Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-dimensional visual similarity search: k-d Generalized Randomized Forests

We propose a new data-structure, the generalized randomized k-d forest, or k-d GeRaF, for approximate nearest neighbor searching in high dimensions. In particular, we introduce new randomization techniques to specify a set of independently constructed trees where search is performed simultaneously, hence increasing accuracy. We omit backtracking, and we optimize distance computations. We release public domain software GeRaF and we compare it to existing implementations of state-of-the-art methods. Experimental results on SIFT and GIST visual descriptors, indicate that our method is the method of choice in dimensions around 1,000, and probably up to 10,000, and datasets of cardinality up to a few hundred thousands or even one million. For instance, we handle a real dataset of 106 GIST images represented in 960 dimensions with a query time of less than 1 sec on average and 90 responses being true nearest neighbors.
Self-Containment

In anarchic settings, potential rivals can be dragged into arms races degenerating in open wars out of mutual suspicion. We propose a novel commitment device for contestants to avoid both arming and fighting. We assume that the military decides the armament levels of a country, while the civilian decides whether to attack a rival country. When these decision-making bodies perfectly communicate, the decision makers are unable to credibly communicate to their foe their willingness not to arm and not to attack, thus implying that war ensues. With imperfect information, however, peace may ensue as countries credibly signal to their rival a more peaceful stance since contestants are more reluctant to enter in an armed confrontation with a potentially understaffed army. Using data on the 1975 to 2001 period, we provide supportive evidence that in countries where the head of the state or the defense minister are military officers, and are therefore better informed of their armies’ fighting preparedness, the likelihood of observing an international conflict is higher.
The published DNA sequence of human cytomegalovirus strain AD169 lacks 929 base pairs affecting genes UL42 and UL43

Compared with the published DNA sequence (M. S. Chee, et al. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol. 154:125-170, 1990), most isolates of human cytomegalovirus strain AD169 contain an additional 929 bp after nucleotide 54612. This results in a changed reading frame for the 5'-terminal 50 codons of gene UL42 and expansion of gene UL43 (a US22 family member) from 187 (3'-truncated) to 423 (full-length) codons. The UL42 and UL43 gene products are nonessential for growth in culture.
Promoting engagement and interaction through a technology supported learning activity

In this paper we describe a technology supported learning activity that was developed, implemented and evaluated in a postgraduate, online unit of study offered by the University of New England in 2011. A learner analysis and an analysis of the learning outcomes of the unit informed the development of this activity. The online activity was created within a Wiki and students completed it in the first few weeks of the teaching period. This design was intended to build social presence by encouraging ongoing interaction and engagement in the unit. A constructivist approach was utilised to facilitate this authentic activity in line with theories for learning futures. The activity provided scaffolding for subsequent assessment tasks in the unit. Students‟ outcomes and their feedback on the activity suggested it was successful in achieving the intended goals.
Using Gabor filter in 3D convolutional neural networks for human action recognition

Human action recognition is an important topic in the field of computer vision. We use Gabor filter in 3D CNNs models in recognizing action. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are a type of deep learning models, which is an efficient recognition model and has a unique superiority in image processing. Three dimension convolutional neural networks can well analyze action from video data. Gabor filter is a special convolution kernel. Its performance in feature extraction is outstanding. We test out model by KTH dataset and achieve a well result.
Efficient Mining of High Utility Sequential Patterns Over Data Streams

