Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anaerobic phototrophic nitrite oxidation by Thiocapsa sp . strain KS 1 and Rhodopseudomonas sp

In anaerobic enrichment cultures for phototrophic nitrite-oxidizing bacteria from different freshwater sites, two different cell types, i.e. non-motile cocci and motile, rod-shaped bacteria, always outnumbered all other bacteria. Most-probable-number (MPN) dilution series with samples from two freshwater sites yielded only low numbers (';;;3X103 cm-3) of phototrophic nitrite oxidizers. Slightly higher numbers (about 10 cm-3) were found in activated sewage sludge. Anaerobic phototrophic oxidation of nitrite was studied with two different isolates, the phototrophic sulfur bacterium strain KS1 and the purple nonsulfur bacterium strain L017, both of which were isolated from activated sludge collected from the municipal sewage treatment plant in Konstanz, Germany. Strain KS1 converted 1 mM nitrite stoichiometrically to nitrate with concomitant formation of cell matter within 2-3 days, whereas strain L017 oxidized only up to 60 % of the given nitrite to nitrate within several months with the concomitant formation of cell biomass. Nitrite oxidation to nitrate was strictly light-dependent and required the presence of molybdenum in the medium. Nitrite was oxidized in both the presence and absence of oxygen. Nitrite inhibited growth at concentrations higher than 2 mM. Hydroxylamine and hydrazine were found to be toxic to the phototrophs in the range 5-50 I1M and did not stimulate phototrophic growth. Based on morphology, substrate-utilization pattern, in vivo absorption spectra, and 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, strain KS1 was assigned to the genus Thiocapsa and strain L017 to the genus Rhodopseudomonas. Also, Thiocapsa roseopersicina strains DSM 217 and DSM 221 were found to oxidize nitrite to nitrate with concomitant growth. We conclude that the ability to use nitrite phototrophically as electron donor is widespread in nature, but low MPN counts indicate that its contribution to nitrite oxidation in the studied habitats is rather limited.
Damages and injunctions in protecting proprietary research tools

We investigate how liability rules and property rules affect the incentives to invest in research tools. We argue that it is hard to deter infringement under any of the enforcement regimes available. However, counterintuitively, a credible threat of infringement can actually be beneficial to the patentholder. We compare the two doctrines of damages under the liability rule, namely, lost profit (lost royalty) and unjust enrichment, and argue that unjust enrichment protects the patentholder better than lost royalty. Both can be superior to a property rule (the right to enjoin infringement), depending on how much delay is permitted before infringement is enjoined. We also show that, for patents on end-user products, the ranking of liability doctrines is reversed: unjust enrichment is inferior to lost profits.
Selecting the Normal Population with the Smallest Coefficient of Variation

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACT We consider the problem of selecting the normal population with the smallest coefficient of variation, which is a natural goal when the means as well as the variances of the populations are unknown and unequal. The indifference-zone approach (Bechhofer 1954) to this problem has been previously considered by Choi, Jeon and Kim (1982). We review their selection procedure and provide tables of sample sizes for it. Next we consider the subset selection approach of Gupta (1956, 1965). We propose a natural selection procedure, derive its least favorable configuration and provide tables of critical constants. An example is given to illustrate the two procedures.
Retrieval methods for English-text with missrecognized OCR characters

This paper presents three probabilistic text retrieval methods designed to carry out a full-text search of English documents containing OCR errors. By searching for any query term on the premise that there are errors in the recognized text, the methods presented can tolerate such errors, and therefore costly manual post-editing is not required after OCR recognition. In the applied approach, confusion matrices are used to store characters which are likely to be interchanged when a particular character is missrecognized, and the respective probability of each occurrence. Moreover, a 2-gram matrix is used to store probabilities of character connection, i.e., which letter is likely to come after another. Multiple search terms are generated for an input query term by making reference to confusion matrices, after which a full-text search is run for each search term. The validity of retrieved terms is determined based on error-occurrence and character connection probabilities. The performance of these methods is experimentally evaluated by determining retrieval effectiveness, i.e., by calculating recall and precision rates. Results indicate marked improvement in comparison with exact matching.
Mutation in collagen II alpha 1 isoforms delineates Stickler and Wagner syndrome phenotypes

