Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clustering and the continuous k-means algorithm

discussed in the accompanying article, involve datasets so large that their direct manipulation is impractical. Some method of data compression or consolidation must first be applied to reduce the size of the dataset without losing the essential character of the data. All consolidation methods sacrifice some detail; the most desirable methods are computationally efficient and yield results that are—at least for practical applications—representative of the original data. Here we introduce several widely used algorithms that consolidate data by clustering, or grouping, and then present a new method, the continuous k-means algorithm,* developed at the Laboratory specifically for clustering large datasets.
The Formal Design Model of a Real-Time Operating System (RTOS+): Static and Dynamic Behaviors

A real-time operating system RTOS provides a platform for the design and implementation of a wide range of applications in real-time systems, embedded systems, and mission-critical systems. This paper presents a formal design model for a general RTOS known as RTOS+ that enables a specific target RTOS to be rigorously and efficiently derived in real-world applications. The methodology of a denotational mathematics, Real-Time Process Algebra RTPA, is described for formally modeling and refining architectures, static behaviors, and dynamic behaviors of RTOS+. The conceptual model of the RTOS+ system is introduced as the initial requirements for the system. The architectural model of RTOS+ is created using RTPA architectural modeling methodologies and refined by a set of Unified Data Models UDMs. The static behaviors of RTOS+ are specified and refined by a set of Unified Process Models UPMs. The dynamic behaviors of the RTOS+ system are specified and refined by the real-time process scheduler and system dispatcher. This work is presented in two papers in serial due to its excessive length. The static and dynamic behavioral models of RTOS+ is described in this paper; while the conceptual and architectural models of RTOS+ has been published in IJSSCI 22.
Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Wire Coating: A Review

Progress in the analysis of the wire-coating process is reviewed. In particular, the melt flow analysis inside high-speed, pressure-type, wire-coating dies is presented. Early analytical efforts have been based on the lubrication approximation theory under isothermal conditions. Recent advances include full nonisothermal flow analysis using numerical finite element methods. Wire-coating coextrusion is also reviewed. A need for more experimental data and inclusion of viscoelastic effects in the constitutive models used in the analysis are of primary importance for future work.
A Distributed IDS for Industrial Control Systems

Cyber-threats are one of the most significant problems faced by modern Industrial Control Systems ICS, such as SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, as the vulnerabilities of ICS technology become serious threats that can ultimately compromise human lives. This situation demands a domain-specific approach to cyber threat detection within ICS, which is one of the most important contributions of the CockpitCI FP7 project http://CockpitCI.eu. Specifically, this paper will present the CockpitCI distributed Intrusion Detection System IDS for ICS, which provides its core cyber-detection and analysis capabilities, also including a description of its components, in terms of role, operation, integration, and remote management. Moreover, it will also introduce and describe new domain-specific solutions for ICS security such as the SCADA Honeypot and the Shadow Security Unit, which are part of the CockcpitCI IDS framework.
A novel method for determination of the optical properties of two-layer tissue model from spatially resolved diffuse reflectance

A novel method combining the PCA-NN algorithm established on the single-layer tissue model and the genetic algorithm based on the two-layer diffusion model has been presented to determine the optical properties of the two-layer medium from the steady-state spatially resolved diffuse reflectance. In detail, we firstly employ the PCA-NN algorithm established on the semi-infinite tissue model to extract the optical properties of the top layer from the spatially resolved reflectance that results from the photons migrating mainly within the top layer. With the knowledge of the optical properties of the top layer, the optical properties of the bottom layer are then obtained by use of the genetic algorithm for fitting the two-layer diffusion model to the reflectance data far from the source. The method was validated using the Monte Carlo generated reflectance for the two-layer medium of skin overlying fat or skin overlying muscle. And, the skin thickness was assumed to be known a priori and fixed at 5 mm. The results showed that all the optical properties of two layers can be determined by the method with the accuracy of better than 10%.
Delivering object-based audio visual services

Delivery of audio-visual objects differs from the traditional video on demand systems in the characteristics of the presentations delivered. Video on demand has mainly been about delivering MPEG-2 audio and video. In the case of object based presentations such as MPEG-4 presentations, the media data and the media composition data are transmitted to a client as separate streams, typically with different QoS requirements, in the same session. Furthermore, as the number of objects in a presentation can be quite large, the overhead required to manage the session is large. Interactivity makes this problem more complex as the resources required for a session will now depend on the user behavior, especially when user interaction with objects changes the number of objects in the scene either by adding or deleting objects. In this paper, we present our recent work on delivering audio-visual services based on MPEG-4. The issues covered include object-based audio-visual (MPEG-4) servers, object scheduling, object-to-object communications, and content creation.
Immunologic evaluation of hepatitis B vaccine application in hospital staff.

