Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of visual representation techniques for product configuration systems in industrial companies

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for customized products. Product configuration systems (PCS) are introduced as one of the most successful systems of artificial intelligent for providing customized products. One of the main challenges in PCSs projects are described in relation with knowledge representations and communications with domain experts. The results presented in the paper are therefore aimed to provide insight into the impact from using visual knowledge representations techniques in PCSs projects. The findings indicate that use of visual knowledge representations techniques in PCSs projects will result in improved quality of maintenance and development support for the knowledge base and improved quality of the communication with domain experts.
Audio-visual speech enhancement using deep neural networks

This paper proposes a novel framework that integrates audio and visual information for speech enhancement. Most speech enhancement approaches consider audio features only to design filters or transfer functions to convert noisy speech signals to clean ones. Visual data, which provide useful complementary information to audio data, have been integrated with audio data in many speech-related approaches to attain more effective speech processing performance. This paper presents our investigation into the use of the visual features of the motion of lips as additional visual information to improve the speech enhancement capability of deep neural network (DNN) speech enhancement performance. The experimental results show that the performance of DNN with audio-visual inputs exceeds that of DNN with audio inputs only in four standardized objective evaluations, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the inclusion of visual information into an audio-only speech enhancement framework.
SolventAlcohol Solubilized in a Low-Angiotoxicity Aneurysms with Iodine-Containing Polyvinyl Embolization of Experimental Wide-Necked

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To evaluate the ready-to-use iodine-containing polyvinyl alcohol (I-PVA) dissolved in the low angiotoxic solvent N -methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) for embolization of porcine wide-necked aneurysms. METHODS: Fourteen broad-based carotid sidewall aneurysms were surgically constructed in 7 swine. I-PVA (40%) in NMP was injected under temporary balloon occlusion bridging the aneurysm neck. After 4 weeks, follow-up angiography, multisection CT angiography (MSCTA), and 3T MR imaging including MR angiography (MRA) sequences were performed. Afterward, harvested aneurysms were investigated histopathologically. RESULTS: The liquid embolic was well visible under fluoroscopy and displayed a favorable precipitation pattern, allowing for controlled polymer delivery. Ten aneurysms (71%) were initially completely occluded, whereas in 1 aneurysm, a minimal polymer leakage was observed. The other 4 aneurysms (29%) were almost completely occluded. One animal suffered a lethal rebleeding from the anastomosis after uneventful embolization. Aneurysms embolized with I-PVA could be discriminated well from the parent artery without beam-hardening artifacts on MSCTA, and no susceptibility artifacts were encountered on MR imaging. Histologic examination revealed all aneurysms covered with a membrane of fibroblasts and an endothelial cell layer while a moderate intraaneurysmal inflammatory response to the polymer was observed. CONCLUSION: I-PVA dissolved in NMP has proved its effectiveness for the embolization of experimental wide-necked aneurysms. This precipitating liquid embolic offers several interesting features in that it needs no preparation before use and no radiopaque admixtures, the latter allowing for artifact-free evaluation of treated aneurysms with MSCTA and MRA. Moreover, it uses NMP as a solvent, which has only a low angiotoxicity.
Comparative Analysis of 4x4 Vedic and Conventional Multiplier with different Adders at 32 nm Technology

Processor speed largely governed by the multiplier architectures. It is desired to have faster ALU with lower power consumption for portable applications to have good battery life. Hence, there is need to address different multiplier architectures. In this paper, the analysis of 4-bit multiplier using a Vedic Mathematics (Urdhva Tiryagbhyam sutra) and conventional multiplier with two different adders has been realized using carry look ahead adder and ripple carry adder. Comparative study of multipliers is done for low power requirement and high speed. The main purpose of the paper is to investigate the better adder and multiplication technique. It is observed that the conventional multiplier with CLA adder is more stable and power efficient. Conventional multiplier with CLA adder is having 117 % less energy delay product than Vedic with RCA adder, 62.0 % less than CLA based Vedic multiplier and 30.7 % less than conventional multiplier with RCA adder at supply voltage 0.9 V. Conventional multiplier with CLA adder is good over RCA adder based multiplier
Approximation of Partial Capacitated Vertex Cover

