Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conditioning of Leverage Scores and Computation by QR Decomposition

The leverage scores of a full-column rank matrix A are the squared row norms of any orthonormal basis for range(A). We show that corresponding leverage scores of two matrices A and A + \Delta A are close in the relative sense, if they have large magnitude and if all principal angles between the column spaces of A and A + \Delta A are small. We also show three classes of bounds that are based on perturbation results of QR decompositions. They demonstrate that relative differences between individual leverage scores strongly depend on the particular type of perturbation \Delta A. The bounds imply that the relative accuracy of an individual leverage score depends on: its magnitude and the two-norm condition of A, if \Delta A is a general perturbation; the two-norm condition number of A, if \Delta A is a perturbation with the same norm-wise row-scaling as A; (to first order) neither condition number nor leverage score magnitude, if \Delta A is a component-wise row-scaled perturbation. Numerical experiments confirm the qualitative and quantitative accuracy of our bounds.
Simplified Reducibility Proofs of Church-Rosser for β-and βη-reduction

Reducibility has been used to prove a number of properties in the λ-calculus and is well known to offer on one hand very general proofs which can be applied to a number of instantiations, and on the other hand, to be quite mysterious and inflexible. It has, amongst other things, been used along with the so called method of parallel reductions to prove the Church-Rosser property. In this paper, we concentrate on using the methods of reducibility and of parallel reductions for proving Church-Rosser for both βand βη-reduction. Our contributions are two fold: • We give a simple proof of CR for β-reduction which unlike the common proofs in the literature, avoids any type machinery and is solely carried out in a completely untyped setting. • We give a new proof of CR for βη-reduction which is a generalisation of our simple proof for β-reduction.
Prestatiemanagement van betrokkenheid in de publieke sector

*Prof.dr. P.G. W. Jansen is verbonden aan de Afdeling Management & Organisatiekunde Faculteit der Economische Wetenschappen en Bedrijfskunde, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam. Tel. 020 444 6126 (6050). Email: pjansen@feweb.vu. nl. Dr. A.A. de Waal MBA is associate professor strategisch management aan de Maastricht School of Management, Endepolsdomein 150, 6229 EM Maastricht. Tel. 06 – 51 23 23 22. Email: andredewaal@planet.nl.
MAGIA2: from miRNA and genes expression data integrative analysis to microRNA–transcription factor mixed regulatory circuits (2012 update)

MAGIA2 (http://gencomp.bio.unipd.it/magia2) is an update, extension and evolution of the MAGIA web tool. It is dedicated to the integrated analysis of in silico target prediction, microRNA (miRNA) and gene expression data for the reconstruction of post-transcriptional regulatory networks. miRNAs are fundamental post-transcriptional regulators of several key biological and pathological processes. As miRNAs act prevalently through target degradation, their expression profiles are expected to be inversely correlated to those of the target genes. Low specificity of target prediction algorithms makes integration approaches an interesting solution for target prediction refinement. MAGIA2 performs this integrative approach supporting different association measures, multiple organisms and almost all target predictions algorithms. Nevertheless, miRNAs activity should be viewed as part of a more complex scenario where regulatory elements and their interactors generate a highly connected network and where gene expression profiles are the result of different levels of regulation. The updated MAGIA2 tries to dissect this complexity by reconstructing mixed regulatory circuits involving either miRNA or transcription factor (TF) as regulators. Two types of circuits are identified: (i) a TF that regulates both a miRNA and its target and (ii) a miRNA that regulates both a TF and its target.
Digital Ischemia in Scleroderma Spectrum of Diseases

Systemic Sclerosis (Scleroderma, SSc) is a disease of unknown etiology characterized by widespread vasculopathy and extracellular matrix deposition leading to fibrosis and autoimmune processes. Digital ischemia (digital ulcers (DUs)) is the hallmark of SSc-related vasculopathy and is characterized by endothelial dysfunction leading to intimal proliferation and thrombosis. It happens frequently (30% of the patients each year) and it is associated with significant morbidity. This paper summarizes the current information regarding pathogenesis, definitions, management, and exploratory therapies in DUs associated with SSc.
Falls by elders with moderate levels of movement functionality.

