Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Normalized Web Distance and Word Similarity

htmlabstractThere is a great deal of work in cognitive psychology, linguistics, and computer science, about using word (or phrase) frequencies in context in text corpora to develop measures for word similarity or word association, going back to at least the 1960s. The goal of this chapter is to introduce the normalized is a general way to tap the amorphous low-grade knowledge available for free on the Internet, typed in by local users aiming at personal gratification of diverse objectives, and yet globally achieving what is effectively the largest semantic electronic database in the world. Moreover, this database is available for all by using any search engine that can return aggregate page-count estimates for a large range of search-queries. In the paper introducing the NWD it was called `normalized Google distance (NGD),' but since Google doesn't allow computer searches anymore, we opt for the more neutral and descriptive NWD. web distance (NWD) method to determine similarity between words and phrases.
Stochastic VM Multiplexing for Datacenter Consolidation

Virtual machine (VM) placement for Datacenter (DC) consolidation is a challenging problem, particularly in the face of VM workload fluctuation. In this paper, we present a stochastic model for optimization of DC consolidation and propose intelligent strategies for statistical VM multiplexing on physical machines (PMs) to ensure optimal use of hardware resources, while providing a service guarantee. We have provided an optimal strategy by modeling and solving the problem as a stochastic integer programming problem followed by a more scalable strategy based on a greedy heuristic. Extensive simulation based experimental results show that the strategies are more efficient in resource utilization while providing bounded service guarantees, than the traditional way of VM placement without any consideration to workload fluctuation.
Co-existence of transaction and non transaction-managed activity in a persistent object store

Persistent object stores provide an execution environment in which data and its interrelationships are, by default, retained in their original form beyond the lifetimes of the program or programs that created them. Stability mechanisms ensure that such stores always start up in a self-consistent state, even after non-orderly shutdowns that result from events such as power outages or hardware failures. An efficient means of implementing stability uses directed dependency graphs (DDGs), to facilitate execution of user processes in parallel with updates to the durable store image. The authors have previously shown how these DDGs can be extended and used to provide optimistic, transaction-based concurrency control for processes executing in persistent object stores by Ashton, M.G. and Henskens, F.A. (2004). The management of persistent objects differs from that afforded by conventional DBMS because the entire dataset exists in the same repository. As in conventional systems, it is appropriate that some data is accessed (queried and mutated) independently of the transaction system. In this paper, we examine the issue of interaction between processes that execute under transaction control with those executing independently of the transaction system. Interestingly, this co-existence is achieved without enforcing transaction semantics on the independent activity.
High-Performance Adaptive Torque Control for an IPMSM With Real-Time MTPA Operation

In this paper, a high-performance torque control scheme of an interior permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) is introduced, which focuses on both steady state and transient torque dynamics of the IPMSM under the maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) condition. For the proposed control scheme with model-based torque correction, an accurate and efficient torque control with robust torque response can be achieved for the MPTA operation. Global stability and performance of the proposed torque control scheme are theoretically guaranteed. The current limitation of the IPMSM is easily handled without anti-windup and without degrading the torque dynamics or stability even the torque demand is beyond the maximum reachable torque. Implementation issues of the proposed control scheme to the real IPMSM plant with parameter variation are discussed. With the compensation of the linear and nonlinear inverter voltage drop, a robust and accurate torque response for the real-time MTPA operation can be achieved by an adaptive current control and online parameter estimation. The simulation and experimental results validate the safety and high performance of the proposed torque control scheme.
The Acquisition of Subset and Superset Phonotactic Knowledge in a Second Language

Can second language (L2) learners acquire a grammar that allows a subset of the structures allowed by their native grammar? This question is addressed here with respect to acquisition of phonotactics. On the assumption that the L2 initial state equals the native grammar's final state, learnability theory would predict that a lack of negative evidence for phonotactic structures that are illegal in the target language precludes acquisition of the target grammar. This prediction is tested for L1-Russian (superset) and L1-Spanish (subset) L2 learners of Dutch by means of word-likeness judgments and lexical decision experiments. Participants responded to nonwords containing consonant clusters in onsets and codas that are legal (1) only in Russian, (2) only in Russian and Dutch, or (3) in all three languages. The results converge to show that advanced L1-Russian and L1-Spanish L2 learners possess native-like phonotactic knowledge. Analysis shows that this knowledge cannot be attributed to transfer of lexical statistics from the native language. The results suggest that L2 phonotactic acquisition is not affected by subset/superset relations between the native language and target language. Some possible explanations for our findings are discussed.
A Converged Service Plane for Virtual Infrastructure Containers

