Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A formulae-as-type notion of control

The programming language Scheme contains the control construct call/cc that allows access to the current continuation (the current control context). This, in effect, provides Scheme with first-class labels and jumps. We show that the well-known formulae-as-types correspondence, which relates a constructive proof of a formula α to a program of type α, can be extended to a typed Idealized Scheme. What is surprising about this correspondence is that it relates classical proofs to typed programs. The existence of computationally interesting “classical programs” —programs of type α, where α holds classically, but not constructively — is illustrated by the definition of conjunctively, disjunctive, and existential types using standard classical definitions. We also prove that all evaluations of typed terms in Idealized Scheme are finite.
Caudal anaesthesia under sedation: a prospective analysis of 512 infants and children.

BACKGROUND Caudal anaesthesia is a common procedure for infants and children undergoing subumbilical surgery, mostly performed in conjunction with general anaesthesia. Even if complications are rare, the risk of postoperative apnoea is significant, especially in infants born preterm or operated upon before 46 weeks of post-conceptual age. Caudal block in sedated, spontaneously breathing patients might be a safe alternative. METHODS We investigated 512 infants and children. Premedication consisted of midazolam, sedation was induced with i.v. nalbuphine 0.1 mg kg(-1) and propofol 1 mg kg(-1), and maintained with propofol 5 mg kg(-1) h(-1) in children, if necessary. Caudal block was performed with ropivacaine 1 ml kg(-1) (0.2% or 0.35%). RESULTS Data were obtained from 228 infants and 284 children. Median (IQR) age was 1.3 (0.2, 3.4) yr; median body weight was 10.0 (4.8, 15.3) kg. Two hundred and thirty-three (45.51%) were born preterm and 47 (9.18%) were operated upon before 46 weeks of post-conceptual age. Caudal block was successful in 98.05% and adverse events occurred in 7.03% patients. The incidence of adverse events was not higher in born preterm or operated upon before 46 weeks of post-conceptual age than in term born infants (P=0.35 and 0.35, respectively), or in infants vs children (P=0.61). There was no correlation between the incidence of adverse events and continuous sedation (P=0.07), coexisting diseases (P=0.11), or ASA classification (P=0.33). CONCLUSIONS Caudal anaesthesia under sedation is associated with high success rates and a low incidence of adverse events, but requires careful and anticipatory perioperative management.
Designing interaction experiences for multi-platform service provision with essential use cases

This paper addresses the problem of interaction design for service provision to customers in a multi-platform environment. It is based on a qualitative and quantitative study of a Portuguese multi-channel retail bank, and shows that, as most of the financial operations are functionally available across the different service platforms, experience requirements become increasingly influential in customers' usage of the different channels. Different financial services generate different interaction needs, and the fit between experience requirements and channel performance in satisfying those needs has a strong impact on customer channel choices. Based on these findings, essential use cases are applied and extended to capture experience requirements for the different financial operations in a technology independent way. With this approach, interaction designers can identify which platforms are best suited to provide the different services available, improving the multi-channel service as a whole. On the other hand, it also enables the identification of areas of interaction experience that need improvement in each platform, if services offered are likely to be effectively used.
Deception by Flexible Alarm Mimicry in an African Bird

Trick and Treat Forked-tailed drongos are a particularly intelligent type of bird found in Africa. Drongos associate with many other bird and mammal species, which can learn to respond to drongo warning calls. Drongos are also exceptional mimics of the other species' alarm calls. Though the increased vigilance across these multi species associations is a benefit to all, drongos sometimes use these calls as ploys to scare associated species away from food, which the drongos then steal. However, without some approach to maintain the effectiveness of this deception, the drongos' ploy would soon be detected. Flower et al. (p. 513) now show that drongos are able to fool their target species longer by flexibly varying the type of call they give. A clever African bird flexibly mimics the calls of other species to keep fooling them into abandoning their food. Deception is common in nature, but victims of deception discriminate against and ultimately ignore deceptive signals when they are produced too frequently. Flexible variation of signals could allow evasion of such constraints. Fork-tailed drongos (Dicrurus adsimilis) use false alarm calls to scare other species away from food that they then steal. We show that drongos mimic the alarms of targeted species. Further, target species reduce their response to false alarm calls when they are repeated. However, the fear response is maintained when the call is varied. Drongos exploit this propensity by changing their alarm-call type when making repeated theft attempts on a particular species. Our results show that drongos can evade the frequency-dependent constraints that typically limit deception payoffs through flexible variation of their alarm calls.
An efficient implementation of Fuzzy C-Means and watershed algorithms for MRI segmentation

