Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Porcupine Neural Networks: (Almost) All Local Optima are Global

Neural networks have been used prominently in several machine learning and statistics applications. In general, the underlying optimization of neural networks is non-convex which makes their performance analysis challenging. In this paper, we take a novel approach to this problem by asking whether one can constrain neural network weights to make its optimization landscape have good theoretical properties while at the same time, be a good approximation for the unconstrained one. For two-layer neural networks, we provide affirmative answers to these questions by introducing Porcupine Neural Networks (PNNs) whose weight vectors are constrained to lie over a finite set of lines. We show that most local optima of PNN optimizations are global while we have a characterization of regions where bad local optimizers may exist. Moreover, our theoretical and empirical results suggest that an unconstrained neural network can be approximated using a polynomially-large PNN.
A population-based twin study of functional somatic syndromes

Background The mechanisms underlying the co-occurrence of the functional somatic syndromes are largely unknown. No empirical study has explicitly examined how genetic and environmental factors influence the co-morbidity of these syndromes. We aimed to examine how the co-morbidity of functional somatic syndromes is influenced by genetic and environmental factors that are in common to the syndromes. Method A total of 31318 twins in the Swedish Twin Registry aged 41–64 years underwent screening interviews via a computer-assisted telephone system from 1998 to 2002. Four functional somatic syndromes (chronic widespread pain, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, and recurrent headache) and two psychiatric disorders (major depression and generalized anxiety disorder) were assessed using structured questions based on standard criteria for each illness in a blinded manner. Results Multivariate twin analyses revealed that a common pathway model with two latent traits that were shared by the six illnesses fit best to the women's data. One of the two latent traits loaded heavily on the psychiatric disorders, whereas the other trait loaded on all four of the functional somatic syndromes, particularly chronic widespread pain, but not on the psychiatric disorders. All illnesses except the psychiatric disorders were also affected by genetic influences that were specific to each. Conclusions The co-occurrence of functional somatic syndromes in women can be best explained by affective and sensory components in common to all these syndromes, as well as by unique influences specific to each of them. The findings clearly suggest a complex view of the multifactorial pathogenesis of these illnesses.
Effects of Varied Housing Density on a Hybrid Mouse Strain Followed for 20 Months

To evaluate the effect of increased housing density in a hybrid mouse strain, we evaluated a panel of physiological and behavioral traits in animals that were housed in groups of 3, 5, 8, or 12, using cages that provide 78.1 in2 of floor space. Such groupings resulted in cage densities that ranged from half to almost twice the density recommended by the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. While previous studies have investigated physiological effects of increased housing density using inbred mouse strains, including C57BL/6J and 129S1/SvImJ, this study tested an F1 hybrid population of C57BL/6J x 129S1/SvImJ for changes resulting from either decreased or increased housing density. Mice were followed until they were 20 months old, a substantially longer duration than has been used in previous density studies. We evaluated mortality, growth, home cage behavior, blood pressure, body composition, clinical plasma chemistries, immune function, and organ weights (heart, kidney, adrenal glands, and testes) as endpoints of chronic stress that may arise from sub-optimal housing conditions. Few statistically different parameters were observed in this study, none of which describe chronic stress and all within normal physiological ranges for research mice, suggesting that this hybrid strain was not adversely affected by housing at twice the density currently recommended.
Tsc/mTORC1 signaling in oocytes governs the quiescence and activation of primordial follicles

To maintain the female reproductive lifespan, the majority of ovarian primordial follicles are preserved in a quiescent state in order to provide ova for later reproductive life. However, the molecular mechanism that maintains the long quiescence of primordial follicles is poorly understood. Here we provide genetic evidence to show that the tumor suppressor tuberous sclerosis complex 1 (Tsc1), which negatively regulates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), functions in oocytes to maintain the quiescence of primordial follicles. In mutant mice lacking the Tsc1 gene in oocytes, the entire pool of primordial follicles is activated prematurely due to elevated mTORC1 activity in the oocyte, ending up with follicular depletion in early adulthood and causing premature ovarian failure (POF). We further show that maintenance of the quiescence of primordial follicles requires synergistic, collaborative functioning of both Tsc and PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10) and that these two molecules suppress follicular activation through distinct ways. Our results suggest that Tsc/mTORC1 signaling and PTEN/PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase) signaling synergistically regulate the dormancy and activation of primordial follicles, and together ensure the proper length of female reproductive life. Deregulation of these signaling pathways in oocytes results in pathological conditions of the ovary, including POF and infertility.
A segmentation method of merged numerals by wavelet analysis and GVF model

