Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance Evaluation of Stereo Matching Algorithms in the Lack of Visual Features

this paper, we evaluate three different subcategories of image matching algorithms. We consider hierarchical matching, wavelet-based localized correlation and multiresolution subregioning. The importance of this evaluation stems from the fact that these algorithms are all somehow based on a multiresolution scheme, but exhibit different performances when dealing with featureless image pairs, noisy image pairs, or when tuned to different parameters, e.g. the number of resolution levels and the size of the correlation size. We also consider the use of different correlation functions. A data set has been built using random dots stereograms, with a full range of disparities and a controlled amount of noise. The algorithms performances are benchmarked in terms of accuracy and global coherence of the disparity maps.
Learning mixtures of product distributions over discrete domains

We consider the problem of learning mixtures of product distributions over discrete domains in the distribution learning framework introduced by Kearns et al. (1994). We give a poly(n//spl epsi/) time algorithm for learning a mixture of k arbitrary product distributions over the n-dimensional Boolean cube {0, 1}/sup n/ to accuracy /spl epsi/, for any constant k. Previous poly(n)-time algorithms could only achieve this for k = 2 product distributions; our result answers an open question stated independently in M. Cryan (1999) and Y. Freund and Y. Mansour (1999). We further give evidence that no polynomial time algorithm can succeed when k is superconstant, by reduction from a notorious open problem in PAC learning. Finally, we generalize our poly(n//spl epsi/) time algorithm to learn any mixture of k = O(1) product distributions over {0, 1,. , b }/sup n/,for any b = O(1).
Migrants' information practices and use of social media in Ireland: networks and community

Migrants, having left their home society and community, often depend on electronic modes of communication to maintain contacts with distant friends and relations. Their practices illustrate the affordances provided by social media when face to face communication is not available. This paper describes the information and communication practices of Polish and Filipino nationals in Ireland, based on interviews with over sixty-five migrants in 2009. Migrants display increased dependence on the Internet as an information source and use various electronic media to maintain significant contacts with friends and relations in their home societies. Social media (including Web 2.0) practices have an impact on long distance relations that previous technologies have not had, due to differences in the way these technologies are utilized. Social media usage is a passive monitoring that complements the active communication of first generation technologies; this monitoring creates a background awareness and presence in terms of which active communication takes place, which facilitates bonding as well as bridging capital. This enables resilient and durable transnational links, while also facilitating greater mobility for migrants.
Effects of ionizing radiation on differentiation of murine bone marrow cells into mast cells

Mast cells, immune effector cells produced from bone marrow cells, play a major role in immunoglobulin E–mediated allergic responses. Ionizing radiation affects the functions of mast cells, which are involved in radiation-induced tissue damage. However, whether ionizing radiation affects the differential induction of mast cells is unknown. Here we investigated whether bone marrow cells of X-irradiated mice differentiated into mast cells. To induce mast cells, bone marrow cells from X-irradiated and unirradiated mice were cultured in the presence of cytokines required for mast cell induction. Although irradiation at 0.5 Gy and 2 Gy decreased the number of bone marrow cells 1 day post-irradiation, the cultured bone marrow cells of X-irradiated and unirradiated mice both expressed mast cell–related cell-surface antigens. However, the percentage of mast cells in the irradiated group was lower than in the unirradiated group. Similar decreases in the percentage of mast cells induced in the presence of X-irradiation were observed 10 days post irradiation, although the number of bone marrow cells in irradiated mice had recovered by this time. Analysis of mast cell function showed that degranulation of mast cells after immunoglobulin E–mediated allergen recognition was significantly higher in the X-irradiated group compared with in the unirradiated group. In conclusion, bone marrow cells of X-irradiated mice differentiated into mast cells, but ionizing radiation affected the differentiation efficiency and function of mast cells.
Alignments of DNA and protein sequences containing frameshift errors

Molecular sequences, like all experimental data, are subject to error. Many current DNA sequencing protocols have very significant error rates and often generate artefactual insertions and deletions of bases (indels) which corrupt the translation of sequences and compromise the detection of protein homologies. The impact of these errors on the utility of molecular sequence data is dependent on the analytic technique used to interpret the data. In the presence of frameshift errors, standard algorithms using six-frame translation can miss important homologies because only subfragments of the correct translation are available in any given frame. We present a new algorithm which can detect and correct frameshift errors in DNA sequences during comparison of translated sequences with protein sequences in the databases. This algorithm can recognize homologous proteins sharing 30% identity even in the presence of a 7% frameshift error rate. Our algorithm uses dynamic programming, producing a guaranteed optimal alignment in the presence of frameshifts, and has a sensitivity equivalent to Smith-Waterman. The computational efficiency of the algorithm is O(nm) where n and m are the sizes of two sequences being compared. The algorithm does not rely on prior knowledge or heuristic rules and performs significantly better than any previously reported method.
Asymptotics of one-dimensional forest fire processes

