Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simplified design of linear-phase prototype filters for modulated filter banks

In this paper a simplified design of linear-phase prototype filters for almost perfect reconstruction modulated filter banks will be presented. It is based on an improved frequency-sampling design where the frequency response of an easily designable Nyquist filter is shaped such that the prototype constraints will be approximately satisfied. This method does not involve any coefficient optimization and results in a computationally more efficient, faster and more stable design process, which is especially well suited for longer filters.
CliMB: Enabling Network Function Composition with Click Middleboxes

Click has significant advantages for middlebox development, including modularity, extensibility, and reprogrammability. Despite these features, Click still has no native TCP support and only uses nonblocking I/O, preventing its applicability to middleboxes that require access to application data and blocking I/O. In this paper, we attempt to bridge this gap by introducing Click middleboxes (CliMB). CliMB provides a full-fledged modular TCP layer supporting TCP options, congestion control, both blocking and nonblocking I/O, as well as socket and zero-copy APIs to applications. As a result, any TCP network function may now be realized in Click using a modular L2-L7 design. As proof of concept, we develop a zero-copy SOCKS proxy using CliMB that shows up to 4x gains compared to an equivalent implementation using the Linux in-kernel network stack.
A real-time algorithm for timeslot assignment in multirate return channels of interactive satellite multimedia networks

Since the digital video broadcast-return channel via satellite (DVB-RCS) standard was released in 2000, developing an interactive satellite multimedia (ISM) network has become a hot issue. In order to provide high-speed multimedia services using a DVB-RCS system, it is important to efficiently and dynamically assign the timeslots to a number of terminals according to their various demands. Also, it is imperative to improve the degradation of link quality due to rain-fade attenuation in Ka-band satellite communications. As a result, multirate superframe structures should be implemented for a relatively low data rate at the cost of stable connection to terminals in rain-fade regions and a relatively high data rate to terminals in clear-sky regions. Timeslot scheduling in this environment is studied in this paper. We mathematically formulate the timeslot assignment problem as a nonlinear integer programming problem and develop an efficient real-time solution algorithm. Extensive simulation results show that our algorithm successfully finds a feasible solution with optimality gap less than 0.05% within about 5 ms at Pentium III PC. We believe that our algorithm can be utilized as a guideline in developing real-time timeslot assignment algorithms for ISM networks.
A Domain Formal Ontology and the Application in Service Component Retrieval

Retrieving reusable service components that satisfy the user's requirements is a difficulty in component-based software development. This paper builds a domain ontology of computer, and proposes an approach to domain ontology-based software component retrieval. Different from the approach to keyword based retrieval, this approach can refine and extend the user's initial query by query reasoning and provide fuzzy retrieval based on component similarity and relatedness. The whole approach extends the software reusable library to the World Wide Web. In the retrieval process, a user query in natural language is translated into RDF representation formats in order to augment retrieval recall and precision by deploying the same semantic representation technologies on both the user query side and the component side. We built the domain ontology using Protege2.1.
Stimulus and Potassium-Induced Epileptiform Activity in the Human Dentate Gyrus from Patients with and without Hippocampal Sclerosis

Hippocampal specimens resected to cure medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) provide a unique possibility to study functional consequences of morphological alterations. One intriguing alteration predominantly observed in cases of hippocampal sclerosis is an uncommon network of granule cells monosynaptically interconnected via aberrant supragranular mossy fibers. We investigated whether granule cell populations in slices from sclerotic and nonsclerotic hippocampi would develop ictaform activity when challenged by low-frequency hilar stimulation in the presence of elevated extracellular potassium concentration (10 and 12 mm) and whether the experimental activity differs according to the presence of aberrant mossy fibers. We found that ictaform activity could be evoked in slices from sclerotic and nonsclerotic hippocampi (27 of 40 slices, 14 of 20 patients; and 11 of 22 slices, 6 of 12 patients, respectively). However, the two patient groups differed with respect to the pattern of ictaform discharges and the potassium concentration mandatory for its induction. Seizure-like events were already induced with 10 mm K+. They exclusively occurred in slices from sclerotic hippocampi, of which 80% displayed stimulus-induced oscillatory population responses (250-300 Hz). In slices from nonsclerotic hippocampi, atypical negative field potential shifts were predominantly evoked with 12 mm K+. In both groups, the ictaform activity was sensitive to ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists and lowering of [Ca2+]o. Our results show that, in granule cell populations of hippocampal slices from TLE patients, high K+-induced seizure-like activity and ictal spiking coincide with basic electrophysiological abnormalities, hippocampal sclerosis, and mossy fiber sprouting, suggesting that network reorganization could play a crucial role in determining type and threshold of such activity.
Promoter methylation of Raf kinase inhibitory protein: A significant prognostic indicator for patients with gastric adenocarcinoma

