Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multi-Class Labeling Improved by Random Forest for Automatic Image Annotation

Recently automatic image annotation (AIA) has been arising as a key technology to support image retrieval. The representative algorithm is Semantic Multiclass Labeling (SML [1]), which constructs a parametric generative model of a distribution of local image features in a class with a gaussian mixture model. Although SML shows good accuracy, SML has not been used widely because of its long training time and annotation time. In this paper we propose a method of improving SML by dealing with Random Forest instead of the gaussian mixture model. We evaluate our proposal by using the standard corpus, Corel5K and IAPRTC-12. The experimental results demonstrate that our method can train very fast and annotate multiple labels very fast, with keeping comparable performance as existing methods.
Large-scale circuit placement

Placement is one of the most important steps in the RTL-to-GDSII synthesis process, as it directly defines the interconnects, which have become the bottleneck in circuit and system performance in deep submicron technologies. The placement problem has been studied extensively in the past 30 years. However, recent studies show that existing placement solutions are surprisingly far from optimal. The first part of this tutorial summarizes results from recent optimality and scalability studies of existing placement tools. These studies show that the results of leading placement tools from both industry and academia may be up to 50&percent; to 150&percent; away from optimal in total wirelength. If such a gap can be closed, the corresponding performance improvement will be equivalent to several technology-generation advancements. The second part of the tutorial highlights the recent progress on large-scale circuit placement, including techniques for wirelength minimization, routability optimization, and performance optimization.
Guided bone regeneration in implant dentistry

Anatomic, surgical and aesthetic considerations in implant dentistry scientific background of guided bone regeneration bone regeneration - biologic basis membrane design criteria for guided bone regeneration of the alveolar ridge bone promotion around e-PTFE-augmented implants placed in immediate extraction sockets guided bone regeneration in dehiscence defects and delayed extraction sockets localized ridge augmentation using guided bone regeneration guided bone graft augmentation.
D3 receptor test in vitro predicts decreased cocaine self‐administration in rats

The three dopamine agonists with highest reported D3 receptor selectivity in vitro, pramipexole, quinelorane and PD128,907, decreased self-administration of a high dose of cocaine in rats as a result of a leftward shift in the cocaine dose-effect function. In contrast the D3 preferring antagonist nafadotride increased cocaine self-administration. Moreover the relative potencies of these and other D2-like dopamine agonists (lisuride, 7-OH-DPAT, quinpirole, apomorphine, bromocriptine) to modulate cocaine self-administration were highly correlated with their relative potencies for increasing mitogenesis in vitro in cell lines expressing D3 but not D2 receptors. These results support the hypothesis that the D3 receptor may be an important target for pharmacotherapies for cocaine abuse and dependence.
Ferroelectric SrBi_2Ta_2O_9 single-crystal growth and characterization

Using a new composite flux and an improved growth process, large and high-quality ferroelectric SrBi_2Ta_2O_9 (SBT) single crystals (up to 25 × 20 mm^2 area) were successfully grown from high-temperature solutions. The effects of chemical, thermodynamic, and kinetic parameters on the growth results were systematically studied. The optimum system for the growth of SBT crystals has been identified. B_2O_3 additive was shown to play an important role in improving the effectiveness of the Bi_2O_3 solvent. The grown SBT single crystals exhibit a dominant (001)-orientation and large single-domain areas. The dielectric and ferroelectric properties measured in relation to crystal orientations have confirmed the absence of any polarization component normal to the (Bi_2O_2)^2+ sheets of the structure, indicating a high anisotropy in the properties.
Cell cycle control of spindle elongation

Different organisms employ a variety of strategies to segregate their chromosomes during mitosis. Despite these differences, however, the basic regulatory principles that govern this intricate process are evolutionarily conserved. Above all, rapid dephosphorylation of mitotic phosphoproteins upon the metaphase-to-anaphase transition has proven to be essential for proper function of the mitotic spindle and accurate chromosome segregation in all eukaryotes. Recently, a central midzone component, the microtubule crosslinker Ase1/PRC1 (anaphase spindle elongation 1/protein regulating cytokinesis 1), was uncovered as a universal target of such control mechanism. Depending on its phosphorylation status, Ase1 either restrains spindle elongation in metaphase or promotes it after anaphase onset via recruitment of kinesin motor proteins to the midzone. Here we discuss the potential role of Ase1/PRC1 as a central regulatory platform that interconnects distinct functions of the midzone such as spindle stability, spindle elongation and cytokinesis. Additionally, we provide a comparative overview of the chromosome segregation strategies used by the main model organisms.
Inhibition of Xanthine Oxidase by Allopurinol Prevents Skeletal Muscle Atrophy: Role of p38 MAPKinase and E3 Ubiquitin Ligases

Alterations in muscle play an important role in common diseases and conditions. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated during hindlimb unloading due, at least in part, to the activation of xanthine oxidase (XO). The major aim of this study was to determine the mechanism by which XO activation causes unloading-induced muscle atrophy in rats, and its possible prevention by allopurinol, a well-known inhibitor of this enzyme. For this purpose we studied one of the main redox sensitive signalling cascades involved in skeletal muscle atrophy i.e. p38 MAPKinase, and the expression of two well known muscle specific E3 ubiquitin ligases involved in proteolysis, the Muscle atrophy F-Box (MAFbx; also known as atrogin-1) and Muscle RING (Really Interesting New Gene) Finger-1 (MuRF-1). We found that hindlimb unloading induced a significant increase in XO activity and in the protein expression of the antioxidant enzymes CuZnSOD and Catalase in skeletal muscle. The most relevant new fact reported in this paper is that inhibition of XO with allopurinol, a drug widely used in clinical practice, prevents soleus muscle atrophy by ∼20% after hindlimb unloading. This was associated with the inhibition of the p38 MAPK-MAFbx pathway. Our data suggest that XO was involved in the loss of muscle mass via the activation of the p38MAPK-MAFbx pathway in unloaded muscle atrophy. Thus, allopurinol may have clinical benefits to combat skeletal muscle atrophy in bedridden, astronauts, sarcopenic, and cachexic patients.
FPGA based parallel transitive closure algorithm

