Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knowledge-based Dialog State Tracking

This paper presents two discriminative knowledge-based dialog state trackers and their results on the Dialog State Tracking Challenge (DSTC) 2 and 3 datasets. The first tracker was submitted to the DSTC3 competition and scored second in the joint accuracy. The second tracker developed after the DSTC3 submission deadline gives even better results on the DSTC2 and DSTC3 datasets. It performs on par with the state of the art machine learning-based trackers while offering better interpretability. We summarize recent directions in the dialog state tracking (DST) and also discuss possible decomposition of the DST problem. Based on the results of DSTC2 and DSTC3 we analyze suitability of different techniques for each of the DST subproblems. Results of the trackers highlight the importance of Spoken Language Understanding (SLU) for the last two DSTCs.
Basic Science for the Clinical Electrophysiologist Cardiac Metabolism and Arrhythmias

Sudden cardiac death remains a leading cause of death in the Western world, accounting for up to 20% of all deaths in the United States1,2 The major causes of sudden cardiac death in adults age 35 and older are coronary artery disease (70% to 80%) and dilated cardiomyopathy (10% to 15%). 3 At the molecular level, a wide variety of mechanisms contribute to arrhythmias that cause sudden cardiac death, ranging from genetic predisposition (rare mutations and common polymorphisms in ion channels and structural proteins) to acquired electrophysiological and structural remodeling in left ventricular hypertrophy and failure.4,5 A growing body of evidence suggests that altered ion channel function is closely linked to changes in metabolic activity in a wide variety of pathological conditions. In this review we focus on the mechanisms by which altered metabolic function affects cardiac electrophysiology. We will review the specific molecular targets that allow cardiomyocytes to recognize alterations in their metabolic state and translate this information into changes in membrane excitability in various pathophysiological conditions including ischemia-reperfusion, heart failure (HF), left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and atrial fibrillation (AF). A comprehensive understanding of the interrelated processes of metabolic and electric remodeling promises to identify new molecular targets for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.
IS SGR 0418+5729 INDEED A WANING MAGNETAR?

SGR 0418+5729 is a transient soft gamma-ray repeater which underwent a major outburst in 2009 June, during which the emission of short bursts was observed. Its properties appeared quite typical of other sources of the same class until long-term X-ray monitoring failed to detect any period derivative. The present upper limit on implies that the surface dipole field is Bp ≲ 7.5 × 1012 G, well below those measured in other soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) and in the Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs), a group of similar sources. Both SGRs and AXPs are currently believed to be powered by ultra-magnetized neutron stars (magnetars, Bp ≈ 1014–1015 G). SGR 0418+5729 hardly seems to fit in such a picture. We show that the magneto-rotational properties of SGR 0418+5729 can be reproduced if this is an aged magnetar, ≈1 Myr old, which experienced substantial field decay. The large initial toroidal component of the internal field required to match the observed properties of SGR 0418+5729 ensures that crustal fractures, and hence bursting activity, can still occur at the present time. The thermal spectrum observed during the outburst decay is compatible with the predictions of a resonant Compton scattering model (as in other SGRs/AXPs) if the field is low and the magnetospheric twist is moderate.
A tractable combinatorial market maker using constraint generation

We present a new automated market maker for providing liquidity across multiple logically interrelated securities. Our approach lies somewhere between the industry standard---treating related securities as independent and thus not transmitting any information from one security to another---and a full combinatorial market maker for which pricing is computationally intractable. Our market maker, based on convex optimization and constraint generation, is tractable like independent securities yet propagates some information among related securities like a combinatorial market maker, resulting in more complete information aggregation. We prove several favorable properties of our scheme and evaluate its information aggregation performance on survey data involving hundreds of thousands of complex predictions about the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
Essential Oils from the Leaves of Three New Zealand Species of Pseudopanax (Araliaceae)

