Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantization Noise Shaping Degradation in Switched-Current Bandpass Sigma-Delta Modulators

This paper presents a systematic analysis of the major switched-current errors and their effects on the degradation of the Noise Shaping for 4th-Order BandPass Σ∆ Modulators. The results obtained have been applied to design a silicon prototype in a 0. 8μm CMOS technology. Experimental results show 8-bit resolution for 30kHz signal band centered at 2.5MHz with 10MHz clock frequency. (1)
Structured Generative Models of Continuous Features for Word Sense Induction

We propose a structured generative latent variable model that integrates information from multiple contextual representations for Word Sense Induction. Our approach jointly models global lexical, local lexical and dependency syntactic context. Each context type is associated with a latent variable and the three types of variables share a hierarchical structure. We use skip-gram based word and dependency context embeddings to construct all three types of representations, reducing the total number of parameters to be estimated and enabling better generalization. We describe an EM algorithm to efficiently estimate model parameters and use the Integrated Complete Likelihood criterion to automatically estimate the number of senses. Our model achieves state-of-the-art results on the SemEval-2010 and SemEval-2013 Word Sense Induction datasets.
Receptor-targeted, drug-loaded, functionalized graphene oxides for chemotherapy and photothermal therapy

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Although different chemotherapeutic agents have been developed to treat cancers, their use can be limited by low cellular uptake, drug resistance, and side effects. Hence, targeted drug delivery systems are continually being developed in order to improve the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents. The main aim of this study was to prepare folic acid (FA)-conjugated polyvinyl pyrrolidone-functionalized graphene oxides (GO) (FA-GO) for targeted delivery of sorafenib (SF). GO were prepared using a modified Hummer’s method and subsequently altered to prepare FA-GO and SF-loaded FA-GO (FA-GO/SF). Characterization of GO derivatives was done using ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, zeta potential measurements, and determination of in vitro drug release. Hemolytic toxicity, in vitro cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and apoptotic effects of FA-GO/SF were also investigated. The results revealed that GO was successfully synthesized and that further transformation to FA-GO improved the stability and SF drug-loading capacity. In addition, the enhanced SF release under acidic conditions suggested possible benefits for cancer treatment. Conjugation of FA within the FA-GO/SF delivery system enabled targeted delivery of SF to cancer cells expressing high levels of FA receptors, thus increasing the cellular uptake and apoptotic effects of SF. Furthermore, the photothermal effect achieved by exposure of GO to near-infrared irradiation enhanced the anticancer effects of FA-GO/SF. Taken together, FA-GO/SF is a potential carrier for targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents in cancer.
Indistinguishability Obfuscation with Constant Size Overhead

Present constructions of indistinguishability obfuscation (iO) create obfuscated programs where the size of the obfuscated program is at least a factor of a security parameter larger than the size of the original program. In this work, we construct the first iO scheme that achieves only a constant multiplicative overhead (in fact, the constant is 2) in the size of the program. The security of our construction requires the existence of sub-exponentially secure iO for circuits (that has any polynomial multiplicative overhead in the circuit size) and one-way functions.
Psychological Adaptation to Extreme Environments: Antarctica as a Space Analogue

Exploring and controlling variables implicated in a spaceflight is one of the most challenging aspects of space science, since space missions provide the only real environment where these studies can be conducted [1]. However, there are terrestrial settings that can be used as analogues to assess factors associated to space exploration. Also known as “space analogues”, they are a way to reproduce and study some of the conditions that a subject may deal with in a space mission. There are several scenarios in Earth that might guide us to enrich our knowledge about space challenges and to think about possible interventions to extend human adaptability to them [2-7]. Researchers have centered their attention on different psychological dimensions that can be affected in space modulated by the analogues. Numerous studies focus on the impact of confinement and isolation over psychological variables, describing changes in emotional states caused by these conditions[8-10]. Others propose the importance of light exposure to maintain psychophysiological functions in space [11], as it was observed that it might play a main role in affective disorders [12]. With about 14-millon square kilometers covered by thick ice layers, located in the Antarctic Polar Cycle [13], Antarctica is characterized by 24-hours of darkness during winter (polar night) and constant light conditions during summer (Figure 1). Extreme temperature and environmental conditions make Antarctica a tough place to live in. Thus, mostly military personnel and scientific researchers stay in small groups for special expeditions. These characteristics define Antarctica as one of the most reliable space analogues where isolation, confinement, light-dark cycle and extreme environmental conditions can be examined [8,14,15]. Mood fluctuations, emotional disruptions and psychological disorders were claimed to be related to some of Antarctica ́s characteristics already mentioned. One of the most studied disorders associated to changes in dark-light cycle is the seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It is a subtype of depression defined by major depressive episodes during fall or winter months [16]. Many researchers have centered their attention Abstract
Tactical asset allocation: Assessing strategies for predicting and aapting to volatile financial markets

