Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study of Mobile Ad hoc Networks

Mobile Ad-hoc networks (MANET) are usually defined as a set of wireless mobile nodes dynamically self organizing a temporary network without any central administration or existing infrastructure. This is mainly due to the mobility of the nodes . Much of this work is targeted to increase the network performance on the network layer and finding a feasible route from a source to a destination without considering current network traffic or application requirements. Due to their decentralized, self-configuring and dynamic nature, MANETs offers several advantages and disadvantages. In this paper we present an overview of (MANET) by presenting their characteristics, functionality, challenging applications and routing protocols.
Key lessons learned building recommender systems for large-scale social networks

By helping members to connect, discover and share relevant content or find a new career opportunity, recommender systems have become a critical component of user growth and engagement for social networks. The multidimensional nature of engagement and diversity of members on large-scale social networks have generated new infrastructure and modeling challenges and opportunities in the development, deployment and operation of recommender systems. This presentation will address some of these issues, focusing on the modeling side for which new research is much needed while describing a recommendation platform that enables real-time recommendation updates at scale as well as batch computations, and cross-leverage between different product recommendations. Topics covered on the modeling side will include optimizing for multiple competing objectives, solving contradicting business goals, modeling user intent and interest to maximize placement and timeliness of the recommendations, utility metrics beyond CTR that leverage both real-time tracking of explicit and implicit user feedback, gathering training data for new product recommendations, virality preserving online testing and virtual profiling.
Preparation and Properties of Si3N4 Based Composites for Broad Band Radomes

A new preparation method was developed to produce Si3N4-SiO2-Si2N2O composites for broad band radome applications. The three-dimensional cross-linked polyphenylsiloxane (PPS) was used as an organic precursor. The composites obtained through react bonding between Si and the precursor powders in the stream of N2 were examined. The conversion of the PPS polymer to the ceramic was examined by TG analysis and conventional X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. It was found that the ceramics contained a primary Si2N2O phase, some β-Si3N4 phase and a minor α-SiO2 phase. Despite low density (1.7-2.0g•cm-3), the flexural strengths of the composites reaches 195Mpa at room temperature. The ceramic has excellent dielectric properties with dielectric constants as low as 3.2-5.5.
Sparklis: An expressive query builder for SPARQL endpoints with guidance in natural language

SPARKLIS is a Semantic Web tool that helps users explore and query SPARQL endpoints by guiding them in the interactive building of questions and answers, from simple ones to complex ones. It combines the fine-grained guidance of faceted search, most of the expressivity of SPARQL, and the readability of (controlled) natural languages. No knowledge of the vocabulary and schema are required for users. Many SPARQL features are covered: multidimensional queries, union, negation, optional, filters, aggregations, ordering. Queries are verbalized in either English or French, so that no knowledge of SPARQL is ever necessary. All of this is implemented in a portable Web application, SPARKLIS, and has been evaluated on many endpoints and questions. No endpoint-specific configuration is necessary as the data schema is discovered on the fly by the tool. Online since April 2014, thousands of queries have been formed by hundreds of users over more than a hundred endpoints.
Novel micro-CT based local strain mapping tool to characterize the failure modes of bone tissue engineering scaffolds

1 Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, K.U. Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44bus 2450, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium, greet.kerckhofs@mtm.kuleuven. be 2 Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, K.U. Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium 3 Division of Biomechanics and Engineering Design, K.U. Leuven , Celestijnenlaan 300C – bus 2419, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium 4 Department of Electrical Engineering, Division ESAT PSI, Centre for the Processing of Speech & Images, K.U. Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 10 – bus 2441, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium 5 Medical imaging centre, U.Z. Leuven, Herestraat 49 – bus 7003, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
Effect of the number of abutments on biomechanics of Branemark prosthesis with straight and tilted distal implants

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the bending moments, and compressive and tensile forces in implant-supported prostheses with three, four or five abutments. Material and Methods Ten Pd-Ag frameworks were tested over two master models with: 1) parallel vertical implants, and 2) tilted distal implants. Strain gauges were fixed on the abutments of each master model to measure the deformation when a static load of 50 N was applied on the cantilever (15 mm). The deformation values were measured when the metallic frameworks were tested over three, four or five abutments, and transformed into force and bending moment values. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons at 5% level of significance. Results Abutment #1 (adjacent to the cantilever) had the highest values of force and sagittal bending moment for all tests with three, four or five abutments. Independently from the number of abutments, axial force in abutment #1 was higher in the vertical model than in the tilted model. Total moment was higher with three abutments than with four or five abutments. Independently from the inclination of implants, the mean force with four or five abutments was lower than that with three abutments. Conclusion The results suggest that in the set-ups with four or five abutments tilted distal implants reduced axial force and did not increase bending moments.
Stereo matching using graph cuts: A 3D-Hough transformation approach

