Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning User Preference Models under Uncertainty for Personalized Recommendation

Preference modeling has a crucial role in customer relationship management systems. Traditional approaches to preference modeling are based on decision and utility theory by explicitly querying users about the behavior of value function, or utility of every outcome with regard to each decision criterion. They are error-prone and labor intensive. To address these limitations, computer based implicit elicitation approaches have been proposed. However, the extant approaches to implicit elicitation in preference modeling have failed to: (i) integrate user feedbacks and item attributes; (ii) take into account of the subjective, incomplete, imprecise, and vague nature of features of an item, and features of a user preference; (iii) quantify how much a user likes, dislikes, or be indifferent to a given item; and (iv) provide a complete preference model. We propose a novel knowledge representation method for item and user preference that accounts for uncertainty due to the subjectivity, vagueness and imprecision using concepts from the fuzzy set and logic theory. A comprehensive preference model that accounts for positive, negative, neutral and in-deterministic categories of user preferences is defined. Furthermore, algorithms are developed for learning user preferences, and for prediction and recommendation. An evaluation with a benchmark dataset on movies shows that the accuracy in predicting user preference is found to be nearly twice that of random prediction. Additionally, the proposed approach outperformed the state-of-the-art approaches in terms of precision, recall, and F1-measure. The findings of this study have significant implications for preference modeling, recommender systems and customer relationships management systems.
Modal Independence Logic

This paper introduces modal independence logic MIL, a modal logic that can explicitly talk about independence among propositional variables. Formulas of MIL are not evaluated in worlds but in sets of worlds, so called teams. In this vein, MIL can be seen as a variant of Vaananen’s modal dependence logic MDL. We show that MIL embeds MDL and is strictly more expressive. However, on singleton teams, MIL is shown to be not more expressive than usual modal logic, but MIL is exponentially more succinct. Making use of a new form of bisimulation, we extend these expressivity results to modal logics extended by various generalized dependence atoms. We demonstrate the expressive power of MIL by giving a specification of the anonymity requirement of the dining cryptographers protocol in MIL. We also study complexity issues of MIL and show that, though it is more expressive, its satisfiability and model checking problem have the same complexity as for MDL.
A High Order Godunov Scheme with Constrained Transport and Adaptive Mesh Refinement for Astrophysical MHD

Aims. In this paper, we present a new method to perform numerical simulations of astrophysical MHD ﬂows using the Adaptive Mesh Reﬁnement framework and Constrained Transport. Methods. The algorithm is based on a previous work in which the MUSCL–Hancock scheme was used to evolve the induction equation. In this paper, we detail the extension of this scheme to the full MHD equations and discuss its properties. Results. Through a series of test problems, we illustrate the performances of this new code using two di ﬀ erent MHD Riemann solvers (Lax– Friedrich and Roe) and the need of the Adaptive Mesh Reﬁnement capabilities in some cases. Finally, we show its versatility by applying it to two completely di ﬀ erent astrophysical situations well studied in the past years: the growth of the magnetorotational instability in the shearing box and the collapse of magnetized cloud cores. Conclusions. We have implemented a new Godunov scheme to solve the ideal MHD equations in the AMR code RAMSES. We have shown that it results in a powerful tool that can be applied to a great variety of astrophysical problems, ranging from galaxies formation in the early universe to high resolution studies of molecular cloud collapse in our galaxy.
Angiopoietin: A TIE(d) Balance in Tumor Angiogenesis

Angiopoietins (ANG-1 and ANG-2) and their TIE-2 receptor tyrosine kinase have wide-ranging effects on tumor malignancy that includes angiogenesis, inflammation, and vascular extravasation. These multifaceted pathways present a valuable opportunity in developing novel inhibition strategies for cancer treatment. However, the regulatory role of ANG-1 and ANG-2 in tumor angiogenesis remains controversial. There is a complex interplay between complementary yet conflicting roles of both the ANGs in shaping the outcome of angiogenesis. Embryonic vascular development suggests that ANG-1 is crucial in engaging interaction between endothelial and perivascular cells. However, recruitment of perivascular cells by ANG-1 has recently been implicated in its antiangiogenic effect on tumor growth. It is becoming clear that TIE-2 signaling may function in a paracrine and autocrine manner directly on tumor cells because the receptor has been increasingly found in tumor cells. In addition, α5β1 and αvβ5 integrins were recently recognized as functional receptors for ANG-1 and ANG-2. Therefore, both the ligands may have wide-ranging functions in cellular activities that affect overall tumor development. Collectively, these TIE-2–dependent and TIE-2–independent activities may account for the conflicting findings of ANG-1 and ANG-2 in tumor angiogenesis. These uncertainties have impeded development of a clear strategy to target this important angiogenic pathway. A better understanding of the molecular basis of ANG-1 and ANG-2 activity in the pathophysiologic regulation of angiogenesis may set the stage for novel therapy targeting this pathway. (Mol Cancer Res 2007;5(7):655–65)
A new multiplierless discrete cosine transform based on the Ramanujan ordered numbers for image coding

