Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Natural language processing for information retrieval

The paper summarizes the essential properties of document retrieval and reviews both conventional practice and research findings, the latter suggesting that simple statistical techniques can be effective. It then considers the new opportunities and challenges presented by the user’s ability to search full text directly (rather than e.g. titles and abstracts), and suggests appropriate approaches to doing this, with a focus on the potential role of natural language processing. The paper also comments on possible connections with data and knowledge retrieval, and concludes by emphasizing the importance of rigorous performance testing.
Recent advances in millimeter-wave radars

The usage of millimeter-wave radar systems is widened to a number of civil applications including: airborne radars for obstacle avoidance, altimetry and landing aids, automotive radars for collision avoidance, driving safety support, autonomous vehicle control, meteorological radars, radars for remote sensing applications, and radars for medical imaging and diagnostic. We review some of these developments supported by advances in millimeter-wave components and achievements in signal processing technique. A recently developed at the Institute of Radio Astronomy ground based millimeter-wave synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is described in more details as an example of the activity in the field. The hardware and software solutions introduced into the radar are described along with the results of the first radar tests.
Localizing Ground Penetrating RADAR: A Step Toward Robust Autonomous Ground Vehicle Localization

Autonomous ground vehicles navigating on road networks require robust and accurate localization over long‐term operation and in a wide range of adverse weather and environmental conditions. GPS/INS (inertial navigation system) solutions, which are insufficient alone to maintain a vehicle within a lane, can fail because of significant radio frequency noise or jamming, tall buildings, trees, and other blockage or multipath scenarios. LIDAR and camera map‐based vehicle localization can fail when optical features become obscured, such as with snow or dust, or with changes to gravel or dirt road surfaces. Localizing ground penetrating radar (LGPR) is a new mode of a priori map‐based vehicle localization designed to complement existing approaches with a low sensitivity to failure modes of LIDAR, camera, and GPS/INS sensors due to its low‐frequency RF energy, which couples deep into the ground. Most subsurface features detected are inherently stable over time. Significant research, discussed herein, remains to prove general utility. We have developed a novel low‐profile ultra‐low power LGPR system and demonstrated real‐time operation underneath a passenger vehicle. A correlation maximizing optimization technique was developed to allow real‐time localization at 126 Hz. Here we present the detailed design and results from highway testing, which uses a simple heuristic for fusing LGPR estimates with a GPS/INS system. Cross‐track localization accuracies of 4.3 cm RMS relative to a “truth” RTK GPS/INS unit at speeds up to 100 km/h (60 mph) are demonstrated. These results, if generalizable, introduce a widely scalable real‐time localization method with cross‐track accuracy as good as or better than current localization methods.
A Novel Multi-Relay Selection and Power Allocation Optimization Scheme in Cooperative Networks

Cooperative communication is an emerging and effective technology which can overcome the limitation and improve overall system performance of wireless networks. As important design parameters, relay selection, power and bandwidth allocation have been investigated respectively in previous literature. However, most of the existing schemes mainly consider single-relay selection, which may result in imbalance of resource utilization, and moreover, the "emergence" diversity gain among multiple relays cannot be achieved. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-relay nodes selection strategy, taking both instantaneous channel state information (I-CSI) and remaining energy as weighted metrics. Besides, an optimal power allocation algorithm using convex optimization method is presented. Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the proposed scheme can significantly improve energy efficiency and channel capacity while maintaining relatively low implementation complexity in wireless cooperative relay networks.
Evaluating a Structural Equation Model Measuring Lifelong Learning and Continuing Education Factors

