Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interaction measurement for complex multivariable models with various reference inputs based on RNGA

Relative normalized gain array (RNGA) loop pairing criterion for complex multivariable systems subject to a class of reference inputs is investigated. The existing RNGA technique is suitable for ideal process model with step reference input, this paper extends it to complex multivariable models under step, ramp and other general types of set-point changes. The unified framework for loop pairing technique is presented, and the average residence time is systematically calculated in terms of practical complexity process model, such as processes containing integrators or differentiators, unstable processes, non-square processes, and so on. The analysis results show RNGA based control-loop configuration is independent of input signals, and available to complex multivariable systems for various reference inputs. Several examples are employed to demonstrate the effectiveness and universality of the pairing approach of this paper.
Care-seeking patterns among families that experienced under-five child mortality in rural Rwanda

Background Over half of under-five deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and appropriate, timely, quality care is critical for saving children’s lives. This study describes the context surrounding children’s deaths from the time the illness was first noticed, through the care-seeking patterns leading up to the child’s death, and identifies factors associated with care-seeking for these children in rural Rwanda. Methods Secondary analysis of a verbal and social autopsy study of caregivers who reported the death of a child between March 2013 to February 2014 that occurred after discharge from the child’s birth facility in southern Kayonza and Kirehe districts in Rwanda. Bivariate analyses using Fisher’s exact tests were conducted to identify child, caregiver, and household factors associated with care-seeking from the formal health system (i.e., community health worker or health facility). Factors significant at α = 0.10 significance level were considered for backwards stepwise multivariate logistic regression, stopping when remaining factors were significantly associated with care-seeking at α = 0.05 significance level. Results Among the 516 eligible deaths among children under-five, 22.7% (n = 117) did not seek care from the health system. For those who did, the most common first point of contact was community health workers (45.8%). In multivariate logistic regression, higher maternal education (OR = 3.36, 95% CI: 1.89, 5.98), having diarrhea (OR = 4.21, 95%CI: 1.95, 9.07) or fever (OR = 2.03, 95%CI: 1.11, 3.72), full household insurance coverage (3.48, 95%CI: 1.79, 6.76), and longer duration of illness (OR = 22.19, 95%CI: 8.88, 55.48) were significantly associated with formal care-seeking. Conclusion Interventions such as community health workers and insurance promote access to care, however a gap remains as many children had no contact with the health system prior to death and those who sought formal care still died. Further efforts are needed to respond to urgent cases in communities and further understand remaining barriers to accessing appropriate, quality care.
Human urban mobility classification in AAL deployments using mobile devices

Urban Living environments put technologies at disposal of citizens to simplify their daily outdoor activities. Understanding mobility and adjusting it are major enablers to assist the elderly, dependent and frail people while they are outdoors. We propose in our research to extend our indoor Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) framework by integrating mobility detection using a smartphone. We aim at understanding the outdoor behaviour of an individual and classify their mobility in terms of active and passive mobility. We present a mobility classifier following paradigm of Smart Mobility; definition of active and passive mobility; materials and experiments for training the model reaching accuracy of 95% for specific activities; and the future perspectives to integrate this model within a real deployment pilot site.
ClusTheDroid : Clustering Android Malware David Korczynski

The volume of new Android malware is growing at an exponential pace. This cries for automated tools that can aid the malware analyst in dissecting the behaviours of new malicious applications. In this paper, we present ClusTheDroid, a system for clustering Android malware so as to identify malicious applications that exhibit similar behaviours. For this, ClusTheDroid extracts feature sets from profiles of reconstructed malicious Android behaviours. These feature sets serve as input to a clustering algorithm that allows for volumes larger than demanded by the anti-malware industry today. We implemented ClusTheDroid and evaluated it on real-world malware. Our results show that ClusTheDroid is competitive with existing solutions targeting similar problems on Android malware, but lacks accuracy to similar solutions that focus on PC malware. We furthermore evaluate the use of the cluster-validity measure C-index, which suggest for a more flexible approach to identifying near-optimal clusters than that of previous literature.
Comparison between 8‐methoxypsoralen and 5‐aminolevulinic acid in killing T cells of photopheresis patients ex vivo

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), an established modality for cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma (CTCL) and graft‐versus‐host disease, involves ex vivo treatment of isolated leukocytes of a patient with the photosensitizing drug 8‐methoxypsoralen (8‐MOP) and ultraviolet‐A (UV‐A) exposure before reinfusion back to the patient. However, 8‐MOP binds to both diseased and normal cells and thus kills both types of the cells after UV‐A illumination with little selectivity. Clinically, this modality gives only partial response in the majority of treated patients. 5‐Aminolevulinic acid (5‐ALA), a precursor of the potent photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX (PpIX), has been shown to selectively induce PpIX in activated T lymphocytes (T cells) and could be an alternative for 8‐MOP. The objectives of this study were to investigate ex vivo 5‐ALA dark toxicity, 5‐ALA‐induced PpIX production, and photodynamic effect on T cells obtained from clinical ECP patients after the treatment of 5‐ALA or 8‐MOP plus a built‐in certified UV‐A source in the commercial Therakos™ Photopheresis System.
Análise da Formação e Evolução de Times de Desenvolvimento no Hibernate-ORM

