Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DataClouds: Enabling Community-Based Data-Centric Services Over the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as one of the major trends for the next evolution of the Internet, where billions of physical objects or things (including but not limited to humans) will be connected over the Internet, and a vast amount of information data will be shared among them. However, the current Internet was built on a host-centric communication model, which was primarily designed for meeting the demand of pair-wise peer-to-peer communications and cannot well accommodate various advanced data-centric services boosted by the IoT in which users care about content and are oblivious to locations where the content is stored. In this paper, we propose a novel architecture for the future Internet based on information-centric networking (ICN), which is called DataClouds, to better accommodate data-centric services. Different from existing ICN-based architectures, we take the sharing nature of data-centric services under the IoT into consideration and introduce logically and physically formed communities as the basic building blocks to construct the network so that data could be more efficiently shared and disseminated among interested users. We also elaborate on several fundamental design challenges for the Internet under this new architecture and show that DataClouds could offer more efficient and flexible solutions than traditional ICN-based architectures.
Identifying Multiple Userids of the Same Author

This paper studies the problem of identifying users who use multiple userids to post in social media. Since multiple userids may belong to the same author, it is hard to directly apply supervised learning to solve the problem. This paper proposes a new method, which still uses supervised learning but does not require training documents from the involved userids. Instead, it uses documents from other userids for classifier building. The classifier can be applied to documents of the involved userids. This is possible because we transform the document space to a similarity space and learning is performed in this new space. Our evaluation is done in the online review domain. The experimental results using a large number of userids and their reviews show that the proposed method is highly effective.
Combined analysis of the safety of intra-coronary drug delivery during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction: A study of three clinical trials

Background The local injection of novel cardioprotective study drugs prior to percutaneous coronary intervention could cause embolisation of thrombus, resulting in increased reperfusion injury and subsequent infarct size. The aim of this study was to assess the safety of the delivery of an intracoronary therapy delivered during primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction prior to the re-establishment of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction III flow. Methods One hundred sixty-seven patients with acute myocardial infarction successfully reperfused through primary percutaneous coronary intervention and undergoing Cardiac MRI within the first week after reperfusion were studied. Patients either underwent the delivery of an intracoronary agent (IMP or placebo) prior to balloon dilatation (n = 80) or standard primary percutaneous coronary intervention procedure (n = 117). Results Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. There were a similar number of successful procedures (IC IMP 75 (93.8%) vs. No IMP 114, (97.4%), p = 0.374), rates of no-reflow (IC IMP 1 (1.3%) vs. No IMP 2 (1.7%), p = 0.99) and levels of ST segment resolution (88.5% IC IMP vs. No IC IMP 87.0%, p = 0.669) between the two groups. Similar levels of microvascular obstruction were seen between the two groups with a trend to reduced infarct size, and improved ejection fractions in the IMP group. Lower MACE rates were seen in the IMP group. Conclusion The local intracoronary infusion of potential cardioprotective agents prior to the restoration of TIMI flow in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction appears to be safe and does not increase microvascular damage. This route should be considered when testing novel cardioprotective agents.
Allowing privacy-preserving analysis of social network likes

Social network Likes, as the “Like Button” records of Facebook, can be used to automatically and accurately predict highly sensitive personal attributes. Even though this could be done for non malicious reasons, for example to improve products, services, and targeting, it represents a dangerous invasion of privacy with sometimes intolerable consequences. Anyway, completely defusing the information power of Likes appears improper. In this paper, we propose a mechanism able to keep Likes unlinkable to the identity of their authors, but to allow the user to choose every time she expresses a Like, those non-identifying (even sensitive) attributes she wants to reveal. This way, anonymous analysis relating Likes to various characteristics of the population is preserved, with no risk for users' privacy. The protocol is shown to be secure and also ready to the possible future evolution of social networks towards P2P fully distributed models.
Iterative equalization for severe time dispersive MIMO channels

In this work, a minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) iterative equalization method for a severe time dispersive MIMO channel is proposed. To mitigate the severe time dispersiveness of the channel single carrier with cyclic prefix (SCCP) is employed and the equalization is performed in the frequency domain. The use of cyclic prefix (CP) and equalization in the frequency domain simplifies the challenging problem of equalization in MIMO channels due to both the inter-symbol-interference (ISI) and co-antenna interference (CAI). The proposed iterative algorithm works in two stages. The first stage estimates the transmitted frequency domain symbols using a low complexity MMSE equalizer. The second stage finds the a posteriori probabilities of the estimated symbols to find their means and variances to use in the MMSE equalizer in the following iteration. Simulation results show the superior performance of the iterative algorithm when compared with the conventional MMSE equalizer.
A Method of Annotation Extraction from Paper Documents Using Alignment Based on Local Arrangements of Feature Points

