Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Application of a Self-Sweeping Yb-Doped Fiber Laser for High-Resolution Characterization of Phase-Shifted FBGs

Application of a self-sweeping self-pulsing laser for high-resolution spectral analysis of π-shifted FBGs has been demonstrated for the first time. It is shown that the self-sweeping laser generates nearly single-frequency radiation during a single pulse. This fact allows us to characterize the shift-induced dip of 14 MHz width in the FBG reflection spectrum. Nonlinear deformation of the measured ultranarrow spectral structure with increasing incident power is observed. Sampling interval during the scan is shown to be limited by pulse to pulse frequency shift, which is equal to the cavity mode spacing of 6 MHz. The main feature of the applied technique is its simplicity due to the absence of special elements for frequency scanning.
Steganalysis on Character Substitution Using Support Vector Machine

A new steganalysis method is proposed to detect the exists of hiddeninformation using character substitution in texts. This is done byutilizing Support Vector Machine (SVM) as a classifier to classifythe characteristic vector input into SVM. The most important step ofthis detection algorithm is the construction of a propercharacteristic vector. Under the prerequisite that the secret bitsto be embedded are uniformly distributed, the distribution of thecharacters used for hiding data has altered after steganographicprocess, thus the ratio of abnormal characters to normal charactersis different in cover texts and stego texts. Experimental resultsdemonstrate that this method can reliably detect whether there ishidden information in texts. The detection accuracy in experimentreaches as high as 96\% while the embedding data rate is merely20\%.
Replacing the Transfusion of 1–2 Units of Blood with Plasma Expanders that Increase Oxygen Delivery Capacity: Evidence from Experimental Studies

At least a third of the blood supply in the world is used to transfuse 1–2 units of packed red blood cells for each intervention and most clinical trials of blood substitutes have been carried out at this level of oxygen carrying capacity (OCC) restoration. However, the increase of oxygenation achieved is marginal or none at all for molecular hemoglobin (Hb) products, due to their lingering vasoactivity. This has provided the impetus for the development of “oxygen therapeutics” using Hb-based molecules that have high oxygen affinity and target delivery of oxygen to anoxic areas. However it is still unclear how these oxygen carriers counteract or mitigate the functional effects of anemia due to obstruction, vasoconstriction and under-perfusion. Indeed, they are administered as a low dosage/low volume therapeutic Hb (subsequently further diluted in the circulatory pool) and hence induce extremely small OCC changes. Hyperviscous plasma expanders provide an alternative to oxygen therapeutics by increasing the oxygen delivery capacity (ODC); in anemia they induce supra-perfusion and increase tissue perfusion (flow) by as much as 50%. Polyethylene glycol conjugate albumin (PEG-Alb) accomplishes this by enhancing the shear thinning behavior of diluted blood, which increases microvascular endothelial shear stress, causes vasodilation and lowering peripheral vascular resistance thus facilitating cardiac function. Induction of supra-perfusion takes advantage of the fact that ODC is the product of OCC and blood flow and hence can be maintained by increasing either or both. Animal studies suggest that this approach may save a considerable fraction of the blood supply. It has an additional benefit of enhancing tissue clearance of toxic metabolites.
Conformal geometry and 3-plane fields on 6-manifolds

The purpose of this note is to provide yet another example of the link between certain conformal geometries and ordinary differential equations, along the lines of the examples discussed by Nurowski in math.DG/0406400. In this particular case, I consider the equivalence problem for 3-plane fields D on 6-manifolds M that satisfy the nondegeneracy condition that D+[D,D]=TM I give a solution of the equivalence problem for such D (as Tanaka has previously), showing that it defines a so(4,3)-valued Cartan connection on a principal right H-bundle over M where H is the subgroup of SO(4,3) that stabilizes a null 3-plane in R^{4,3}. Along the way, I observe that there is associated to each such D a canonical conformal structure of split type on M, one that depends on two derivatives of the plane field D. I show how the primary curvature tensor of the Cartan connection associated to the equivalence problem for D can be interpreted as the Weyl curvature of the associated conformal structure and, moreover, show that the split conformal structures in dimension~6 that arise in this fashion are exactly the ones whose so(4,4)-valued Cartan connection admits a reduction to a spin(4,3)-connection. I also discuss how this case has features that are analogous to those of Nurowski's examples.
Nudge: intermediaries' role in interdependent network security

By employing an interdependent security game-theoretic framework, we study how individual Internet Service Providers can coordinate the investment decisions of end users to improve the security of the overall system. We study two different forms of intervention: rebates in combination with penalties (pay for outcome) and costsubsidies (pay for effort).
A physical and functional link between splicing factors promotes pre-mRNA 3′ end processing

Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTB) is a splicing regulator that also plays a positive role in pre-mRNA 3′ end processing when bound upstream of the polyadenylation signal (pA signal). Here, we address the mechanism of PTB stimulatory function in mRNA 3′ end formation. We identify PTB as the protein factor whose binding to the human β-globin (HBB) 3′ UTR is abrogated by a 3′ end processing-inactivating mutation. We show that PTB promotes both in vitro 3′ end cleavage and polyadenylation and recruits directly the splicing factor hnRNP H to G-rich sequences associated with several pA signals. Increased binding of hnRNP H results in stimulation of polyadenylation through a direct interaction with poly(A) polymerase. Therefore, our results provide evidence of a concerted regulation of pA signal recognition by splicing factors bound to auxiliary polyadenylation sequence elements.
A unified framework for data translation over the Web

We propose a comprehensive framework for the management and the exchange of (semi) structured Web data, described according to a variety of formats and models. We consider various schema definition languages for XML (DTD, XML Schema and XDR) a model for semistructured data (OEM) and a model used to store Web data (the relational model) and show that the primitives adopted by all of them can be classified into a rather limited set of basic types. We then define, building on these basic types, a notion of "meta-formalism" that can be used to describe, in a uniform way, these heterogeneous representations of Web data. In this framework, the translation of schemes and instances between different models are based on the translations of the involved primitives. Complex translations can be then obtained by simply combining a number of predefined operations, which implement standard translations between primitives. Moreover we show that, for translating between any pair of models, it is sufficient to define a number of translations which is linear in the number of models. These results can be used to support a number of involved Web-related activities like: information exchange between different organizations, integration of data coming from heterogeneous information sources, storage of native XML data in a DBMS and publishing of existing structured (relational) data in XML.
Machine-to-Machine Communications: Architectures, Standards and Applications

As a new business concept, machine-to-machine (M2M) communications are born from original telemetry technology with the intrinsic features of automatic data transmissions and measurement from remote sources typically by cable or radio. M2M includes a number of technologies that need to be combined in a compatible manner to enable its deployment over a broad market of consumer electronics. In order to provide better understanding for this emerging concept, the correlations among M2M, wireless sensor networks, cyber-physical systems (CPS), and internet of things are first analyzed in this paper. Then, the basic M2M architecture is introduced and the key elements of the architecture are presented. Furthermore, the progress of global M2M standardization is reviewed, and some representative applications (i.e., smart home, smart grid and health care) are given to show that the M2M technologies are gradually utilized to benefit people’s life. Finally, a novel M2M system integrating intelligent road with unmanned vehicle is proposed in the form of CPS, and an example of cyber-transportation systems for improving road safety and efficiency are introduced.
Combinatorial auction with time-frequency flexibility in cognitive radio networks

In this paper, we tackle the spectrum allocation problem in cognitive radio (CR) networks with time-frequency flexibility consideration using combinatorial auction. Different from all the previous works using auction mechanisms, we model the spectrum opportunity in a time-frequency division manner. This model caters to much more flexible requirements from secondary users (SUs) and has very clear application meaning. The additional flexibility also brings theoretical and computational difficulties. We model the spectrum allocation as a combinatorial auction and show that under the time-frequency flexible model, reaching the social welfare maximal is NP hard and the upper bound of worst-case approximation ratio is √m, m is the number of time-frequency slots. Therefore, we design an auction mechanism with near-optimal winner determination algorithm, whose worst-case approximation ratio reaches the upper bound √m. Further we devise a truthful payment scheme under the approximation winner determination algorithm to guarantee that all the bids submitted by SUs reflect their true valuation of the spectrum. To further address the issue and reach optimality, we simplify the general model to that only frequency flexibility is allowed, which is still useful, and propose a truthful, optimal and computationally efficient auction mechanism under modified model. Extensive simulation results show that all the proposed algorithms generate high social welfare as well as high spectrum utilization ratio. What's more, the actual approximation ratio of near-optimal algorithm is much higher than the worst-case approximation ratio.
Evaluation of wearable KPF goniometers in knee flexion-extension measurement for daily-life applications

Rehabilitation for stroke survivor is an important activity to recover daily-life functional performances. A daily life monitoring system composed of different subsystem was developed within the INTERACTION EU project. Sensing trousers using a couple of IMUs integrated on the thighs and shanks and a textile goniometers in the knee region was designed to detect kinematic asymmetries between affected and unaffected legs in gait/ambulation. In this study we compared the performances of our textile goniometer based on KPF materials with a couple of IMUs for the evaluation of knee flexion-extension. We used a statistical approach (T-student test) to verify that the signal gathered from the goniometer has the same information of the one extracted from the IMUs. These results demonstrate a reliable performance of our sensors, which have the advantage to be more flexible, lighter and less expensive than current wearable technologies.
Statistical Sentence Condensation using Ambiguity Packing and Stochastic Disambiguation Methods for Lexical-Functional Grammar