The performance of image coding can be improved upon by using a special class of multiplierless discrete cosine transform using Ramanujan numbers termed as Ramanujan DCT (RDCT). Ramanujan ordered numbers are those which approximate 2π/N by 2 2 l m − − + , where l and m are integers. The cosine angles can then be computed using Chebyshev type of recursion using only shifters and adders. Fast forward and backward transformation may be achieved. Analysis and simulations show that the proposed RDCT maintains good de-correlation and energy compaction properties of the DCT and the error due to approximation is almost zero at lower spectral components and relatively low at higher spectral components. Simulation experiments are provided to justify that the proposed algorithm is best suited for image compression.
Genetic Algorithm based Rule Extraction from Pruned Modified Fuzzy Hyperline Segment Neural Network for Pattern Classification

The Pruned modified fuzzy hyperline segment neural network (PMFHLSNN) is pruned extension of Fuzzy hyperline segment neural network (FHLSNN) with modification in the testing phase. In this paper, a genetic algorithm based rule extractor (GA-PMFHLSNN) is proposed to extract a small set of compact and comprehensible fuzzy if-then rules with high classification accuracy from the PMFHLSNN. After pruning, open hyperline segments are generated from the remaining hyperline segments and a ―don‘t care‖ approach is adopted by GA rule extractor to minimize the number of features in the extracted rules with higher classification accuracy. The performance of FHLSNN, PMFHLSNN and GAPMFHLSNN are evaluated using tenfold cross-validation for five benchmark problems and handwritten character database. All the results show that the proposed approach can extract a set of compact and comprehensible rules with high classification accuracy for all the selected datasets. General Terms Pruned modified fuzzy hyperline segment neural network, Rule extraction, Pattern Classification.
NOTES ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF tmf

In these notes I will sketch the construction of tmf using Goerss-Hopkins obstruction theory. These notes are the result of my attempts to understand the material surrounding a talk I gave at the Talbot workshop in 2007. There is no claim to originality in this approach. All of the results are the results of other people, namely: Paul Goerss, Mike Hopkins, and Haynes Miller. I benefited from conversations with Niko Naumann and Charles Rezk, and from Mike Hill’s talk at the Talbot workshop. I am especially grateful for numerous corrections and suggestions which Tyler Lawson, Aaron Mazel-Gee, Lennart Meier, Niko Naumann, and Markus Szymik supplied me with. The remaining mathematical errors, inconsistencies, and points of inelegance in these notes are mine and mine alone. Let Mell denote the moduli stack of generalized elliptic curves over Spec(Z). For us, unless we specifically specify otherwise, a generalized elliptic curve is implicitly assumed to have irreducible geometric fibers (i.e. no Néron n-gons for n > 1). That is to say,Mell is the moduli stack of pointed curves whose fibers are either elliptic curves, or possess a nodal singularity. Our aim is to prove the following theorem.
Bone Mineral Density is an Independent Determinant of Left Ventricular Mass Index in the General Female Population

Background and Objectives Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a well known cardiovascular prognostic predictor. Osteoporosis has been suggested to be associated with cardiovascular disease. According to studies of primary hyperparathyroidism, a pathophysiological association between calcium metabolism and LVH has been suggested but is not yet fully understood. This study was performed to investigate the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in a general population. Subjects and Methods Data from 460 subjects among 543 subjects sampled from a general population in a rural area in Korea were analyzed. BMD, echocardiography, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) measurement as well as the measurements of blood pressure, blood chemistry and metabolic parameters were analyzed. BMD was measured using the Sahara Clinical Bone Sonometer (Hologic Inc., Mass., USA). Results Age of the subjects was 59.4±12.4 years. Males were 42.2% (n=194). In a simple correlation analysis on female subjects, age and waist circumference showed negative correlation, and body mass index (BMI) showed positive correlation with BMD. However, only age showed negative correlation with BMD in male subjects. After adjusting baPWV and carotid IMT, we found that BMD was an independent determinant of LVMI in female subjects (β=-13.703, p=0.016), but not in male subjects (β=-1.235, p=0.841). Conclusion BMD is a consistent and independent determining factor of LVMI, BMI and carotid IMT in postmenopausal women.
Economic impact of community- and nosocomially acquired rotavirus gastroenteritis in Austria