Annotations on paper documents include important information. We can exploit the information by extracting and analyzing annotations. In this paper, we propose a method of annotation extraction from paper documents. Unlike previous methods which limit colors or types of annotations to be extracted, the proposed method attempts to extract annotations by comparing a document image of an annotated document with its original document image for removing the limitations. The proposed method is characterized by fast matching and flexible subtraction of images both of which are essential to the annotation extraction by comparison. Experimental results have shown that color annotations can be extracted from color documents.
Implication of Punica granatum Leaves in Experimental Cardiac Hypertrophy

The present study has been designed to explore the beneficial effect of Punica grantum leaves in experimental cardiac hypertrophy in rats. Punica granatum L. , (Family: Punicaceae) is used in Indian Unani medicine for treatment of diabetes mellitus, cytotoxixity and in wound healing owing to its anti-oxidant activity. The male wistar rats were anaesthetized with thiopentone sodium and were subjected to Partial Abdominal Aortic Constriction (PAAC) for 4 weeks. The treatment with ethanolic extract of leaves of P.granatum (EPG) (200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg) was started three days before surgery and it was continued for 4 weeks after surgery. The development of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy was assessed by measuring ratio of LV weight to body weight (LVW/BW), LV wall thickness (LVWT), LV protein content, LV collagen content and LV RNA concentration. Further mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) was recorded. Moreover, oxidative stress in heart was measured by CK-MB and LDH estimation. The PAAC significantly increased the ratio of LV weight to body weight, LV wall thickness, LV protein content, LV collagen content and LV RNA concentration. Further PAAC significantly increased MABP and oxidative stress. The EPG (400 mg/kg) markedly attenuated PAAC induced increase in LV hypertrophy, MABP and LV oxidative stress. These results implicate the role of Punica granatum leaves in PAAC induced oxidative stress and pathological cardiac hypertrophy
Effect of low-density lipoprotein addition to soybean lecithin-based extenders on bull spermatozoa following freezing-thawing – preliminary results

Soybean lecithin-based extenders represent an alternative to extenders containing egg yolk, but there has been discussion about their cryoprotective efficacy. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was proved as a cryoprotective agent, which can replace egg yolk in extenders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of LDL addition to the soybean extenders on their cryoprotective properties. The effect of the LDL of our production was verified using commercial egg yolk extender BULLXcell®, 6%, 8%, and 10% LDL (v/v) as an egg yolk replacement. The effects of LDL addition to the soybean lecithin-based extenders in concentrations of 4%, 6%, and 8% (v/v) were tested using extenders AndroMed® and Bioxcell®. In total, 64 samples from eight bulls were evaluated. Kinematic parameters of spermatozoa, resulting from Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis, and their viability, evaluated by fluorescent technique, were assessed immediately after thawing and after 2 hours. The quality of LDL compared to other studies was confirmed, and the beneficial effects of egg yolk replacement by LDL were proved in extender BULLXcell®. 8% LDL provided the best values for the majority of kinematic parameters (P < 0.05), without effect on total motility (P > 0.05). Furthermore, addition of 4%, 6%, and 8% LDL to the soybean lecithin-based extender Bioxcell® showed a positive effect on the majority of kinematic parameters of spermatozoa (P < 0.05) at both times of incubation. However there was no significant influence on total motility (P > 0.05). Viability was higher after thawing in the case of 8% LDL (P < 0.05). However, there was no consistent effect of LDL addition to the AndroMed® extender. In conclusion, cryoprotective properties of the semen extenders based on a soybean lecithin can be improved by the addition of LDL.
Hint-K: An Efficient Multilevel Cache Using K-Step Hints

I/O performance has been critical for large-scale distributed systems. Many approaches, including hint-based multilevel cache, have been proposed to smooth the gap between different levels. These solutions demote or promote cache blocks based on the latest history information, which is insufficient for applications where frequent demote and promote operations occur. In this paper, we propose a novel multilevel buffer cache using K-step hints (Hint-K) to improve the I/O performance of distributed systems. The basic idea is to promote a block from the lower level cache to the higher level(s) or demote a block vice versa based on the block's previous K-step promote or demote operations, which are referred to as K-step hints. If we make an analogy between Hint-K and LRU-K, then LRU-K keeps track of the times of last K references for blocks within a single cache level, while our Hint-K keeps track of the information of the last K movements (either demote or promote) of blocks among different cache levels. We develop our Hint-K algorithms and design a mathematical model that can efficiently describe the activeness of any block in any cache level. Simulation results show that Hint-K achieves better performance compared to the existing popular multilevel cache schemes such as PROMOTE, DEMOTE, and MQ under different I/O workloads.
Limits to Verification and Validation of Agentic Behavior