We study the partial capacitated vertex cover problem (PCVC) in which the input consists of a graph $G$ and a covering requirement $L$. Each edge $e$ in $G$ is associated with a demand (or load) $\ell(e)$, and each vertex $v$ is associated with a (soft) capacity $c(v)$ and a weight $w(v)$. A feasible solution is an assignment of edges to vertices such that the total demand of assigned edges is at least $L$. The weight of a solution is $\sum_{v}\alpha(v)w(v)$, where $\alpha(v)$ is the number of copies of $v$ required to cover the demand of the edges that are assigned to $v$. The goal is to find a solution of minimum weight. We consider three variants of PCVC. In PCVC with separable demands the only requirement is that the total demand of edges assigned to $v$ is at most $\alpha(v)c(v)$. In PCVC with inseparable demands there is an additional requirement that if an edge is assigned to $v$, then it must be assigned to one of its copies. The third variant is the unit demands version. We present 3-approximation algorithms for both PCVC with separable demands and PCVC with inseparable demands. We also present a 2-approximation algorithm for PCVC with unit demands. We show that similar results can be obtained for PCVC in hypergraphs and for the prize collecting version of capacitated vertex cover. Our algorithms are based on a unified approach for designing and analyzing approximation algorithms for capacitated covering problems. This approach yields simple algorithms whose analyses rely on the local ratio technique and sophisticated charging schemes.
Supersymmetry and primordial black hole abundance constraints

We study the consequences of supersymmetry for primordial black hole (PBH) abundance constraints. PBHs with mass less than about 10^{11}g will emit supersymmetric particles when they evaporate. In most models of supersymmetry the lightest of these particles, the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP), is stable and will hence survive to the present day. We calculate the limit on the initial abundance of PBHs from the requirement that the present day LSP density is less than the critical density. We apply this limit, along with those previously obtained from the effects of PBH evaporation on nucleosynthesis and the present day density of PBHs, to PBHs formed from the collpase of inflationary density perturbations, in the context of supersymmetric inflation models. If the reheat temperature after inflation is low, so as to avoid the overproduction of gravitinos and moduli, then the lightest PBHs which are produced in significant numbers will be evaporating around the present day and there are therefore no constraints from the effects of the evaporation products on nucleosynthesis or from the production of LSPs. We then examine models with a high reheat temperature and a subsequent period of thermal inflation. In these models avoiding the overproduction of LSPs limits the abundance of low mass PBHs which were previously unconstrained. Throughout we incorporate the production, at fixed time, of PBHs with a range of masses, which occurs when critical collapse is taken into account.
Disposition of mianserin and cyclizine in UGT2B10-overexpressing HEK293 cells: Identification of UGT2B10 as a novel N-glucosidation enzyme and BCRP as an N-glucoside transporter

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) play an important role in metabolism and detoxification of amine-containing chemicals. However, the disposition mechanisms for amines via UGT metabolism are not fully clear. Here we aim to investigate a potential role of UGT2B10 in N-glucosidation, and to determine the transporters for excretion of N-glucosides. We first established a HEK293 cell line stably overexpressing UGT2B10. Incubation of mianserin or cyclizine with the cells generated one N-glucuronide and one N-glucoside. Chemical inhibition (using specific chemical inhibitor Ko143) and biological inhibition (using specific shRNA) of BCRP resulted in a significant reduction in efflux of N-glucuronide. Similar results were observed when MRP4 was inhibited. Furthermore, inhibition of BCRP led to increased intracellular N-glucoside, whereas inhibition of MRP4 caused no changes in disposition of N-glucosides. The data overall indicated that BCRP not MRP4 was responsible for excretion of N-glucosides, whereas both BCRP and MRP4 contributed to excretion of N-glucuronides.
Genetic pathway‐based hierarchical clustering analysis of older adults with cognitive complaints and amnestic mild cognitive impairment using clinical and neuroimaging phenotypes

Hierarchical clustering is frequently used for grouping results in expression or haplotype analyses. These methods can elucidate patterns between measures that can then be applied to discerning their validity in discriminating between experimental conditions. Here a hierarchical clustering method is used to analyze the results of an imaging genetics study using multiple brain morphology and cognitive testing endpoints for older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or cognitive complaints (CC) compared to healthy controls (HC). The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are a subset of those included on a larger array that are found in a reported Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegeneration pathway. The results indicate that genetic models within the endpoints cluster together, while there are 4 distinct sets of SNPs that differentiate between the endpoints, with most significant results associated with morphology endpoints rather than cognitive testing of patients' reported symptoms. The genes found in at least one cluster are ABCB1, APBA1, BACE1, BACE2, BCL2, BCL2L1, CASP7, CHAT, CST3, DRD3, DRD5, IL6, LRP1, NAT1, and PSEN2. The greater associations with morphology endpoints suggests that changes in brain structure can be influenced by an individual's genetic background in the absence of dementia and in some cases (Cognitive Complaints group) even without those effects necessarily being detectable on commonly used clinical tests of cognition. The results are consistent with polygenic influences on early neurodegenerative changes and demonstrate the effectiveness of hierarchical clustering in identifying genetic associations among multiple related phenotypic endpoints. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Domestication level of the most popular aquarium fish species: is the aquarium trade dependent on wild populations?

