Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficient Computation of Trips with Friends and Families

A group of friends located at their working places may want to plan a trip to visit a shopping center, have dinner at a restaurant, watch a movie at a theater, and then finally return to their homes with the minimum total trip distance. For a group of spatially dispersed users a group trip planning (GTP) query returns points of interests (POIs) of different types such as a shopping center, a restaurant and a movie theater that minimize the aggregate trip distance for the group. The aggregate trip distance could be the sum or maximum of the trip distances of all users in the group, where the users travel from their source locations via the jointly visited POIs to their individual destinations. In this paper, we develop both optimal and approximation algorithms for GTP queries for both Euclidean space and road networks. Processing GTP queries in real time is a computational challenge as trips involve POIs of multiple types and computation of aggregate trip distances. We develop novel techniques to refine the POI search space for a GTP query based on geometric properties of ellipses, which in turn significantly reduces the number of aggregate trip distance computations. An extensive set of experiments on a real and synthetic datasets shows that our approach outperforms the most competitive approach on an average by three orders of magnitude in terms of processing time.
The Effect of Encoding Condition on Free Recall in Parkinson's Disease: Incidental and Intentional Memory are Equally Affected

Free recall memory deficits are common at early stages of Parkinson's disease (PD). As most studies have used intentional memory tasks, there is little information on how non-intentional, incidental encoding conditions affect memory performance in PD. We studied possible differences between PD patients and controls on free recall using incidental and intentional visual memory tasks. Free recall was examined in relation to attentive/executive functioning and subjective memory complaints. A total of 29 non-demented, medicated PD patients (age 60, disease duration 19 months) and 29 healthy controls (age 61) participated in the study. Incidental free recall was studied using a memory-modification of the Boston naming test (Memo-BNT) and intentional free recall with the 20 Objects test. There was a significant main effect for group due to worse free recall performances in the PD group. No statistically significant interaction between group and encoding condition was observed. The free recall deficit in the PD group was related to cognitive/psychomotor slowing, but not to attentive/executive task demands, or to subjective memory complaints. The results indicate that PD patients are impaired on free recall irrespective of encoding condition.
Comparison of MKP and BSK-H media for the cultivation and isolation of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato

The isolation of B. burgdorferi sensu lato requires the use of complex cultivation media. The aim of the study was to compare the usefulness of BSK-H (a commercial medium produced by HiMedia, India) and MKP medium. MKP and BSK-H media were prepared in accordance with the relevant protocols. Borrelia strains and skin culture biopsies were simultaneously inoculated into both media, incubated and checked for growth. Borrelial growth characteristics, isolation rates and characteristics of the isolated borreliae were analysed and compared. Initially, numbers of spirochaetes were higher in BSK-H than in MKP; however, in comparison with MKP, the strains subcultured in BSK-H medium were more frequently irregular, thin and non-motile, and rapidly died. In addition, the borrelial isolation rate from erythema migrans skin samples was higher in MKP than in BSK-H medium (108/171, 63.2% versus 70/171, 40.9%; p<0.0001). The far most frequently isolated species was Borrelia afzelii (92.9% and 97.2% strains isolated from BSK-H and MKP, respectively). Comparison of strains cultured from individual patients in both media showed differences in plasmid contents in 9/46 (19.6%) strain pairs, and protein profiles differed in 30/43 (69.8%) strain pairs, most often in the expression of OspC (in 27/28 patients OspC was expressed only in strains growing in MKP). BSK-H medium supports the growth of borrelial strains but MKP is superior with regard to the isolation rate, morphology and motility of strains. BSK-H medium supports fast initial growth of borreliae but this is followed by rapid deformation and death of the spirochaetes.
Novel planning-based algorithms for human motion prediction

Human motion prediction from visual tracking is a challenging problem with a wide array of applications such as robotics, video surveillance and situation understanding. Recently, planning-based methods -which assume that people move by planning over a cost function- have emerged as one of the most promising alternatives. Nevertheless, state of the art planning based algorithms have shortcomings regarding their computational complexity and ability to predict for arbitrary time intervals. This paper addresses these shortcomings by leveraging alternative planning techniques (Fast Marching Method) and formulating efficient algorithms for goal estimation and full spatiotemporal prediction with lower complexity than comparable approaches. In preliminary experiments, the proposed method significantly outperforms the accuracy of the current state-of-the-art approach while reducing the computation time by a factor of 30 using a parallel version of our algorithm.
PHP AiR: Analyzing PHP systems with Rascal

