Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Data centering in feature space

This paper presents a family of methods for data translation in feature space, to be used in conjunction with kernel machines. The translations are performed using only kernel evaluations in input space. We use the methods to improve the numerical properties of kernel machines. Experiments with synthetic and real data demonstrate the effectivenes of data centering and highlight other interesting aspects of translation in feature space.
Effect of Non-Class Fly Ash on Strength Properties of Concrete

Developing of green construction and reducing CO2emissions in the environment is a priority for industry in the coming years. Recycling fly ash in the concrete industry is a well-known way to reduce environmental impact. Aside from this benefit, there are numerous other positive effects of incorporating fly ash into concrete; however, in this research, the objective is to replace cement with a different percentage of non-class fly ash with high CaO, more than 42%. The analyzed variables are non-class fly ash properties, the effect of fly ash presence on the main properties of concrete and examining the optimum of non-class fly ash in ordinary concrete C-25/30 and high-performance concrete C-50/60. All investigations took place in the laboratory by producing 24 different mix designs and more than 1000 specimens to examine: consistency, setting time, shrinkage, and compressive strength in the short and long terms of curing. Recycling industrial waste in new construction, especially fly ash because of its non-uniform properties, still has some obstacles and is not a practical issue, but the future must be environmentally friendly, and this research proves that the objective of producing sustainable ordinary and high-performance concrete was achieved by replacing 40% of cement with non-class high CaO content fly ash. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-2024-010-03-02 Full Text: PDF
Double Standards: Bringing Task Parallelism to HPF Via the Message Passing Interface

High Performance Fortran (HPF) does not allow efficient expression of mixed task/data-parallel computations or the coupling of separately compiled data-parallel modules. In this paper, we show how a coordination library implementing the Message Passing Interface (MPI) can be used to represent these common parallel program structures. This library allows data-parallel tasks to exchange distributed data structures using calls to simple communication functions. We present microbenchmark results that characterize the performance of this library and that quantify the impact of optimizations that allow reuse of communication schedules in common situations. In addition, results from two-library can provide performance superior to that of pure HPF. We conclude that this synergistic combination of two parallel programming standards represents a useful approach to task parallelism in a data-parallel framework, increasing the range of problems addresable in HPF without requiring complex compiler technology.
TREES AND COMBINED METHODS FOR MONOPHONIC MUSIC SIMILARITY EVALUATION

This abstract describes the four methods presented by us with the objective of obtaining a good trade-off between accuracy and processing time [3]. Three of them are based on a summarization of the input musical data: the tree representation approach [5, 6] (UA T-RI2, and UA T3-RI3), and the quantized point-pattern representation [1] (UA PR RI4). The fourth method is an ensemble of methods [4] (UA C-RI1). The summarization methods are expected to be faster than approaches dealing with raw representations of data. The ensemble combines different approaches trying to be more robust and are expected to give equal or better accuracy than the summarization methods. Thousands of different parametrizations of those methods are possible. The parameters of the presented methods are chosen based on previous experiments. 1. TREE REPRESENTATION OF MELODIES (UA T AND UA T3) Music pieces can be represented by symbolic structures such as strings or trees containing the sequence of notes in the melody. A melody has two main dimensions: rhythm (duration) and pitch. In linear representations, both pitches and durations are coded by explicit symbols, but trees are able to implicitly represent time in their structure (the shorter a note the deeper it is in the tree), making use of the fact that note durations are multiples of basic time units in a binary (sometimes ternary) subdivision (see Fig. 1). This way, trees are less sensitive to the codes used to represent melodies, since only pitch codes are needed to be established and thus there are less degrees of freedom for coding. For representing the note pitches in a monophonic melody s as a string, symbols σ from a pitch representation alphabet Σp are used: s ∈ Σp, s = σ1σ2. σ|s|. Several encodings can be found in the literature trying to solve two issues: the transposition and interval invariance [7], and the level of encoding precision tied to the error tolerance. For the presented algorithms based on tree representations, This document is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ c © 2010 The Authors. H H H H H H H H H H H H H H ( ( H H ( ( H H H H H H ( ( H H ( ( Figure 1: Duration hierarchy for note figures. From top to bottom: whole (4 beats), half (2 beats), quarter (1 beat), and eighth (1/2 beat) notes. the high definition contour pitch representation phdc has been chosen for being interval invariant and in the middle of the trade-off between error tolerance and representation precision. Definition 1.1 Let pabs be the MIDI pitch, and ni the i-th note: Σphdc =  ‘ + 2′ if pabs(ni) > pabs(ni−1) + 4 ‘ + 1′ if pabs(ni) ≤ pabs(ni−1) + 4 ∧pabs(ni) > pabs(ni−1) ‘− 2′ if pabs(ni)− 4 < pabs(ni−1) ‘− 1′ if pabs(ni)− 4 ≥ pabs(ni−1) ∧pabs(ni) < pabs(ni−1) ‘0′ otherwise.
Increasing incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States, 1973-2002.

