Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scalable video streaming over OpenFlow networks: An optimization framework for QoS routing

OpenFlow is a clean-slate Future Internet architecture that decouples control and forwarding layers of routing, which has recently started being deployed throughout the world for research purposes. This paper presents an optimization framework for the OpenFlow controller in order to provide QoS support for scalable video streaming over an OpenFlow network. We pose and solve two optimization problems, where we route the base layer of SVC encoded video as a lossless-QoS flow, while the enhancement layers can be routed either as a lossy-QoS flow or as a best effort flow, respectively. The proposed approach differs from current QoS architectures since we provide dynamic rerouting capability possibly using non-shortest paths for lossless and lossy QoS flows. We show that dynamic rerouting of QoS flows achieves significant improvement on the video's overall PSNR under network congestion.
Learning a selectivity-invariance-selectivity feature extraction architecture for images

Selectivity and invariance are thought to be important ingredients in biological or artificial visual systems. A fundamental problem is, however, to know what the visual system should be selective to and what to be invariant to. Building a statistical model of images, we learn here a three-layer feature extraction system where the selectivity and invariance emerges from the properties of the images.
An Enhanced Channel Estimation Method for Millimeter Wave Systems With Massive Antenna Arrays

In this letter, we focus on the efficient channel estimation problem for millimeter wave (MMW) systems with massive antenna arrays and RF constraints, aiming at achieving a fast and high resolution angle-of-arrival/angle-of-departure (AoA/AoD) estimation. We first propose a presentation of antenna array with virtual elements (AAVE) by appending additional virtual antenna elements into the original antenna array. On the basis of the AAVE structure, we explore the channel sparsity in the angular domain and develop an efficient angle estimation algorithm by using compressive sensing theories. We then proposed a training design and prove that the sensing matrix in the proposed training can guarantee the accurate detection of angles with a high probability. Both the analytical and simulation results show that, without changing the physical antenna arrays, the proposed approach can achieve not only a lower overhead, but also a significantly higher resolution in angles estimation, compared to the existing algorithms.
Performance of urban information technology centers: the boom, the bust, and the future

After being emblematic of the U.S. economic surge in the late 1990s, urban areas that specialize in information technology (IT) products have more recently been struggling with the aftermath of the IT spending bust. To what degree can they bounce back and reemerge as leaders of innovative activity and production in the IT sector? We examine the characteristics of some of the nation’s leading IT centers, linking these characteristics to a discussion of economic research concerning the sources of growth in urban industrial centers. Although each of these IT centers was hit hard by the IT bust beginning in 2000, the full impact varies depending on the size, density, and composition of the local IT sector. Some IT centers are better positioned than others to resume a rapid growth path as the IT sector recovers, depending on factors such as reliance on manufacturing versus services, diversity of the product base, innovative capacity, and ability to respond to changing conditions such as the recent rise in IT imports and overseas production.
Efficient Computation of Relative Pose for Multi-camera Systems

We present a novel solution to compute the relative pose of a generalized camera. Existing solutions are either not general, have too high computational complexity, or require too many correspondences, which impedes an efficient or accurate usage within Ransac schemes. We factorize the problem as a low-dimensional, iterative optimization over relative rotation only, directly derived from well-known epipolar constraints. Common generalized cameras often consist of camera clusters, and give rise to omni-directional landmark observations. We prove that our iterative scheme performs well in such practically relevant situations, eventually resulting in computational efficiency similar to linear solvers, and accuracy close to bundle adjustment, while using less correspondences. Experiments on both virtual and real multi-camera systems prove superior overall performance for robust, real-time multi-camera motion-estimation.
An Analysis of the Ability of Statistical Language Models to Capture the Structural Properties of Language