Based on the assumption that the scene structure consists of a set of planar surface patches and the algorithm of planar graph cuts, a novel stereo matching algorithm is presented in this paper using 3D-Hough transformation. Unlike current stereo matching algorithm, our method provides a quite fast and robust plane fitting resolution that can enhance the reliability of each disparity model. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in obtaining precise and smooth disparity image.
Biodiversity tracks temperature over time

The geographic distribution of life on Earth supports a general pattern of increase in biodiversity with increasing temperature. However, some previous analyses of the 540-million-year Phanerozoic fossil record found a contrary relationship, with paleodiversity declining when the planet warms. These contradictory findings are hard to reconcile theoretically. We analyze marine invertebrate biodiversity patterns for the Phanerozoic Eon while controlling for sampling effort. This control appears to reverse the temporal association between temperature and biodiversity, such that taxonomic richness increases, not decreases, with temperature. Increasing temperatures also predict extinction and origination rates, alongside other abiotic and biotic predictor variables. These results undermine previous reports of a negative biodiversity-temperature relationship through time, which we attribute to paleontological sampling biases. Our findings suggest a convergence of global scale macroevolutionary and macroecological patterns for the biodiversity-temperature relationship.
Innovative socio-technical environments in support of distributed intelligence and lifelong learning

Individual,unaidedhumanabilitiesareconstrained.Mediahavehelpedustotranscendboundaries in thinking, working, learning and collaborating by supporting distributed intelligence. Wirelessandmobiletechnologiesprovidenewopportunitiesforcreatingnovelsocio-technical environments and thereby empowering humans, but not without potential pitfalls. We explore these opportunities and pitfalls from a lifelong-learning perspective and discuss how wireless
Family history of cancer and colon cancer risk: the Utah Population Database.

BACKGROUND Family history of colon cancer has been shown to be related to the risk of developing colon cancer. The impact that a comprehensive family history of colon or other cancers has on the risk of colon cancer has not been thoroughly studied. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of developing colon cancer associated with having a family history of colon, rectal, breast, ovarian, endometrial, or prostate cancer. METHODS A case-control study was conducted using data from the Utah Population Database. Case patients had first primary colon cancers (n = 2543). Three control subjects per case were individually matched to case patients on year of birth, place of birth, marital status, and sex. RESULTS Those case patients with the highest familial standardized incidence ratio were at an increased risk of developing colon cancer (for men, odds ratio [OR] = 2.51 and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.88-3.29; for women, OR = 2.90 and 95% CI = 2.17-3.82). A second- or third-degree relative with colon cancer increased risk from 25% to 52%. Risk associated with family history was greater in those patients diagnosed before age 50 (for men, OR = 3.61 and for women, OR = 7.18) than in those diagnosed at 50 or more years of age (for men, OR = 2.44 and for women, OR = 2.73). The risk associated with a family history of colon cancer was greatest for the distal segment of the colon. Women were at an increased risk of colon cancer if they had a first-degree relative with breast (OR = 1.59; 95% CI = 1.25-2.03), uterine (OR = 1.50; 95% CI = 0.99-2.26), ovarian (OR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.41-1.89), or prostate (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.21-1.82) cancer; men were at increased risk of colon cancer if they had a first-degree relative with breast (OR = 1.30; 95% CI = 1.02-1.66), uterine (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.34-2.87), or ovarian (OR = 1.59; 95% CI = 0.90-2.81) cancer. CONCLUSIONS These findings support previous observations that people with a family history of colon cancer are at increased risk of colon cancer. Those with a second- or third-degree relative with colon cancer or a first-degree relative with breast, ovarian, uterine, or prostate cancer also have an increased risk of developing colon cancer. IMPLICATIONS These data support the recommendations that individuals who have a first-degree, and possibly a second- or third-degree, relative with colon cancer should have regular screening for colon cancer.
Do Environmental Programs Really Work ? The Perspective of Modern Evaluation Research

Large-scale environmental programs generally commit substantial societal resources, making the evaluation of their actual effects on the relevant outcomes imperative. Illustrating its arguments with the example of the subsidization of energy-saving appliances, this paper discusses the problem of proper attribution of effects to underlying causes. It outlines why the evaluation of environmental interventions should incorporate recent advances in the econometrics and statistics literature on program evealuation. In intuitive terms it will be explained why the construction of a credible counterfactual situation is at the heart of the formal statistical evaluation problem. Several approaches, based on both experiments and on non-experimental data, are introduced that have been proposed in the literature to solve the evaluation problem.
Using JavaSpaces to create adaptive distributed systems