The present study examines the validity and reliability of an instrument (a structural equation model) designed for measuring lifelong learning and continuing education factors. Specifically, it evaluates construct validity by estimating both convergent and discriminate validity, while evaluating the internal consistency of the instrument itself. Another aim of the study is to estimate how the instrument determines the reasonable relations among the latent factors that are the value of continuing education, in the certification of adult educators, the use of different teaching methods, the learners' personal satisfaction and finally, the attendance in adult education programs. The uniqueness of this study is based on the construction of a valid and reliable instrument which can be used by researchers to evaluate graduate or post graduate students' opinions and perceptions about continuing education. Implications of the present study can be used by every candidate educator, teacher, leader in a class or in any other kind of working team as it is helpful for educators to be aware of the changing role of lifelong learning and continuing education factors and its new dimensions of effectiveness in order to be well prepared and successful.
Inflammation and the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Many studies have documented associations between inflammation and type 2 diabetes incidence. We assessed potential variability in this association in the major U.S. racial/ethnic groups. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Incident type 2 diabetes was assessed among men and women aged 45–84 years without prior clinical cardiovascular disease or diabetes in the prospective Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Interleukin (IL)-6, fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at baseline (2000–2002); fasting glucose and diabetes medication use was assessed at baseline and three subsequent in-person exams through 2007. Type 2 diabetes was defined as use of diabetes drugs or glucose ≥126 mg/dl. Covariates included baseline demographics, clinic, smoking, alcohol, exercise, hypertension medication, systolic blood pressure, insulin resistance, and BMI. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) by quartiles of CRP, IL-6, and fibrinogen. RESULTS Among 5,571 participants (mean age 61.6 years, 53% female, 42.1% white, 11.5% Chinese, 25.7% black, and 20.7% Hispanic), 410 developed incident diabetes during a median follow-up time of 4.7 years (incidence 16.8 per 1,000 person-years). CRP, IL-6, and fibrinogen levels were associated with incident diabetes in the entire sample. After adjustment, the associations were attenuated; however, quartile 4 (versus quartile 1) of IL-6 (HR 1.5 [95% CI 1.1–2.2]) and CRP (1.7 [1.3–2.4]) remained associated with incident diabetes. In stratified analyses, similar associations were observed among white, black, and Hispanic participants. CONCLUSIONS Higher levels of inflammation predict short-term incidence of type 2 diabetes in a multiethnic American sample.
SEER Cancer Registry Biospecimen Research: Yesterday and Tomorrow

The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries have been a source of biospecimens for cancer research for decades. Recently, registry-based biospecimen studies have become more practical, with the expansion of electronic networks for pathology and medical record reporting. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens are now used for next-generation sequencing and other molecular techniques. These developments create new opportunities for SEER biospecimen research. We evaluated 31 research articles published during 2005 to 2013 based on authors' confirmation that these studies involved linkage of SEER data to biospecimens. Rather than providing an exhaustive review of all possible articles, our intent was to indicate the breadth of research made possible by such a resource. We also summarize responses to a 2012 questionnaire that was broadly distributed to the NCI intra- and extramural biospecimen research community. This included responses from 30 investigators who had used SEER biospecimens in their research. The survey was not intended to be a systematic sample, but instead to provide anecdotal insight on strengths, limitations, and the future of SEER biospecimen research. Identified strengths of this research resource include biospecimen availability, cost, and annotation of data, including demographic information, stage, and survival. Shortcomings include limited annotation of clinical attributes such as detailed chemotherapy history and recurrence, and timeliness of turnaround following biospecimen requests. A review of selected SEER biospecimen articles, investigator feedback, and technological advances reinforced our view that SEER biospecimen resources should be developed. This would advance cancer biology, etiology, and personalized therapy research. See all the articles in this CEBP Focus section, “Biomarkers, Biospecimens, and New Technologies in Molecular Epidemiology. ” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(12); 2681–7. ©2014 AACR.
Reduced bacterial growth and increased osteoblast proliferation on titanium with a nanophase TiO2 surface treatment

Background The attachment and initial growth of bacteria on an implant surface dictates the progression of infection. Treatment often requires aggressive antibiotic use, which does not always work. To overcome the difficulties faced in systemic and local antibiotic delivery, scientists have forayed into using alternative techniques, which includes implant surface modifications that prevent initial bacterial adhesion, foreign body formation, and may offer a controlled inflammatory response. Objective The current study focused on using electrophoretic deposition to treat titanium with a nanophase titanium dioxide surface texture to reduce bacterial adhesion and growth. Two distinct nanotopographies were analyzed, Ti-160, an antimicrobial surface designed to greatly reduce bacterial colonization, and Ti-120, an antimicrobial surface with a topography that upregulates osteoblast activity while reducing bacterial colonization; the number following Ti in the nomenclature represents the atomic force microscopy root-mean-square roughness value in nanometers. Results There was a 95.6% reduction in Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive bacteria) for the Ti-160-treated surfaces compared to the untreated titanium alloy controls. There was a 90.2% reduction in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (gram-negative bacteria) on Ti-160-treated surfaces compared to controls. For ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli, there was an 81.1% reduction on the Ti-160-treated surfaces compared to controls. Similarly for surfaces treated with Ti-120, there was an 86.8% reduction in S. aureus, an 82.1% reduction in P. aeruginosa, and a 48.6% reduction in ampicillin-resistant E. coli. The Ti-120 also displayed a 120.7% increase at day 3 and a 168.7% increase at day 5 of osteoblast proliferation over standard titanium alloy control surfaces. Conclusion Compared to untreated surfaces, Ti-160-treated titanium surfaces demonstrated a statistically significant 1 log reduction in S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, whereas Ti-120 provided an additional increase in osteoblast proliferation for up to 5 days, criteria, which should be further studied for a wide range of orthopedic applications.
CIC‐NUTM1 fusion: A case which expands the spectrum of NUT‐rearranged epithelioid malignancies

