Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Author ' s personal copy Present and potential future contributions of sulfate , black and organic carbon aerosols from China to global air quality , premature mortality and radiative forcing

Aerosols are harmful to human health and have both direct and indirect effects on climate. China is a major contributor to global emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2), a sulfate (SO4 2 ) precursor, organic carbon (OC), and black carbon (BC) aerosols. Although increasingly examined, the effect of present and potential future levels of these emissions on global premature mortality and climate change has not been well quantified. Through both direct radiative effects and indirect effects on clouds, SO4 2 and OC exert negative radiative forcing (cooling) while BC exerts positive forcing (warming). We analyze the effect of China’s emissions of SO2, SO4 2 , OC and BC in 2000 and for three emission scenarios in 2030 on global surface aerosol concentrations, premature mortality, and radiative forcing (RF). Using global models of chemical transport (MOZART-2) and radiative transfer (GFDL RTM), and combining simulation results with gridded population data, mortality rates, and concentration–response relationships from the epidemiological literature, we estimate the contribution of Chinese aerosols to global annual premature mortality and to RF in 2000 and 2030. In 2000, we estimate these aerosols cause approximately 470 000 premature deaths in China and an additional 30 000 deaths globally. In 2030, aggressive emission controls lead to a 50% reduction in premature deaths from the 2000 level to 240 000 in China and 10 000 elsewhere, while under a high emissions scenario premature deaths increase 50% from the 2000 level to 720 000 in China and to 40 000 elsewhere. Because the negative RF from SO4 2 and OC is larger than the positive forcing from BC, Chinese aerosols lead to global net direct RF of 74 mW m 2 in 2000 and between 15 and 97 mW m 2 in 2030 depending on the emissions scenario. Our analysis indicates that increased effort to reduce greenhouse gases is essential to address climate change as China’s anticipated reduction of aerosols will result in the loss of net negative radiative forcing. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mesenteric Panniculitis (MP) in CT – A Predictor of Malignancy?

Abstract Purpose: The exact etiology of mesenteric panniculitis (MP) is still unknown and has been discussed in relation to different causes. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate a coherence between MP and malignancy. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive CT abdomen examinations of 5595 patients in terms of MP over a period of 3 years was performed. To make the diagnosis of MP, three of five typical signs were obligatory: hyperdense mass lesion with intercalated nodules, a “fat-ring sign” or halo sign, a hyperdense pseudocapsule and displacement of bowel loops. The patient cohort (mean age: 64.7 years) consisted of 1974 (35.2 %) patients with histologically confirmed cancer and 3621 patients (64.8 %) without known underlying oncological disease. Results: A total of 143 cases were diagnosed with MP (2.55 %). The average age of patients was 69.9 years with a male to female ratio of 2:1. In this group oncological disease was confirmed in 107 patients (74.8 %). In 36 patients with MP (25.2 %), no malignancy was present. In the group of patients with an underlying oncological disease, the prevalence of MP was 5.42 % and was significantly higher (p < 0.005) than in the patients with MP and without an oncological disease. The highest prevalence of MP (29 cases) was observed in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (22.6 %). The statistically calculated risk of a tumor disease in this collective is about 5 times higher if MP was demonstrated (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Based on the data of the collective, the risk of malignancy is five times higher in the presence of MP than in an inconspicuous mesentery. MP seems to frequently occur with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. MP can be seen on the basis of typical morphological features on the CT image. MP must be differentiated from a wide range of benign and malignant diseases of the mesentery. Key points: • Mesenteric panniculitis can be diagnosed with CT. • In the case of accidentally diagnosed mesenteric panniculitis, a possible malignant cause should be ruled out in the differential diagnosis. Citation Format: • Scheer F, Spunar P, Wiggermann P et al. Mesenteric Panniculitis (MP) in CT – A Predictor of Malignancy? Fortschr Röntgenstr 2016; 188: 926 – 932
The Open Overlays Collaborative Workspace Environment