CONTEXT Increasing cancer incidence is typically interpreted as an increase in the true occurrence of disease but may also reflect changing pathological criteria or increased diagnostic scrutiny. Changes in the diagnostic approach to thyroid nodules may have resulted in an increase in the apparent incidence of thyroid cancer. OBJECTIVE To examine trends in thyroid cancer incidence, histology, size distribution, and mortality in the United States. METHODS Retrospective cohort evaluation of patients with thyroid cancer, 1973-2002, using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program and data on thyroid cancer mortality from the National Vital Statistics System. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Thyroid cancer incidence, histology, size distribution, and mortality. RESULTS The incidence of thyroid cancer increased from 3.6 per 100,000 in 1973 to 8.7 per 100,000 in 2002-a 2.4-fold increase (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-2.6; P<.001 for trend). There was no significant change in the incidence of the less common histological types: follicular, medullary, and anaplastic (P>.20 for trend). Virtually the entire increase is attributable to an increase in incidence of papillary thyroid cancer, which increased from 2.7 to 7.7 per 100,000-a 2.9-fold increase (95% CI, 2.6-3.2; P<.001 for trend). Between 1988 (the first year SEER collected data on tumor size) and 2002, 49% (95% CI, 47%-51%) of the increase consisted of cancers measuring 1 cm or smaller; 87% (95% CI, 85%-89%) consisted of cancers measuring 2 cm or smaller. Mortality from thyroid cancer was stable between 1973 and 2002 (approximately 0.5 deaths per 100,000). CONCLUSIONS The increasing incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States is predominantly due to the increased detection of small papillary cancers. These trends, combined with the known existence of a substantial reservoir of subclinical cancer and stable overall mortality, suggest that increasing incidence reflects increased detection of subclinical disease, not an increase in the true occurrence of thyroid cancer.
3D geological modelling of the Double Eagle-Black Thor intrusive complexes, McFaulds Lake Greenstone Belt, Ontario, Canada

The Ring of Fire region in northwestern Ontario hosts many valuable magmatic ore deposits, including six major chromite and one significant Ni-Cu-(PGE) deposit. A 3D geological model was developed to examine the subsurface architecture and structural disposition of the Double Eagle and Black Thor intrusive complexes that host these deposits. The model is constrained by diamond drillhole datasets, regional geological maps and a refined structural interpretation based on high-resolution magnetic data. Employing implicit and explicit modelling methods, a 3D representation of the intrusive complexes was generated by fitting triangulated surfaces to relevant drillhole constraints. Through the examination of the spatial relationships between the main shear zones and the intrusive units of the DEIC and BTIC, the primary and post-ore deformation geometries of the complexes were evaluated, increasing our understanding of the magmatic plumbing system and supporting the interpretation of a single, connected ultramafic complex dissected and transposed by ductile deformation.
The Distinction between Burkitt Lymphoma and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma with c-myc Rearrangement

To compare immunophenotypic and molecular features between Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with c-myc rearrangements (c-mycR DLBCL), we analyzed 18 cases of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with c-mycR that were confirmed by chromosomal and/or Southern blotting analyses. The cases were histologically classified into 10 BLs and five DLBCLs. The remaining three cases could not be classified because of suboptimal quality of the surgical materials. BLs were from five adults and five children, whereas all DLBCLs were from adults. BLs were positive for CD20 (10/10 cases examined), CD10 (9/10), Bcl-2 (1/9), and Bcl-6 (10/10), whereas they were negative for CD3 (0/10) and EBV (0/8), by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) EBER-1 RNA in situ hybridization. c-MycR DLBCLs were positive for CD20 (5/5), CD10 (2/5), Bcl-2 (3/4), and Bcl-6 (4/4), whereas none of them were positive for CD3 and EBV. A mean of MIB-1 index (MIB-1+ cells/neoplastic cells, %) of BLs (98.1%) was higher than that of c-mycR DLBCLs (66.3%; P < .0001). Somatic mutation of immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene variable region (VH gene) in BLs (four cases) ranged from 0.7 to 4.9% with an average value of 2.3%, whereas those in DLBCLs (three cases) from 8.2 to 32.0% with an average value of 17.0%. It is, therefore, concluded that a growth fraction of nearly 100%, as well as a monotonous proliferation of medium-sized cells and c-mycR, should be of value in the diagnosis of BL, which is probably different from c-mycR DLBCL. In addition, CD10+, Bcl-2−, and low frequency of mutation of the VH gene could be helpful for the histologic distinction of BL from (c-mycR) DLBCL.
An immune-inspired online feature selection mechanism