Diversos fatores influenciam a formação e evolução das relações em redes sociais. Aqui, desenvolvemos uma ferramenta chamada AuthView para caracterizar o comportamento de desenvolvedores no Hibernate-ORM e como suas relações evoluem. Os resultados mostram que (1) desenvolvedores tendem a iniciar contribuição no projeto a partir de arquivos pontuais; (2) pequenos desenvolvedores tendem a compartilhar o conhecimento de um módulo do projeto sempre com outros grandes desenvolvedores; e (3) não há a formação de pequenos times internos de desenvolvimento.
Fabrication of superhydrophobic, antibacterial, and ultraviolet-blocking cotton fabric

Inspired by the superhydrophobic behavior of lotus leaf, a simple coating method was developed which could facilitate bionic creation of superhydrophobic surfaces on cotton textiles with a new functional properties. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with a high deposition density were formed on the surface of cotton fabric through an alkali pre-activation followed by in situ reduction of silver nitrate. The Ag-coated fabric was then reacted with octyltriethoxysilane (OTES) to form a low surface energy layer on the fiber surface. The fabrics were characterized by ultraviolet-visible reflectance spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. Hydrophobicity properties were assessed by contact angle (CA) goniometry and shedding angle (SHA) technique. Antibacterial activity was measured against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria, and UV-blocking ability was measured using the AATCC method. SEM images showed the formation of AgNPs which were distributed uniformly on the fibers’ surface with a high coating density. Superhydrophobicity property of the treated fabric was confirmed with the CA of 156° and SHA of 8°. High antibacterial activity was observed without the reduction of inhibition size after coating with the OTES. The fabric also showed excellent UV-blocking with the ultraviolet protection factor of 266.01.
Elmnet: Feature learning using extreme learning machines

Feature learning is an initial step applied to computer vision tasks and is broadly categorized as: 1) deep feature learning; 2) shallow feature learning. In this paper we focus on shallow feature learning as these algorithms require less computational resources than deep feature learning algorithms. In this paper we propose a shallow feature learning algorithm referred to as Extreme Learning Machine Network (ELMNet). ELMNet is module based neural network consist of feature learning module and a post-processing module. Each feature learning module in ELMNet performs the following operations: 1) patch-based mean removal; 2) ELM auto-encoder (ELM-AE) to learn features. Post-processing module is inserted after the feature learning module and simplifies the features learn by the feature learning modules by hashing and block-wise histogram. Proposed ELMNet outperforms shallow feature learning algorithm PCANet on the MNIST handwritten dataset.
The Matching Problem in General Graphs Is in Quasi-NC

We show that the perfect matching problem in general graphs is in Quasi-NC. That is, we give a deterministic parallel algorithm which runs in O(\log^3 n) time on n^{O(\log^2 n)} processors. The result is obtained by a derandomization of the Isolation Lemma for perfect matchings, which was introduced in the classic paper by Mulmuley, Vazirani and Vazirani [1987] to obtain a Randomized NC algorithm.Our proof extends the framework of Fenner, Gurjar and Thierauf [2016], who proved the analogous result in the special case of bipartite graphs. Compared to that setting, several new ingredients are needed due to the significantly more complex structure of perfect matchings in general graphs. In particular, our proof heavily relies on the laminar structure of the faces of the perfect matching polytope.
Light modulates hippocampal function and spatial learning in a diurnal rodent species: A study using male nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus)

The effects of light on cognitive function have been well‐documented in human studies, with brighter illumination improving cognitive performance in school children, healthy adults, and patients in early stages of dementia. However, the underlying neural mechanisms are not well understood. The present study examined how ambient light affects hippocampal function using the diurnal Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus) as the animal model. Grass rats were housed in either a 12:12 h bright light–dark (brLD, 1,000 lux) or dim light‐dark (dimLD, 50 lux) cycle. After 4 weeks, the dimLD group showed impaired spatial memory in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) task. The impairment in their MWM performance were reversed when the dimLD group were transferred to the brLD condition for another 4 weeks. The results suggest that lighting conditions influence cognitive function of grass rats in a way similar to that observed in humans, such that bright light is beneficial over dim light for cognitive performance. In addition to the behavioral changes, grass rats in the dimLD condition exhibited reduced expression of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus, most notably in the CA1 subregion. There was also a reduction in dendritic spine density in CA1 apical dendrites in dimLD as compared to the brLD group, and the reduction was mostly in the number of mushroom and stubby spines. When dimLD animals were transferred to the brLD condition for 4 weeks, the hippocampal BDNF and dendritic spine density significantly increased. The results illustrate that not only does light intensity affect cognitive performance, but that it also impacts hippocampal structural plasticity. These studies serve as a starting point to further understand how ambient light modulates neuronal and cognitive functions in diurnal species. A mechanistic understanding of the effects of light on cognition can help to identify risk factors for cognitive decline and contribute to the development of more effective prevention and treatment of cognitive impairment in clinical populations.
An Empirical Analysis of Some Heuristic Features for Planning with Local Search in LPG

