Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The young star cluster system in the Antennae: evidence for a turnover in the luminosity function

The luminosity functions (LFs) of star cluster systems (i.e. the number of clusters per luminosity interval) are vital diagnostics to probe the conditions of star cluster formation. Early studies have revealed a clear dichotomy between old globular clusters and young clusters, with the former characterised by Gaussian-shaped LFs, and the latter following a power law. Recently, this view was challenged by studies of galaxy merger remnants and post-starburst galaxies. In this paper we re-evaluate the young ( � few hundreds of Myrs, with the majorityfew tens of Myrs) star cluster system in the ongoing spiral-spiral major merger system NGC 4038/39,the "Antennae" galaxies. The Antennae galaxies represent a very active and complex star-forming environment, which hampers cluster selection and photometry as well as the determination of ob- servational completeness fractions. A main issue of concern is the large number of bright young stars contained in most earlier studies, which we carefully exclude from our cluster sample by accurately determining the source sizes. The resulting LFs are fitted both with Gaussian and with power-law distributions, taking into account both the observational completeness fractions and photometric errors, and compared using a likelihood ratio test. The likelihood ratio results are rigidly evaluated using Monte Carlo simulations. We perform a number of additional tests, e.g. with subsets of the total sample, all confirming our main result: that a Gaussian distribution fits the ob- served LFs of clusters in this preferentially very young cluster system significantly better than a power-law distribution, at a (statistical) error probability of less than 0.5 per cent.
Verifying equivalence properties of security protocols

Security protocols are used nowadays for securing transactions through public channels, like the Internet. Typical examples of applications include electronic commerce, electronic voting or mobile ad hoc networking. In order to obtain as much confidence as possible, several formal methods have been proposed for analyzing properties of security protocols. Depending on the goals which a security protocol has, there are several types of properties that need to be verified. First, there are reachability or trace-based properties, which express the fact that a bad state cannot be reached. Two classical reachability properties are secrecy and authentication. Secrecy expresses the fact that a secret key or nonce cannot become public and authentication is used for ensuring an agent of other’s identity. However, there are some security properties, like privacy, that cannot be formulated in terms of reachability. These can be modeled using equivalence-based properties, usually used to express indistinguishably, a security property satisfied when an observer cannot distinguish between two processes. This is crucial in proving anonymity properties, where an attacker should not be able to distinguish a run involving an agent A from a run involving another participant A′. Anonymity is also used in the context of electronic voting, where two different runs of the voting protocol should be indistinguishable for the attacker in order to ensure that no information is leaked about the vote of a participant. Another equivalence-based property is resistance to off line
Have abstraction and eat performance, too: Optimized heterogeneous computing with parallel patterns

High performance in modern computing platforms requires programs to be parallel, distributed, and run on heterogeneous hardware. However programming such architectures is extremely difficult due to the need to implement the application using multiple programming models and combine them together in ad-hoc ways. To optimize distributed applications both for modern hardware and for modern programmers we need a programming model that is sufficiently expressive to support a variety of parallel applications, sufficiently performant to surpass hand-optimized sequential implementations, and sufficiently portable to support a variety of heterogeneous hardware. Unfortunately existing systems tend to fall short of these requirements. In this paper we introduce the Distributed Multiloop Language (DMLL), a new intermediate language based on common parallel patterns that captures the necessary semantic knowledge to efficiently target distributed heterogeneous architectures. We show straightforward analyses that determine what data to distribute based on its usage as well as powerful transformations of nested patterns that restructure computation to enable distribution and optimize for heterogeneous devices. We present experimental results for a range of applications spanning multiple domains and demonstrate highly efficient execution compared to manually-optimized counterparts in multiple distributed programming models.
Comprehensive Benchmark of Gene Ontology Concept Recognition tools

The Gene Ontology has evolved as the de facto standard for describing gene function in the biomedical domain. Information about gene function can be often found in written articles. In this work we evaluate three tools capable of recognizing Gene Ontology concepts in text on an automatically generated gold standard of 88,573 articles. The analysis reveals differences in concept recognition for these tools. An ensemble based approach is implemented to exploit idiosyncrasies between different tools and substantially improves recognition quality.
Generating Color Palettes using Intuitive Parameters

