Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rectified ALS algorithm for multidimensional harmonic retrieval

MultiDimensional (MD) Harmonic Retrieval is a challenging multi-parameter estimation problem and is useful for a plethora of operational applications as for instance channel sounding or MIMO radar processing. The MD-harmonic model follows a structured Canonical Polyadic Decomposition (CPD) in the sense that the factors of the CPD are Vandermonde. A standard and popular estimation scheme to derive the CPD is the Alternating Least Squares (ALS) algorithm. Unfortunately, the ALS algorithm does not exploit the a priori known factor structure, which considerably degrades the estimation performance. In this work, a modified ALS-type algorithm is proposed. This new algorithm, called Rectified ALS (RecALS), is able to take into account the Vandermonde structure of the factors. The RecALS algorithm belongs to the Lift-and-Project family and exploits iterated projections on the set of Toeplitz rank-1 matrices. It exhibits a fast convergence and is very accurate in the sense that its Mean Square Error (MSE) is close to the Cramér-Rao Bound for a wide range of Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR).
Propagation of short pulses through a Bose-Einstein condensate

We study propagation of short laser pulses in a Bose-Einstein condensate taking into account dispersive effects under the conditions for electromagnetically induced transparency. We calculate dispersion coefficients using typical experimental parameters of slow-light schemes in condensates. By numerically propagating the laser pulse, and referring to theoretical estimations, we determine the conditions for which dispersion starts to introduce distortions on the pulse shape.
F ¨ Ur Mathematik in Den Naturwissenschaften Leipzig Objective Structures Objective Structures

An objective atomic structure is a collection of atoms represented by mass points or ions for which every atom sees precisely the same atomic environment, up to rotation (or, more generally, orthogonal transformations) and translation. An objective molecular structure is a collection of molecules in which corresponding atoms in each molecule see precisely the same environment up to orthogonal transformation and translation. Many of the most actively studied structures in science satisfy these conditions, including an arbitrary ordered periodic crystal lattice, the tails and also the capsids of certain viruses, carbon nanotubes, many of the common proteins and C 60. A single crystal rod that has been bent and twisted into helical form also satisfies the conditions in a certain sense. The quantum mechanical significance of objective structures is described and some general methods for generating such structures are developed. Using these methods, some unexpected objective structures are revealed. Methods for simplified atomic level calculations of the energy, equilibrium and dynamics of these structures are given.
Activation of the 55 kDa TNF receptor is necessary and sufficient for TNF-induced liver failure, hepatocyte apoptosis, and nitrite release.

The systemic inflammatory response is characterized by release of circulating TNF which may cause multiorgan failure including septic liver failure. We studied TNF signaling in an appropriate in vitro system with primary murine hepatocyte cultures from normal and genetically altered animals. Either one of the three different TNF species, huTNF-alpha, huTNF-beta, or muTNF-alpha (at concentrations > 1 ng/ml) induced direct hepatocytotoxicity preceded by DNA fragmentation in cells prepared from wild-type C57BL mice. TNF-induced cytotoxicity was preceded by oligonucleosomal DNA fragmentation. Further cellular responses to TNF exposure were induction of nitric oxide synthase and secretion of serum amyloid A. None of the above events occurred in hepatocytes lacking the gene for the 55-kDa TNF receptor (TNF-R1), even after stimulation with > 1 micrograms/ml TNF. However, selective stimulation of the TNF-R1 in wild-type hepatocytes with huTNF-alpha elicited a pattern of responses essentially similar to that seen with muTNF-alpha. We obtained analogous results when we examined the hepatotoxicity of TNF in D-galactosamine-sensitized mice, i.e., DNA fragmentation and liver failure was noted in wild-type mice, whereas TNF-R1-deficient mice were completely resistant. We conclude that the TNF-R1 is not only necessary, but also sufficient for TNF signaling in murine hepatocytes.
Ethnography, Scenario-Based Observational Usability Study, and Other Reviews Inform the Design of a Web-Based E-Notebook

As users turn to the World Wide Web to accomplish an increasing variety of daily tasks, many engage in information assimilation (IA), a process defined as the gathering, editing, annotating, organizing, and saving of Web information, and the tracking of ongoing Web work processes. The process of IA, which is similar to traditional note taking but in the Web environment, emerges from a literature review and an ethnographic field study, as presented in this article. Despite strong evidence which suggests that IA is critical to many Web users, however, a scenario-based observational usability study and a heuristic evaluation indicate that it is currently not well supported by existing software applications. This article, which culminates in the presentation of NetNotes-a Web-based e-notebook developed specifically to support the process of IA-illustrates how design requirements can be effectively extracted and synthesized from a variety of complementary background user studies.
Gene Therapy Model of X-linked Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Using a Modified Foamy Virus Vector