Aquarium fish trade has strongly increased in the past decades to become one of the most popular hobbies globally. Historically, all aquarium fish traded were wild-caught. Then, an increasing number of fish species have been produced in captivity. The main goal of the present study is to apply the concept of domestication level to the hundred most popular aquarium fish species in Europe and North America. The levels of domestication of freshwater aquarium fish species (n = 50) ranged from 0 to 5, with 20 species classified at the level 5 (selective breeding programmes are used focusing on specific goals) and only three species at the level 0 (capture fisheries) and 1 (first trials of acclimatization to the culture environment). In contrast, the levels of domestication of marine fish species (n = 50) ranged from 0 to 3, implying that the production of all marine aquarium fish species is based either entirely or partly on the capture of wild-caught specimens. Based on this new classification, the main advantages and drawbacks of fisheries and aquaculture are discussed.
Organizational commitment and well-being at work: investigating alternative models of association

This study aimed to verify the association between well-being at work (WBW) and organizational commitment (COMM) and to determine whether they behave as equivalent phenomena, correlated phenomena, or whether well-being is an antecedent or a consequence of commitment. This is a quantitative, cross-sectional study, with a survey applied to 360 workers from various organizations. Correlation analyses, linear regression, and structural equation modeling were used
An adaptive packed-memory array

The packed-memory array (PMA) is a data structure that maintains a dynamic set of N elements in sorted order in a Θ(N)-sized array. The idea is to intersperse Θ(N) empty spaces or gaps among the elements so that only a small number of elements need to be shifted around on an insert or delete. Because the elements are stored physically in sorted order in memory or on disk, the PMA can be used to support extremely efficient range queries. Specifically, the cost to scan L consecutive elements is O(1+L/B) memory transfers.This paper gives the first adaptive packed-memory array (APMA), which automatically adjusts to the input pattern. Like the original PMA, any pattern of updates costs only O(log2 N) amortized element moves and O(1+(log2 N)/B) amortized memory transfers per update. However, the APMA performs even better on many common input distributions achieving only O(logN) amortized element moves and O(1+(logN)/B) amortized memory transfers. The paper analyzes sequential inserts, where the insertions are to the front of the APMA, hammer inserts, where the insertions "hammer" on one part of the APMA, random inserts, where the insertions are after random elements in the APMA, and bulk inserts, where for constant α∈[0,1], Nα elements are inserted after random elements in the APMA. The paper then gives simulation results that are consistent with the asymptotic bounds. For sequential insertions of roughly 1.4 million elements, the APMA has four times fewer element moves per insertion than the traditional PMA and running times that are more than seven times faster.
Charge-based low priority congestion control

With the best-effort TCP transporting foreground traffic, below-best-effort transport protocols are developed to transport background traffic. However, we argue in this paper that: 1) two fixed levels of priority are not enough, and 2) the background and foreground transfers are subjective concepts which can only be decided by users but not arbitrarily determined by the network according to the application type of the traffic. Then we propose the charge-based low priority congestion control (TCP-CBLP), an algorithm not only provide multiple flexible priority levels lower than best-effort TCP, but also helps users allocating their available bandwidths effectively to optimize their utilities. Simulation results show that the algorithm is fair, stable, and can optimize userspsila utilities.
Role of the gut microbiota in tumorigenesis and treatment

The gut microbiota is a crucial component of the intricate microecosystem within the human body that engages in interactions with the host and influences various physiological processes and pathological conditions. In recent years, the association between dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and tumorigenesis has garnered increasing attention, as it is recognized as a hallmark of cancer within the scientific community. However, only a few microorganisms have been identified as potential drivers of tumorigenesis, and enhancing the molecular understanding of this process has substantial scientific importance and clinical relevance for cancer treatment. In this review, we delineate the impact of the gut microbiota on tumorigenesis and treatment in multiple types of cancer while also analyzing the associated molecular mechanisms. Moreover, we discuss the utility of gut microbiota data in cancer diagnosis and patient stratification. We further outline current research on harnessing microorganisms for cancer treatment while also analyzing the prospects and challenges associated with this approach.
Review of Research on Vehicles Aerodynamic Drag Reduction Methods

Recent spikes in fuel prices and concern regarding greenhouse gas emissions, automotive design engineers are faced with the immediate task of introducing more efficient aerodynamic designs vehicles. The aerodynamic drags of a road vehicle is responsible for a large part of the vehicle’s fuel consumption and contribute up to 50% of the total vehicle fuel consumption at highway speeds. Review on the research performance of active and passive flow control on the vehicle aerodynamic drag reduction is reported in this paper. This review intends to provide information on the current approaches and their efficiency in reducing pressure drag of ground vehicles. The review mainly focuses on the methods employed to prevent or delay air flow separation at the rear end of vehicle. Researches carried out by a number of researchers with regard to active and passive flow controls method on vehicle and their effect on aerodynamic drag in terms of drag coefficient (CD) was highlighted. Passive methods i.e. Vortex Generator (VG), spoiler and splitter and active flow controls i.e. steady blowing, suction and air jet are among the methods had been reviewed. In addition several attempts to couple these flow control methods were also reviewed. Several aspects of aerodynamic drag that need for further investigation as to assist for vehicles aerodynamic design and for practical reasons were highlighted. Progressive research on active flow control was observed due to its flexibility for wide range of application without body shape modification.
Working Papers / Documents de travail