We present an application of ambiguity packing and stochastic disambiguation techniques for Lexical-Functional Grammars (LFG) to the domain of sentence condensation. Our system incorporates a linguistic parser/generator for LFG, a transfer component for parse reduction operating on packed parse forests, and a maximum-entropy model for stochastic output selection. Furthermore, we propose the use of standard parser evaluation methods for automatically evaluating the summarization quality of sentence condensation systems. An experimental evaluation of summarization quality shows a close correlation between the automatic parse-based evaluation and a manual evaluation of generated strings. Overall summarization quality of the proposed system is state-of-the-art, with guaranteed grammaticality of the system output due to the use of a constraint-based parser/generator.
Assessment of Anthelmintic Efficacy of Mebendazole in School Children in Six Countries Where Soil-Transmitted Helminths Are Endemic

Background Robust reference values for fecal egg count reduction (FECR) rates of the most widely used anthelmintic drugs in preventive chemotherapy (PC) programs for controlling soil-transmitted helminths (STHs; Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm) are still lacking. However, they are urgently needed to ensure detection of reduced efficacies that are predicted to occur due to growing drug pressure. Here, using a standardized methodology, we assessed the FECR rate of a single oral dose of mebendazole (MEB; 500 mg) against STHs in six trials in school children in different locations around the world. Our results are compared with those previously obtained for similarly conducted trials of a single oral dose of albendazole (ALB; 400 mg). Methodology The efficacy of MEB, as assessed by FECR, was determined in six trials involving 5,830 school children in Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, and Vietnam. The efficacy of MEB was compared to that of ALB as previously assessed in 8,841 school children in India and all the above-mentioned study sites, using identical methodologies. Principal Findings The estimated FECR rate [95% confidence interval] of MEB was highest for A. lumbricoides (97.6% [95.8; 99.5]), followed by hookworm (79.6% [71.0; 88.3]). For T. trichiura, the estimated FECR rate was 63.1% [51.6; 74.6]. Compared to MEB, ALB was significantly more efficacious against hookworm (96.2% [91.1; 100], p<0.001) and only marginally, although significantly, better against A. lumbricoides infections (99.9% [99.0; 100], p = 0.012), but equally efficacious for T. trichiura infections (64.5% [44.4; 84.7], p = 0.906). Conclusions/Significance A minimum FECR rate of 95% for A. lumbricoides, 70% for hookworm, and 50% for T. trichiura is expected in MEB-dependent PC programs. Lower FECR results may indicate the development of potential drug resistance.
Adding Once-Daily Lixisenatide for Type 2 Diabetes Inadequately Controlled by EstablishedBasal Insulin A 24-week, randomized, placebo-controlled comparison (GetGoal-L)

RESULTSdMean duration of diabetes was 12.5 years, duration of insulin use was 3.1 years, insulin dosage was 55 units/day, and baseline HbA1c was 8.4%. With lixisenatide, the placebocorrected change of HbA1c from baseline was –0.4% (95%CI –0.6 to –0.2; P = 0.0002), andmean HbA1c at end point was 7.8%. HbA1c ,7.0% (53 mmol/mol) was attained by more lixisenatide (28%) than placebo (12%; P, 0.0001) participants. Lixisenatide reduced plasma glucose levels after a standardized breakfast (placebo-corrected reduction, –3.8 mmol/L; P , 0.0001); sevenpoint glucose profiles showed a reduction persisting through the day. Reductions in body weight (placebo corrected, –1.3 kg; P , 0.0001) and insulin dosage (–3.7 units/day; P = 0.012) were greater with lixisenatide. Main adverse events (AEs) with lixisenatide were gastrointestinal. Symptomatic hypoglycemia was 28% for lixisenatide and 22% for placebo; 4 of 328 subjects (1.2%) had severe hypoglycemia with lixisenatide vs. 0 of 167 with placebo.
A role for noncoding transcription in activation of the yeast PHO5 gene

Noncoding, or intergenic, transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) is remarkably widespread in eukaryotic organisms, but the effects of such transcription remain poorly understood. Here we show that noncoding transcription plays a role in activation, but not repression, of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae PHO5 gene. Histone eviction from the PHO5 promoter during activation occurs with normal kinetics even in the absence of the PHO5 TATA box, showing that transcription of the gene itself is not required for promoter remodeling. Nevertheless, we find that mutations that impair transcript elongation by RNAPII affect the kinetics of histone eviction from the PHO5 promoter. Most dramatically, inactivation of RNAPII itself abolishes eviction completely. Under repressing conditions, an ≈2.4-kb noncoding exosome-degraded transcript is detected that originates near the PHO5 termination site and is transcribed in the antisense direction. Abrogation of this transcript delays chromatin remodeling and subsequent RNAPII recruitment to PHO5 upon activation. We propose that noncoding transcription through positioned nucleosomes can enhance chromatin plasticity so that chromatin remodeling and activation of traversed genes occur in a timely manner.
Tweeting to Power: The Social Media Revolution in American Politics

