Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A study of evaluation order semantics in expressions with side effects

The presence of side effects in even a very simple language of expressions gives rise to a number of semantic questions. The issue of evaluation order becomes a crucial one and, unless a specific order is enforced, the language becomes non-deterministic. In this paper we study the denotational semantics of such a language under a variety of possible evaluation strategies, from simpler to more complex, concluding with unspecified evaluation order, unspecified order of side effects and the mechanism of sequence points that is particular to the ANSI C programming language. In doing so, we adopt a dialect of Haskell as a metalanguage, instead of mathematical notation, and use monads and monad transformers to improve modularity. In this way, only small modifications are required for each transition. The result is a better understanding of different evaluation strategies and a unified way of specifying their semantics. Furthermore, a significant step is achieved towards a complete and accurate semantics for ANSI C.
Subobject detection through spatial relationships on mobile phones

We present a novel image classification technique for detecting multiple objects (called subobjects) in a single image. In addition to image classifiers, we apply spatial relationships among the subobjects to verify and to predict the locations of detected and undetected subobjects, respectively. By continuously refining the spatial relationships throughout the detection process, even locations of completely occluded exhibits can be determined. This approach is applied in the context of PhoneGuide, an adaptive museum guidance system for camera-equipped mobile phones. Laboratory tests as well as a field experiment reveal recognition rates and performance improvements when compared to related approaches.
Modeling innovation: Determinants of innovativeness and the impact of innovation on firm performance

The objective of this paper is to report on the method, analysis, and conclusions concerning two research questions formulated as: <i>What</i> <i>are</i> <i>the</i> <i>determinants</i> <i>of</i> <i>innovation</i> <i>at</i> <i>firm</i> <i>level? rdquo</i> <i>and</i> <i>ldquowhat</i> <i>is</i> <i>the</i> <i>impact</i> <i>of</i> <i>innovation</i> <i>on</i> <i>firm</i> <i>performance? rdquo</i> The results are based on an empirical study covering 184 manufacturing firms in the Northern Marmara region within Turkey. A comprehensive and integrated innovation model is presented composed of two sub-models proposed in line with the two research questions posed. Results and conclusions are presented.
Trade Exposure, Fragmentation, and Labor Market Flows

Statistics on production fragmentation based on input-output tables suggest that production methods changed in tandem with exposure to foreign competition. At the same time, OECD-labor markets have witnessed major disruptions. The paper proposes a model of endogenous fragmentation in which technology implementation is associated with spill-over effects. This trade-induced technical change goes along with labor flows in excess of net sectoral employment changes. The model can also account for a number of stylized facts of OECD-labor markets, including the bimodal growth of high and low-skilled services employment, and the recent concentration of demand for skill in management and business-service occupations.
A Picture Paints a Thousand Words but Can it Paint Just One?

Imagery and language are often seen as serving different aspects of cognition, with cognitive styles theories proposing that people can be visual or verbal thinkers. Most feedback systems, however, only cater to verbal thinkers. To help rectify this, we have developed a novel method of crowd communication which appeals to those more visual people. Designers can ask a crowd to feedback on their designs using specially constructed image banks to discover the perceptual and emotional theme perceived by possible future customers. A major component of the method is a summarization process in which the crowd's feedback, consisting of a mass of images, is presented to the designer as a digest of representative images. In this paper we describe an experiment showing that these image summaries are as effective as the full image selections at communicating terms. This means that designers can consume the new feedback confident that it represents a fair representation of the total image feedback from the crowd.
Color Vision for Road Following

