Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring Semantic Similarity between Words using Page-Count and Pattern Clustering Methods

Web mining involves activities such as document clustering, community mining etc. to be performed on web. Such tasks need measuring semantic similarity between words. This helps in performing web mining activities easily in many applications. Despite the usefulness of semantic si milarity measures in these applications, accurately measuring semantic similarity between two words remains a challenging task. In this paper to find the semantic similarity between two word s it makes use of information available on the web and uses methods that make use of page counts and snippets to measure semantic similarity between two words. Various word co-occurrence measures are defined using page counts and then integrate those with lexical patterns extracted from text snippets. To identify the numerous semantic relations that exist between two gi ven words, a pattern extraction and clustering methods are used. The optimal combination of page counts-based co-occurrence measures and lexical pattern clusters is learned using support v ector machine used to find semantic similarity between two words. Fin ally semantic similarity measure what is got is in the ra nge (0, 1), is used to determine semantic similarity between two giv en words. If two given words are highly similar it is expected to be closer to 1, if two given words are not semantically similar then it is expected to be closer to 0.
Impact of Financial Regulation on Emerging Countries

This article analyzes the potential impact of a higher level of capital and liquidity of banks on the credit penetration and the economic development in emerging countries. To do so, it employs an econometric exercise in two stages. In the first stage it is estimated the impact of capital and liquidity on the quantity and the price of credit. In the second stage it is quantified the impact of credit and its price on the GDP per capita. Thus, the impact of regulation on output is estimated using a chain rule. The article shows that in general the effects of capital and liquidity are higher in emerging countries in terms of banking penetration and GDP per capita.
Study of Different Architectures of Fault-Tolerant Actuator Using a Two-Channel PM Motor

In the context of more electric aircraft, the use of electric actuators instead of hydraulic ones is one of the main topics of research and development in electrical engineering. A high level of reliability, the redundancy, and the compactness are required for aircraft electrical actuators. For achieving these purposes, a classical solution consists in using two identical actuators motorized by one permanent magnet (PM) motor supplied by a voltage source inverter (VSI). In this paper, a solution based on the use of only one fault-tolerant actuator performed by a two-star connected-winding (two-channel) PM motor supplied by two pulsewidth modulated VSIs is proposed. The design of the PM motor can be achieved in two different ways, which are proposed and studied in this paper. The authors focus this paper on the comparison between the two winding architectures and compare the two motors in terms of the short-circuit current and magnetic decoupling of the two windings. Both simulation and experimental results are given and discussed.
NKG2D-dependent effector function of bronchial epithelium-activated alloreactive T-cells

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) has emerged as a curative therapeutic option. However, the role of graft-versus-host disease in lung injury after SCT has yet to be determined. In the present study, primary bronchial epithelial cells and the bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B were used to investigate immune responses of allogeneic CD8+ T-cells directed against respiratory epithelial cells. Following stimulation with irradiated bronchial epithelial cells, CD8+ T-cells produced significant amounts of interferon-γ, upregulated alloantigen activation markers and proliferated highly compared with T-cells stimulated with interleukin-2 alone. Furthermore, cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that bronchial epithelial cell-specific and granzyme B-mediated cytolytic activity was induced in CD8+ T-cells. Generation of natural killer (NK) T-cells, NK-like T-cells, cytokine-induced killer cells or lymphokine-activated killer cells could be excluded by phenotyping, culture conditions and neglectable lytic activity following stimulation with interleukin-2 alone. Inhibition experiments showed that lysis of bronchial epithelial cells was not major histocompatibility complex-I restricted, but depended on NK group 2 member D signalling; a stimulatory receptor initially shown to be expressed on NK cells. The present data imply that the respiratory epithelium has an antigen presenting function and directly alloactivates cytotoxic CD8+ T-cells that show nonclassical effector function.
The financing and technology decisions of SMEs : I . Finance as a determinant of investment

Petersen, M.A. & R.G. Rajan, 1994, ‘The Benefits from Lending Relationships: Evidence from Small Business Data,’ Journal of Finance 49, pp.3-37. Prowse, S. , 1998, ‘Angel Investors and the Market for Angel Investments,’ Journal of Banking and Finance 22, pp.785-92. Reekie, W.D. & J.N. Crook, 1995, Managerial Economics, London: Prentice Hall. Schumpeter, J., 1934, The Theory of Economic Development, Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Sharpe, S. , 1990, ‘Asymmetric Information, Bank Lending and Implicit Contracts: A Stylized Model of Customer Relationships,’ Journal of Finance 45, pp.1069-87. QEH Working Paper Series QEHWPS24 Page 37 Simoes, V. & R. Biscaya, 1998, ‘Country Report: Portugal,’ Portuguese report for this project. Stiglitz, J. & A. Weiss, 1981, ‘Credit Rationing in Markets with Imperfect Information,’ American Economic Review 71(3), pp.393-410. Tether, B.S., 1998, ‘Small and large firms: sources of unequal innovations? ’ Research Policy 27, pp.725-45.
The Nine Lives of the Stability Pact. A special report of the CEPS Macroeconomic Policy Group. CEPS Paperback. February 2004

