Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improvements to efficient retrieval of very large temporal datasets with the TravelLight method

A considerable number of domains deal with large and complex volumes of temporal data. The management of these volumes, from capture, storage, search, transfer, analysis and visualization, still provides interesting challenges. One critical task is the efficient retrieval of data (raw data or intermediate results from analytic tools). Previous work proposed the TravelLight method which reduced the turnaround time and improved interactive retrieval of data from large temporal datasets by exploring the temporal consistency of records in a database. In this work we propose improvements to the method by adopting a new paradigm focused in the management of time intervals instead of solely in data items. A major advantage of this paradigm shift is to enable the separation of the method implementation from any particular temporal data source, as it is autonomous and efficient in the management of retrieved data. Our work demonstrates that the overheads introduced by the new paradigm are smaller than prior overall overheads, further reducing the turnaround time. Reported results concern experiments with a temporally linear navigation across two datasets of one million items. With the obtained results it is possible to conclude that the improvements presented in this work further reduce turnaround time thus enhancing the response of interactive tasks over very large temporal datasets.
Serializability with constraints

This paper deals with the serializability theory for single-version and multiversion database systems. We first introduce the concept of disjoint-interval topological sort (DITS, for short) of an arc-labeled directed acyclic graph. It is shown that a history is serializable if and only if its transaction IO graph has a DITS. We then define several subclasses of serializable histories, based on the constraints imposed by write-write, write-read, read-write, or read-read conflicts, and investigate inclusion relationships among them. In terms of DITS, we give a sufficient condition for a class of serializable histories to be polynomially recognizable, which is then used to show that a new class of histories, named WRW, can be recognized in polynomial time. We also present NP-completeness results for the problem of testing membership in some other classes. In the second half of this paper, we extend these results to multiversion database systems. The inclusion relationships among multiversion classes defined by constraints, such as write-write and write-read, are investigated. One such class coincides with class DMVSR, introduced by Papadimitriou and Kanellakis, and gives a simple characterization of this class. It is shown that for most constraints, multiversion classes properly contain the corresponding single-version classes. Complexity results for the membership testing are also discussed.
The dynamics of change in striatal activity following updating training

Increases in striatal activity have been suggested to mediate training‐related improvements in working‐memory ability. We investigated the temporal dynamics of changes in task‐related brain activity following training of working memory. Participants in an experimental group and an active control group, trained on easier tasks of a constant difficulty in shorter sessions than the experimental group, were measured before, after about 1 week, and after more than 50 days of training. In the experimental group an initial increase of working‐memory related activity in the functionally defined right striatum and anatomically defined right and left putamen was followed by decreases, resulting in an inverted u‐shape function that relates activity to training over time. Activity increases in the striatum developed slower in the active control group, observed at the second posttest after more than 50 days of training. In the functionally defined left striatum, initial activity increases were maintained after more extensive training and the pattern was similar for the two groups. These results shed new light on the relation between activity in the striatum (especially the putamen) and the effects of working memory training, and illustrate the importance of multiple measurements for interpreting effects of training on regional brain activity. Hum Brain Mapp, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Toward a Cross-Case Analysis of Outcomes of Exemplary Engagements By MEP Centers

Case studies are among the most common evaluation methods, often used for program promotional efforts rather than as a systematic method for evaluating program processes and outcomes. A pilot project to produce case studies which more systematically adhere to a defined methodology was directed by Robert Yin, President of COSMOS Corporation, and funded by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the U.S. Department of Commerce. This paper presents a cross-case examination of the 26 case studies produced in this pilot project. The examination focuses on three aspects of the cases: (1) the degree to which the case studies represent “exemplary” high impact engagements, (2) the qualitative impacts of the program on manufacturing customers’ capacity for change, and (3) the addressing of counter factual, competing or rival explanations for why the high impacts occurred. The results of this cross-case analysis shows that exemplary engagements appear to have significant qualitative and quantitative benefits to the company, growth in business performance, and public benefits linked to MEP center technical assistance. Market conditions and existing business practices appeared to be important, possibly as preconditions to the manufacturers’ seeking out MEP assistance. These findings are limited by validity and reliability concerns.
Implementation of three functional devices using erbium-doped fibers: an advanced photonics lab

