Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulated annealing ant colony algorithm based on backfire method for QAP

ABSTRACT A simulated annealing ant colony algorithm based on backfire method(BASAC) is presented to tackle the quadratic assignment problem (QAP). The simulated annealing algorithm is combined with the ant colony algorithm. The backfire method which has a small temperature attenuation coefficient is used in the temperature control process. After each round of searching, the solution set got by the colony is treated as the candidate set. Base on the simulated annealing method, the solution in the candidate set is chosen to join the update set with possibility which determined by the temperature. The update set is used to update the trail information matrix. And also the current best solution is used to enhance the tail information. The pheromone trails matrix is reset when the algorithm is in the stagnant state. The computer experiments demonstrate this algorithm has high calculation stability and converging speed.
Evoked Potentials in Clinical Testing (2nd edition). By A. M. Halliday Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. 1993. 752 pp. £70.00 (hb).

of whom he paints charming cameos. Henry Miller, who held the DPM and functioned as a neuropsychia trist in the Air Force during the last war, figures largely in the story. Miller, as all who knew him would agree, was born out of time and would have fitted perfectly into the mould of a Renaissance Prince. Miller it was who, when complimented on what he had achieved, commented, â€œ¿ you have to keep moving with chaps like John Walton breathing down your neckâ€• â€”¿ praise indeed coming from a man who was notoriously economical with his plaudits. Alexander Kennedy, also a man â€œ¿ larger than lifeâ€•, comes in for the same sort of treatment as does Ken Rawnsley. Martin Roth also appears in the frame. Lord Walton is unstinting in his praise of Sir Martin's intellectual prowess, but he is sufficiently fond of him to allow for a little gentle leg-pulling. He relates that Roth is not a slave to punctuality, and because of this peccadillo was known affectionately in Newcastle academic circles as â€œ¿ the late Professor Rothâ€•. Lord Walton is mercifully still hale and hearty, and still has his finger on the pulse of medical affairs. Could he not be persuaded to continue writing his reminiscences, which could be published together with a filleted version of his present autobiography? One could go so far as to say that he owes it to posterity to do so.
Sparse-Dispersed Coding and Images Discrimination with Independent Component Analysis

Independent Component Analysis applied to a set of natural images provides band-pass-oriented filters, similar to simple cells of the primary visual cortex. We applied two types of pre-processing to the images, a low-pass and a whitening one in a multiresolution grid, and examine the properties of the detectors extracted by ICA. These detectors composed a new basis function set in which images are encoded. On one hand, the properties (sparseness and dispersal) of the resulting coding are compared for both pre-processing strategies. On the other hand, this new coding by independent features is used for discriminating natural images, that is a very challenging domain in image analysis and retrieval. We show that a criterion based on the dispersal property enhances the efficiency of the discrimination by selecting the most dispersed detectors coding the image database. This behaviour is well enhanced with whitened images.
The timing of pre-mRNA splicing visualized in real-time

Since it became clear that intervening sequences or introns are spliced out from precursor pre-mRNA molecules in the nucleus before mature mRNAs are exported to the cytoplasm, questions were raised about the timing of splicing. Does splicing start while RNA polymerase II is still transcribing? Is splicing a slow or a fast process? Is timing important to control the splicing reaction? Although our understanding on the mechanism and function of splicing is largely based on data obtained using biochemical and large-scale “omic” approaches, microscopy has been instrumental to address questions related to timing. Experiments done with the electron microscope paved the way to the discovery of splicing and provided unequivocal evidence that splicing can occur co-transcriptionally. More recently, live-cell microscopy introduced a technical breakthrough that allows real-time visualization of splicing dynamics. We discuss here some of the microscopy advances that provided the basis for the current conceptual view of the splicing process and we outline a most recent development that permits direct measurement, in living cells, of the time it takes to synthesize and excise an intron from individual pre-mRNA molecules.
Comparative analysis of agr groups and virulence genes among subclinical and clinical mastitis Staphylococcus aureus isolates from sheep flocks of the Northeast of Brazil

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most frequent mastitis causative agents in small ruminants. The expression of most virulence genes of S. aureus is controlled by an accessory gene regulator (agr) locus. This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of the different agr groups and to evaluate the occurrence of encoding genes for cytotoxin, adhesins and toxins with superantigen activity in S. aureus isolates from milk of ewes with clinical and subclinical mastitis in sheep flocks raised for meat production The agr groups I and II were identified in both cases of clinical and subclinical mastitis. Neither the arg groups III and IV nor negative agr were found. The presence of cflA gene was identified in 100% of the isolates. The frequency of hla and lukE-D genes was high - 77.3 and 82.8%, respectively and all isolates from clinical mastitis presented these genes. The sec gene, either associated to tst gene or not, was identified only in isolates from subclinical mastitis. None of the following genes were identified: bbp, ebpS, cna, fnbB, icaA, icaD, bap, hlg, lukM-lukF-PV and se-a-b-d-e.
Aurora Kinases as Anticancer Drug Targets