We present an overview of selected contributions of the Journal of Mathematical Economics ’ authors in the last half century. We start with the classical optimal growth theory within a benchmark multisec-tor model and outline the successive developments in the analysis of this model, including the turnpike theory. Diﬀerent reﬁnements of the benchmark are considered along the way. We after survey the abundant literature on endogenous ﬂuctuations in two-sector models. We conclude with two strong trends in the recent growth literature: green growth and inﬁnite-dimensional growth models.
Impact of selective and nonselective beta-blockers on the risk of severe exacerbations in patients with COPD

Background There is conflicting information regarding the effects of selective and nonselective beta-blocker treatment in patients with COPD. Participants and methods This nested case–control study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We included COPD patients who used inhalation steroid and beta-blockers between 1998 and 2010. From this cohort, there were 16,067 patients with severe exacerbations included in the analysis and 55,970 controls matched on age, sex, COPD diagnosis year, and beta-blockers treatment duration by risk set sampling. Results For the selective beta-blocker users, the current users had a lower risk of severe exacerbations than the nonusers (odds ratio [OR], 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85–0.96). In contrast, for the nonselective beta-blocker users, the current users had a higher risk of severe acute exacerbations than the nonusers (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.14–1.27). A higher risk of severe exacerbation during increasing mean daily dose or within about the initial 300 days was found in nonselective beta-blockers, but not in selective beta-blockers. One selective beta-blocker, betaxolol, had a significantly lower risk of severe exacerbations (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60–0.95). Two nonselective beta-blockers (labetalol and propranolol) were associated with a significantly higher risk of exacerbations (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.32–1.67 for labetalol; OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.10–1.23 for propranolol). Conclusion Selective beta-blockers can be cautiously prescribed for patients with COPD and cardiovascular disease (CVD), however, nonselective beta-blockers should not be prescribed for patients with COPD. Betaxolol may be the preferred choice of suitable selective beta-blocker for patients with COPD, however, labetalol and propranolol should be avoided for patients with COPD.
Immunity to influenza. Preventing infection and regulating disease.

Evasion of the immune response by influenza viruses in the human population has resulted in a heavy healthcare burden and substantial mortality (1, 2). Influenza virus eludes the immune system through multiple processes, including seasonal mutations in the surface epitopes, termed “antigenic drift,” and gene segment reassortment from distinct strains generating a novel lineage, termed “antigenic shift. ” Both of these processes create obstacles in clinical attempts to limit influenza infections in humans. Research in many labs is focused on developing innovative techniques to prevent influenza infection despite antigenic drift and shift, including efforts to design a universal influenza vaccine, targeting the regions of the influenza virus that are conserved across strains (3–5).
Follow the Leader: a Scalable Approach for Realistic Group Behavior of Roaming NPCs in MMO Games

In modern Massively Multiplayer Online Games, Non Playing Characters (NPCs) moving on the battlefield play a key role in term of user experience: many time players are required – alone or in groups – to fight or avoid them in order to progress in experience. Unfortunately, standard NPCs behavior, i.e., patrolling between rally points, does not put a significant challenge to players once its deterministic movement pattern is discovered. This paper addresses the problem of defining a smart, more challenging, and natural movement model for NPCs. Getting inspiration from the kids’ game “follow the leader” we adopt Artificial Intelligence techniques such as behavior trees and blackboards to provide NPCs with changing paths, dynamic aggregation in parties, and tactical decisions. Following this approach, players’ experience will greatly improve thanks to an always-changing battlefield scenario.
Pharmacological discrimination of N-type from L-type calcium current and its selective modulation by transmitters

GABA and norepinephrine inhibit high voltage-activated calcium current in chick sensory neurons. Using specific pharmacological tools, we have dissected this current into two components: the major one is omega- conotoxin sensitive and dihydropyridine resistant (N-type) while the minor one is dihydropyridine sensitively and omega-conotoxin resistant (L-type). The ability to selectively eliminate these two components has allowed us to determine whether the transmitters target the same or different channel types. Both GABA and norepinephrine modulate the N- type component as evidenced by their lack of effect on (1) omega- conotoxin-resistant current and (2) pure L-type tail current, prolonged by a dihydropyridine calcium channel agonist. This simple pharmacological profile will allow future tests of the significance of the two channel types in regulating sensory neuron functions.