Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early observations on the performance of Windows Azure

A significant open issue in cloud computing is performance. Few, if any, cloud providers or technologies offer quantitative performance guarantees. Regardless of the potential advantages of the cloud in comparison to enterprise-deployed applications, cloud infrastructures may ultimately fail if deployed applications cannot predictably meet behavioral requirements. In this paper, we present the results of comprehensive performance experiments we conducted on Windows Azure from October 2009 to February 2010. In general, we have observed good performance of the Windows Azure mechanisms, although the average 10 minute VM startup time and the worst-case 2x slowdown for SQL Azure in certain situations -relative to commodity hardware within the enterprise- must be accounted for in application design. In addition to a detailed performance evaluation of Windows Azure, we provide recommendations for potential users of Windows Azure based on these early observations. Although the discussion and analysis is tailored to scientific applications, the results are broadly applicable to the range of existing and future applications running in Windows Azure.
Multi-level acoustic modeling for automatic speech recognition

Context-dependent acoustic modeling is commonly used in large-vocabulary Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems as a way to model coarticulatory variations that occur during speech production. Typically, the local phoneme context is used as a means to define context-dependent units. Because the number of possible context-dependent units can grow exponentially with the length of the contexts, many units will not have enough training examples to train a robust model, resulting in a data sparsity problem. For nearly two decades, this data sparsity problem has been dealt with by a clusteringbased framework which systematically groups different context-dependent units into clusters such that each cluster can have enough data. Although dealing with the data sparsity issue, the clustering-based approach also makes all context-dependent units within a cluster have the same acoustic score, resulting in a quantization effect that can potentially limit the performance of the context-dependent model. In this work, a multi-level acoustic modeling framework is proposed to address both the data sparsity problem and the quantization effect. Under the multi-level framework, each context-dependent unit is associated with classifiers that target multiple levels of contextual resolution, and the outputs of the classifiers are linearly combined for scoring during recognition. By choosing the classifiers judiciously, both the data sparsity problem and the quantization effect can be dealt with. The proposed multi-level framework can also be integrated into existing large-vocabulary ASR systems, such as FST-based ASR systems, and is compatible with state-of-the-art error reduction techniques for ASR systems, such as discriminative training methods. Multiple sets of experiments have been conducted to compare the performance of the clustering-based acoustic model and the proposed multi-level model. In a phonetic recognition experiment on TIMIT, the multi-level model has about 8% relative improvement in terms of phone error rate, showing that the multi-level framework can help improve phonetic prediction accuracy. In a large-vocabulary transcription task, combining the proposed multi-level modeling framework with discriminative training can provide more than 20% relative improvement over a clustering baseline model in terms of Word Error Rate (WER), showing that the multi-level framework can be integrated into existing large-vocabulary decoding frameworks and that it combines well with discriminative training methods. In
Cooperation and Heterogeneity of the Autistic Mind

Individuals with autism spectrum conditions (ASCs) have a core difficulty in recursively inferring the intentions of others. The precise cognitive dysfunctions that determine the heterogeneity at the heart of this spectrum, however, remains unclear. Furthermore, it remains possible that impairment in social interaction is not a fundamental deficit but a reflection of deficits in distinct cognitive processes. To better understand heterogeneity within ASCs, we employed a game-theoretic approach to characterize unobservable computational processes implicit in social interactions. Using a social hunting game with autistic adults, we found that a selective difficulty representing the level of strategic sophistication of others, namely inferring others' mindreading strategy, specifically predicts symptom severity. In contrast, a reduced ability in iterative planning was predicted by overall intellectual level. Our findings provide the first quantitative approach that can reveal the underlying computational dysfunctions that generate the autistic “spectrum. ”
Effects of electrode size and spacing on sensory modalities in the phantom thumb perception area for the forearm amputees

Tactile sensory feedback plays a key role in accomplishing the dexterous manipulation of prosthetic hands for the amputees, and the non-invasive transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of the phantom finger perception (PFP) area would be an effective way to realize sensory feedback clinically. In order to realize the high-spatial-resolution tactile sensory feedback in the PFP region, we investigated the effects of electrode size and spacing on the tactile sensations for potentially optimizing the surface electrode array configuration. Six forearm-amputated subjects were recruited in the psychophysical studies. With the diameter of the circular electrode increasing from 3 mm to 12 mm, the threshold current intensity was enhanced correspondingly under different sensory modalities. The smaller electrode could potentially lead to high sensation spatial resolution. Whereas, the smaller the electrode, the less the number of sensory modalities. For an F-3 mm electrode, it is even hard for the subject to perceive any perception modalities under normal stimulating current. In addition, the two-electrode discrimination distance (TEDD) in the phantom thumb perception area decreased with electrode size decreasing in two directions of parallel or perpendicular to the forearm. No significant difference of TEDD existed along the two directions. Studies in this paper would guide the configuration optimization of the TENS electrode array for potential high spatial-resolution sensory feedback.
Group Detection Based on User-to-User Distance in Everyday Life for Office Lunch Group Recommendation