This special report by the CEPS Macroeconomic Policy Group (MPG) is concerned with the implementation of the prohibition of excessive deficits contained in the Treaty of Maastricht via the Stability and Growth Pact. Specifically, it deals with the controversy that was provoked by the failure of the ECOFIN Council of 25 November 2003, to endorse recommendations of the European Commission to put France and Germany on notice that they had violated the Treaty’s prohibition of excessive deficits. The CEPS MPG finds that the core of the dispute arises not so much from the Stability Pact, but from the 3% limit set in the Treaty. It asserts that this clause should not be altered, as argued by many observers, and that it is even more appropriate now, than when it was first agreed in 1991, because of the slowdown of potential growth in Europe. The CEPS MPG is composed of distinguished economists who have undertaken to carry out independent, in-depth research on current developments in the European economy.
Innovation and Spillovers in Regions: Evidence from European Patent Data

The aim of this paper is to estimate the effect of research externalities across space, in generating innovation. We do so by using R&D and patent data for eighty-six European Regions in the 1977-1995 period. We find that spillovers exist for regions within a distance of 300 Km from each other. The estimates are robust to simultaneity, omitted variable bias, different specifications of distance functions, country and border effects. The size of these spillovers is small, though. Doubling R&D spending in a region would increase the output of new ideas in other regions within 300 Km only by 2-3%, while it would increase the innovation of the region itself by 80-90%. Given the small size and the limited range of diffusion, we interpret these externalities as the result of local diffusion of non-codified knowledge, embodied in people and spreading via personal contacts. This interpretation is reinforced by the finding that the spillovers are somewhat weaker across national borders.
Retrieval of Aerosol Optical Depth from Optimal Interpolation Approach Applied to SEVIRI Data

This paper presents two algorithms used to derive Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from a synergy of satellite and ground-based observations, as well as aerosol transport model output. The Spinning Enhanced Visible Infrared Radiometer (SEVIRI) instrument on board Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) allows us to monitor aerosol loading over land at high temporal and spatial resolution. We present the algorithms which were fed with the data acquired via the SEVIRI channel 1, and also channels 1 and 3 in conjunction. In both cases, the surface reflectance is the most important parameter that should be estimated during the retrieval process. The surface properties are estimated during days with a low AOD (less than 0.1 at 500 nm) based on the radiance measured by the SEVIRI detector and aerosol optical properties modeled with the aerosol transport model or measured by the MODIS sensor. For data from the model and the MODIS, ground-based stations equipped with a sun photometer have been applied to correct the AOD fields using the optimal interpolation method. By assuming that surface reflectance at the SEVIRI resolution changes slowly over time, the AOD has been computed. Comparison of the SEVIRI AOD with the sun photometer observations shows good agreement/correlation. The mean bias is small (an order of 0.01–0.02) and the root mean square (rms) is about 0.05 for both one- and two-channel methods. In addition, the rms for the one-channel method does not change with the AOD.
Josephson‐Junction Qubits

Among the potential physical implementations of quantum bits (qubits) solid state devices appear most promising for large scale applications and integration in electronic circuits. Devices based on low-capa-citance Josephson junctions exploit the coherence of the superconducting state, combined with the possibility to control individual charges by Coulomb blockade effects. The logical states in these systems differ by one Cooper-pair charge. Single-and two-bit operations can be performed by applying a sequence of gate voltages. The phase coherence time is sufficiently long to allow a series of these steps. If, in addition, the strength of the Josephson coupling is controlled (e.g. by currents in SQUID loops) the system is ideal for quantum computation. Recent experiments by Nakamura et al. show the feasibility of this approach. In addition to the manipulations of qubits the resulting quantum state has to be read out. This quantum measurement process can be accomplished by coupling a single-electron transistor (SET) capacitively to the qubit. We investigate the process by analyzing the time-evolution of the density matrix of the coupled system. The measurement process is characterized by three time scales: the dephasing time, which is fast when a dissipative current flows in the SET, a longer`measurement time' needed to read out the signal, and a third, even longer`mixing time', characterizing measurement induced transitions which destroy the information about the initial quantum state. The noise spectrum of the current in the SET displays these time scales and allows their direct observation. Quantum computers, if available, could perform certain operations in a massive parallel way, which would lead to an exponential speed-up as compared to the performance of classical computers. Medium-size quantum information processing devices could be used in a number of applications such as, e.g., quantum communication and quantum cryptography. Several physical realizations of quantum bits, the elementary building blocks of quantum computers, have been proposed. Best studied are trapped ions, NMR in the liquid state and cavity QED. Here we discuss solid-state nano-electronic realizations. They appear most promising since they can be scaled up to large numbers of qubits and are most easily embedded in electronic circuits. Josephson junction circuits are particularly suitable for quantum information processing, since they combine the intrinsic coherence of the superconducting state and the possibility to control the circuit dynamics by voltage and magnetic flux pulses. Their fabrication and manipulation are possible by present-day technologies. The relevant dynamical variables in these circuits are the …
Analysis of stagnation behavior of vector evaluated particle swarm optimization

