Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comprehensive analysis and parallelization of an image retrieval algorithm

The prevalence of the Internet and cloud computing has made multimedia data, such as image data and video data, become major data types in our daily life. For example, many data-intensive applications, such as health care and video recommendation, involve collecting, indexing and retrieving tera-scale multimedia data every day. With such a huge amount of multimedia data to process, the processing speed has been one of the major challenges to guarantee real-time requirements. The advent of multi-core hardware has opened new opportunities to improve the effectiveness of multimedia data processing. In this paper, we make a comprehensive analysis on different potential parallelism, including pipeline parallelism, task parallelism at both scale level and block level, data parallelism, and their combinations, in a typical image retrieval algorithm called SURF, which is the core algorithm of many multimedia (i.e., image and video) retrieval applications. Experimental results show the following observations of parallelism in SURF: 1) when only one level parallelism is exploited, block-level parallelism is more efficient and scalable than other alternatives; 2) data parallelism cannot be ignored especially when parallel resources increase and 3) the combination of block-level parallelism and pipeline parallelism is the most efficient parallelizing manner for the studied image retrieval algorithm. Based on these observations, we have implemented a parallel image retrieval algorithm. It can be easily mapped onto different multi-core platforms with good scalability. On a commodity server machine with 16-core, the parallel implementation achieves a speedup of 13X, which is 84% faster than P-SURF, a previous state-of-the-art parallelization of SURF on CPU; while on GPGPU, it achieves a speedup of 46X, which is 53% faster than CUDA SURF, a previous state-of-the-art parallelization of SURF on GPGPU.
On the dynamics of a neural network for robot trajectory tracking

In this paper, the dynamic behavior of a three-layer feedforward neural network as a uncertainty compensator for robotic control is investigated. The investigation is conducted in the context of the robot trajectory tracking problem, where the neural network (with the error-backpropagation algorithm) is used as a uncertainty compensator in conjunction with the feedback linearization control (i.e. computed torque) and a PD control. Through computer simulation, it is verified that the dynamics of the neural network has a specific pattern when the learning rate is sufficiently small, and that such a specific pattern of weight variation in the neural network represents a sufficient condition for closed-loop system performance improvement.
Oriented Assemblies of ZnS One‐Dimensional Nanostructures

The assembled ZnS nanobelt arrays and ZnS multicore microcables consisting of an oriented nanowire bundle with a sheath were discussed. It was found that each of the ZnS nanowire bundles acted as a unit, emitting a strong luminescence. Blue, green, and orange luminescence were obtained from different doped products. One dimensional ZnS nanostructures includes nanowire, nanobelts, nanocables and nanotubes have potential application in nanoelectronics and photonics. It was found that arrays of ZnS nanotubes were obtained at a low evaporation rate, while ZnS nanowire bundles were obtained at high temperature due to a rapid evaparation rate.
Predictive analytical modeling of cutting forces generated by high-speed machining of ductile and hard metals

ABSTRACT This paper proposes an analytical cutting forces model based on an extension of the Oxley's machining theory (OMT) to high-speed machining of ductile and hard metals. In this model, the materials' behavior was modeled using the Marusich's constitutive equation (MCE). Furthermore, The OMT was modified to be able to capture the effects of the cutting tool edge radius and the burnishing phenomenon by implementing a variable rake angle equation and the Briks criterion, respectively. The predictive model was validated using experimental data obtained during the orthogonal machining of two aluminum alloys (AA6061-T6 and AA7075-T651) and induction-hardened AISI4340 steel (58-60 HRC). The results showed that the predicted and experimental cutting forces were in reasonable agreement for all tested materials. The strain rate constant in the primary shear zone (C0) was found to be significantly sensitive to the cutting conditions and work material, and its effect on the predicted data was highlighted and discussed in depth. On one hand, it was found that AA6061-T6 is less sensitive to the strain rate compared to the AA7075-T651. On the other hand, all tested materials were found to be more sensitive to the strain rate at low cutting speeds and/or cutting feeds.
Experimental Investigation on Mix Designed HSC HSFRC Specimens Perfomed with Volcanic Aggregate