High utility sequential pattern mining has emerged as an important topic in data mining. Although several preliminary works have been conducted on this topic, the existing studies mainly focus on mining high utility sequential patterns (HUSPs) in static databases and do not consider the streaming data. Mining HUSPs over data streams is very desirable for many applications. However, addressing this topic is not an easy task. First, streaming data come continuously in high speed and the mining result should be instantly available when users request it. Second, we need to overcome the problem of combinatorial explosion of a large search space. Third, pruning search space for HUSP mining is difficult because the downward closure property does not hold for the utility of sequences. In this paper, we propose a new framework for mining high utility sequential patterns over data streams, which has not been explored previously. A novel data structure named HUSP-Tree is proposed to maintain the essential information for mining HUSPs. HUSP-Tree can be easily updated when new data arrive and old data expire in a data stream. An efficient and single-pass algorithm named HUSPStream is proposed to generate HUSPs from HUSP-Tree. When data arrive at or leave from a sliding window, HUSP-Stream incrementally updates HUSP-Tree online to find HUSPs based on previous mining results. HUSP-Stream uses a new utility estimation model to more effectively prune the search space. Experimental results on real and synthetic datasets show that our algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithms and serves as an efficient solution to the new problem of mining high utility sequential patterns over data streams.
Comparative study of lacosamide and classical sodium channel blocking antiepileptic drugs on sodium channel slow inactivation

Many antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) exert their therapeutic activity by modifying the inactivation properties of voltage‐gated sodium (Nav) channels. Lacosamide is unique among AEDs in that it selectively enhances the slow inactivation component. Although numerous studies have investigated the effects of AEDs on Nav channel inactivation, a direct comparison of results cannot be made because of varying experimental conditions. In this study, the effects of different AEDs on Nav channel steady‐state slow inactivation were investigated under identical experimental conditions using whole‐cell patch‐clamp in N1E‐115 mouse neuroblastoma cells. All drugs were tested at 100 μM, and results were compared with those from time‐matched control groups. Lacosamide significantly shifted the voltage dependence of Nav current (INa) slow inactivation toward more hyperpolarized potentials (by −33 ± 7 mV), whereas the maximal fraction of slow inactivated channels and the curve slope did not differ significantly. Neither SPM6953 (lacosamide inactive enantiomer), nor carbamazepine, nor zonisamide affected the voltage dependence of INa slow inactivation, the maximal fraction of slow inactivated channels, or the curve slope. Phenytoin significantly increased the maximal fraction of slow inactivated channels (by 28% ± 9%) in a voltage‐independent manner but did not affect the curve slope. Lamotrigine slightly increased the fraction of inactivated currents (by 15% ± 4%) and widened the range of the slow inactivation voltage dependence. Lamotrigine and rufinamide induced weak, but significant, shifts of INa slow inactivation toward more depolarized potentials. The effects of lacosamide on Nav channel slow inactivation corroborate previous observations that lacosamide has a unique mode of action among AEDs that act on Nav channels. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Note on An Encryption Scheme of Kurosawa and Desmedt

Recently, Kurosawa and Desmedt presented a new hybrid encryption scheme which is secure against adaptive chosen-ciphertext attack. Their scheme is a modification of the Cramer-Shoup encryption scheme. Its major advantage with respect to CramerShoup is that it saves the computation of one exponentiation and produces shorter ciphertexts. However, the proof presented by Kurosawa and Desmedt relies on the use of information-theoretic key derivation and message authentication functions. In this note we present a dierent proof of security which shows that the KurosawaDesmedt scheme can be instantiated with any computationally secure key derivation and message authentication functions, thus extending the applicability of their paradigm, and improving its eciency.
Articulating Challenges of Hybrid Crafting for the Case of Interactive Silversmith Practice

As interactive objects get embedded into different cultural contexts and take on more varied material forms, the relationship between interaction design and crafting practices in the physical domain is becoming increasingly interwoven. In this paper, we present an explorative project that involved intense collaborations between the areas of interaction design and silversmith practice. A main focus of the investigation concerned ways of surfacing conductive metals in interactive artefacts through the making of small, three-dimensional, and close-to-skin sensors. We reflect on insights made during this process, focusing on the challenges of combining the two knowledge areas on a level of materials, tools and techniques. In particular, we discuss qualities that silversmith crafting brings forth that can inform future directions of interaction design in terms of interaction gestalts, design values and hybrid crafting practices, more broadly.
Ras Signaling Inhibitors Attenuate Disease in Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis via Targeting Pathogenic Antigen-Specific Th17-Type Cells