Next-generation Grid applications will operate within and across many heterogeneous network types, will employ a wide range of device types ranging from supercomputers to sensor motes; and will require many more “interaction paradigms” than merely RPC and message-passing. The Open Overlays project proposes a middleware approach to satisfy these emerging needs. In this paper we describe an application scenario, wildfire management, that encompasses these needs, and our approach to constructing a component of this scenario, a collaborative workspace tool (svgCWE). This is being constructed using Web technologies: SVG and RDF. Information in the collaborative workspace is regarded as an annotation of the workspace resource which can be described with an RDF model. The architecture of svgCWE is designed so that a variety of different kinds of RDF repository (centralized, replicated and distributed) can be used. The paper describes the first prototype of svgCWE and draws some tentative conclusions about the advantages of the approach.
Go with the flow: toward workflow-oriented security assessment

In this paper we advocate the use of workflow---describing how a system provides its intended functionality---as a pillar of cybersecurity analysis and propose a holistic workflow-oriented assessment framework. While workflow models are currently used in the area of performance and reliability assessment, these approaches are designed neither to assess a system in the presence of an active attacker, nor to assess security aspects such as confidentiality. On the other hand, existing security assessment methods typically focus on modeling the active attacker (e.g., attack graphs), but many rely on restrictive models that are not readily applicable to complex (e.g., cyber-physical or cyber-human) systems. By "going with the flow," our assessment framework can naturally adopt a holistic view of such systems, unifying information about system components, their properties, and possible attacks to argue about a security goal. The argument is expressed in a graph structure, based on inputs from several distinct classes that are integrated in a systematic manner. That rigorous structure allows our approach to provide quantitative assessment in an automated fashion (like reliability assessment tools and attack graphs), while maintaining a broad assessment scope. We demonstrate our security assessment process using the case of Advanced Metering Infrastructure in a smart power grid and obtain quantitative results for system availability and confidentiality.
Efficient Value Iteration Using Partitioned Models

In order to solve large-scale value iteration problems, more intelligent allocation of computing time is need ed. We introduce the idea of an information frontier, which allows us to identify maximally productive regions of the problem space. We present apotential information flow metric which allows us to quantify the frontier precisely. We also introduce a partitioning scheme, which effectively combines with theflow metric to reduce the complexity of problematic operations.The framework is powerful, and can be used to parallelize valueiteration, effectively manage memory in large-scale probl ems, or further multi-agent cooperative solution methodologies. A complete algorithm is developed and successfully tested on several problems. Experimental evidence is presented whic h demonstrates the efficacy of the approach.
Bias correction of an ocean‐atmosphere coupled model

A serious problem in the initialization of a climate forecast model is the model‐data incompatibility caused by systematic model biases. Here we use the Lamont model to demonstrate that these biases can be effectively reduced with a simple statistical correction, and the bias‐corrected model can have a more realistic internal variability as well as an improved forecast performance. The results reported here should be of practical use to other ocean‐atmosphere coupled models for climate prediction.
Evaluation of a Computerized Aid for Creating Human Behavioral Representations of Human-Computer Interaction

The research reported herein presents the results of an empirical evaluation that focused on the accuracy and reliability of cognitive models created using a computerized tool: the cognitive analysis tool for human-computer interaction (CAT-HCI). A sample of participants, expert in interacting with a newly developed tactical display for the U.S. Army's Bradley Fighting Vehicle, individually modeled their knowledge of 4 specific tasks employing the CAT-HCI tool. Measures of the accuracy and consistency of task models created by these task domain experts using the tool were compared with task models created by a double expert. The findings indicated a high degree of consistency and accuracy between the different “single experts” in the task domain in terms of the resultant models generated using the tool. Actual or potential applications of this research include assessing human-computer interaction complexity, determining the productivity of human-computer interfaces, and analyzing an interface design to determine whether methods can be automated.
CREATE: Correlation enhanced traffic matrix estimation in Data Center Networks

