Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognitive economy and the role of representation in on-line learning

How can an intelligent agent learn an effective representation of its world? This dissertation applies the psychological principle of cognitive economy to the problem of representation in reinforcement learning. Psychologists have shown that humans cope with difficult tasks by simplifying the task domain, focusing on relevant features and generalizing over states of the world which are “the same” with respect to the task. This dissertation defines a principled set of requirements for representations in reinforcement learning, by applying these principles of cognitive economy to the agent's need to choose the correct actions in its task. The dissertation formalizes the principle of cognitive economy into algorithmic criteria for feature extraction in reinforcement learning. To do this, it develops mathematical definitions of feature importance, sound decisions, state compatibility, and necessary distinctions, in terms of the rewards expected by the agent in the task. The analysis shows how the representation determines the apparent values of the agent's actions, and proves that the state compatibility criteria presented here result in representations which satisfy a criterion for task learnability. The dissertation reports on experiments that illustrate one implementation of these ideas in a system which constructs its representation as it goes about learning the task. Results with the puck-on-a-hill task and the pole-balancing task show that the ideas are sound and can be of practical benefit. The principal contributions of this dissertation are a new framework for thinking about feature extraction in terms of cognitive economy, and a demonstration of the effectiveness of an algorithm based on this new framework.
Thoracic organ transplantation in the United States, 1994–2003

Using OPTN/SRTR data, this article reviews the state of thoracic organ transplantation in 2003 and the previous decade. Time spent on the heart waiting list has increased significantly over the last decade. The percentage of patients awaiting heart transplantation for >2 years increased from 23% in 1994 to 49% by 2003. However, there has been a general decline in heart waiting list death rates over the decade. In 2003, the lung transplant waiting list reached a record high of 3,836 registrants, up slightly from 2002 and more than threefold since 1994. One‐year patient survival for those receiving lungs in 2002 was 82%, a statistically significant improvement from 2001 (78%). The number of patients awaiting a heart‐lung transplant, declining since 1998, reached 189 in 2003. Adjusted patient survival for heart‐lung recipients is consistently worse than the corresponding rate for isolated lung recipients, primarily due to worse outcomes for heart‐lung recipients with congenital heart disease. A new lung allocation system, approved in June 2004, derives from the survival benefit of transplantation with consideration of urgency based on waiting list survival, instead of being based solely on waiting time. A goal of the policy is to minimize deaths on the waiting list.
Using On-line Job Monitoring for Dynamic Load Balancing of Parallel Applications

While the significance of the communication costs for the performance of parallel applications is well known, these costs are hardly considered in the known resource management systems for workstation clusters. In this paper we present the Cluster Search Algorithm (CSA) for dynamic remapping of parallel applications in clusters. The novelty of our approach is that the communication behavior of the application does not have to be known a priori. The decisions are made dynamically at run time according to the actually observed communication behavior of the application and available resources. We present first simulation results and an overview over an actual implementation.
Methylphenidate Enhances Cognitive Performance in Adults With Poor Baseline Capacities Regardless of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Diagnosis

Abstract We compare the view that the effect of methylphenidate (MPH) is selective to individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with an alternative approach suggesting that its effect is more prominent for individuals with weak baseline capacities in relevant cognitive tasks. To evaluate theses 2 approaches, we administered sustained attention, working memory, and decision-making tasks to 20 ADHD adults and 19 control subjects, using a within-subject placebo-controlled design. The results demonstrated no main effects of MPH in the decision-making tasks. In the sustained attention and working-memory tasks, MPH enhanced performance of both ADHD and non-ADHD adults to a similar extent compared with placebo. Hence, the effect of MPH was not selective to ADHD adults. In addition, those benefitting most from MPH in all 3 task domains tended to be individuals with poor task performance. However, in most tasks, individuals whose performance was impaired by MPH were not necessarily better (or worse) performers. The findings suggest that the administration of MPH to adults with ADHD should consider not only clinical diagnosis but also their functional (performance-based) profile.
Supporting MPEG video transport on DOCSIS-compliant cable networks

A novel quality of service (QoS) scheduling mechanism suitable for transporting variable bit rate video in the upstream direction over a DOCSIS (data over cable system interface specification)-compliant cable network is presented. It is shown, via simulation using real life video traces, that the proposed scheduling service provides significant improvements as compared to the existing DOCSIS QoS scheduling services, with regard to bandwidth utilization and latency distribution. The proposed scheduling service is also applicable to transport integrated services over the Internet and can be utilized by other emerging multimedia applications, where data are bursty in nature and variable in bit rate.
Receptor Endocytosis Counteracts the Development of Opioid Tolerance

