages of curved shock waves generically produces a log-normal density PDF. This explains the ubiquity of the log-normal PDF in many different numerical simulations. We also show that subsequent interaction with a spherical blast wave generates a power-law density distribution at high densities, qualitatively similar to the Salpeter power law for the IMF. Finally, we show that a focused shock produces a downstream flow with energy spectrum exponent α = −2. Subsequent shock passages reduce this slope, achieving α ≈ −5/3 after a few passages. We argue that subsequent dissipation of energy piled up at the small scales will act to maintain the spectrum very near to the Kolomogorov value despite the action of further shocks that would tend to reduce it. These results suggest that fully developed turbulence may not be required to explain the observed energy spectrum and density PDF. On the basis of these mathematical results, we argue that the self-similar spherical blast wave arising from expanding H ii regions or stellar winds from massive stars may ultimately be responsible for creating the high-mass, power-law, Salpeter-like tail on an otherwise a log-normal density PDF for gas in star-forming regions. The IMF arises from the gravitational collapse of sufficiently overdense regions within this PDF. Thus, the composite nature of the IMF—a log-normal plus power-law distribution—is shown to be a natural consequence of shock interaction and feedback from the most massive stars that form in most regions of star formation in the galaxy.
Circulating methylated SEPT9 DNA in plasma is a biomarker for colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND The presence of aberrantly methylated SEPT9 DNA in plasma is highly correlated with the occurrence of colorectal cancer. We report the development of a new SEPT9 biomarker assay and its validation in case-control studies. The development of such a minimally invasive blood-based test may help to reduce the current gap in screening coverage. METHODS A new SEPT9 DNA methylation assay was developed for plasma. The assay comprised plasma DNA extraction, bisulfite conversion of DNA, purification of bisulfite-converted DNA, quantification of converted DNA by real-time PCR, and measurement of SEPT9 methylation by real-time PCR. Performance of the SEPT9 assay was established in a study of 97 cases with verified colorectal cancer and 172 healthy controls as verified by colonoscopy. Performance based on predetermined algorithms was validated in an independent blinded study with 90 cases and 155 controls. RESULTS The SEPT9 assay workflow yielded 1.9 microg/L (CI 1.3-3.0) circulating plasma DNA following bisulfite conversion, a recovery of 45%-50% of genomic DNA, similar to yields in previous studies. The SEPT9 assay successfully identified 72% of cancers at a specificity of 93% in the training study and 68% of cancers at a specificity of 89% in the testing study. CONCLUSIONS Circulating methylated SEPT9 DNA, as measured in the new (m)SEPT9 assay, is a valuable biomarker for minimally invasive detection of colorectal cancer. The new assay is amenable to automation and standardized use in the clinical laboratory.
in Middle Eastern and North African Economies Quinlan School of Business 9-1-2010 Saving Investment Association in Turkey

The aim of this paper is to investigate the domestic saving-investment relation in Turkey. In their very effective paper Feldstein and Horioka (1980) (FH hereafter) states that presence of relationship between national saving and investment would not be expected under the perfect capital mobility. In the case of perfect capital mobility, savings follow wherever the highest return is and the relations between domestic saving and investment disappear. Many empirical studies found that most of open economies have high saving investment association. Turkey experienced full capital account liberalization in 1989 and hence is like a welldesigned laboratory to analyze the saving-investment relation by considering FH point of view. To analyze corresponding relation we use two different data sets, private investmentsaving, and total investment-saving over the period 1984Q1-2007Q3. By using two different data sets we try to see change in corresponding relation when we reduce, by deducing public saving and investment from total saving and investment, the effects of solvency constraint and the balance of payment targeting. We employ ARDL bound testing procedure. Also existence of structural breaks in corresponding association is analyzed by using Bai and Perron (2003) procedure. We found hardly any evidence for structural break in corresponding relation as indicated by FH. We found strong long-run relationship between total investment and saving. On the other hand there is no significant long-run relation between private saving and investment. These two conflicting result may because of the balance of payment targeting and/or solvency constraint. Keyword: saving-investment, capital mobility, structural break, Feldstein-Horioka puzzle, cointegration JEL classification: C22; E21, E22, F21
Profound Cardioprotection With Chloramphenicol Succinate in the Swine Model of Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Background— Emerging evidence suggests that “adaptive” induction of autophagy (the cellular process responsible for the degradation and recycling of proteins and organelles) may confer a cardioprotective phenotype and represent a novel strategy to limit ischemia-reperfusion injury. Our aim was to test this paradigm in a clinically relevant, large animal model of acute myocardial infarction. Methods and Results— Anesthetized pigs underwent 45 minutes of coronary artery occlusion and 3 hours of reperfusion. In the first component of the study, pigs received chloramphenicol succinate (CAPS) (an agent that purportedly upregulates autophagy; 20 mg/kg) or saline at 10 minutes before ischemia. Infarct size was delineated by tetrazolium staining and expressed as a % of the at-risk myocardium. In separate animals, myocardial samples were harvested at baseline and 10 minutes following CAPS treatment and assayed (by immunoblotting) for 2 proteins involved in autophagosome formation: Beclin-1 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-II. To investigate whether the efficacy of CAPS was maintained with “delayed” treatment, additional pigs received CAPS (20 mg/kg) at 30 minutes after occlusion. Expression of Beclin-1 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-II, as well as infarct size, were assessed at end-reperfusion. CAPS was cardioprotective: infarct size was 25±5 and 41±4%, respectively, in the CAPS-pretreated and CAPS-delayed treatment groups versus 56±5% in saline controls (P<0.01 and P<0.05 versus control). Moreover, administration of CAPS was associated with increased expression of both proteins. Conclusion— Our results demonstrate attenuation of ischemia-reperfusion injury with CAPS and are consistent with the concept that induction of autophagy may provide a novel strategy to confer cardioprotection.