Essential oils from three of the eleven endemic New Zealand species of Pseudopanax, P. arboreus, P. discolor and P. lessonii, were found to have a fairly uniform composition which was different from that of the oils of Raukaua species that were formerly classified in the Pseudopanax genus. Oils of the three Pseudopanax species all contained significant proportions of viridiflorol and a closely related unidentified hydroazulene alcohol in common. In addition, the oil of P. arboreus contained bicyclogermacrene, linalool and long chain hydrocarbons. The oil of P. discolor contained nerolidol in abundance (36.3%) together with linalool and epi-α-muurolol. The oil of P. lessonii contained a complex mixture of sesquiterpene alcohols including epi-α-muurolol and a mixture of long chain hydrocarbons. Nerolidol and linalool provided the oil of P. discolor with a pleasant floral aroma, but the yield of oil was very low (0.01%).
Phase II study of neoadjuvant pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide ± trastuzumab followed by docetaxel in locally advanced breast cancer

Wick W , Puduvalli VK , Chamberlain MC , van den Bent MJ , [14] Carpentier AF , Cher LM , et al . Phase III study of enzastaurin compared with lomustine in the treatment of recurrent intracranial glioblastoma . Expert Rev Anticancer Ther 2010 ; 28 : 1168 – 74 . Batchelor TT , Mulholland P , Neyns B , Nabors LB , [15] Campone M , Wick A , et al . Phase III randomized trial comparing the effi cacy of cediranib as monotherapy, and in combination with lomustine, versus lomustine alone in patients with recurrent glioblastoma . J Clin Oncol 2013 ; 31 : 3212 – 8 . Thompson EM , Frenkel EP , Neuwelt EA . The paradoxical [16] effect of bevacizumab in the therapy of malignant gliomas . Neurology 2011 ; 76 : 87 – 93 . Verhoeff JJ , van Tellingen O , Claes A , Stalpers LJ , [17] van Linde ME , Richel DJ , et al . Concerns about antiangiogenic treatment in patients with glioblastoma multiforme . BMC Cancer 2009 ; 9 : 444 . Claes A , Wesseling P , Jeuken J , Maass C , Heerschap A , [18] Leenders WP . Antiangiogenic compounds interfere with chemotherapy of brain tumors due to vessel normalization . Mol Cancer Therapeut 2008 ; 7 : 71 – 8 . Van der Veldt AA , Lubberink M , Bahce I , Walraven M , de [19] Boer MP , Greuter HN , et al . Rapid decrease in delivery of chemotherapy to tumors after anti-VEGF therapy: Implications for scheduling of anti-angiogenic drugs . Cancer Cell 2012 ; 21 : 82 – 91 . Reardon DA , Herndon JE , 2nd , Peters KB , Desjardins A , [20] Coan A , Lou E , et al . Bevacizumab continuation beyond initial bevacizumab progression among recurrent glioblastoma patients . Br J Cancer 2012 ; 107 : 1481 – 7 . Reardon DA , Herndon JE , 2nd , Peters K , Desjardins A , [21] Coan A , Lou E , et al . Outcome after bevacizumab clinical trial therapy among recurrent grade III malignant glioma patients . J Neurooncol 2012 ; 107 : 213 – 21 . Wiestler B , Radbruch A , Osswald M , Combs SE , Jungk C , [22] Winkler F , et al . Towards optimizing the sequence of bevacizumab and nitrosoureas in recurrent malignant glioma . J Neurooncol 2014 ; 117 : 85 – 92 .
Rare Causes of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Genetic and Clinical Characterization of a Large Nationwide Cohort