Understanding the pattern of end-to-end traffic flows in Data Center Networks (DCNs) is essential to many DCN designs and operations (e.g., traffic engineering and load balancing). However, little research work has been done to obtain traffic information efficiently and yet accurately. Researchers often assume the availability of traffic tracing tools (e.g., OpenFlow) when their proposals require traffic information as input, but these tools may generate high monitoring overhead and consume significant switch resources even if they are available in a DCN. Although estimating the traffic matrix between origin-destination pairs using only basic switch SNMP counters is a mature practice in IP networks, traffic flows in DCNs are notoriously more irregular and volatile, while the large number of redundant routes in a DCN further complicates the situation. To this end, we propose to utilize the service placement logs for deducing the correlations among top-of-rack switches, and to leverage the uneven traffic distribution in DCNs for reducing the number of routes potentially used by a flow. These allow us to develop an efficient CoRrelation Enhanced trAffic maTrix Estimation (CREATE) method that achieves high accuracy. We compare CREATE with two existing representative methods through both experiments and simulations; the results strongly confirm the promising performance of CREATE.
Concepts and Emerging Theories: An Analysis of Editorials in Nigerian Newspapers

One of the ways newspapers bare their mind on issues of public interest is through editorials. As an important piece of writing, editorials do not shy away from controversies, in the hope of not only presenting the issues to the reading public, but also drawing responses from the public and attracting new readership in the competitive marketplace of ideas. It is on this premise that this paper examines the relatedness in the concepts that make up the contents of editorials in three selected Nigerian newspapers. Through a qualitative analysis of editorials in The Guardian, Vanguard and Daily Sun newspapers using Grounded Theory method, the concepts of Timeliness, Contempt, Personality-Issue, Audience-Specific and Change were discovered. The study period spans from January – June 2012 and it focuses on salient issues of public interest as commented on by the newspapers. The findings of this study which are the concepts stated earlier gave rise to emerging theories. Key words: Editorial, Grounded Theory, Concepts, Emerging Theory, Newspapers
Genealogies of rapidly adapting populations

The genetic diversity of a species is shaped by its recent evolutionary history and can be used to infer demographic events or selective sweeps. Most inference methods are based on the null hypothesis that natural selection is a weak or infrequent evolutionary force. However, many species, particularly pathogens, are under continuous pressure to adapt in response to changing environments. A statistical framework for inference from diversity data of such populations is currently lacking. Towards this goal, we explore the properties of genealogies in a model of continual adaptation in asexual populations. We show that lineages trace back to a small pool of highly fit ancestors, in which almost simultaneous coalescence of more than two lineages frequently occurs. Whereas such multiple mergers are unlikely under the neutral coalescent, they create a unique genetic footprint in adapting populations. The site frequency spectrum of derived neutral alleles, for example, is nonmonotonic and has a peak at high frequencies, whereas Tajima’s D becomes more and more negative with increasing sample size. Because multiple merger coalescents emerge in many models of rapid adaptation, we argue that they should be considered as a null model for adapting populations.
JADE, TraSMAPI and SUMO: A tool-chain for simulating traffic light control

Increased stress, fuel consumption, air pollution, accidents and delays are some of the consequences of traffic congestion usually incurring in tremendous economic impacts, which society aims to remedy in order to leverage a sustainable development. Recently, unconventional means for modeling and controlling such complex traffic systems relying on multi-agent systems have arisen. This paper contributes to the understanding of such complex and highly dynamic systems by proposing an open-source tool-chain to implement multi-agent-based solutions in traffic and transportation. The proposed approach relies on two very popular tools in both domains, with focus on traffic light control. This tool-chain consists in combining JADE (Java Agent DEvelopment Framework), for the implementation of multi-agent systems, with SUMO (Simulation of Urban MObility), for the microscopic simulation of traffic interactions. TraSMAPI (Traffic Simulation Manager Application Programming Interface) is used to combine JADE and SUMO allowing communication between them. A demonstration of the concept is presented to illustrate the main features of this tool-chain, using Q-Learning as the reinforcement learning method for each traffic light agent in a simulated network. Results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed framework as a practical means to experiment with different agent-based designs of intelligent transportation solutions.
A self organizing map-harmony search hybrid algorithm for clustering biological data