We consider the so-called one-dimensional forest fire process. At each site of $\mathbb{Z}$, a tree appears at rate $1$. At each site of $\mathbb{Z}$, a fire starts at rate ${\lambda}>0$, immediately destroying the whole corresponding connected component of trees. We show that when ${\lambda}$ is made to tend to $0$ with an appropriate normalization, the forest fire process tends to a uniquely defined process, the dynamics of which we precisely describe. The normalization consists of accelerating time by a factor $\log(1/{\lambda})$ and of compressing space by a factor ${\lambda}\log(1/{\lambda})$. The limit process is quite simple: it can be built using a graphical construction and can be perfectly simulated. Finally, we derive some asymptotic estimates (when ${\lambda}\to0$) for the cluster-size distribution of the forest fire process.
Transactors: Unifying Transactions and Actors

Composability and deadlock-freedom are important properties that are stated for transactional memory (TM). Commonly, the Semantics of TM requires linearization of transactions. It turns out that linearization of transactions that have cyclic communication brings incomposability and deadlock. Inspired from TM and Actors, this work proposes Transactors that provide facilities of isolation from TM and communication from Actors. We define the semantics of Transactors including support for cyclic transactional communication. An algorithm implementing this semantics is offered. The soundness of the algorithm is proved.
An Optimal Gaifman Normal Form Construction for Structures of Bounded Degree

This paper's main result presents a 3-fold exponential algorithm that transforms a first-order formula φ together with a number d into a formula in Gaifman normal form that is equivalent to φ on the class of structures of degree at most d. For structures of polynomial growth, we even get a 2-fold exponential algorithm. These results are complemented by matching lower bounds: We show that for structures of degree 2, a 2-fold exponential blow-up in the size of formulas cannot be avoided. And for structures of degree 3, a 3-fold exponential blow-up is unavoidable. As a result of independent interest we obtain a 1-fold exponential algorithm which transforms a given first-order sentence φ of a very restricted shape into a sentence in Gaifman normal form that is equivalent to φ on all structures.
The validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the obsessive beliefs questionnaire-44 (OBQ-44)/Obsesif inanislar olcegi-44'un (OIO-44) Turkce formunun Gecerlik ve Guvenirlligi

Yaz›flma Adresi/Address for Correspondence: Murat Boysan, Yüzüncü Y›l Üniversitesi Fen Edebiyat Fakültesi, Psikoloji Bilimi, Van, Türkiye E-posta: boysan @gmail.com Gelifl tarihi/Received: 22.11. 2009 Kabul tarihi/Accepted: 28.03. 2010 © Nöropsikiyatri Arflivi Dergisi, Galenos Yay›nevi taraf›ndan bas›lm›flt›r. / © Archives of Neuropsychiatry, published by Galenos Publishing. ABSTRACT Objective: Cognitive factors have a central place in the etiology and persistence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The aim of the study was to evaluate psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire-44 (OBQ-44). Original factor structure of the OBQ-44 and discrimination characteristic of the instrument between OCD patients and nonclinical population were evaluated extensively in Turkish sample. Methods: Data were collected from 175 healthy subjects and 62 patients with OCD who applied to the Psychiatry Clinic at Yüzüncü Y›l University. Subjects were administered the SCID-I, the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire-44 (OBQ-44), the Padua Inventory (PI-41), the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOKS), the Metacognitions Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), the Thought Action Fusion Scale (TAFS), the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI), the Penn Inventory of Scrupulosity (PIOS), the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Data were analyzed in order to evaluate the reliability and validity of the OBQ-44. Results: The three-factor original structure tested using confirmatory factor analysis was observed to be highly consistent with the data obtained from the study. OCD patients reported significantly higher scores on OBQ-44 rather than controls. Correlations of the OBQ-44 scores with psychological variables were generally significant. Inner consistency coefficient for the OBQ-44 was α0,95 and test-retest correlation between two points at 30-day time course was r=0.79. Conclusion: The Turkish version of the OBQ-44 has adequate validity and reliability in clinical and nonclinical Turkish sample. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2010; 47: 216-22)
Personality pathology recorded by severity: national survey.

