Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Largest Similar Copies of Convex Polygons in Polygonal Domains

Given a convex polygon with k vertices and a polygonal domain consisting of polygonal obstacles with n vertices in total in the plane, we study the optimization problem of finding a largest similar copy of the polygon that can be placed in the polygonal domain without intersecting the obstacles. We present an upper bound O ( k 2 n 2 λ 4 ( k )) on the number of combinatorial changes occurred to the underlying structure during the rotation of the polygon, together with an O ( k 2 n 2 λ 4 ( k ) log n )-time deterministic algorithm for the problem. This improves upon the previously best known results by Chew and Kedem [SoCG89, CGTA93] and Sharir and Toledo [SoCG91, CGTA94] on the problem in more than 27 years. Our result also improves the time complexity of the high-clearance motion planning algorithm by Chew and Kedem.
The gradient model of brain organization in decisions involving ‘empathy for pain’

Influential models of cortical organization propose a close relationship between heteromodal association areas and highly connected hubs in the default mode network. The ‘gradient model’ of cortical organization proposes a close relationship between these areas and highly connected hubs in the default mode network, a set of cortical areas deactivated by demanding tasks. Here, we used a decision-making task and representational similarity analysis with classic ‘empathy for pain’ stimuli to probe the relationship between high-level representations of imminent pain in others and these areas. High-level representations were co-localized with task deactivations or the transitions from activations to deactivations. These loci belonged to two groups: those that loaded on the high end of the principal cortical gradient and were associated by meta-analytic decoding with the default mode network, and those that appeared to accompany functional repurposing of somatosensory cortex in the presence of visual stimuli. In contrast to the nonspecific meta-analytic decoding of these loci, low-level representations, such as those of body parts involved in pain or of pain itself, were decoded with matching topics terms. These findings suggest that task deactivations may set out cortical areas that host high-level representations. We anticipate that an increased understanding of the cortical correlates of high-level representations may improve neurobiological models of social interactions and psychopathology.
Hybrid Approaches to Solving Classification Problems with Constraints

Hybrid approaches (Approach 1 and Approach 2) that combine Supervised Learning with Linear Combinatorial Optimization are offered to solve the problem of minimization of the total delivery expenditure for supplying customers by batches of rocks. Approach 1 applies multi-class classification for customers’ assessment delivery expenditures, and Approach 2 solves an additional regression prediction problem. Numeric characteristics utilizing all available information are proposed allowing to evaluate the effectiveness of applying the approaches. The presented way to deal with classification problems with additional constraints can be extended on wide class real-world problems.
The Application of Capacitive Output Impedance of Inverter in Wind Farms

This paper studies about two parts :one is about principle and construction of the equivalent capacitive output impedance of inverter, the other is that through comparing different compensation strategy of the application of simulation experiment, and verify the effect of C-Inverter.1) In this paper we study the droop control characteristics of three types of inverters with inductive, resistive and capacitive equivalent output impedance respectively, and use the virtual impedance to get C-Inverter in wind power.2) This paper sets up SVC and STATCOM models and improved the converter which changes to capacitive inverter in DIgSLIENT, which are connected to wind power system, verifying the validity of SVC and STATCOM models and the effect of C-Inverter.
Linear-Time Approximation Scheme for k-Means Clustering of Axis-Parallel Affine Subspaces

In this paper, we present a linear-time approximation scheme for k -means clustering of incomplete data points in d -dimensional Euclidean space. An incomplete data point with ∆ > 0 unspecified entries is represented as an axis-parallel affine subspace of dimension ∆. The distance between two incomplete data points is defined as the Euclidean distance between two closest points in the axis-parallel affine subspaces corresponding to the data points. We present an algorithm for k -means clustering of axis-parallel affine subspaces of dimension ∆ that yields an (1+ ϵ )-approximate solution in O ( nd ) time. The constants hidden behind O ( · ) depend only on ∆ , ϵ and k . This improves the O ( n 2 d )-time algorithm by Eiben et al. [SODA’21] by a factor of n .
Effect of the Casing Configurations on the Internal Flow and Unsteady Pressure Fluctuation in Rocket Pump Inducer

