Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Information sharing and decision-making in multidisciplinary crisis management teams

Multidisciplinary crisis management teams consist of highly experienced professionals who combine their discipline‐specific expertise in order to respond to critical situations characterized by high levels of uncertainty, complexity, and dynamism. Although the existing literatures on team information processing and decision‐making are mature, research specifically investigating multidisciplinary teams facing crisis situations is limited; however, given increasingly turbulent external environments that produce complex crisis situations, increasing numbers of organizations are likely to call upon multidisciplinary teams to address such events. In this paper, we investigate information processing and decision‐making behaviors in an exploratory study of 12 organizational multidisciplinary crisis management teams. We identify three types of information sharing and track the emergence of distinct communicative phases as well as differences between high‐ and low‐performing teams in the occurrence of sequences of information sharing behaviors. We close by discussing implications for research in this area and for managers of crisis management teams.
A Descriptive Analysis of Noise in Classrooms across the U.S. and Canada for Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Sound levels and acoustic characteristic information was obtained in classrooms serving children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) in grades K-2 in a variety of settings across the United States and Canada. Sound levels were easily measured using iPads, and acoustic characteristics were documented. Noise levels exceeded the American National Standards Institute standard for all 38 unoccupied classrooms. Classrooms in general education settings were significantly quieter than classrooms where children who are DHH received separate instruction, although significant differences did not emerge for occupied classrooms. Remote microphone technologies (such as personal-worn FM/DM systems or classroom sound field systems) were used significantly more in general education than separate instruction classrooms. Results indicated an unfavorable environment for children who are DHH to successfully access spoken language communication. This information about classroom noise levels, combined with knowledge of standards, acoustic characteristics, and sound abatement strategies is essential for parents, teachers, and administrators to secure acoustically favorable classrooms for children who are DHH.
Alveolar macrophage–derived type I interferons orchestrate innate immunity to RSV through recruitment of antiviral monocytes

Goritzka et al. describe a role for recruited inflammatory monocytes in antiviral immunity and protection from RSV infection in mice. The authors demonstrate that this is critically dependent on the production of type I IFNs by alveolar macrophages triggered via RIG-I–like receptors, thus highlighting an important cell-extrinsic mechanism of type I IFN–mediated antiviral activity.
MayBMS: a probabilistic database management system

MayBMS is a state-of-the-art probabilistic database management system which leverages the strengths of previous database research for achieving scalability. As a proof of concept for its ease of use, we have built on top of MayBMS a Web-based application that offers NBA-related information based on what-if analysis of team dynamics using data available at www.nba. com.
Summarizing News Clusters on the Basis of Thematic Chains

In this paper we consider a method for extraction of sets of semantically similar language expressions representing different partici-pants of the text story ― thematic chains. The method is based on the structural organization of news clusters and exploits comparison of various contexts of words. The word contexts are used as a basis for extracting multiword expressions and constructing thematic chains. The main difference of thematic chains in comparison with lexical chains is the basic principle of their construction: thematic chains are intended to model different participants (concrete or abstract) of the situation described in the analyzed texts, what means that elements of the same thematic chain cannot often co-occur in the same sentences of the texts under consideration. We evaluate our method on the multi-document summarization task
Resource usage prediction for application-layer multicast networks

We propose a memory and CPU usage prediction model for application-layer multicast networks. The predicted values are used in the distribution of end-hosts to overlay-hosts. Such a distribution enables us to limit the maximum resource consumption for a given node, leading to an efficient utilization of overlay-hosts and, finally, to an increased overall performance of the system. The model parameters are determined using training sets gathered from measuring resource consumption while distributing end-hosts to overlay-hosts. Both end-hosts and overlay-hosts are running on PlanetLab nodes, a testbed that provides researchers a real environment where nodes can become unreachable, network bandwidth can fluctuate and node processing capabilities can drop dramatically. Using the determined parameters, we show that our proposal can be used to estimate memory and CPU usage and to efficiently distribute end-hosts to overlay-hosts.
Improving generalization for gender classification