X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1) is an inherited genetic immunodeficiency associated with mutations in the common cytokine receptor γ chain (γc) gene, and characterized by a complete defect of T and natural killer (NK) cells. Gene therapy for SCID-X1 using conventional retroviral (RV) vectors carrying the γc gene results in the successful reconstitution of T cell immunity. However, the high incidence of vector-mediated T cell leukemia, caused by vector insertion near or within cancer-related genes has been a serious problem. In this study, we established a gene therapy model of mouse SCID-X1 using a modified foamy virus (FV) vector expressing human γc. Analysis of vector integration in a human T cell line demonstrated that the FV vector integration sites were significantly less likely to be located within or near transcriptional start sites than RV vector integration sites. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, bone marrow cells from γc-knockout (γc-KO) mice were infected with the FV vector and transplanted into γc-KO mice. Transplantation of the FV-treated cells resulted in the successful reconstitution of functionally active T and B cells. These data suggest that FV vectors can be effective and may be safer than conventional RV vectors for gene therapy for SCID-X1.
The effect of extremely low-frequency magnetic field (50–60 Hz) exposure on spontaneous apoptosis: The results of a meta-analysis

Background: This paper is a meta-analysis of the published data from in vitro studies to evaluate whether spontaneous apoptosis might be influenced by extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields (MFs). Materials and Methods: A comprehensive scientific literature search in electronic databases was conducted and studies covering the period 2000–2010 were selected. Then, published studies involving the desired topic were retrieved. The inclusion criteria were percentage of apoptosis in the cells exposed to 50–60 Hz ELF-MFs. The statistical analysis was performed by comprehensive meta-analysis version 2. Results: The summary measure of association (95% confidence interval) for all 18 effect estimated from 8 studies was 1.18 (1.15, 1.20). Heterogeneity among studies was found. There was no evidence of publication bias for the association between exposure to MF and apoptosis risk. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis provided conclusive data that ELF-MFs can increase apoptosis in cancer and normal cells. Furthermore, there is a possibly individual intensity and time range with maximum created effect according to window effect.
Design of a generic platform for efficient and scalable cluster computing based on middleware technology

We address the design of a generic and scalable platform for cluster computing. The architecture of the platform is based on middleware technology in order to ensure easy distribution of the software components along the participating workstations and to exploit advanced communication techniques, such as event notification and object registration. The computational tasks are referred to as intelligent agents, which are software agents that are capable of executing particular algorithms on input data. The developed platform offers advanced features such as transparent load balancing, task scheduling, run time compilation of agent code and migration of tasks. The architecture of the platform is outlined from a computational point of view and each component is described in detail. Furthermore, the engineering aspects of the platform are covered. In addition, a sample scenario for computational tasks in the area of telecommunication network design and management is described.
An Ontology Solution for Language Interoperability between Negotiation Agents

Traditional negotiation systems have been implemented using agent architectures, where agents communicate exchanging negotiation primitives generated by each system, based on particular language definitions implicitly encoded, giving different syntax and semantics to their messages. In this paper we address the problem of communicating heterogeneous negotiation agents in a Web-based environment, considering differences in their message implementations. Our research is based in the development of a shared ontology for publishing definitions of negotiation primitives, and a translator module, which is executed only when a misunderstanding occurs. We implemented a service-oriented architecture for executing negotiations and conducted experiments incorporating heterogeneous agents. The results of the tests show that the proposed solution improves communication between negotiation agents.
Reliving the Past & Making a Harmonious Society Today: A Study of Elderly Electronic Hackers in China

This paper tells a story of DIY (do it yourself) making that does not neatly fit more familiar narratives of making: as individual empowerment, as a democratizing force, and as technoscientific innovation. Drawing on ethnographic research with a collective of elderly electronic hackers in China, we provide insights into the socio-technical and politico-economic processes of hacking and making. This paper examines how the activity of making functioned for elderly DIY enthusiasts as way of remaking and reliving the past and as a means for expressing class belonging and citizenship. We show that making and hacking is not practiced in a void independent of social, political or economic forces. Rather, making unfolds in relation to, and is contingent on, societal norms and specific techno-cultural histories. As much as hacking empowers certain people, it excludes others and functions as a site for the exercise of power and social distinction making.
Anemia in old age is associated with increased mortality and hospitalization.