The Ras family of GTPases plays an important role in signaling nodes downstream to T cell receptor and CD28 activation, potentially lowering the threshold for T-cell receptor activation by autoantigens. Somatic mutation in NRAS or KRAS may cause a rare autoimmune disorder coupled with abnormal expansion of lymphocytes. T cells from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients show excessive activation of Ras/MEK/ERK pathway. The small molecule farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTS) interferes with the interaction between Ras GTPases and their prenyl-binding chaperones to inhibit proper plasma membrane localization. In the present study, we tested the therapeutic and immunomodulatory effects of FTS and its derivative 5-fluoro-FTS (F-FTS) in the rat adjuvant-induced arthritis model (AIA). We show that AIA severity was significantly reduced by oral FTS and F-FTS treatment compared to vehicle control treatment. FTS was as effective as the mainstay anti-rheumatic drug methotrexate, and combining the two drugs significantly increased efficacy compared to each drug alone. We also discovered that FTS therapy inhibited both the CFA-driven in vivo induction of Th17 and IL-17/IFN-γ producing “double positive” as well as the upregulation of serum levels of the Th17-associated cytokines IL-17A and IL-22. By gene microarray analysis of effector CD4+ T cells from CFA-immunized rats, re-stimulated in vitro with the mycobacterium tuberculosis heat-shock protein 65 (Bhsp65), we determined that FTS abrogated the Bhsp65-induced transcription of a large list of genes (e.g., Il17a/f, Il22, Ifng, Csf2, Lta, and Il1a). The functional enrichment bioinformatics analysis showed significant overlap with predefined gene sets related to inflammation, immune system processes and autoimmunity. In conclusion, FTS and F-FTS display broad immunomodulatory effects in AIA with inhibition of the Th17-type response to a dominant arthritogenic antigen. Hence, targeting Ras signal-transduction cascade is a potential novel therapeutic approach for RA.
Prader–Willi syndrome resulting from an unbalanced translocation: characterization by array comparative genomic hybridization

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is caused by lack of expression of paternally inherited genes on chromosome 15q11→15q13. Most cases result from microdeletions in proximal chromosome 15q. The remainder results from maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 15, imprinting center defects, and rarely from balanced or unbalanced chromosome rearrangements involving chromosome 15. We report a patient with multiple congenital anomalies, including craniofacial dysmorphology, microcephaly, bilateral cryptorchidism, and developmental delay. Cytogenetic analysis showed a de novo 45,XY,der(5)t(5;15)(p15.2;q13), ‐15 karyotype. In effect, the proband had monosomies of 5p15.2→pter and 15pter→15q13. Methylation polymerase chain reaction analysis of the promoter region of the SNRPN gene showed only the maternal allele, consistent with the PWS phenotype. The proband's expanded phenotype was similar to other patients who have PWS as a result of unbalanced translocations and likely reflects the contribution of the associated monosomy. Array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) confirmed deletions of both distal 5p and proximal 15q and provided more accurate information as to the size of the deletions and the molecular breakpoints. This case illustrates the utility of array CGH in characterizing complex constitutional structural chromosome abnormalities at the molecular level.
Dynamic Virtual Textures

The real-time rendering of arbitrarily large textures is a problem that has long been studied in terrain visualization. For years, different approaches have been published that have either expensive hardware requirements or other severe limitations in quality, performance or versatility. The biggest problem is usually a strong coupling between geometry and texture, both regarding database structure, as well as LOD management. This paper presents a new approach to high resolution, real-time texturing of dynamic data that avoids the drawbacks of previous techniques and offers additional possibilities. The most important benefits are: out-of-core texture visualization from dynamic data, efficient per-fragment texture LOD computation, total independence from the geometry engine, high quality filtering and easiness of integration with user custom shaders and multitexturing. Because of its versatility and independence from geometry, the proposed technique can be easily and efficiently applied to any existing terrain geometry engine in a transparent way.
RT-MDD Framework – A Practical Approach