This paper explores strategies to predict and adapt to volatile financial markets. The goal of the project is to enhance investorspsila abilities to evaluate current market conditions and invest accordingly, maximizing future returns and minimizing the associated risk. By analyzing predictive indicators and constructing investment models, the project seeks to develop a reliable method to predict and adapt to market movements. Testing indicates there are benefits that come from using various indicators to qualify investment strategies based on market conditions. Incorporating specific factors into investment models allows for the enhancement of returns while simultaneously reducing risks. Given the nature of compound interest, this is a noteworthy improvement that will make a significant difference in the long run.
Parkinson disease detection using ensemble method in PASW benchmark

We present an ensemble method to classify Parkinson patients and healthy people. C&R Tree, Bayes Net and C5.0 are used to generate ensemble method. Using supervised learning technique, the proposed method generates rules to distinguish Parkinson patients from healthy people. The proposed method uses single classifier to generate rules which are used as input for the next used classifier and in this way final rules are generated to predict more accurate results than individual classifier used to generate ensemble method. This method shows lower number of misclassification instances than single classifiers used to build model. Ensemble method shows better results for training and testing accuracy than single classifier.
Those who can, teach. Assessing medical students’ perception of a finals revision programme delivered by foundation and core trainees: a cross-sectional study

Objective To determine whether medical students perceive a foundation and core trainee finals revision programme as useful. Design Questionnaires were used to assess students’ perception of the teaching programme. Setting A medical school in the South of England. Participants There were 106 final year medical students in the cohort. Results The teaching scored well in all facets analysed and scored best on enthusiasm, interactivity and communication. Conclusions We provide a framework for how foundation and core trainees could provide a very well received teaching programme benefiting medical students, the doctors and the medical school.
Syntactic analysis of Arabic adverb’s between Arabic and English: X bar theory

This study was undertaken to highlight some linguistic devices of structural and syntactic analysis of multi-position Arabic adverbs, the study offered a syntactic baseline between Arabic and English, the researcher selected six sentences of Arabic and English adverbs, 3 in Arabic and 3 in English, in order to serve the task of analysis and scrutinize some indiscernible adverbs loci of Arabic comparing with one key position in English. The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether the locus of adverbial sentence in Arabic is matchable to locus of English sentence or otherwise. The subject of this study was the flexible position of Arabic adverbs, which may approach in the initial, middle or even end of Arabic sentence. Towards that end, a comparative methodology of the Arabic and English adverbs have explicated some declarative and interrogative sentences from Arabic and its correspondence in English, via adopted chomeskyan syntactic theory (Chomsky, 1995, Minimalist Program) with paying heed to the syntactic similarities and dissimilarities of adverbs locus in both systems and delve for the flexible position in Arabic which could change the sentential meaning and the grammatical structure by adopting Chomsky X' theory (1995).
On the Security of Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code ?

In [4], Bernstein presented a simple proof of security of Cipher Block Chaining (CBC) Message Authentication Code (MAC) against adversaries querying messages all of which are of the same length. In this paper we show that Bernstein’s proof can be used to prove security of CBC MAC against adversaries querying non-empty messages that are not prefixes of each other. This implies that “length-prepend CBC MAC” presented by Bellare, Kilian, and Rogaway in [1] is a secure authentication method, handling variable message lengths.
Control Exchange Points: Providing QoS-enabled End-to-End Services via SDN-based Inter-domain Routing Orchestration