PHP is currently one of the most popular programming languages, widely used in both the open source community and in industry to build large web-focused applications and application frameworks. To provide a solid framework for working with large PHP systems in areas such as evaluating how language features are used, studying how PHP systems evolve, program analysis for refactoring and security validation, and software metrics, we have developed PHP AiR, a framework for PHP Analysis in Rascal. Here we briefly describe features available in PHP AiR, integration with the Eclipse PHP Development Tools, and usage scenarios in program analysis, metrics, and empirical software engineering.
Heat Priming Induces Trans-generational Tolerance to High Temperature Stress in Wheat

Wheat plants are very sensitive to high temperature stress during grain filling. Effects of heat priming applied to the first generation on tolerance of the successive generation to post-anthesis high temperature stress were investigated. Compared with the progeny of non-heat primed plants (NH), the progeny of heat-primed plants (PH) possessed higher grain yield, leaf photosynthesis and activities of antioxidant enzymes and lower cell membrane damage under high temperature stress. In the transcriptome profile, 1430 probes showed obvious difference in expression between PH and NH. These genes were related to signal transduction, transcription, energy, defense, and protein destination and storage, respectively. The gene encoding the lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1) which was involved in histone demethylation related to epigenetic modification was up-regulated in the PH compared with NH. The proteome analysis indicated that the proteins involved in photosynthesis, energy production and protein destination and storage were up-regulated in the PH compared with NH. In short, thermos-tolerance was induced through heritable epigenetic alternation and signaling transduction, both processes further triggered prompt modifications of defense related responses in anti-oxidation, transcription, energy production, and protein destination and storage in the progeny of the primed plants under high temperature stress. It was concluded that trans-generation thermo-tolerance was induced by heat priming in the first generation, and this might be an effective measure to cope with severe high-temperature stresses during key growth stages in wheat production.
Outage Probability for Multi-Hop Full-Duplex Decode and Forward MIMO Relay

In this paper, a multi-hop (MH) decode-and-forward (DF) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) relay network has been studied. To consider a more realistic scenario, Full-Duplex (FD) operation with Relay Self-Interference (RSI) is employed. Assuming that the MIMO channels are subject to Rayleigh fading, a simple and compact closed-form outage probability expression has been derived. The key assumption to derive this result is that the mutual information of each channel could be well approximated by a Gaussian random variable. In order to obtain the resultant outage probability, a new excellent accurate approximation has been obtained for the sum of Wishart distributed complex random matrices. Numerical Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to validate our result. These simulations have shown that, for low and medium interference regime, FD mode performs better than Half-Duplex (HD) mode. On the other hand, when RSI increases, HD mode can outperforms FD mode.
Accurate Timing in Sensor Network Simulation

Accuracy, speed and scalability are the basic requirements of sensor network simulation. To comprehend the accurate behavior of resource constrained embedded systems such as sensor nodes it is important in simulations to model the time-dependent behavior of the system. In this paper we present our extensions of TOSSIM [2] – a widely used event-driven simulation environment for sensor networks – to enable its simulation models to capture the time-accurate behavior of sensor networks by exhibiting timing and interrupt properties of the platform dependent source-code. By mapping the device specific code with the simulation model, we can derive the timing of functional code blocks. As result of such a mapping it is possible to determine the time when a certain code block gets executed and the time the execution takes, eliminating the need of expensive cycle-accurate instruction level simulators with limited speed and restricted scalability.
How do immigrants use primary health care services? A register-based study in Norway.

BACKGROUND Immigrant's use of primary health care (PHC) services differs from that of native's, but studies are non-consistent, and the importance of individual explaining variables like socio-economic status, morbidity burden and length of stay in the host country is uncertain. METHODS Registry-based study using merged data from the National Population Register and the Norwegian Health Economics Administration Database for all immigrants and natives ≥ 15 years registered in Norway in 2008 (3 739 244 persons), applying the Johns Hopkins ACG® Case-Mix System. Using multivariate binary logistic and negative binomial regression analyses, respectively, we compared overall use of PHC and number of visits to PHC between immigrants and natives, and investigated the significance of socio-economic, immigration and morbidity variables. RESULTS A significantly lower percentage of immigrants used the general practitioner (GP) compared with natives. Among GP users, however, most immigrants used the GP at a 2-15% significantly higher rate compared with natives. Older immigrants used their GP less and at lower rates than younger immigrants. A significantly lower percentage of immigrants from high-income countries, but a higher percentage of all other immigrants used emergency services compared with natives, with no differences in use rates. Morbidity burden and length of stay were essential explaining variables. CONCLUSION Lower use of PHC among immigrants could be due to better health or to access barriers, and should be further studied, especially for the oldest immigrants. Adjusted high frequency of use may be appropriate, but it might also be a signal of non-effective contacts.
Integrated High-Contrast-Grating Optical Sensor Using Guided Mode