The effects of the inlet casing configurations on unsteady cavitation were examined with a 3-bladed inducer. The inlet flow and cavitation pattern in two different casings were visualized using PIV (particle image velocimetry) and high-speed video. It was found that the rotating cavitation would be suppressed when the tip clearance at the inducer inlet was increased. The vortex cavitation in tip leakage flow and cavitation in back flow is considered to affect the appearance of the rotating cavitation by the inlet casing configuration.
Using Multiple Investigative Techniques to Assess Flushing of Chip Seal Surfaces

Flushing is a defect that has a damaging effect on the functional performance of chip seal pavements. The reported study was conducted to develop techniques to identify and assess flushed pavements effectively. The main aims of the study were first to investigate the effects of chip seal volumetrics on development of flushing and second to develop a model to forecast flushing of chip seal pavements. The study methodology consisted of mechanical testing of chip seal pavement samples and analysis of pavement performance data. Laboratory testing was conducted on samples obtained from flushed chip seal pavements from four regions in New Zealand. Samples were loaded by using a wheel-tracking device, and imaging techniques were used to assess the effects of micromechanical changes on development of flushing. Data analysis was performed on pavement condition data to identify factors providing the best prediction of flushing, and regression analysis was performed to develop a model to predict the initiation and progression of flushing. Study results revealed a direct relationship between flushing and reduction in air void volume that occurred as a result of loading. Data analysis revealed that the combination of factors providing the best indication of flushing was surface thickness, surface age, rut depth, and grade of aggregates. The flushing initiation model had an accuracy of 76%, and the flushing progression model was robust at predicting the quantity of flushing. By using the study outcomes, a pavement condition assessment guideline was developed to aid with assessing and managing flushed chip seal pavements.
Epigenomic translocation of H3K4me3 broad domains over oncogenes following hijacking of super-enhancers

Chromosomal translocations are important drivers of haematological malignancies whereby proto-oncogenes are activated by juxtaposition with enhancers, often called enhancer hijacking. We analysed the epigenomic consequences of rearrangements between the super-enhancers of the immunoglobulin heavy locus (IGH) and proto-oncogene CCND1 that are common in B-cell malignancies. By integrating BLUEPRINT epigenomic data with DNA breakpoint detection, we characterised the normal chromatin landscape of the human IGH locus and its dynamics after pathological genomic rearrangement. We detected an H3K4me3 broad domain (BD) within the IGH locus of healthy B cells that was absent in samples with IGH-CCND1 translocations. The appearance of H3K4me3-BD over CCND1 in the latter was associated with overexpression and extensive chromatin accessibility of its gene body. We observed similar cancer-specific H3K4me3-BDs associated with hijacking of super-enhancers of other common oncogenes in B-cell (MAF, MYC and FGFR3/NSD2) and T-cell malignancies (LMO2, TLX3 and TAL1). Our analysis suggests that H3K4me3-BDs can be created by super-enhancers and supports the new concept of epigenomic translocation, where the relocation of H3K4me3-BDs from cell identity genes to oncogenes accompanies the translocation of super-enhancers.
Trust and Reputation Multiagent-driven Model for Distributed Transcoding on Fog-Edge