Aiming for some limit of the recognition-free approach to the segment merged numerals, a new segmentation method is proposed based on GVF mode in this paper. Firstly, this paper presents a new segment model based on wavelet multi-scale analysis and GVF model, and then we apply this energy model to segment the merged numerals. This method got the candidate segment line by contour method, and then confirmed the segment path based on energy model. The segmented digits have a more natural shape than others.
Expiratory flow limitation relates to symptoms during COPD exacerbations requiring hospital admission

Background Expiratory flow limitation (EFL) is seen in some patients presenting with a COPD exacerbation; however, it is unclear how EFL relates to the clinical features of the exacerbation. We hypothesized that EFL when present contributes to symptoms and duration of recovery during a COPD exacerbation. Our aim was to compare changes in EFL with symptoms in subjects with and without flow-limited breathing admitted for a COPD exacerbation. Subjects and methods A total of 29 subjects with COPD were recruited within 48 hours of admission to West China Hospital for an acute exacerbation. Daily measurements of post-bronchodilator spirometry, resistance, and reactance using the forced oscillation technique and symptom (Borg) scores until discharge were made. Flow-limited breathing was defined as the difference between inspiratory and expiratory respiratory system reactance (EFL index) greater than 2.8 cmH2O·s·L−1. The physiological predictors of symptoms during recovery were determined by mixed-effect analysis. Results Nine subjects (31%) had flow-limited breathing on admission despite similar spirometry compared to subjects without flow-limited breathing. Spirometry and resistance measures did not change between enrolment and discharge. EFL index values improved in subjects with flow-limited breathing on admission, with resolution in four patients. In subjects with flow-limited breathing on admission, symptoms were related to inspiratory resistance and EFL index values. In subjects without flow-limited breathing, symptoms related to forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity. In the whole cohort, EFL index values at admission was related to duration of stay (Rs=0.4, P=0.03). Conclusion The presence of flow-limited breathing as well as abnormal respiratory system mechanics contribute independently to symptoms during COPD exacerbations.
N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone Production by Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolated from Human Tongue Surface

Bacteria communicate by producing quorum sensing molecules called autoinducers, which include autoinducer-1, an N-hexanoyl homoserine lactone (AHL), and autoinducer-2. Bacteria present in the human oral cavity have been shown to produce autoinducer-2, but not AHL. Here, we report the isolation of two AHL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains from the posterior dorsal surface of the tongue of a healthy individual. Spent culture supernatant extracts from K. pneumoniae activated the biosensors Agrobacterium tumefaciens NTL4(pZLR4) and Escherichia coli [pSB401], suggesting the presence of both long and short chain AHLs. High resolution mass spectrometry analyses of these extracts confirmed that both K. pneumoniae isolates produced N-octanoylhomoserine lactone and N-3-dodecanoyl-l-homoserine lactone. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the isolation of K. pneumoniae from the posterior dorsal surface of the human tongue and the production of these AHLs by this bacterium.
A Multiagent Approach to Variable-Rate Electric Vehicle Charging Coordination

We present a coordination mechanism for variable-rate electric vehicle (EV) charging that combines the benefits of a decentralized decision making approach with a top-down control mechanism based on price functions. This combination allows independent decisions by self-interested EV agents, while ensuring that aggregate power demand from EV charging converges to a desired profile as determined by a control agent. This profile can yield reduced demand volatility, or a better match between the output of renewable energy sources and overall demand. We observe that price signals from the control agent are sufficient to motivate self-interested EV agents to adjust charging rate and produce the desired profile, even given a range of individual user preferences. We show that our hybrid coordination mechanism prevents herding in EV charging, which is typical in populations where all agents receive the same price signals and make similar charging decisions. Specifically, the control agent learns the responses of the EV agents in order to adjust its price signals, and eventually converges to coordinated charging, thereby producing the desired demand profile. We compare our approach with various benchmarks and show that EV charging congestion (herding) is reduced, while peaks and volatility of demand are mitigated.
Time Domain Modeling Of A Band-Notched Antenna For UWB Applications

The time domain modeling of a coplanar wave guide (CPW) fed band-notched antenna for Ultra Wide band (UWB) applications is presented. The annular ring antenna has a dimension of 36x36 mm 2 when printed on a substrate of dielectric constant 4.4 and thickness 1.6 mm. The uniplanar nature and compact structure of the antenna make it apt for modular design. The crescent shaped slot provides a notch in the 5.2-5.8 GHz frequency band to avoid interference with Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The pulse distortion is insignificant in the operating band and is verified by the measured antenna performance with high signal fidelity and virtually steady group delay.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Childhood Illness Attitude Scales