Abstract: This paper describes the design and implementation of an advanced photonics experiment aimed at the undergraduate students’ level. The experiment uses erbium-doped fiber to implement three functions through slight modifications of the setup. The functions are a broadband light source, a multi-wavelength optical amplifier, and a tunable fiber laser. As part of an Optical Communication Systems course, the experiment is targeted towards fourth year engineering students at the University of Toronto. The design of the experiment is especially attractive for large classes, where feasibility and cost effectiveness play a pivotal role. In addition the scope of the experiment was designed to illustrate a broad set of topics covered in the course, where students gain knowledge in: i) constructing a broadband source using the erbium-doped fiber amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and characterize its emission spectrum; ii) modifying the ASE source into a broadband multi-wavelength erbium doped fiber amplifier (EDFA); studying gain tilt and noise figure (NF) of the EDFA with respect to input and pump parameters; and finally, iv) transforming the EDFA into a tunable erbium doped fiber laser (EDFL). Through this series of experiments, students will (i) appreciate the versatility of an important optical gain medium; (ii) develop a deeper understanding of the salient features of optical gain including stimulated and spontaneous emission, principles of laser and amplifier action; (iii) learn, through hands on experience, to operate advanced optical components and test and measurement instruments which all form an integral part of the optical communication industry; and finally(iv) integrate the building blocks they have encountered in textbooks into operational optical devices.
The application of balloon snake model in the extraction of parasite image contour

Image contour extraction plays an important role in medical image analysis, and the Parametric Active Contour Model-Snake model is a commonly used method of image contour extraction. First, this paper first explains the basic principles of the snake model and its discrete implementation method. Second, we detail some of the shortcomings of the traditional snake model using examples and explains how the improved balloon snake model can make up for these shortcomings. Comparison of the experimental results shows that the balloon snake model is highly effective for image contour extraction. Finally, we apply the balloon snake model on the extraction of microscopic images of parasites.
Genome of the Extremely Radiation-Resistant Bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans Viewed from the Perspective of Comparative Genomics

SUMMARY The bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans shows remarkable resistance to a range of damage caused by ionizing radiation, desiccation, UV radiation, oxidizing agents, and electrophilic mutagens. D. radiodurans is best known for its extreme resistance to ionizing radiation; not only can it grow continuously in the presence of chronic radiation (6 kilorads/h), but also it can survive acute exposures to gamma radiation exceeding 1,500 kilorads without dying or undergoing induced mutation. These characteristics were the impetus for sequencing the genome of D. radiodurans and the ongoing development of its use for bioremediation of radioactive wastes. Although it is known that these multiple resistance phenotypes stem from efficient DNA repair processes, the mechanisms underlying these extraordinary repair capabilities remain poorly understood. In this work we present an extensive comparative sequence analysis of the Deinococcus genome. Deinococcus is the first representative with a completely sequenced genome from a distinct bacterial lineage of extremophiles, the Thermus-Deinococcus group. Phylogenetic tree analysis, combined with the identification of several synapomorphies between Thermus and Deinococcus, supports the hypothesis that it is an ancient group with no clear affinities to any of the other known bacterial lineages. Distinctive features of the Deinococcus genome as well as features shared with other free-living bacteria were revealed by comparison of its proteome to the collection of clusters of orthologous groups of proteins. Analysis of paralogs in Deinococcus has revealed several unique protein families. In addition, specific expansions of several other families including phosphatases, proteases, acyltransferases, and Nudix family pyrophosphohydrolases were detected. Genes that potentially affect DNA repair and recombination and stress responses were investigated in detail. Some proteins appear to have been horizontally transferred from eukaryotes and are not present in other bacteria. For example, three proteins homologous to plant desiccation resistance proteins were identified, and these are particularly interesting because of the correlation between desiccation and radiation resistance. Compared to other bacteria, the D. radiodurans genome is enriched in repetitive sequences, namely, IS-like transposons and small intergenic repeats. In combination, these observations suggest that several different biological mechanisms contribute to the multiple DNA repair-dependent phenotypes of this organism.
Change in Relationship Knowledge Representations

A scaffold is a temporary structure built to support workers as they erect a new structure, or repair, reinforce, or demolish an existing one. Individuals and their distinctive personalities, emotions, and cognitions provide the scaffolding for change and stability in relationships. There is a continually evolving dynamic association between the factors that characterize individuals and those that define their relationships. The mental models, emotional history, and personality that individuals bring to their relationships create a context that promotes certain relational outcomes while discouraging others; these outcomes, in turn, affect the actors’ personal qualities in numerous respects. Although the term “personality” is difficult to define, several contemporary approaches emphasize the characteristics that facilitate individuals’ adaptation to the environment. Adapting to the social environment is, of course, one of life’s most important and challenging tasks. Thus, studies of those dimensions of personality – and their manifestations in thoughts, feelings, and behavior – that regulate interpersonal relationships are likely to provide important insights into the processes of stability and change. The growing evidence that many genetically determined individual differences are designed to address common adaptive situations faced during human evolution (which, of course, prominently included interpersonal situations), and that other genetic differences interact with features of the environment in shaping the individual, testifies to the centrality of relationship-relevant personality factors in studying the processes of stability and change. People’s understanding of relationships is best considered as a work in progress, amenable to revision by experience, especially experience in current relationships. In other words, the “relationship outcomes” traditionally studied in research are not so much end states as they are
0 v 2 2 4 M ar 2 00 0 Convection-Dominated Accretion Flows