This paper addresses the problem of improving the generalization ability for gender classification. An approach based on Fuzzy SVM (FSVM) is developed to improve it. The fuzzy membership used in FSVM indicates the degree of one person's face belonging to female/male faces. Based on Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ) learning process, a novel method of generating fuzzy membership function automatically is proposed in this paper. The method doesn't rely on the apriori information of data and generates the membership function as objective as may be. The gender classifier based on FSVM is evaluated on the FERET, CAS- PEAL, BUAA-IRIP face databases. The results show that the gender classifier presented in this paper can tolerate more variations such as illumination, expression and pose and show good performance in generalization ability.
SPITZER OBSERVATIONS OF L429: A NEAR-COLLAPSE OR COLLAPSING STARLESS CORE

We present Spitzer infrared (IR) observations of the starless core L429. The IR images of this core show an absorption feature, caused by the dense core material, at wavelengths ⩽ 70 μ. The core has a steep density profile, and reaches AV > 35 mag near the center. We show that L429 is either collapsing or in a near-collapse state.
At least two mechanisms are involved in the death of retinal ganglion cells following target ablation in neonatal rats

Removal of the superior colliculus (SC) in neonatal Wistar rats results in a rapid loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). There is an early twofold increase in RGC death 4–8 hr postlesion (PL) followed by a later 10–11-fold increase in pyknosis about 24 hr PL. We have now used neurotrophic factors (BDNF, NT-4/5, NT-3, NGF, LIF), glutamate receptor antagonists (MK-801, DNQX, CNQX), an antioxidant (N-ace-tyl-L- cysteine), and an NOS inhibitor (L-NAME) to determine whether the early and late phases of lesion-induced RGC death involved similar or different mechanisms. Normal and pyknotic nuclei of tectally projecting RGCs were visualized by injecting the left s.c. of 2 d old rats with diamidino yellow (DY). Two days later the injection site was removed. In most rats, right eyes were injected with factors immediately after the s.c. ablation. Rats were perfused either 6 or 24 hr PL. In the latter group a second intravitreal injection of the appropriate factor was sometimes made 12 hr PL. NT- 4/5 and BDNF significantly decreased RGC pyknosis 6 and 24 hr PL, whereas NT-3 was only protective 6 hr PL. LIF slightly reduced RGC death 24 hr PL, but NGF had no influence on RGC survival at either time point. NT-4/5 also reduced the rate of naturally occurring RGC death. MK-801, DNQX, CNQX, N-acetylcysteine, and L-NAME all prevented the early lesion-induced increase in RGC death but had no significant effect on RGC death measured 24 hr PL; none of these factors significantly reduced the rate of naturally occuring RGC death. Cycloheximide, shown previously to reduce RGC pyknosis 24 hr PL, did not prevent RGC death 6 hr PL. The data indicate that there are at least two mechanisms involved in RGC death after neonatal target ablation. The early increase is related to excitotoxic effects mediated by glutamate receptors and involves NOS and the production of free radicals. We found no evidence that RGC death measured 24 hr PL is dependent on these processes, but the later death does require protein synthesis and, most likely, the activation of an endogenous suicide program. NT-4/5 and BDNF protected RGCs from both types of lesion- induced death.
A backbone-search heuristic for efficient solving of hard 3-SAT formulae

Of late, new insight into the study of random k-SAT formulae has been gained from the introduction of a concept inspired by models of physics, the ‘backbone’ of a SAT formula which corresponds to the variables having a fixed truth value in all assignments satisfying the maximum number of clauses. In the present paper, we show that this concept, already invaluable from a theoretical viewpoint in the study of the satisfiability transition, can also play an important role in the design of efficient DPL-type algorithms for solving hard random k-SAT formulae and more specifically 3-SAT formulae. We define a heuristic search for variables belonging to the backbone of a 3-SAT formula which are chosen as branch nodes for the tree developed by a DPL-type procedure. We give in addition a simple technique to magnify the effect of the heuristic. Implementation yields DPL-type algorithms with a significant performance improvement over the best current algorithms, making it possible to handle unsatisfiable hard 3-SAT formulae up to 700 variables.
Phase I Trial of an Alhydrogel Adjuvanted Hepatitis B Core Virus-Like Particle Containing Epitopes of Plasmodium falciparum Circumsporozoite Protein