Purpose Stickler syndrome is an arthro-ophthalmopathy with phenotypic overlap with Wagner syndrome. The common Stickler syndrome type I is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, with causal mutations in collagen type II alpha 1 (COL2A1). Wagner syndrome is associated with mutations in versican (VCAN), which encodes for a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan. A three-generation Caucasian family variably diagnosed with either syndrome was screened for sequence variants in the COL2A1 and VCAN genes. Methods Genomic DNA samples derived from saliva were collected from all family members (six affected and four unaffected individuals). Complete sequencing of COL2A1 and VCAN was performed on two affected individuals. Direct sequencing of remaining family members was conducted if the discovered variants followed segregation. Results A base-pair substitution (c.258C>A) in exon 2 of COL2A1 cosegregated with familial disease status. This known mutation occurs in a highly conserved site that causes a premature stop codon (p.C86X). The mutation was not seen in 1,142 ethnically matched control DNA samples. Conclusions Premature stop codons in COL2A1 exon 2 lead to a Stickler syndrome type I ocular-only phenotype with few or no systemic manifestations. Mutation screening of COL2A1 exon 2 in families with autosomal dominant vitreoretinopathy is important for accurate clinical diagnosis.
An Improved Calibration Algorithm for ITS Based On Vision

In video surveillance for intelligent traffic management system (ITS), the nonlinear distortion of image will lead to the inaccurate parameter of traffic. This paper presents a new algorithm for global calibrate using information of road marking lines, which is a common feature in traffic surveillance scenes and is easy to obtain. The new algorithm is simple, available, effective, accurate, without knowing camera's interior and exterior parameters, complex setting, and vast storage of data. It also overcomes the limitations of the method based on grid mapping. Experiments proved that the algorithm can be applied not only to traffic surveillance system accurately and effectively, but also to other different industrial solutions based on computer vision.
Adaptive mission planning for cooperative autonomous maritime vehicles

This paper addresses the problem of developing an autonomous cooperative multi-vehicle system composed of one simple low-cost unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) guided by a more capable, sensor-equipped, surface or underwater vehicle. Specifically, in this work we consider a system composed of an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) able to localize a small-sized UUV via a multibeam sonar and, then, to guide it via an acoustic link to reach a target. The UUV is equipped with low-cost navigation sensors (a compass and a depth sensor), and to estimate its own position relies on the data received by the ASV (range and bearing from the ASV and ASV position). This paradigm was applied in the domain of mine countermeasures (MCM) to realize the NATO CMRE Autonomous Mine Neutralization System. In this system the low-cost feature of the UUV is of the most importance since the UUV is supposed to be expendable. In this approach, however, there may be cases in which the underwater vehicle cannot be detected by the sonar for extended time periods causing drifts in the UUV position estimate, potentially compromising the mission. This paper presents a set of behaviors to address this situation. The behaviors coordinate ASV circular search patterns together with sending to the UUV purposely generated navigation updates. The aim is to limit the distance between the two vehicles, increasing the probability of sonar reacquisition, and at the same time ensuring that the UUV progresses toward the target. Results from sea trials held in Elba island (Italy) during ANT12 experiments (in June 2012) are reported, and demonstrate the approach is effective and can push our system toward full autonomy.
Comparison of Endoscopic Ultrasonography and Multislice Spiral Computed Tomography for the Preoperative Staging of Gastric Cancer - Results of a Single Institution Study of 610 Chinese Patients

Background This study compared the performance of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and multislice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) in the preoperative staging of gastric cancer. Methodology/Principal Findings A total of 610 patients participated in this study, all of whom had undergone surgical resection, had confirmed gastric cancer and were evaluated with EUS and MSCT. Tumor staging was evaluated using the Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) staging and Japanese classification. The results from the imaging modalities were compared with the postoperative histopathological outcomes. The overall accuracies of EUS and MSCT for the T staging category were 76.7% and 78.2% (P=0.537), respectively. Stratified analysis revealed that the accuracy of EUS for T1 and T2 staging was significantly higher than that of MSCT (P<0.001 for both) and that the accuracy of MSCT in T3 and T4 staging was significantly higher than that of EUS (P<0.001 and 0.037, respectively). The overall accuracy of MSCT was 67.2% when using the 13th edition Japanese classification, and this percentage was significantly higher than the accuracy of EUS (49.3%) and MSCT (44.6%) when using the 6th edition UICC classification (P<0.001 for both values). Conclusions/Significance Our results demonstrated that the overall accuracies of EUS and MSCT for preoperative staging were not significantly different. We suggest that a combination of EUS and MSCT is required for preoperative evaluation of TNM staging.
Reconfigurable Neural Net Chip with 32K Connections

We describe a CMOS neural net chip with a reconfigurable network architecture. It contains 32,768 binary, programmable connections arranged in 256 'building block' neurons. Several 'building blocks' can be connected to form long neurons with up to 1024 binary connections or to form neurons with analog connections. Single- or multi-layer networks can be implemented with this chip. We have integrated this chip into a board system together with a digital signal processor and fast memory. This system is currently in use for image processing applications in which the chip extracts features such as edges and corners from binary and gray-level images.
Galaxy Correlation Statistics of Mock Catalogs for the DEEP2 Survey