In contrast to endogenous opioids, the highly addictive drug morphine activates the μ-opioid receptor without causing its rapid endocytosis. It has recently been reported that coapplication of low concentrations of [d-Ala2,N-Me-Phe4,Gly5-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) facilitates the ability of morphine to stimulate μ-opioid receptor endocytosis and prevents the development of morphine tolerance in rats. To investigate the clinical relevance of this finding for analgesic therapy, the endocytotic efficacies of a series of clinically used opioids were determined, and the effect of a combination of these drugs with morphine on the μ-opioid receptor endocytosis in receptor-expressing human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells was quantified. The combination of morphine and opioid drugs with high endocytotic efficacies (e.g., DAMGO, etonitazene, sufentanil, β-endorphin, piritramide, or methadone) did not result in a facilitation of morphine-mediated endocytosis but rather in a decrease of the receptor endocytosis mediated by the tested opioid drugs. These findings demonstrate a partial agonistic effect of morphine on the agonist-induced receptor endocytosis. Moreover, we demonstrated that the endocytotic potencies of opioid drugs are negatively correlated with their ability to cause receptor desensitization and opioid tolerance in HEK 293 cells. These results strongly support the hypothesis that μ-opioid receptor endocytosis counteracts receptor desensitization and opioid tolerance by inducing fast receptor reactivation and recycling. In addition, it is shown that agonist-induced receptor endocytosis facilitates the compensatory up-regulation of the cAMP pathway, a cellular hallmark of opioid withdrawal. Our findings suggest that opioids with high endocytotic efficacies might cause reduced opioid tolerance but can facilitate compensatory mechanisms, resulting in an enhanced opioid dependence.
Predicting neuroradiologic outcome in patients referred for audiovestibular dysfunction.

PURPOSE To relate clinical presentation and results of audiovestibular testing to neuroradiologic outcome in patients with audiovestibular dysfunction. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the neuroimaging studies, results of audiometric and vestibular testing, and medical records of 118 patients referred for imaging over a 2-year period for evaluation of sensorineural hearing loss, dizziness, and/or vertigo, and to rule out acoustic neuroma. Patients' presentation and results of audiometric and vestibular testing were associated with either a positive or negative neuroimaging outcome. Discriminant analysis was performed to identify variables related significantly to imaging results. Two-way cross-tabulation of these significant variables was performed to assess their sensitivity and specificity in predicting imaging outcome. RESULTS Fifteen (13%) of 118 patients had neuroimaging findings related to presenting symptoms. Discriminant analysis identified vertigo, dizziness, and dysequilibrium as corresponding to negative radiologic outcome. Nonvestibulocochlear cranial nerve involvement correlated significantly with positive neuroimaging results. Of all audiovestibular testing, only vestibular testing results correlated significantly with neuroimaging outcome. In conjunction with the results of vestibular testing the symptoms and signs identified above yielded a sensitivity of 57% and specificity of 93% in predicting neuroradiologic results. In the absence of vestibular testing, sensitivity and specificity were 29% and 98%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Clinical presentation and audiovestibular testing could not sensitively predict the outcome of neuroimaging in our cohort of patients referred for audiovestibular dysfunction.
Effects of two commercial diets and technical feed treatment on stomach lesions and immune system of fattening pigs

The impact of technical feed treatment and diet on stomach lesions and traits of the local and systemic immune system were investigated in fattening pigs. Feeding groups differed in technical feed treatment (standard ground meal vs. finely ground and pelleted feed) and diet (soya bean meal vs. rapeseed meal/DDGS/soya beans). Pigs were fattened approximately 10 weeks by ad libitum feeding and slaughtered subsequently. Gastric alterations were assessed by a macroscopic scoring system [macroscopic stomach score (MSC) 0 = normal to 4 = severe lesions]. For immunological investigations, lymphocytes from blood and jejunal tissues were isolated. T-cell phenotyping was carried out by staining intestinal lymphocytes with monoclonal antibodies for CD4 and CD8 and flow cytometric measurements. MSC was higher in animals fed finely ground and pelleted feed compared with their counterparts. Significant interactions between diet and feed treatment considering the MSC were observed (p = 0.027). There was no effect of diet or technical feed treatment on T cells of blood, Lymphonodi gastrici or lamina propria (LP) and intraepithelial cells. However, technical feed treatment significantly affected subsets of CD4+ , CD8+ , CD8low , CD4/CD8 double-positive T cells, the mean fluorescence intensity of CD4+ T cells and the ratio of CD8low /CD8high T cells in Peyer's patches (PP). All named parameters were reduced in PP of animals fed finely ground and pelleted feed compared with animals fed standard ground meal. Furthermore, significant differences between T cells of lymph nodes and LP were observed between animals with middle MSC (MSC = 1-2.5) and animals with high MSC (MSC = 3-4). Significant alterations in T cells of PP were observed between animals of low (MSC = 0-0.5) and high MSC. The observed effects provide the evidence that the impact of technical feed treatment is not limited on the stomach lesions. Possible stimuli and consequences of the immune system should be studied in more detail.
Data coverage testing