A solution to the Feature Selection Problem (FSP) still remains one of the challenges faced in the domain of machine learning. Most of the solutions to the FSP are designed and proposed as a preprocessing step wherein the best suited features are selected in an off-line manner. Online feature selection is a much more complex problem. This paper describes a novel Immuno-inspired Online Feature Selection (iFS) approach to select the best suited features for a domain. The approach uses an Immune Network as a base to realize an autonomous and self-learning solution to online FSP. Unlike conventional methods this approach does not rely on a fixed set of predefined training data. Instead, given a set of features (antibodies) it responds to incoming data (antigens) and delivers a reduced set of the former. The efficacy of the proposed method has been justified based on experiments carried out to classify human beings from non-human ones. Comparisons with three widely used methods also authenticate the superiority of the approach.
Diabetic foot ulcers.

The RCN Learning Zone is a FREE online service to help RCN members with their continuing professional development and professional portfolio management. The RCN Learning Zone can be found at www.rcn. org.uk/members/learningzone.php This practice profile is based on NS683 Holt P (2013) Assessment and management of patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Nursing Standard. 27, 27, 49-55. I care for patients with a range of bone or soft tissue infections, which often require surgery and long courses of intravenous antibiotics. Many patients have diabetes, and are admitted with foot ulcers. A diabetic foot ulcer usually occurs as a result of trauma combined with neuropathy. Trauma can be caused by ill-fitting footwear or socks. Neuropathy is caused by poorly controlled diabetes and hyperglycaemia. Neuropathy is a long-term complication of diabetes, and it was interesting to read the learning zone article to gain an understanding of the various types of neuropathy. Motor neuropathy is damage to the nerves supplying the muscles of the body. When this occurs in the muscles of the foot, the shape can no longer be maintained and it becomes deformed. This can result in excessive pressure at various points on the foot, increasing the risk of developing a foot ulcer. Sensory neuropathy results in reduced sensation caused by sensory nerve damage, which means that the patient is less able to feel pressure, pain or temperature. Usually the feet are the first area affected, and this increases the risk of foot ulcer development. Autonomic neuropathy affects the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves, affecting various systems in the body, such as the digestive and cardiovascular systems. Charcot neuropathy involves deformity of the bones in the foot caused by increased blood flow, which washes away essential bone minerals and leads to bone thinning. This is one of the types of neuropathy that I have encountered in practice. The article prompted me to read the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on diabetes and, in particular, foot care. I had been unaware of the recommendation that patients with diabetes should have an annual foot examination. This is something that from now on I intend to check with my patients who have diabetes, as part of my health promotion role.
Stress and translocation: alterations in the stress physiology of translocated birds

Translocation and reintroduction have become major conservation actions in attempts to create self-sustaining wild populations of threatened species. However, avian translocations have a high failure rate and causes for failure are poorly understood. While ‘stress’ is often cited as an important factor in translocation failure, empirical evidence of physiological stress is lacking. Here we show that experimental translocation leads to changes in the physiological stress response in chukar partridge, Alectoris chukar. We found that capture alone significantly decreased the acute glucocorticoid (corticosterone, CORT) response, but adding exposure to captivity and transport further altered the stress response axis (the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis) as evident from a decreased sensitivity of the negative feedback system. Animals that were exposed to the entire translocation procedure, in addition to the reduced acute stress response and disrupted negative feedback, had significantly lower baseline CORT concentrations and significantly reduced body weight. These data indicate that translocation alters stress physiology and that chronic stress is potentially a major factor in translocation failure. Under current practices, the restoration of threatened species through translocation may unwittingly depend on the success of chronically stressed individuals. This conclusion emphasizes the need for understanding and alleviating translocation-induced chronic stress in order to use most effectively this important conservation tool.
The Autonomous Blimp Project of LAAS-CNRS: Achievements in Flight Control and Terrain Mapping

In this paper we provide a progress report of the LAAS-CNRS project of autonomous blimp robot development, in the context of field robotics. Hardware developments aimed at designing a generic and versatile experimental platform are first presented. On this base, the flight control and terrain mapping issues, which constitute the main thrust of the research work, are presented in two parts. The first part, devoted to the automatic control study, is based on a rigorous modeling of the airship dynamics. Considering the decoupling of the lateral and longitudinal dynamics, several flight phases are identified for which appropriate control strategies are proposed. The description focuses on the lateral steady navigation. In the second part of the paper, we present work on terrain mapping with lowaltitude stereovision. A simultaneous localization and map building approach based on an extended Kalman filter is depicted, with details on the identification of the various errors involved in the process. Experimental results show that positioning in the three-dimensional space with a centimeter accuracy can be achieved, thus allowing the possibility to build high-resolution digital elevation maps.
Heparin Octasaccharides Inhibit Angiogenesis In vivo