We investigate the characteristics and quan-tiﬁable predispositions of both n-gram and recurrent neural language models in the framework of language generation. In modern applications, neural models have been widely adopted, as they have empirically provided better results. However, there is a lack of deep analysis of the models and how they relate to real language and its structural properties. We attempt to perform such an investigation by analyzing corpora generated by sampling from the models. The results are compared to each other and to the results of the same analysis applied to the training corpus. We carried out these experiments on varieties of Kneser-Ney smoothed n-gram models and basic recurrent neural language models. Our results reveal a number of distinctive characteristics of each model, and offer insights into their behavior. Our general approach also provides a framework in which to perform further analysis of language models.
Enabling Clearance Predictions to Emerge from In Silico Actions of Quasi-Autonomous Hepatocyte Components

We demonstrate the feasibility of using in silico hepatocyte cultures (ISHCs) to provide predictions of the intrinsic clearance (CL) of compounds in hepatocyte cultures. We compare results with predictions obtained using a multiple linear regression method. Our expectation is that the method can be extended to predict in vivo clearance of new compounds in humans. Within ISHCs, mobile “compounds” carry information describing referent compound properties. We used an iterative refinement protocol for ISHC refinement and development of parameterization methods. Quasi-autonomous “hepatocytes” and their components (including “transporters” and “enzymes”) use a small, event-specific subset of compound properties to decide how to interact with encountered compounds each simulation cycle. The probability of occurrence for each event is specified by a rule that uses a subset of compound properties known to influence that event in vitro. ISHC experiments mimic in vitro counterparts. In silico clearance is measured the same as in vitro clearance and is used to predict a corresponding CL value. For 39 of 73 compounds having calculated CL S.D. s, 79% of ISHC predictions and 23% of regression predictions were within CL ± 2 S.D. For all 73 compounds, 38% of ISHC predictions and 32% of regression predictions were within a factor of 2 of the referent CL values. ISHC details during simulations stand as a mechanistic hypothesis of how clearance phenomena emerge during in vitro experiments.
CAN A PASSIVE DYNAMIC WALKING ROBOT EXHIBIT A DETERMINISTIC NONLINEAR GAIT ?

There is a growing body of evidence that nonlinear step-to-step variations are related to how the nervous system controls stable locomotion. However, we still have a limited understanding of how the neuromechanical variables of the locomotive system influence the observed nonlinear structure. Reliable models that closely resemble the nonlinear gait dynamics are required to advance our knowledge in this scientific field. Recently our lab and others have demonstrated that a passive dynamic walking model can have a deterministic nonlinear gait pattern (Garcia et al., 1998; Kurz & Stergiou, 2006). Results from the simulations of these models suggest that it may be possible to build a physical walking robot that has a deterministic nonlinear gait pattern. Here we explored if the results from our simulations can be extended to a physical passive dynamic walking robot, which can provide insight into the nonlinear gait patterns observed in human walking.
Role of G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Control of Dendritic Cell Migration

Dendritic cells (DCs) are highly efficient antigen-presenting cells. The migratory properties of DCs give them the capacity to be a sentinel of the body and the vital role in the induction and regulation of adaptive immune responses. Therefore, it is important to understand the mechanisms in control of migration of DCs to lymphoid and nonlymphoid tissues. This may provide us novel insight into the clinical treatment of diseases such as autoimmune disease, infectious disease, and tumor. The chemotactic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) play a vital role in control of DCs migration. Here, we reviewed the recent advances regarding the role of GPCR in control of migration of subsets of DCs, with a focus on the chemokine receptors. Understanding subsets of DCs migration could provide a rational basis for the design of novel therapies in various clinical conditions.
A Genetic Selection for dinB Mutants Reveals an Interaction between DNA Polymerase IV and the Replicative Polymerase That Is Required for Translesion Synthesis

Translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) by specialized DNA polymerases (Pols) is a conserved mechanism for tolerating replication blocking DNA lesions. The actions of TLS Pols are managed in part by ring-shaped sliding clamp proteins. In addition to catalyzing TLS, altered expression of TLS Pols impedes cellular growth. The goal of this study was to define the relationship between the physiological function of Escherichia coli Pol IV in TLS and its ability to impede growth when overproduced. To this end, 13 novel Pol IV mutants were identified that failed to impede growth. Subsequent analysis of these mutants suggest that overproduced levels of Pol IV inhibit E. coli growth by gaining inappropriate access to the replication fork via a Pol III-Pol IV switch that is mechanistically similar to that used under physiological conditions to coordinate Pol IV-catalyzed TLS with Pol III-catalyzed replication. Detailed analysis of one mutant, Pol IV-T120P, and two previously described Pol IV mutants impaired for interaction with either the rim (Pol IVR) or the cleft (Pol IVC) of the β sliding clamp revealed novel insights into the mechanism of the Pol III-Pol IV switch. Specifically, Pol IV-T120P retained complete catalytic activity in vitro but, like Pol IVR and Pol IVC, failed to support Pol IV TLS function in vivo. Notably, the T120P mutation abrogated a biochemical interaction of Pol IV with Pol III that was required for Pol III-Pol IV switching. Taken together, these results support a model in which Pol III-Pol IV switching involves interaction of Pol IV with Pol III, as well as the β clamp rim and cleft. Moreover, they provide strong support for the view that Pol III-Pol IV switching represents a vitally important mechanism for regulating TLS in vivo by managing access of Pol IV to the DNA.
Traveling with a Pez dispenser (or, routing issues in MPLS)

MultiProtocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a routing model proposed by the IETF for the Internet, and is becoming widely popular. In this paper, we initiate a theoretical study of the routing model, and give routing algorithms and lower bounds in a variety of situations. We first study the routing problems on the line. We then build up our results from paths through trees to more general graphs. The basic technique to go to general graphs is that of finding a tree cover, which is a small set of subtrees of the graph such that for each pair of vertices, one of the trees contains a shortest (or near-shortest) path between them. The concept of tree covers appears to have many interesting applications.
Comparison of a Conventional Antimicrobial Susceptibility Assay to an Oligonucleotide Chip System for Detection of Drug Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates

ABSTRACT An oligonucleotide chip (Combichip Mycobacteria chip) detecting specific mutations in the rpoB, katG, and inhA genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was compared with conventional antimicrobial susceptibility results. The probes detecting drug resistance were as follows: 7 wild-type and 13 mutant probes for rifampin and 2 wild-type and 3 mutant probes for isoniazid. Target DNA of M. tuberculosis was amplified by PCR, followed by hybridization and scanning. Direct sequencing was performed to verify the results of the oligonucleotide chip. One-hundred seven of 115 rifampin-resistant strains (93%) had mutations in the rpoB gene. Eighty-five of 119 isoniazid-resistant strains (71%) had mutations in the katG gene or inhA gene. The diagnostic oligonucleotide chip with mutation-specific probes is a reliable and useful tool for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of resistance against rifampin and isoniazid in M. tuberculosis isolates.
Singing voice conversion method based on many-to-many eigenvoice conversion and training data generation using a singing-to-singing synthesis system

The voice quality (identity) of singing voices is usually fixed in each singer. To overcome this limitation and enable singers to freely change their voice quality using signal-processing technologies, we propose a singing voice conversion method based on many-to-many eigenvoice conversion (EVC) that can convert the voice quality of an arbitrary source singer into that of another arbitrary target singer. Previous EVC-based methods required parallel data consisting of song pairs of a single reference singer and many prestored target singers for training a voice conversion model, but it was difficult to record such data. Our proposed method therefore uses a singing-to-singing synthesis system called VocaListener to generate parallel data by imitating singing voices of many prestored target singers with the system's singing voices. Experimental results show that our method succeeded in enabling people to sing a song with the voice quality of a different target singer even if only an extremely small amount of the target singing voice is available.
Roles of bone morphogenetic protein type I receptors and Smad proteins in osteoblast and chondroblast differentiation.