Verification and validation of agentic behavior have been suggested as important research priorities in efforts to reduce risks associated with the creation of general artificial intelligence (Russell et al 2015). In this paper we question the appropriateness of using language of certainty with respect to efforts to manage that risk. We begin by establishing a very general formalism to characterize agentic behavior and to describe standards of acceptable behavior. We show that determination of whether an agent meets any particular standard is not computable. We discuss the extent of the burden associated with verification by manual proof and by automated behavioral governance. We show that to ensure decidability of the behavioral standard itself, one must further limit the capabilities of the agent. We then demonstrate that if our concerns relate to outcomes in the physical world, attempts at validation are futile. Finally, we show that layered architectures aimed at making these challenges tractable mistakenly equate intentions with actions or outcomes, thereby failing to provide any guarantees. We conclude with a discussion of why language of certainty should be eradicated from the conversation about the safety of general artificial intelligence.
Soft Computing Based Multilevel Strategy for Bridge Integrity Monitoring

Abstract: In recent years, structural integrity monitoring has become increasingly important in structural engineering and construction management. It represents an important tool for the assessment of the dependability of existing complex structural systems as it integrates, in a unified perspective, advanced engineering analyses and experimental data processing. In the first part of this work the concepts of dependability and structural integrity are discussed and it is shown that an effective integrity assessment needs advanced computational methods. For this purpose, soft computing methods have shown to be very useful. In particular, in this work the neural networks model is chosen and successfully improved by applying the Bayesian inference at four hierarchical levels: for training, optimization of the regularization terms, data‐based model selection, and evaluation of the relative importance of different inputs. In the second part of the article, Bayesian neural networks are used to formulate a multilevel strategy for the monitoring of the integrity of long span bridges subjected to environmental actions: in a first level the occurrence of damage is detected; in a following level the specific damaged element is recognized and the intensity of damage is quantified.
Kulturgeografi - en ämnesteoretisk introduktion

Introduktion Att skriva en grundbok i kulturgeografi är ingen lätt uppgift. Målgruppen är oftast heterogen. Studenter som befinner sig i slutet av sin utbildning skall samsas med dem som kommer direkt från gymnasiet. Den pedagogiska utmaningen ligger i att skriva för en avancerad grupp av studenter samtidigt som texten skall vända sig till nybörjare utan att vara allt för svår. För den senare gruppen handlar det också om att introducera ett vetenskapligt sätt att tänka och diskutera. För många kan det säkert kännas ovant och främmande. Samtidigt är det just detta som universitet och högskolor är till för. Sedan har varje lärare sin egen uppfattning om vad kulturgeografi är, men det är kanske en annan historia. En lärarhandledning kan vara till hjälp för att hantera dessa problem.
Metformin Associated With Lower Cancer Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE Several studies have suggested an association between specific diabetes treatment and cancer mortality. We studied the association between metformin use and cancer mortality in a prospectively followed cohort. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In 1998 and 1999, 1,353 patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled in the Zwolle Outpatient Diabetes project Integrating Available Care (ZODIAC) study in the Netherlands. Vital status was assessed in January 2009. Cancer mortality rate was evaluated using standardized mortality ratios (SMRs), and the association between metformin use and cancer mortality was evaluated with a Cox proportional hazards model, taking possible confounders into account. RESULTS Median follow-up time was 9.6 years, average age at baseline was 68 years, and average A1C was 7.5%. Of the patients, 570 died, of which 122 died of malignancies. The SMR for cancer mortality was 1.47 (95% CI 1.22–1.76). In patients taking metformin compared with patients not taking metformin at baseline, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for cancer mortality was 0.43 (95% CI 0.23–0.80), and the HR with every increase of 1 g of metformin was 0.58 (95% CI 0.36–0.93). CONCLUSIONS In general, patients with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for cancer mortality. In our group, metformin use was associated with lower cancer mortality compared with nonuse of metformin. Although the design cannot provide a conclusion about causality, our results suggest a protective effect of metformin on cancer mortality.
Change in the adult phonological processing system by learning non-adjacent phonotactic constraints from brief experience: An experimental and computational study