OBJECTIVES The aim of our study was to assess immunological changes in hospital employees vaccinated five years ago with a recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. MATERIALS AND METHODS 148 hospital employees were examined at different time periods during 5 years following a three-dose schedule of intramuscular immunization with a recombinant DNA hepatitis B vaccine (Engerix-B). RESULTS At the end of a 5-year period, 20 vaccinees (13.5%) demonstrated a low level of HBs antibodies, namely < 10 mIU/ml being evaluated as lack of protection, 46 (31.1%) showed titers between 11 and 100 mIU/ ml corresponding to feeble protection, 54 (36.5%) were with titers > 100 mIU/ml considered as sufficiently protected and, surprisingly, in 28 vaccinated persons (18.9%), titers of HBs Ab were over 1000 mIU/ml corresponding to high protection. The HBsAg were never detected among the entire vaccinated group. Averaged amounts of serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA) were lower relatively to normal values only among unprotected or feebly protected vaccinees. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that postvaccinal titers are in linear dependence on the time elapsed since the vaccination and also evidence that some other immunological factors influence the outcome of vaccination.
On generalized Popov theory for delay systems

This paper focuses on the Popov generalized theory for a class of some linear systems including discrete and distributed delays. Sufficient conditions for stabilizing such systems as well as for coerciveness of an appropriate quadratic cost are developed. The obtained results are applied for the design of a memoryless state feedback control law which guarantees the (exponential) closed-loop stability with an ${\cal L}_2$ norm bound constraint on disturbance attenuation. Note that the proposed results extend similar ones proposed by some of the authors [inddl:98].
An Exploratory Study of Differences in Manufacturing Strategy between National and Global Production Firms

The purpose of this paper is to explore differences of the manufacturing strategy between plants that produce in a global manufacturing network and such plants that are part of local production only. Both groups of firms serve a worldwide market. As methodology, the paper uses statistical analyses, in particular difference and correlation tests, which are based on data from the fourth round of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (IMSS). Major findings are that the two groups of plants differ concerning their order winners, capabilities and performance. Both types of plants exist in substantial quantities within the sample. Based on these results, the paper puts forward a detailed research agenda of manufacturing strategies in international contexts.
Metallic nanostructures for enhancement of absorption in thin-film solar cells

In this paper, a novel structure is proposed to enhance the absorption of light in thin-film solar cells by surface plasmons excited on metallic nano-rods. The excitation of surface plasmons on these nano-rods that are implemented in amorphous hydrogenated silicon is realized by a two-dimensional array of metallic nanoparticles. This array, which consists of nonresonant plasmonic nanoparticles, can be mounted on the anti-reflection coating of the solar cells.
Synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide probes for detection of Listeria monocytogenes

A 500-base-pair DNA fragment of a presumptive beta-hemolysin gene of Listeria monocytogenes has been used to identify this organism by a modified colony hybridization technique. We have cloned this DNA fragment into M13 bacteriophage vectors and sequenced it by a dideoxynucleotide sequencing technique. From this sequencing information, several oligodeoxyribonucleotides were synthesized and used as synthetic probes to identify L. monocytogenes. The probes were specific for L. monocytogenes and did not react with any other Listeria strains in a colony hybridization assay. In particular, one of these probes (AD07) was used to detect L. monocytogenes in artificially contaminated raw-milk and soft-cheese samples.
Dielectric and piezoelectric properties of PVDF/PZT composites: A review

Smart materials, which exhibit piezoelectricity, find an eclectic range of applications in the industry. The direct piezoelectric effect has been widely used in sensor design, and the inverse piezoelectric effect has been applied in actuator design. Ever since 1954, PZT and BaTiO3 were widely used for sensor and actuator applications despite their toxicity, brittleness, inflexibility, etc. With the discovery of PVDF in 1969, followed by development of copolymers, a flexible, easy to process, nontoxic, high density alternate with high piezoelectric voltage coefficient was available. In the past 20 years, heterostructural materials like polymer ceramic composites, have received lot of attention, since these materials combine the excellent pyroelectric and piezoelectric properties of ceramics with the flexibility, processing facility, and strength of the polymers resulting in relatively high dielectric permittivity and breakdown strength, which are not attainable in a single phase piezoelectric material. The current review article is an attempt to provide a compendium of all the work carried out with reference to PVDF-PZT composites. The review article evaluates the effect of grain size, content and other factors under the purview of dielectric and piezoelectric properties while evaluating the sensitivity of the material for sensor application. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:1589–1616, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Estimating Lighting and Geometry Information from Time-Lapse Videos via Non-Negative Matrix Factorization