BACKGROUND Current classifications of personality disorders do not classify severity despite clinical practice favouring such descriptions. AIMS To assess whether an existing measure of severity of personality disorder predicted clinical pathology and societal dysfunction in a community sample. METHOD UK national epidemiological study in which personality status was measured using the screening version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (SCID-II) and reclassified to five levels using a modified severity index. Associations between levels of severity of personality pathology and social, demographic and clinical variables were measured. RESULTS Of 8391 individuals interviewed and their personality status assessed, only a minority (n = 1933, 23%) had no personality pathology. The results supported the hypothesis. More severe personality pathology was associated incrementally with younger age, childhood institutional care, expulsion from school, contacts with the criminal justice system, economic inactivity, more Axis I pathology and greater service contact (primary care and secondary care, all P<0.001). Significant handicap was noted among people with even low levels of personality pathology. No differences contradicted the main hypothesis. CONCLUSIONS A simple reconstruction of the existing classification of personality disorder is a good predictor of social dysfunction and supports the development of severity measures as a critical requirement in both DSM-V and ICD-11 classifications.
Application of Earthing Backfill Materials in Desert Soil Conditions

This paper presents trial field investigations and analysis of experimental data of applying of backfill materials in specific arid terrain prevalent in the Middle East. The analyses are based on extensive measurements on sites at five typical locations over a one-year period. At each location, the Wenner four-pin method measurements were performed. Each of the five test sites contained 11 grounding systems, ten of them being applicable in practice, where the loops are buried at the depth of 0.6 m. Based on these extensive measurements and performed calculations supposing perfect contact between grounding electrodes and the soil, the contact resistance between the electrode and the soil is analyzed and evaluated for each of the tested grounding systems. This paper also discusses measured and calculated (using finite elements methods) distributions of surface potential (influencing touch and step voltages). As an important issue in engineering process (measurements according to the Wenner method and technique of interpretation of the measuring results), high resistivity of soil near surface and its nonuniformity are discussed. Considering these technical parameters and the economic aspects, the final recommendation of applying backfill materials (position, size, and type) in specific difficult soil conditions such as prevailing in the Middle East is given in this paper.
Avoiding steering actuator saturation in off-road mobile robot path tracking via predictive velocity control

In mobile robot path tracking applications, an autonomous vehicle is steered to stay as close as possible to a desired path. If lateral wheel slip is an important variable, as it is the case at high speed and due to low tire-ground friction in off-road applications, limits of the steering actuators, the major input constraints of the system, have a major influence on the tracking control performance. This paper presents an algorithm to control the longitudinal velocity, a secondary control variable, of a mobile robot in order to respect the boundedness of the steering angle, and thus to improve the vehicle safety. The applicability of the algorithm has been verified through experiments with an off-road mobile robot.
Loss of function mutations in PTPN6 promote STAT3 deregulation via JAK3 kinase in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

PTPN6 (SHP1) is a tyrosine phosphatase that negatively controls the activity of multiple signaling pathways including STAT signaling, however role of mutated PTPN6 is not much known. Here we investigated whether PTPN6 might also be a potential target for diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and performed Sanger sequencing of the PTPN6 gene. We have identified missense mutations within PTPN6 (N225K and A550V) in 5% (2/38) of DLBCL tumors. Site directed mutagenesis was performed to mutate wild type (WT) PTPN6 and stable cell lines were generated by lentiviral transduction of PTPN6WT, PTPN6N225K and PTPN6A550V constructs, and effects of WT or mutated PTPN6 on STAT3 signaling were analyzed. WT PTPN6 dephosphorylated STAT3, but had no effect on STAT1, STAT5 or STAT6 phosphorylation. Both PTPN6 mutants were unable to inhibit constitutive, as well as cytokines induced STAT3 activation. Both PTPN6 mutants also demonstrated reduced tyrosine phosphatase activity and exhibited enhanced STAT3 transactivation activity. Intriguingly, a lack of direct binding between STAT3 and WT or mutated PTPN6 was observed. However, compared to WT PTPN6, cells expressing PTPN6 mutants exhibited increased binding between JAK3 and PTPN6 suggesting a more dynamic interaction of PTPN6 with upstream regulators of STAT3. Consistent with this notion, both the mutants demonstrated increased resistance to JAK3 inhibitor, WHIP-154 relative to WT PTPN6. Overall, this is the first study, which demonstrates that N225K and A550V PTPN6 mutations cause loss-of-function leading to JAK3 mediated deregulation of STAT3 pathway and uncovers a mechanism that tumor cells can use to control PTPN6 substrate specificity.
A Fast and Accurate Single Frequency Estimator