JavaSpaces’ support for asynchronous and loosely coupled communication can be used to simplify creation of advanced services in dynamic network-centric environments. In such environments clients and services come and go all the time and system-components may dynamically be added and removed. This paper describes how JavaSpaces can be utilized to create adaptive distributed systems. We present a space-based architecture where agents adapt to changing demands placed on the system by dynamically requesting their behavior from a JavaSpace. We argue that using JavaSpaces technology is a simple way to create adaptive systems, due to JavaSpaces’ ability to support messaging in dynamic environments as well as distribution of agent behavior.
An outer bound on secrecy achievable rate region for BCE

This paper considers the problems of the achievable rate regions on broadcast channel with the eavesdropper (BCE). Many articles have given the meaningful results, like the inner bound of this model. However, the specific analysis processes for this model have not been given by previous work, especially, the outer bound of BCE have not been given. So we focus on the study of the outer bound on the secrecy achievable rate regions of BCE and obtain a convincing result.
Age-Dependent Susceptibility of Chromosome Cohesion to Premature Separase Activation in Mouse Oocytes1

ABSTRACT A hypothesis to explain the maternal age-dependent increase in formation of aneuploid eggs is deterioration of chromosome cohesion. Although several lines of evidence are consistent with this hypothesis, whether cohesion is actually reduced in naturally aged oocytes has not been directly tested by any experimental perturbation. To directly target cohesion, we increased the activity of separase, the protease that cleaves the meiotic cohesin REC8, in oocytes. We show that cohesion is more susceptible to premature separase activation in old oocytes than in young oocytes, demonstrating that cohesion is significantly reduced. Furthermore, cohesion is protected by two independent mechanisms that inhibit separase, securin and an inhibitory phosphorylation of separase by CDK1; both mechanisms must be disrupted to prematurely activate separase. With the continual loss of cohesins from chromosomes that occurs throughout the natural reproductive lifespan, tight regulation of separase in oocytes may be particularly important to maintain cohesion and prevent aneuploidy.
Effect of PPO‐g‐MA on structures and properties of PPO/PA6/short glass fiber composites

Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)/polyamide 6 (PPO/PA6) blends were reactively compatibilized by maleic anhydride (MA) grafted PPO (PPO-g-MA) and reinforced by short glass fibers (SGF) via melt extrusion. An observation of the SGF-polymer interface by scanning electronic microscope (SEM) together with etching techniques indicated that the PPO-g-MA played a decisive role in the adhesion of polymers to SGF. The rheological behavior was investigated by capillary rheometer, and the addition of PPO-g-MA, and SGF could increase the viscosity of the PPO/PA6 blends. The analysis of fiber orientation and distribution in the PPO/PA6/SGF composites showed PPO-g-MA favored to the random dispersion of SGF. The statistic analysis of SGF length showed that PPO-g-MA was helpful to maintain the fiber length during melt-processing. For the composites at a given SGF content of 30 wt %, the addition of PPO-g-MA increased the tensile strength from 59.4 MPa to 97.1 MPa and increased SGF efficiency factor from 0.028 to 0.132. The experimental data were consistent with the theoretical predictions of the extension of Kelly-Tyson model for tensile strength. The fracture toughness of the composites was investigated by single edge notch three-point bending test. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 2188–2197, 2009
Morphological aspects of self-repair of lesions caused by internal growth stresses in stems of Aristolochia macrophylla and Aristolochia ringens

This study reveals in detail the mechanism of self-repair during secondary growth in the vines Aristolochia macrophylla and Aristolochia ringens based on morphological data. For a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms during the self-repair of lesions in the sclerenchymatous cylinder of the stem, which are caused by internal growth stresses, a classification of morphological changes in the cells involved in the repair process is required. In an early stage of self-repair, we observed morphological changes as a mere extension of the turgescent cortex cells surrounding the lesion, whereby the cell wall extends locally through visco-elastic/plastic deformation without observable cell wall synthesis. Later stages involve typical cell growth and cell division. Several successive phases of self-repair were investigated by light microscopy of stained samples and confocal laser-scanning microscopy in fluorescence mode. The results indicate that A. macrophylla and A. ringens respond to lesions caused by internal growth stresses with a sophisticated self-repair mechanism comprising several phases of different repair modes.
Monocytes enhance neutrophil‐induced blister formation in an ex vivo model of bullous pemphigoid