NUT carcinoma (NC) shows very aggressive clinical behavior, occurs predominantly in the thorax and head and neck region of children and adults, and is defined by the presence of NUT (aka NUTM1) rearrangement, mostly BRD4‐NUTM1 fusion resulting from t(15;19)(q13; p13.1). So‐called “NUT variants” harbor alternate fusions between NUTM1 and BRD3, NSD3, ZNF532, or unknown partners. Rare cases of pediatric tumors with CIC‐NUTM1 fusion were recently reported in somatic soft tissue, brain, and kidney. However, such cases have not been identified in adult patients and the presence of a fusion between CIC, characteristic of CIC‐rearranged sarcoma, and NUTM1—a defining feature of NC—poses a diagnostic challenge. We herein report a case of malignant epithelioid neoplasm with myoepithelial features harboring CIC‐NUTM1 fusion arising in soft tissue of the head in a 60‐year‐old man. Immunohistochemistry revealed strong expression of NUT, but only weak ETV4 staining and negativity for keratins, EMA, p40, CD99, and WT1. SMARCB1 expression was retained. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and targeted next‐generation sequencing identified a CIC‐NUTM1 fusion resulting from t(15;19)(q14;q13.2). In light of morphologic features that overlap with those of NC from typical anatomical sites we have seen previously, the tumor was best classified as falling within the NC spectrum rather than CIC‐associated sarcoma. This case highlights the emerging diagnostic challenges generated by newly detected gene fusions of unknown clinical and biologic significance. Careful integration of cytogenetic, molecular, and immunohistochemical findings with morphologic appearances in the diagnostic workup of undifferentiated neoplasms is essential.
Working Paper No . E 2017 / 7 How Should News Shocks Be Specified Under Rational Expectations ?

A number of studies have found that news shocks account for a large part of the aggregate uctuations of the main macroeconomic variables. We show that when taking rational expectations into consideration there is a limit on the size of the variance of the news shocks, which has not been considered in the literature. We o¤er an explanation to why this restriction should be imposed and show, with an empirical example from a recent paper, that if you do impose the rational expectations restriction the importance of the news is drastically reduced. Keywords: News shocks; DSGE; Rational Expectations JEL Classi cation: E2; E3 Corresponding author: Aberconway building, Cardi¤ Business School, Colum Drive, Cardi¤, UK, CF10 3EU. Tel. : +44 (0)29 20876566. Fax: +44 (0)29 2087 4419. (Levp@cardi¤.ac.uk)
A First Standardized Swiss Electronic Maternity Record

BACKGROUND During the nine months of pregnancy, women have to regularly visit several physicians for continuous monitoring of the health and development of the fetus and mother. Comprehensive examination results of different types are generated in this process; documentation and data transmission standards are still unavailable or not in use. Relevant information is collected in a paper-based maternity record carried by the pregnant women. OBJECTIVES To improve availability and transmission of data, we aim at developing a first prototype for an electronic maternity record for Switzerland. METHODS By analyzing the documentation workflow during pregnancy, we determined a maternity record data set. Further, we collected requirements towards a digital maternity record. As data exchange format, the Swiss specific exchange format SMEEX (swiss medical data exchange) was exploited. Feedback from 27 potential users was collected to identify further improvements. RESULTS The relevant data is extracted from the primary care information system as SMEEX file, stored in a database and made available in a web and a mobile application, developed as prototypes of an electronic maternity record. CONCLUSION The user confirmed the usefulness of the system and provided multiple suggestions for an extension. An electronical maternity record as developed in this work could be in future linked to the electronic patient record.
Explicating mobile banking acceptance in Oman: Structural Equation Model

The objective of this paper is to empirically examine important factors influencing users’ intention to acceptance mobile banking in a developing country like Oman. The proposed research model includes two key constructs namely perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness from well-known Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and two other variables namely perceived trust and mobility. The research model was empirically tested using survey data. Data were collected from 122 mobile banking users and analyzed by employing structural equation modeling. The findings of this paper suggested that trust and perceived usefulness were key constructs influencing mobile banking in one of the important oil-producing nation among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries.
Price-level targeting versus inflation targeting over the long-term