BACKGROUND Anemia is common in old age and has been shown to affect older persons' physical function. To more fully understand the detrimental health effects of anemia, we examined the relationship of anemia with death and hospitalization outcomes in a large community-based sample of older persons. METHODS Data are from 3607 persons, aged 71 years or older, participating in the National Institute on Aging (NIA)-sponsored Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) study. Anemia was defined according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria as a hemoglobin concentration below 12 g/dL in women and below 13 g/dL in men. Data on subsequent mortality and hospital admissions over 4 years were obtained from death records and the Medicare database. RESULTS Anemia was present in 451 of the 3607 (12.5%) participants. During the follow-up period, anemic persons were more likely to die than were nonanemic persons (37.0% vs 22.1%, p<.001). Also, anemic persons were more often hospitalized (65.9% vs 54.6%, p<.001) and spent more days in hospital (25.0 vs 13.7, p<.001). After adjustment for demographics and baseline comorbidities, anemia significantly predicted subsequent mortality and hospitalization (relative risk=1.61, 95% confidence interval, 1.34-1.93; and relative risk=1.27, 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.45, respectively). After excluding persons with prevalent diseases at baseline, anemia remained significantly associated with increased risks of mortality and hospitalization. A higher hemoglobin level was significantly associated with lower risks of mortality and hospitalization (p for trend<.001 for both). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that late-life anemia characterizes persons at risk for important clinical health outcomes, and demonstrate the importance of clinical awareness of anemia even if the person is without apparent clinical disease.
Geodata supported classification of patent applications

The automatic classification of patent applications into a particular patent classification system remains a challenge with many practical applications. From a computer science point of view, the task is a multi-label hierarchical classification problem, i.e. each patent application might belong to multiple classes within the class hierarchy. The problem is still especially difficult for purely text-based classifiers because patents and patent applications are often formulated in a rather generic way. Thus, additional sources of information should be used to improve class prediction. In our approach, we propose the use of location information contained in the meta data of a patent application in combination with text-based patent classification. We argue that certain technological areas often cluster in geographic regions. For example, space travel technology is often collocated at Houston, Texas due to the NASA facilities in this area. In many cases, the addresses of the inventors are correlated to the technological area of a given patent. Thus, the addresses can be exploited to provide additional information about the technological area. We present a geo-enriched classifier joining established methods for text-based classification with location-based topic prediction. Since the location-based prediction is not applicable to all cases, we provide a method to regulate the impact of the spatial predictor for these cases. Our experiments indicate that spatial prediction is applicable to a considerable amount of patent applications and that the combination of spatial prediction and text-based classification significantly improves the prediction accuracy.
Refining Regulatory Regimes: Utilities in Europe

1. Introduction: Redefining and Refining Regulation Part I: Institutional Change and Environment 2. Developments in Regulatory Regimes: Comparison on Telecommunications, Energy and Rail 3. Administrative Costs of Reforming Utilities Part II: Business-Regulator Relationships 4. Changing Business-Regulator Relations in German and UK Telecommunication and Energy Sectors 5. Managing Regulatory Developments in Rail: Compliance and Access Regulation in Germany and the UK Part III: Implementation and Refining Policy 6. The Politics for a Sustainable Energy Industry: Renewable Energy Policy in the United Kingdom and in Germany 7. Public Services: The Role of the European Court of Justice in Correcting the Market 8. Conclusion: Refining Regulatory Regimes Bibliography Index.
The research of medical microscopic image mosaic based on the algorithm of surf

Microscopic diagnosis of the prostate is one of the methods commonly used in clinical medicine. The small sheet of the acquired microscopic medical images gives rise to some problems in clinical diagnosis. To solve it, we research microscopic image mosaic correspondingly. In this paper, the SURF algorithm is used to complete microscopic image feature detection and description, then we combine Bray-Curtis distance and k-d tree algorithm to complete “coarse matching”. then these obtained matching points are used to achieve “fine matching” by RANSAC algorithm, finally fade in-out algorithm is used to perform image fusion, microscopic image mosaic is achieved lastly. Experiments show that its feature extraction is accurate for slices of microscopic image of the prostate cancer, the result is promising so that it has a good assisted effect for diagnosis of the disease.
A taxonomy of camera calibration and video projection correction methods