The Infrastructure deployed in data centers to create cloud services can be extremely large. As such, the magnitude of these resources and the technologies required to enable the cloud services raises various challenges. Composing cloud services from a subset of the data centre as a virtual infrastructure container is a viable option to meet these challenges. We present an efficient automation layer for virtual infrastructure container. Biologically inspired models and algorithms for virtual resource provisioning, service isolation, and task allocation are presented and tested experimentally. We formulate relational model for components interaction in a virtual container. Large biological datasets are used to generate initial inputs to our model. We then implement the model in a simulation experiment to investigate the accuracy of our model and measure the improvement on performance of cloud services creation and delivery. The results from the experiments shows significant significant reduction in provisioning time and more effective resource utilization over similar approaches.
Performance analysis of cloud with queue-dependent virtual machines

Cloud computing provides a new way for industries to meet the emerging business need for agility. Many public clouds are available for developers to build web applications on cloud. The process of entering into the cloud is generally in the form of a queue, so that each user need to wait until the current user is being served. In the system, each Cloud Computing User (CCU) requests Cloud Computing Service Provider (CCSP) for use of resources. If CCU finds the server busy, then the user has to wait till the current user completes the job. This may result in increase of queue length as well as waiting time, which may lead to request drop. To handle this problem, CCSP needs to find ways to reduce waiting time. We propose a finite multiserver queueing model with queue dependent heterogeneous servers where the web applications are modeled as queues and the virtual machines are modeled as service providers. CCSP's can use multiple servers and the number of busy servers changes depending on the queue length for reducing queue length and waiting time. This helps us to dynamically create and remove virtual machines in order to scaling up and down. We develop a recursive method to obtain the system steady-state probabilities. Various performance measures of the proposed scheme have been described and evaluated. Computational experiences in the form of graphs are presented.
Long-Term and Ultra Long–Term Blood Pressure Variability During Follow-Up and Mortality in 14 522 Patients With Hypertension

Recent evidence indicates that long-term visit-to-visit blood pressure variability (BPV) may be an independent cardiovascular risk predictor. The implication of this variability in hypertension clinical practice is unclear. BPV as average real variability (ARV) was calculated in 14 522 treated patients with hypertension in 4 time frames: year 1 (Y1), years 2 to 5 (Y2–5), years 5 to 10 (Y5–10), and years >10 (Y10+) from first clinic visit. Cox proportional hazards models for cause-specific mortality were used in each time frame separately for long-term BPV, across time frames based on ultra long–term BPV, and within each time frame stratified by mean BP. ARV in systolic blood pressure (SBP), termed ARVSBP, was higher in Y1 (21.3±11.9 mm Hg) in contrast to Y2–5 (17.7±9.9 mm Hg), Y5–10 (17.4±9.6 mm Hg), and Y10+ (16.8±8.5 mm Hg). In all time frames, ARVSBP was higher in women (P<0.01) and in older age (P<0.001), chronic kidney disease (P<0.01), and prevalent cardiovascular disease (P<0.01). Higher long-term and ultra long–term BPV values were associated with increased mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality; P for trend, <0.001). This relationship was also evident in subgroups with mean SBP<140 mm Hg in all time frames. Monitoring BPV in clinical practice may facilitate risk reduction strategies by identifying treated hypertensive individuals at high risk, especially those with BP within the normal range.
Does School Choice Lead to Sorting? Evidence from Tiebout Variation

A question commonly raised about school choice is whether it would result in sorting or stratification. Previous research has asked this with respect to inter-district or Tiebout choice, but has generated no consensus in part because areas’ district concentrations may be endogenous. This paper addresses this by exploiting the fact that some metropolitan areas (MAs) have different numbers of districts operating at the primary and the secondary level. The resulting within-MA, between-educational level variation in district concentration suggests that increases in district availability do affect children’s district and school level peer groups, and that they lower private enrollment. (JEL H1,H7,I2)
A Word Sense Probabilistic Topic Model

This paper proposed a novel probabilistic topic model based on word senses. Different from the classic topic model exploring word form, this model generated the word form and at the same generated the word sense in a specific context. There are totally four layers in this model compared with the three layers in transitional probability topic models. We further illustrated how to solve the parameters for this word sense probabilistic topic model (WSPTM). As far as the applications of WSPTM are concerned, a basic task for natural language processing, i.e. word sense disambiguation would be benefited. We further illustrated how to solve the parameters for this word sense probabilistic topic model.
Pedagogical Agents and the Efficiency of Instructional Conditions in Educational Applications