This paper investigates the long-term impact of price-level targeting on social welfare in an overlapping generations model in which the young save for old age by investing in productive capital and indexed and nominal government bonds. A key feature of the model is that the extent of bond indexation is determined endogenously in response to monetary policy as part of an optimal commitment Ramsey policy. Due to the absence of base-level drift under price-level targeting, long-term inflation risk is reduced by an order of magnitude compared to inflation targeting. Consequently, real bond returns are stabilised somewhat, and consumption volatility for old generations is reduced by around 15 per cent. The baseline welfare gain from price- level targeting is equivalent to a permanent increase in aggregate consumption of only 0.01 per cent, but this estimate is strongly sensitive on the upside.
Multiuser MIMO User Selection Based on Chordal Distance

Multiuser MIMO (MU-MIMO) systems have advantages over single-user MIMO systems in terms of system performance. In MU-MIMO systems, inter-user interference needs to be dealt with especially when linear processing is used. The block diagonalization (BD) method is one of techniques that are widely used to eliminate the inter-user interference. In a cellular system where there are many users, the subset of users which maximizes the system performance should be selected since the base station cannot support all the users in the cell. In this paper, we propose a low complexity MU-MIMO scheduling scheme using BD with chordal distance. For a large number of users, the optimal scheduling technique needs an exhaustive search, which is impractical. One of the key ideas of this paper is to use chordal distance as a measure of orthogonality between different users. Simulation results show the proposed algorithm has throughput close to the optimal scheduling scheme with lower complexity than existing low complexity scheduling algorithms.
Local Model of Interaction for Haptic Manipulation of Rigid Virtual Worlds

In this paper we propose a local model of rigid body interaction that provides users with convincing kinesthetic feedback while they manipulate a virtual tool within a rigid multibody virtual world. The virtual tool can be a rigid object or a linkage. The local model can interface a haptic device to any virtual environment simulation that provides the contact position, the contact normal direction, and the penetration depth of the virtual tool into the virtual world at the virtual tool contacts. The local model includes a proxy of the virtual tool that embeds an approximation of its geometry and of its dynamics, and that eliminates force discontinuities at model updates via proxy deformation. In addition, the model includes active and predicted virtual tool contacts. Predicted contacts are used to maintain force continuity and to better constrain users to tight virtual spaces. Experiments performed within a planar virtual world demonstrate that, compared to prior local models of rigid body interaction, the proposed model enables users to feel stiffer contacts and improves users' perception of free space in locally cluttered virtual environments.
Spatial Popularity and Similarity of Watching Videos in Large-Scale Urban Environment

With the popularity of watching mobile videos, a major form of multimedia contents, many works focus on the geographic features of user viewing behaviors, but few study them in the context of an entire metropolitan city. Different regions of a large city have different intensity of economy activities with respect to their different distances to the downtown, and how this will influence video popularity and similarity is still unclear. To quantitatively study the spatial popularity and similarity of watching videos in a large urban environment, we collect a dataset with two-month video view requests from the largest network provider in Shanghai, containing the top six content providers, and study the spatial features of video access in regions of different scales. We find that: 1) video popularity and similarity exist at different scales of city division; 2) the concentration of video popularity becomes higher as the region is closer to downtown; and 3) when comparing the regions of same scale, the similarity of popular videos becomes lower as the region is farther away from the downtown. Finally, we correlate our findings with cache deployment, advertising, and video recommendation to illustrate the implications.
CBCC3 — A contribution-based cooperative co-evolutionary algorithm with improved exploration/exploitation balance

Cooperative Co-evolution (CC) is a promising framework for solving large-scale optimization problems. However, the round-robin strategy of CC is not an efficient way of allocating the available computational resources to components of imbalanced functions. The imbalance problem happens when the components of a partially separable function have non-uniform contributions to the overall objective value. Contribution-Based Cooperative Co-evolution (CBCC) is a variant of CC that allocates the available computational resources to the individual components based on their contributions. CBCC variants (CBCC1 and CBCC2) have shown better performance than the standard CC in a variety of cases. In this paper, we show that over-exploration and over-exploitation are two major sources of performance loss in the existing CBCC variants. On that basis, we propose a new contribution-based algorithm that maintains a better balance between exploration and exploitation. The empirical results show that the new algorithm is superior to its predecessors as well as the standard CC.
A mean-field stochastic maximum principle via Malliavin calculus

This paper considers a mean-field type stochastic control problem where the dynamics is governed by a controlled Itô–Lévy process and the information available to the controller is possibly less than the overall information. All the system coefficients and the objective performance functional are allowed to be random, possibly non-Markovian. Malliavin calculus is employed to derive a maximum principle for the optimal control of such a system where the adjoint process is explicitly expressed.