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming is a popular technique for providing video media over the Internet. Nevertheless, the computational cost of transcoding a video in many formats can limit its application on live video streaming. Besides, the network overhead of transmitting simultaneously many versions of the same content is a problem. Oﬄoading the transcoding job to the network edge can deal with the problem. Users and providers of live video could beneﬁt from a joint scheme that allowed edge devices to do the transcoding with tolerable latency and delay. This work presents a multiagent-driven model to deal with the problem of distributed transcoding on fog-edge computing. Agents have well-deﬁned roles relating to Broker, Transcoder, and Viewer Proxy. Trust and Reputation metrics derived from utility functions that take into account users’ quality of experience (QoE) are deﬁned and applied. The Re putation-based No de S election (ReNoS) algorithm is presented for selecting the best nodes to perform the transcoding tasks. The conducted experiments indicate that the proposed approach can aﬀord utility gain keeping viewers’ QoE having the potential to be applied in real edge computing environments.
Local First-Order Logic with Two Data Values

We study first-order logic over unordered structures whose elements carry two data values from an infinite domain. Data values can be compared wrt. equality so that the formalism is suitable to specify the input-output behavior of various distributed algorithms. As the logic is undecidable in general, we introduce a family of local fragments that restrict quantification to neighborhoods of a given reference point. Our main result establishes decidability of the satisfiability problem for one of these non-trivial local fragments. On the other hand, already slightly more general local logics turn out to be undecidable. Altogether, we draw a landscape of formalisms that are suitable for the specification of systems with data and open up new avenues for future research.
African Swine Fever Virus and Host Response: Transcriptome Profiling of the Georgia 2007/1 Strain and Porcine Macrophages

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes hemorrhagic fever in domestic pigs, with case fatality rates approaching 100% and no approved vaccines or antivirals. The highly virulent ASFV Georgia 2007/1 strain (GRG) was the first isolated when ASFV spread from Africa to the Caucasus region in 2007, then spreading through Eastern Europe and, more recently, across Asia. ABSTRACT African swine fever virus (ASFV) has a major global economic impact. With a case fatality in domestic pigs approaching 100%, it currently presents the largest threat to animal farming. Although genomic differences between attenuated and highly virulent ASFV strains have been identified, the molecular determinants for virulence at the level of gene expression have remained opaque. Here, we characterize the transcriptome of ASFV genotype II Georgia 2007/1 (GRG) during infection of the physiologically relevant host cells, porcine macrophages. In this study, we applied cap analysis gene expression sequencing (CAGE-seq) to map th0e 5′ ends of viral mRNAs at 5 and 16 h postinfection. A bioinformatics analysis of the sequence context surrounding the transcription start sites (TSSs) enabled us to characterize the global early and late promoter landscape of GRG. We compared transcriptome maps of the GRG isolate and the lab-attenuated BA71V strain that highlighted GRG virulence-specific transcripts belonging to multigene families, including two predicted MGF 100 genes, I7L and I8L. In parallel, we monitored transcriptome changes in the infected host macrophage cells. Of the 9,384 macrophage genes studied, transcripts for 652 host genes were differentially regulated between 5 and 16 h postinfection compared with only 25 between uninfected cells and 5 h postinfection. NF-κB activated genes and lysosome components such as S100 were upregulated, and chemokines such as CCL24, CXCL2, CXCL5, and CXCL8 were downregulated. IMPORTANCE African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes hemorrhagic fever in domestic pigs, with case fatality rates approaching 100% and no approved vaccines or antivirals. The highly virulent ASFV Georgia 2007/1 strain (GRG) was the first isolated when ASFV spread from Africa to the Caucasus region in 2007, then spreading through Eastern Europe and, more recently, across Asia. We used an RNA-based next-generation sequencing technique called CAGE-seq to map the starts of viral genes across the GRG DNA genome. This has allowed us to investigate which viral genes are expressed during early or late stages of infection and how this is controlled, comparing their expression to the nonvirulent ASFV-BA71V strain to identify key genes that play a role in virulence. In parallel, we investigated how host cells respond to infection, which revealed how the ASFV suppresses components of the host immune response to ultimately win the arms race against its porcine host.
The Interface Between Academic Knowledge and Working Knowledge: Implications for Curriculum Design and Pedagogic Practice.