The selection of mix proportion is the process of choosing suitable ingredients of concrete and determine their quantities with the object of producing as economically as possible concrete of notably strength. The current paper deals with the mix design of both an HSC and HSFRC constituted by volcanic aggregates from the quarries of Eastern Sicily in Italy. The mix design was carried out on eight different concrete mixtures by using the theoretical model developed by Feret – De Larrard’s and it is capable of simulating the experimental compressive strength. The HSFRC mixtures consider different volume fractions of fibers equal to 0% (HRC), 0.5% and 2% (HSFRC). Straight Polyvinylalcohol (PVA) and hooked-end steel fibers (ACC) were the two types of fibers employed in the study. Compression and tensile tests were carried out on specimens performed according to UNI codes in order to validate the mixture proportion method adopted. The HSFRC (0.5%) mixtures did not show great differences in mechanical performance by any variation of the fiber type (steel or PVA). The mechanical properties obtained by experimental tests give back a very good accordance with the theoretical prediction of the mix design procedure adopted, and with the data reported in the literature in terms of toughness.
Extracranial Sources of S100B Do Not Affect Serum Levels

S100B, established as prevalent protein of the central nervous system, is a peripheral biomarker for blood-brain barrier disruption and often also a marker of brain injury. However, reports of extracranial sources of S100B, especially from adipose tissue, may confound its interpretation in the clinical setting. The objective of this study was to characterize the tissue specificity of S100B and assess how extracranial sources of S100B affect serum levels. The extracranial sources of S100B were determined by analyzing nine different types of human tissues by ELISA and Western blot. In addition, brain and adipose tissue were further analyzed by mass spectrometry. A study of 200 subjects was undertaken to determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and S100B serum levels. We also measured the levels of S100B homo- and heterodimers in serum quantitatively after blood-brain barrier disruption. Analysis of human tissues by ELISA and Western blot revealed variable levels of S100B expression. By ELISA, brain tissue expressed the highest S100B levels. Similarly, Western blot measurements revealed that brain tissue expressed high levels of S100B but comparable levels were found in skeletal muscle. Mass spectrometry of brain and adipose tissue confirmed the presence of S100B but also revealed the presence of S100A1. The analysis of 200 subjects revealed no statistically significant relationship between BMI and S100B levels. The main species of S100B released from the brain was the B-B homodimer. Our results show that extracranial sources of S100B do not affect serum levels. Thus, the diagnostic value of S100B and its negative predictive value in neurological diseases in intact subjects (without traumatic brain or bodily injury from accident or surgery) are not compromised in the clinical setting.
Obstructive sleep apnoea and anaesthesia

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) correlates positively with obesity and age, both of which are becoming increasingly prevalent. Obstructive sleep apnoea occurs much more frequently in clinical practice than formerly diagnosed, and that this condition represents complex challenges for difficulty in mask ventilation, laryngoscopic intubation, accelerated arterial desaturation, postoperative monitoring and discharge status. In this review article pathophysiology, diagnosis, and perioperative management of this group of patients have been discussed in detail.
Prospects of Chalcopyrite-Type Nanocrystals for Energy Applications

Colloidal chalcopyrite-type nanocrystals M+M3+E2 (M+ = Cu, Ag; M3+ = In, Fe; E = S, Se) are an emerging class of materials used in energy conversion systems, owing to their high absorption coefficients, nontoxicity, and appropriate band gaps. Their properties can be tuned by varying their size and composition, and they are characterized by peculiar photophysical properties due to a high density of intra band gap electronic states, which arise from defects in the crystal structure and from trap states at the surface. In this Perspective we first discuss optical and electrochemical studies, which give insight into the electronic structure of chalcopyrite nanocrystals. In the second part, their exploitation for energy conversion is highlighted, in particular their use in photovoltaics (with power conversion efficiencies already exceeding 10%) as well as in luminescent solar concentrators, photocatalytic systems, and thermoelectrics. Finally, we discuss current challenges in the chemistry and applications of .
Data fusion for topographic object classification