Chapter 1: Social Media - The New Dinner Table? Chapter 2: Evolution or Revolution - Why Facebook and Twitter Matter? Chapter 3: Congress 2.0 - Internet-Style Politics Chapter 4: Congress 2.0 - Who's Tweeting? Chapter 5: Public Opinion 2.0 - Read My Feed Chapter 6: Public Opinion 2.0 - The New Social Capital Chapter 7: Congress 2.0 - Controlling the Flow of Information Chapter 8: Public Opinion 2.0 - The Direct Conduit Chapter 9: Congress 2.0 - Tweeting for Support Chapter 10: Social Media Tomorrow - Tweeting the Future? Appendix Notes References Index
REScala: bridging between object-oriented and functional style in reactive applications

Traditionally, object-oriented software adopts the Observer pattern to implement reactive behavior. Its drawbacks are well-documented and two families of alternative approaches have been proposed, extending object-oriented languages with concepts from functional reactive and dataflow programming, respectively event-driven programming. The former hardly escape the functional setting; the latter do not achieve the declarativeness of more functional approaches. In this paper, we present REScala, a reactive language which integrates concepts from event-based and functional-reactive programming into the object-oriented world. REScala supports the development of reactive applications by fostering a functional declarative style which complements the advantages of object-oriented design.
An all-digital clock generator using a fractionally injection-locked oscillator in 65nm CMOS

Injection locking is an effective method to reduce the jitter of clock generators especially for a ring oscillator-based PLL that has poor phase noise. While the use of injection locking reduces the output jitter, one disadvantage is that the output frequency can be changed only by integer multiples of the reference frequency, if it can be changed at all. In this work, an ADPLL-based clock generator is presented that employs a fractional-injection-locking method that exploits the multiphase output of a ring oscillator. The clock generator achieves an average of 4.23 psrms jitter and a frequency resolution of 1MHz while using a reference clock of 32MHz.
Revisiting the luminosity function of single halo white dwarfs

Context. White dwarfs are the fossils left by the evolution of low- and intermediate-mass stars, and have very long evolutionary timescales. This allows us to use them to explore the properties of old populations, like the Galactic halo. ; Aims. We present a population synthesis study of the luminosity function of halo white dwarfs, aimed at investigating which information can be derived from the currently available observed data. ; Methods. We employ an up-to-date population synthesis code based on Monte Carlo techniques, which incorporates the most recent and reliable cooling sequences for metal-poor progenitors as well as an accurate modeling of the observational biases. ; Results. We find that because the observed sample of halo white dwarfs is restricted to the brightest stars, only the hot branch of the white dwarf luminosity function can be used for these purposes, and that its shape function is almost insensitive to the most relevant inputs, such as the adopted cooling sequences, the initial mass function, the density profile of the stellar spheroid, or the adopted fraction of unresolved binaries. Moreover, since the cutoff of the observed luminosity has not yet been determined only the lower limits to the age of the halo population can be placed. ; Conclusions. We conclude that the current observed sample of the halo white dwarf population is still too small to obtain definite conclusions about the properties of the stellar halo, and the recently computed white dwarf cooling sequences, which incorporate residual hydrogen burning, should be assessed using metal-poor globular clusters
Living Arrangements of the Elderly in China: Evidence from Charls

Recent increases in Chinese elderly living alone or only with a spouse has raised concerns about elderly support, especially when public support is inadequate. However, using rich information from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we find that the increasing trend in living alone is accompanied with a rise in living close to each other. This type of living arrangement solves the conflicts between privacy/independence and family support. This is confirmed in further investigation: children living close by visit their parents more frequently. We also find that children who live far away provide a larger amount of net transfers to their parents, a result consistent with responsibility sharing among siblings. Having more children is associated with living with a child or having a child nearby, while investing more in a child's schooling is associated with greater net transfers to parents.
Robustly Leveraging Prior Knowledge in Text Classification

Prior knowledge has been shown very useful to address many natural language processing tasks. Many approaches have been proposed to formalise a variety of knowledge, however, whether the proposed approach is robust or sensitive to the knowledge supplied to the model has rarely been discussed. In this paper, we propose three regularization terms on top of generalized expectation criteria, and conduct extensive experiments to justify the robustness of the proposed methods. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed methods obtain remarkable improvements and are much more robust than baselines.