LPG is a planner that performed very well in the third and fourth International planning competitions. The system is based on a stochastic local search procedure, and it incorporates several heuristic features. In this paper we experimentally analyze the most important of them with the goal of understanding and evaluating their impact on the performance of the planner. In particular, we examine three heuristic functions for evaluating the search neighborhood and some settings of the “noise” parameter, that randomizes the next search step for escaping from local minima. Moreover, we present and analyze additional heuristic techniques for restricting the search neighborhood and for selecting the next inconsistency to handle. The experimental results show that the use of such techniques significantly improves the performance of the planner.
Mitigating the Write Amplification Problem of Write-Optimized File Systems on Flash Storage

As the volume of data stored by Big data and Cloud services continues to grow, both academia and industry are seeking for high-performance storage systems. Recently, with the recent advances in write-optimized indexes (WOI), WOI-based file systems can now outperform conventional file systems with orders of magnitude on random writes, metadata updates, and small file creation. Based on the B-tree structure, WOI-based file systems can not only process data faster than the conventional B-tree but also improve the range query performance. However, the write amplification of these WOI-based file systems becomes a serious performance overhead when adopting flash storage as underlying storage devices due to the recursive entry update behavior. To mitigate the write amplification problem of WOIbased file systems, we propose a flash-friendly WOI design to reduce the number of write requests on flash storage. To evaluate the performance of the proposed design, we adapt B+-tree as a case study and the experimental results are promising.
Note on the distribution of dominance times in binocular rivalry.

The dominance periods of a stimulus in binocular rivalry show a characteristic time distribution that gives important clues as to the underlying mechanism in alternation. It is shown that the distribution can be approximated by a γ-function, which turns out to have a positive integral exponent. With an integral exponent the function describes a Poisson distribution. This suggests the existence of an underlying dominance generating process that is discrete in nature. The parameters of this process are determined by properties of the recessive stimulus in the other eye. The discrete events may be ‘flicks' of eye movement.
Transcriptionally inducible Pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member 1, attenuates ErbB receptor activity by inhibiting receptor oligomerization

Feedback control is a key mechanism in signal transduction, intimately involved in regulating the outcome of the cellular response. Here, we report a novel mechanism by which PHLDA1, Pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member 1, negatively regulates ErbB receptor signaling by inhibition of receptor oligomerization. We have found that the ErbB3 ligand, heregulin, induces PHILDA1 expression in MCF-7 cells. Transcriptionally-induced PHLDA1 protein directly binds to ErbB3, whereas knockdown of PHLDA1 increases complex formation between ErbB3 and ErbB2. To provide insight into the mechanism for our time-course and single-cell experimental observations, we performed a systematic computational search of network topologies of the mathematical models based on receptor dimer-tetramer formation in the ErbB activation processes. Our results indicate that only a model in which PHLDA1 inhibits formation of both dimers and tetramer can explain the experimental data. Predictions made from this model were further validated by single-molecule imaging experiments. Our studies suggest a unique regulatory feature of PHLDA1 to inhibit the ErbB receptor oligomerization process and thereby control the activity of receptor signaling network.
HES 130/0.4 (Voluven®) or human albumin in children younger than 2 yr undergoing non‐cardiac surgery. A prospective, randomized, open label, multicentre trial

