Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Goals and MDA in Product Line Requirements Engineering

One of the most important factors of success in the development of a product line is the elicitation, management, and representation of the variability. In this context, this article explores the possible advantages of recent proposals such as Goal Oriented Requirements Engineering and the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) initiative. Goals and feature graphs can be considered special models in the context of MDA. The global picture is therefore a sequence of models from goals to features and from both to the architecture (a UML model). The conclusion is positive in both aspects but more effort is needed to further evaluate some of the proposed ideas related to MDA automated transformations. At last, traceability is essential if we want to exploit these possible benefits. Technical Report GIRO-2005-01
The power spectrum of SUSY-CDM on subgalactic scales

ABSTRACT The formation of large scale structure is independent of the nature of the cold darkmatter (CDM), however the fate of very small scale inhomogeneities depends on themicro-physics of the CDM particles. We investigate the matter power spectrum forscales that enter the Hubble radius well before matter-radiation equality, and followits evolution until the time when the ﬁrst inhomogeneities become non-linear. Ourfocus lies on weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), and as a concrete exam-ple we analyze the case when the lightest supersymmetric particle is a bino. We showthat collisional damping and free-streaming of WIMPs lead to a matter power spec-trum with a sharp cut-oﬀ at about 10 −6 M ⊙ and a maximum close to that cut-oﬀ. Wealso calculate the transfer function for the growth of the inhomogeneities in the lin-ear regime. These three eﬀects (collisional damping, free-streaming and gravitationalgrowth) are combined to provide a WMAP normalized primordial CDM power spec-trum, which could serve as an input for high resolution CDM simulations. The smallestinhomogeneities typically enter the non-linear regime at a redshift of about 60.Key words: cosmology: theory – dark matter – early Universe
Lighting-variable AdaBoost Based-on System for Robust Face Detection

In order to detect faces in pictures presenting difficult real-world conditions such as dark background or backlighting, we propose a new method which is robust to varying illuminations and which automatically adapts itself to these lighting changes. The proposed face detection technique is based on an efficient AdaBoost super-classifier and relies on multiple features, namely, the global intensity average value and the local intensity variations. Based on tests carried out on standards datasets, our system successfully performs in indoor as well as outdoor situations with different lighting levels.
Cheating Detection and Cheater Identification in CRT-based Secret Sharing Schemes

In this paper we analyze the cheating detection and cheater identification problems for the secret sharing schemes based on the Chinese remainder theorem (CRT), more exactly for Mignotte [1] and Asmuth-Bloom [2] schemes. We prove that the majority of the solutions for Shamir’s scheme [3] can be translated to these schemes and, moreover, there are some interesting specific solutions.
From learning metrics towards dependency exploration

We have recently introduced new kinds of data fusion techniques, where the goal is to find what is shared by data sets, instead of modeling all variation in data. They extend our earlier works on learning of distance metrics, discriminative clustering, and other supervised statistical data mining methods. In the new methods the supervision is symmetric, which translates to mining of dependencies. We have so far introduced methods for associative clustering and for extracting dependent components which generalize classical canonical correlations.
Microfluidic continuous particle/cell separation via electroosmotic-flow-tuned hydrodynamic spreading

Among the microfluidic separation methods, hydrodynamic spreading is a simple and high-throughput continuous separation technique based on the difference in size. However, it is difficult to adjust tiny pressure differences accurately in microfluidic devices. In this study, a combination of electroosmotic flow (EOF) and hydrodynamic flow spreading was employed to tune the size separation of particles. A stream with different kinds of particle suspensions was driven co-fluently with a particle-free carrier stream under both mechanical external and electroosmotic pressure in a microchannel. The EOF-tuned hydrodynamic spreading behaviour was investigated experimentally and modelled through an electric equivalent model and numerical simulation. When the magnitudes of the mechanically and electroosmotically induced pressures were similar, the EOF tuning on the pressure-driven flow became significant. Hence, the hydrodynamic spreading could be easily adjusted by a tuned power supply. The separation was studied in more detail with 1.9 and 9.9 µm fluorescent polystyrene particles. Moreover, separation of E. coli and yeast cells was accomplished. In conclusion, this technique has the advantages of good stability of mechanical-pressure-driven flow and precise tuning of the EOF, and provides a robust method for size-based separation of particles and cells.
Detection of road boundaries and obstacles using LIDAR

This paper proposes a novel approach to detecting road boundaries and obstacles for robust urban navigation of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). In this method, a 2-D Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor mounted at a given pitch angle is used to extract the road surface. The information obtained about the road is evaluated by filters to detect whether the area scanned is a road or an obstacle. The proposed method is implemented through simulation and a real-life test vehicle called AKAY01.
The transcriptional corepressor SMRTER influences both Notch and ecdysone signaling during Drosophila development