The biological effects of type I serine/threonine kinase receptors and Smad proteins were examined using an adenovirus-based vector system. Constitutively active forms of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type I receptors (BMPR-IA and BMPR-IB; BMPR-I group) and those of activin receptor-like kinase (ALK)-1 and ALK-2 (ALK-1 group) induced alkaline phosphatase activity in C2C12 cells. Receptor-regulated Smads (R-Smads) that act in the BMP pathways, such as Smad1 and Smad5, also induced the alkaline phosphatase activity in C2C12 cells. BMP-6 dramatically enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity induced by Smad1 or Smad5, probably because of the nuclear translocation of R-Smads triggered by the ligand. Inhibitory Smads, i.e., Smad6 and Smad7, repressed the alkaline phosphatase activity induced by BMP-6 or the type I receptors. Chondrogenic differentiation of ATDC5 cells was induced by the receptors of the BMPR-I group but not by those of the ALK-1 group. However, kinase-inactive forms of the receptors of the ALK-1 and BMPR-I groups blocked chondrogenic differentiation. Although R-Smads failed to induce cartilage nodule formation, inhibitory Smads blocked it. Osteoblast differentiation induced by BMPs is thus mediated mainly via the Smad-signaling pathway, whereas chondrogenic differentiation may be transmitted by Smad-dependent and independent pathways.
Common-path endoscopic optical coherence tomography application to human internal organs detection

Due to the small volume of incipient Pathological Cells, the conventional imaging methods cannot effectively diagnose early-stage cytopathic effect. Since the spatial resolution of optical coherence tomography (OCT) can reach the magnitude of micron, and if OCT probe possesses the characteristic of small fabric and nice flexibility in order to easily enter human body, OCT probe can detect the cytopathic effect in a very early-stage. So, this article first introduces some existent common-path OCT system and then compares the advantages and the disadvantages of each CP-EOCT. Finally, this article mainly researches on a new common-path Endoscopic OCT (CP-EOCT) which possesses the advantages of small volume and high flexibility.
Fluctuations in Teacher Efficacy During Implementation of Destreaming.

Four exemplary Grade 9 mathematics teachers were followed over a year as they implemented destreaming, an externally induced reform. Implementation of the reform had an immediate negative effect on teachers' expectations about their effectiveness in the classroom. However, within the year, teachers' beliefs about their professional efficacy rebounded. The recovery was attributed to curriculum factors (acquiring evidence that students were learning), organizational culture factors (collaborating with peers and having a timetable that supported collaboration), and personal factors (avoiding negative thoughts about their effectiveness, being certain about personal goals, and drawing on teaching experience). Quatre enseignants chevronn6s de math6matiques en 9e ann6e ont 6t6 suivis durant un an pendant qu'ils implantaient le d6cloisonnement. Cette r6forme, impos6e de l'exterieur, a eu dans l'imm6diat un effet n6gatif sur les attentes des enseignants quant a leur efficacit6 en classe. Toutefois, avant la fin de l'ann6e, ils avaient de nouveau repris confiance dans leur efficacit6 professionnelle. Ce ph6nomene a 6t6 attribu6 " des facteurs relies au programme (accumulation de preuves que les e61ves apprenaient), a des facteurs associ6s a la culture organisationnelle (collaboration avec les pairs et mise en place d'un horaire qui favorisait celle-ci) et A des facteurs personnels (rejet des pens6es negatives au sujet de leur efficacit6, certitudes au sujet des objectifs personnels et mise 'a profit de leur experience de l'enseignement). The negative effects of educational reform on teachers have been calculated by such critics as Apple (1986). The effects of reform on teachers' expectations about their professional effectiveness are important because teacher expectancies influence decisions about daily practice. We interviewed and observed four teachers over one year as they learned to teach mixed-ability mathematics classes in response to a destreaming policy imposed without their consent. Although reform initially had a substantial negative effect on teachers' beliefs about their professional efficacy, over time their confidence rebounded. The focus of our research was on identifying the factors that contributed to the resurgence. '
A comparison between keywords and key-phrases in text categorization using feature section technique