Recent studies show that the adult phonological processing system constantly changes as a result of word processing experience; adult speakers can learn new sound patterns from brief experience processing words that exhibit the sound patterns, and how they process words changes as a result of learning. But how malleable is the phonological processing system and what is the mechanism underlying the adaptation of the system to recent processing experience? This dissertation presents experiments and computational models that investigate whether adult speakers can learn non-adjacent phonotactic constraints, and how their perception and grammaticality judgment behavior change as a result of learning. The experiments show that adults can learn phonotactic constraints that are nonexistent in their language and which restrict co-occurrence of two non-adjacent phonemes with one intervening phoneme. The results further document evidence of the malleability of the adult phonological processing system, and extend the range of learnable sound patterns since non-adjacent phonological dependencies are assumed to be difficult to learn. As a result of learning, the speakers judge phonotactically legal novel words to be more grammatical than phonotactically illegal novel words. They also perceive the legal ones more quickly and accurately than the illegal ones. In addition, the experiments show that the effect of learning on perception is greater when the learned phonotactic constraint restricts co-occurrence of more confusable phonemes. This subtle effect of learning on perception is expressed as the Perceptual Facilitation Hypothesis, which provides a more detailed account of how the phonotactic knowledge functions in the adult phonological processing system to change its perceptual behavior. The experimental results are simulated with two computational models that ii demonstrate how the adult phonological processing system adapts to recent experience: how it comes to perceive legal sound sequences better than illegal ones after repeatedly processing sequences embodying non-adjacent phonotactic constraints, and how it learns the constraints from observing the perceptual output and computes the probability of the perceived phonological structure in judging its grammaticality. The models suggest possible mechanisms that underlie the adaptation of the adult phonological processing system and guide the direction of future research by providing falsifiable predictions.
Lyapunov-based generic controller design for thrust-propelled underactuated systems

We present a controller for an underactuated system which is driven by a one dimensional linear acceleration/thrust along a direction vector, by a time-varying gravity, and by the angular acceleration of the direction vector. We propose state and time-dependent control laws for the linear and angular accelerations that guarantee that the position of the system is steered to the origin. The proposed control law depends on (i) a bounded control law for a double integrator system; and (ii) on a Lyapunov function that guarantees asymptotic stability of the origin for the double integrator system when controlled with the previous bounded control law. As such, the control law forms a family of control laws depending on (i) and (ii). The complete state space of the system, under the proposed control laws, has two equilibria, and by proper control design, a trajectory of the system is guaranteed to converge to only one of those. The overall design provides a common framework for controlling different systems, such as quadrotors and slung load transportation systems.
A Pipelined FFT Architecture for Real-Valued Signals

This paper presents a new pipelined hardware architecture for the computation of the real-valued fast Fourier transform (RFFT). The proposed architecture takes advantage of the reduced number of operations of the RFFT with respect to the complex fast Fourier transform (CFFT), and requires less area while achieving higher throughput and lower latency. The architecture is based on a novel algorithm for the computation of the RFFT, which, contrary to previous approaches, presents a regular geometry suitable for the implementation of hardware structures. Moreover, the algorithm can be used for both the decimation in time (DIT) and decimation in frequency (DIF) decompositions of the RFFT and requires the lowest number of operations reported for radix 2. Finally, as in previous works, when calculating the RFFT the output samples are obtained in a scrambled order. The problem of reordering these samples is solved in this paper and a pipelined circuit that performs this reordering is proposed.
Serotonin Transporter Genotype (5-HTTLPR) and Electrocortical Responses Indicating the Sensitivity to Negative Emotional Cues

Growing literature indicates that emotional reactivity and regulation are strongly linked to genetic modulation of serotonergic neurotransmission. However, until now, most studies have focused on the relationship between genotypic markers, in particular the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), and neural structures using MRI. The current study aimed to bridge the gap between the relevant MRI literature on the effects of the 5-HTTLPR genotype and the research tradition focusing on transient lateralized changes of electrocortical activity in the prefrontal cortex using electroencephalography (EEG). Lateral shifts of EEG alpha asymmetry in response to an aversive film consisting of scenes of real injury and death were assessed in healthy participants (n = 165). To evaluate the specificity of the 5-HTTLPR effect, participants were also tested for the COMT Val158Met polymorphism which is linked to dopamine inactivation. While viewing the film, individuals homozygous for the 5-HTTLPR short allele displayed a clear lateral shift of dorsolateral frontal activity to the right, which was virtually absent in participants carrying the long allele. The heightened electrocortical response to the aversive stimulation and its direction indicates a greater propensity of s/s homozygotes to experience withdrawal oriented affect in response to negative emotion cues in the environment. Moreover, together with previous research the findings support the notion of a link between the serotonergic system and self-regulation related to avoidance motivation, and a link between the dopaminergic system and self-regulation related to approach motivation.