The Deep Extragalactic Evolutionary Probe 2 (DEEP2) project will obtain redshifts for ∼60,000 galaxies in the range z≃0.7–1.5 in a comoving volume of roughly 7 × 106 Mpc3 h−3 for a Λ cold dark matter universe. The survey will map four separate 2° × 0. °5 strips of the sky. To study the expected clustering within the survey volume, we have constructed mock galaxy catalogs from the GIF and Hubble Volume simulations developed by the Virgo consortium. We present two‐ and three‐point correlation analyses of these mock galaxy catalogs to test how well we will measure these statistics, particularly in the presence of selection biases, which will limit the surface density of galaxies that we can select for spectroscopy. We find that although the projected angular two‐point correlation function w(θ) is strongly affected, neither the two‐point nor three‐point correlation functions, ξ(r) and ζ(r), are significantly compromised. We will be able to make simple corrections to account for the small amount of bias introduced. We quantify the expected redshift distortions due to random orbital velocities of galaxies within groups and clusters (“fingers of God”) on small scales of ∼1 Mpc h−1 using the pairwise velocity dispersion σ12 and galaxy‐weighted velocity dispersion σ1. We are able to measure σ1 to a precision of ∼10%. We also estimate the expected large‐scale coherent infall of galaxies due to supercluster formation (“Kaiser effect”), as determined by the quadrupole‐to‐monopole ratio ξ2/ξ0 of ξ(rp, π). From this measure we will be able to constrain β to within ∼0.1 at z = 1. For the DEEP2 survey we will combine the correlation statistics with galaxy observables such as spectral type, morphology, absolute luminosity, and line width to enable a measure of the relative biases in different galaxy types. Here we use a counts‐in‐cells analysis to measure σ8 as a function of redshift and determine the relative bias between galaxy samples based on absolute luminosity. We expect to measure σ8 to within 10% and detect the evolution of relative bias with redshift at the 4–5 σ level, with more precise measurements for the brighter galaxies in our survey.
On the exploitation of the SBAS Algorithm for the analysis of the deformations detected from the ERS and ENVISAT DInSAR data

We present a Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR) technique for generating displacement maps and deformation time-series by exploiting the SAR data acquired by the ERS and ENVISAT/ASAR systems. The proposed approach extends the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) algorithm and is based on an easy but effective combination of ERS/ERS and ENVISAT/ENVISAT multilook interferograms, with no need of ERS/ENVISAT cross-interferograms. The presented results, obtained on a descending ERS and ENVISAT SAR data set, spanning the time interval from June 1992 until October 2003, are relevant to the Napoli Bay area (Italy) and clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
The Realm of Ordinal Analysis

A central theme running through all the main areas of Mathematical Logic is the classification of sets, functions or theories, by means of transfinite hierarchies whose ordinal levels measure their ‘rank’ or ‘complexity’ in some sense appropriate to the underlying context. In Proof Theory this is manifest in the assignment of ‘proof theoretic ordinals’ to theories, gauging their ‘consistency strength’ and ‘computational power’. Ordinal-theoretic proof theory came into existence in 1936, springing forth from Gentzen’s head in the course of his consistency proof of arithmetic. To put it roughly, ordinal analyses attach ordinals in a given representation system to formal theories. Though this area of mathematical logic has is roots in Hilbert’s “Beweistheorie” the aim of which was to lay to rest all worries about the foundations of mathematics once and for all by securing mathematics via an absolute proof of consistency technical results in proof theory are not different from those in any other branch of mathematics, inasmuch as they can be understood in a way that does not at all refer to any kind of (modified) Hilbert programme. In actuality, most proof theorists do not consider themselves pursuing consistency proofs. The present paper is based on the lectures that I gave at the LC ’97. The lectures were an attempt to give an overview of results that have been achieved by means of ordinal analyses, and to explain the current rationale and goals of ordinally informative
MiR-SNPs as Markers of Toxicity and Clinical Outcome in Hodgkin Lymphoma Patients

Background In recent years, microRNA (miRNA) pathways have emerged as a crucial system for the regulation of tumorogenesis. miR-SNPs are a novel class of single nucleotide polymorphisms that can affect miRNA pathways. Design and Methods We analyzed eight miR-SNPs by allelic discrimination in 141 patients with Hodgkin lymphoma and correlated the results with treatment-related toxicity, response, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results The KRT81 (rs3660) GG genotype was associated with an increased risk of neurological toxicity (P = 0.016), while patients with XPO5 (rs11077) AA or CC genotypes had a higher rate of bleomycin-associated pulmonary toxicity (P = 0.048). Both miR-SNPs emerged as independent factors in the multivariate analysis. The XPO5 AA and CC genotypes were also associated with a lower response rate (P = 0.036). XPO5 (P = 0.039) and TRBP (rs784567) (P = 0.022) genotypes emerged as prognostic markers for DFS, and XPO5 was also associated with OS (P = 0.033). In the multivariate analysis, only XPO5 emerged as an independent prognostic factor for DFS (HR: 2.622; 95%CI 1.039–6.620; P = 0.041). Given the influence of XPO5 and TRBP as individual markers, we then investigated the combined effect of these miR-SNPs. Patients with both the XPO5 AA/CC and TRBP TT/TC genotypes had the shortest DFS (P = 0.008) and OS (P = 0.008). Conclusion miR-SNPs can add useful prognostic information on treatment-related toxicity and clinical outcome in Hodgkin lymphoma and can be used to identify patients likely to be chemoresistant or to relapse.
LABORATORY FOR OPTIMIZATION AND INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS An Analytic Center Machine for Regression

