Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fluid limits of queueing networks with batches

This paper presents an analytical model for the performance prediction of queueing networks with batch services and batch arrivals, related to the fluid limit of a suitable single-parameter sequence of continuous-time Markov chains and interpreted as the deterministic approximation of the average behaviour of the stochastic process. Notably, the underlying system of ordinary differential equations exhibits discontinuities in the right-hand sides, which however are proven to yield a meaningful solution. A substantial numerical assessment is used to study the quality of the approximation and shows very good accuracy in networks with large job populations.
Essays on the optimal choice of exchange rate regime in emerging countries

This thesis comprises three empirical studies about the consequences of full dollarization for three major economic factors: (1) the exchange rate pass-through, (2) fiscal sustainability, and (3) bond market behavior. The main contributions of this thesis are first, to show that two of the most cited benefits of full dollarization can be called into question in the Ecuadorian economy; and second, making a comparative analysis between dollarized and non dollarized countries, to highlight an advantage of full dollarization: it may to some extent isolate the real economy from financial shocks.
Source information transmission over MIMO systems with transmitter side information

We consider strategies for the lossy transmission of a zero-mean memoryless Gaussian source over a 2times2 Rayleigh faded MIMO system with transmitter side information. The first strategy uses repetition coding, where the same symbol is duplicated over the two transmit antennas in two consecutive time slots. The second strategy employs the Alamouti scheme, while the third strategy is based on spatial multiplexing. A mean squared error distortion measure is assumed. Since this distortion results, at the receiver, in a continuous random variable, both its expected value and statistical distribution are used for evaluating the performance of each strategy. It is shown that the spatial multiplexing strategy achieves the lowest expected distortion and also that the utilization of the Alamouti strategy brings only a slight decrease in performance, but has the advantage of a lower realization complexity. Considering the statistical distributions of distortion, it is observed that increasing the signal-to-noise ratio results in higher probabilities of achieving the expected distortion and to less variable values of distortion. Due to the characteristics of the respective distributions of distortion, both Alamouti and spatial multiplexing strategies are capable of achieving low distortion with high probability while, at the same probability, the repetition strategy achieves significantly higher distortion.
MIS-Boost: Multiple Instance Selection Boosting

In this paper, we present a new multiple instance learning (MIL) method, called MIS-Boost, which learns discriminative instance prototypes by explicit instance selection in a boosting framework. Unlike previous instance selection based MIL methods, we do not restrict the prototypes to a discrete set of training instances but allow them to take arbitrary values in the instance feature space. We also do not restrict the total number of prototypes and the number of selected-instances per bag; these quantities are completely data-driven. We show that MIS-Boost outperforms state-of-the-art MIL methods on a number of benchmark datasets. We also apply MIS-Boost to large-scale image classification, where we show that the automatically selected prototypes map to visually meaningful image regions.
Deep Pyramidal Residual Networks with Separated Stochastic Depth

On general object recognition, Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) achieve high accuracy. In particular, ResNet and its improvements have broken the lowest error rate records. In this paper, we propose a method to successfully combine two ResNet improvements, ResDrop and PyramidNet. We confirmed that the proposed network outperformed the conventional methods; on CIFAR-100, the proposed network achieved an error rate of 16.18% in contrast to PiramidNet achieving that of 18.29% and ResNeXt 17.31%.
Parallel evaluation of a DSP algorithm using julia

Rapid pace of innovation in industrial research labs requires fast algorithm evaluation cycles. The use of multi-core hardware and distributed clusters is essential to achieve reasonable turnaround times for high-load simulations. Julia’s support for these as well as its pervasive multiple dispatch make it very attractive for high-performance technical computing. Our experiments in speeding up a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) Intellectual Property (IP) model simulation for a Wireless LAN (WLAN) product confirm this. We augment standard SystemC High-Level Synthesis (HLS) tool-flow by an interactive worksheet supporting performance visualization and rapid design space exploration cycles.
Optimal fiscal and monetary policy: some recent results

This paper studies the quantitative properties of fiscal and monetary policy in business cycle models. In terms of fiscal policy, optimal labor tax rates are virtually constant and optimal capital income tax rates are close to zero on average. In terms of monetary policy, the Friedman rule is optimal—nominal interest rates are zero—and optimal monetary policy is activist in the sense that it responds to shocks to the economy.
Topographic Solar Radiation Models for GIS