At Camegie Mellon University, we have two new vision systems for outdoor road following. The first system, called SCARF (Supervised Classification Applied to Road Following), is designed to be fast and robust when the vehicle is running in both sunshine and shadows under constant illumination. The second system, UNSCARF (UNSupervised Classification Applied to Road Following), is slower, but provides good results even if the sun is alternately covered by clouds or uncovered. SCARF incorporates our results h m our previous experience with road hacking by supervised classification. It is an adaptive supervised classification scheme using color data from two cameras to form a new six dimensional color space. The road is localized by a Hough space technique. SCARF is specifically designed for fast implementation on the WARP supercomputer, an experimental parallel architecture developed at Carnegie Mellon. UNSCARF uses an unsupervised classification algorithm to group the pixels in the image into regions. The road is detected by fmding the set of regions which, grouped together, best match the road shape. UNSCARF can be expanded easily to perform unsupervised classification on any number of features. and to use any combination of constraints to select the best combination of regions. The basic unsupervised classification segmentation will also have applications outside the realm of road following.
Molecular Demonstration of Hemotropic Mycoplasmas in Wild Japanese Monkeys (Macaca fuscata)

ABSTRACT The prevalence of hemotropic mycoplasmas in wild monkeys is largely unknown. Here, we report the presence of hemoplasmas in blood specimens collected from wild Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) tentatively captured for ecological survey in Mie prefecture, Japan. We examined 9 monkeys using hemoplasma-specific real-time PCR and found all of them positive for a hemoplasma infection. The 16S rRNA gene and 16S to 23S rRNA intergenic spacer region of the hemoplasma detected in wild monkeys were amplified using end-point PCR. The nucleotide sequences of the PCR products were further determined and compared to those of other hemoplasmas. Our examinations revealed a wide prevalence of a hemoplasma strain in Japanese monkeys, which was similar to ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemomacaque’ reported in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Pathogenic traits of this hemoplasma strain remain unexplored.
TD-Gammon, a Self-Teaching Backgammon Program, Achieves Master-Level Play

TD-Gammon is a neural network that is able to teach itself to play backgammon solely by playing against itself and learning from the results, based on the TD() reinforcement learning algorithm (Sutton 1988). Despite starting from random initial weights (and hence random initial strategy), TD-Gammon achieves a surprisingly strong level of play. With zero knowledge built in at the start of learning (i.e., given only a raw description of the board state), the network learns to play at a strong intermediate level. Furthermore, when a set of hand-crafted features is added to the network's input representation, the result is a truly staggering level of performance: the latest version of TD-Gammon is now estimated to play at a strong master level that is extremely close to the world's best human players.
Integrating physics-based prediction with Semantic plan Execution Monitoring

Real-world robotic systems have to perform reliably in uncertain and dynamic environments. State-of-the-art cognitive robotic systems use an abstract symbolic representation of the real world for high-level reasoning. Some aspects of the world, such as object dynamics, are inherently difficult to capture in an abstract symbolic form, yet they influence whether the executed action will succeed or fail. This paper presents an integrated system that uses a physics-based simulation to predict robot action results and durations, combined with a Hierarchical Task Network (HTN) planner and semantic execution monitoring. We describe a fully integrated system in which a Semantic Execution Monitor (SEM) uses information from the planning domain to perform functional imagination. Based on information obtained from functional imagination, the robot control system decides whether it is necessary to adapt the plan currently being executed. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate a PR2 able to carry tall objects on a tray without the objects toppling. Our approach achieves this by simulating robot and object dynamics. A validation shows that robot action results in simulation can be transferred to the real world. The system improves on state-of-the-art AI plan-based systems by feeding simulated prediction results back into the execution system.
A quantitative measurement of the dependence of short-term synaptic enhancement on presynaptic residual calcium