Color is widely used in data visualization to show data values. The proper selection of colors is critical to convey information correctly. In this paper, we present a technique for generating univariate lightness ordered palettes. These are specified via intuitive input parameters that are used define the appearance of the palette: number of colors, hue, lightness, saturation, contrast and hue range. The settings of the parameters are used to generate curves through CIELUV color space. This color space is used in order to correctly translate the requirements in terms of perceptual properties to a set of colors. The presented palette generation method enables users to specify palettes that have these perceptual properties, such as perceived order, equal perceived distance and equal importance. The technique has been integrated in Magna View, a system for multivariate data visualization.
Development of assisted-robotic system designed to measure the Wave Intensity with an ultrasonic diagnostic device

In recent years, due to the increasing rate of elderly people in Japan, the needs to detect adults' diseases at the early stage becomes a high priority. In particular, an increased interest in detecting heart and cerebrovascular diseases at an early stage may allow clinicians to begin treatment sooner, when interventions are generally more effective and less expensive. Recently, the Wave Intensity (WI) has been proposed as a new hemodynamic index that provides information about the dynamic behavior of the heart and the vascular system and their interaction. However; the repetitiveness and accuracy of the WI measurement depend on the precision of the positioning of the ultrasound probe. Therefore a positioning device for ultrasound probe is required. Such a device should not only be used to keep the position but also for the fine positioning of the probe. For this purpose, at Waseda University, we have proposed the development of a robot system to assist a carotid blood flow measurement using ultrasound diagnostic equipments. In this paper, the development of Waseda-Tokyo Women's Medical-Aloka Blood Flow Measurement System No. 1 Refined II (WTA-1RII) is detailed. The system consists of an ultrasound diagnostic device, a 6-DOFs parallel link manipulator, a serial link passive arm, ball joint, and a joystick type controller. The WTA-1RII has improved the design of the gravity compensation mechanism. In addition, a genetic algorithm has by implemented to determine the optimal link's position of the 6-DOFs parallel manipulator to increase the workspace. Finally, a set of experiments were carried out to determine the usability of the proposed system.
Algebraic identification and control of an uncertain DC motor using the delta operator approach

An algebraic parameter identification method for, high rate, sampled linear systems is proposed for the output feedback control of a completely unknown DC motor. The parameter estimation method is based on the algebraic methodology (introduced by Fliess and Sira-Ramírez in [1]) for continuous time systems. In this article, we adapt the algebraic parameter identification methodology so that it takes into account sampling effects. We apply the algebraic identification method within the delta operator framework developed by Middleton and Goodwin in [2]. Delta operators constitute an effective alternative, over the Z-transform, for working with fast sampled systems. One of its advantages ensures a smooth transition between a continuous and a high sampled discrete sampled system. We use a delta operator-based algebraic identification scheme for the construction of the involved linear regressor in combination with a special invariant filtering to improve the identifier against additive noise effects. Our invariant filtering coincides with the least squares solution of the linear regressor equation. A delta-operator based output feedback controller of the Generalized Proportional Integral (GPI) type is also proposed for the solution of the output trajectory tracking problem, for the DC-motor, as a certainty equivalence controller. The fast identification of all system parameters is used in the certainty equivalent feedback control law design. Some experimental results are presented which validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
A Chandra High-Resolution X-ray Image of Centaurus A

We present first results from a Chandra X-Ray Observatory observation of the radio galaxy Centaurus A with the High-Resolution Camera. All previously reported major sources of X-ray emission including the bright nucleus, the jet, individual point sources, and diffuse emission are resolved or detected. The spatial resolution of this observation is better than 1'' in the center of the field of view and allows us to resolve X-ray features of this galaxy not previously seen. In particular, we resolve individual knots of emission in the inner jet and diffuse emission between the knots. All of the knots are diffuse at the 1'' level, and several exhibit complex spatial structure. We find the nucleus to be extended by a few tenths of an arcsecond. Our image also suggests the presence of an X-ray counterjet. Weak X-ray emission from the southwest radio lobe is also seen, and we detect 63 pointlike galactic sources (probably X-ray binaries and supernova remnants) above a luminosity limit of ~1.7 × 1037 ergs s-1.
1 Tournament-Associated Mortality and the Effects of Culling in Wisconsin Black Bass ( Micropterus spp . ) Tournaments

Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) to evaluate the mortality associated with culling in bass tournaments. The objective of this study was to quantify mortality rates of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) (LMB) and smallmouth bass (M. dolomieu) (SMB) occurring as a result of tournament-induced stress, and in particular culling. Two parallel studies were conducted. The first study quantified general characteristics of tournament angling where culling is allowed, including the degree of culling, water temperature, pathogens, weigh-in procedures, and subsequent mortality in selected bass tournaments in Wisconsin. This provided background information on the extent to which tournaments that allow culling affect black bass mortality in general. The second study directly targeted the effects of culling on mortality rates. This aspect of the project was evaluated using controlled angling and culling activities by volunteer anglers simulating culling that occurs during a real tournament. The culled treatment fish were evaluated for five days to assess mortality. At the six professional bass tournaments studied, total mortality rates ranged from 0% to 77.4% for LMB and 0% to 54.6% for SMB. When adjusted for reference fish mortalities, total mortality rates of LMB ranged from 0% to 43.9%, and SMB from 0% to 55.5%. Initial mortality rates which occur at the time of weigh-in and reflect what anglers and the public actually see drastically under represents the true effects of angling on bass mortality during tournaments. The adjusted delayed mortality rates ranged from 0% to 43.2% for LMB and 0% to 52.2% for SMB whereas the initial mortality rates for LMB and SMB ranged from just 0% to 2.4%. Across these tournaments, mortality rates were higher when water temperatures were high and when largemouth bass virus (LMBV) (Iridoviridae) was present. Our data also reflect results seen in other bass tournament angling studies that 2 considered the effects of water temperature and LMBV on bass mortality, and when combined with those study results, the impacts of water temperature and the presence of LMBV on tournament-associated mortality of bass are amplified. At the two simulated tournaments, mortality rates were 0% and 16.0%. Largemouth bass virus was absent at both tournaments and warm water temperatures were present at the tournament with higher mortality. Culling in the simulated tournament did not appear to increase mortality rates relative to what was seen at the professional bass tournaments These data suggest culling does not significantly increase mortality at tournaments, but the sample size …
A word-count approach to analyze linguistic patterns in the reflective writings of medical students

Background Teaching reflection and administering reflective writing assignments to students are widely practiced and discussed in medical education and health professional education. However, little is known about how medical students use language to construct their narratives. Exploring students’ linguistic patterns in their reflective writings can facilitate understanding the scope and facets of their reflections and their representational or communication approaches to share their experiences. Moreover, research findings regarding gender differences in language use are inconsistent. Therefore, we attempted to examine how females and males differ in their use of words in reflective writing within our research circumstance to detect the unique and gender-specific approaches to learning and their applications. Methods We analyzed the linguistic profiles of psychological process categories in the reflective writings of medical students and examined the difference in word usage between male and female medical students. During the first year of a clinical rotation, 60 fifth-year medical students wrote reflective narratives regarding pediatric patients and the psychosocial challenges faced by the patients and their family members. The narratives were analyzed using the Chinese version of Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (CLIWC), a text analysis software program. Multivariate procedures were applied for statistical analysis. Results Cognitive words were most pervasive, averaging 22.16%, whereas perceptual words (2.86%) were least pervasive. Female students used more words related to positive emotions and sadness than did male students. The male students exceeded the female students only in the space category. The major limitation of this study is that CLIWC cannot directly acquire contextual text meanings; therefore, depending on the research topic, further qualitative study of the given texts might be necessary. Conclusions To enhance students’ empathy toward the psychosocial issues faced by patients and their family members, students should be encouraged to explore the domain of psychological processes by identifying and expressing their affective and perceptual experiences. Researchers in future studies should use outcome measures such as self-awareness or empathy to determine the overall effectiveness of reflective writing and how changes in linguistic patterns affect such outcomes.
American Journal of Epidemiology Original Contribution Musculoskeletal Complaints among 11-year-old Children and Associated Factors the Piama Birth Cohort Study