DNA methylation has an important role in the development of carcinomas. As a metastasis suppressor gene, Raf kinase inhibitory protein (RKIP) suppresses tumor cell invasion and metastasis. In the present study, the associations between RKIP protein expression and promoter methylation with clinicopathological parameters, prognosis and survival rates in gastric adenocarcinoma were investigated. RKIP protein expression and promoter methylation were measured in 135 cases of surgically resected gastric adenocarcinoma specimens and corresponding normal tissues using immunohistochemistry and methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to analyze the patient survival rate. Prognostic factors were determined using multivariate Cox analysis. RKIP promoter methylation was detected in 48.9% of gastric carcinoma tissues and 5.17% of adjacent tissues (P<0.05). RKIP protein expression was detected in 43.0% of gastric carcinoma tissues and 91.1% of adjacent tissues (P<0.05). The protein expression levels and promoter methylation of RKIP were shown to correlate with pathological staging, Union for International Cancer Control-stage, tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). In addition, the protein expression of RKIP in gastric carcinomas was demonstrated to be associated with promoter methylation of RKIP. Survival analysis of gastric carcinoma patients revealed that promoter methylation in RKIP-positive tumors correlated with a significantly shorter survival time when compared with RKIP-negative tumors (P=0.0002, using the log-rank test). Using multivariate Cox analysis, promoter methylation of RKIP was shown to be an independent prognostic factor (P=0.033). These results indicated that abnormal promoter methylation of RKIP may be one cause of downregulated RKIP expression. Downregulation of RKIP expression was shown to correlate with the incidence and development of gastric carcinomas. Thus, abnormal promoter methylation of RKIP may be a valuable biomarker for estimating gastric carcinoma prognosis.
Fast Neural Intrusion Detection System Based on Hidden Weight Optimization Algorithm and Feature Selection

Intrusion detection is known as an essential component to secure the systems in information and communication technology (ICT). In this paper, two mechanisms are used to achieve a fast intrusion detection system (IDS): 1) the training speed of neural attack classifier is improved by using output weight optimization-hidden weight optimization (OWO-HWO) training algorithm, 2) a feature relevance analysis is performed to decrease the number of input features and size of neural classifier. Experimental results show that the proposed system improves classification rates, especially for remote-to-local (R2L) attack category and is effective in terms of detection rate (DR) and cost per example (CPE). False alarm rate (FAR) of the proposed system is comparable with other intrusion detection systems, as well.
Potential Mechanism of Action of 3′-Demethoxy-6-O-demethyl-isoguaiacin on Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Bacterial infections represent one of the main threats to global public health. One of the major causative agents associated with high morbidity and mortality infections in hospitals worldwide is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, there is a need to develop new antibacterial agents to treat these infections, and natural products are a rich source of them. In previous studies, we reported that lignan 3′-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin, isolated and characterized from Larrea tridentate, showed the best activity towards methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the potential molecular mechanism of the antibacterial activity of 3′-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin against methicillin-resistant S. aureus using microarray technology. Results of microarray genome expression were validated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The genetic profile expression results showed that lignan 3′-demethoxy-6-O-demethylisoguaiacin had activity on cell membrane affecting proteins of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport system causing bacteria death. This molecular mechanism is not present in any antibacterial commercial drug and could be a new target for the development of novel antibacterial agents.
The Database of Macromolecular Motions: new features added at the decade mark

The database of molecular motions, MolMovDB (), has been in existence for the past decade. It classifies macromolecular motions and provides tools to interpolate between two conformations (the Morph Server) and predict possible motions in a single structure. In 2005, we expanded the services offered on MolMovDB. In particular, we further developed the Morph Server to produce improved interpolations between two submitted structures. We added support for multiple chains to the original adiabatic mapping interpolation, allowing the analysis of subunit motions. We also added the option of using FRODA interpolation, which allows for more complex pathways, potentially overcoming steric barriers. We added an interface to a hinge prediction service, which acts on single structures and predicts likely residue points for flexibility. We developed tools to relate such points of flexibility in a structure to particular key residue positions, i.e. active sites or highly conserved positions. Lastly, we began relating our motion classification scheme to function using descriptions from the Gene Ontology Consortium.
A Formal Method to Identify Variation Points in Product Line Assets