We simultaneously measured presynaptic free calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) and synaptic strength at the crayfish claw opener neuromuscular junction (nmj) under a variety of experimental conditions. Our experiments were designed both to test the hypothesis that elevated [Ca2+]i is necessary and sufficient for the induction of a form of synaptic enhancement that persists for several seconds after tetanic stimulation--augmentation--and to determine the quantitative relationship between elevated [Ca2+]i and this enhancement. Action potential trains increased [Ca2+]i and enhanced transmission. During the decay phase of synaptic enhancement known as augmentation (time constant of decay approximately 7 sec at 20 degrees C with < 200 microM fura-2 in terminals), [Ca2+]i was elevated 700 nM or less above rest and an essentially linear relationship between [Ca2+]i and enhancement was observed. Introduction of exogenous Ca2+ buffers into the presynaptic terminal slowed the buildup and recovery kinetics of both [Ca2+]i and the component of synaptic enhancement corresponding to augmentation. The slope of the relationship relating delta [Ca2+]i to augmentation was not changed. The time course of augmentation and recovery of [Ca2+]i remained correlated as the temperature of the preparation was changed from about 10 degrees C to 20 degrees C, but the quantitative relationship of enhancement to [Ca2+]i was increased more than two- to threefold. During moderate frequency trains of action potentials, a slowly developing component of the total synaptic enhancement was approximately linearly related to residual [Ca2+]i measured with fura-2. The quantitative relationship between [Ca2+]i and this component of synaptic enhancement during trains was the same as that during synaptic augmentation after trains. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fault-tolerant implementation of a distributed MLE-based time synchronization protocol for wireless sensor networks

This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of R4Syn protocol on MICAz platform and TinyOS operating system. The contribution is two folds. First, the implementation uses thorough maximum-likelihood estimators (MLE) in the joint offset/skew model, while all similar MLEbased estimators are merely evaluated with theoretical and numerical analysis thus far, and empirical solutions use simple computation estimators, such as offset-only models, or linear regression for skew estimation. Difficulties that has been encountered and overcome are reported in this paper. The second contribution is to consider fault-tolerance, an aspect that has been completely abstracted in previous works. The implementation assures correct behavior despite nodes failure or packet loss, as demonstrated by the experiments. Experimental results also demonstrate microsecond-level precision and long-term validity of the estimators in the joint skew/offset model.
Modeling with the Trace Norm

We have two goals: (1) to find a low-dimensional representation of text that allows generalization to unseen data, and (2) to group documents according to their similarities. Clearly these tasks are related—similar documents can be represented more compactly than dissimilar documents and vice versa. First, we discuss a model for text that smoothly penalizes the rank of the parameter matrix. Then, we discuss how to apply this model to clustering.
Evolving Protected-Area Impacts in Mexico: Political Shifts as Suggested by Impact Evaluations

For protected areas (PAs), variation in forest impacts over space—including types of PA—are increasingly well documented, while shifts in impacts over time receive less attention. For Mexico, in the 1990s, PAs effectively were ‘paper parks’. Thus, achieving impacts on the forest would require shifts over time in the politics of PA siting and PA implementation. We rigorously analyze the impacts of Mexican PAs on 2000–2005 loss of natural land cover, using matching to reduce location bias caused by typical land-use economics and politics. We find a 3.2% lower loss, on average, due to PAs. Since politics often vary by type of PA, we also show that in Mexico stricter PAs are closer to cities and have greater impact than mixed-use PAs. These shifts in impacts suggest some potential for PAs to conserve forests.
Algorithme d'exclusion mutuelle pour les GRID : une approche hiérarchique

Actuellement, la majorite des algorithmes d’exclusion mutuelle ne sont pas adaptes aux architectures de type Grille de Calcul (GRID). Nous proposons, dans cet article, deux algorithmes d’exclusion mutuelle distribuee optimise pour ce contexte. Ces algorithmes sont des extensions de l’algorithme a jeton de Naimi-Trehel, qui prennent en compte la dissymetrie entre les communications inter et intra-cluster. Le premier de nos algorithmes permet d’exploiter la localite dans les cluster en donnant une plus grande priorite au demande issue d’un meme cluster. Le second ajoute une couche de routeur a notre premier algorithme, se qui permet de minimiser les communications entre les clusters. Cet article est conclu par une evaluation de performances permettant de confirmer les avantages de notre approche.
Studies on the transcription, translation, and structure of alpha- actinin in Dictyostelium discoideum