Summary SMRTER (SMRT-related and ecdysone receptor interacting factor) is the Drosophila homologue of the vertebrate proteins SMRT and N-CoR, and forms with them a well-conserved family of transcriptional corepressors. Molecular characterization of SMRT-family proteins in cultured cells has implicated them in a wide range of transcriptional regulatory pathways. However, little is currently known about how this conserved class of transcriptional corepressors regulates the development of particular tissues via specific pathways. In this study, through our characterization of multiple Smrter (Smr) mutant lines, mosaic analysis of a loss-of-function Smr allele, and studies of two independent Smr RNAi fly lines, we report that SMRTER is required for the development of both ovarian follicle cells and the wing. In these two tissues, SMRTER inhibits not only the ecdysone pathway, but also the Notch pathway. We differentiate SMRTER's influence on these two signaling pathways by showing that SMRTER inhibits the Notch pathway, but not the ecdysone pathway, in a spatiotemporally restricted manner. We further confirm the likely involvement of SMRTER in the Notch pathway by demonstrating a direct interaction between SMRTER and Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)], a DNA-binding transcription factor pivotal in the Notch pathway, and the colocalization of both proteins at many chromosomal regions in salivary glands. Based on our results, we propose that SMRTER regulates the Notch pathway through its association with Su(H), and that overcoming a SMRTER-mediated transcriptional repression barrier may represent a key mechanism used by the Notch pathway to control the precise timing of events and the formation of sharp boundaries between cells in multiple tissues during development.
Estonian Outward Foreign Direct Investments

This paper aims to analyse the role of outward foreign direct investments in the Estonian economy. The research is based on the macro data provided by the Bank of Estonia and on the results obtained from 70 firms that responded to the survey conducted by the authors in autumn 2001. In the process of research the firms in the sample were classified as follows: by the type of investors (direct and indirect), by the type of investments (production, trade, other services), and by the age of affiliations. It allowed us to find interesting differences in the behaviour patterns of various investors. The survey revealed that market related motives appear to be predominant among the factors that make Estonian firms to invest abroad. The most important effects on the parent company are related to additional market shares gained abroad and enhanced exports. Investments into the other Baltic countries have been more in line with earlier expectations than those into the CIS or the European Union.
Nobody Likes Outliers

Introduction We present a novel, unsupervised outlier-selection algorithm, that we call “Stochastic Outlier Selection” (SOS). The algorithm first computes pairwise affinities between data points, and subsequently computes the probability of each data point being an outlier. The probability computation is based on a stochastic generative process. An illustration of our approach is as follows. Imagine Christmas is approaching, and it is time for all children in a classroom to make Christmas gifts for each other before the vacation. The teacher sets a rule, according to which, each child may give exactly one gift to one of their classmates, but they should not reveal whom they choose until the last day. The children therefore are assumed to make independent choices. Usually there will be a small number of friends per child who are candidates for the gift. We assume that each child bases their decision on how much they like other children, but the final choice is the result of a ranking with a stochastic nature. Finally, the choices are revealed and gifts are exchanged. The most popular children may end up with a large number of gifts, some receive only one, and some receive none. In this context, our approach considers outliers to be those who receive no gifts at all.
Application of lean thinking to health care: issues and observations

Background Incidents and quality problems are a prime cause why health care leaders are calling to redesign health care delivery. One of the concepts used is lean thinking. Yet, lean often leads to resistance. Also, there is a lack of high quality evidence supporting lean premises. In this paper, we present an overview of lean thinking and its application to health care. Development, theory and application of lean thinking to health care Lean thinking evolved from a tool designed to improve operational shop-floor performance at an automotive manufacturer to a management approach with both operational and sociotechnical aspects. Sociotechnical dynamics have until recently not received much attention. At the same time a balanced approach might lead to a situation where operational and sociotechnial improvements are mutually reinforcing. Application to health care has been limited and focussed mainly on operational aspects using original lean tools. A more integrative approach would be to pay more attention to sociotechnical dynamics of lean implementation efforts. Also, the need to use the original lean tools may be limited, because health care may have different instruments and tools already in use that are in line with lean thinking principles. Discussion We believe lean thinking has the potential to improve health care delivery. At the same time, there are methodological and practical considerations that need to be taken into account. Otherwise, lean implementation will be superficial and fail, adding to existing resistance and making it more difficult to improve health care in the long term.
The good, the bad and the unintended: the role of negative self-conscious emotions in marketing