The objectives of this non-randomized, non-blinded, dose-escalating Phase I clinical trial were to assess the safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity of ICC-1132 formulated with Alhydrogel (aluminum hydroxide) in 51 healthy, malaria-naive adults aged 18 to 45 years. ICC-1132 (Malariavax) is a recombinant, virus-like particle malaria vaccine comprised of hepatitis core antigen engineered to express the central repeat regions from Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein containing an immunodominant B [(NANP)3] epitope, an HLA-restricted CD4 (NANPNVDPNANP) epitope and a universal T cell epitope (T*) (amino acids 326—345, NF54 isolate). We assessed an Alhydrogel (aluminum hydroxide)-adjuvanted vaccine formulation at three ICC-1132 dose levels, each injected intramuscularly (1.0 mL) on study days 0, 56 and 168. A saline vaccine formulation was found to be unstable after prolonged storage and this formulation was subsequently removed from the study. Thirty-two volunteers were followed for one year. Local and systemic adverse clinical events were measured and immune responses to P. falciparum and hepatitis B virus core antigens were determined utilizing the following assays: IgG and IgM ELISA, indirect immunofluorescence against P. falciparum sporozoites, circumsporozoite precipitin (CSP) and transgenic sporozoite neutralization assays. Cellular responses were measured by proliferation and IL-2 assays. Local and systemic reactions were similarly mild and well tolerated between dose cohorts. Depending on the ICC-1132 vaccine concentration, 95 to 100% of volunteers developed antibody responses to the ICC-1132 immunogen and HBc after two injections; however, only 29—75% and 29—63% of volunteers, respectively, developed malaria-specific responses measured by the malaria repeat synthetic peptide ELISA and IFA; 2 of 8 volunteers had positive reactions in the CSP assay. Maximal transgenic sporozoite neutralization assay inhibition was 54%. Forty-seven to seventy-five percent demonstrated T cell proliferation in response to ICC-1132 or to recombinant circumsporozoite protein (rCS) NF-54 isolate. This candidate malaria vaccine was well tolerated, but the vaccine formulation was poorly immunogenic. The vaccine may benefit from a more powerful adjuvant to improve immunogenicity. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00587249
Errata Preface Recent Advances in Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning

Decision Making, Guest Edited by Xi-Ren Cao. The Publisher offers an apology for printing an incorrect version of the paper in the special issue and renders this paper as the true and correct paper. Abstract. Reinforcement learning is bedeviled by the curse of dimensionality: the number of parameters to be learned grows exponentially with the size of any compact encoding of a state. Recent attempts to combat the curse of dimensionality have turned to principled ways of exploiting temporal abstraction, where decisions are not required at each step, but rather invoke the execution of temporally-extended activities which follow their own policies until termination. This leads naturally to hierarchical control architectures and associated learning algorithms. We review several approaches to temporal abstraction and hierarchical organization that machine learning researchers have recently developed. Common to these approaches is a reliance on the theory of semi-Markov decision processes, which we emphasize in our review. We then discuss extensions of these ideas to concurrent activities, multiagent coordination, and hierarchical memory for addressing partial observability. Concluding remarks address open challenges facing the further development of reinforcement learning in a hierarchical setting.
Canonical ensemble approach to graded-response perceptrons