A clone coding for the F-actin cross-linking protein alpha-actinin was obtained by screening a genomic library of Dictyostelium discoideum DNA in lambda gt11 with monoclonal antibodies specific for Dictyostelium alpha-actinin. The 1.2-kilobase (kb) genomic clone was confirmed as containing part of the alpha-actinin gene by comparing its nucleotide sequence with the amino acid sequence of tryptic peptides from purified alpha-actinin. The clone recognized a 3.0-kb message in a Northern blot. Hybridization to RNA isolated from different developmental stages of several D. discoideum strains indicated that the mRNA content increased during early development. A similar result was obtained when the alpha-actinin content of the cells was followed by Western blot analysis. Hybridization of the clone to DNA from different wild-type strains of D. discoideum indicated a polymorphism on the DNA level that coincided with a polymorphism on the protein level. The data suggest continuous transcription of the alpha-actinin gene throughout the development of D. discoideum, up- and down-regulation of the levels of alpha-actinin mRNA and protein with maximum levels at the onset of aggregation, and a high diversity of alpha-actinin at the DNA and protein level among different D. discoideum strains. The structural data make it conceivable that the highly conserved nature of alpha- actinin resides only at the functional sites, whereas the helical portions of the alpha-actinin molecule allow a higher level of diversity throughout evolution.
ROAD EXTRACTION IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS

An approach for automatic road extraction from digital aerial imagery is presented. The extraction is based on a semantic model for roads. The images are divided into different so-called “global contexts”: rural, forest, and urban. Different parts of the road model and different strategies are used in the different global contexts. In rural areas, a multi-scale approach is employed to find initial hypotheses for roadsides, which are then grouped into road segments using local context knowledge. In urban areas, road markings and DEM information are used to extract road segments. In addition to the local grouping, road segments are selected and linked into a global road network. An external evaluation shows the high quality of the results that are obtainable automatically with the proposed approach.
Integrating contents and structure in text retrieval

The purpose of a textual database is to store textual documents. These documents have not only textual contents, but also structure. Many traditional text database systems have focused only on querying by contents or by structure. Recently, a number of models integrating both types of queries have appeared. We argue in favor of that integration, and focus our attention on these recent models, covering a representative sampling of the proposals in the field. We pay special attention to the tradeoffs between expressiveness and efficiency, showing the compromises taken by the models. We argue in favor of achieving a good compromise, since being weak in any of these two aspects makes the model useless for many applications.
GPS Receiver Architecture Effects on Controlled Reception Pattern Antennas for JPALS

Stanford University is developing a controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA) array with beamsteering/adaptive-null-forming capabilities as part of a research testbed to evaluate CRPA algorithms and software tools, and their effects on GPS signals and satellite tracking performance. The correlation power peak ratio (CPPR), defined as the ratio of the largest correlation peak to the next-highest peak (more than 1chip away), is used to evaluate tradeoffs between characteristics of multi-element GPS antenna systems. Based on this signal-quality-based metric, a trade-space was identified and simulations were developed to evaluate trades in front-end architecture for the steered-beam testbed. Specifically, the order of beam-forming and correlation operations was found to not introduce appreciable differences in the CPPR. However, the number of analog-to-digital (A/D) quantization levels and the A/D converter (ADC) dynamic range vs. signal amplitude (e.g., the signal variance for white-noisedominated signals) would cause changes in the CPPR – signals were degraded for fewer numbers of A/D quantization bits (most notably for a 1-bit ADC) and for sub-optimal ADC dynamic range. The conclusion was that the CRPA front-end hardware and A/D conversion plan are feasible with integrated components and postcorrelation beam-forming, even given the limitations in sampling frequency and numbers of A/D quantization levels in off-the-shelf components. Finally, a further program of numerical simulations is proposed which will lead to additional system design improvements and development of a software-defined radio.
Novel intronic microRNA represses zebrafish myf5 promoter activity through silencing dickkopf-3 gene