Companies have recently been introducing an event system called shuffle lunch, which aims to effectively utilize lunch breaks. The system has been garnering attention from many enterprises because it livens relationships and strengthens cooperation between departments and individual workers. In existing shuffle lunch systems, lunch groups are randomly generated. Random groups however, can cause problems. For example, some people might feel awkward about eating with new people, groups might not agree about when and where to eat, or some people may be absent. To form better lunch groups, the relationships between potential group members have to be known. In this study, we propose a method for dynamically detecting groups by using smartphones to measure the daily physical proximities of people. We also developed an Android application to realize our proposed method. We evaluated our system through a series of experiments and found that our proposed method can accurately detect groups, based on the proximities measured by the Android application.
Steroid avoidance reduce the cost of morbidities after live-donor renal allotransplants: a prospective, randomized, controlled study.

OBJECTIVES Steroids have had the main role in renal transplant for more than 4 decades. However, chronic use of steroids is associated with many comorbidities, owing to a lack of assessing cost-benefit of steroid avoidance in live-donor renal allotransplants. In this prospective, randomized, controlled study, we aimed to assess the cost-benefit of a steroid-free immunosuppression regimen among Egyptian live-donor renal transplants. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred patients were randomly allocated to receive tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids for only 3 days (n=50 patients; study group) or tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids on a maintenance basis (n=50 patients; control group). All patients received basiliximab (Simulect) induction, with median follow-up of 12 months. RESULTS Both groups showed comparable graft and patient survivals, rejection episodes, and graft functioning. Posttransplant comorbidities were significantly more prevalent in the steroid-maintenance group. Hypertension was detected in 4% of steroid-free group versus 24% in the steroid-maintenance group (P = .0009). Posttransplant diabetes mellitus, serious infections, and hyperlipidemia were significantly more prevalent in the steroid-maintenance group (P < .05). Associated hospitalization costs were 2.2-fold higher in the steroid-maintenance group than they were in the steroid-free group. One year after transplant, the cost of managing posttransplant comorbidities was significantly higher in steroid-maintenance group, despite comparable costs of immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS In low, immunologic risk recipients of live-donor renal transplants, using basiliximab induction and maintenance with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, steroid avoidance was associated with lower first annual total costs despite comparable immunosuppression costs, which was attributed to lower costs of associated morbidities.
Real options using a Continuous-state Markov Process Approximation

Real Options were firstly formulated using traditional financial option models, however in practice an investor can confront with exotic dynamics. Nowadays, approaches based on simulations have been proposed for solving complex options. This paper proposes an alternative appraisal based on a Continuous-state Markov Process Approximation (CMPA) for multivariate Real Option problems. We discuss the viability of the proposal through a study case of a control chart decision (CCD). The proposal is compared with widely used algorithms for CCD problems. The results show the proposal versatility in problems where traditional algorithms can not be used or are inefficient.
NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS IN PSYCHIATRY: PSYCHOBIOLGICAL & PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS

The Tilak Venkoba Rao Oration is for the young scientist and before I deliberate on my subject it is my honoured right to speak for the young psychiatrists in our country. I have observed and experienced that the young psychiatrist is the most unfortunate person during his academic career. He is often discouraged from all quarters, so much so, that he feels that he has to struggle in order to do any work. Not to work and not to aspire are the easiest ways. The young psychiatrist faces numerous uphill obstructions all along and perhaps may be frustrated and fall into the streamline of complacency and academic politicking. For the advancement of our discipline and science, undoubtedly, the younger scientists have to take lead and shoulder the responsibilities. The demoralisation, discouragement and the crushing of the younger scientists is thus very hazardous. In light of these, I feel proud and honoured to have been awarded this oppurtunity to present my work on negative symptoms. No words would be sufficient to thank Professor Venkoba Rao for having initiated this award, and I would like to thank Professor Nandi and the judges of the awards committee for this award being given to me. I am also grateful to numerous collegues who have worked with me on negative symptoms. After these few words about negative attitudes towards young psychiatrists I would present my research work on Negative Symptoms in Psychiatric disorders. In the nineteen eighties there have been many subjects which have attracted attention, by far maximum research interests have been captured by the study of negative symptoms in psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric researchers have taken up the challanging task of redefining negative symptoms, attempts at validating the concept and devising measures for their reliable quantification. Last and not the least, is the unfathomable challenge of the treatment of negative symptoms, which can be very frustrating. It is really commendable that numerous researchers in different parts of the world are concentrating on a psyehopathological aspect which is strife with controversy and challenge. Thus the terms positive and negative symptoms have slipped into the language of contemporary psychiatry with comparative ease. It is not uncommon for these expressions to be used with little explanation, with the implicit understanding that their meaning is understood and that somehow they are of value to our knowledge of psychopathology (Trimble 1986).
An empirical test of the Theory of Sales: Do household storage constraints affect consumer and store behavior?