Lesions of bullous pemphigoid (BP), an autoimmune subepidermal blistering disease characterized by the presence of tissue‐bound and circulating autoantibodies to hemidesmosomal antigens, harbor a mixed inflammatory cellular infiltrate. In various models, neutrophils, eosinophils, mast cells, monocytes as well as B and T cells have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of BP. However, their interactions with and effective role in blister formation remain uncertain. This study was aimed at investigating the effect of monocyte/neutrophil interaction on blister formation in an ex vivo BP model.
Dye-Sensitized TiO2 Nanotube Solar Cells with Markedly Enhanced Performance via Rational Surface Engineering

Highly ordered anodic TiO2 nanotube arrays fabricated by electrochemical anodization were sensitized with ruthenium dye N-719 to yield dye-sensitized TiO2 nanotube solar cells. Rational surface treatments on photoanode TiO2 nanotubes markedly improved the device performance. With TiCl4 treatment, in conjunction with oxygen plasma exposure under optimized conditions, dye-sensitized TiO2 nanotube solar cells produced using 14-μm-thick TiO2 nanotube arrays in backside illumination mode subjected to simulated AM 1.5 G irradiation of 100 mW/cm2 exhibited a pronounced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.37%.
Evaluation of accuracy and reliability of PulseOn optical heart rate monitoring device

PulseOn is a wrist-worn optical heart rate (HR) monitor based on photoplethysmography. It utilizes multi-wavelength technology and optimized sensor geometry to monitor blood flow at different depths of skin tissue, and it dynamically adapts to an optimal measurement depth in different conditions. Movement artefacts are reduced by adaptive movement-cancellation algorithms and optimized mechanics, which stabilize the sensor-to-skin contact. In this paper, we evaluated the accuracy and reliability of PulseOn technology against ECG-derived HR in laboratory conditions during a wide range of physical activities and also during outdoor sports. In addition, we compared the performance to another on-the-shelf wrist-worn consumer product Mio LINK®. The results showed PulseOn reliability (% of time with error <;10bpm) of 94.5% with accuracy (100% - mean absolute percentage error) 96.6% as compared to ECG (vs 86.6% and 94.4% for Mio LINK®, correspondingly) during laboratory protocol. Similar or better reliability and accuracy was seen during normal outdoor sports activities. The results show that PulseOn provides reliability and accuracy similar to traditional chest strap ECG HR monitors during cardiovascular exercise.
Regional brain abnormalities associated with long-term heavy cannabis use.

CONTEXT Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the developed world. Despite this, there is a paucity of research examining its long-term effect on the human brain. OBJECTIVE To determine whether long-term heavy cannabis use is associated with gross anatomical abnormalities in 2 cannabinoid receptor-rich regions of the brain, the hippocampus and the amygdala. DESIGN Cross-sectional design using high-resolution (3-T) structural magnetic resonance imaging. SETTING Participants were recruited from the general community and underwent imaging at a hospital research facility. PARTICIPANTS Fifteen carefully selected long-term (>10 years) and heavy (>5 joints daily) cannabis-using men (mean age, 39.8 years; mean duration of regular use, 19.7 years) with no history of polydrug abuse or neurologic/mental disorder and 16 matched nonusing control subjects (mean age, 36.4 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Volumetric measures of the hippocampus and the amygdala combined with measures of cannabis use. Subthreshold psychotic symptoms and verbal learning ability were also measured. RESULTS Cannabis users had bilaterally reduced hippocampal and amygdala volumes (P = .001), with a relatively (and significantly [P = .02]) greater magnitude of reduction in the former (12.0% vs 7.1%). Left hemisphere hippocampal volume was inversely associated with cumulative exposure to cannabis during the previous 10 years (P = .01) and subthreshold positive psychotic symptoms (P < .001). Positive symptom scores were also associated with cumulative exposure to cannabis (P = .048). Although cannabis users performed significantly worse than controls on verbal learning (P < .001), this did not correlate with regional brain volumes in either group. CONCLUSIONS These results provide new evidence of exposure-related structural abnormalities in the hippocampus and amygdala in long-term heavy cannabis users and corroborate similar findings in the animal literature. These findings indicate that heavy daily cannabis use across protracted periods exerts harmful effects on brain tissue and mental health.
Chiari I Malformation with Acute Brain Stem Compression SyndromesRequiring Emergency Neurosurgical Intervention: Report of Two Cases

While Chiari I malformation is a relatively common finding on MRI imaging, the vast majority of patients are asymptomatic and those who do present typically follow a slow course of chronic or subacute progression of symptoms. Emergent deterioration of existing Chiari malformation is rare. We present two patients with previously undiagnosed Chiari I malformation presenting with acute deterioration, one as a result of trauma and the other due to meningitis. Both of the patients required emergent surgical intervention, and each experienced recovery by postoperative month three. We present these two cases and review the pertinent literature.