Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Probabilistic Map Matching of Sparse and Noisy Smartphone Location Data

There is an immense amount of location data being collected today from smartphone users by various service providers. Due to bandwidth and battery-life considerations, smartphone locations are generally sampled at sparse intervals using energy-efficient, but inaccurate, alternatives to the power-hungry Global Positioning System (GPS). If sparse sequences of coarse location data obtained from mobile users can be accurately map-matched to travel paths on the road network, then this data can be effectively used for several traffic-related applications. Unlike most other map-matching methods in the literature, we, in this paper, focus on the problem of map-matching sparse and noisy non-GPS smartphone location data. We adopt the widely-followed Hidden Markov Model (HMM) approach and propose new probabilistic models for the observation and transition probabilities tailored towards the type of data being considered. Our map-matching method has been evaluated using ground-truth labelled non-GPS location data collected from real drives. Tests show that the accuracy of the proposed method is about 12% more than that of a comparable HMM-based method from the literature. Our results also show that the runtime and latency of the proposed method can be kept within reasonable bounds using simple techniques.
The Open University ’ s repository of research publications and other research outputs A connectionist account of Spanish determiner production

Evidence from experimental studies of Spanish children’s production of determiners reveals that they pay more attention to phonological cues present in nouns than to natural semantics when assigning gender to determiners (Pérez-Pereira, 1991). This experimental work also demonstrated that Spanish children are more likely to produce the correct determiner when given a noun with phonological cues which suggest it is masculine, and more likely to assign masculine gender to nouns with ambiguous cues. In this paper, we investigate the phonological cues available to children and seek to explore the possibility that differential frequency in the linguistic input explains the priority given to masculine forms when children are faced with ambiguous novel items. A connectionist model of determiner production was incrementally trained on a lexicon of determiner–noun phrases taken from parental speech in [*] Andrew Nix was funded by a University of Hertfordshire Research Studentship. The work was also aided by a British Council travel grant as part of the British/Spanish Joint Research Programme (Acciones Integradas) 1995/96. The ordering of the second to fourth authors is completely arbitrary and not indicative of amount of input involved in the preparation of this manuscript. Address for correspondence : Professor David Messer, Division of Psychology, South Bank University, Southwark Campus, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA, UK. e-mail : messerdj@sbu.ac. uk J. Child Lang. 30 (2003), 305–331. f 2003 Cambridge University Press DOI: 10.1017/S0305000903005622 Printed in the United Kingdom
Role of prefrontal cortex and the midbrain dopamine system in working memory updating

Humans are adept at switching between goal-directed behaviors quickly and effectively. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is thought to play a critical role by encoding, updating, and maintaining internal representations of task context in working memory. It has also been hypothesized that the encoding of context representations in PFC is regulated by phasic dopamine gating signals. Here we use multimodal methods to test these hypotheses. First we used functional MRI (fMRI) to identify regions of PFC associated with the representation of context in a working memory task. Next we used single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), guided spatially by our fMRI findings and temporally by previous event-related EEG recordings, to disrupt context encoding while participants performed the same working memory task. We found that TMS pulses to the right dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) immediately after context presentation, and well in advance of the response, adversely impacted context-dependent relative to context-independent responses. This finding causally implicates right DLPFC function in context encoding. Finally, using the same paradigm, we conducted high-resolution fMRI measurements in brainstem dopaminergic nuclei (ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra) and found phasic responses after presentation of context stimuli relative to other stimuli, consistent with the timing of a gating signal that regulates the encoding of representations in PFC. Furthermore, these responses were positively correlated with behavior, as well as with responses in the same region of right DLPFC targeted in the TMS experiment, lending support to the hypothesis that dopamine phasic signals regulate encoding, and thereby the updating, of context representations in PFC.
Multi-level decision trees for static and dynamic pronunciation models

We have been focusing on improving pronunciation models for automatic transcription of television and radio news reports by modeling phone, syllable, and word pronunciation distributions with decision trees. These models were employed in two separate sets of experiments. First, decision trees facilitated selection of word pronunciations derived automatically from data for use in a standard speech recognizer dictionary. We have seen a small but significant improvement with these automatically constructed dictionaries in our one-pass decoding system. In a second set of experiments, we allowed decision tree models to determine the probability of word pronunciations dynamically, dependent on the linguistic context of the word during recognition. Dynamic models provided an additional insignificant decrease in error, but improvements were focused within the spontaneous speech portion of the test set.
Avaliação Neuropsicológica com Adultos Idosos: especificidades