This paper provides a classification of calibration methods for cameras and projectors. From basic homography to complex geometric calibration methods, this paper aims at simplifying the choice of the methods to perform a calibration regarding the complexity of the setup. The classical camera calibration methods are presented. A comparison gives the pros and cons for each method. For the projector calibration, the homography, the structured light methods and the geometric calibration are presented. Every general approach for the projector calibration is studied and the limitations of each method are given. Each approach is described through the main reference method. A classification of each projector calibration approach is given.
Structural basis for multifunctional roles of mammalian aminopeptidase N

Mammalian aminopeptidase N (APN) plays multifunctional roles in many physiological processes, including peptide metabolism, cell motility and adhesion, and coronavirus entry. Here we determined crystal structures of porcine APN at 1.85 Å resolution and its complexes with a peptide substrate and a variety of inhibitors. APN is a cell surface-anchored and seahorse-shaped zinc-aminopeptidase that forms head-to-head dimers. Captured in a catalytically active state, these structures of APN illustrate a detailed catalytic mechanism for its aminopeptidase activity. The active site and peptide-binding channel of APN reside in cavities with wide openings, allowing easy access to peptides. The cavities can potentially open up further to bind the exposed N terminus of proteins. The active site anchors the N-terminal neutral residue of peptides/proteins, and the peptide-binding channel binds the remainder of the peptides/proteins in a sequence-independent fashion. APN also provides an exposed outer surface for coronavirus binding, without its physiological functions being affected. These structural features enable APN to function ubiquitously in peptide metabolism, interact with other proteins to mediate cell motility and adhesion, and serve as a coronavirus receptor. This study elucidates multifunctional roles of APN and can guide therapeutic efforts to treat APN-related diseases.
The combined use of micro-CT imaging, in-situ loading and non-rigid image registration for 3D experimental local strain mapping on porous bone tissue engineering scaffolds under compressive loading

Kerckhofs G. , Pyka G. , Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Loeckx D. , Department of Electrical Engineering, Division ESAT PSI, Centre for the Processing of Speech & Images, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Medical imaging centre, U.Z. Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Moesen M. , Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Van Bael S. , Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Production engineering, Machine design and Automation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Schrooten J., Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Wevers M. , Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Division of Production engineering, Machine design and Automation, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
Fuzzy Bandwidth Broker: Machine Learning Based Approach to Resolve Architectural Issues

His paper proposes a novel idea of using fuzzy logic for architectural and resource management aspects of the bandwidth broker. The scalability problem of bandwidth broker, being a centralised resource manager in a domain, can be solved by employing a distributed architecture. The decisions regarding the distributed architecture, namely, number and location of distributed entities can be best solved using computational intelligence. This paper focuses on the fuzzy logic based approach for resolving architectural issues of bandwidth broker. In addition, we also propose two phase resource allocation algorithm for bandwidth broker. In first phase, when large amount of resources are available, fuzzy logic is used for decision making to reduce processing overhead. In case of low resource availability, the resource allocation algorithm transitions to second phase, where crisp values are used for decision purpose.his paper proposes a novel idea of using fuzzy logic for architectural and resource management aspects of the bandwidth broker. The scalability problem of bandwidth broker, being a centralised resource manager in a domain, can be solved by employing a distributed architecture. The decisions regarding the distributed architecture, namely, number and location of distributed entities can be best solved using computational intelligence. This paper focuses on the fuzzy logic based approach for resolving architectural issues of bandwidth broker. In addition, we also propose two phase resource allocation algorithm for bandwidth broker. In first phase, when large amount of resources are available, fuzzy logic is used for decision making to reduce processing overhead. In case of low resource availability, the resource allocating algorithm transitions to second phase, where crisp values are used for decision purpose.
Implementing Smart Homes with Open Source Solutions

A Smart home provides living environment with comfortable, convenient, energy saving, safety and health care place to people live in. From technology viewpoint, its core is information system with physical manipulation capability which is referred as cyber physical system. Most of such systems available currently are proprietary products which put end users in risk of some issues such as long term support, system compatibility and cost. To address such issues, an approach with emerging open source solutions was discussed. The core of the proposed open source system is Arduino platform. A module for performing functions to implement smart homes also proposed in this paper. It is a typical cyber physical system and consists of input, output and energy monitoring functions. The detail of this module is presented and discussed.