PURPOSE To trace the socio-functional and clinical profiles of elders with moderate levels of movement functionality as determined by the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA Ia), and to compare the groups having high and moderate levels of functionality regarding the frequency of falls and identifiable risk factors. METHODS The research involved 49 elders (with an average age of 71.24, SD 5.47) who were seeking medical care in the geriatric unit of a tertiary care hospital. Study participants were evaluated regarding their balance and gait (POMA Ia assessment), muscle strength (chair-stand test), gait velocity (timed up and go test), incidence of falls, and other clinical risk factors. RESULTS The moderate functionality group reported significantly more falls (14) compared with the high functionality group (3). Of the risk factors evaluated, the presence of depression or of a psychiatric record was significantly more frequent in the moderate-functionality group but was not correlated with an increase in falls. , Muscle weakness was found significantly more frequently in the moderate-functionality group and was significantly correlated with an increased frequency of falls. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the POMA Ia assessment can identify individuals with an increased risk of falling, and the treatment of risk factors such as depression or a psychiatric record, and muscle weakness could help prevent the occurrence of falls in elders with moderate functionality as determined by the POMA Ia assessment.
Macrophage/Microglia Regulation of Astrocytic Tenascin: Synergistic Action of Transforming Growth Factor-β and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor

After injury to the CNS, extracellular matrix molecules such as tenascin are upregulated around the injury site and may be involved in inhibition of axon growth. In the present study, astrocytes were investigated to determine which cell types, growth factors, or cytokines are responsible for the injury-induced regulation of tenascin. The addition of activated macrophage- or microglial-conditioned medium increased astrocytic expression of tenascin 2.5-fold, as determined by Northern and Western blot analysis and ELISA. Of the cytokines and growth factors examined, only transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) significantly induced an increase in the production of astrocytic tenascin. Examination of macrophage and microglial supernatants showed the presence of TGF-β1 but not bFGF; however, the TGF-β1 concentration in supernatants was lower than that expected to induce an increase in astrocytic tenascin similar to that seen with recombinant TGF-β1. Western blot analysis of astrocytes showed only the presence of bFGF. Compared with the responses of the individual growth factors, tenascin production by astrocytes was dramatically potentiated when grown in the presence of a combination of both TGF-β1 and bFGF. A similar synergistic effect was observed after the addition of either TGF-β1 or bFGF to macrophage-conditioned medium. Northern analysis also showed concomitant increases in TGF-β1, bFGF, and tenascin after CNS injury to animals 14 d of age or older. These results show that the regulation of astrocytic tenascin is mediated by the synergistic action of TGF-β1 and bFGF in vitro and after injury in vivo.
Plastic Bags for Prevention of Hypothermia in Preterm and Low Birth Weight Infants

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hypothermia contributes to neonatal mortality and morbidity, especially in preterm and low birth weight infants in developing countries. Plastic bags covering the trunk and extremities of very low birth weight infants reduces hypothermia. This technique has not been studied in larger infants or in many resource-limited settings. The objective was to determine if placing preterm and low birth weight infants inside a plastic bag at birth maintains normothermia. METHODS: Infants at 26 to 36 weeks’ gestational age and/or with a birth weight of 1000 to 2500 g born at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, were randomized by using a 1:1 allocation and parallel design to standard thermoregulation (blanket or radiant warmer) care or to standard thermoregulation care plus placement inside a plastic bag at birth. The primary outcome measure was axillary temperature in the World Health Organization–defined normal range (36.5–37.5°C) at 1 hour after birth. RESULTS: A total of 104 infants were randomized. At 1 hour after birth, infants randomized to plastic bag (n = 49) were more likely to have a temperature in the normal range as compared with infants in the standard thermoregulation care group (n = 55; 59.2% vs 32.7%; relative risk 1.81; 95% confidence interval 1.16–2.81; P = .007). The temperature at 1 hour after birth in the infants randomized to plastic bag was 36.5 ± 0.5°C compared with 36.1 ± 0.6°C in standard care infants (P < .001). Hyperthermia (>38.0°C) did not occur in any infant. CONCLUSIONS: Placement of preterm/low birth weight infants inside a plastic bag at birth compared with standard thermoregulation care reduced hypothermia without resulting in hyperthermia, and is a low-cost, low-technology tool for resource-limited settings.
Making assumptions vs building relationships. Lessons froma participatory action research project to identify effective practices for learners with autism spectrum disorder.

This article describes a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted in a large urban, coeducational secondary school The project focused on two senior pupils with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who, seemingly as a result of feeling stressed or anxious, displayed behaviours that inhibited communication. Using questionnaires, observations and teaching activities, factors that both caused and reduced stress for these students were identified Interventions were introduced that successfully helped the students to recognise and manage their stress appropriately. These were principally the use of a variety of visual strategies and Social Stories. As a result of the PAR project, school staff learnt to question assumptions made about students and lo give priority to getting to know them and developing positive relationshipson which teaching programmes could be built.
The relation of primary mental abilities in five- and six-year-olds to sex of child and characteristics of his sibling.