Analyzing the provided variability in an evolving product line is necessary to determine if new products can be derived by configuration of existing product line assets. To analyze the provided variability, we need to identify the variation points, the variants, and its constraints. In this paper, we show how formal concept analysis can be used to derive this information.
Preferences with Taste Shock Representations: Price Volatility and the Liquidity Premium

If price volatility is caused in some part by taste shocks, then it should be positively correlated with the liquidity premium. Our argument is based on Krishna and Sadowski (2014), who provide foundations for a representation of dynamic choice with taste shocks, and show that volatility in tastes corresponds to a desire to maintain flexibility. To formally connect volatile tastes to price volatility and preference for flexibility to the liquidity premium, we analyze a modified simple Lucas tree economy, where the representative agent is uncertain about his degree of future risk aversion, and where the productive asset cannot be traded in every period, while rights to output can. We show that a representative agent with a higher degree of uncertainty about his future risk aversion implies a higher liquidity premium (i.e., a lower price for the illiquid asset) and more price volatility.
Control of thermodynamical system with input-dependent state delays

We consider control of a cooling system with several consumers that require cooling from a common source. The flow feeding coolant to the consumers can be controlled, but due to significant physical distances between the common source and the consumers, the coolant flow takes a non-negligible amount of time to travel to the consumers, giving rise to input-dependent state delays. We first present a simple bilinear model of the system, followed by a state feedback control design that is able to stabilize the system at a chosen equilibrium in spite of the delays. We also present a heuristic, performance-oriented improvement to the design. The strategy is illustrated with some simulation examples.
Night-Time EKG and HRV Monitoring With Bed Sheet Integrated Textile Electrodes

A system for unobtrusive night-time electrocardiogram (EKG) and heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring as well as data analysis methods are presented, comparing bed sheet HR and HRV values with corresponding parameters obtained by a reference measurement. Our system uses eight embroidered textile electrodes attached laterally to a bed sheet for measuring bipolar contact EKG from multiple channels. The electrodes are arranged in a line so that at least two adjacent electrodes make sufficient skin contact. The focus of the signal processing development has been on selecting the best measurement channel for further analysis and minimizing the amount of incorrectly detected R-peaks. The test measurements were performed with four healthy men without previously known cardiac disorders and one who frequently had premature ventricular contractions (ectopic beats). For healthy test subjects, an average of 94.9% heartbeat detection coverage was achieved with the system during 29 measurement nights (in total 213.8 h of data). In most cases, the quality of the signal obtained from bed sheet electrodes is good enough for the computer-assisted cardiac arrhythmia detection. Applications for EKG derived RR-interval data include the calculation of HRV parameters that can be utilized in sleep quality analysis and other wellness-related topics as well as sleep apnoea detection.
Customer churn analysis - a case study

Customer value analysis is critical for a good marketing and a customer relationship management strategy. An important component of this strategy is the customer retention rate. Customer retention rate has a strong impact on the customer lifetime value, and understanding the true value of a possible customer churn will help the company in its customer relationship management. Conventional statistical methods are very successful in predicting a customer churn. The goal of this study is to apply logistic regression techniques to predict a customer churn and analyze the churning and no-churning customers by using data from a personal retail banking company. * The use of the name of the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) in advertising or publication in part of this report is only permissible by written authorisation from the Technical Research Centre of Finland. RESEARCH REPORT VTT-R-01184-06 3 (19)
Lightweight lattice-based homomorphic privacy-preserving aggregation scheme for home area networks

Customers' privacy and messages integrity are the main security challenges for home area networks (HANs) in the smart grid, especially during the electricity consumption aggregation. In addition, smart meters and smart appliances, which are the limited-resources home devices, cannot implement complex computation operations. In this paper, we propose a lightweight privacy-preserving aggregation scheme that permits the smart appliances to aggregate their readings without involving the smart meter. The scheme deploys a lightweight lattice-based homomorphic cryptosystem that depends on simple addition and multiplication operations. Security analysis and performance evaluation demonstrate that the proposed scheme guarantees the customers' privacy and message integrity with lightweight overhead.
The processing of inter-item relations as a moderating factor of retrieval-induced forgetting