Abstract Incident solar radiation at the Earth's surface is the result of a complex interaction of energy between the atmosphere and the surface. Recently much progress has been made towards the creation of accurate, physically-based solar radiation formulations that can model this interaction over topographic and other surfaces (such as plant canopies) for a large range of spatial and temporal scales. In this paper we summarize our current work on solar radiation models and their implementation within both GIS and image processing systems. An overview of the effects of topography and plant canopies on solar radiation is presented along with a discussion of various options for obtaining the data necessary to drive specific solar radiation models. Examples are given from our own work using two models, ATM (Atmospheric and Topographic Model), a model based within an image processing framework, and SOLARFLUX, a GIS-based model. We consider issues of design, including GIS implementation and interface, computa.
Forecasting Influenza Epidemics in Hong Kong

Recent advances in mathematical modeling and inference methodologies have enabled development of systems capable of forecasting seasonal influenza epidemics in temperate regions in real-time. However, in subtropical and tropical regions, influenza epidemics can occur throughout the year, making routine forecast of influenza more challenging. Here we develop and report forecast systems that are able to predict irregular non-seasonal influenza epidemics, using either the ensemble adjustment Kalman filter or a modified particle filter in conjunction with a susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model. We applied these model-filter systems to retrospectively forecast influenza epidemics in Hong Kong from January 1998 to December 2013, including the 2009 pandemic. The forecast systems were able to forecast both the peak timing and peak magnitude for 44 epidemics in 16 years caused by individual influenza strains (i.e., seasonal influenza A(H1N1), pandemic A(H1N1), A(H3N2), and B), as well as 19 aggregate epidemics caused by one or more of these influenza strains. Average forecast accuracies were 37% (for both peak timing and magnitude) at 1-3 week leads, and 51% (peak timing) and 50% (peak magnitude) at 0 lead. Forecast accuracy increased as the spread of a given forecast ensemble decreased; the forecast accuracy for peak timing (peak magnitude) increased up to 43% (45%) for H1N1, 93% (89%) for H3N2, and 53% (68%) for influenza B at 1-3 week leads. These findings suggest that accurate forecasts can be made at least 3 weeks in advance for subtropical and tropical regions.
Mouse Muscle As an Ectopic Permissive Site for Human Pancreatic Development

While sporadic human genetic studies have permitted some comparisons between rodent and human pancreatic development, the lack of a robust experimental system has not permitted detailed examination of human pancreatic development. We previously developed a xenograft model of immature human fetal pancreas grafted under the kidney capsule of immune-incompetent mice, which allowed the development of human pancreatic β-cells. Here, we compared the development of human and murine fetal pancreatic grafts either under skeletal muscle epimysium or under the renal capsule. We demonstrated that human pancreatic β-cell development occurs more slowly (weeks) than murine pancreas (days) both by differentiation of pancreatic progenitors and by proliferation of developing β-cells. The superficial location of the skeletal muscle graft and its easier access permitted in vivo lentivirus-mediated gene transfer with a green fluorescent protein-labeled construct under control of the insulin or elastase gene promoter, which targeted β-cells and nonendocrine cells, respectively. This model of engraftment under the skeletal muscle epimysium is a new approach for longitudinal studies, which allows localized manipulation to determine the regulation of human pancreatic development.
A Hybrid of &#949;-Constraint and Particle Swarm Optimization for Designing of PID Controllers

In this paper, an optimum approach to design PID controllers has been proposed. PID control schema based on classical control theory has been widely used in industrial control processes. Since most of the control systems have nonlinear properties, it is difficult to determine optimal parameters for a given PID controllers. This study utilizes the particle swarm optimization algorithm as solution method to search for PID parameters that capable of minimizing the integral absolute control error. At the same time, the transient response is guaranteed by minimizing the maximum overshoot, settling time, rising time of step response. Moreover, we also utilize ε-constraint method to improve the performance of the controllers. Finally, experimental results demonstrate that better control performance and robustness can be achieved in comparison with known methods.
Modeling from contour drawings

Occlusion contours are a natural feature to draw when tracing an object in an image or when drawing an object. We investigate the development of 3D models from multi-stroke contour drawings with the help of a 3D template model that serves as a shape prior. The template is aligned and then deformed by our method to match the drawn contours. At the heart of this process is the need to provide good correspondences between points on the contours and vertices on the model, which we pose as an optimisation problem using a hidden Markov model. An alternating correspond-and-deform process then progressively deforms the 3D template to match the image contours. We demonstrate the method on a wide range of examples.
CyRIS: a cyber range instantiation system for facilitating security training