Generating test data sets which are sufficiently large to effectively cover all the tests required before a software component can be certified as reliable is a time consuming and error-prone task if carried out manually. A key parameter when testing collections is the size of the collection to be tested: an automatic test generator builds a set of collections containing n elements where n ranges from 0 to n/sub crit/. Data coverage analysis allows us to determine rigorously a collection size such that testing with collections of size > n/sub crit/ does not provide any further useful information, i.e. will not uncover any new faults. We conducted a series of experiments on modules from the C++ Standard Template Library which were seeded with errors. Using a test model appropriate to each module, we generated data sets of sizes up to and exceeding the predicted value of n/sub crit/ and verified that after all collections of size /spl les/n/sub crit/ have been tested, no further errors are discovered. Data coverage was also compared with statement coverage testing and random test data set generation. The three testing techniques were compared for effectiveness at revealing errors compared to the number of test data sets used. Statement coverage testing was confirmed as the cheapest, in the sense that it produces its maximal effect for the smallest number of tests applied, but the least effective technique in terms of numbers of errors uncovered. Data coverage was significantly better than random test generation: it uncovered more faults with fewer tests at every point.
Global processing in amblyopia: a review

Amblyopia is a neurodevelopmental disorder of the visual system that is associated with disrupted binocular vision during early childhood. There is evidence that the effects of amblyopia extend beyond the primary visual cortex to regions of the dorsal and ventral extra-striate visual cortex involved in visual integration. Here, we review the current literature on global processing deficits in observers with either strabismic, anisometropic, or deprivation amblyopia. A range of global processing tasks have been used to investigate the extent of the cortical deficit in amblyopia including: global motion perception, global form perception, face perception, and biological motion. These tasks appear to be differentially affected by amblyopia. In general, observers with unilateral amblyopia appear to show deficits for local spatial processing and global tasks that require the segregation of signal from noise. In bilateral cases, the global processing deficits are exaggerated, and appear to extend to specialized perceptual systems such as those involved in face processing.
Genomic and Physiological Characterization of the Verrucomicrobia Isolate Diplosphaera colitermitum gen. nov., sp. nov., Reveals Microaerophily and Nitrogen Fixation Genes

ABSTRACT Previously we reported the cultivation of novel verrucomicrobia, including strain TAV2 (93% 16S rRNA gene identity to its nearest cultivated representative, Opitutus terreae PB90-1) from the gut of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes. To gain better insight into the Verrucomicrobia as a whole and understand the role of verrucomicrobia within the termite gut ecosystem, we analyzed a draft genome and undertook a physiological characterization of TAV2. Strain TAV2 is an autochthonous member of the R. flavipes gut microbiota and groups phylogenetically among diverse Verrucomicrobia from R. flavipes and other termites that are represented by 16S rRNA gene sequences alone. TAV2 is a microaerophile, possessing a high-affinity cbb 3-type terminal oxidase-encoding gene and exhibiting an optimum growth rate between 2 and 8% (vol/vol) oxygen. It has the genetic potential to degrade cellulose, an important function within termite guts, but its in vitro substrate utilization spectrum was limited to starch and a few mono- and disaccharides. Growth occurred on nitrogen-free medium, and genomic screening revealed genes for dinitrogenases, heretofore detected in only a few members of the Verrucomicrobia. This represents the first (i) characterization of a verrucomicrobial species from the termite gut, (ii) report of nif and anf genes in a nonacidophilic verrucomicrobial species, and (iii) description of a microaerophilic genotype and phenotype in this phylum of bacteria. The genetic and physiological distinctiveness of TAV2 supports its recognition as the type strain of a new genus and species, for which the name Diplosphaera colitermitum gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed.
Interactions between TLR7 and TLR9 agonists and receptors regulate innate immune responses by astrocytes and microglia

Toll‐like receptors 7 (TLR7) and 9 (TLR9) are important mediators of innate immune responses. Both receptors are located in endosomal compartments, recognize nucleic acids, and signal via Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88). In the current study, we analyzed TLR7 and TLR9 induced activation of astrocytes and microglia, two cell types that contribute to innate immune responses in the CNS. TLR7 and TLR9 agonists induced similar cytokine profiles within each cell type. However, there were notable differences in the cytokine profile between astrocytes and microglia, including the production of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 and antiapoptotic cytokines G‐CSF and IL‐9 by microglia but not astrocytes. Costimulation studies demonstrated that the TLR7 agonist, imiquimod, could inhibit TLR9 agonist‐induced innate immune responses, in both cell types, in a concentration‐dependent manner. Surprisingly, this inhibition was not mediated by TLR7, as deficiency in TLR7 did not alter suppression of the TLR9 agonist‐induced responses. The suppression of innate immune responses was also not due to an inhibition of TLR9 agonist uptake. This suggested that imiquimod suppression may be a direct effect, possibly by blocking CpG‐ODN binding and/or signaling with TLR9, thus limiting cell activation. An antagonistic relationship was also observed between the two receptors in microglia, with TLR7 deficiency resulting in enhanced cytokine responses to CpG‐ODN stimulation. Thus, both TLR7 and its agonist can have inhibitory effects on TLR9‐induced cytokine responses in glial cells. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rebuild Strategies for Redundant Disk Arrays