Perceptrons with graded input-output relations and a limited output precision are studied within the Gardner-Derrida canonical ensemble approach. Soft non-negative error measures are introduced allowing for extended retrieval properties. In particular, the performance of these systems for a linear (quadratic) error measure, corresponding to the perceptron (adaline) learning algorithm, is compared with the performance for a rigid error measure, simply counting the number of errors. Replica-symmetry-breaking effects are evaluated, and the analytic results are compared with numerical simulations.
NewsRec, a SVM-driven Personal Recommendation System for News Websites

Fast absorption of information is a necessity for modern information workers. In the short-lived news area, information is a perishable good. While online news websites can speed up the publication of current events compared to traditional newspapers, reading can be more exhausting as online readers have to navigate through websites by clicking on abstracts or headlines before viewing the underlying article. Online shops use personalization methods in order to improve product selection. So far, most types of personalization are offered by website owners and are therefore bound to a specific website. This work presents NewsRec, a client side personal recommendation system for news websites, that supports information workers during their usage of online news websites. Design aspects are discussed and empirical results are shown.
Towards increasing diversity for the relaying of LT Fountain Codes in Wireless Sensor Networks

Diversity is a powerful means to increase the transmission performance of wireless communications. For the case of fountain codes relaying, it has been shown previously that introducing diversity is also beneficial since it counteracts transmission losses on the channel. Instead of simply hop-by-hop forwarding information, each sensor node diversifies the information flow using XOR combinations of stored packets. This approach has been shown to be efficient for random linear fountain codes. However, random linear codes exhibit high decoding complexity. In this paper, we propose diversity increased relaying strategies for the more realistic Luby Transform code in order to maintain high transmission performance with low decoding computational complexity in a linear network. Results are provided herein for a linear network assuming uniform imperfect channel states.
Using the UML Profile for MARTE to MPSoC Co-Design

The increasing amount of hardware resources in next generation MultiProcessor Systems-on-Chip (MPSoC) calls for efficient design methodologies and tools to reduce their development complexity. This paper presents a candidate MPSoC design environment Gaspard2, which uses the MARTE (Modeling and Analysis of Real-Time and Embedded systems) standard profile for high-level system specification. Gaspard2 adopts a methodology based on ModelDriven Engineering. It promotes separation of concerns, reusability and automatic model refinement from higher abstraction levels to executable descriptions.
Flow and temperature control for an innovative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy equipment

Nowadays cytoreductive surgery followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) represents a standard treatment for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis, a final stage of abdominal cancer. HIPEC requires the use of an equipment that delivers the cytostatic solution inside the peritoneal cavity at high temperature of 41°C-43°C. In this paper the authors present a temperature control structure for an innovative HIPEC equipment, that is under development. A discrete Internal Model Controller is designed for the cytostatic solution's temperature control. Due to the fact that the heating process depends on the time the solution spends inside the heating element a feed-forward control structure in respect to the solution flow is also analyzed.
The parallelisation of the object-oriented simulation language Pearl

Preface This thesis describes the results of my graduation research project, which I started in September 1992 at the Computer Systems department of the University of Amsterdam. In this project, Parallel Discrete Event Simulation has been examined. More specificly, research has been done in order to gain insight with respect to the realizability of a parallel version of the simulation language Pearl. I have performed this project with much pleasure, since the subject is very appealing to me. Parallel discrete event simulation is a challenging area of research due to the many, but interesting, problems it is struggling with. Acknowledgements I would like to thank Benno Overeinder and Henk Muller for supervising this project and giving me very useful feedback. They also did an excellent job in producing valuable comments on this thesis. Furthermore, I would like to express my gratitude to all my fellow students who supported me during my study and made the path to graduation less awkward. I thank Nienke Gijsen for being a great project-buddy and for introducing me to the secrets of Pearl. Thanks go to Erik van Roode, Stefan Sinnige and Bram Stolk for giving comments on a preliminary version of this thesis. A big hug is for my beloved Caroline for reminding me from time to time that there exists life without computers. Last but certainly not least, I want to thank my family for giving me full support during my study.
Optimization of transrenal DNA analysis: detection of fetal DNA in maternal urine.