Cyber ranges are well-defined controlled virtual environments used in cybersecurity training as an efficient way for trainees to gain practical knowledge through hands-on activities. However, creating an environment that contains all the necessary features and settings, such as virtual machines, network topology and security-related content, is not an easy task, especially for a large number of participants. Therefore, we propose CyRIS (Cyber Range Instantiation System) as a solution towards this problem. CyRIS provides a mechanism to automatically prepare and manage cyber ranges for cybersecurity education and training based on specifications defined by the instructors. In this paper, we first describe the design and implementation of CyRIS, as well as its utilization. We then present an evaluation of CyRIS in terms of feature coverage compared to the Technical Guide to Information Security Testing and Assessment of the U.S National Institute of Standards and Technology, and in terms of functionality compared to other similar tools. We also discuss the execution performance of CyRIS for several representative scenarios.
pVir and Bloody Diarrhea in Campylobacter jejuni Enteritis

The plasmid pVir may play a role in the virulence of Campylobacter jejuni, a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis. The pVir plasmid was identified in 17% of 104 C. jejuni clinical isolates studied and was significantly associated with the occurrence of blood in patient stool, a marker of invasive infection. The pVir plasmid was not associated with greater occurrence of diarrhea, fever, pain, vomiting, or need for patient hospitalization. Isolates containing pVir were also associated with the presence of a tetracycline-resistance plasmid, but pVir did not transfer with tetracycline-resistance plasmids to recipient strains of C. jejuni. The association of pVir and bloody stool suggests that pVir may be clinically relevant in C. jejuni infections.
Secondary Hemophagocytic Syndrome Associated with Richter's Transformation in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) is an extremely rare condition arising from the overactivation of one's own immune system. It results in excessive inflammation and tissue destruction. Prompt initiation of treatment is warranted in either scenario in order to decrease mortality. Most cases are triggered by infectious agents, malignancy, or drugs. We describe the first case of a CLL patient presenting with HPS due to acquisition of EBV-related large cell lymphoma in the setting of profound immunodeficiency.
Arabidopsis thaliana DOF 6 negatively affects germination in non-after-ripened seeds and interacts with TCP 14

Seed dormancy prevents seeds from germinating under environmental conditions unfavourable for plant growth and development and constitutes an evolutionary advantage. Dry storage, also known as after-ripening, gradually decreases seed dormancy by mechanisms not well understood. An Arabidopsis thaliana DOF transcription factor gene (DOF6) affecting seed germination has been characterized. The transcript levels of this gene accumulate in dry seeds and decay gradually during after-ripening and also upon seed imbibition. While constitutive over-expression of DOF6 produced aberrant growth and sterility in the plant, its over-expression induced upon seed imbibition triggered delayed germination, abscisic acid (ABA)-hypersensitive phenotypes and increased expression of the ABA biosynthetic gene ABA1 and ABA-related stress genes. Wild-type germination and gene expression were gradually restored during seed after-ripening, despite of DOF6-induced over-expression. DOF6 was found to interact in a yeast two-hybrid system and in planta with TCP14, a previously described positive regulator of seed germination. The expression of ABA1 and ABA-related stress genes was also enhanced in tcp14 knock-out mutants. Taken together, these results indicate that DOF6 negatively affects seed germination and opposes TCP14 function in the regulation of a specific set of ABA-related genes.
GOOD or BAD Responder? Behavioural and Neuroanatomical Markers of Clinical Response to Donepezil in Dementia

We explored the neuropsychological and neuromorphometrical differences between probable Alzheimer's disease patients showing a good or a bad response to nine months treatment with donepezil. Before treatment, the neuropsychological profile of the two patient groups was perfectly matched. By the ninth month after treatment, the BAD-responders showed a decline of the MMSE score together with a progressive impairment of executive functions. A voxel-based morphometry investigation (VBM), at the time of the second neuropsychological assessment, showed that the BAD-responders had larger grey and white matter atrophies involving the substantia innominata of Meynert bilaterally, the ventral part of caudate nuclei and the left uncinate fasciculus, brain areas belonging to the cholinergic pathways. A more widespread degeneration of the central cholinergic pathways may explain the lack of donepezil efficacy in those patients not responding to a treatment that operates on the grounds that some degree of endogeneous release of acetylcholine is still available.
A semi-automatic tool for detection and tracking ground truth generation in videos