The human aurora family of serine-threonine kinases comprises three members, which act in concert with many other proteins to control chromosome assembly and segregation during mitosis. Aurora dysfunction can cause aneuploidy, mitotic arrest, and cell death. Aurora kinases are strongly expressed in a broad range of cancer types. Aurora A expression in tumors is often associated with gene amplification, genetic instability, poor histologic differentiation, and poor prognosis. Aurora B is frequently expressed at high levels in a variety of tumors, often coincidently with aurora A, and expression level has also been associated with increased genetic instability and clinical outcome. Further, aurora kinase gene polymorphisms are associated with increased risk or early onset of cancer. The expression of aurora C in cancer is less well studied. In recent years, several small-molecule aurora kinase inhibitors have been developed that exhibit preclinical activity against a wide range of solid tumors. Preliminary clinical data from phase I trials have largely been consistent with cytostatic effects, with disease stabilization as the best response achieved in solid tumors. Objective responses have been noted in leukemia patients, although this might conceivably be due to inhibition of the Abl kinase. Current challenges include the optimization of drug administration, the identification of potential biomarkers of tumor sensitivity, and combination studies with cytotoxic drugs. Here, we summarize the most recent preclinical and clinical data and discuss new directions in the development of aurora kinase inhibitors as antineoplastic agents.
Removal of Endocrine Disruptors from Urban Wastewater by Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs): A Review

Over the last years the growing presence of endocrine disrupting compounds in the environment has been regarded as a serious sanitary issue. The more and more frequent detection of these compounds in the effluents of wastewater treatment plants poses the risk associated to their persistence into the aquatic systems as well as to their adverse effects on both public health and environment. As conventional systems do not allow their efficient removal, great attention has been raised towards their possible treatment by Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs). They rely on the action of hydroxyl radicals, which are highly reactive species, able to oxidize recalcitrant and non-biodegradable pollutants. AOPs can either provide contaminant partial degradation or their complete removal. As their effectiveness has been proved for a wide spectrum of both organic and inorganic pollutants, they are considered a suitable option for the treatment of contaminated aqueous media, especially when combined with conventional biological processes. This paper aims at reviewing main AOPs for the removal of endocrine disruptors, in order to highlight the most important features of different technologies, thus providing their comparative assessment. To this end, a brief overview of the most frequently detected endocrine disruptor compounds was also discussed, in order to clarify their fate into the environment as well as the contamination pathways of greatest concern for human health.
Deenite Relations over Constraint Languages

This paper shows that the nice properties of logic programs extend to deenite clause speciications over arbitrary constraint languages. The notion of a constraint language sees a constraint as a piece of syntax with unknown internal structure that constrains the values variables can take in interpretations. Examples of constraint languages are Predicate Logic and its sublanguages as well as attributive concept description languages developed for knowledge representation. Our framework generalizes the constraint logic programming scheme of Jaaar and Lassez to make it applicable to knowledge representation: the constraint language is not required to be a sublanguage of predicate logic and may come with more than one interpretation, and the interpretations of the constraint language are not required to be solution compact. We present a semantic type discipline for our generalized deenite clause speciications and establish a notion of well-typedness that is decidable provided the underlying constraint language is decidable. Finally, we give a type inference rule for computing most general well-typed weakenings of speciica-tions.
ICON-ART 1.0 - a new online-coupled model system from the global to regional scale

Abstract. We present the first stage of a new online-coupled global to regional-scale modeling framework for the simulation of the spatiotemporal evolution of aerosols and trace gases. The underlying meteorological model is the new nonhydrostatic model system ICON (ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic) which allows a local grid refinement with two-way interactions between the grids. We develop the extension ART (Aerosol and Reactive Trace gases) with the goal of simulating interactions between trace substances and the state of the atmosphere. Within this paper, we present the basic equations and give an overview of the physical parameterizations as well as numerical methods we use. First applications of the new model system for trace gases, monodisperse particles and polydisperse particles are shown. The simulated distribution of two very short-lived substances (VSLS), bromoform (CHBr3) and dibromomethane (CH2Br2) reflecting the fast upward transport shows a good agreement with observations and previous model studies. Also, the shape of the simulated tropical profiles is well reproduced. As an example for the treatment of monodisperse particles we present the simulated ash plume of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption in April 2010. Here, a novel approach for the source function is applied. The pattern of the simulated distribution of volcanic ash particles shows a good agreement with previous studies. As an example for the treatment of a polydisperse aerosol, where number densities and mass concentrations are accounted for, we simulated the annual emissions of sea salt. We obtain a total emission flux of 26.0 Pg yr−1 and an emission flux of particles with diameter less than 10 μm of 7.36 Pg yr−1.
Automatic segmentation of solar granulations based on Morphology technique