Este artigo centra-se na revisao de literatura cientifica sobre praticas clinicas da avaliacao neuropsicologica com adultos idosos. Pesquisou-se bancos online de artigos cientificos e examinou-se listas de referencias de artigos publicados nos ultimos 10 anos para identificar trabalhos relevantes para a presente revisao. Melhorar a qualidade dos servicos de avaliacao neuropsicologica, inclui a melhoria dos resultados em relacao a clareza de diagnostico, recomendacoes de tratamento e adesao as terapeuticas, bem como a satisfacao de pacientes e entidades encaminhadoras. Como processo complexo, a avaliacao neuropsicologica comeca antes de o paciente entrar no consultorio. Engloba um processo de preparacao teorica, a validade dos testes especificos, dados normativos disponiveis e o estabelecimento de uma relacao empatica, entre outros factores cruciais. Os resultados de varias investigacoes sobre os factores que influenciam o desempenho cognitivo na adultez avancada sao equacionados de forma a melhorar os cuidados prestados na avaliacao neuropsicologica pelos clinicos. Palavras-chave : envelhecimento cognitivo; avaliacao neuropsicologica, adultos idosos; variaveis confundentes; praticas profissionais.
Specific Alterations of Extracellular Endocannabinoid Levels in the Nucleus Accumbens by Ethanol, Heroin, and Cocaine Self-Administration

Ethanol and opiate self-administration are sensitive to manipulations of cannabinoid CB1 receptor function and, from this, a role for the endogenous cannabinoid system in the modulation of drug reward has been hypothesized. However, direct in vivo evidence of drug-induced alterations in brain endocannabinoid (eCB) formation has been lacking. To address this issue, we explored the effect of drug self-administration on interstitial eCB levels in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell using in vivo microdialysis. Ethanol, heroin, and cocaine were compared because the rewarding properties of ethanol and heroin are reduced by CB1 receptor inactivation, whereas cocaine reward is less sensitive to these manipulations. Ethanol self-administration significantly increased dialysate 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) levels with no concomitant change in dialysate anandamide (AEA) concentrations. Conversely, heroin self-administration significantly increased dialysate AEA levels, and induced a subtle but significant decrease in dialysate 2-AG levels. In each case, the relative change in dialysate eCB content was significantly correlated with the amount of drug consumed. In contrast, cocaine self-administration did not alter dialysate levels of either AEA or 2-AG. Local infusion of the CB1 antagonist SR 141716A into the NAc significantly reduced ethanol, but not cocaine, self-administration. Together with our previous observation that intra-NAc SR 141716A reduces heroin self-administration, these data provide novel in vivo support for an eCB involvement in the motivational properties of ethanol and heroin but not cocaine. Furthermore, the selective effects of ethanol and heroin on interstitial 2-AG and AEA provide new insight into the distinct neurochemical profiles produced by these two abused substances.
Analysis of the Interleaved Isolated Boost Converter With Coupled Inductors

This paper analyzes the interleaved boost with coupled inductors (IBCI) converter, which is an isolated topology that is suitable for high step-up applications. Two main contributions are given: an exhaustive steady-state analysis and an accurate small-signal model. The former allows for deriving a closed-form noniterative design procedure for the power-stage active and passive components. In addition, it reveals an interesting equivalence with an apparently different converter, i.e., the single active bridge. Subsequently, the IBCI converter dynamic behavior is investigated, deriving a nonlinear average model that, under small-signal approximation, can be linearized around a given operating point and used for feedback controller design. A single photovoltaic module interface converter, rated for 300-W output power, is considered as a case study to validate the analysis outcome and the design procedure. Both are fully validated by measurements taken on the laboratory prototype.
Simultaneous Analysis of All SNPs in Genome-Wide and Re-Sequencing Association Studies

Testing one SNP at a time does not fully realise the potential of genome-wide association studies to identify multiple causal variants, which is a plausible scenario for many complex diseases. We show that simultaneous analysis of the entire set of SNPs from a genome-wide study to identify the subset that best predicts disease outcome is now feasible, thanks to developments in stochastic search methods. We used a Bayesian-inspired penalised maximum likelihood approach in which every SNP can be considered for additive, dominant, and recessive contributions to disease risk. Posterior mode estimates were obtained for regression coefficients that were each assigned a prior with a sharp mode at zero. A non-zero coefficient estimate was interpreted as corresponding to a significant SNP. We investigated two prior distributions and show that the normal-exponential-gamma prior leads to improved SNP selection in comparison with single-SNP tests. We also derived an explicit approximation for type-I error that avoids the need to use permutation procedures. As well as genome-wide analyses, our method is well-suited to fine mapping with very dense SNP sets obtained from re-sequencing and/or imputation. It can accommodate quantitative as well as case-control phenotypes, covariate adjustment, and can be extended to search for interactions. Here, we demonstrate the power and empirical type-I error of our approach using simulated case-control data sets of up to 500 K SNPs, a real genome-wide data set of 300 K SNPs, and a sequence-based dataset, each of which can be analysed in a few hours on a desktop workstation.
The theory theory.