We revisit and test Salop and Stiglitz (1982) Theory of Sales. Equilibrium comparative static predictions are that greater consumer storage constraints lead to: (1) higher average prices, (2) fewer promotions, and (3) shallower promotions. In equilibrium, price dispersion is nonlinear in storage constraints, first increasing then decreasing. Empirical estimates of storage constraints are developed for approximately 1,000 households using the American Housing Survey (1989), United States Census (1990), and Stanford Market Basket Database (1991–1993). We find consumers with greater storage constraints shop more often and purchase smaller quantities per visit; moreover, the comparative static predictions are supported and evidence consistent with the equilibrium dispersion prediction is observed. Estimated quantitative effects are economically important.
Robust transition control in non-periodic channels

This paper presents the controller synthesis of a network of local robust controllers for the purpose of controlling the transition from laminar to turbulent flow in non-periodic channels, using a recently proposed spatially interconnected model of plane Poiseuille flow for Re = 2000. Measured feedback signals used by the controllers are the local changes in wall shear force, and the generated control action is a local change in fluid wall normal velocities. Thus, in contrast to most previously proposed control schemes which operate in Fourier domain, this approach works in physical domain. In order to synthesize this controller, first uncertainties are estimated by finding the relative error between the measurements obtained from linearized and non-linear models. For this purpose a non-linear simulation environment is developed in FLUENT software. Once these uncertainties are estimated in frequency domain, a low order spatially interconnected weighting function is found. The closed loop response shows that the controller attenuates oscillations generated by an impulsive disturbance.
Impact Ionization Noise in SiGe HBTs: Comparison of Device and Compact Modeling With Experimental Results

The noise behavior resulting from impact ionization (II) was investigated at room temperature for silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors with box Ge profile ("true" HBTs), featuring a maximum transit frequency of fT = 80 GHz. Noise parameters (NPs) were measured over a wide range of collector-emitter voltages. Modeling was performed using a generalized hydrodynamic (HD) device simulation with a local temperature approach for avalanche generation, drift- diffusion (DD) simulation with a local field model, and the compact model (CM) HICUM/L2 with a conventional local field Chynoweth's law for avalanche generation. Local temperature model parameters were calibrated by matching the avalanche multiplication factor (M) to results obtained from full-band Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. The spectral density of II current noise, obtained from the CM, is in fair agreement with the HD model. Verification of NPs (NFmin, Rn, and GammaOPT), obtained with compact and HD model, against experimental values proved that the weak avalanche model is accurate enough to capture II noise in investigated SiGe HBTs.
Genome Sequence of an Alphabaculovirus Isolated from the Oak Looper, Lambdina fiscellaria, Contains a Putative 2-Kilobase-Pair Transposable Element Encoding a Transposase and a FLYWCH Domain-Containing Protein

ABSTRACT The genome sequence of an alphabaculovirus isolated from Lambdina fiscellaria indicated that it is a novel member of a group II lineage. A putative transposable element was identified that contained two genes, including a transposase ortholog. These genes were most closely related to genes of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum.
Application-Aware Topology Reconfiguration for On-Chip Networks

In this paper, we present a reconfigurable architecture for networks-on-chip (NoC) on which arbitrary application-specific topologies can be implemented. When a new application starts, the proposed NoC tailors its topology to the application traffic pattern by changing the inter-router connections to some predefined configuration corresponding to the application. It addresses one of the main drawbacks of the existing application-specific NoC optimization methods, i.e., optimization of NoCs based on the traffic pattern of a single application. Supporting multiple applications is a critical feature of an NoC when several different applications are integrated into a single modern and complex multicore system-on-chip or chip multiprocessor. The proposed reconfigurable NoC architecture supports multiple applications by appropriately configuring itself to a topology that matches the traffic pattern of the currently running application. This paper first introduces the proposed reconfigurable topology and then addresses the problems of core to network mapping and topology exploration. Further on, we evaluate the impact of different architectural attributes on the performance of the proposed NoC. Evaluations consider network latency, power consumption, and area complexity.
Automatic basis function construction for approximate dynamic programming and reinforcement learning