Granulation segmentation of the solar photosphere is important step to obtain correct morphometric measures. In this paper, we present a novel method, using morphological technique, for granules segmentation in the solar photosphere. Firstly, a morphological filtering, employing opening-by-reconstruction and closing-by-reconstruction, is used to eliminate image noise. Secondly, Otsu technique is implemented to obtain an adaptive threshold. We use hole filling technique to fill the hole in the granular region. Finally, the Sobel edge-segmentation operator is utilized to extract the boundary of granules. It showed that the proposed method yields more accurate segmentation results than the watershed method, implying that it can be to further analyze such as granular evolution or statistical properties.
Short-term forecasting of life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias based on symbolic dynamics and finite-time growth rates.

Ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation (VT-VF) as fatal cardiac arrhythmias are the main factors triggering sudden cardiac death. The objective of this study is to find early signs of sustained VT-VF in patients with an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). These devices are able to safeguard patients by returning their hearts to a normal rhythm via strong defibrillatory shocks; additionally, they store the 1000 beat-to-beat intervals immediately before the onset of a life-threatening arrhythmia. We study these 1000 beat-to-beat intervals of 17 chronic heart failure ICD patients before the onset of a life-threatening arrhythmia and at a control time, i.e., without a VT-VF event. To characterize these rather short data sets, we calculate heart rate variability parameters from the time and frequency domain, from symbolic dynamics as well as the finite-time growth rates. We find that neither the time nor the frequency domain parameters show significant differences between the VT-VF and the control time series. However, two parameters from symbolic dynamics as well as the finite-time growth rates discriminate significantly both groups. These findings could be of importance in algorithms for next generation ICD's to improve the diagnostics and therapy of VT-VF.
Persistence of lower birth weight in second generation South Asian babies born in the United Kingdom

Objective: To assess differences in birth weight between all first and second generation South Asian babies born in Southampton, and trends since 1957. Design: Retrospective, cohort study. Setting: Birth records for babies born in Southampton from 1957 to 1996 were searched to identify all babies born of South Asian origin (including from the Indian subcontinent, East Africa, and elsewhere). Main outcome measures: All information recorded in the birth record about the mother and baby was extracted. Results: 2395 full term (>37 weeks; mean birth weight 3110; 95%CI 3092 to 3129) singleton births were identified. Detailed analysis was restricted to mothers either born in the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh (1435)) or United Kingdom (283). Mean birth weight and % low birth weight (<2500 g) were 3133 g (95%CI 3108 to 3157) and 7.5%, for first generation babies and 3046 g (2992 to 3099) and 11.7% for second generation babies. There was no trend over time to increased average birth weight in either first or second generation babies. Adjusting for other factors that were statistically significantly related to birth weight (gender, gestational age, mother’s age, maternal weight at 15 weeks, parity, and mother’s ethnic group) did not alter the trends. Conclusions: For that group in the UK who derive from the Indian subcontinent, average birth weight is significantly less than the national average. There has not been any increase in the average birth weight over the past 40 years, and the birth weight of babies of women who were born in the UK are no greater. The persistence of lower than desirable birth weight may result long term in higher than average rates of diabetes and heart disease in these groups.
Female academic leadership in the post-Soviet context

Using a qualitative interview approach, this study analyzes the experiences of women in academic leadership positions in post-Soviet Kazakhstan. An exploration of the extent of the relevance of Western research on female academic leadership is used to explain the experiences of female leaders in Kazakhstan. The results of the study are consistent with the results of prior studies conducted in other countries and can be largely explained by existing theories. One distinctive feature of the experiences of female leaders in Kazakhstan is the superimposition of three dominant cultures – traditional, Soviet, and Westernized neo-liberal, which impose multiple conflicting expectations. Kazakhstani women are obliged to maintain multiple identities when communicating with their colleagues, superiors and extended family members. The exact outcome of the work–life balance negotiation depends, among other factors, on the type of ownership and geographic region of a university. The study also reveals that neo-institutional theory, not conventionally used in the analysis of female leadership in academia in the West, may be particularly relevant for explaining female experiences in transitional and developing contexts; specifically, in explaining the constraints imposed by informal policy networks and corruption.
Kinesiophobia in Pre-Operative Patients with Cervical Discopathy and Coexisting Degenerative Changes in Relation to Pain-Related Variables, Psychological State and Sports Activity