To create appealing realistic visual effects, complete geometric models, lightings, and material properties of a scene are often required in film production or augmented reality. This compact representation also enables various applications in many image synthesis and editing tasks. In this paper, we introduce an iterative photometric stereo approach via non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) to model an outdoor scene from a time-lapse video, and retrieve the surface geometry and lighting information of the scene even in the presence of shadow. To accomplish this, in this paper, we provide 1) a novel shadow detection method to locate shadow pixels in a time-lapse video, and 2) an iterative photometric stereo framework with NMF to recover the geometry and lighting information of the outdoor scene.
Seasonal Patterns of Mixed Species Groups in Large East African Mammals

Mixed mammal species groups are common in East African savannah ecosystems. Yet, it is largely unknown if co-occurrences of large mammals result from random processes or social preferences and if interspecific associations are consistent across ecosystems and seasons. Because species may exchange important information and services, understanding patterns and drivers of heterospecific interactions is crucial for advancing animal and community ecology. We recorded 5403 single and multi-species clusters in the Serengeti-Ngorongoro and Tarangire-Manyara ecosystems during dry and wet seasons and used social network analyses to detect patterns of species associations. We found statistically significant associations between multiple species and association patterns differed spatially and seasonally. Consistently, wildebeest and zebras preferred being associated with other species, whereas carnivores, African elephants, Maasai giraffes and Kirk's dik-diks avoided being in mixed groups. During the dry season, we found that the betweenness (a measure of importance in the flow of information or disease) of species did not differ from a random expectation based on species abundance. In contrast, in the wet season, we found that these patterns were not simply explained by variations in abundances, suggesting that heterospecific associations were actively formed. These seasonal differences in observed patterns suggest that interspecific associations may be driven by resource overlap when resources are limited and by resource partitioning or anti-predator advantages when resources are abundant. We discuss potential mechanisms that could drive seasonal variation in the cost-benefit tradeoffs that underpin the formation of mixed-species groups.
Antioxidant Activity Determination of Citronellal and Crude Extracts of Cymbopogon citratus by 3 Different Methods

Cymbopogon citratus, better known as lemongrass, is a plant commonly used for culinary purposes. It is known to contain the compound citronellal, which is responsible for the lemon-scent of many of the plants of the genus Cymbopogon. A chloroform extract of Cymbopogon citratus was screened to determine its free radical scavenging activities. Three different methods were used to test the antioxidant activity of the extract, including FRAP assay (Ferric reducing antioxidant potential), DPPH radical scavenging assay (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl radical reducing power methods), and β-carotene bleaching assay. Cymbopogon citratus showed low radical scavenging activities compared to ascorbic acid, gallic acid and quercetin. The results obtained suggest that Cymbopogon citratus is best appreciated for its refreshing aroma and delicate taste, but has little to offer as a source of antioxidants.
Cancer incidence in families with multiple glioma patients

Twenty‐four Finnish families with 2 or more glioma patients were identified through questionnaires sent to 369 consecutive glioma patients receiving surgery at Tampere University Hospital during 1983–94. To explore whether unusual cancer susceptibility is involved, the cancer risk of 2,664 family members was estimated using population‐based data from the Finnish Cancer Registry. Among the total cohort of relatives, 88 cancers were observed during 1953–97. The overall cancer risk among 12 families with juvenile onset gliomas was significantly decreased (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] 0.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.4–0.9). Among 12 families with adult onset gliomas, the overall cancer risk was equal to that of the reference population (SIR 1.1, 95% CI: 0.8–1.4) whereas the risk of skin melanoma (SIR 4.0, 95% CI: 1.5–8.8) and meningioma (SIR 5.5, 95% CI: 1.1–16) were significantly increased. Several other tumors, including those associated with neurofibromatosis 1 and 2, tuberous sclerosis and Li‐Fraumeni and Turcot syndromes were surveyed, but no elevated risks were observed. In conclusion, the presence of meningiomas and skin melanomas in glioma families may indicate a novel association as a cancer susceptibility trait. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Predicting Causes of Reformulation in Intelligent Assistants

Intelligent assistants (IAs) such as Siri and Cortana conversationally interact with users and execute a wide range of actions (e.g., searching the Web, setting alarms, and chatting). IAs can support these actions through the combination of various components such as automatic speech recognition, natural language understanding, and language generation. However, the complexity of these components hinders developers from determining which component causes an error. To remove this hindrance, we focus on reformulation, which is a useful signal of user dissatisfaction, and propose a method to predict the reformulation causes. We evaluate the method using the user logs of a commercial IA. The experimental results have demonstrated that features designed to detect the error of a specific component improve the performance of reformulation cause detection.
Cell manipulation tool with combined microwell array and optical tweezers for cell isolation and deposition