This paper presents research conducted into the automatic recognition of features and objects on topographic maps (for example, buildings, roads, land parcels etc.) using a selection of shape description methods developed mostly in the field of computer vision. In particular the work here focuses on the proposal and evaluation of fusion techniques (at the decision level of representation) for the classification of topographic data. A set of Ordnance Survey large-scale digital data (1:1250 and 1:2500) was used to evaluate the classification performance of the shape recognition methods used. Each technique proved partially successful in distinguishing classes of objects, however, no one technique provided a general solution to the problem. Further outlined experiments combine these techniques, using a data fusion methodology, on the real-world problem of checking and assigning feature codes in large-scale Ordnance Survey digital data.
Complexity of Impaired Parasympathetic Heart Rate Regulation in Diabetes

The autonomic nervous system is crucial for blood pressure and heart rate regulation. Sympathetic efferent fibers elicit vasoconstriction, raise heart rate and cardiac contractility, and promote sodium reabsorption through direct renal tubular actions and renin-angiotensin system activation. Parasympathetic efferent fibers rapidly reduce heart rate. Both autonomic branches are tightly controlled by baroreflex, stabilizing blood pressure in a feedback fashion (1). Severe autonomic failure due to sympathetic and parasympathetic dysfunction typically occurs in patients with long-standing and poorly controlled diabetes. The condition is associated with profound orthostatic hypotension, postprandial hypotension, a fixed heart rate, and exercise intolerance. Positron emission tomography or single photon emission tomography imaging with tracers taken up by adrenergic sympathetic nerve endings suggest that autonomic efferent nerves are irreversibly damaged in these patients (2,3). There are no causative treatments for late-stage disease and symptomatic treatment is difficult. Clinicians caring for autonomic failure patients are faced with the therapeutic dilemma that blood pressure is often markedly elevated in the supine position (4). Yet, antihypertensive treatment exacerbates orthostatic hypotension. Conversely, treatment of orthostatic hypotension with pressor agents might hasten cardiovascular and renal disease progression. The condition carries a poor prognosis. More subtle changes in cardiovascular autonomic regulation are common early in the course of type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Typically, impaired parasympathetic heart rate control precedes sympathetic dysfunction. Simple bedside tests, such as respiratory sinus arrhythmia assessment during deep breathing, are often diagnostic (5). Heart rate variability and noninvasive baroreflex sensitivity measurements are also useful diagnostic tools, particularly in epidemiologic …
Finite semigroups as categories , ordered semigroupsor compact semigroups

The results presented in this section are a good illustration of the following quotation of Marshall Stone [34]: ’A cardinal principle of modern mathematical research may be stated as a maxim: “One must always topologize” ’. Varieties of finite semigroups are a good example where Stone’s principle was applied successfully. Recall that a variety of semigroups is a class of semigroups closed under taking subsemigroups, quotients and direct products. A variety of finite semigroups, or pseudovariety, is a class of finite semigroups closed under taking subsemigroups, quotients and finite direct products. It is a well known theorem of Birkhoff that varieties can be defined by identities. Formally, an identity is an equality of the form u = v between two elements of the free semigroup Σ on a countable number of generators Σ. A semigroup S satisfies an identity u = v if and only if uφ = vφ for every morphism φ : Σ → S. For instance, the identity xy = yx defines the variety of commutative semigroups and x = x defines the variety of bands. Birkhoff’s theorem can be summarized by saying that each variety is an equational class.
Caspase Activity Is Required for Engulfment of Apoptotic Cells