This chapter discusses how the use of pedagogical agents in educational applications may influence the relative efficiency of instructional conditions, a concept proposed by Paas & Merriënboer (1993), which combines the measures of mental effort and task performance to determine, for example, how efficient certain settings are regarding their potential to promote learning. The authors describe an experiment carried out with 179 students who were enrolled in a distance learning course about educational software. The results of the study demonstrated that the conversational agent contributed to the improvement of the efficiency of instructional conditions. Such results make a relevant contribution to interactive learning research as they demonstrate that the use of pedagogical agents may improve the efficiency of learning material. Furthermore, by simulating social interaction, these agents may expand the boundaries of educational applications, which have been often designed mainly for individualized learning.
Occurrence of Fusaproliferin and Beauvericin inFusarium-Contaminated Livestock Feed in Iowa

ABSTRACT Fusarium fungal contaminants and related mycotoxins were investigated in eight maize feed samples submitted to the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Fusarium moniliforme, F. proliferatum, and F. subglutinans were isolated from seven, eight, and five samples, respectively. These strains belonged to mating populations A, D, and E of the teleomorph Gibberella fujikuroi. Fusaproliferin was detected at concentrations of 0.1 to 30 μg/g in four samples, and beauvericin was detected (0.1 to 3.0 μg/g) in five samples. Fumonisins were detected in all eight samples (1.1 to 14 μg/g). Ten of 11 strains of F. proliferatum and all 12 strains ofF. subglutinans isolated from the samples produced fusaproliferin in culture on whole maize kernels (4 to 350 and 100 to 1,000 μg/g, respectively). Nine F. proliferatum strains also produced beauvericin in culture (85 to 350 μg/g), but none of the F. subglutinans strains produced beauvericin. Fumonisin B1 was produced by all nine F. moniliformestrains (50 to 2,000 μg/g) and by 10 of the F. proliferatum strains (1,000 to 2,000 μg/g). This is the first report of the natural occurrence of fusaproliferin outside Italy and of the natural occurrence of beauvericin in North America.
Brooklyn Bhikkhu: How Salvatore Cioffi Became The Venerable Lokanatha

This article provides a biographical overview of the life of the Venerable Lokanatha (1897–1966), who was born in Italy as Salvatore Cioffi and raised in Brooklyn, New York. After converting to Buddhism in his late-twenties, Lokanatha travelled to Burma, took ordination as a monk, and began a remarkable 40 year career as a writer, lecturer, organizer, and Buddhist missionary throughout South Asia and the world. Beyond biography, Lokanatha and the various responses to him are contextualized within the different cultural spheres in which he operated, from the anti-colonial Buddhist revival in Burma to the mocking indifference Lokanatha found in the United States. Scholarship on modern Buddhism, particularly recent work on U Dhammaloka, is used to situate Lokanatha's life and its facets of conservative reformer and transnational actor. Finally, an account of the source material used to reconstruct the life of Lokanatha is employed to offer practical methodological explanations for his absence from conventional narratives of modern Buddhism and what his inclusion along with other figures might mean in the future.
INFERRING THE INCLINATION OF A BLACK HOLE ACCRETION DISK FROM OBSERVATIONS OF ITS POLARIZED CONTINUUM RADIATION

Spin parameters of stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binaries are currently being estimated by fitting the X-ray continuum spectra of their accretion disk emission. For this method, it is necessary to know the inclination of the X-ray-producing inner region of the disk. Since the inner disk is expected to be oriented perpendicular to the spin axis of the hole, the usual practice is to assume that the black hole spin is aligned with the orbital angular momentum vector of the binary, and to estimate the inclination of the latter from ellipsoidal modulations in the light curve of the secondary star. We show that the inclination of the disk can be inferred directly if we have both spectral and polarization information on the disk radiation. The predicted degree of polarization varies from 0% to 5% as the disk inclination changes from face-on to edge-on. With current X-ray polarimetric techniques the polarization degree of a typical bright X-ray binary could be measured to an accuracy of 0.1% by observing the source for about 10 days. Such a measurement would constrain the disk inclination to within a degree or two and would significantly improve the reliability of black hole spin estimates. In addition, it would provide new information on the tilt between the black hole spin axis and the orbital rotation axis of the binary, which would constrain any velocity kicks experienced by stellar-mass black holes during their formation.
Recovering Use Case Diagrams from Object Oriented Code: An MDA-based Approach

Modernization of legacy systems requires the existence of technical frameworks for information integration and tool interoperability that allow managing new platform technologies, design techniques and processes. MDA (Model Driven Architecture), adopted by the OMG (Object Management Group), is aligned with this requirement. Reverse engineering techniques play a crucial role in system modernization. In light of these issues, this article describes a framework to reverse engineering MDA models from object oriented code. This framework distinguishes three different abstraction levels linked to models, metamodels and formal specifications. At model level, transformations are based on static and dynamic analysis. At metamodel level, transformations are specified as OCL (Object Constraint Language) contracts between MOF (Meta Object Facility) metamodels which control the consistency of these transformations. The level of formal specification includes algebraic specifications of MOF metamodels and metamodel-based transformations. This article shows how to reverse engineering use case diagrams from Java code in the MDA context focusing on transformations at model and metamodel levels. We validate our approach by using Eclipse Modeling Framework, Ecore metamodels and ATL (Atlas Transformation Language).
QUERY EXECUTION FRAMEWORK FOR BIG SPATIAL DATA