Context: Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is a life-threatening condition that is often due to monogenic causes in children. Although congenital adrenal hyperplasia occurs commonly, several other important molecular causes have been reported, often with overlapping clinical and biochemical features. The relative prevalence of these conditions is not known, but making a specific diagnosis can have important implications for management. Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the clinical and molecular genetic characteristics of a nationwide cohort of children with PAI of unknown etiology. Design: A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate clinical, biochemical, and imaging data. Genetic analysis was performed using Haloplex capture and next-generation sequencing. Patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, adrenoleukodystrophy, autoimmune adrenal insufficiency, or obvious syndromic PAI were excluded. Setting: The study was conducted in 19 tertiary pediatric endocrinology clinics. Patients: Ninety-five children (48 females, aged 0–18 y, eight familial) with PAI of unknown etiology participated in the study. Results: A genetic diagnosis was obtained in 77 patients (81%). The range of etiologies was as follows: MC2R (n = 25), NR0B1 (n = 12), STAR (n = 11), CYP11A1 (n = 9), MRAP (n = 9), NNT (n = 7), ABCD1 (n = 2), NR5A1 (n = 1), and AAAS (n = 1). Recurrent mutations occurred in several genes, such as c.560delT in MC2R, p.R451W in CYP11A1, and c.IVS3ds+1delG in MRAP. Several important clinical and molecular insights emerged. Conclusion: This is the largest nationwide study of the molecular genetics of childhood PAI undertaken. Achieving a molecular diagnosis in more than 80% of children has important translational impact for counseling families, presymptomatic diagnosis, personalized treatment (eg, mineralocorticoid replacement), predicting comorbidities (eg, neurological, puberty/fertility), and targeting clinical genetic testing in the future.
"...But what do the top-rated schools do?": a survey of introductory computer science curricula

A Survey of Introductory Computer Science Curricula Jeffrey Forbes Duke University forbes@cs.duke. edu Daniel D. Garcia University of California, Berkeley ddgarcia@cs.berkeley. edu SUMMARY Our field continues to be blessed (and plagued) with continual curriculum change, from languages to techniques (objects first) to perspectives (“sage on the stage” vs. “guide on the side”). Particular emphasis has been spent crafting and re-crafting our introductory curricula [1]. This makes sense, since that not only defines the foundation upon which our upper-division courses are based, but is exactly where we attract (or lose) our best students who had not considered majoring in computer science. With enrollments declining, retaining our fence-sitting prospective majors takes on that much more importance.
Effects of word recognition errors in spoken query processing

The effects of word recognition errors (WRE) in spoken document retrieval have been well studied and well reported in recent information retrieval (IR) literature. Much less experimental work has been devoted to studying the effects of WRE in spoken query processing in IR. It is easy to hypothesize that given the typical length of the user query, the effects of WRE in spoken queries on the performance of IR systems must be destructive. The experimental work reported tests this. The paper reports on the background of the study, on the construction of a suitable test collection, on the first experimental results obtained and on the limitations of the study. The results show that classical IR techniques are quite robust to considerably high levels of WRE rates in spoken queries (roughly below 40%), in particular for long queries.
Nanometric depth resolution from multi-focal images in microscopy

We describe a method for tracking the position of small features in three dimensions from images recorded on a standard microscope with an inexpensive attachment between the microscope and the camera. The depth-measurement accuracy of this method is tested experimentally on a wide-field, inverted microscope and is shown to give approximately 8 nm depth resolution, over a specimen depth of approximately 6 µm, when using a 12-bit charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and very bright but unresolved particles. To assess low-flux limitations a theoretical model is used to derive an analytical expression for the minimum variance bound. The approximations used in the analytical treatment are tested using numerical simulations. It is concluded that approximately 14 nm depth resolution is achievable with flux levels available when tracking fluorescent sources in three dimensions in live-cell biology and that the method is suitable for three-dimensional photo-activated localization microscopy resolution. Sub-nanometre resolution could be achieved with photon-counting techniques at high flux levels.
Structure and function of learning flights in bees and wasps

Bees and wasps perform systematic flight manoevres when they leave their nest or a foodplace, during which they acquire or update their visual memory of the goal location. In a typical learning flight, the insect backs away from the goal in a series of arcs that are roughly centred on the goal. The mean rate of turning is rather constant and tends to balance the angular speed at which the arc is described. As a result, the insect views the goal at relatively fixed retinal positions in its left and right visual field, depending on flight direction. The general direction in which the insect backs away from the goal and the transition from one arc segment to the next are influenced by the local scene and by compass cues. Insects returning to the goal repeat some of the flight manoeuvres of their preceding learning flights. Their orientation in space and the retinal positions at which they view nearby landmarks are similar. One important function of learning flights appears to be the acquisition of visual depth information. We review the consequences of the structure of learning flights for visual information processing and discuss how they may relate to the acquisition of a visual representation and the task of pinpointing the goal. (Less)
Minimum Codegree Threshold for C 6 3-Factors in 3-Uniform Hypergraphs