Self Organizing Map (SOM) is a significant algorithmic methodology to visualize data spaces of larger dimensions. Accurate analysis of the input data requires a well-trained SOM. Many measures are there in practice to analyse the quality of the map. One of the most commonly used measure is Quantization Error. A trained SOM grid with minimum quantization error may not be topologically well preserved. The quality of Topology preservation is measured using Topographic Error. Choosing SOM dimension for the map training procedure is not straight forward as it may not guarantee a map with minimum of quantization and topographic errors. This paper proposes an SOM-Harmony Hybrid algorithm that will compute the optimal dimension of the SOM grid with minimum values of topographic and quantization errors.
Is there really a super-massive black hole in M87?

We present the first HST long-slit spectrum of a gaseous disk around a candidate super-massive black-hole. The results of this study on the kinematics of the gaseous disk in M87 are a considerable improvement in both spatial resolution and accuracy over previous observations and requires a projected mass of M_{BH}(sin i)^2 = (2.0+/- 0.5) 10^9 M_{sun} (M_{BH}=3.2 10^9 M_{sun} for a disk inclination i=52deg) concentrated within a sphere whose radius is less than 0.05" (3.5 pc) to explain the observed rotation curve. The kinematics of the ionized gas is well described by a thin disk in keplerian motion. A lower limit to the mass-to-light ratio of this region is M/L_{V}~110, significantly strengthening the claim that this mass is due to the presence of a central black-hole in M87.
Reperfusion strategies in the management of extremity vascular injury with ischaemia

Extremity injury with ischaemia is the most common pattern of vascular trauma and is a challenge for surgeons who must make decisions about the timing and mechanism of limb reperfusion. In modern military conflicts, effective use of limb tourniquets and rapid transport of the injured have increased the number of casualties who reach a medical service with potentially survivable vascular trauma. This report provides a review of extremity ischaemia and reperfusion following vascular trauma.
Immunoaffinity-purified DNA polymerase alpha displays novel properties.

The purification and characterization of a novel and more intact form of the DNA polymerase alpha-primase complex from calf thymus are described. The polymerase-primase was enriched 10,000-fold to apparent homogeneity by chromatography on phosphocellulose, heparin-Sepharose, and an immobilized anti-human DNA polymerase alpha monoclonal antibody [SJK287-38; Tanaka, S. , Hu, S. , Wang, T. S. -F. , & Korn, D. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 8386-8390]. A quantitative elution from the antibody column was achieved by shifting the pH from neutrality to between 12.5 and 13. From 1 kg of calf thymus, the procedure yields 1-2 mg of polymerase-primase with a specific activity of 30,000-40,000 units/mg for the polymerase and 15,000-20,000 units/mg for the primase. The complex sediments at 9 S through a sucrose gradient and exhibits a Stokes radius of 6.0 nm, yielding a native molecular mass of 335,000. Denaturing gel electrophoresis of the complex gives bands of Mrs 180,000, 155,000, 148,000, 73,000, 59,000, and 48,000 with a relative abundance of the two smallest subunits. Primase activity was partially resolved from the complex by centrifugation through sucrose gradients. The primer-forming activity was found to be associated with the Mr 59,000 and 48,000 polypeptides. In contrast to conventional preparations, the immunopurified polymerase displays several features which show it is the most intact form of the enzyme known to date. The deoxynucleoside triphosphate Km values are all within the range of 0.6-0.9 microM. The Km for binding to a single RNA primer on M13 DNA is 3.5 nM; the Ki for nonspecific binding to unprimed DNA is 70 microM (nucleotide). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A simulation optimization framework for the management of congested urban road networks