Isolation from rare cells and deposition of sorted cells with high accuracy for further study are critical to a wide range of biomedical applications. In the current paper, we report an automated cell manipulation tool with combined optical tweezers and a uniquely designed microwell array, which functions for recognition, isolation, assembly, transportation and deposition of the interesting cells. The microwell array allows the passive hydrodynamic docking of cells, while offering the opportunity to inspect the interesting cell phenotypes with high spatio-temporal resolution based on the flexible image processing technique. In addition, dynamic and parallel cell manipulation in three dimensions can realize the target cell levitation from microwell and pattern assembly with multiple optical traps. Integrated with the programmed motorized stage, the optically levitated and assembled cells can be transported and deposited to the predefined microenvironment, so the tool can facilitate the integration of other on-chip functionalities for further study without removing these isolated cells from the chip. Experiments on human embryonic stem cells and yeast cells are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed cell manipulation tool. Besides the application to cell isolation and deposition, three other biological applications with this tool are also presented.
The Impact of Legalized Abortion on Crime

We offer evidence that legalized abortion has contributed significantly to recent crime reductions. Crime began to fall roughly 18 years after abortion legalization. The 5 states that allowed abortion in 1970 experienced declines earlier than the rest of the nation, which legalized in 1973 with Roe v. Wade. States with high abortion rates in the 1970s and 1980s experienced greater crime reductions in the 1990s. In high abortion states, only arrests of those born after abortion legalization fall relative to low abortion states. Legalized abortion appears to account for as much as 50 percent of the recent drop in crime.
The Role of Primary Care in Service Provision for People with Severe Mental Illness in the United Kingdom

Background Severe mental illness is a serious and potentially life changing set of conditions. This paper describes and analyses patient characteristics and service usage over one year of a representative cohort of people with a diagnosis of severe mental illness across England, including contacts with primary and secondary care and continuity of care. Methods and Findings Data were collected from primary care patient notes (n = 1150) by trained nurses from 64 practices in England, covering all service contacts from 1st April 2008 to 31st March 2009. The estimated national rate of patients seen only in primary care in the period was 31.1% (95% C.I. 27.2% to 35.3%) and the rates of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were 56.8% (95% C.I. 52.3% to 61.2%) and 37.9% (95% C.I. 33.7% to 42.2%). In total, patients had 7,961 consultations within primary care and 1,993 contacts with mental health services (20% of the total). Unemployed individuals diagnosed more recently were more likely to have contact with secondary care. Of those seen in secondary care, 61% had at most two secondary care contacts in the period. Median annual consultation rates with GPs were lower than have been reported for previous years and were only slightly above the general population. Relational continuity in primary care was poor for 21% of patients (Modified Modified Continuity Index = <0.5), and for almost a third of new referrals to mental health services the primary care record contained no information on the referral outcome. Conclusions Primary care is centrally involved in the care of people with serious mental illness, but primary care and cross-boundary continuity is poor for a substantial proportion. Research is needed to determine the impact of poor continuity on patient outcomes, and above all, the impact of new collaborative ways of working at the primary/secondary care interface.
CpG‐DNA‐specific activation of antigen‐presenting cells requires stress kinase activity and is preceded by non‐specific endocytosis and endosomal maturation

Unmethylated CpG motifs in bacterial DNA, plasmid DNA and synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) activate dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages in a CD40‐CD40 ligand‐independent fashion. To understand the molecular mechanisms involved we focused on the cellular uptake of CpG ODN, the need for endosomal maturation and the role of the stress kinase pathway. Here we demonstrate that CpG‐DNA induces phosphorylation of Jun N‐terminal kinase kinase 1 (JNKK1/SEK/MKK4) and subsequent activation of the stress kinases JNK1/2 and p38 in murine macrophages and dendritic cells. This leads to activation of the transcription factor activating protein‐1 (AP‐1) via phosphorylation of its constituents c‐Jun and ATF2. Moreover, stress kinase activation is essential for CpG‐DNA‐induced cytokine release of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin‐12 (IL‐12), as inhibition of p38 results in severe impairment of this biological response. We further demonstrate that cellular uptake via endocytosis and subsequent endosomal maturation is essential for signalling, since competition by non‐CpG‐DNA or compounds blocking endosomal maturation such as chloroquine or bafilomycin A prevent all aspects of cellular activation. The data suggest that endosomal maturation is required for translation of intraendosomal CpG ODN sequences into signalling via the stress kinase pathway, where p38 kinase activation represents an essential step in CpG‐ODN‐triggered activation of antigen‐presenting cells.
Creep of micron-sized aluminium columns

Micron-sized aluminium columns, produced by focused-ion beam milling, were subjected to compressive creep in a nanoindentation machine using a flat-ended tip to study their time-dependent deformation behaviour at room temperature. At constant load, their strain increased almost linearly with time, with sporadic but large strain bursts superimposed. This represents a form of creep behaviour not known beforehand for aluminium. Strain bursts were also observed to occur during reloading at stresses higher than the first yield stress during initial loading.