In finite-size high-contrast gratings (HCGs) guided modes with low Q values can occur. On the one hand, this is a resonant mode with a Q value of some hundreds only, on the other hand it can transform part of the finite-size incident wave into the in-plane direction. Such finite-size HCGs with guided modes are proposed here for optical sensors with an on-chip integrated p-i-n photodiode in the same HCG layer. The mode characteristics of the guided mode and the performance of the proposed integrated HCG-based optical sensors are investigated. The proposed integrated HCG-based optical sensors are compact, cost-effective, label-free, and highly sensitive, and can be extended to an array format increasing the throughput.
Simultaneous buffer insertion and wire sizing considering systematic CMP variation and random leff variation

Abstract—This paper presents extensions of the dynamicprogramming (DP) framework to consider buffer insertion and wire-sizing under effects of process variation. We study the effectiveness of this approach to reduce timing impact caused by chemical–mechanical planarization (CMP)-induced systematic variation and random Leff process variation in devices. We first present a quantitative study on the impact of CMP to interconnect parasitics. We then introduce a simple extension to handle CMP effects in the buffer insertion and wire sizing problem by simultaneously considering fill insertion (SBWF). We also tackle the same problem but with random Leff process variation (vSBWF) by incorporating statistical timing into the DP framework. We develop an efficient yet accurate heuristic pruning rule to approximate the computationally expensive statistical problem. Experiments under conservative assumption on process variation show that SBWF algorithm obtains 1.6% timing improvement over the variationunaware solution. Moreover, our statistical vSBWF algorithm results in 43.1% yield improvement on average. We also show that our approaches have polynomial time complexity with respect to the net-size. The proposed extensions on the DP framework is orthogonal to other power/area-constrained problems under the same framework, which has been extensively studied in the literature.
Mining user web search activity with layered bayesian networks or how to capture a click in its context

Mining user web search activity potentially has a broad range of applications including web result pre-fetching, automatic search query reformulation, click spam detection, estimation of document relevance and prediction of user satisfaction. This analysis is difficult because the data recorded by search engines while users interact with them, although abundant, is very noisy. In this work, we explore the utility of mining search behavior of users, represented by observed variables including the time the user spends on the page, and whether the user reformulated his or her query. As a case study, we examine the contribution this data makes to predicting the relevance of a document in the absence of document content models. To this end, we first propose a method for grouping the interactions of a particular user according to the different tasks he or she undertakes. With each task corresponding to a distinct information need, we then propose a Bayesian Network to holistically model these interactions. The aim is to identify distinct patterns of search behaviors. Finally, we join these patterns to a list of custom features and we use gradient boosted decision trees to predict the relevance of a set of query document pairs for which we have relevance assessments. The experimental results confirm the potential of our model, with significant improvements in precision for predicting the relevance of documents based on a model of the user's search and click behavior, over a baseline model using only click and query features, with no Bayesian Network input.
Absolute memory for pitch: A comparative replication of Levitin’s 1994 study in six European labs

In a widely cited study, Levitin (1994) suggested the existence of absolute pitch memory for music in the general population beyond the rare trait of genuine absolute pitch (AP). In his sample, a significant proportion of non-AP possessors were able to reproduce absolute pitch levels when asked to sing very familiar pop songs from memory. Forty-four percent of participants sang the correct pitch on at least one of two trials, and 12% were correct on both trials. However, until now, no replication of this study has ever been published. The current paper presents the results of a large replication endeavour across six different labs in Germany and the UK. All labs used the same methodology, carefully replicating Levitin’s original experiment. In each lab, between 40 and 50 participants were tested (N = 277). Participants were asked to sing two different pop songs of their choice. All sung productions were compared to the original songs. Twenty-five percent of the participants sang the exact pitch of at least one of the two chosen songs and 4% hit the right pitches for both songs. Our results generally confirm the findings of Levitin (1994). However, the results differ considerably across laboratories, and the estimated overall effect using meta-analysis techniques was significantly smaller than Levitin’s original result. This illustrates the variability of empirical findings derived from small sample sizes and corroborates the need for replication and meta-analytical studies in music psychology in general.
Increased numbers of a characteristic type of reticular cell in the thymus and lymph nodes of leukemic mice: an electron microscope study.

A characteristic type of reticular cell, the dense reticular cell is described and illustrated by electron microscopy in the thymus and lymph nodes of mice. This cell is identified by its high nuclear and cytoplasmic density and by the presence of many ribosomes in its long, slender processes extending between lymphocytes (or thymocytes). The preservation of these processes requires special fixation procedures. Best results are obtained with Karnovsky's fixative, which combines paraformaldehyde and glutaraldehyde. Although the dense reticular cell shares some features with macrophages and epithelial reticular cells of the thymus, it should be recognized as a distinct cell because of its characteristic morphology and its occurrence not only in thymus but also in lymph nodes. Remarkably, the number of these cells, very low in normal tissue, is greatly increased in leukemic AKR mice.
Gay and Lesbian Subculture in Urban China

