Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON OF KAWASE'S APPROACH VERSUS THE RETROSIGMOID APPROACH: IMPLICATIONS FOR TUMORS INVOLVING BOTH MIDDLE AND POSTERIOR FOSSAE

OBJECTIVE Few quantitative data are available to describe Kawase's exposure of the posterior fossa. We used a cadaveric model to compare Kawase's and the retrosigmoid approach to the petroclival region. METHODS Eighteen cadaveric specimens were dissected and analyzed (6 retrosigmoid, 6 Kawase's, and 6 retrosigmoid intradural suprameatal approaches). Clival and brainstem working areas and surgical freedom were measured. RESULTS The retrosigmoid approach provided a significantly larger clival and brainstem working area than Kawase's approach. Surgical freedom at the trigeminal root entry zone, origin of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery, and Dorello's canal was equivalent across approaches. Kawase's approach provided the most surgical freedom at the trigeminal porus. However, the addition of a suprameatal extension significantly improved the surgical freedom provided by the retrosigmoid approach. CONCLUSION The retrosigmoid approach is a powerful approach to lesions of the cerebellopontine angle and ventral brainstem. Lesions involving the trigeminal porus and Meckel's cave can be approached through Kawase's approach or a suprameatal extension of the retrosigmoid approach. Kawase's approach is best suited for accessing middle fossa lesions with smaller petroclival components located above the internal auditory canal.
Low-Density Parity-Check Lattices: Construction and Decoding Analysis

Low-density parity-check codes (LDPC) can have an impressive performance under iterative decoding algorithms. In this paper we introduce a method to construct high coding gain lattices with low decoding complexity based on LDPC codes. To construct such lattices we apply Construction D', due to Bos, Conway, and Sloane, to a set of parity checks defining a family of nested LDPC codes. For the decoding algorithm, we generalize the application of max-sum algorithm to the Tanner graph of lattices. Bounds on the decoding complexity are derived and our analysis shows that using LDPC codes results in low decoding complexity for the proposed lattices. The progressive edge growth (PEG) algorithm is then extended to construct a class of nested regular LDPC codes which are in turn used to generate low density parity check lattices. Using this approach, a class of two-level lattices is constructed. The performance of this class improves when the dimension increases and is within 3 dB of the Shannon limit for error probabilities of about 10-6. This is while the decoding complexity is still quite manageable even for dimensions of a few thousands
thick tassel dwarf1 encodes a putative maize ortholog of the Arabidopsis CLAVATA1 leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase

Development in higher plants depends on the activity of meristems, formative regions that continuously initiate new organs at their flanks. Meristems must maintain a balance between stem cell renewal and organ initiation. In fasciated mutants, organ initiation fails to keep pace with meristem proliferation. The thick tassel dwarf1 (td1) mutation of maize affects both male and female inflorescence development. The female inflorescence, which results in the ear, is fasciated, with extra rows of kernels. The male inflorescence, or tassel, shows an increase in spikelet density. Floral meristems are also affected in td1 mutants; for example, male florets have an increase in stamen number. These results suggest that td1 functions in the inflorescence to limit meristem size. In addition, td1 mutants are slightly shorter than normal siblings, indicating that td1 also plays a role in vegetative development. td1 encodes a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase (LRR-RLK) that is a putative ortholog of the Arabidopsis CLAVATA1 protein. These results complement previous work showing that fasciated ear2 encodes a CLAVATA2-like protein, and suggest that the CLAVATA signaling pathway is conserved in monocots. td1 maps in the vicinity of quantitative trait loci that affect seed row number, spikelet density and plant height. We discuss the possible selection pressures on td1 during maize domestication.
An automatic coastline extraction method based on active contour model

Coastline extraction from remote sensing images has become an indispensable means in island coastal remote sensing survey, which plays a very important role in automatic navigation, targeting and mapping work. Image segmentation and boundary extraction are important ways to obtain the position of coastline. And active contour model has become an important tool for image segmentation and boundary extraction. So in this paper we try to use active contour model to extract coastline. However excessive timeconsumption and low degree of automation are two aspects we need to resolve. Aiming to this, we use quadtreemethod to obtain an initial contour, which is close to the coastline, and then evolve to calculate the accurate result. Experiments show that the method is stable, reliable and practical.
IIIT Hyderabad at TAC 2009

This paper describes our participation at TAC 2008 in all the three tracks. For the Summarization Track we introduced two major features. First, a feature based on Information Loss if we don’t pick a particular sentence. Second, a language modeling extension that boosts novel terms and penalizes stale terms. During our post-TAC analysis we observed that a simple sentence position based summarizer leads to better short summaries than most official runs submitted this year. In the Opinion QA and Summarization Track for the rigid list questions, we have added some additional features to handle opinion expressed in the question. and for the squishy list questions in Opinion QA and Summarization Track, we leveraged on our existing Summarization engine and used a classification based approach to both finding opinionated sentences and also the polarity of the opinions. Finally, for the RTE track we explored a simple graph partition matching based approach.
Combined Spectrum Pooling and Adaptive Bit Loading for Cognitive Radio OFDM Based System