The vector evaluated particle swarm optimization (VEPSO) algorithm is a cooperative, multi-swarm algorithm. Each sub-swarm optimizes only a single objective of a multi-objective problem (MOP), and implements a knowledge transfer strategy (KTS) to share optimal positions of the different objectives among the sub-swarms, guiding the particles to different regions of the Pareto front. This paper shows that the stagnation problem that occurs in VEPSO can be addressed by using a different KTS. A comparison is made between the ring-based and random knowledge transfer strategies. Experimental results show that the random knowledge transfer strategy suffers less from stagnation than the ring-based KTS, making it the preferred KTS to use.
Augmenting human intellect: a conceptual framework

This is an initial summary report of a project taking a new and systematic approach to improving the intellectual effectiveness of the individual human being. A detailed conceptual framework explores the nature of the system composed of the individual and the tools, concepts, and methods that match his basic capabilities to his problems. One of the tools that shows the greatest immediate promise is the computer, when it can be harnessed for direct on-line assistance, integrated with new concepts and methods.
Real-Time 3DUI Research Based on Virtools

The progress of virtual reality technology demands more about the real-time and naturalness of the interface. Based on the classification research on human-computer interfaces in 3D scene, this paper explored the real-time 3Dimensional User Interface (3DUI) in virtual reality interaction, and through practices on the 3DVIA Virtools platforms, presented the implementation principle and some specific operations of the interface.
Anti-disturbance iterative learning tracking control for general non-Gaussian stochastic systems

In this paper, a class of general non-Gaussian stochastic systems with disturbances are studied. Based on the disturbance observer (DO) design method, an anti-disturbance iterative learning control (ILC) algorithm is proposed by establishing the statistic information tracking control (SITC) framework. Different from the existing stochastic control methods, the driven information for control feedback is the output statistic information sets (SISs) relying on sample data of the non-Gaussian stochastic output, rather than the output PDFs. A novel model-free ILC optimization problem is addressed by combining the DO design with ILC algorithm. The controller design can be achieved based on the convex optimization to ensure the configured system stability and convergence of the tracking error to zero. Meanwhile, the satisfactory disturbance estimation and rejection performance can also be guaranteed. In the simulation, a typical 3-parameter Weibull distribution is considered to demonstrate the effectiveness and the practical significance of the proposed algorithm.
Chlamydial Entry Involves TARP Binding of Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors

Chlamydia trachomatis attachment to cells induces the secretion of the elementary body–associated protein TARP (Translocated Actin Recruiting Protein). TARP crosses the plasma membrane where it is immediately phosphorylated at tyrosine residues by unknown host kinases. The Rac GTPase is also activated, resulting in WAVE2 and Arp2/3-dependent recruitment of actin to the sites of chlamydia attachment. We show that TARP participates directly in chlamydial invasion activating the Rac-dependent signaling cascade to recruit actin. TARP functions by binding two distinct Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), Sos1 and Vav2, in a phosphotyrosine-dependent manner. The tyrosine phosphorylation profile of the sequence YEPISTENIYESI within TARP, as well as the transient activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K), appears to determine which GEF is utilized to activate Rac. The first and second tyrosine residues, when phosphorylated, are utilized by the Sos1/Abi1/Eps8 and Vav2, respectively, with the latter requiring the lipid phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-triphosphate. Depletion of these critical signaling molecules by siRNA resulted in inhibition of chlamydial invasion to varying degrees, owing to a possible functional redundancy of the two pathways. Collectively, these data implicate TARP in signaling to the actin cytoskeleton remodeling machinery, demonstrating a mechanism by which C. trachomatis invades non-phagocytic cells.
Assessing Information Security Culture