1. Opening-up to Gay and Lesbian Identities 2. The Problematics of Storytelling 3. Fieldwork: Filtering the Field 4. Speaking of Same-Sex Subjects in Urban China 5. The Gay Space in Chinese Cyberspace: Self-Censorship, Commercialisation and Misrepresentation 6. Modernity and Authenticity 7. Conclusion: The Internal Paradoxes in Beijing
Comparison of Direct and Indirect Matrix Converters in Induction Motor Drive

This paper compares space-vector modulated direct (DMC) and indirect (IMC) matrix converters supplying induction motor drives. In an ideal case DMC and IMC provide similar performance with identical control system but in real motor drives some differences in output voltages and power losses occur. This is caused by different main circuits, whose effects are increased by different commutation methods needed to provide safe operation in both cases. Thus the output voltages of the converters do not follow their references similarly but the effects of non-idealities are more severe in the IMC than in the DMC. In addition, the efficiency of the IMC is smaller than the efficiency of the DMC under most loading situations tested
UGT Xenobiotic metabolizing activity and genetic evolution in Pinniped species 1 2 Running title 3 UGT xenobiotic metabolism in

Right This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Toxicological Sciences following peer review. The version of record Kakehi Mayu, Ikenaka Yoshinori, Nakayama Shouta M. M. , Kawai Yusuke K. , Watanabe Kensuke P., Mizukawa Hazuki, Nomiyama Kei, Tanabe Shinsuke and Ishizuka Mayumi. Uridine Diphosphate-Glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) Xenobiotic Metabolizing Activity and Genetic Evolution in Pinniped Species. Toxicological Sciences, 147(2): 360369, 2015 is available online at: http://toxsci.oxfordjournals. org/content/147/2/360 Type article (author version) Additional Information There are other files related to this item in HUSCAP. Check the above URL. File Information Toxicol.Sci.v.147p. 360-369.pdf
Novel Genes Associated with Malignant Melanoma but not Benign Melanocytic Lesions

Purpose: Cutaneous melanoma is a common, aggressive cancer with increasing incidence. The identification of melanoma-specific deregulated genes could provide molecular markers for lymph node staging assays and further insight into melanoma tumorigenesis. Experimental Design: Total RNA isolated from 45 primary melanoma, 18 benign skin nevi, and 7 normal skin tissue specimens were analyzed on an Affymetrix Hu133A microarray containing 22,000 probe sets. Results: Hierarchical clustering revealed a distinct separation of the melanoma samples from the benign and normal specimens. Novel genes associated with malignant melanoma were identified. Differential gene expression of two melanoma-specific genes, PLAB and L1CAM, were tested by a one-step quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assay on primary malignant melanoma, benign nevi, and normal skin samples, as well as on malignant melanoma lymph node metastasis and melanoma-free lymph nodes. The performance of the markers was compared with conventional melanoma markers such as tyrosinase, gp100, and MART1. Conclusion: Our study systematically identified novel melanoma-specific genes and showed the feasibility of using a combination of PLAB and L1CAM in a reverse transcription-PCR assay to differentiate clinically relevant samples containing benign or malignant melanocytes.
Interdisciplinary research : case studies from health and social science

PART I: HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: THE SOCIAL WORLD AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH AND DISEASE 1. Domain Introduction 2. A Contemporary Perspective on Multilevel Analyses and Social Neuroscience 3. Risk of Hypertensive Heart Disease: The Joint Influence of Genetic and Behavioral Factors 4. Status, Stress, and Heart Disease: A Monkey's Tale PART II: MIND MATTERS: AFFECTIVE AND COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE 5. Domain Introduction 6. Affective Neuroscience: A Case for Interdisciplinary Research 7. Visual Mental Imagery: A Case Study in Interdisciplinary Research 8. Plasticity and Health: Social Influences on Gene Expression and Neural Development PART III: POSITIVE HEALTH: WHAT NOURISHES WHO FLOURISHES? 9. Domain Introduction 10. Thriving in the Face of Challenge: The Integrative Science of Human Resilience 11. Integrating Psychosocial Factors with Biology: The Role of Protective Factors in Trajectories of Health and Aging 12. Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Duke Experience PART IV: IN SEARCH OF METHUSELAH: POPULATION PERSPECTIVES ON HEALTH AND LONGEVITY 13. Domain Introduction 14. Social Resources and Health 15. A Journey through the Interdisciplinary Landscape of Biodemography PART V: A TALE OF TWO CITIES: PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF HIV/AIDS 16. Domain Introduction 17. Learning to Cope with HIV/AIDS 18. The Evolution of HIV Prevention in San Francisco: A Multidisciplinary Model Closing Commentary: Fostering Interdisciplinary Research: The Way Forward