Let C 6 3 be the 3-uniform hypergraph on {1, . , 6} with edges 123,345,561, which can be seen as the analogue of the triangle in 3-uniform hypergraphs. For sufficiently large n divisible by 6, we show that every n-vertex 3-uniform hypergraph H with minimum codegree at least n/3 contains a C 6 3-factor, that is, a spanning subhypergraph consisting of vertex-disjoint copies of C 6 3. The minimum codegree condition is best possible. This improves the asymptotic result obtained by Mycroft and answers a question of Rödl and Ruciński exactly.
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE Risk factors of readmission to hospital for a COPD exacerbation: a prospective study

Background: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are a leading cause of admission to hospital among men in many countries, although the factors causing exacerbations are largely unknown. The association between readmission for a COPD exacerbation and a wide range of modifiable potential risk factors, after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors, has been assessed. Methods: Three hundred and forty patients with COPD recruited during an admission for an exacerbation in four tertiary hospitals in the Barcelona area of Spain were followed for a mean period of 1.1 years. Information on potential risk factors, including clinical and functional status, medical care and prescriptions, medication adherence, lifestyle, health status, and social support, was collected at the recruitment admission. A Cox’s proportional hazards model was used to obtain independent relative risks of readmission for COPD. Results: During the follow up period 63% of patients were readmitted at least once, and 29% died. The final multivariate model showed the following risk (or protective) factors: >3 admissions for COPD in the year before recruitment (hazard ratio (HR)=1.66, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.39), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) percentage predicted (0.97, 95% CI 0.96 to 0.99), oxygen tension (0.88, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.98), higher levels of usual physical activity (0.54, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.86), and taking anticholinergic drugs (1.81, 95% 1.11 to 2.94). Exposure to passive smoking was also related to an increased risk of readmission with COPD after adjustment for clinical factors (1.63, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.57) but did not remain in the final model. Conclusions: This is the first study to show a strong association between usual physical activity and reduced risk of readmission to hospital with COPD, which is potentially relevant for rehabilitation and other therapeutic strategies.
Testican 3 and Its Splicing Variant Gene Product , N-Tes ( MMP )-mediated MMP-2 Activation and Tumor Invasion by Suppression of Membrane-type 1 Matrix Metalloproteinase

Using expression cloning to screen a human fetal kidney cDNA library for regulator(s) of pro-matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 processing mediated by membrane-type (MT) 1 MMP, we isolated a cDNA whose product interfered with pro-MMP-2 activation. It encodes the NH2terminal 313-amino acid region of a calcium-binding proteoglycan, testican 3, with a 3-amino acid substitution at the COOH terminus and thus was named N-Tes. N-Tes comprises a signal peptide, a unique domain, a follistatin-like domain, and a Ca -binding domain but lacks a COOHterminal thyroglobulin domain and two putative glycosaminoglycan attachment sites of testican 3. Pro-MMP-2 activation by MT3-MMP was also inhibited by the coexpression of N-Tes. Immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated direct interaction of N-Tes with either MT1-MMP or MT3MMP. Expression of testican 1 or testican 3 but not testican 2 also inhibited pro-MMP-2 activation by either MT1-MMP or MT3-MMP. Deletion and substitution of amino acids residues in N-Tes revealed that the unique NH2-terminal domain of N-Tes is responsible for the inhibition of pro-MMP-2 activation by MT-MMPs. Expression of N-Tes and testican 3 was detected in normal brain but down-regulated in glioma tissues. Transfection of either the N-Tes or testican 3 gene into U251 glioma cells or Madin-Darby canine kidney cells transformed by erbB2 suppressed their invasive growth in collagen gel. These results suggest that both N-Tes and testican 3 would interfere with tumor invasion by inhibiting MTMMPs.
Distribution and migratory destinations of humpback whales off the Pacific coast of Central America during the boreal winters of 1996–2003