A strong, negative cis-element located at the first intron +502/+835 (I300) of zebrafish myf5 has been reported. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying this repression network, we microinjected zebrafish single-cell embryos with I300 RNA, resulting in the dramatic reduction of luciferase activity driven by the myf5 promoter. Within this I300 segment, we identified an intronic microRNA (miR-In300) located at +609/+632 and found that it was more highly expressed in the older mature somites than those newly formed, which negatively correlated with the distribution of zebrafish myf5 transcripts. We proved that miR-In300 suppressed the transcription of myf5 through abolishing myf5 promoter activity, and we subsequently identified the long isoform of the Dickkopf-3 gene (dkk3) as the target gene of miR-In300. We further found that injection of the dkk3-morpholinos (MOs) resulted in downregulation of myf5 transcripts in somites, whereas co-injection of myf5 mRNA with dkk3-MO1 enabled rescue of the defects induced by dkk3-MO1 alone. Finally, injection of miR-In300-MO enhanced both myf5 transcripts in somites and the level of Dkk3 protein in zebrafish embryos. Based on these findings, we concluded that miR-In300 binds to its target gene dkk3, which inhibits the translation of dkk3 mRNA and, in turn, suppresses zebrafish myf5 promoter activity.
Perceived Maintenance Load of High Maintenance Information Systems: Conceptualization and Development

The purpose of this study is to present a new construct perceived maintenance load (PML) – which captures the users’ perceptions of maintenance load associated with using a High Maintenance Information Systems (HMIS). HMIS is a class of information systems that requires an ongoing maintenance effort to maintain the system in order to continuously derive its benefits. To develop the PML construct, the procedure recommended by Lewis et al. (2005) will be followed. This work-inprogress paper presents the first-stage results of this methodology only. The purpose and importance of the PML construct is specified and the conceptual definition of PML, which draws on the concepts of mental workload and rumination theories, is developed. Plans for future research are outlined.
Parameters associated with persistent airflow obstruction in chronic severe asthma

The significance of severe airflow obstruction in severe asthma is unclear. The current study determined whether severe airflow obstruction is related to inflammatory or structural changes in the airways. Patients with severe asthma from a tertiary referral clinic were divided into two groups according to their postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1): severe persistent airflow limitation (FEV1 <50% predicted; group S; n=37) and no obstruction (FEV1 >80% pred; group N; n=29). Smoking history, atopic status, lung function tests, exhaled NO, blood eosinophil count, quality of life scores using St George's Respiratory Questionnaire and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the lungs were assessed. Patients from group S were older and had longer disease duration. There was no difference in smoking history, atopic status, hospital admissions, quality of life scores and amount of treatment with inhaled or oral corticosteroids. Exhaled NO and peripheral blood eosinophils were higher in group S (21.0±2.4 versus 12.8±2.3 ppb; 0.41±0.06 versus 0.15±0.03×109cells·L−1, respectively). HRCT scores for bronchial wall thickening and dilatation were higher in group S with no differences in air trapping. Peripheral blood eosinophilia and bronchial wall thickening on HRCT scan were the only parameters significantly and independently associated with persistent airflow obstruction. Patients with severe asthma and irreversible airflow obstruction had longer disease duration, a greater inflammatory process and more high resolution computed tomography airway abnormalities suggestive of airway remodelling, despite being on similar treatments and experiencing equivalent impairment in quality of life.
§ German Compounds § Decompounding German words

Compounded words are a challenge for NLP applications such as machine translation (MT). We introduce methods to learn splitting rules from monolingual and parallel corpora. We evaluate them against a gold standard and measure their impact on performance of statistical MT systems. Results show accuracy of 99.1% and performance gains for MT of 0.039 BLEU on a German-English noun phrase translation task.