This is a book about domain-specific cognition – the proposal that at least some human conceptual abilities are specialized for some types of contents and not for others. In this chapter we address the development of a single domain: everyday understanding of the mind. We suggest that this development is best understood as the formulation of a succession of naive theories. Moreover, this “theory theory” can help to characterize cognitive domains more generally and to explain domain-specific development. Our chapter, therefore, joins company with a number of recent discussions drawing parallels between theory change in science and cognitive development (Carey, 1985, 1988; Gopnik, 1984, 1988; Karmiloff-Smith & Inhelder, 1974; Keil, 1987; Wellman, 1985, 1990). Theory of mind In the past five years there has been an explosion of interest in children's early understanding of the mind (Butterworth, Harris, Leslie & Wellman, 1991; Astington, Harris, & Olson, 1988; Frye & Moore, 1991; Whiten, 1991). The research tackling this question has come to be called “children's theory of mind. ” This title reflects a leading explanatory position among investigators in this area. According to this position, our everyday conception of the mind is an implicit naive theory; children's early conceptions of the mind are also implicit theories, and changes in those conceptions are theory changes. We refer to this explanatory position as the “theory theory. ” If the theory theory has any content, it should be falsifiable. It should lead to empirical predictions about the course of development, and these predictions should be different from those of alternative accounts.
A quantitative genotype algorithm reflecting H5N1 Avian influenza niches

MOTIVATION Computational genotyping analyses are critical for characterizing molecular evolutionary footprints, thus providing important information for designing the strategies of influenza prevention and control. Most of the current methods that are available are based on multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree construction, which are time consuming and limited by the number of taxa. Arbitrarily defining genotypes further complicates the interpretation of genotyping results. METHODS In this study, we describe a quantitative influenza genotyping algorithm based on the theory of quasispecies. First, the complete composition vector (CCV) was utilized to calculate the pairwise evolutionary distance between genotypes. Next, Hierarchical Bayesian Modeling using the Gibbs Sampling algorithm was applied to identify the segment genotype threshold, which is used to identify influenza segment genotype through a modularity calculation. The viral genotype was defined by combining eight segment genotypes based on the genetic reassortment feature of influenza A viruses. RESULTS We applied this method for H5N1 avian influenza viruses and identified 107 niches among 283 viruses with a complete genome set. The diversity of viral genotypes, and their correlation with geographic locations suggests that these viruses form local niches after being introduced to a new ecological environment through poultry trade or bird migration. This novel method allows us to define genotypes in a robust, quantitative as well as hierarchical manner. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Children with dyslexia : spelling as a constraint on writing development

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Evaluation of the bilio-pancreatic region using endoscopic ultrasonography in patients referred with and without abdominal pain and CA 19-9 serum level elevation.

CONTEXT When assessing the bilio-pancreatic region, collating the findings of serum CA 19-9 values together with findings from various imaging tests--especially endoscopic ultrasonography--is not a simple issue in daily clinical practice. AIM To assess the usefulness of endoscopic ultrasonography in an Endoscopic Ultrasonography Unit in two situations: patients with asymptomatic elevation of serum CA 19-9 and patients who presented with abdominal pain plus elevation of CA 19-9. METHODS A retrospective study of those patients who underwent radial endoscopic ultrasonography between October 2004 and September 2005 in our institution, considering an elevation of CA 19-9 (equal to or greater than 37 U/mL) with or without symptoms. In each case, the parameters recorded were: levels of CA 19-9 one week before EUS, results from other imaging techniques (US, helical CT), and final diagnosis according to pathological and/or clinical evolution criteria. Patients with previous attacks of acute pancreatitis and also those who presented with bile duct dilation or space-occupying lesions in image studies (US and CT) were excluded. Twenty-two patients met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS Asymptomatic elevation of CA 19-9 was found in 15 patients while 7 patients had elevated CA 19-9 levels as well as pain of uncertain origin. The results of EUS in the asymptomatic patients were: chronic pancreatitis in 7 patients, no pancreatic alterations in 3 patients, and renal cysts, choledocholithiasis, microlithiasis and liver cirrhosis in one patient, respectively. In patients with abdominal pain, EUS showed chronic pancreatitis in 6 cases and adenocarcinoma of the tail of the pancreas in the remaining patient. CONCLUSIONS When EUS was indicated for the asymptomatic elevation of CA 19-9, the main findings were benign diseases. EUS was useful in studying patients with idiopathic abdominal pain and a slight elevation of CA 19-9 since it allowed us to detect chronic pancreatitis and even early adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic tail.
Macroeconomic Conditions , Firm Characteristics , and Credit Spreads Dragon