Here, we examine the distribution, habitat use, and migratory destinations of North Pacific humpback whales wintering off Central America. Coastal boat surveys were conducted off Costa Rica and Panama between 1996 and 2003. In 1999, a broader survey was conducted along most of Central America. Over 23,000 km were surveyed, with the greatest effort off southern Costa Rica. We made 191 sightings of 320 individual humpback whales. Whales were seen between 14°N and 8°N, making this the most southerly of the North Pacific wintering areas. Encounters included singles, adult pairs, singers, and mother/calf pairs. Mother/calf pairs accounted for 27% of all groups sighted, which is one of the highest sighting rates reported among North Pacific wintering areas. Sixty percent of sightings occurred in depths <50 m. Average sea surface temperature was 28.6°C (±1.0 SD). Ninety percent of the 77 unique whales photo-identified were also seen in the California–Oregon–Washington feeding aggregation. The 1999 survey showed that humpback whales were widely distributed along the Central American coast at relatively low densities. The extensive distribution of animals, the higher proportion of calves, and the almost exclusive migration to a single feeding area contrast with observations in other regions.
The incremental deployability of RTT-based congestion avoidance for high speed TCP Internet connections

Our research focuses on end-to-end congestion avoidance algorithms that use round trip time (RTT) fluctuations as an indicator of the level of network congestion. The algorithms are referred to as delay-based congestion avoidance or DCA. Due to the economics associated with deploying change within an existing network, we are interested in an incrementally deployable enhancement to the TCP/Reno protocol. For instance, TCP/Vegas, a DCA algorithm, has been proposed as an incremental enhancement. Requiring relatively minor modifications to a TCP sender, TCP/Vegas has been shown to increase end-to-end TCP throughput primarily by avoiding packet loss. We study DCA in today's best effort Internet where IP switches are subject to thousands of TCP flows resulting in congestion with time scales that span orders of magnitude. Our results suggest that RTT-based congestion avoidance may not be reliably incrementally deployed in this environment. Through extensive measurement and simulation, we find that when TCP/DCA (i.e., a TCP/Reno sender that is extended with DCA) is deployed over a high speed Internet path, the flow generally experiences degraded throughput compared to an unmodified TCP/Reno flow. We show (1) that the congestion information contained in RTT samples is not sufficient to predict packet loss reliably and (2) that the congestion avoidance in response to delay increase has minimal impact on the congestion level over the path when the total DCA traffic at the bottleneck consumes less than 10% of the bottleneck bandwidth.
On bounds for the wavelength assignment problem on optical ring networks

This research note presents two new bounds for the oo-line wavelength assignment problem in optical ring networks that use wavelength division multiplexing. In this context, we consider a well-known bound 28, 35] that, to our knowledge, remains the only published bound for a ring topology and for which examples exist that show tightness. In this note, we show the bound can be improved in two ways: (1) by considering an additional parameter (the number of network nodes), we provide a sharper bound than the existing bound, and (2) we extend a classic result in 35] that was proved for the special case of k = 3 (no k connections cover the ring) to the general case of arbitrary k.
Forecasting Cholesterol Management-End of the Statin Gold Rush?

For the last 15 years or more, lowering the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) component of total serum cholesterol has been the principal focus in cholesterol management. Ever more powerful HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) captured attention in their ability to lower LDL cholesterol (LDL-C). Simvastatin was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 15 years ago, on December 23, 1991, with evidence of LDL-C lowering of an average 41% at the 40 mg daily dose and 47% at the maximum 80 mg daily dose.1 Lovastatin, the preceding leader in the statin market, approved by the FDA 4 years earlier, on August 13, 1987, reduced LDL-C by an average 30% at the 40 mg daily dose and by 40% when taken twice daily (80 mg daily dose)2,3 (Table 1).