Negative self-conscious (SC) emotions are important to examine in the field of consumer behavior. These emotions have been identified as drivers of social behavior; each day consumers make decisions and form attitudes and thoughts based on the negative self-conscious emotions they experience. Thus, these emotions are a common occurrence in the marketplace, making them particularly relevant to examine in the consumption experience. The purpose of this dissertation is to build a framework to identify how each one of these emotions function in the consumption experience. Specifically, five objectives are addressed: 1) Introduce and identify why negative SC emotions are important in the consumption experience; 2) Differentiate guilt, embarrassment, and shame in the consumption experience; 3) Identify unique antecedents for each emotion; 4) Identify coping strategies for each emotion; and 5) Identify a set of implications for marketing managers, consumer behavior researchers, and consumer welfare advocates. Essay 1 examined all three negative SC emotions (guilt, embarrassment and shame) in consumption experiences. The objectives discussed above were achieved using qualitative data from ten in-depth interviews. Results indicated that each negative SC emotion is present in the consumption experience. In addition, antecedents and coping mechanisms were identified for each emotion. These unique antecedents and consequences allowed the researcher to distinguish the three emotions from each other, as well as identify implications relevant to marketing managers, consumer behavior researchers and consumer welfare advocates. Essay 2 and Essay 3 examined the specific role of consumer guilt in the relationship marketing paradigm. Specifically, Essay 2 considered the antecedents of consumer guilt. This was achieved by data collected from an exploratory study. The results were used to build a conceptual framework, which was then examined empirically using structural equation modeling. Findings revealed that consumer guilt arises from consumer norm violations. Essay 3 sought to indentify the consequences of consumer guilt. This was achieved through analyzing a conceptual model using structural equation modeling. Findings reveal consumer guilt impacts of the outcome variables of affective and normative commitment, word-of-mouth and patronage intentions. Theoretical and managerial implications are offered.
An ICI reduction scheme for OFDM system with phase noise over fading channels

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing has become a key element of todays wireless communication systems. However, its sensitivity to oscillator phase noise is responsible for common phase error (CPE) and inter-carrier interference (ICI) which greatly degrades the overall system performance. In this contribution, we address the problem of reducing the effects of phase noise in an OFDM system operating over a frequency selective fading channel. We propose a method for jointly estimating the channel and CPE in a first step and removing ICI in a second step, using a power series expansion of the phase noise process. The algorithm is simulated on both coded and uncoded systems with phase noise over a fading channel.
Sparse data modelling using combined locally regularized orthogonal least squares and D-optimality design

The paper proposes to combine a locally regularized orthogonal least squares (LROLS) model selection with a D-optimality experimental design for efficient and robust sparse kernel data modelling. The LROLS algorithm alone is capable of producing a very parsimonious model with excellent generalization performance. The D-optimality design criterion further enhances the model efficiency and robustness. An added advantage is that the user only needs to specify a weighting for the D-optimality cost in the combined model selecting criterion and the entire model construction procedure becomes automatic. The value of this weighting does not influence the model selection procedure critically and it can be chosen with ease from a wide range of values.
Scatter storage techniques

ease 3) is odd; the BXH with an even second ~vrgument allows the increment and comparand to be in adjacent regist.ers, in this ease 4 aud 5. The Stl. subtraets register 5 from register 2. C is a fuI1 word comparison which sets the condition codE; this example could be modified for a halfword ~able by changing (3 to CH and "4" to "2" throughout the instructions above. BC branches (>~ eondition code 6, which is 0110 in binary--.-i.e., first opera.nd low or first operand high. The timi~g iu this ~.xa.mpl< depend:, ~>~ d~<, ,~o~i(1. (3,~ the ),L>d ;~0, th~ (imiugs in microseeouds of the givm~ instructions arE: BXI,, ;;S; I;XH, 3SiS l{, 30: ( ' . SO: BC, 15. ThE total is 151 nficrose('~u~d, \ si~! {]b' muii it@ i> struetion on the Mod ;gt) t~kes 2;~5 mi,. :roa'c(mds. (h~ ~ther models the situ0, iiOlt iS R)SS clear, bl, l[ iD, ttlt} (VeIlb ;~i legist five instructions ~re needed: multiply, ma.sk, BXtI ~0 TFUIA. C, and B(L Note that ~,> this machine ~ cam~ot "enclose" a BXH ~ithi~ :~ comparison tweau,;c ~h~: C instruetii:m does not skip, but merely >e{s thv co~dhiot~ code.
Biopolymer Networks and Cellular Mechanosensing