Deriving optimal traffic management schemes for urban road n etworks typically relies on the use of complex simulation tools, that capture in detail the behavior of drivers as well as their interaction with the network infrastructure. The integration of these traffic simulators within an optimization framework is an intricate task. Indeed, these simulators can be seen as stochastic nonlinear functions that are expensive to evaluate. Simulation-based network optimization should therefore start with an important modeling effort, in order to exploit the structure of the problem at ha nd. In particular, we believe that in order to perform both fast and reliable simulation-b ased optimization for congested networks, information from the simulation tool should be combined with information from a metamodel (surrogate) that captures at a lower degree of detail the structure of the underlying problem. In this paper, we propose a surrogate that combines information from a calibrated microscopic traffic simulation model with an analytical queueing network model. We integrate this surrogate within a derivative-free trust region optim ization framework. We apply the framework to solve a fixed-time traffic signal control proble m for a subnetwork of the Lausanne city center. We compare the performance of the derived signal plans with that of an existing signal plan for the city of Lausanne.
Microstructure of hydrogenated amorphous silicon layers studied by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry for the surface passivation in heterojunction solar cells

The defect scatter interval (S<sub>t</sub>) of a-Si:H/c-Si interface and void concentration (C<sub>v</sub>) of a-Si:H were analyzed by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (S<sub>E</sub>). The passivation performance of a-Si:H layers in SHJ solar cells was not only affected by the conductivity, but more importantly, it was strongly governed by the hydrogen content (C<sub>H</sub>) in a-Si:H layers. In addition, the microstructure deduced from SE was in perfect accordance with the results revealed by TEM technique. Then, an implied open circuit voltage (V<sub>oc</sub>,i<sub>m</sub>) of 732mV was obtained when S<sub>t</sub> was about 7fs and CH around 7 at. %.
Causes of redo procedures in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator--long-term follow-up results.

BACKGROUND Implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a well-established method to prevent sudden cardiac death (SCD). Due to the expanding indications for this type of treatment and increasing survival of these patients, the ICD population is growing rapidly. AIM To assess the rate and causes of reoperations in patients with ICD over a long-term (at least 4 years) follow-up period. METHODS Between 1995 and 2006, an ICD was implanted in 598 patients. This study included all patients with a follow-up duration of at least 4 years and only those who underwent a repeat procedure later than 6 weeks after the index ICD implantation. RESULTS The study group consisted of 174 patients with a mean age of 51+/-18 years who were followed for a mean of 6+/-1.7 years. Coronary artery disease (CAD) was diagnosed in 92 (53%) patients, and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy in 82 (47%) patients. Prophylactic ICD therapy was instituted in 11 (6%) patients, whereas 163 (94%) patients received ICD for secondary prophylactics. During the follow-up period, 10 deaths occurred: 6 of all deaths (60%) in patients with CAD and 4 of all deaths (40%) in the non--ischaemic group. A total of 211 redo procedures in 139 patients were performed. Indications for repeat procedures included battery depletion in 136 patients, ICD malfunction in 37 cases, infection related to the implanted system in 5 patients, problems with leads in 19 cases, an upgrade to the dual-chamber system in 5 or to the biventricular system in 3 patients, and the revision of an ICD pocket in 6 patients. CONCLUSIONS Repeat procedures in ICD recipients are frequent. The most common cause is battery depletion and ICD replacement indicated by a manufacturer. Improvement in ICD technology is essential to increase ICD longevity and decrease the redo-procedure rates. Patients with ICD should be regularly followed in experienced centres in order to detect ICD system failure early.
UCS: Ultimate course search

In this system prototype demonstration we present, Ultimate Course Search (UCS), a learning tool developed to provide students ways to efficiently search electronic educational materials. UCS integrates slides, lecture videos and textbooks into a single platform. The keywords extracted from the textbooks and the slides are the basis of the indexing scheme. For the videos, UCS relies on slide transitions and metadata to establish the correspondence between slides and video segments. The video segmentation is based on the slides being presented using the meta-data provided by the video recording software and image processing techniques.