In this paper we present a tool for the generation of ground-truth data for object detection, tracking and recognition applications. Compared to state of the art methods, such as ViPER-GT, our tool improves the user experience by providing edit shortcuts such as hotkeys and drag-and-drop, and by integrating computer vision algorithms to automate, under the supervision of the user, the extraction of contours and the identification of objects across frames. A comparison between our application and ViPER-GT tool was performed, which showed how our tool allows users to label a video in a shorter time, while at the same time providing a higher ground truth quality.
Evaluation of stentless kangaroo aortic valves in the mitral position of juvenile sheep.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY The performance and longevity of bioprosthetic heart valves are limited by tissue calcification and degeneration after implantation. Experimental valve replacement in large animal models forms an important component of the preclinical evaluation of these bioprosthetic heart valves. The study aim was to assess the feasibility of a mitral model for stentless valves and to evaluate the calcification behavior of stentless glutaraldehyde-preserved kangaroo heart valves in the mitral position of a sheep model. METHODS Medtronic Freestyle (n = 10) and kangaroo (n = 11) stentless aortic valves were implanted in the mitral position of juvenile sheep and retrieved after a maximum of 200 days. Retrieved stentless valves were examined for morphological changes and calcification of the valve tissue, using radiological screening, Von Kossa's staining and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. RESULTS Four sheep (40.0%) with Medtronic Freestyle and 10 sheep (90.9%) with kangaroo valves could be weaned from bypass and mechanical ventilation. Two animals (20.0%) with Medtronic Freestyle and six animals (54.5%) with kangaroo prostheses survived more than 30 days postoperatively. No significant difference (p >0.05) was seen between the calcification potential of Medtronic Freestyle valve leaflets (3.21 +/- 1.67 microg/mg) after 93 days and kangaroo valve leaflets (2.39 +/- 0.80 microg/mg) after 200 days. CONCLUSION The present results suggest that implantation of a stentless valve in the mitral position of sheep is possible, but technically difficult. The calcification potential of kangaroo valve tissue is comparable to that of Freestyle valve tissue in the mitral position of sheep.
High-Throughput Sequencing of Transposable Element Insertions Suggests Adaptive Evolution of the Invasive Asian Tiger Mosquito Towards Temperate Environments

Invasive species represent unique opportunities to evaluate the role of local adaptation during colonization of new environments. Among these species, the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a threatening vector of several human viral diseases, including dengue and chikungunya, and raises concerns about the Zika fever. Its broad presence in both temperate and tropical environments has been considered the reflection of great “ecological plasticity”. However, no study has been conducted to assess the role of adaptive evolution in the ecological success of Ae. albopictus at the molecular level. In the present study, we performed a genomic scan to search for potential signatures of selection leading to local adaptation in one-hundred-forty field-collected mosquitoes from native populations of Vietnam and temperate invasive populations of Europe. High-throughput genotyping of transposable element insertions led to the discovery of more than 120 000 polymorphic loci, which, in their great majority, revealed a virtual absence of structure between the bio-geographic areas. Nevertheless, 92 outlier loci showed a high level of differentiation between temperate and tropical populations. The majority of these loci segregates at high insertion frequencies among European populations, indicating that this pattern could have been caused by recent adaptive evolution events in temperate areas. An analysis of the overlapping and neighboring genes highlighted several candidates, including diapause, lipid and juvenile hormone pathways.
A Systematic Evaluation of the Adaptation of Depression Diagnostic Methods for Stroke Survivors Who Have Aphasia

Background and Purpose— One in 3 stroke survivors has aphasia (impaired language comprehension and expressive abilities). Conventionally, depression diagnosis uses language-based methods. We aimed to systematically review methods that have been used to diagnose depression and adaptations to these methods intended for people with aphasia. Methods— We systematically reviewed stroke studies (to January 2006) that included a depression diagnosis and individuals with aphasia. We extracted data related to depression diagnostic methods used for individuals with/without aphasia. We sought clarification from authors when required. Results— A total of 60 studies included people with aphasia. Almost half the studies (29/60; 48%) adapted their main depression diagnostic method (most typically a clinical interview and published criteria) for individuals with aphasia. Adaptive methods included: using informants (relatives or staff), clinical observation, modifying questions and visual analogue scales. Evidence of the validity or reliability of these adaptations was rarely reported. However, use of informants or clinical observation did achieve the inclusion of most people with aphasia in the diagnosis of depression. Remaining studies, that did not report adaptive methods, suggested that conventional language-based methods are suitable for individuals with only ‘mild’ aphasia. Conclusions— People with aphasia can be and have been included in depression diagnostic assessments. However, we suggest that depression and language experts collaborate to develop a more valid method of depression diagnosis for patients with aphasia that has good reliability.