Musculoskeletal complaints (MSC) are common among children, often persist into adolescence, and increase the risk of MSC in adulthood. Knowledge regarding determinants of MSC among children is limited. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of MSC at age 11 years and to examine associations with sociodemographic factors, growth and development factors, mental health, tiredness, and lifestyle. Data from a Netherlands birth cohort study, the Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy (PIAMA) Study (n ¼ 2,638), were used (1996–2009). MSC were defined as complaints about the back, an upper extremity, a lower extremity, or any of these sites. Logistic regression analyses using a forward stepwise procedure were performed on multiply imputed data. The 1-year period prevalences of back, upper extremity, and lower extremity complaints that lasted at least 1 month were 2.8%, 4.8%, and 10.9%, respectively. Only poorer mental health was consistently associated with all 3 types of complaints. Poorer mental health, daytime tiredness, early pubertal development, being physically active at age 11 years, and weight-for-height z score were associated with having any MSC. This study showed that MSC, especially lower extremity complaints, are common among 11-year old-children and that only poorer mental health status is associated with MSC at all anatomic sites. Musculoskeletal complaints (MSC) are common in children , with prevalences up to 32% being reported for children aged 10–12 years (1). This may have a large health impact, since pain can result in restrictions in daily living activities, including school attendance, participation in hobbies, maintenance of social contacts, and sleep problems (2). Additionally , it has been suggested that approximately 40% of children with MSC still have complaints 4 years later (3) and that MSC in childhood substantially increases the risk of MSC in adulthood (4–6), which is a major public health problem with a high economic burden (7, 8). A better understanding of the determinants of MSC in childhood may help in developing preventative strategies for children. Low socioeconomic status, being overweight, physical activity , a sedentary lifestyle, and mental health problems have been suggested as risk factors for MSC among children or adolescents. However, until now the number of studies has been limited and the results have been inconsistent (9, 10). For instance, some studies showed that physical activity is associated with increased MSC among children or adolescents (11, 12), while other studies found a protective association (13) or no …
Multiple mechanisms of spiral wave breakup in a model of cardiac electrical activity.

It has become widely accepted that the most dangerous cardiac arrhythmias are due to reentrant waves, i.e., electrical wave(s) that recirculate repeatedly throughout the tissue at a higher frequency than the waves produced by the heart's natural pacemaker (sinoatrial node). However, the complicated structure of cardiac tissue, as well as the complex ionic currents in the cell, have made it extremely difficult to pinpoint the detailed dynamics of these life-threatening reentrant arrhythmias. A simplified ionic model of the cardiac action potential (AP), which can be fitted to a wide variety of experimentally and numerically obtained mesoscopic characteristics of cardiac tissue such as AP shape and restitution of AP duration and conduction velocity, is used to explain many different mechanisms of spiral wave breakup which in principle can occur in cardiac tissue. Some, but not all, of these mechanisms have been observed before using other models; therefore, the purpose of this paper is to demonstrate them using just one framework model and to explain the different parameter regimes or physiological properties necessary for each mechanism (such as high or low excitability, corresponding to normal or ischemic tissue, spiral tip trajectory types, and tissue structures such as rotational anisotropy and periodic boundary conditions). Each mechanism is compared with data from other ionic models or experiments to illustrate that they are not model-specific phenomena. Movies showing all the breakup mechanisms are available at http://arrhythmia.hofstra. edu/breakup and at ftp://ftp.aip. org/epaps/chaos/E-CHAOEH-12-039203/ INDEX.html. The fact that many different breakup mechanisms exist has important implications for antiarrhythmic drug design and for comparisons of fibrillation experiments using different species, electromechanical uncoupling drugs, and initiation protocols. (c) 2002 American Institute of Physics.
The utility of sperm DNA damage assay using toluidine blue and aniline blue staining in routine semen analysis

Objective The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship among male age, strict morphology, and sperm chromatin structure and condensation. Methods Sperm samples from a total of 100 men underwent semen analysis, and sperm chromatin structure and condensation were assessed with toluidine blue (TB) and aniline blue (AB) tests. Results Prevalence of strict morphology of less than 4%, and abnormal sperm chromatin structure and condensation did not show any statistically significant differences according to male age (p=0.605, p=0.235, and p=0.080). No significant correlation was demonstrated among age of male partners, strict morphology, and abnormal sperm chromatin structure using TB and AB tests. However, abnormal sperm chromatin condensation was positively associated with sperm chromatin structure (r=0.594, p=0.000) and showed negative correlation with strict morphology (r=-0.219, p=0.029). Conclusion The tests for sperm chromatin condensation showed a significant association with strict morphology. Further study is needed to elucidate the relationship between clinical outcome and sperm chromatin tests.
The zero-point of the cluster cluster correlation function

We propose the zero-point of the cluster-cluster correlation function as a sensitive test for the shape of the power spectrum of initial fluctuations. It is now possible to go beyond the power law description to measure the point at which the correlation function becomes zero. Four independent measurements indicate that the zero point, $r_0$, should be in the range (40-60)$h^{-1}$Mpc. The large value of $r_0$ at which the zero-point occurs rules out conventional CDM models independently of the assumed amplitude. Models with $\Omega 0.55$ are rejected. We present the results of numerical simulations of clusters in an $\Omega=1$ cosmological model with a mixture of cold plus hot dark matter (CHDM). The correlation function we determined for the simulated clusters has a zero-point, $r_0=55h^{-1}$Mpc that accurately matches the zero point of the observed function.