The relationship of contemporary tertiary education to the world of work is now undisputed. Partnerships between vocational education and training/further education (VET/FE) and higher education (HE) providers with statutory bodies, companies, organisations, sectors and groups are now standard practice with academic quality assurance protocols and arrangements in place to ensure the integrity of awards and the standards of learning. Academics are well used to the concepts, theories and practices associated with curriculum design for traditional teaching, and indeed, the practice literature with regard to higher education pedagogies is vast. For the most part, academic staff development programmes related to teaching and learning operate from a paradigm of traditional, classroom-based teaching regardless of preferences for, variations on, or combinations of, behaviourist or constructivist pedagogical design (Davis et al. 2001). The inclusion of ICT-based technologies in teaching methods is energising significant numbers of academic staff and attracting considerable funding. Likewise the move to a learning outcomes approach is stimulating critique and discussion about the nature of learning at all levels. However, this paper argues that these changes operate predominantly within a traditional paradigm of teaching and learning, regardless of promotional rhetoric to the contrary, and that they do not fundamentally consider how adults learn through work, how curricula informed by a knowledge of the complexities of learning through working life could be designed, how learning outcomes can be negotiated and attained through work, and how assessment methods need to be relevant to learning through work. The paper distinguishes clearly between aspects of work-based learning which are integrated into traditional programmes, and programmes which are informed specifically by a paradigm of work-based learning, raising both theoretical and practice aspects of the latter, without privileging one form of teaching and learning above another. The main aim of the paper is to argue that work-based learning requires a different set of concepts, theories and practices – in fact a different paradigm – within higher education curriculum design and pedagogies.
Retrospective review of 37.4 Gy in 11 fractions for the palliation of advanced cervical cancer

Background Bleeding, pain and discharge are common symptoms of cervical cancer that can be effectively palliated with radiotherapy. Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of an external beam radiotherapy dose of 37.4 Gy in 11 fractions for the local palliation of advanced cervical cancer. Methods This study is a retrospective review of all patients receiving palliative radiotherapy (37.4 Gy in 11 fractions) at the Department of Oncology, Universitas Hospital, Bloemfontein South Africa, from 2009 to 2013. The data from 324 cases were analysed. Data obtained included patient age, ECOG performance status, FIGO staging, histological type and grade, HIV status and CD4 count. The presence of renal impairment and patient-reported symptoms before and after treatment, as well as the duration of therapy, was also documented. The five-year overall survival was determined from available follow-up data. Results The majority of patients (50.9%) were between 40 and 59 years of age, 138 (42.6%) were HIV-positive and most patients presented with FIGO stage 4 disease 228 (70.4%). Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was the most frequent histological type (n = 292; 90.4%). Tumour grade was well differentiated in 16 (4.9%) patients, moderately differentiated in 171 (52.8%) cases and poorly differentiated in 113 (34.9%). Most patients reported relief of symptoms one month post-treatment: 76.6% of patients reported improvement of pain, while bleeding and discharge had resolved in 99.5% and 79.3% of patients, respectively. Similar observations were noted at 3-, 6- and 12-month follow-up. Morphine analgesia was required in less than 10% of patients over the 12 month follow-up period. Of the initial cohort, 11 (3.4%) patients were still alive five years after completing palliative radiotherapy.
Testing a Novel Auditory Interface Display to Enable Visually Impaired Travelers to Use Sonar Mobility Devices Effectively

This paper discusses the pilot testing of an auditory interface designed to increase navigational ability of visually impaired individuals. Sonar devices have been developed to increase preview distances, but these have gained limited acceptance as they lack an easily interpreted interface. This paper presents usability testing of an auditory prototype interface developed using the work domain analysis of ecological interface design (EID). An interface design that provides the user with sufficient preview to avoid obstacles may offer more environmental information than the single tones of the current designs.
Research on SOI-based micro-resonator devices