Support vector machines represent a new approach for solving problems in pattern classification and regression analysis. Because of their impressive generalization performance they have attracted much attention in the optimization and machine learning communities. In the version space of hypotheses the optimal support vector machine solution corresponds to the computation of the Chebyshev center. Recent research efforts, however, have suggested that the selection of alternative centers further improves the generalization performance [8]. We propose an algorithm for regression analysis that finds the hypothesis that corresponds to the analytic center of the version space. Preliminary results indicate that a higher level of generalization accuracy can be achieved by this regression estimator.
A 240×180 10mW 12us latency sparse-output vision sensor for mobile applications

This paper proposes a 0.18um CMOS vision sensor that combines event-driven asynchronous readout of temporal contrast with synchronous frame-based active pixel sensor readout of intensity. The sensor is suitable for mobile applications because it allows low latency at low data rate and therefore, low system-level power consumption. The image frames can be used for scene analysis and the temporal contrast events with 12us latency can be used to track fast moving objects.
ANSI SQL hierarchical processing can fully integrate native XML

Most SQL-based XML vendor support is through interoperation and not integration. One reason for this is that XML is inherently hierarchical and SQL is supposedly not. This paper demonstrates how ANSI SQL along with its relational Cartesian product model can naturally perform complete and flexible hierarchical query processing. With this ANSI SQL inherent hierarchical processing capability, native XML data can be fully and seamlessly integrated into SQL processing and operated on at a full hierarchical level. This paper will describe the basic stages involved in this hierarchical SQL processing: hierarchical data modeling, hierarchical working set creation, and hierarchical Cartesian product processing. These processes enable a complete relational, XML, and legacy data integration which maintains ANSI SQL compatibility even while performing the most complex multi-leg hierarchical processing, and includes the dynamic, direct, and controlled hierarchical joining of hierarchical structures. Also covered are ANSI SQL hierarchical support features: hierarchical SQL views, hierarchical data filtering, and hierarchical optimization. These make standard SQL a well rounded and complete hierarchical processor. With this full hierarchical level of processing established, it will be shown how the relational Cartesian product engine can be seamlessly replaced with a hierarchical engine, greatly increasing processing and memory utilization, and enabling advanced XML hierarchical data capabilities.
Research Area Markets and Politics Research Unit Market Processes and Governance Schwerpunkt Märkte Und Politik Abteilung Marktprozesse Und Steuerung Local Governments in the Wake of Demographic Change: Evidence from German Municipalities * Wzb ** Zentrum Für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung (zew) *

German municipalities are expected to suffer from intense demographic changes in the upcoming decades; not only in the form of population losses, but also through a changing demographic structure (i.e. less children and adolescents, more elderly, higher dependency ratio, and so on). We assess local governments' vulnerability to the fiscal consequences of these demographic transformations (using a sample of 1021 municipalities in the state of Baden-Württemberg) by determining the elasticity of local government cost functions to municipalities' demographic characteristics. Our findings indicate that smaller municipalities are especially vulnerable to increasing cost pressures following most of the currently predicted demographic changes. In the absence of increased higher-level government support (e.g. through the fiscal equalization scheme), these findings would support a case for boundary reviews or more extensive inter-communal cooperation. * We would like to thank Beate Jochimsen, Aron Kiss and two anonymous referees for helpful comments. Support by the " Förderkreis Wissenschaft und Praxis at the Centre for European Economic Research " is gratefully acknowledged. Ausweitung der inter-kommunalen Kooperation.
Problem Solving with Limited Knowledge: Pruning Attributes in Classification Rules

A safety closure device for a bottle or the like is described. The device includes a cylindrical closure element which fits within the mouth of the bottle and which is restrained from flying free of the bottle by a cylindrical retainer collar which fits around the neck of the bottle. The closure element is attached to the collar by a tether strip which is molded integrally with the closure element and the collar and which tears free thereof, except for attachment to the collar and closure element at the ends of the tether. The tether is folded upon itself and when manually torn free, and is long enough to permit the closure element to be withdrawn from the bottle while still remaining tethered to the collar.