RAID5 performance is critical while rebuild is in progress, since in addition to the increased load to recreate lost data on demand, there is interference caused by rebuild requests. We report on simulation results, which show that processing user requests at a higher, rather than the same priority as rebuild requests, results in a lower response time for user requests, as well as reduced rebuild time. Several other parameters related to rebuild processing are also explored.
Comparison of the Coil-to-Globule and the Globule-to-Coil Transitions of a Single Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Homopolymer Chain in Water

Using a newly prepared nearly monodisperse (Mw/Mn < 1.05) high molar mass (Mw = 1.3 107 g/mol) poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) sample, we successfully, for the first time, made the conformation of individual PNIPAM chains change from a coil to a fully collapsed thermodynamically stable single chain globule and then back to a coil in an extremely dilute aqueous solution (6.7 10-7 g/mL). The average chain density in the globule state is 0.34 g/mL, close to 0.40 g/cm3 predicted on the basis of a space-filling model, indicating that the globule still contains 66% water even in its fully collapsed state. At a given temperature around the lower critical solution temperature, the chains are smaller in the globule-to-coil transition than in the coil-to-globule transition, revealing that the coil-to-globule transition is an irreversible process. The hysteresis can be attributed to the formation of intrachain structures, presumably the intrachain hydrogen bonding, in the globule state. We confirmed the existen.
Part of Speech Annotation of Intermediate Versions in the Keystroke Logged Translation Corpus

Translation process data contains noncanonical features such as incomplete word tokens, non-sequential string modifications and syntactically deficient structures. While these features are often removed for the final translation product, they are present in the unfolding text (i.e. intermediate translation versions). This paper describes tools developed to semi-automatically process intermediate versions of translation data to facilitate quantitative analysis of linguistic means employed in translation strategies. We examine the data from a translation experiment with the help of these tools.
Cancer survival in Britain

Editor—I strongly endorse Sikora’s claim that poor rates of survival from cancer in the United Kingdom reflect a lack of NHS resources. Increasing the number of specialist oncologists will not, however, make up for the massive shortfall in funds required to provide these oncologists with the essential tools of their trade. Recent review of the budgetary allocation to Addenbrooke’s Oncology Centre identified that, on average, £1700 a year is available to spend on drugs for any individual patient with cancer. Since a single course of chemotherapy may cost between £50 and £1500, oncologists cannot be expected to deliver the quality of care the public expects to receive. There are no other untapped sources of funding. Our clinical practice is already heavily subsidised: about one in six of all new patients with cancer referred to Addenbrooke’s receives his or her standard chemotherapy courtesy of funds raised from industry sponsored research. The government cannot claim commitment to improving cancer care while patients are being denied effective treatments on the grounds of lack of affordability.
Recent Advances in SELEX Technology and Aptamer Applications in Biomedicine

Aptamers are short DNA/RNA oligonucleotides capable of binding to target molecules with high affinity and specificity. The process of selecting an aptamer is called Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX). Thanks to the inherit merits, aptamers have been used in a wide range of applications, including disease diagnosis, targeted delivery agents and therapeutic uses. To date, great achievements regarding the selection, modifications and application of aptamers have been made. However, few aptamer-based products have already successfully entered into clinical and industrial use. Besides, it is still a challenge to obtain aptamers with high affinity in a more efficient way. Thus, it is important to comprehensively review the current shortage and achievement of aptamer-related technology. In this review, we first present the limitations and notable advances of aptamer selection. Then, we compare the different methods used in the kinetic characterization of aptamers. We also discuss the impetus and developments of the clinical application of aptamers.
Visualizing PLE usage

In recent years, several researchers have been developing methodologies, technologies and systems to support the assembly of learning services, tools and resources in personal learning environments (PLEs). The overall goal is to enrich or even replace traditional learning management systems like Moodle and Blackboard with mash-ups of widgets and services that can be combined and configured in a flexible way, according to the specific needs of the user. In this paper, we describe our approach to visualize user interactions with widgets and services within such personal learning environments. These visualizations enable the exploration of learner behavior within PLEs. The major objective is to improve and evolve PLE related research and development according to feedback mechanisms based on empirical observation. In this paper, we present an overview of our method to capture usage behavior and a first prototype of a visualization dashboard that enables the analysis and interpretation of these data as a basis for evaluation.