Non-radiating, advection-dominated, accretion flows are convectively unstable in the radial direction. We calculate the two-dimensional (r − θ) structure of such flows assuming that (1) convection transports angular momentum inwards, opposite to normal viscosity and (2) viscous transport by other mechanisms (e.g., magnetic fields) is weak (α ≪ 1). Under such conditions convection dominates the dynamics of the accretion flow and leads to a steady state structure that is marginally stable to convection. We show that the marginally stable flow has a constant temperature and rotational velocity on spherical shells, a net flux of energy from small to large radii, zero net accretion rate, and a radial density profile of ρ ∝ r −1/2 , flatter than the ρ ∝ r −3/2 profile characteristic of spherical accretion flows. This solution accurately describes the full two-dimensional structure of recent axisymmetric numerical simulations of advection-dominated accretion flows.
Physical-Knowledge Activities: Play Before the Differentiation of Knowledge into Subjects

Data are presented about the achievement in mathematics of two groups of low-SES first graders who came to school without any number concepts. One group was given physical-knowledge activities during the math hour for half a year instead of math lessons. The other group received traditional math instruction throughout the year. The first group did better in mental arithmetic at the end of the school year, demonstrating the importance of a solid logico-mathematical foundation.
The Relationship between Autism and Psychosis Traits and Reasoning Style

7 LITERATURE REVIEW . 8 CHAPTER 1— An Introduction to the Autism and Psychosis Continua and the Theoretical Premises that Connect them . 8 CHAPTER 2—Relationships between Reasoning Styles and Psychosis and Autism Spectrum Disorders . 33 Chapter 3 METHODOLOGY . 48 Participants . 48 Sample and Effect Size Considerations . 52 Lab-based assessment and Online assessments . 54 Self-report Measures . 55 Performance-based measures of Reasoning Style . 62 CHAPTER 4: Relationships between Psychosis and Autism traits and Reasoning Styles as indexed by the REI and CRT . 67 Introduction . 67 Methods . 72 Results . 77 Discussion . 83 CHAPTER 5: Psychosis and Autism Traits and Their Relationship to Reasoning Styles: Extending the Investigation to Syllogistic Reasoning . 90 Introduction . 90
Long‐term outcomes of proton beam therapy in patients with previously untreated hepatocellular carcinoma

Long‐term efficacy of proton beam therapy (PBT) remains unclear for patients with previously untreated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to study the long‐term outcomes of PBT according to Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging classifications in patients with previously untreated HCC. The major eligibility criteria of this observational study were an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) 0–2, Child–Pugh grade A or B, previously untreated HCC covered within an irradiation field, and no massive ascites. A total of 66.0–77.0 GyE was administered in 10–35 fractions. Local tumor control (LTC), defined as no progression in the irradiated field, progression‐free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed according to BCLC staging. From 2002 to 2009 at our institution, 129 patients were eligible. The 5‐year LTC, PFS, and OS rates were 94%, 28%, and 69% for patients with 0/A stage disease (n = 9/21), 87%, 23%, and 66% for patients with B stage disease (n = 34), and 75%, 9%, and 25% for patients with C stage disease (n = 65), respectively. The 5‐year LTC and OS rates of 15 patients with tumor thrombi in major vessels were 90% and 34%, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that PS (0 versus 1–2) was a significant prognostic factor for OS. No grade 3 or higher adverse effects were observed. PBT showed favorable long‐term efficacies with mild adverse effects in BCLC stage 0 to C, and can be an alternative treatment for localized HCC especially when accompanied with tumor thrombi. This study was registered with UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000025342).
Viral Regulation of RANTES Expression during Human Cytomegalovirus Infection of Endothelial Cells

ABSTRACT Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) evades healthy immune responses during infection, and this evasion may allow HCMV to establish latency in the host. The human vasculature has been recognized as a site of HCMV infection and may also be a site of latent HCMV infection. As the interface between circulating cells and underlying parenchymal cells, the vascular endothelium provides signals for local reaction of inflammatory cells. We propose that HCMV down-regulates expression of the proinflammatory chemokine RANTES from the infected endothelium, which may result in reduced recruitment of mononuclear cells to the site of infection. Abortive HCMV infection of primary endothelial cells with the clinical isolate HCMV 4010, under conditions in which viral gene expression could not occur, induced high levels of RANTES expression. Replicative HCMV infection, however, induced cells in parallel cultures to express significantly lower levels of RANTES. Expression of the chemokines interleukin 8 and MCP-1 by endothelial cells was found to be unaffected by replicative HCMV infection and thus may not play an important role during early HCMV infection of the endothelium. HCMV may regulate RANTES expression from endothelial cells as a mechanism to evade the local immune response to infection.
An Indexing System for Mobility-aware Information Management