We study a structural model that allows us to examine how credit spreads are affected by the interaction betweeen macroeconomic conditions and firm characteristics. Unlike most other structural models, our model explicitly incorporates equilibrium macroeconomic dynamics and models a firm’s cash flow as primitive processes. Corporate securities are priced as contingent claims written on cash flows. Default occurs when the firm’s cash flow cannot cover the interest payments and the recovery rate is dependent on the economic condition at default. Our model produces the folloBarLinewing predictions: (i) credit spread is mostly negatively correlated with interest rate; (ii) credit spread yield curves are upward sloping for low-grade bonds; (iii) firm characteristics have significant effects on credit spreads and these effects also vary with economic conditions. These predictions are consistent with the available empirical evidence and generate implications for further empirical investigation.
Defending against low-rate TCP attacks: dynamic detection and protection

We consider a distributed approach to detect and to defend against the low-rate TCP attack (A. Kuzmanovic et al., August 2003). The low-rate TCP attack is essentially a periodic short burst which exploits the homogeneity of the minimum retransmission timeout (RTO) of TCP flows and forces all affected TCP flows to back off and enter the retransmission timeout state. This sort of attack is difficult to identify due to a large family of attack patterns. We propose a distributed detection mechanism which uses the dynamic time warping method to robustly and accurately identify the existence of this sort of attack. Once the attack is detected, a fair resource allocation mechanism is used so that (1) the number of affected TCP flows is minimized, and (2) we provide sufficient resource protection for the affected TCP flows. We report experimental results to quantify the robustness and accuracy of the proposed detection mechanism and the efficiency of the defense method.
Recognition and Rehabilitation of the Female Athlete Triad/Tetrad: A Multidisciplinary Approach

While the benefits of physical activity are numerous, the female athlete triad poses a significant health risk to young athletes. Emerging research links the triad to endothelial dysfunction — a sentinel event in cardiovascular disease — suggesting that this complex interplay of metabolic and endocrine factors may be described more accurately as a tetrad. Effective treatment of the triad/tetrad requires a multidisciplinary approach. Emphasis must be placed on prevention, recognition, and treatment of triad for the promotion of healthy nutritional and activity profiles in female athletes across their lifespans.
Entrepreneurial Strategising : The Tacit Mode

Research on entrepreneurialism and strategic thinking has taken a cognitive and constructivist turn in recent years. Such a turn is to be welcomed. However, what remains relatively unexplored, even within this 'softer' approach to entrepreneurial strategising, is a sustained focus on the underlying perceptual mechanisms shaping the processes of cognition and sensemaking. This paper seeks to extend the perceptual approach to entrepreneurial strategising by focussing on the tacit aspects of subsidiary awareness, unconscious scanning and the gestalt processes that constitute the micro-activity of sense-making and sense-giving. Although this cognitive structure is common to all of us, genuinely entrepreneurial sense-making and sensegiving are historic and creative acts of cultural innovation that open up new disclosive spaces in which the very basis for our ways of living, our lifestyles and our entire cultural outlook are often radically challenged and revised. Drawing from a combination of insights developed on perceptual awareness, 'depth' psychology and the study of artistic vision, we attempt to show that cognition and sense-making are very much unconscious acts of decision-making involving the selective abstraction of significant figure from insignificant ground. It is this unconscious structuring of our lived experiences that remains relatively unexamined and less understood within the literature on entrepreneurialism. We maintain in this paper that without a sound appreciation of this tacit dimension in the cognitive process, it is not possible to fully comprehend how entrepreneurial actors produce coherent strategic scenarios out of a cacophony of competing sense-stimuli.
Glycoprotein folding and quality-control mechanisms in protein-folding diseases

Biosynthesis of proteins – from translation to folding to export – encompasses a complex set of events that are exquisitely regulated and scrutinized to ensure the functional quality of the end products. Cells have evolved to capitalize on multiple post-translational modifications in addition to primary structure to indicate the folding status of nascent polypeptides to the chaperones and other proteins that assist in their folding and export. These modifications can also, in the case of irreversibly misfolded candidates, signal the need for dislocation and degradation. The current Review focuses on the glycoprotein quality-control (GQC) system that utilizes protein N-glycosylation and N-glycan trimming to direct nascent glycopolypeptides through the folding, export and dislocation pathways in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). A diverse set of pathological conditions rooted in defective as well as over-vigilant ER quality-control systems have been identified, underlining its importance in human health and disease. We describe the GQC pathways and highlight disease and animal models that have been instrumental in clarifying our current understanding of these processes.