Background and objective For perioperative volume therapy in infants and young children, human albumin has frequently been the colloid of choice. Recently, HES 130/0.4 (6% hydroxyethyl starch, Voluven®; Fresenius Kabi, Bad Homburg, Germany) was developed, which demonstrated improved pharmacokinetics and a favourable safety profile in adults compared with hydroxyethyl starch products with a less rapid metabolization. Methods Our prospective, controlled, randomized, open, multicentre pilot study was designed to obtain data on the effects of HES 130/0.4 compared with human albumin 5% with regard to haemodynamics in children <2 yr scheduled for elective non‐cardiac surgery. Results A total of 81 patients were treated. Comparable amounts of both study solutions (16.0 mL kg−1 hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 vs. 16.9 mL kg−1 human albumin 5%) as well as add‐on crystalloids were used until 4–6 h postoperatively. No differences were detected between the two treatment groups regarding perioperative stabilization of haemodynamics, coagulation parameters, blood gas analyses or other laboratory values. Blood loss was 96 ± 143 mL for hydroxyethyl starch and 145 ± 290 mL for human albumin (P > 0.05). There were no relevant differences in the amount of red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma or platelet concentrates in both treatment groups. Median length of ICU stay was 3.5 days (range 1–57 days, mean ± SD 7.6 ± 11.5 days) in the hydroxyethyl starch group and 6.0 days (range 1–71 days; mean ± SD 9.1 ± 14.2 days) in the human albumin group. There was no difference for hospital stay (median: 12 days for both groups). Conclusions Both HES 130/0.4 and human albumin 5% were effective for haemodynamic stabilization in non‐cardiac surgery of young infants with no adverse impact on coagulation or other safety parameters in our study population.
Steering Social Activity: A Stochastic Optimal Control Point Of View

User engagement in online social networking depends critically on the level of social activity in the corresponding platform--the number of online actions, such as posts, shares or replies, taken by their users. Can we design data-driven algorithms to increase social activity? At a user level, such algorithms may increase activity by helping users decide when to take an action to be more likely to be noticed by their peers. At a network level, they may increase activity by incentivizing a few influential users to take more actions, which in turn will trigger additional actions by other users. In this paper, we model social activity using the framework of marked temporal point processes, derive an alternate representation of these processes using stochastic differential equations (SDEs) with jumps and, exploiting this alternate representation, develop two efficient online algorithms with provable guarantees to steer social activity both at a user and at a network level. In doing so, we establish a previously unexplored connection between optimal control of jump SDEs and doubly stochastic marked temporal point processes, which is of independent interest. Finally, we experiment both with synthetic and real data gathered from Twitter and show that our algorithms consistently steer social activity more effectively than the state of the art.
User Experience and Care Integration in Transitional Care for Older People From Hospital to Home

This meta-synthesis aimed to improve understanding of user experience of older people, carers, and health providers; and care integration in the care of older people transitioning from hospital to home. Following our systematic search, we identified and synthesized 20 studies, and constructed a comprehensive framework. We derived four themes: (1) ‘Who is taking care of what? Trying to work together”; (2) ‘Falling short of the mark’; (3) ‘A proper discharge’; and (4) ‘You adjust somehow. ’ The themes that emerged from the studies reflected users’ experience of discharge and transitional care as a social process of ‘negotiation and navigation of independence (older people/carers), or dependence (health providers). ’ Users engaged in negotiation and navigation through the interrogative strategies of questioning, discussion, information provision, information seeking, assessment, and translation. The derived themes reflected care integration that facilitated, or a lack of care integration that constrained, users’ experiences of negotiation and navigation of independence/dependence.
A high gain six band frequency independent dual CP planar log periodic antenna for ambient RF energy harvesting

A six band frequency independent dual circular polarized planar log periodic antenna, with high gain and best axial ratio, for ambient radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting is presented. It is designed to harvest energy from six bands within the frequency range from 650 MHz to 2500 MHz that covers various wireless standards (Digital TV band, Cellular bands and Wi Fi bands). The important properties of presented antenna are high gain up to 7.2dBi, high radiation efficiency and good axial ratio for all six wireless standards. The simulated and measured S11 results showed good comparison within all six bands.
Membrane Vesicle Formation as a Multiple-Stress Response Mechanism Enhances Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E Cell Surface Hydrophobicity and Biofilm Formation

ABSTRACT Among the adaptive responses of bacteria to rapid changes in environmental conditions, those of the cell envelope are known to be the most crucial. Therefore, several mechanisms with which bacteria change their cell surface and membranes in the presence of different environmental stresses have been elucidated. Among these mechanisms, the release of outer membrane vesicles (MV) in Gram-negative bacteria has attracted particular research interest because of its involvement in pathogenic processes, such as that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm formation in cystic fibrosis lungs. In this study, we investigated the role of MV formation as an adaptive response of Pseudomonas putida DOT-T1E to several environmental stress factors and correlated it to the formation of biofilms. In the presence of toxic concentrations of long-chain alcohols, under osmotic stress caused by NaCl, in the presence of EDTA, and after heat shock, cells of this strain released MV within 10 min in the presence of a stressor. The MV formed showed similar size and charge properties, as well as comparable compositions of proteins and fatty acids. MV release caused a significant increase in cell surface hydrophobicity, and an enhanced tendency to form biofilms was demonstrated in this study. Therefore, the release of MV as a stress response could be put in a physiological context.