Traceability in software engineering has been handled mostly has a documentation activity. This paper describes a reactive approach to traceability using MDD as general orientation and QVT as a transformation language. A conceptual model is presented defining some of the key concepts of a reactive traceability framework. Also the semantics of these key concepts is explained. Some examples are given of the framework’s artefacts.
An exploratory study on non-visual mobile phone interfaces for games

Conventional games (computer, mobile, and console) rely heavily on visual information to convey the gameplay and to drive the interaction with the player. With the rapid evolution of graphics hardware and Computer Graphics, this becomes more pronounced. An undesirable consequence of this trend is that visually-impaired people get more excluded from the play. Mobile phones are pervasive nowadays, and can reach a potentially large user base, including the visually-impaired. However, in mobile gaming there seems to be only few alternatives to serve this community. This work presents an exploratory study on non-visual mobile phone interfaces for games. It is based on Semiotic Engineering principles, and emphasizes communication through aural, tactile and gestural signs. Results include a number of issues that can be incorporated to a wider research agenda about mobile gaming accessibility.
A BASILar Approach for Building Web APIs on Top of SPARQL Endpoints

The heterogeneity of methods and technologies to publish open data is still an issue to develop distributed systems on the Web. On the one hand, Web APIs, the most popular approach to offer data services, implement REST principles, which focus on addressing loose coupling and interoperability issues. On the other hand, Linked Data, available through SPARQL endpoints, focus on data integration between distributed data sources. The paper proposes BASIL, an approach to build Web APIs on top of SPARQL endpoints, in order to benefit of the advantages from both Web APIs and Linked Data approaches. Compared to similar solution, BASIL aims on minimising the learning curve for users to promote its adoption. The main feature of BASIL is a simple API that does not introduce new specifications, formalisms and technologies for users that belong to both Web APIs and Linked Data communities.
Immunity to Eimeria brunetti and Eimeria maxima infections in the fowl

Fowls were completely resistant to a third inoculation with E. maxima oocysts given after two graded and spaced infections. Resistance was complete to a fourth inoculation of E. brunetti oocysts after a series of three infections. Birds made resistant to E. maxima and then inoculated with E. brunetti showed very little evidence of this infection when the intestines were examined on the sixth day and they passed very few oocysts in the faeces. The resistance of E. brunetti-immunized chickens to E. maxima infection was not quite so strong. The results indicate that, under the conditions of the experiment, infection with either of these species will protect in some degree against subsequent infection with the other. These results suggest that the species specificity of acquired resistance is not so complete as previously reported. I am indebted to my colleague, Mr P. L. Long, for his interest throughout the experiment and, in particular, for assistance with the examination of the intestines. The excellent technical assistance of other members of the Parasitology Department is also gratefully acknowledged. Mr Paul Rogers took the photographs.
SUCCESSFUL PREEMPTIVE CIDOFOVIR TREATMENT FOR CMV ANTIGENEMIA AFTER DOSE-REDUCED CONDITIONING AND ALLOGENEIC BLOOD STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION

Background. Cidofovir (CDV) is a nucleotide analogue with proven in vitro effects against cytomegalovirus (CMV) and adenovirus and has been successfully used in the treatment of CMV retinitis in AIDS patients. Methods. We performed a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy of CDV in 17 patients with hematological malignancies after allogeneic blood stem cell transplantation from related (n=3) and unrelated (n=14) donors. Dose-reduced conditioning (DRC) regimen consisted of busulfan (Bu)/fludarabine (Flu) (n=9) and idarubicin/cytosine arabinoside/Flu (n=1). Myeloablative conditioning (MC) was performed with Bu/cyclophosphamide (Cy)/etoposide (Eto) (n=4), Bu/Cy (n=2), and total body irradiation (TBI)/Cy/Eto (n=1). Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) was used in seven patients with DRC and in six patients with MC. In all patients, either the donor, host, or both were CMV IgG positive pretransplant. Indication for therapy was preemptive treatment of primary CMV antigenemia defined as two consecutive positive tests of pp65 antigenemia assay after transplant. In case of response with a decreasing number of pp65-positive leukocytes, CDV was scheduled in a dosage of 5 mg/kg body weight once a week for 2 weeks followed by maintenance therapy every 2 weeks in an outpatient setting. All patients received probenecid and prehydration as recommended. Patients were monitored using an immunostaining assay for pp65 antigen and a qualitative and quantitative CMV polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Success of treatment was defined as negativity for the pp65 antigen. Results. After DRC, nine of ten patients (90%) showed a response with seven of nine revealing a complete clearance of the virus (pp65 negative, qualitative PCR negative). In the remaining two responders, treatment was changed to ganciclovir because of either renal impairment or slow clearance of antigenemia. Only one of seven patients in the MC group experienced a temporary clearance of pp65 antigen. After MC, two patients experienced CMV disease. Treatment-related toxicity rate was moderate with four patients developing reversible renal impairment (creatinine 133–180 &mgr;mol/L); one patient with proteinuria and three patients with complaints of nausea and vomiting. Conclusion. Our data suggest the feasibility of CDV administration in patients after allogeneic transplantation. In the recommended dose, it might be used successfully for low-risk patients, e.g., after DRC or organ transplantation, in an outpatient setting.
Use of a genetically engineered mouse model as a preclinical tool for HER2 breast cancer

ABSTRACT Resistance to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeted therapies presents a major clinical problem. Although preclinical studies have identified a number of possible mechanisms, clinical validation has been difficult. This is most likely to reflect the reliance on cell-line models that do not recapitulate the complexity and heterogeneity seen in human tumours. Here, we show the utility of a genetically engineered mouse model of HER2-driven breast cancer (MMTV-NIC) to define mechanisms of resistance to the pan-HER family inhibitor AZD8931. Genetic manipulation of MMTV-NIC mice demonstrated that loss of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) conferred de novo resistance to AZD8931, and a tumour fragment transplantation model was established to assess mechanisms of acquired resistance. Using this approach, 50% of tumours developed resistance to AZD8931. Analysis of the resistant tumours showed two distinct patterns of resistance: tumours in which reduced membranous HER2 expression was associated with an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and resistant tumours that retained HER2 expression and an epithelial morphology. The plasticity of the EMT phenotype was demonstrated upon re-implantation of resistant tumours that then showed a mixed epithelial and mesenchymal phenotype. Further AZD8931 treatment resulted in the generation of secondary resistant tumours that again had either undergone EMT or retained their original epithelial morphology. The data provide a strong rationale for basing therapeutic decisions on the biology of the individual resistant tumour, which can be very different from that of the primary tumour and will be specific to individual patients. Editors' choice: This study demonstrates the utility of a transgenic mouse model of breast cancer to define mechanisms of resistance to a pan-HER family inhibitor and identifies a link with EMT.
Evaluation of a Second-Tier Classroom-Based Assignment Completion Strategy for Middle School Students in a Resource Context

Students who struggle academically often struggle with assignment completion. Poor assignment completion is attributable to both student cognitive and motivational barriers. This study evaluates the effectiveness of an intervention designed to improve assignment completion for middle school students who struggle academically. Seventh graders with diverse educational and behavioral profiles in a resource room context learned to use an organization system to facilitate assignment management while in the resource classroom. The intervention was applied at the classroom level to address implementation barriers encountered while piloting the system with individual students. Using a single-subject design methodology, we demonstrated a functional relation between the intervention and assignment completion skills for two of three participants. Classroom-wide application facilitated implementation and positive effects were maintained 1 month postintervention. Additional implementation and intervention implications are discussed.