Text categorization is the main issue which affects search results. Moreover, most approaches suffer from the high dimensionality of feature space. To overcome this problem, the use of feature selection techniques with statistical text categorization is investigated. The methods were evaluated based on Chi-Square, Information Gain and Gain Ratio. The data used to test the system consisted of 1,510 documents from 2009-2010, word segmentation algorithm to key-phrase 4,408 attributes and single word 2,184 attributes. Classification techniques applied Decision Tree (ID3), Naïve Bayes (NB), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and k-nearest neighbor (KNN). Results showed that the Support Vector Machine was found to be the best technique with accuracy of a single word at 84% and key-phrase at 74% based on feature selection with Chi-Square, Information Gain and Gain Ratio with F-measure. In future research, application of text to the semantic system should be investigated further.
Use of LoD Techniques in Luminance Changes on Video Games

The human eye is able to adapt itself to a wide range of luminances from very bright daylight to very low night light. The human visual system modi es its sensitivity when an increment or a decrement of illumination occurs. During this transition, known as eye adaptation, our system experiments a temporary blindness. Illumination changes commonly happen in video games (driven through a tunnel, entering in a dark house or walking in a cave under torchlight) and rendering techniques must take into account theses situations. In this paper, we present a system for accelerating interactive rendering, based on using polygonal simpli cations in luminance variations on the scene. We discuss the in uence of the preadaptation light, the duration of the transition and the responses to di erent intensities changes.
Minimizing Energy for Wireless Web Access with Bounded Slowdown

Abstract On many battery-powered mobile computing devices, the wireless network is a significant contributor to the total energy consumption. In this paper, we investigate the interaction between energy-saving protocols and TCP performance for Web-like transfers. We show that the popular IEEE 802.11 power-saving mode (PSM), a “static” protocol, can harm performance by increasing fast round trip times (RTTs) to 100 ms; and that under typical Web browsing workloads, current implementations will unnecessarily spend energy waking up during long idle periods. To overcome these problems, we present the Bounded-Slowdown (BSD) protocol, a PSM that dynamically adapts to network activity. BSD is an optimal solution to the problem of minimizing energy consumption while guaranteeing that a connection’s RTT does not increase by more than a factor p over its base RTT, where p is a protocol parameter that exposes the trade-off between minimizing energy and reducing latency. We present several trace-driven simulation results that show that, compared to a static PSM, the Bounded-Slowdown protocol reduces average Web page retrieval times by 5–64%, while simultaneously reducing energy consumption by 1–14% (and by 13× compared to no power management).
Whisker Deafferentation and Rodent Whisking Patterns: Behavioral Evidence for a Central Pattern Generator

Even in the absence of explicit stimulation, rats emit patterns of rhythmic whisking movements. Because of their stereotyped nature and their persistence after sensory denervation and cortical ablation, whisking movements have been assumed to reflect the output of a central pattern generator (CPG). However, identification of a movement pattern as the product of a CPG requires evidence that its generation, patterning, and coordination are independent of sensory input. To provide such evidence, we used optoelectronic instrumentation to obtain high-resolution records of the movement trajectories of individual whiskers in rats whose heads were fixed to isolate their exploratory whisking from exafferent inputs. Unconditioned whisking patterns were quantitatively characterized by a biometric analysis of the kinematics, rhythmicity, and coordination of bilaterally homologous vibrissa movements. Unilateral and bilateral sectioning of the infraorbital nerve, which innervates the whiskers, was then performed to block reafferent inputs generated by the animal's own whisking movements. Unilateral sectioning of the nerve has no effect on whisking kinematics but is followed by a significant but relatively transient bilateral increase in whisking frequency. However, bilateral deafferentation, when performed in a single-stage procedure, does not disrupt the generation, patterning, or bilateral coordination of whisking patterns in the rat. These findings provide strong behavioral evidence for a whisking CPG and are discussed in relation to its possible location and properties.