A series of confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed on responses from 195 school-age children to the Childhood Illness Attitude Scales (CIAS; Wright & Asmundson, 2003) Three-, modified 3-, 4- and 4-factor higher-order models were examined. Items originally comprising the treatment experience factor in the 4-factor higher-order model were removed resulting in a revised 3-factor model that best fit the data. Initial construct validity was established by observing moderate correlations between revised CIAS subscale and total scores and measures of anxiety-related constructs, and somatization. Suggested revisions to the CIAS warrant future examination. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.
G-Metric: an M-ary quality indicator for the evaluation of non-dominated sets

An open problem in multiobjective optimization using the Pareto optimality criteria, is how to evaluate the performance of different evolutionary algorithms that solve multi-objective problems. As the output of these algorithms is a non-dominated set (NS), this problem can be reduced to evaluate what NS is better than the others based on their projection on the objective space. In this work we propose a new performance measure for the evaluation of non-dominated sets, that ranks a set of NSs based on their convergence and dispersion. Its evaluations of the NSs agree with intuition. Also, we introduce a benchmark of test cases to evaluate performance measures, that considers several topologies of the Pareto Front.
Performance Analysis of IEEE 802.11 DCF in Imperfect Channels

IEEE 802.11 is the most important standard for wireless local area networks (WLANs). In IEEE 802.11, the fundamental medium access control (MAC) scheme is the distributed coordination function (DCF). To understand the performance of WLANs, it is important to analyze IEEE 802.11 DCF. Recently, several analytical models have been proposed to evaluate the performance of DCF under different incoming traffic conditions. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no accurate model that takes into account both the incoming traffic loads and the effect of imperfect wireless channels, in which unsuccessful packet delivery may occur due to bit transmission errors. In this paper, the authors address this issue and provide an analytical model to evaluate the performance of DCF in imperfect wireless channels. The authors consider the impact of different factors together, including the binary exponential backoff mechanism in DCF, various incoming traffic loads, distribution of incoming packet size, queueing system at the MAC layer, and the imperfect wireless channels, which has never been done before. Extensive simulation and analysis results show that the proposed analytical model can accurately predict the delay and throughput performance of IEEE 802.11 DCF under different channel and traffic conditions
Foundations of Hybrid and Embedded Software Systems

• Bella Bollobas (University of Memphis, Mathematics) • Alex Aiken, Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (UC Berkeley, EECS) • Ruzena Bajcsy (UC Berkeley, EECS) • Gautam Biswas (Vanderbilt, Computer Sciences) • David Culler (UC Berkeley, EECS) • Kenneth Frampton (Vanderbilt, Mechanical Engineering) • Karl Hedrick, (UC Berkeley, Mechanical Engineering) • Gabor Karsai (Vanderbilt, Electrical and Computer Engineering) • Kurt Keutzer (UC Berkeley, EECS) • David Messerschmitt (UC Berkeley, EECS) • George Necula (UC Berkeley, EECS) • Satinderpaul S. Devgan (Tennessee State, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science) • Pravin Varaiya (UC Berkeley, EECS)
Language, Culture and Psychopathology: Conceptual and Methodological Issues

In recent years, the World Health Organization has developed scheduled interviews in order to make psychiatric diagnoses that are comparable across languages and cultures. These scheduled interviews include the technician-administered Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and the psychiatrist-administered Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN). Work on these interview schedules in numerous languages has demonstrated the importance of lay terminology in eliciting the presence of psychiatric symptoms and in assessing their severity. Lay terminology regarding subjective experiences and perceptions is strongly tied, through language, to cultural values, attitudes, norms, beliefs, and customs. In this review article, we outline critical concepts and methods regarding psychopathology, language, and culture. General concepts relevant to these matters are defined and discussed: e.g. denotation, connotation, various types of equivalence in translated materials, specificity of terms, and reporting threshold in relation to symptom severity. In addition, methods for ensuring equivalence of words, items, and instruments across languages and cultures are presented: e.g. methods of translation, back translation, bilingual test-retest, re-norming, and re-validating. Other assessment topics related to culture and psychiatry include confidentiality, choice of a language for assessing multilingual patients, methods of eliciting certain psychological experiences (e.g. hallucinations, delusions), culturally taboo topics, and cultural nuances regarding mental status examination.
Ultra-short-term analysis of heart rate variability for real-time acute pain monitoring with wearable electronics