Objective. To determine the average costs per child for rotavirus (RV) acute gastroenteritis from different perspectives, from the hospital’s, third-party payer’s, pediatrician’s and family’s perspectives as well as in summary from the societal one. Materials and methods. This cost-of-illness study is based on data collected alongside a 6-month prospective, laboratory-confirmed epidemiologic study that evaluated the disease burden of RV infection in Austrian children ≤48 months of age. The study population at risk to contract a community- and nosocomially acquired acute gastroenteritis comprised 9687 children. All of the 51 children with community-acquired and 33 with nosocomially acquired RV acute gastroenteritis were included in this analysis. The annual costs were estimated by means of extrapolation. Results. For community-acquired RV acute gastroenteritis, the average costs from the hospital’s perspective were EURO (&egr;) 97.8, from the third party payer’s perspective &egr;95.6, followed by &egr;29.9 and &egr;9.8 from the family’s and pediatrician’s perspectives, respectively. For nosocomially acquired RV acute gastroenteritis the average costs from the hospital’s perspective were &egr;1494 and from the third party payer’s and family’s perspectives &egr;831 and &egr;116.8, respectively. In summary the average costs from the societal point of view for community-acquired RV acute gastroenteritis were &egr;250 and for nosocomial infections &egr;2442. After extrapolation the estimated total annual costs were &egr;7.17 million to &egr;0.97 million (13.6%) caused by community-acquired RV acute gastroenteritis and &egr;6.2 million (86.4%) caused by nosocomial RV acute gastroenteritis. Conclusion. This cost-of-illness study clearly demonstrates the great impact of RV acute gastroenteritis, mainly of nosocomially acquired infection, on medical health care costs in Austria. To cut costs efforts in disease prevention should be encouraged.
Generalized notions of block symmetry for discrete memoryless channels

We generalize the results of [2] in two directions: Firstly we note that by adding a row to a transition matrix of a DMC, typical notions of symmetry are destroyed and yet, it is just as easy to find optimal (capacity achieving) distributions for the new DMC as for the original DMC. This problem is taken care of by extending the notions of symmetry to notions allowing what we shall call “connections”. Furthermore, we note that the results of [2] are concerned with the search for optimal distributions which are mixtures of uniform distributions. We generalize by searching for optimal distributions which have prescribed conditional distributions with conditioning understood in the natural sense in relation to the block decomposition given. Main result of [2] Let us first quote the main result of [2]. Let P be the transition matrix for a discrete memoryless channel (DMC) and consider a block decomposition (P)i,j of P as indicated in Figure 1. Such a decomposition is induced by two decompositions, one of the input-, the other of the output alphabet. Assume that, within each block P, all row sums are equal and all column sums are equal. Assume further, that rows in the full matrix P which correspond to equivalent input letters have equal entropy. Then there exists an
Preparation and Properties of Composite Photocatalyst of Needle ZnO Nanorod Grafted in the Pores of Expanded Graphite

A composite photocatalyst of needle ZnO nanorod grafted in the pores of expanded graphite (EG) was prepared by a process of hydrolysis method directly, in which the expanded graphite was prepared by microwave irradiation. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscope (FT-IR) were used to characterize the structure and the chemical structure of the photocatalyst. The results indicate that expanded graphite had a unique net-like pores structure and ZnO Nanorod was loaded on EG to form EG/ZnO composite photocatalyst.
The Long-Term Evolution of Quality of Life for Disease-Free Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract Aim: Little is known about the longterm evolution of Quality of Life (QoL) for breast cancer treated patients. The study aims to describe this evolution of QoL in a group of Belgian breast cancer survivors. Methods: We gathered information on treatment, general health, activity problems, disease symptoms, pain, emotions, work, social activities, self-care, housekeeping, sexuality, and meaning of life. One hundred seventy-four disease-free survivors in Flanders (Belgium) participated in this study, which were grouped as being disease free less than one year (39), between one and five years (70), and more than five years (65). The data allowed us to analyse QoL for different dimensions over the three survivor groups. Results: The longer the survival time, the more QoL of breast cancer treated patients ameliorated and the less breast cancer had a major impact on QoL. Scores for doing intense activities, being tired, emotional health, social activities, and meaning of life were statistically significantly better in the long-term survivor group. The influence of breast cancer was more persistent for sexual QoL items. Conclusion: It is important for patients to know what they may expect after treatment. This kind of patient-reported information on the evolution of QoL is of great value to healthcare workers. Results may be used to encourage patients who are newly diagnosed with breast cancer or for patients who do not believe in further progress for some QoL aspects. When informing breast cancer patients, a fundamental difference has to be made between the several QoL aspects and time over which improvements may be expected.
Monitoring of Vital Signs with Flexible and Wearable Medical Devices