This paper presents the combination of adaptive bit loading and spectrum pooling to be applied in a cognitive radio orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based system. Adaptive bit loading is a method to adapt the constellation size of the transmitted signal according to the channel variations by exclusion of heavily faded carriers from transmission and as a compensation higher modulation modes are allocated to subcarriers with good SNR. Windowing of OFDM signal is a spectrum pooling method for shaping the signal spectrum in order to reduce interference to neighbouring system (legacy users). In this paper different OFDM adaptive bit loading algorithms are combined with several window functions, and the bit error rate performance of the system is simulated for a wide sense stationary uncorrelated scattering (WSSUS) mobile multipath channel. The new results of this paper show how promising is the combination of bit loading algorithm and window form
Making Meaning of Risk: Exploring Resilient Adolescents’ Interpretations of the Impact of Negative Life Experiences

Our understanding of the relationship between risk factors and resilience has been framed primarily by probability. Resilience has been conceptualized as “beating the odds”: doing better than our statistical predictions would expect given the amount of risk the individual has faced. Undoubtedly, this research has offered a rich picture into trajectories of psychosocial development. However, it has limited our exploration of the mechanisms that explain why risk factors result in resilience. Context-driven work exploring these mechanisms has been limited by the subjective nature of risk factors. In order to extend our understanding of risk factors and resilience we have to understand the difference between actual and statistical risk; we have to understand how individuals make meaning of risk factors within the different ecological systems in their lives. In this study I explore how 38 inner-city charter school youth (ages 16-21) make meaning of self-identified negative life experiences. The school serves youth who have previously dropped out or have been expelled from high school. Additionally, the youth at this school reported a high level of risk factors by most objective standards. Using a mix of narrative writing and interviews, I explored (1) what events the youth self-reported as being detrimental, (2) what themes emerged in the youth’s discussion of the impact of these experiences, and (3) what discourses the youth used in discussing the impact of a particularly persistent experience: the loss of a biological parent. My analysis revealed that the youth framed their meaning around three questions: why have I been affected, how do I make sense of it, and what has changed in my life? In doing this they tried to create new meaning of negative life events, sometimes by internalizing or redefining life experiences. I discuss how meaning-making could be a constructivist mechanism that helps engender resilience; resilience could be explained by the ease with which the discrepancy between global meaning (i.e., schema that orients our MAKING MEANING OF RISK viii understanding of the world) and situational meaning (of a stressful event) is resolved. I discuss the implications of this theory-generating work for future research and school-based practice. MAKING MEANING OF RISK 1
Abundant Genetic Overlap between Blood Lipids and Immune-Mediated Diseases Indicates Shared Molecular Genetic Mechanisms

Epidemiological studies suggest a relationship between blood lipids and immune-mediated diseases, but the nature of these associations is not well understood. We used genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to investigate shared single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between blood lipids and immune-mediated diseases. We analyzed data from GWAS (n~200,000 individuals), applying new False Discovery Rate (FDR) methods, to investigate genetic overlap between blood lipid levels [triglycerides (TG), low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL)] and a selection of archetypal immune-mediated diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, psoriasis and sarcoidosis). We found significant polygenic pleiotropy between the blood lipids and all the investigated immune-mediated diseases. We discovered several shared risk loci between the immune-mediated diseases and TG (n = 88), LDL (n = 87) and HDL (n = 52). Three-way analyses differentiated the pattern of pleiotropy among the immune-mediated diseases. The new pleiotropic loci increased the number of functional gene network nodes representing blood lipid loci by 40%. Pathway analyses implicated several novel shared mechanisms for immune pathogenesis and lipid biology, including glycosphingolipid synthesis (e.g. FUT2) and intestinal host-microbe interactions (e.g. ATG16L1). We demonstrate a shared genetic basis for blood lipids and immune-mediated diseases independent of environmental factors. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into dyslipidemia and immune-mediated diseases and may have implications for therapeutic trials involving lipid-lowering and anti-inflammatory agents.
Characterization of optimal limit cycles in the two-interleaved boost converter