Introduction. This paper presents the vision of the Control Exchange Point (CXP) architectural model. The model is motivated by the inflexibility and ossification of today’s inter-domain routing system, which renders critical QoS-constrained end-toend (e2e) network services difficult or simply impossible to provide. CXPs operate on slices of ISP networks and are built on basic Software Defined Networking (SDN) principles, such as the clean decoupling of the routing control plane from the data plane and the consequent logical centralization of control. The main goal of the architectural model is to provide e2e services with QoS constraints across domains. This is achieved through defining a new type of business relationship between ISPs, which advertise partial paths (so-called pathlets [7]) with specific properties, and the orchestrating role of the CXPs, which dynamically stitch them together and provision e2e QoS. Revenue from value-added services flows from the clients of the CXP to the ISPs participating in the service. The novelty of the approach is the combination of SDN programmability and dynamic path stitching techniques for inter-domain routing, which extends the value proposition of SDN over multiple domains. We first describe the challenges related to e2e service provision with the current inter-domain routing and peering model, and then continue with the benefits of our approach. Subsequently, we describe the CXP model in detail and report on an initial feasibility analysis. Motivation and Challenges. Complexity and ossification: The notorious complexity of the inter-domain routing system renders its management difficult and error-prone, leading to various inefficiencies such as suboptimal inter-domain paths. Indicatively, 60% of all Internet paths today are suffering from triangle inequality violations [9]. The current ossification of the system, hindering the introduction of new solutions, aggravates the problem further. Highly popular inter-domain services, such as highdefinition e2e real-time video streaming, already test the limits of the status quo, or are simply impossible. This is because such services require tight coordination along entire chains of ISPs demanding QoS provisioning. More advanced and mission-critical services, such as telemedical applications, are usually out of the question.
Ordering the suggestions of a spellchecker without using context*

Abstract Having located a misspelling, a spellchecker generally offers some suggestions for the intended word. Even without using context, a spellchecker can draw on various types of information in ordering its suggestions. A series of experiments is described, beginning with a basic corrector that implements a well-known algorithm for reversing single simple errors, and making successive enhancements to take account of substring matches, pronunciation, known error patterns, syllable structure and word frequency. The improvement in the ordering produced by each enhancement is measured on a large corpus of misspellings. The final version is tested on other corpora against a widely used commercial spellchecker and a research prototype.
Handling verbose queries for spoken document retrieval

Query-by-example information retrieval provides users a flexible but efficient way to accurately describe their information needs. The query exemplars are usually long and in the form of either a partial or even a full document. However, they may contain extraneous terms that would have potential negative impacts on the retrieval performance. In order to alleviate those negative impacts, we propose a novel term-based query reduction mechanism so as to improve the informativeness of verbose query exemplars. We also explore the notion of term discrimination power to select a salient subset of query terms automatically. Experiments on the TDT Chinese collection show that the proposed approach is indeed effective and promising.
An Algebraic Formalization of the GoF Design Patterns

This document reports on the use of an algebraic, visual, formal approach to the specification of patterns for the formalization of the GoF design patterns. The approach is based on graphs, morphisms and operations from category theory and exploits triple graphs to annotate model elements with pattern roles. Being based on category theory, the approach can be applied to formalize patterns in different domains. Novel in our proposal is the possibility of describing (nested) variable submodels, inter-pattern synchronization across several diagrams (e.g. class and sequence diagrams for UML design patterns), pattern composition, and conflict analysis.
Fluctuation between Fasting and 2-H Postload Glucose State Is Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease in Previously Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Patients with HbA1c ≥ 7%

Objective To investigate how the glucose variability between fasting and a 2-h postload glucose state (2-h postload plasma glucose [2hPG]-fasting plasma glucose [FPG]) is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in middle-aged and elderly Chinese patients previously diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Design and Methods This cross-sectional study included 1054 previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients who were 40 years of age and older. First, the subjects were divided into two groups based on a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) value of 7%. Each group was divided into two subgroups, with or without CKD. The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation was used to estimate the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). CKD was defined as eGFR<60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate the association between the 2hPG-FPG and eGFR. The 2hPG-FPG value was divided into four groups increasing in increments of 36 mg/dl (2.0 mmol/L): 0–72, 72–108, 108–144 and ≥144 mg/dl, based on the quartiles of patients with HbA1c levels ≥7%; then, binary logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between 2hPG-FPG and the risk of CKD. Results In the patients with HbA1c levels ≥7%, the 2hPG-FPG was significantly associated with decreased eGFR and an increased risk of CKD independent of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, smoking, and drinking, as well as fasting insulin, cholesterol, triglyceride, and HbA1c levels. The patients with 2hPG-FPG values ≥144 mg/dl showed an increased odds ratio (OR) of 2.640 (P = 0.033). Additionally, HbA1c was associated with an increased risk of CKD in patients with HbA1c values ≥7%. Conclusions The short-term glucose variability expressed by 2hPG-FPG is closely associated with decreased eGFR and an increased risk of CKD in patients with poor glycemic control (HbA1c≥7%).
Subjectivity Classification using Machine Learning Techniques for Mining Feature-Opinion Pairs from Web Opinion Sources