ABSTRACT Clearance of apoptotic cells by phagocytic neighbors is crucial for normal development of multicellular organisms. However, how phagocytes discriminate between healthy and dying cells remains poorly understood. We focus on glial phagocytosis of apoptotic neurons during development of the Drosophila central nervous system. We identified phosphatidylserine (PS) as a ligand on apoptotic cells for the phagocytic receptor Six Microns Under (SIMU) and report that PS alone is not sufficient for engulfment. Our data reveal that, additionally to PS exposure, caspase activity is required for clearance of apoptotic cells by phagocytes. Here we demonstrate that SIMU recognizes and binds PS on apoptotic cells through its N-terminal EMILIN (EMI), Nimrod 1 (NIM1), and NIM2 repeats, whereas the C-terminal NIM3 and NIM4 repeats control SIMU affinity to PS. Based on the structure-function analysis of SIMU, we discovered a novel mechanism of internal inhibition responsible for differential affinities of SIMU to its ligand which might prevent elimination of living cells exposing PS on their surfaces.
Finite-temperature correlations for the Uq(sl(2|1))-invariant generalized Hubbard model

We study an integrable model of one-dimensional strongly correlated electrons at finite temperature by explicit calculation of the correlation lengths of various correlation functions. The model is invariant with respect to the quantum superalgebra Uq(sl(2|1)) and characterized by the Hubbard interaction, correlated hopping and pair-hopping terms. Using the integrability, the graded quantum transfer matrix is constructed. From the analyticity of its eigenvalues, a closed set of nonlinear integral equations is derived which describe the thermodynamical quantities and the finite-temperature correlations. The results show a crossover from a regime with dominating density–density correlations to a regime with dominating superconducting pair correlations. Analytical calculations in the low-temperature limit are also discussed.
On the semantics of “now” in databases

Although “<italic>now</italic>” is expressed in SQL and CURRENT_TIMESTAMP within queries, this value cannot be stored in the database. How ever, this notion of an ever-increasing current-time value has been reflected in some temporal data models by inclusion of database-resident variables, such as “<italic>now</italic>” “<italic>until-changed,</italic> ” “**,” “@,” and “-”. Time variables are very desirable, but their used also leads to a new type of database, consisting of tuples with variables, termed a <italic>variable database. </italic>
Emerging Infections: A Tribute to the One Medicine, One Health Concept

Events in the last decade have taught us that we are now, more than ever, vulnerable to fatal zoonotic diseases such as those caused by haemorrhagic fever viruses, influenza, rabies and BSE/vCJD. Future research activities should focus on solutions to these problems arising at the interface between animals and humans. A 4‐fold classification of emerging zoonoses was proposed: Type 1: from wild animals to humans (Hanta); Type 1 plus: from wild animals to humans with further human‐to‐human transmission (AIDS); Type 2: from wild animals to domestic animals to humans (Avian flu) and Type 2 plus: from wild animals to domestic animals to humans, with further human‐to‐human transmission (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, SARS). The resulting holistic approach to emerging infections links microbiology, veterinary medicine, human medicine, ecology, public health and epidemiology. As emerging ‘new’ respiratory viruses are identified in many wild and domestic animals, issues of interspecies transmission have become of increasing concern. The development of safe and effective human and veterinary vaccines is a priority. For example, the spread of different influenza viruses has stimulated influenza vaccine development, just as the spread of Ebola and Marburg viruses has led to new approaches to filovirus vaccines. Interdisciplinary collaboration has become essential because of the convergence of human disease, animal disease and a common approach to biosecurity. High containment pathogens pose a significant threat to public health systems, as well as a major research challenge, because of limited experience in case management, lack of appropriate resources in affected areas and a limited number of animal research facilities in developed countries. Animal models that mimic certain diseases are key elements for understanding the underlying mechanisms of disease pathogenesis, as well as for the development and efficacy testing of therapeutics and vaccines. An updated veterinary curriculum is essential to empower future graduates to work in an international environment, applying international standards for disease surveillance, veterinary public health, food safety and animal welfare.
A promising approach for debugging remote promises