Background No research group has ever investigated the level of kinesiophobia in a well defined group of preoperative patients treated due to cervical discopathy and degenerative spine disease, confirmed by X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. We aimed to investigate the degree of kinesiophobia and the differences in pain-related and psychosocial characteristics between patients with high and low levels of kinesiophobia, in relation to factors commonly associated with neck pain. Material/Methods Sixty-five consecutive patients with cervical discopathy and coexisting degenerative changes were assessed pre-surgically. The mean pain duration was 31.7 SD 34.0 months. Patients completed the Polish versions of the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-PL) on 2 occasions, and the following once: Neck Disability Index (NDI-PL), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-PL), Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ-PL), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS-PL). Results A high level of kinesiophobia was indicated in 81.5% and 87.7% of patients in first and second completion, respectively. Patients with high and low kinesiophobia differ in regards to the recreation section of NDI-PL (p=0.012), gender (p=0.043), and sports activity (p=0.024). Correlations were identified between TSK-PL and marital status (p=0.023) and sports activity (p=0.024). Conclusions Kinesiophobia levels are higher in patients with chronic cervical pain before surgical treatment. Fear of movement tends to be higher in women and among patients avoiding sports recreation before surgical treatment. Although sports activity and socio-demographic data are predictors of kinesiophobia, psychological, pain-related, and clinical data are not. These findings should be considered when planning rehabilitation after surgical treatment of cervical discopathy and coexisting degenerative changes.
Counting and representing intersections among triangles in three dimensions

We present an algorithm that efficiently counts all intersecting triples among a collection T of triangles in ℝ3 in nearly-quadratic time. This solves a problem posed by Pellegrini, [18]. Using a variant of the technique, one can represent the set of all κ triple intersections, in compact form, as the disjoint union of complete tripartite hypergraphs, which requires nearly-quadratic construction time and storage. Our approach also applies to any collection of convex planar objects of constant description complexity in ℝ3$, with the same performance bounds. We also prove that this counting problem belongs to the 3SUM-hard family, and thus our algorithm is likely to be nearly optimal (since it is believed that 3SUM-hard problems cannot be solved in subquadratic time).
High volume web service resource consumption

In this paper we investigate the problem of providing consistency, availability and durability for Web Service transactions that consume anonymous and attribute based resources. We show that the availability of the popular lazy replica update propagation method can be achieved while increasing it's durability and consistency. Our approach is based on an extension to the Buddy System, requiring that updates are preserved synchronously in two replicas, called buddies. Our system provides a new consistency constraint, Capacity Constraint, which allows the system to guarantee that resources are not over consumed and also allows for higher distribution of the consumption. Our method provides 1. ) higher availability through the distribution of element master's by utilizing all available clusters, 2. ) consistency by performing the complete transaction on a single set of clusters, and 3. ) a guaranteed durability by updating two clusters synchronously with the transaction.
A Wide-Field View of Leo II: A Structural Analysis Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Using SDSS I data, we have analyzed the stellar distribution of the Leo II dwarf spheroidal galaxy (distance of 233 kpc) to search for evidence of tidal deformation. The existing SDSS photometric catalog contains gaps in regions of high stellar crowding, hence we filled the area at the center of Leo II using the DAOPHOT algorithm applied to the SDSS images. The combined DAOPHOT-SDSS data set contains three-filter photometry over a 4 × 4 deg2 region centered on Leo II. By defining a mask in three-filter color-magnitude space, we removed the majority of foreground field stars. We have measured the following Leo II structural parameters: a core radius of rc = 2.64′ ± 0.19′ (178 ± 13 pc), a tidal radius of rt = 9.33′ ± 0.47′ (632 ± 32 pc), and a total V-band luminosity of LV = (7.4 ± 2.0) × 105 L⊙ (MV = -9.9 ± 0.3). Our comprehensive analysis of the Leo II structure did not reveal any significant signs of tidal distortion. The internal structure of this object contains only mild isophotal twisting. A small overdensity was discovered approximately 4.5 tidal radii from the Leo II center; however, we conclude that it is unlikely to be material tidally stripped from Leo II based on its stellar population and is most likely a foreground overdensity of stars. Our results indicate that the influence of the Galactic gravitational field on the structure of Leo II has been relatively mild. We rederived the mass-to-light ratio of this system using existing kinematic data combined with our improved structural measurements, and we favor the scenario in which Leo II is strongly dominated by dark matter with (M/L)V ∼ 100 in solar units.
Measuring presence and awareness of external events

In this paper a method is presented for measuring awareness of external events while interacting with a virtual world. This study examines the relation (if there exists any) between the user awareness and the presence felt in a virtual world during use of immersive displays. An experiment is conducted that measures presence using the questionnaire developed by Witmer and Singer [WS98]. During this study also the reliability of this questionnaire is evaluated since it was criticised by others.