If we consider the current scenario, an incredible amount of data is being generated these days with data sources as diverse as satellites, scientific setups like LHC, social networking data and various other sources varying from the internet to sensor networks so much so that the term ”bigdata” has been specifically coined to define this data. Spatial extension of this data has become very common with people sharing their location on social networks, spatio-temporal data from coming in from sensors and several scientific setups spanning diverse domains like oceanography, remote sensing, intelligent traffic management etc. Various technologies have been designed specifically to mine this huge amount of data for finding meaningful information. Several business intelligence tools use spatial data mining for solving complex problems like facility placement, entering new markets and diversifying businesses. Literature survey has revealed that while advanced systems have been built to handle large scale non spatial data, these techniques lack efficient mechanisms for analyzing spatial data. Distributed database management systems have been a popular choice for managing big data. While the face of computing has changed from distributed systems to cloud computing which provide highly reliable, available and fault tolerant services, the underlying mechanisms have remained the same. Data oriented cloud based services are defining this age of ”PetabyteData” by providing facilities for data storage as well as computing by harnessing the power of distributed systems and resource visualization. The aim of this thesis is to design a seamless framework for distributed query processing over spatial data which enables the community to handle big spatial data efficiently. We propose to design the architecture for such a system and implement the system over existing technologies. The central idea of this thesis is to enable distributed database management systems to perform complex geometrical operations over spatial data efficiently. We intend to bring the positives of distributed and parallel database computing paradigms together and implement the overall solution.
Cross-linking, ligation, and sequencing of hybrids reveals RNA–RNA interactions in yeast

Many protein–protein and protein–nucleic acid interactions have been experimentally characterized, whereas RNA–RNA interactions have generally only been predicted computationally. Here, we describe a high-throughput method to identify intramolecular and intermolecular RNA–RNA interactions experimentally by cross-linking, ligation, and sequencing of hybrids (CLASH). As validation, we identified 39 known target sites for box C/D modification-guide small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) on the yeast pre-rRNA. Novel snoRNA-rRNA hybrids were recovered between snR4-5S and U14-25S. These are supported by native electrophoresis and consistent with previously unexplained data. The U3 snoRNA was found to be associated with sequences close to the 3′ side of the central pseudoknot in 18S rRNA, supporting a role in formation of this structure. Applying CLASH to the yeast U2 spliceosomal snRNA led to a revised predicted secondary structure, featuring alternative folding of the 3′ domain and long-range contacts between the 3′ and 5′ domains. CLASH should allow transcriptome-wide analyses of RNA–RNA interactions in many organisms.
Graphical user interfaces in dynamic software product lines

Dynamic Software Product Line Engineering has gained interest through its promise of being able to unify software adaptation whereby software can be configured at compile time and runtime. While previous work has concentrated on language support and other platform support, little attention has been placed on graphical user interface variability. In this paper, we present the motivation for handling dynamic graphical user interface variability and the challenges that require tackling to enable this.
SNARE Interactions Are Not Selective

The SNARE hypothesis proposes that membrane trafficking specificity is mediated by preferential high affinity interactions between particular v (vesicle membrane)- and t (target membrane)-SNARE combinations. The specificity of interactions among a diverse set of SNAREs, however, is unknown. We have tested the SNARE hypothesis by analyzing potential SNARE complexes between five proteins of the vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAMP) family, three members of the synaptosome-associated protein-25 (SNAP-25) family and three members of the syntaxin family. All of the 21 combinations of SNAREs tested formed stable complexes. Sixteen were resistant to SDS denaturation, and most complexes thermally denatured between 70 and 90 °C. These results suggest that the specificity of membrane fusion is not encoded by the interactions between SNAREs.
Chromosomal localization, spatio-temporal distribution and polymorphism of the porcine tripartite motif-containing 55 (TRIM55) gene

Porcine gene-specifi c primers design Four alternatively spliced transcript variants of TRIM55 have been identifi ed in human. The longest human TRIM55 cDNA (transcript variant 2, GenBank accession number: NM_033058) was used to search in the ‘EST_other’ database with the standard BLAST (http://www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/blast/) algorithm for homologous pig expressed sequence tags (ESTs). The ESTs sharing more than 80% sequence identity with the human cDNA (NM_033058) were assembled to produce a pig EST-contig. From the EST-contig, two gene-specifi c polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer pairs were designed using Primer Premier 5.0 software (http://www.premierbiosoft.com) ( Table 1 ). Rationale and signifi cance