Image segmentation is one of the most common steps in digital image processing. It classifies a digital image into different segments. There are many algorithms for image segmentation such as thresholding, edge detection, and region growing, which finding a suitable algorithm for medical image segmentation is a challenging task. This is due to noise, low contrast, and steep light variations of medical images. The main goal of this paper is improving the performance of fuzzy c-means clustering. Improving is achieved using parallel implementation of this algorithm. Fuzzy c-means clustering is an important iterative clustering algorithm, but it is computationally intensive and it uses the same data between the iterations. The center of the clusters changes in each iteration, which requires considerable amount of time for large data sets. The parallel fuzzy c-means clustering is implemented by using task pipeline concept in CUDA technology. The experimental results show that the performance is improved up to 23.35×. After that watershed algorithm is applied for the final segmentation. The implementation results show that the accuracy of diagnosis in magnetic resonance imaging 97/33% is improved. This improvement is achieved using enhancing edges and reducing noises in images.
Probing the Magnetic Field at Subparsec Radii in the Accretion Disk of NGC 4258

We present an analysis of polarimetric observations at 22 GHz of the water vapor masers in NGC 4258 obtained with the VLA and the GBT. We do not detect any circular polarization in the spectrum indicative of Zeeman-induced splitting of the maser lines of water, a non-paramagnetic molecule. We have improved the 1 σ upper limit estimate on the toroidal component of the magnetic field in the circumnuclear disk of NGC 4258 at a radius of 0.2 pc from 300 to 90 mG. We have developed a new method for the analysis of spectra with blended features and derive a 1 σ upper limit of 30 mG on the radial component of the magnetic field at a radius of 0.14 pc. Assuming thermal and magnetic pressure balance, we estimate an upper limit on the mass accretion rate of ~10-3.7 M☉ yr-1 for a total magnetic field of less than 130 mG. We discuss the ramifications of our results on current maser models proposed to explain the observed maser emission structure and the consequences for current accretion theories. We find from our magnetic field limits that the thin-disk model and the jet-disk model are better candidates for accounting for the extremely low luminosity nature of NGC 4258 than models that include advection-dominated accretion flows.
T-RFLP Analysis of Soil Microbial Community from Shandong Province for Forensic Science

Soil microbial community very little had been found as trace evidence， however， it could be vital for forensic science. In this paper, soil microbial community diversities from seventeen different regions of Shandong province were investigated by Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP). The results of diversity index analysis show the highest Margalef index and Eveness index are 4.609 for sample D and 0.970 for sample E, respectively. In T-RFLP profile, the absolute advantage peak are 488bp (62.6% ) from sample O and 496.5bp (20.8%) from Sample H. The analysed terminal restriction fragments (T-RFs) are from Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. These results reveal that there are the obvious regional characteristic for microbial community of all the detected samples, which suggests T-RFLP analysis of microbial community diversity will be a rapid effective fingerprinting method for forensic detection.
Improvement in gait parameters after lengthening for the treatment of limb-length discrepancy.

BACKGROUND Patients who have limb-length discrepancy demonstrate an altered gait pattern or a limp. The purpose of this prospective study was to compare the objective gait parameters for the shorter lower limb with those for the longer lower limb before and after lengthening and to compare these data with those for a group of twenty subjects who had no limb-length discrepancy. METHODS Eighteen patients had equalization of limb length to within one centimeter. We analyzed the stance time, the second peak of the vertical ground-reaction-force vector, and the rate of loading with use of two force-plates arranged in a series. RESULTS The difference in the mean stance times between the shorter and longer limbs before lengthening was 12 percent, whereas that after lengthening was 2.4 percent; the difference between the values before and after lengthening was significant (p<0.001). The difference in the stance times between the limbs of the patients who did not have limb-length discrepancy was 2 percent. Preoperatively, the mean second peak was 104 percent of body weight for the shorter limb compared with 116 percent for the longer limb; this difference was significant (p<0.001). After lengthening, the mean second peak for the shorter limb increased to 113 percent of body weight. The difference in the means for the second peak before and after lengthening was significant (p<0.001). With the numbers available, no significant difference was detected in the means for the second peak between the shorter and longer limbs after lengthening (p = 0.12). CONCLUSIONS This study shows that lengthening of the shorter limb of patients who have limb-length discrepancy can normalize symmetry of quantifiable stance parameters and eliminate a limp.
ProRepeat: an integrated repository for studying amino acid tandem repeats in proteins

ProRepeat (http://prorepeat.bioinformatics.nl/) is an integrated curated repository and analysis platform for in-depth research on the biological characteristics of amino acid tandem repeats. ProRepeat collects repeats from all proteins included in the UniProt knowledgebase, together with 85 completely sequenced eukaryotic proteomes contained within the RefSeq collection. It contains non-redundant perfect tandem repeats, approximate tandem repeats and simple, low-complexity sequences, covering the majority of the amino acid tandem repeat patterns found in proteins. The ProRepeat web interface allows querying the repeat database using repeat characteristics like repeat unit and length, number of repetitions of the repeat unit and position of the repeat in the protein. Users can also search for repeats by the characteristics of repeat containing proteins, such as entry ID, protein description, sequence length, gene name and taxon. ProRepeat offers powerful analysis tools for finding biological interesting properties of repeats, such as the strong position bias of leucine repeats in the N-terminus of eukaryotic protein sequences, the differences of repeat abundance among proteomes, the functional classification of repeat containing proteins and GC content constrains of repeats’ corresponding codons.
Real users, real results: examining the limitations of learning styles within AEH