We analyze the problem of minimizing the cost for satisfying information demand in a network of moving nodes, where the communication between nodes is subject to distance constraints and a costly communication link with an information source (central server or Internet). This problem has applications in several fields ranging from vehicular networks to space exploration, and it is NP-hard. We propose a novel indexing system that is able to reduce the search space and show that in practical cases, our system is able to find an optimal solution in a reasonable length of time. An extensive experimental analysis on large real and synthetic datasets shows that the proposed method responds in less than 10 seconds on datasets with millions of events and thousands of information requests, with an improvement of up to 100 times compared to the non-indexed solution.
Sensitivity of air pollution simulations with LOTOS-EUROS to the temporal distribution of anthropogenic emissions

Abstract. In this study the sensitivity of the model performance of the chemistry transport model (CTM) LOTOS-EUROS to the description of the temporal variability of emissions was investigated. Currently the temporal release of anthropogenic emissions is described by European average diurnal, weekly and seasonal time profiles per sector. These default time profiles largely neglect the variation of emission strength with activity patterns, region, species, emission process and meteorology. The three sources dealt with in this study are combustion in energy and transformation industries (SNAP1), nonindustrial combustion (SNAP2) and road transport (SNAP7). First of all, the impact of neglecting the temporal emission profiles for these SNAP categories on simulated concentrations was explored. In a second step, we constructed more detailed emission time profiles for the three categories and quantified their impact on the model performance both separately as well as combined. The performance in comparison to observations for Germany was quantified for the pollutants NO2, SO2 and PM10 and compared to a simulation using the default LOTOS-EUROS emission time profiles. The LOTOS-EUROS simulations were performed for the year 2006 with a temporal resolution of 1 h and a horizontal resolution of approximately 25 × 25km2. In general the largest impact on the model performance was found when neglecting the default time profiles for the three categories. The daily average correlation coefficient for instance decreased by 0.04 (NO2), 0.11 (SO2) and 0.01 (PM10) at German urban background stations compared to the default simulation. A systematic increase in the correlation coefficient is found when using the new time profiles. The size of the increase depends on the source category, component and station. Using national profiles for road transport showed important improvements in the explained variability over the weekdays as well as the diurnal cycle for NO2. The largest impact of the SNAP1 and 2 profiles were found for SO2. When using all new time profiles simultaneously in one simulation, the daily average correlation coefficient increased by 0.05 (NO2), 0.07 (SO2) and 0.03 (PM10) at urban background stations in Germany. This exercise showed that to improve the performance of a CTM, a better representation of the distribution of anthropogenic emission in time is recommendable. This can be done by developing a dynamical emission model that takes into account regional specific factors and meteorology.
Rapid CD8+ T Cell Repertoire Focusing and Selection of High-Affinity Clones into Memory Following Primary Infection with a Persistent Human Virus: Human Cytomegalovirus1

To investigate the mechanism of selection of individual human CD8+ T cell clones into long-term memory following primary infection with a persistent human virus (human CMV (HCMV)), we undertook a longitudinal analysis of the diversity of T cell clones directed toward an immunodominant viral epitope: we followed this longitudinally from early T cell expansion through the contraction phase and selection into the memory pool. We show that following initial HCMV infection, the early primary response against a defined epitope was composed of diverse clones possessing many different TCR Vβ segments. Longitudinal analysis showed that this usage rapidly focused predominantly on a single TCR Vβ segment within which dominant clones frequently had public TCR usage, in contrast to subdominant or contracted clones. Longitudinal clonotypic analysis showed evidence of disproportionate contraction of certain clones that were abundant in the primary response, and late expansion of clones that were subdominant in the primary response. All dominant clones selected into memory showed similar high functional avidity of their TCR, whereas two clones that greatly contracted showed substantially lower avidity. Expression of the IL-7R is required for survival of murine effector CD8+ T cells into memory, but in primary HCMV infection IL-7R was not detected on circulating Ag-specific cells until memory had been established. Thus, the oligoclonal T cell repertoire against an immunodominant persistent viral epitope is established early in primary infection by the rapid selection of public clonotypes, rather than being a stochastic process.