In this paper, a characterization of the optimal limit cycles in the two-phase interleaved boost converter (2IBC) is presented. The 2IBC inherits the role of the conventional boost converter with other special benefits such as reducing the current and voltage stress, and sharing the input current between two identical phases. Unlike the conventional boost converter, for some given operating point and fixed switching frequency, there exist for the 2IBC an infinity of possible limit cycles of which only one is optimal with respect to the input current ripple. This limit cycle is characterized in all possible conduction modes, as a first step for its stabilization. The optimal limit cycle is characterized by a special execution of the hybrid automaton of the 2IBC.
Can't get over me: Ego depletion attenuates prosocial effects of perspective taking

Many studies attest to the beneficial and prosocial effects of perspective taking. The present research tests the notion that such perspective taking is a process involving active self-regulation and, hence, that effects of perspective taking on prosocial behaviour are more pronounced when self-control resources are high, rather than low. Results confirmed this hypothesis. Across two experiments using acts of compliance as a specific form of prosocial behaviour, perspective-taking participants were more willing to comply with a request for help by the experimenter (experiment 1) and donated more time to a charitable cause (experiment 2) than participants who did not engage in perspective taking, but only when self-regulatory resources were in sufficient supply. Under conditions of ego depletion, the impact of perspective taking on compliance was attenuated. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effective Sparse Matrix Representation for the GPU Architectures

General purpose computation on graphics processing unit (GPU) is prominent in the high performance computing era of this time. Porting or accelerating the data parallel applications onto GPU gives the default performance improvement because of the increased computational units. Better performances can be seen if application specific fine tuning is done with respect to the architecture under consideration. One such very widely used computation intensive kernel is sparse matrix vector multiplication (SPMV) in sparse matrix based applications. Most of the existing data format representations of sparse matrix are developed with respect to the central processing unit (CPU) or multi cores. This paper gives a new format for sparse matrix representation with respect to graphics processor architecture that can give 2x to 5x performance improvement compared to CSR (compressed row format), 2x to 54x performance improvement with respect to COO (coordinate format) and 3x to 10 x improvement compared to CSR vector format for the class of application that fit for the proposed new format. It also gives 10% to 133% improvements in memory transfer (of only access information of sparse matrix) between CPU and GPU. This paper gives the details of the new format and its requirement with complete experimentation details and results of comparison .
Evidence of augmented central pain processing in idiopathic chronic low back pain.

OBJECTIVE For many individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP), there is no identifiable cause. In other idiopathic chronic pain conditions, sensory testing and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have identified the occurrence of generalized increased pain sensitivity, hyperalgesia, and altered brain processing, suggesting central augmentation of pain processing in such conditions. We compared the results of both of these methods as applied to patients with idiopathic CLBP (n = 11), patients with widespread pain (fibromyalgia; n = 16), and healthy control subjects (n = 11). METHODS Patients with CLBP had low back pain persisting for at least 12 months that was unexplained by MRI/radiographic changes. Experimental pain testing was performed at a neutral site (thumbnail) to assess the pressure-pain threshold in all subjects. For fMRI studies, stimuli of equal pressure (2 kg) and of equal subjective pain intensity (slightly intense pain) were applied to this same site. RESULTS Despite low numbers of tender points in the CLBP group, experimental pain testing revealed hyperalgesia in this group as well as in the fibromyalgia group; the pressure required to produce slightly intense pain was significantly higher in the controls (5.6 kg) than in the patients with CLBP (3.9 kg) (P = 0.03) or the patients with fibromyalgia (3.5 kg) (P = 0.006). When equal amounts of pressure were applied to the 3 groups, fMRI detected 5 common regions of neuronal activation in pain-related cortical areas in the CLBP and fibromyalgia groups (in the contralateral primary and secondary [S2] somatosensory cortices, inferior parietal lobule, cerebellum, and ipsilateral S2). This same stimulus resulted in only a single activation in controls (in the contralateral S2 somatosensory cortex). When subjects in the 3 groups received stimuli that evoked subjectively equal pain, fMRI revealed common neuronal activations in all 3 groups. CONCLUSION At equal levels of pressure, patients with CLBP or fibromyalgia experienced significantly more pain and showed more extensive, common patterns of neuronal activation in pain-related cortical areas. When stimuli that elicited equally painful responses were applied (requiring significantly lower pressure in both patient groups as compared with the control group), neuronal activations were similar among the 3 groups. These findings are consistent with the occurrence of augmented central pain processing in patients with idiopathic CLBP.
ADZE: a rarefaction approach for counting alleles private to combinations of populations