BACKGROUND Fragments of DNA from cells dying throughout the body are detectable in urine (transrenal DNA, or Tr-DNA). Our goal was the optimization of Tr-DNA isolation and detection techniques, using as a model the analysis of fetal DNA in maternal urine. METHODS We isolated urinary DNA using a traditional silica-based method and using a new technique based on adsorption of cell-free nucleic acids on Q-Sepharose resin. The presence of Y chromosome-specific SRY (sex-determining region Y) sequences in urine of pregnant women was detected by conventional and real-time PCR using primers/probe sets designed for 25-, 39-, 65-, and 88-bp PCR targets. RESULTS Method of DNA isolation and PCR target size affected fetal Tr-DNA detection. Assay diagnostic sensitivity increases as the PCR target is shortened. Shorter DNA fragments (50-150 bp) could be isolated by Q-resin-based technique, which also facilitated fetal Tr-DNA analysis. Using DNA isolated by Q-resin-based method and an "ultrashort" DNA target, we successfully detected SRY sequences in 78 of 82 urine samples from women pregnant with male fetuses (positive predictive value 87.6%). Eleven of 91 urine samples from women pregnant with female fetuses produced SRY false-positive results (negative predictive value 95.2%). CONCLUSIONS Single-copy fetal DNA sequences can be successfully detected in the urine of pregnant women when adequate methods for DNA isolation and analysis are applied. Strong precautions against sample contamination with male cells and DNA are necessary to avoid false-positive results.
Tolyporphin: a natural product from cyanobacteria with potent photosensitizing activity against tumor cells in vitro and in vivo.

Tolyporphin (TP), a porphyrin extracted from cyanobacteria, was found to be a very potent photosensitizer of EMT-6 tumor cells grown both in vitro as suspensions or monolayers and in vivo in tumors implanted on the backs of C.B17/Icr severe combined immunodeficient mice. Thus, during photodynamic treatment (PDT) of EMT-6 tumor cells in vitro, the photokilling effectiveness of TP measured as the product of the reciprocal of D50 (the light dose necessary to kill 50% of cells) and the concentration of TP is approximately 5000 times higher than that of Photofrin II (PII), the only PDT photosensitizer thus far approved for clinical trials. TP almost exclusively localizes in the perinuclear region and specifically in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), as shown by microspectrofluorometry on single living EMT-6 cells costained with the ER and/or Golgi fluorescent vital probes, 3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide and N-[4,4-difluoro-(5,7-dimethyl-BODIPY)-1-pentanoyl]-D-erythro-sphin gosine (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR). As a result, the singlet oxygen-mediated photodynamic activity of TP induces an effective inactivation of the acyl CoA:cholesterol-O-acyltransferase, a sensitive marker of ER membrane integrity and alterations of the nuclear membrane. In vivo, with the EMT-6 mouse tumor model, an exceptional effectiveness is also observed as compared to that of PII and other second generation photosensitizers of the pheophorbide class, which are themselves much more potent than PII. The outstanding PDT activity of TP observed in vivo may be due to its unique biodistribution properties, in particular much less extraction by the liver, resulting in a higher delivery to other tissues, including tumor.
Using genetic programming to synthesize monotonic stochastic processes

The automatic synthesis of stochastic concurrent processes is investigated. We use genetic programming to automatically evolve a set of stochasdtic π-calculus expressions that generate execution behaviour conforming to some supplied target behaviour. We model the stochastic π-calculus in a grammatically-guided genetic programming system, and we use an efficient interpreter based on the SPIM abstract machine model by Phillips and Cardelli. The behaviours of target systems are modelled as streams of numerical time series for different variables of interest. We were able to successfully evolve stochastic π-calculus systems that exhibited the target behaviors. Successful experiments considered target processes with continuous monotonic behaviours.