Background: In previous experiments, we showed that heparin oligosaccharides inhibit the angiogenic cytokine fibroblast growth factor-2. Here, we present the first in vivo study of size-fractionated heparin oligosaccharides in four models of angiogenesis that are progressively less dependent on fibroblast growth factor-2. Experimental Design: Heparin oligosaccharides were prepared using size-exclusion gel filtration chromatography and characterized through depolymerization and strong anion exchange high-performance liquid chromatography. Size-defined oligosaccharides (20 mg/kg/d) were given to mice bearing s.c. sponges that were injected with fibroblast growth factor-2 (100 ng/d). After 14 days, octasaccharides and decasaccharides reduced the microvessel density to levels below control. In a second experiment, HEC-FGF2 human endometrial cancer cells that overexpress fibroblast growth factor-2 were implanted in a hollow fiber placed s.c. in vivo. Oligosaccharides were given at 20 mg/kg/d for 2 weeks and the data again showed that octasaccharides significantly reduced microvessel density around the fiber (P = 0.03). In a more complex model, where angiogenesis was induced by a broad spectrum of growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor, we implanted H460 lung carcinoma cells in hollow fibers and treated the animals with oligosaccharides at 20 mg/kg/d over 3 weeks. Octasaccharides reduced the microvessel density to that of control. Preliminary investigation of 6-O-desulfated heparins showed that these also had antiangiogenic activity. Results: Finally, we examined the inhibitory potential of hexasaccharides and octasaccharides given at 20 mg/kg/d and these inhibited the growth of H460 lung carcinoma in vivo. At clinically attainable concentrations, significant anticoagulation (activated partial thromboplastin time, anti–factor Xa, and anti–factor IIa) was not observed in vitro unless species containing ≥16 saccharide residues were investigated. Conclusions: Thus, our preclinical data show that heparin octasaccharides represent novel antiangiogenic compounds that can be given without the anticoagulant effects of low molecular weight heparin.
Dynamical neural networks for planning and low-level robot control

We use dynamical neural networks based on the neural field formalism for the control of a mobile robot. The robot navigates in an open environment and is able to plan a path for reaching a particular goal. We will describe how this dynamical approach may be used by a high level system (planning) for controlling a low level behavior (speed of the robot). We give also results about the control of the orientation of a camera and a robot body.
Improving the IP routing table update using clusetring technique

Link state IP protocols like OSPF and IS-IS work upon network state advertisements. Link state packets travel all over the network, advertising recent failure or changes in the network. It is IP router responsibility to execute the complex updating process which includes recalculating shortest paths and updating central and local forwarding tables. Since forwarding tables must be updated for forwarding new arrival packets, forwarding received packets during the updating process is one of the most critical issues. There have been several researches in the way of updating forwarding tables for achieving less packet loss ratio and faster packet forwarding statistics during updating process. This paper presents an updating method based on clustering the traffic which has been recently received by the router. Each cluster represents a set of network prefixes with almost the same priority for being updated. Our experimental results shows how clustering could decrease the packet loss ratio during updating process.
Analyzing Pedestrian Flows Based on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Captures

The rapid deployment of smartphones has led to a wide adoption of wireless communication systems such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Both techniques leak information to the surroundings during operation. This information has been used in literature for estimating pedestrian ﬂows, b ut t he c orrelation t o g round truth has not yet been evaluated. Thus, a reliable deployment in real world scenarios is rather di ﬃ cult. To ﬁll in this gap, we use ground truth provided by the security check process at a major airport and evaluate the quality of crowd information gathered from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth captures. We analyze estimated pedestrian ﬂows and present three approaches improving the accuracy compared to a naive count of captured MAC addresses. Such counts only showed an impractical Pearson correlation of 0.53 for Bluetooth and 0.61 for Wi-Fi. The presented approaches yield a better correlation and allow for a practical estimation of pedestrian flows.
The minimum distance for digital magnetic recording partial responses

The main result is the finding of the minimum distance, d/sub min/, for m-ary signals over a class of partial responses of interest in the field of digital magnetic recording. A previously published set of results (see H.K. Thapar and A.M. Patel, 1987) on d/sub min/ for a related class of partial responses relevant to the coaxial cable channel is extended. A simple, powerful algorithm for finding d/sub min/ is employed. A secondary result is given in a table, which extends a previously published table (see G.J. Foschini, 1975), reporting a solution to the corresponding problem for coaxial cable partial responses. >