Motivation: Analysis of the distribution of alleles across populations is a useful tool for examining population diversity and relationships. However, sample sizes often differ across populations, sometimes making it difficult to assess allelic distributions across groups. Results: We introduce a generalized rarefaction approach for counting alleles private to combinations of populations. Our method evaluates the number of alleles found in each of a set of populations but absent in all remaining populations, considering equal-sized subsamples from each population. Applying this method to a worldwide human microsatellite dataset, we observe a high number of alleles private to the combination of African and Oceanian populations. This result supports the possibility of a migration out of Africa into Oceania separate from the migrations responsible for the majority of the ancestry of the modern populations of Asia, and it highlights the utility of our approach to sample size correction in evaluating hypotheses about population history. Availability: We have implemented our method in the computer pro-gram ADZE, which is available for download at http://rosenberglab.bioinformatics. med.umich.edu/adze.html. Contact: szpiechz@umich.edu
Evaluation of Hypoglycemic and Genotoxic Effect of Polyphenolic Bark Extract from Quercus sideroxyla

Quercus sideroxyla is a wood species whose bark has phenolic compound and should be considered to be bioactive; the hypoglycemic and genotoxic properties of Q. sideroxyla bark were evaluated in this study. Total phenolic compound was determined in crude extract (CE) and organic extract (OE). The OE has the highest amount of phenols (724.1 ± 12.0 GAE/g). Besides, both CE and OE demonstrated effect over the inhibition of α-amylase in vitro. Hypoglycemic activity was assessed by glucose tolerance curve and the area under curve (UAC); OE showed the highest hypoglycemic activity. In addition, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) and the extracts (50 mg/kg) were administered for 10 days; OE showed hypoglycemic effect compared with diabetic control and decreased hepatic lipid peroxidation. Acute toxicity and genotoxicity were evaluated in CE; results of acute toxicity did not show any mortality. Besides, the comet assay showed that CE at a dose of 100 mg/kg did not show any genotoxic effect when evaluated at 24 h, whereas it induced slight damage at 200 mg/kg, with the formation of type 1 comets.
Partially ordered sets in Macaulay2

We introduce the package Posets for Macaulay2. This package provides a data structure and the necessary methods for working with partially ordered sets, also called posets. In particular, the package implements methods to enumerate many commonly studied classes of posets, perform operations on posets, and calculate various invariants associated to posets.
Spatial organisation between targets and cues affects the sequence effect of symbolic cueing

Previous studies have found that attention orienting is influenced by the orienting processes of previous trials in a spatial cueing paradigm. This sequence effect is due to the fact that performance is facilitated when cue validity (valid or invalid) repeats between trials. This study investigated the sequence effect of arrow cueing with four possible display locations. Therefore, there are two spatial organisation conditions between targets and cues for an invalid trial: opposite (i.e., targets appeared in the opposite location of the cue directions) and adjacent (i.e., targets appeared in the adjacent locations of the cues). The results showed that the sequence effects were enhanced when the spatial organisation conditions repeated between trials. The results suggest that not only the cue validity status but also the spatial organisation conditions of targets and cues are encoded in the memory representation to form the sequence effect.
Using Colors as Tags in Folksonomies to Improve Image Classification ∗

Users share their images in a Folksonomy (like Flickr) and add tags (keywords) to these images. For example an image of “Deutsches Eck” can be tagged with the tags Koblenz, Germany, and Deutsches Eck. Tags can be used as useful features for learning a classifier. In addition to tags, we can also exploit low level image features for image classification. In this paper, we show that merging tags with low level image features produces better classification results.
Reporting property victimization to the police in Israel

The purpose of this study was to examine socio-demographic differences between victims who report and victims who do not report a crime to the police and to explore whether holding insurance affects the decision. A secondary data analysis of the 1990s National Israeli Victimization Survey was conducted. It was found that less than half of the victims had reported the incident to the police. Victims were more likely to report property offenses (burglary and theft) than vehicle theft and offenses against the person. Our analyses showed that the higher the socioeconomic status the greater was the likelihood of having insurance and that the negative relationship between insurance and reporting is explained by socioeconomic status.
WeQuest: scalable alternate reality games through end-user content authoring

Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) are interactive narrative experiences that engage the player by layering a fictional world over the real world. Mobile ARG stories are often geo-specific, requiring players to visit specific locations in the world. Consequently, mobile ARGs are played infrequently and only by those who live within proximity of the locations that the stories reference. In this paper, we describe an ARG platform, WeQuest, that addresses the geo-specificity limitation through end-user content generation. An authoring tool allows end-users to create new ARG stories that can be executed automatically on geo-location aware mobile devices, leading to greater numbers of available stories to be played. An intelligent process called location translation makes geo-specific ARGs playable anywhere in the world.
`Children in South Africa Can Make a Difference'

The article presents the evaluation of two Johannesburg sites of `Growing Up in Cities', a project that involves children in documenting and improving their urban environments, with respect to the effect of project participation. Participating children and their parents were surveyed or interviewed regarding the project's value and effect on the children. In addition, the children were measured on scales of self-esteem, locus of control and self-efficacy, and compared with control groups. The results of the evaluation are summarized, and claims about the value of children's participation in community development are critically reviewed.