Due to flourish of the Web 2.0, web opinion sources are rapidly emerging containing precious information useful for both customers and manufactures. Recently, feature based opinion mining techniques are gaining momentum in which customer reviews are processed automatically for mining product features and user opinions expressed over them. However, customer reviews may contain both opinionated and factual sentences. Distillations of factual contents improve mining performance by preventing noisy and irrelevant extraction. In this paper, combination of both supervised machine learning and rule-based approaches are proposed for mining feasible feature-opinion pairs from subjective review sentences. In the first phase of the proposed approach, a supervised machine learning technique is applied for classifying subjective and objective sentences from customer reviews. In the next phase, a rule based method is implemented which applies linguistic and semantic analysis of texts to mine feasible feature-opinion pairs from subjective sentences retained after the first phase. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is established through experimentation over customer reviews on different electronic products.
Characterization of the ATPase and unwinding activities of the yeast DEAD-box protein Has1p and the analysis of the roles of the conserved motifs

The yeast DEAD-box protein Has1p is required for the maturation of 18S rRNA, the biogenesis of 40S r-subunits and for the processing of 27S pre-rRNAs during 60S r-subunit biogenesis. We purified recombinant Has1p and characterized its biochemical activities. We show that Has1p is an RNA-dependent ATPase in vitro and that it is able to unwind RNA/DNA duplexes in an ATP-dependent manner. We also report a mutational analysis of the conserved residues in motif I (86AKTGSGKT93), motif III (228SAT230) and motif VI (375HRVGRTARG383). The in vivo lethal K92A substitution in motif I abolishes ATPase activity in vitro. The mutations S228A and T230A partially dissociate ATPase and helicase activities, and they have cold-sensitive and lethal growth phenotypes, respectively. The H375E substitution in motif VI significantly decreased helicase but not ATPase activity and was lethal in vivo. These results suggest that both ATPase and unwinding activities are required in vivo. Has1p possesses a Walker A-like motif downstream of motif VI (383GTKGKGKS390). K389A substitution in this motif significantly increases the Has1p activity in vitro, which indicates it potentially plays a role as a negative regulator. Finally, rRNAs and poly(A) RNA serve as the best stimulators of the ATPase activity of Has1p among the tested RNAs.
Retelling the Story: Official Tales of Technology and Head Start Teachers' Technophobia.

The United States has invested in educational technology and nourished the enthusiasm to infuse computers in K-12 classrooms since the early 90s through various technology policy initiatives. However, the Digital Divide and differences between the expected and actual technology use in schools are still in existence. In line with this problematic, this paper discusses federal constructions of technology in comparison to the experiences and practices of Head Start teachers using technology. Situated in the context of a federal initiative, the Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology (PT), this paper presents findings from a larger ethnographic case study to compare the official tales of technology with the local experiences of teachers who participated in a PT grant. Findings suggest that there are both overlaps and disconnects between federal rhetoric and local practices in regards to how technology is defined and the ways early childhood teachers act on these federal constructions. It concludes by suggesting that those disconnects can be eliminated by acknowledging different faces for technology learning among teachers.
Three-Dimensional Front Tracking

We describe a three-dimensional front tracking algorithm, discuss its numerical implementation, and present studies to validate the correctness of this approach. Based on the results of the two-dimensional computations, we expect three-dimensional front tracking to significantly improve computational efficiencies for problems dominated by discontinuities. In some cases, for which the interface computations display considerable numerical sensitivity, we expect a greatly enhanced capability.
Efficient splitting off algorithms for graphs

Splitting off is a powerful tool for proving theorems and developing polynomial-time algorithms on graphs, especially for edge-connectivity problems. We present efficient algorithms for splitting off, leading to efficient algorithms for connectivity problems. We improve pr~ vious algorithms (baaed on submodular flow) to find a k-edge-connected orientation of an undirected graph or Multigraph. We also improve the beat bounds for the edge connectivity augmentation problem for undirected and directed multigraphs, and for the local connectivity y augmentation problem on undirected graphs and multigraphs, each by a factor n. We also give efficient algorithms for finding a well-balanced orientation of an undirected graph or Multigraph. Our approach mea a graph transformation that allows efficient computation of cuts that are variants of the minimum s, t-cut.
Behavioral and emotional problems in children with sickle cell disease and healthy siblings: Multiple informants, multiple measures

Behavioral and emotional problems in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) may be related to disease factors, or to socio‐demographic factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of behavioral and emotional problems in children with SCD living in a Western European country, compared to healthy siblings (who were comparable in age, gender, ethnicity, and socio‐economic status—SES), and to a Dutch norm population.