As part of a larger study of the effect upon the personality of children of such family constellation details as sex of child, sex of sibling, ordinal position of child in his sibship and difference in age between child and sibling, it was decided to determine whether intellectual skills would show a significant relationship to these same variables. The question of the effect of the ordinal position of a child upon his intelligence test performance has been much explored as has also the question of the relative performance of the two sexes on various tests. Our study we may expect to make a contribution to the field, however, because (a) the interaction of the variables, sex, sib's sex, ordinal position and the age difference between siblings has been investigated as well as the main effects; and (b) a different test has been used, namely the SRA Primary Mental Abilities Test, Primary Form (3I). Since the subtests of the Thurstone Test are alleged not to be highly correlated (test intercorrelations on the standardization population ranged from +.46 to +.67) and to measure rather specific abilities, it should be of interest to discover whether performance on the "specific abilities" subtests bears any relation to the independent variables mentioned above. The Primary Mental Abilities Test was given to our subjects by the
Target Tracking With Particle Filters Under Signal Propagation Delays

Signal propagation delays are hardly a problem for target tracking with standard sensors such as radar and vision due to the fact that the speed of light is much higher than the speed of the target. This contribution studies the case where the ratio of the target and the propagation speed is not negligible, as in the case of sensor networks with microphones, geophones or sonars for instance, where the signal speed in air, ground and water causes a state dependent and stochastic delay of the observations. The proposed approach utilizes an augmentation of the state vector with the propagation delay in a particle filtering framework to compensate for the negative effects of the delays. The model of the physics rules governing the propagation delays is used in interaction with the target motion model to yield an iterative prediction update step in the particle filter which is called the propagation delayed measurement particle filter (PDM-PF). The performance of PDM-PF is illustrated in a challenging target tracking scenario by making comparisons to alternative particle filters that can be used in similar cases.
Hepatic Sarcocystosis in a Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) From the Spanish Mediterranean Coast

Fatal hepatic sarcocystosis was diagnosed in a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) from the northeastern Spanish Mediterranean coast based on pathologic findings and the microscopic and ultrastructural characteristics of the intralesional parasite. Main gross lesions were icterus, subcutaneous hemorrhages, and hepatic congestion. The most prominent microscopic lesions consisted of severe acute multifocal to coalescing necrotizing hepatitis with cholestasis and intralesional protozoa. There was severe chronic pancreatitis with generalized distension of pancreatic ducts by hyaline plugs and adult trematodes. Only asexual stages of the protozoa were found. The parasite in the liver divided by endopolygeny. Schizonts varied in shape and size. Mature schizonts had merozoites randomly arranged or budding peripherally around a central residual body. Schizonts were up to 22 μm long, and merozoites were up to 6 μm long. Ultrastructurally, merozoites lacked rhoptries. This parasite failed to react by immunohistochemistry with anti–Toxoplasma gondii, anti–Neospora caninum and anti–Sarcocystis neurona antibodies. The microscopic and ultrastructural morphologies of the parasite were consistent with Sarcocystis canis, so far described only from animals in the Unites States. The life cycle and source of S. canis are unknown. The present report of S. canis–like infection in a sea mammal from Spain indicates that the definitive host for this parasite also exists outside of the United States.
A COMPUTATIONAL CASE STUDY FOR THE TREATMENT OF HEAD-AND-NECK TUMOR USING INTERSTITIAL PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

In interstitial photodynamic therapy (I-PDT), image-based preplanning is employed to compute optimal laser fiber configuration on complex tumor shape. Unfortunately, tumor deformation during the I-PDT procedure may have negative impact on the actual light dose delivery. This paper presents a case study of locally advanced head-and-neck cancer (LAHNC). Light propagation modeling on the non-deformed and deformed LAHNC is used to characterize the potential treatment degradation due to tumor deformation. A computational method of calculating deformed tumor shape by tracking implanted fiducial markers is described, which helps bridge the gap between geometric model in preplanning and actual deformed shape.
What Darwin's Finches Can Teach Us about the Evolutionary Origin and Regulation of Biodiversity

Abstract Darwin's finches on the Galápagos Islands are particularly suitable for asking evolutionary questions about adaptation and the multiplication of species: how these processes happen and how to interpret them. All 14 species of Darwin's finches are closely related, having been derived from a common ancestor 2 million to 3 million years ago. They live in the environment in which they evolved, and none has become extinct as a result of human activity. Key factors in their evolutionary diversification are environmental change, natural selection, and cultural evolution. A long-term study of finch populations on the island of Daphne Major has revealed that evolution occurs by natural selection when the finches' food supply changes during droughts. Extending this finding to the past, we discuss how environmental change has influenced the opportunities for speciation and diversification of finches throughout their history: The number of islands has increased, the climate has cooled, and the vegetation and food supply have changed.
Postoperative benefits of dexmedetomidine combined with flurbiprofen axetil after thyroid surgery