SOI (silicon-on-insulator)-based micro-resonator is the key building block of silicon photonics, which is considered as a promising solution to alleviate the bandwidth bottleneck of on-chip interconnects. Silicon-based sub-micron waveguide, microring and microdisk devices are investigated in Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The main progress in recent years is presented in this talk, such as high Q factor single mode microdisk filters, compact thirdorder microring filters with the through/drop port extinctions to be ~ 30/40 dB, fast microring electro-optical switches with the switch time of < 400 ps and crosstalk < -23 dB, and > 10 Gbit/s high speed microring modulators.
Assessing Technology Integration in Mentoring Practices during Student Teaching: Multi-Case Analyses

With the challenge to prepare school age students for the increased use of technology that characterizes job needs of the 21 st Century comes the pressing need for student teachers to be guided by knowledgeable cooperating teachers to mentor them in the use of technologies to meet this challenge. This research presents results of seven case studies that examined technology integration in mentoring practices during student teaching. Instruments identified both the technology performance and learning engagement of the cooperating teachers. Findings of the study support efforts to assess cooperating teacher’ technology skills and experience for field experience placements if preparing to mentor teacher candidates toward technology use is a priority.
A 3D Parametric Model for Breast Data

Breast cancer is the most common cancer disease among females. Therefore any deformations in the breast shape resulted from treatment, impacts patients’ quality of life given the importance of breast as a femi-nine symbol. Using techniques such as parametric modeling, enable surgeons to model 3D breast shape virtually. Such parametric model can be used in Surgery Planning Tools in order to follow up the shape of breast after applying different deformation. This framework can help not only to improve the surgical skills of surgeons to perform surgeries with better cosmetic outcomes, but also to increase interaction between patients and surgeons in the moment of discussing what procedure needs to be performed. In this paper, two different methodologies of parametric modeling are compared. Quantitative analysis indicates that Free-Form-Deformation methodology (FFD) presents better parametric models than Physical Modeling methodology.
Explanation Container in Case-Based Biomedical Question-Answering

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences(NCATS) Biomedical Data Translator (Translator) aims to attenuate problems faced by translational scientists. Translator is a multi-agent architecture consisting of six autonomous relay agents (ARAs) and eight knowledge providers (KPs). In this paper, we present the design of the Explanatory Agent (xARA), a case-based ARA that answers biomedical queries by accessing multiple KPs, ranking results, and explaining the ranking of results. The Explanatory Agent is designed with five knowledge containers that include the four original knowledge containers and one additional container for explanation - the Explanation Container. The Explanation Container is case-based and designed with its own knowledge containers.
A Facile Route to Synthesis of Hierarchically Porous Carbon via Micelle System for Bifunctional Electrochemical Application

Well-ordered hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) nanomaterials have been successfully synthesized by a facile, efficient, and fast heated-evaporation induced self-assembly (HISA) method. A micelle system was employed as the template by using the HISA method for the first time, which possessed great potential in the large-scale production of HPC materials. Various surfactants, including triblock copolymer Pluronic F127, P123, F108, and cationic CTAB, were used in the polymerization process as templates to reveal the relationship between the structure of surfactants and architecture of the as-prepared HPCs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Nitrogen adsorption, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements were conducted to investigate the morphology, structure, and components of HPCs, which further confirmed the well-ordered and uniform mesoporous structure. The as-prepared HPC sample with F127 possessed the largest specific surface area, suitable pore size, and well-ordered mesoporous structure, resulting in better electrochemical performance as electrodes in the fields of energy storage and conversion system. Doped with the metallic oxide MnO2, the MnO2/HPC composites presented the outstanding electrochemical activity in supercapacitor with a high specific capacitance of 531.2 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and excellent cycling performance with little capacity fading, even after 5,000 cycles. Moreover, the obtained sample could also be applied in the fields of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for its abundant active sites and regulate architecture. This versatile approach makes the mass industrial production of HPC materials possible in electrochemical applications through a facile and fast route.