This paper examines the current state of AEH (adaptive educational hypermedia) research into explicit learning style modelling for user personalisation. It addresses the problem of non-naïve test subjects, who are often in user trials, thus contributing to experimental bias. Instead, the authors suggest using real people, i.e. users with a range of backgrounds and abilities, in order to gain a truer insight into evidence-based research. We report on a study carried out with No statistically significant differences were found between experimental groups, learning style preferences or learning environments. We discuss the significance of this, and then critically analyse the use of learning styles in relation to this study and also in the wider context.real users: around 80 children at a UK primary school. The study investigated sequential and global learning styles as a personalisation mechanism in an AEH system. The user trial involved matching and mismatching users and learning environments to see if learning improved. The AEH system used by the children was DEUS, a new e-learning platform that is conceptually similar to WHURLE, an AEH that also used learning styles as its user model. No statistically significant differences were found between experimental groups, learning style preferences or learning environments. We discuss the significance of this, and then critically analyse the use of learning styles in relation to this study and also in the wider context.
Transform invariant auto-encoder

The auto-encoder method is a type of dimensionality reduction method. A mapping from a vector to a descriptor that represents essential information can be automatically generated from a set of vectors without any supervising information. However, an image and its spatially shifted version are encoded into different descriptors by an existing ordinary auto-encoder because each descriptor includes a spatial subpattern and its position. To generate a descriptor representing a spatial subpattern in an image, we need to normalize its spatial position in the images prior to training an ordinary auto-encoder; however, such a normalization is generally difficult for images without obvious standard positions. We propose a transform invariant auto-encoder and an inference model of transform parameters. By the proposed method, we can separate an input into a transform invariant descriptor and transform parameters. The proposed method can be applied to various auto-encoders without requiring any special modules or labeled training samples. By applying it to shift transforms, we can achieve a shift invariant auto-encoder that can extract a typical spatial subpattern independent of its relative position in a window. In addition, we can achieve a model that can infer shift parameters required to restore the input from the typical subpattern. As an example of the proposed method, we demonstrate that a descriptor generated by a shift invariant auto-encoder can represent a typical spatial subpattern. In addition, we demonstrate the imitation of a human hand by a robot hand as an example of a regression based on spatial subpatterns.
Correlation-stability approach in optical microelastography of tissues

In the conventional cross-correlation approach to reconstruction of displacements (and then the strain field), the reduction of correlation between the consequently obtained images caused by distortions of scatterer patterns in deformed tissues is a negative factor reducing the accuracy of the displacement-field reconstruction. However, just this reduction in the cross-correlation between the images of deformed tissues can be intentionally used for evaluation of the tissue rigidity. Evidently, in areas with higher rigidity the distortions of the scatterer pattern in deformed tissues are smaller and, correspondingly, the reduction in the cross-correlation between the consequent OCT images is also smaller. Observation of such a cross-correlation field we call the correlation-stability approach (CS-approach) to mapping the relative rigidity of biological tissues. The proposed CS-approach is illustrated by numerical simulations corresponding to two characteristic cases (sheared or compressed samples with average strain range 25 - 100 %). This strain level is favorable for performing such mapping "by hand" and in vivo conditions. Some examples of such in vivo obtained relative-rigidity images are presented in this report.
On the Effect of Time-Variant Frequency Selective Fading in an FMT Modulated System

We present a general analysis framework to analyze the performance of filtered multitone (FMT) modulation systems in time-frequency selective fading channels. FMT is a generalization of the OFDM scheme that deploys sub-channel shaping pulses. The results are specialized for several pulses: root-raised cosine, Gaussian, sine and rectangular (OFDM). They allow to benchmark the multitone system and understand how robust it is to frequency selective time-variant fading. An analysis both in terms of SIR and bit-error-rate is made. Remarks on the prototype pulse design are also reported. The better sub-channel spectral containment of FMT yields increased robustness compared to OFDM.
A preliminary idea for an 8-competitive, log2 DMAX + log2 log2 1/U asymptotic-space, interface generation algorithm for two-level hierarchical scheduling of constrained-deadline sporadic tasks on a uniprocessor