The present study determined the effect of dexmedetomidine (Dex) combined with flurbiprofen axetil (FA) on analgesia, immune response, and preservation of cognitive function in patients subjected to general anesthesia. We recruited 100 patients with thyroid surgery and randomly divided them into four groups: Dex (D), FA (F), Dex combined with FA (DF), and saline control (C). The extubation and recovery times for Groups D and DF were significantly longer than for Groups F and C. After extubation, the heart rate and mean arterial pressure for Groups F, D, and DF were significantly lower than for Group C, and data for Group DF was significantly lower than for Group F. The visual analog scale and Riker sedation agitation scores were significantly lower in Group DF than for the other three groups. T- and B-lymphocytes were significantly higher in Group DF than in the other three groups. Compared with Groups F and C, the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in Group DF were significantly reduced, while IL-2 markedly increased. The combined use of Dex and FA significantly improved pain after general anesthesia thyroid surgery, reduced restlessness and postoperative cognitive dysfunction, enhanced immune function, and promoted wound repair.
A hardware system for extracting canonical faces from exemplar images

In [7], we introduced an exemplar-based algorithm used to estimate the canonical face representation of a face and validated the approach using the CMU PIE face database. We defined the canonical face as equivalent to the reflectance of the face which is free of shadows and specular reflections. In this paper, we described a complete canonical face acquisition system by combining the software that was developed previously with a specialised image acquisition module. The compactness and portability of the overall system makes it ideal for use in a wide variety of applications where capturing high quality images which are free of shadows and specular reflections in a pervasive setting is the main concern.
Leveraging Semantic Similarity for Folksonomy-Based Recommendation

To recommend interesting resources such as webpages or pictures that are available through social tagging sites, recommender systems must be able to assess such resources' similarity to user profiles. Here, the authors analyze the role semantic similarity plays in calculating the resemblance between user profiles and published resources in folksonomies. Experiments carried out using data from two social sites show that associating semantics with tags results in more accurate similarities among elements in tagging systems and, consequently, enhances recommendations.
Integrated shared-memory and message-passing communication in the Alewife multiprocessor

To date, MIMD multiprocessors have been divided into two classes based on hardware communication models: those supporting shared memory and those supporting message passing. Breaking with tradition, this thesis argues that multiprocessors should integrate both communication mechanisms in a single hardware framework. Such integrated multiprocessors must address several architectural challenges that arise from integration. These challenges include the User-Level Access problem, the Service-Interleaving problem, and the Protocol Deadlock problem. The first involves which communication models are used for communication and how these models are accessed; the second involves avoiding livelocks and deadlocks introduced by multiple simultaneous streams of communication; and the third involves removing multi-node cycles in communication graphs. This thesis introduces these challenges and develops solutions in the context of Alewife, a large-scale multiprocessor. Solutions involve careful definition of communication semantics and interfaces to permit tradeoffs across the hardware/software boundary. Among other things, we will introduce the User-Direct Messaging model for message passing the transaction buffer framework for preventing cache-line thrashing, and two-case delivery for avoiding protocol deadlock. The Alewife prototype implements cache-coherent shared memory and user-level message passing in a single-chip Communications and Memory Management Unit (CMMU). The hardware mechanisms of the CMMU are coupled with a thin veneer of runtime software to support a uniform high-level communications interface. The CMMU employs a scalable cache-coherence scheme, functions with single-channel, bidirectional network, and directly supports up to 512 nodes. This thesis describes the design and implementation of the CMMU, associated processor-level interfaces, and runtime software. Included in our discussion is an implementation framework called service coupling, which permits efficient scheduling of highly contended resources (such as DRAM). This framework is well suited to integrated architectures. To evaluate the efficacy of the Alewife design, this thesis presents results from an operating 32-node Alewife machine. These results include microbenchmarks, to focus on individual mechanisms, and macrobenchmarks, in the form of applications and kernels from SPLASH and NAS benchmark suits. The large suite of working programs and resulting performance numbers lead us to one of our primary conclusions, namely that the integration of shared-memory and message-passing communication models is possible at a reasonable cost, and can be done with a level of efficiency that does not compromise either model. We conclude by discussing the extent to which the lessons of Alewife can be applied to future multiprocessors. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
A Markov game privacy preserving model in retail applications

New retail applications induce integration of many components as NFC (Near Field Communication), M2M (Machine-to-Machine), IoT (Internet of Things), Web applications, etc. in large business sectors, such as payment services, products manufacturing, supply chain management, etc. Sensors, integrated in everyday products may facilitate threats as users tracking and profiling. An increasing concern about privacy threats posed by data affluence and device ubiquity takes place. This paper presents a privacy scheme for retail applications, discusses challenges related to customer profiling, client consent, device and information security. To protect customers' data, we propose a Markovian game, with detailed states, actions, strategies and transitions available for data holder to reach a compromise between privacy concessions and incentive motivation proposed by data requester. Numerical results are used to analyze and evaluate the game theory-based model.