The behaviour of employees and their interaction with computer systems have a significant impact on the security of information. Human interaction with information resources is often the weakest link in protecting Information assets. One way of addressing it is by focusing on positively changing the culture of the organisation. In order to do this a model is proposed which can be implemented by an organisation. An assessment approach consisting of an audit process and incorporating an information security culture questionnaire is discussed as the main focus of this paper.
Efficient Linear Processing for Non-regenerative MIMO Relay Network with Perfect CSI

In this study, two hop non-regenerative Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) relay network is considered. Each node of the network is equipped with multiple antennas. We apply an efficient linear processing at the relay node only. We utilize Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) as the relay receive beamforming and PerAntenna-Signal to Leakage plus Noise Ratio (PA-SLNR) maximization criteria using Fukunaga Koontz Transform (FKT) is considered to generate relay downlink precoding to mitigate the interference due to the leakage signal. The relay acquires perfect channel state information of the channel between source to relay and relay to the destination. Monte Carlo simulation confirms better performance in terms of ergodic capacity offered by the proposed scheme.
Indian Micro Finance: Evolution of Regulatory Framework

The imagination, with which microfinance was put into practice, has been turning into a reality in India. The unparalleled growth of microfinance institutions, to cover a vast majority of unbanked population in need of financial services, is just a step towards achieving the goals of development for building an equitable society. Microfinance initiatives have been accepted at different levels viz. the policy makers, the regulators and the implementers, as an effective way to address the financial needs of the poor. The various high-level government committees’ has acknowledged the crucial role of microfinance in alleviating poverty and need for an enabling regulation for microfinance sector. These committee’s being a network of community development financial institutions in India, has been endeavoring to develop better understanding among a diverse set of stakeholders on different legal and regulatory frameworks for the microfinance sector . The purpose of this research paper is to examine the existing legal framework under which the entire microfinance sector operates in India. The paper concludes, while societies and trusts provide an initial breakthrough to start microfinance operations; these structures are not appropriate for supporting the scaling-up of operations.
Implementation of the performance‐related pay in the general educational schools of Estonia

Purpose – The article aims to provide an insight into the perspectives and possibilities of implementing the performance‐related pay in the Estonian general educational schools. It also aims to test two propositions regarding factors that influence school performance and teachers' and school managers' opinions about performance management.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 298 school managers and 2,165 teachers from general educational schools in Estonia participated in the study. The factor, regression and correlation analysis, independent samples t‐test and one‐way ANOVA analysis were used to study claims related to school management and performance and educational processes.Findings – The results of the analysis show that besides teachers' activities and effectiveness factors, various school management factors play an important role in the shaping of the school performance and the opinions towards the implementation of performance appraisal and performance‐related pay.Research limitations and imp.
Genome Sequence and Analysis of a Stress-Tolerant, Wild-Derived Strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Used in Biofuels Research

The genome sequences of more than 100 strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been published. Unfortunately, most of these genome assemblies contain dozens to hundreds of gaps at repetitive sequences, including transposable elements, tRNAs, and subtelomeric regions, which is where novel genes generally reside. Relatively few strains have been chosen for genome sequencing based on their biofuel production potential, leaving an additional knowledge gap. Here, we describe the nearly complete genome sequence of GLBRCY22-3 (Y22-3), a strain of S. cerevisiae derived from the stress-tolerant wild strain NRRL YB-210 and subsequently engineered for xylose metabolism. After benchmarking several genome assembly approaches, we developed a pipeline to integrate Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) and Illumina sequencing data and achieved one of the highest quality genome assemblies for any S. cerevisiae strain. Specifically, the contig N50 is 693 kbp, and the sequences of most chromosomes, the mitochondrial genome, and the 2-micron plasmid are complete. Our annotation predicts 92 genes that are not present in the reference genome of the laboratory strain S288c, over 70% of which were expressed. We predicted functions for 43 of these genes, 28 of which were previously uncharacterized and unnamed. Remarkably, many of these genes are predicted to be involved in stress tolerance and carbon metabolism and are shared with a Brazilian bioethanol production strain, even though the strains differ dramatically at most genetic loci. The Y22-3 genome sequence provides an exceptionally high-quality resource for basic and applied research in bioenergy and genetics.
A modern service oriented unit-based distributed storage model for peer nodes

With the rapid development of the information technology and knowledge economy, the old fashioned, traditional service industry manage to make a significant progress to grow into a brand new formation. Now the information amount on the internet expands in a incredible way everyday, which makes how to keep and manage those information of a mass storage system more and more important for us. So in this paper, we will discuss a new Unit-based Distributed Storage (UDS) Model, which is capable of managing a great number of data stored in a certain amount of normal low-cost computers who serve as peer nodes of a whole structured p2p distributed system efficiently by using a virtual storage component called “Unit”.