In medical care, it is essential to assess and manage acute painful conditions adequately. Heart rate variability (HRV) analysis is based on the acquisition of electrocardiogram (ECG), which is available from both patient monitor and wearable device. As HRV analysis can reflect autonomic nervous system activity which is unconsciously regulated, HRV analysis in ultra-short-term is getting attention in indicating the reaction due to acute pain. Different HRV features in different window lengths are involved in pain monitoring studies as a signal index or part of a multi-parameter model. In this work, seven HRV features and median heart rate (HR) in ultra-short-term are evaluated for their competence in indicating experimental acute pain. Also, the choice of time window length in HRV analysis and its relation with pain detection are discussed. The results of the normalized HRV analysis from healthy volunteers show that the changes of lnRMSSD, pNN20 and median HR associated with the intensity of experimental electrical pain; and in the tests with experimental thermal pain, lnLF and ln(LF/HF) changed along with pain intensity. The fusion of the HRV features could tell pain from no pain. With either experimental pain stimulation, optimal time window length was observed around or larger than 40 seconds with better correlation analysis result and HRV feature fusion performance.
On the Properties of Morphological Skeletons of Discrete Binary Image Using Double Structuring Elements

This paper discusses the properties of the morphological skeletons of a discrete binary image using double structuring elements. Skeletons are generated under the main structuring element and the sub structuring element. The original image can be reconstructed using one of the structuring elements as the conventional skeleton by a single structuring element. Selecting a structuring element as the subset of other one, a characteristic pattern of the image can be generated as the skeleton subsets. Among them are a unique nested skeleton and a shape representing skeleton having skeletal line component and total shape one. The conventional type, skeleton can be obtained either by setting the two structuring be same or by the intersection of the two skeletons by two sets of double structuring elements. We discuss some theorems, control generation of the skeleton, and the related morphological skeletons with interesting examples
Brainstem encoding of speech in normal-hearing individuals with absent acoustic reflex

The acoustic reflex test is an important tool for identifying auditory disorder from the middle ear to the superior olivary complex. Absence of acoustic reflexes is the early sign of many auditory disorders. Absence of acoustic reflex with normal hearing sensitivity may be an early sign of auditory neuropathy with poor encoding of speech at initial stage. Speech auditory brainstem response was recorded with /da/ (40 ms) stimuli in two groups of patients. The control group contained normal-hearing participants with presence of acoustic reflex, whereas the experimental group contained normal-hearing participants with absent acoustic reflexes. The peak latency, amplitude, and F0 and F1 mean amplitude were analyzed in both groups. MANOVA showed no significant difference in any parameter between the control and experimental group. Results of the current study showed that absence of acoustic reflexes in normal-hearing patients without auditory complaint is not sufficient by itself to diagnose the existence of auditory neuropathy. This study also highlighted that normal-hearing patients with absence of acoustic reflex have similar brainstem encoding of speech as that of patients with acoustic reflex.
Gender‐typicality of economic sectors and gender‐composition of working groups as moderating variables in leadership research

Purpose – Meta‐analytic evidence exists that the numerical dominance of one gender group among employees can affect the behaviour of female and male leaders. The purpose of this paper is to hypothesis that leaders will show more transformational behaviour when they hold a minority status. Transformational behaviour might help to mitigate discrepancies between male leaders' gender and the feminine context, as well as between female leaders' gender and the masculine leadership role.Design/methodology/approach – N1=455 team members answered questionnaires about their work satisfaction and their team leaders' transformational leadership, whilst N2=142 team leaders answered questions regarding their teams' goal fulfillment.Findings – Female and male leaders are rated more transformational in economic sectors and working groups where they hold a minority status. The paper finds a positive interrelation between transformational leadership and followers' work satisfaction for male leaders, but not for female lead.
Valorization of an industrial organosolv–sugarcane bagasse lignin: Characterization and use as a matrix in biobased composites reinforced with sisal fibers

In the present study, the main focus was the characterization and application of the by‐product lignin isolated through an industrial organosolv acid hydrolysis process from sugarcane bagasse, aiming at the production of bioethanol. The sugarcane lignin was characterized and used to prepare phenolic‐type resins. The analysis confirmed that the industrial sugarcane lignin is of HGS type, with a high proportion of the less substituted aromatic ring p‐hydroxyphenyl units, which favors further reaction with formaldehyde. The lignin–formaldehyde resins were used to produce biobased composites reinforced with different proportions of randomly distributed sisal fibers. The presence of lignin moieties in both the fiber and matrix increases their mutual affinity, as confirmed by SEM images, which showed good adhesion at the biocomposite fiber/matrix interface. This in turn allowed good load transference from the matrix to the fiber, leading to biobased composites with good impact strength (near 500 J m−1 for a 40 wt% sisal fiber‐reinforced composite). The study demonstrates that sugarcane bagasse lignin obtained from a bioethanol plant can be used without excessive purification in the preparation of lignocellulosic fiber‐reinforced biobased composites displaying high mechanical properties. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;107:612–621. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.