Cells and tissues are mechanical as well as biochemical machines, and cellular response to mechanical cues can have as large an influence on structure and function as chemical signals. The mechanical properties of cells are largely determined by networks of semiflexible polymers forming the cytoskeleton, which has viscoelastic properties that differ in important ways from the viscoelasticity of common synthetic materials. Two such features are the high resistance to deformation achieved by a remarkably low volume fraction of protein, and the increase in stiffness that occurs when the cytoskeletal network is deformed. The actin filaments, microtubules and intermediate filaments that comprise the cytoskeleton of most cell types are linear polymers with some important similarities but also some fundamental differences. The stiffness of the individual polymer types is vastly different, with persistence lengths ranging from 1 mm for the 24 nm diameter microtubules to a few 100 nm for the 10-14 nm diameter intermediate filaments. The material properties of these biopolymer networks are proposed to function as part of the mechanosensing mechanism in cells, and the stiffness of cytoskeletal networks is similar to that of common extracellular protein networks such as those formed by collagen and fibrin in which many cell types function. Examples of the morphologic differences in fibroblasts and astrocytes grown on chemically identical surfaces overlying gels with elastic moduli spanning the range from 50 to 12,000 Pa illustrate the large effect of stiffness differences on cell structure and function.
Nicotinamide Mononucleotide Adenylyl Transferase-Mediated Axonal Protection Requires Enzymatic Activity But Not Increased Levels of Neuronal Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

Axonal degeneration is a hallmark of many neurological disorders. Studies in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases indicate that axonal degeneration is an early event in the disease process, and delaying this process can lead to decreased progression of the disease and survival extension. Overexpression of the Wallerian degeneration slow (Wlds) protein can delay axonal degeneration initiated via axotomy, chemotherapeutic agents, or genetic mutations. The Wlds protein consists of the N-terminal portion of the ubiquitination factor Ube4b fused to the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) biosynthetic enzyme nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 1 (Nmnat1). We previously showed that the Nmnat1 portion of this fusion protein was the critical moiety for Wlds-mediated axonal protection. Here, we describe the development of an automated quantitative assay for assessing axonal degeneration. This method successfully showed that Nmnat1 enzymatic activity is important for axonal protection as mutants with reduced enzymatic activity lacked axon protective activity. We also found that Nmnat enzymes with diverse sequences and structures from various species, including Drosophila melanogaster, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and archaebacterium Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, which encodes a protein with no homology to eukaryotic Nmnat enzymes, all mediate robust axonal protection after axotomy. Besides the importance of Nmnat enzymatic activity, we did not observe changes in the steady-state NAD+ level, and we found that inhibition of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt), which synthesizes substrate for Nmnat in mammalian cells, did not affect the protective activity of Nmnat1. These results provide the possibility of a role for new Nmnat enzymatic activity in axonal protection in addition to NAD+ synthesis.
Topological De-Noising: Strengthening the Topological Signal

Topological methods, including persistent homology, are powerful tools for analysis of high-dimensional data sets but these methods rely almost exclusively on thresholding techniques. In noisy data sets, thresholding does not always allow for the recovery of topological information. We present an easy to implement, computationally efficient pre-processing algorithm to prepare noisy point cloud data sets for topological data analysis. The topological de-noising algorithm allows for the recovery of topological information that is inaccessible by thresholding methods. We apply the algorithm to synthetically-generated noisy data sets and show the recovery of topological information which is impossible to obtain by thresholding. We also apply the algorithm to natural image data in R^8 and show a very clean recovery of topological information previously only available with large amounts of thresholding. Finally, we discuss future directions for improving this algorithm using zig-zag persistence methods.
High glucose concentration induces endothelial cell proliferation by regulating cyclin‐D2‐related miR‐98

Cyclin D2 is involved in the pathology of vascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study investigated the role of cyclin‐D2‐regulated miRNAs in endothelial cell proliferation of T2DM. Results showed that higher glucose concentration (4.5 g/l) significantly promoted the proliferation of rat aortic endothelial cells (RAOECs), and significantly increased the expression of cyclin D2 and phosphorylation of retinoblastoma 1 (p‐RB1) in RAOECs compared with those under low glucose concentration. The cyclin D2‐3′ untranslated region is targeted by miR‐98, as demonstrated by miRNA analysis software. Western blot also confirmed that cyclin D2 and p‐RB1 expression was regulated by miR‐98. The results indicated that miR‐98 treatment can induce RAOEC apoptosis. The suppression of RAOEC growth by miR‐98 might be related to regulation of Bcl‐2, Bax and Caspase 9 expression. Furthermore, the expression levels of miR‐98 decreased in 4.5 g/l glucose‐treated cells compared with those treated by low glucose concentration. Similarly, the expression of miR‐98 significantly decreased in aortas of established streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic rat model compared with that in control rats; but cyclin D2 and p‐RB1 levels remarkably increased in aortas of STZ‐induced diabetic rats compared with those in healthy control rats. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that high glucose concentration induces cyclin D2 up‐regulation and miR‐98 down‐regulation in the RAOECs. By regulating cyclin D2, miR‐98 can inhibit human endothelial cell growth, thereby providing novel therapeutic targets for vascular complication of T2DM.