Promises are synchronization constructs that hide the complexity of process synchronisation from the developer by providing a placeholder for the result of a potentially incomplete computation performed in a concurrent process. Promises evaluated by remote processes pose challenges for debugging when the remote computation raises an exception. Current debuggers are either unaware that there is a problem in the remote computation or give developers access only to the context of the remote process. This does not allow developers to interact at the same time with the process that launched the promise and the remote process that executed the promise's computation. To improve debugging of remote promises, in this paper we propose a debugger interface that presents a unified view of both the original and the remote process, by merging the call chains of the two processes at the point where the promise was created. We exemplify our approach, discuss challenges for making it practical, and illustrate through an initial prototype that it can improve debugging of exceptions in remote promises.
The rate of degradation of myofibrillar proteins of skeletal muscle in broiler and layer chickens estimated by Nr-methylhistidine in excreta

1. After Nr-methylhistidine (Nr-MH) distribution among the various organs or the tissues was determined in male broiler chickens of 15 d of age, the rates of degradation of myofibrillar proteins in male layer and broiler chickens at different stages of growth were determined by means of Nr-MH. 2. About 75 and 8% of the total Nr-MH in the tissues occurred respectively in skeletal muscle and stomach, and most of the remainder in the intestine and the skin. 3. The rates of degradation of myofibrillar proteins in the male layer and broiler chickens of 21, 42 and 63 d of age were calculated to be 6.1, 4.5 and 2.4%/d (layer) and 5.0, 2.8 and 0.9%/d (broiler) respectively. These calculations involve the assumption that 80% of the total excreted Nr-MH was derived from skeletal muscle. 4. The results strongly indicate that the rapid growth of the broiler chicken is facilitated by the reduced rate of protein degradation.
FOX-2 Dependent Splicing of Ataxin-2 Transcript Is Affected by Ataxin-1 Overexpression

Alternative splicing is a fundamental posttranscriptional mechanism for controlling gene expression, and splicing defects have been linked to various human disorders. The splicing factor FOX-2 is part of a main protein interaction hub in a network related to human inherited ataxias, however, its impact remains to be elucidated. Here, we focused on the reported interaction between FOX-2 and ataxin-1, the disease-causing protein in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. In this line, we further evaluated this interaction by yeast-2-hybrid analyses and co-immunoprecipitation experiments in mammalian cells. Interestingly, we discovered that FOX-2 localization and splicing activity is affected in the presence of nuclear ataxin-1 inclusions. Moreover, we observed that FOX-2 directly interacts with ataxin-2, a protein modulating spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 pathogenesis. Finally, we provide evidence that splicing of pre-mRNA of ataxin-2 depends on FOX-2 activity, since reduction of FOX-2 levels led to increased skipping of exon 18 in ataxin-2 transcripts. Most striking, we observed that ataxin-1 overexpression has an effect on this splicing event as well. Thus, our results demonstrate that FOX-2 is involved in splicing of ataxin-2 transcripts and that this splicing event is altered by overexpression of ataxin-1.
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NASA SCATTEROMETER AMBIGUITY REMOVAL TECHNIQUE

The NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) estimates the wind speed and direction of near-surface ocean wind. Several possible wind vectors are estimated for each resolution element known as a wind vector cell (wvc). Typically, the speeds of the possible wind vectors are nearly the same, but the directions are very di erent. The correct wind must be distinguished in a step called ambiguity removal. Unfortunately, ambiguity removal algorithms are subject to error. In an attempt to evaluate the accuracy of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) NSCAT product, I developed a new model-based quality assurance (QA) algorithm which uses only NSCAT data. The algorithm segments the swath into overlapping 12x12 wvc regions and classi es each region according to estimated quality. The nine month NSCAT mission dataset is analyzed. In 82% of the regions, the ambiguity removal is over 99% e ective with the ambiguity rmoval errors correctable using a model-based correction technique. In 5% of the regions, areas of signi cant ambiguity removal errors are found. For remaining regions, all of which have root mean square (rms) wind speeds less than 4 m/s, there is too much uncertainty in the wind eld model or too much noise in the measurements to uniquely evaluate ambiguity removal accuracy with su cient con dence. I thus conservatively conclude that for the set of regions with rms wind speed greater than 4 m/s, NSCAT ambiguity removal is at least 95% e ective, i.e. NSCAT may not be e ective for the 5% of regions with signi cant errors.