Consider a single processor and a software system. The software system comprises components and interfaces where each component has an associated interface and each component comprises a set of constrained-deadline sporadic tasks. A scheduling algorithm (called global scheduler) determines at each instant which component is active. The active component uses another scheduling algorithm (called local scheduler) to determine which task is selected for execution on the processor. The interface of a component makes certain information about a component visible to other components; the interfaces of all components are used for schedulability analysis. We address the problem of generating an interface for a component based on the tasks inside the component. We desire to (i) incur only a small loss in schedulability analysis due to the interface and (ii) ensure that the amount of space (counted in bits) of the interface is small; this is because such an interface hides as much details of the component as possible. We present an algorithm for generating such an interface.
Expression and Characterization of Purinergic Receptors in Rat Middle Meningeal Artery–Potential Role in Migraine

The dura mater and its vasculature have for decades been central in the hypothesis of migraine and headache pathophysiology. Although recent studies have questioned the role of the vasculature as the primary cause, dural vessel physiology is still relevant in understanding the complex pathophysiology of migraine. The aim of the present study was to isolate the middle meningeal artery (MMA) from rodents and characterize their purinergic receptors using a sensitive wire myograph method and RT-PCR. The data presented herein suggest that blood flow through the MMA is, at least in part, regulated by purinergic receptors. P2X1 and P2Y6 receptors are the strongest contractile receptors and, surprisingly, ADPβS caused contraction most likely via P2Y1 or P2Y13 receptors, which is not observed in other arteries. Adenosine addition, however, caused relaxation of the MMA. The adenosine relaxation could be inhibited by SCH58261 (A2A receptor antagonist) and caffeine (adenosine receptor antagonist). This gives one putative molecular mechanism for the effect of caffeine, often used as an adjuvant remedy of cranial pain. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR expression data for the receptors correlate well with the functional findings. Together these observations could be used as targets for future understanding of the in vivo role of purinergic receptors in the MMA.
Spatial-Orientation Priming Impedes Rather than Facilitates the Spontaneous Control of Hand-Retraction Speeds in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Background Often in Parkinson’s disease (PD) motor-related problems overshadow latent non-motor deficits as it is difficult to dissociate one from the other with commonly used observational inventories. Here we ask if the variability patterns of hand speed and acceleration would be revealing of deficits in spatial-orientation related decisions as patients performed a familiar reach-to-grasp task. To this end we use spatial-orientation priming which normally facilitates motor-program selection and asked whether in PD spatial-orientation priming helps or hinders performance. Methods To dissociate spatial-orientation- and motor-related deficits participants performed two versions of the task. The biomechanical version (DEFAULT) required the same postural- and hand-paths as the orientation-priming version (primed-UP). Any differences in the patients here could not be due to motor issues as the tasks were biomechanically identical. The other priming version (primed-DOWN) however required additional spatial and postural processing. We assessed in all three cases both the forward segment deliberately aimed towards the spatial-target and the retracting segment, spontaneously bringing the hand to rest without an instructed goal. Results and Conclusions We found that forward and retracting segments belonged in two different statistical classes according to the fluctuations of speed and acceleration maxima. Further inspection revealed conservation of the forward (voluntary) control of speed but in PD a discontinuity of this control emerged during the uninstructed retractions which was absent in NC. Two PD groups self-emerged: one group in which priming always affected the retractions and the other in which only the more challenging primed-DOWN condition was affected. These PD-groups self-formed according to the speed variability patterns, which systematically changed along a gradient that depended on the priming, thus dissociating motor from spatial-orientation issues. Priming did not facilitate the motor task in PD but it did reveal a breakdown in the spatial-orientation decision that was independent of the motor-postural path.
Corneal Thickness in Trachomatous Dry Eye

Purpose To investigate the effect of severe desiccation on corneal thickness in scarring trachoma by comparing the thickness of normal and trachomatous dry eye corneas. Methods Ultrasonic pachymetry was used to measure the corneal thickness at nine points in the central and peripheral cornea (superior, superonasal, nasal, inferonasal, inferior, inferotemporal, temporal, superotemporal) in 45 eyes of 27 patients with trachomatous dry eye and 54 eyes of 31 normal subjects. Results The average thickness of the nine sites in the central and midperipheral cornea was significantly less in trachomatous dry eyes than normal eyes. The superior cornea was the thickest area in both groups, measuring 574.03 ± 31.62 μm in trachomatous dry eyes and 611.33 ± 34.99 μm in normal eyes (p<0.001). The centre of the cornea was the thinnest, measuring 510.43 ± 32.12 μm in trachomatous dry eyes and 546.27 ± 36.20 μm in normal eyes (p<0.001). Conclusions The thickness of the central and midperipheral cornea was significantly reduced in patients with trachomatous dry eye. The chronic state of severe desiccation, tear film instability and increased immune activation in trachomatous dry eye may contribute to this thinning. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2002; 12: 18–23)