We address the problem of automatically constructing basis functions for linear approximation of the value function of a Markov Decision Process (MDP). Our work builds on results by Bertsekas and Castañon (1989) who proposed a method for automatically aggregating states to speed up value iteration. We propose to use neighborhood component analysis (Goldberger et al., 2005), a dimensionality reduction technique created for supervised learning, in order to map a high-dimensional state space to a low-dimensional space, based on the Bellman error, or on the temporal difference (TD) error. We then place basis function in the lower-dimensional space. These are added as new features for the linear function approximator. This approach is applied to a high-dimensional inventory control problem.
Secure Software Design in Practice

This paper presents a set of practical techniques and tools for creating secure software with a special focus on the design phase of the development lifecycle. The target group is the ordinary "developer-on-the- street", who is not primarily interested in (or knowledgeable about) security, but must focus on designing/implementing as much functionality as possible before the deadline and on budget.
A developmental framework for endodermal differentiation and polarity

The endodermis is a root cell layer common to higher plants and of fundamental importance for root function and nutrient uptake. The endodermis separates outer (peripheral) from inner (central) cell layers by virtue of its Casparian strips, precisely aligned bands of specialized wall material. Here we reveal that the membrane at the Casparian strip is a diffusional barrier between the central and peripheral regions of the plasma membrane and that it mediates attachment to the extracellular matrix. This membrane region thus functions like a tight junction in animal epithelia, although plants lack the molecular modules that establish tight junction in animals. We have also identified a pair of influx and efflux transporters that mark both central and peripheral domains of the plasma membrane. These transporters show opposite polar distributions already in meristems, but their localization becomes refined and restricted upon differentiation. This “central–peripheral” polarity coexists with the apical–basal polarity defined by PIN proteins within the same cells, but utilizes different polarity determinants. Central–peripheral polarity can be already observed in early embryogenesis, where it reveals a cellular polarity within the quiescent center precursor cell. A strict diffusion block between polar domains is common in animals, but had never been described in plants. Yet, its relevance to endodermal function is evident, as central and peripheral membranes of the endodermis face fundamentally different root compartments. Further analysis of endodermal transporter polarity and manipulation of its barrier function will greatly promote our understanding of plant nutrition and stress tolerance in roots.
BRAIN pH MEASUREMENTS USING A DIFFUSIBLE, LIPID SOLUBLE pH SENSITIVE FLUORESCENT INDICATOR

Brain tissue pH was measured in cats at normocapnia hypocapnia, hypercapnia, and death from anoxia using a pH sensitive fluorescent indicator (umbelliferone) with both molecular and ionic fluorophors. A ratio analysis of the indicator's calibrated 450 nm fluorescent tissue washout curves from 340 and 370 nm excitation permitted direct determinations using a nomogram. Possible errors in these measurements related to differential quenching, absorption, and changes in the redox state of the indicator were investigated in vitro and in vivo for brain tissue and blood. In animals with preserved autoregulation, brain pH varied linearly with arterial pH (art pH 7.0, brain pH 6.98: art pH 7.4, brain pH 7.24). Brain pH at death fell to 6.68. An analysis of the indicator clearance curves suggests these measurements reflect a component of the intracellular space and the lipid solubility of the indicator suggests this is a membranous component.
REGULATION OF STEROID HORMONE BIOSYNTHESIS IN R2C AND MA-10 LEYDIG TUMOR CELLS: ROLE OF THE CHOLESTEROL TRANSFER PROTEINS StAR AND PBR

The MA-10 mouse Leydig tumor cell line produces large amounts of steroids only in response to hormonal stimulation while the R2C rat Leydig tumor cell line is constitutively steroidogenic in nature. In an effort to uncover the potential reasons for constitutive steroidogenesis in R2C cells, we have recently shown that compared to MA-10 cells, R2C cells express much higher levels of the Scavenger Receptor Class B type 1 which results in a higher capacity for cholesteryl ester uptake through the selective uptake pathway. We also found an enhanced expression of Hormone Sensitive Lipase and the Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory protein in these cells and reasoned that they may further facilitate the conversion of cholesteryl esters to free cholesterol and its mobilization to the inner mitochondrial membrane, thus rendering them constitutively steroidogenic. Given the proposed role of the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) in conferring a constitutively steroidogenic phenotype to the R2C cells, the current study was conducted to investigate the relationship between its expression in MA-10 and R2C cells and correlate it with the constitutive nature of R2C cell steroidogenesis. Our studies show that PBR expression as measured by PK 11195 ligand binding and Western analysis is much higher in MA-10 cells than R2C cells. We also determined that the affinity of ligand binding to the PBR is comparable in the two cell lines, suggesting that PBR is unlikely to be solely responsible for the constitutive nature of R2C cell steroidogenesis.