Advances in wireless technologies, low‐power electronics, the internet of things, and in the domain of connected health are driving innovations in wearable medical devices at a tremendous pace. Wearable sensor systems composed of flexible and stretchable materials have the potential to better interface to the human skin, whereas silicon‐based electronics are extremely efficient in sensor data processing and transmission. Therefore, flexible and stretchable sensors combined with low‐power silicon‐based electronics are a viable and efficient approach for medical monitoring. Flexible medical devices designed for monitoring human vital signs, such as body temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, pulse oxygenation, and blood glucose have applications in both fitness monitoring and medical diagnostics. As a review of the latest development in flexible and wearable human vitals sensors, the essential components required for vitals sensors are outlined and discussed here, including the reported sensor systems, sensing mechanisms, sensor fabrication, power, and data processing requirements.
A Platform for Symbolically Encoding Human Narratives

We present SCHEHERAZADE, a foundational platform for narrative intelligence that formally represents stories. The system draws upon prior theoretical work on the morphology of narrative without imposing a particular narrative domain or task a priori. Instead, while keeping narrative semantics separate and immutable, it provides a framework for the tools that build upon it to define world knowledge on a per-task basis. The system models semantics such as timelines, states, events, characters and goals, and can detect thematic patterns in both the deep content of the story (i.e., the fabula) and the manner of the story’s telling (the sjužhet). We also present a sample tool that utilizes the platform to assist users who are unfamiliar with narratology to symbolically encode stories into this representation. A formative evaluation of this tool shows that technical and nontechnical users can successfully encode a traditional fable using its graphical interface.
On Whether Mirror Neurons Play a Significant Role in Processing Affective Prosody

Several behavioral and neuroimaging studies have indicated that both right and left cortical structures and a few subcortical ones are involved in processing affective prosody. Recent investigations have shown that the mirror neuron system plays a crucial role in several higher-level functions such as empathy, theory of mind, language, etc., but no studies so far link the mirror neuron system with affective prosody. In this paper is a speculation that the mirror neuron system, which serves as a common neural substrate for different higher-level functions, may play a significant role in processing affective prosody via its connections with the limbic lobe. Actual research must apply electrophysiological and neuroimaging techniques to assess whether the mirror neuron systems underly affective prosody in humans.
Therapeutic factors secreted by mesenchymal stromal cells and tissue repair

Systemic administration of MSCs resulted in remarkable functional improvements in injured tissues without either long‐term engraftment or differentiation in many clinical and experimental situations. Emerging evidence suggest that most of the beneficial effects of MSCs could be explained by secretion of soluble factors that have multiple effects including modulation of inflammatory and immune reactions, protection from cell death, and stimulation of endogenous progenitor cells. In this review, we focus on the therapeutic factors that account for the beneficial effects of MSCs in animal models of human diseases. J. Cell. Biochem. 112: 3073–3078, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Breeding for better welfare: genetic goals for broiler chickens and their parents

Genetics is key to the improvement of welfare in broiler chickens at both juvenile and adult (breeder) stages but progress is hampered currently by the seemingly conflicting demands of welfare, commercial production, food security and calls for increasing intensification to curb climate change. Animal welfare is therefore most likely to be improved on a commercial scale by future breeding programmes that incorporate multiple goals of different stakeholders as far as possible and give higher priority to animal welfare. These include: i) broilers with high welfare traits; ii) broiler breeders that do not need feed restriction; iii) birds that can be grown in an economically profitable way; iv) birds with low disease levels without the need for routine medication; v) chicken meat that is healthy and good for humans to eat; and (vi) broilers and breeders that thrive in systems that are environmentally sustainable. Progress towards achieving these goals is hampered currently by the assumptions that high juvenile growth rate is incompatible with good welfare and that feed restriction in adults is inevitable with fast-growing juveniles. We challenge these assumptions at both genetic and whole-animal level and argue that the conflict between good welfare and productivity can be reduced by making use of all available genetic variation from existing breeds and other sources and selecting birds in the range of environments they will encounter in commercial production.
Origin of life in a digital microcosm

While all organisms on Earth share a common descent, there is no consensus on whether the origin of the ancestral self-replicator was a one-off event or whether it only represented the final survivor of multiple origins. Here, we use the digital evolution system Avida to study the origin of self-replicating computer programs. By using a computational system, we avoid many of the uncertainties inherent in any biochemical system of self-replicators (while running the risk of ignoring a fundamental aspect of biochemistry). We generated the exhaustive set of minimal-genome self-replicators and analysed the network structure of this fitness landscape. We further examined the evolvability of these self-replicators and found that the evolvability of a self-replicator is dependent on its genomic architecture. We also studied the differential ability of replicators to take over the population when competed against each other, akin to a primordial-soup model of biogenesis, and found that the probability of a self-replicator outcompeting the others is not uniform. Instead, progenitor (most-recent common ancestor) genotypes are clustered in a small region of the replicator space. Our results demonstrate how computational systems can be used as test systems for hypotheses concerning the origin of life. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Reconceptualizing the origins of life’.