We investigated influences of item generation and emotional valence on retrieval-induced forgetting. Drawing on postulates of the three-factor theory of generation effects, generation tasks differentially affecting the processing of inter-item relations were applied. Whereas retrieval-induced forgetting of freely generated items was moderated by the emotional valence as well as retrieval-induced forgetting of read items, even though in the reverse direction (Experiment 1), fragment completion eliminated the moderation of retrieval-induced forgetting by emotional valence (Experiment 2). The results corroborate the assumption that the processing of inter-item relations is crucial for the immunization against retrieval-induced forgetting. Moreover, differential processing of inter-item relations may clarify the mixed results on moderating factors of retrieval-induced forgetting that have been reported.
Demonstrating the feasibility of using forearm electromyography for muscle-computer interfaces

We explore the feasibility of muscle-computer interfaces (muCIs): an interaction methodology that directly senses and decodes human muscular activity rather than relying on physical device actuation or user actions that are externally visible or audible. As a first step towards realizing the mu-CI concept, we conducted an experiment to explore the potential of exploiting muscular sensing and processing technologies for muCIs. We present results demonstrating accurate gesture classification with an off-the-shelf electromyography (EMG) device. Specifically, using 10 sensors worn in a narrow band around the upper forearm, we were able to differentiate position and pressure of finger presses, as well as classify tapping and lifting gestures across all five fingers. We conclude with discussion of the implications of our results for future muCI designs.
The Effects of Feldenkrais Classes on the Health and Function of an Ageing Australian Sample: A Pilot Study~!2009-09-14~!2010-03-04~!2010-04-13~!

Participation in regular physical activity has a variety of health benefits including increased levels of function and independence for people who are ageing. The inclusion of motor learning principles into exercise programs is proposed to increase functional benefits. The presence of these principles in the Feldenkrais Method (FM) suggests this may be a beneficial program for the ageing population. Objective: A proof of concept study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of an eight week movement class based on the FM when compared to a generic balance class. Method: A pseudo-randomized controlled pilot study was conducted in an Australian community based organization of healthy people post-retirement, n=22. Self-perceived health and functional status were measured by the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS) respectively. Objective functional assessment, by a blinded assessor, included the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Functional Reach Test (FRT), Single Leg Stance time (SLS) and Walk on Floor Eyes Closed (WOFEC) measures. Results: There was a significant time effect for all measures except the WOFEC. Post hoc analysis demonstrated significant improvements for both the FM and generic groups in the SF-36, PSFS and FRT and for the FM group only in the SLS test. Conclusions: Classes based on the FM are effective in improving health and functional measures in a healthy ageing population, equally so with the generic class. Considerations for future research include a randomized controlled trial in a rehabilitation setting, with a larger sample size and appropriate measures to detect relevant change in functional levels.
Feminist activist women are masculinized in terms of digit-ratio and social dominance: a possible explanation for the feminist paradox

The feminist movement purports to improve conditions for women, and yet only a minority of women in modern societies self-identify as feminists. This is known as the feminist paradox. It has been suggested that feminists exhibit both physiological and psychological characteristics associated with heightened masculinization, which may predispose women for heightened competitiveness, sex-atypical behaviors, and belief in the interchangeability of sex roles. If feminist activists, i.e., those that manufacture the public image of feminism, are indeed masculinized relative to women in general, this might explain why the views and preferences of these two groups are at variance with each other. We measured the 2D:4D digit ratios (collected from both hands) and a personality trait known as dominance (measured with the Directiveness scale) in a sample of women attending a feminist conference. The sample exhibited significantly more masculine 2D:4D and higher dominance ratings than comparison samples representative of women in general, and these variables were furthermore positively correlated for both hands. The feminist paradox might thus to some extent be explained by biological differences between women in general and the activist women who formulate the feminist agenda.
A Linear Programming Approach for the Weighted Graph Matching Problem

A linear programming (LP) approach is proposed for the weighted graph matching problem. A linear program is obtained by formulating the graph matching problem in L/sub 1/ norm and then transforming the resulting quadratic optimization problem to a linear one. The linear program is solved using a simplex-based algorithm. Then, approximate 0-1 integer solutions are obtained by applying the Hungarian method on the real solutions of the linear program. The complexity of the proposed algorithm is polynomial time, and it is O(n/sup 6/L) for matching graphs of size n. The developed algorithm is compared to two other algorithms. One is based on an eigendecomposition approach and the other on a symmetric polynomial transform. Experimental results showed that the LP approach is superior in matching graphs than both other methods. >