n X N weight elements are the same absolute value 2 / &. And the others, 2 N (N-1) weight elements with a value of 0, need not be implemented in the weighted adders and d o not have an effect on the amplitude distribution. Therefore, the implementation of the N filters is very easy, and the amplitude distribution of every random signal x,(mj) is best approximated to a normal from the viewpoint of kurtosis. Fig. 3 is an example of the proposed weighting functions for N = 3, n = 16. The CCF's of random signals generated by these weighting functions are given in Fig. 4 when m = 1. Since all CCF's are zero at k = 6 j (j = 0 , +1, f 2 , *-e) , three random signals are made uncorrelated by sampling r (j) every 6 shift pulses. A set of N weighting functions for N digital filters has been proposed based on an even-shift orthogonal sequence. The filter can generate N uncorrelated random signals from a single binary random signal. All distribution functions of the generated random signals become the same normal distribution. The generation speed is a function of N and does not depend on n. Hence, the faster generation of the random signals could be obtained. Moreover, the implementation of the filters is very easy because all n x N weight elements and input signal are binary. [4]-, " Fast generation of a white and normal random signal, " IEEE Abstract-A new frequency estimator for a single complex sinusoid in complex white Gaussian noise is proposed. The estimator is more computationally efficient than the optimal maximum likelihood esti-mator yet attains as good performance at moderately high signal-to-noise ratios. Also, the estimator is shown to be related to the linear prediction estimator. This relationship is exploited to reveal why the linear prediction estimator does not attain the Cramer-Rao bound even at high signal-to-noise ratios.
Design of Finite Word Length Linear-Phase FIR Filters in the Logarithmic Number System Domain

Logarithmic number system (LNS) is an attractive alternative to realize finite-length impulse response filters because of multiplication in the linear domain being only addition in the logarithmic domain. In the literature, linear coefficients are directly replaced by the logarithmic equivalent. In this paper, an approach to directly optimize the finite word length coefficients in the LNS domain is proposed. This branch and bound algorithm is implemented based on LNS integers and several different branching strategies are proposed and evaluated. Optimal coefficients in the minimax sense are obtained and compared with the traditional finite word length representation in the linear domain as well as using rounding. Results show that the proposed method naturally provides smaller approximation error compared to rounding. Furthermore, they provide insights into finite word length properties of FIR filters coefficients in the LNS domain and show that LNS FIR filters typically provide a better approximation error compared to a standard FIR filter.
Adipose Tissue-Specific Deletion of 12/15-Lipoxygenase Protects Mice from the Consequences of a High-Fat Diet

Type 2 diabetes is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and inflammation in adipose tissue. 12/15-Lipoxygenase (12/15-LO) generates proinflammatory lipid mediators, which induce inflammation in adipose tissue. Therefore we investigated the role of 12/15-LO activity in mouse white adipose tissue in promoting obesity-induced local and systemic inflammatory consequences. We generated a mouse model for fat-specific deletion of 12/15-LO, aP2-Cre; 12/15-LO loxP/loxP, which we call ad-12/15-LO mice, and placed wild-type controls and ad-12/15-LO mice on a high-fat diet for 16 weeks and examined obesity-induced inflammation and insulin resistance. High-fat diet-fed ad-12/15-LO exhibited improved fasting glucose levels and glucose metabolism, and epididymal adipose tissue from these mice exhibited reduced inflammation and macrophage infiltration compared to wild-type mice. Furthermore, fat-specific deletion of 12/15-LO led to decreased peripheral pancreatic islet inflammation with enlarged pancreatic islets when mice were fed the high-fat diet compared to wild-type mice. These results suggest an interesting crosstalk between 12/15-LO expression in adipose tissue and inflammation in pancreatic islets. Therefore, deletion of 12/15-LO in adipose tissue can offer local and systemic protection from obesity-induced consequences, and blocking 12/15-LO activity in adipose tissue may be a novel therapeutic target in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Iterative algorithm for retweeting prediction in Twitter

Twitter is emerging social media. There is an important practical significance to study its communication effect in many aspects of the Marketing Management, Public Sentiment, Hot Extraction and so on. The retweeting scale is an important indicator to reflect the communication effect. Based on analyzing the factors, a prediction algorithm based on SVM was proposed for retweeting with five features: publisher influence, acceptor activity, interest level, content importance and intimacy. Furthermore, the prediction algorithm for retweeting scale was proposed based above, the method to evaluate the prediction accuracy was given. At last the experiment with Twitter data showed a good result that the prediction accuracy of retweeting scale was up to 86.63%.
The department of hidden stories: Playful digital storytelling for children in a public library

We detail the design of the Department of Hidden Stories (DoHS), a mobile-based game to support playful digital storytelling among primary school children in public libraries. Through a process of iterative design in collaboration with library staff and children's writers we designed DoHS to support the potential for playful storytelling through interactions with books. A deployment of DoHS with two classes of 8 to 10 years olds as part of their regular library visits revealed insights related to how to balance the expectations of a child-at-play and the requirement to further develop their creative reading and writing skills. Based on our experiences we recommend that designers create playful digitally based activities that encourage children to explore libraries and experience new interactions with physical books.