In this paper, we propose a FPGA-based parallel algorithm to compute the transitive closure of the relation matrix on a fixed-size PE array. Experimental results showed that speedup increases with the problem size. The speedup against a single PE is between 11.3 and 195.9. Compared to a general CPU solution, this algorithm achieves acceleration rate of 3.7 and 376 under the worst and best situations, respectively.
Negative self-schemas and the onset of depression in women: longitudinal study

Background Beck's cognitive theory of depression has received little empirical support. Aims To test whether those with negative self-schemas were at risk of onset of depression. Method Data were collected by postal questionnaire from 12003 women recruited during early pregnancy; questionnaires included measures of depressive symptoms and negative self-schemas. Regular questionnaires were sent during pregnancy and following childbirth. Results Of 8540 women not depressed when recruited, 8.6% (95% CI 8.0–9.2) became depressed 14 weeks later. Those in the highest tertile for negative self-schema score were more likely to become depressed than those in the lowest tertile (odds ratio 3.04, 95% CI 2.48–3.73). The association remained after adjustment for baseline depressive symptoms and previous depression (OR 1.6, 95% CI1.27–2.02) and was of similar magnitude for onset 3 years later. Conclusions Holding a negative self-schema is an independent risk factor for the onset of depression in women. This finding supports a key element of Beck's cognitive theory. Understanding more about how negative self-schemas arise should help inform preventive policies.
Text Summarization Challenge: Text Summarization Evaluation at NTCIR Workshop2

We describe the outline of Text Summarization Challenge (TSC hereafter), a text summarization evaluation conducted as one of the tasks at the NTCIR Workshop2. First, we introduce TSC explaining its background and purpose. Then we describe briefly types of summarization and summarization evaluation methods in general. Next, we focus on TSC, including the participants, the three tasks in TSC, data used, evaluation methods for each task, brief report on the results as well as the features of the Challenge . The future directions for TSC are mentioned at the end as conclusion.
Modeling Resource Sharing Dynamics of VoIP Users over a WLAN Using a Game-Theoretic Approach

We consider a scenario in which users share an access point and are mainly interested in VoIP applications. Each user is allowed to adapt to varying network conditions by choosing the transmission rate at which VoIP traffic is received. We denote this adaptation process by end-user congestion control, our object of study. The two questions that we ask are: (1) what are the performance consequences of letting the users to freely choose their rates? and (2) how to explain the adaptation process of the users? We set a controlled lab experiment having students as subject to answer the first question, and we extend an evolutionary game-theoretic model to address the second. Our partial answers are the following: (1) free users with local information can reach an equilibrium which is close to optimal from the system perspective. However, the equilibrium can be unfair; (2) the adaptation of the users can be explained using a game theoretic model. We propose a methodology to parameterize the latter, which involves active network measurements, simulations and an artificial neural network to estimate the QoS perceived by the users in each of the states of the model.
Pediatric Spinal Cord Tumors and Masses

Abstract Background/Objective: Spinal cord tumors are a relatively rare diagnosis, accounting for 1% to 10% of all pediatric central nervous system tumors. Understanding the etiology and clinical outcomes of these tumors is therefore very important. This study presents detailed information regarding clinical presentation, histological findings, outcomes, functional assessment, and management of a series of patients with this diagnosis. Method: Retrospective, descriptive study. Subjects: Thirty-five children with a final diagnosis of spinal cord tumor or mass, excluding dysraphism. Results: Neurodevelopmental tumors (dermoid tumors, epidermoid tumors, and teratomas) were the most common tumor type (31 %), followed by astrocytomas (29%) and neuroblastomas (14%). Other types included schwannomas, meningiomas, giant cell tumors, extradural cystic masses, leukemic-related masses, and masses related to neurofibromatosis. Mean age at diagnosis was 6.6 years (SD = 5.5 y) and did not vary significantly by tumor type except for children with neuroblastoma (mean = 0.4 y, SD = 0.5 y). More boys (57%) were identified in the series than girls (43%); however, there was no association between tumor type and sex. Presenting complaints of pain were noted in 57% and were localized to the back, neck, or extremities. Extremity weakness was reported as an initial presenting symptom in 46%. Three children had scoliosis as a presenting issue and 14 had gait abnormalities. Regardless of treatment modality, mobility was retained in 83% of children with or without gait aids. Neurogenic bowel and/or bladder were present in 23% of the population. Conclusions: This study corroborates other studies indicating that intramedullary tumors are the predominant form of pediatric spinal cord tumor. This population, however, presented with an unusually large number of developmental tumors, contrary to several published studies. The disparity may be the result of this institution acting as a regional referral center, thus increasing the number of this type of patient. The population is too small to make any other conjecture. The predominance of astrocytomas and neuroblastomas among those patients with poor outcomes and the prevalence of developmental tumors suggest the need for broader investigation. Although, in general, spinal cord tumors are relatively rare, this preliminary study supports the need to further evaluate associations between tumor type, presenting symptoms, treatment, and functional outcome in children with spinal cord tumors.
Assessment of Myocardial Performance Index and Aortic Elasticity in Patients With Beta-Thalassemia Major

Background This study aimed to assess myocardial performance index (MPI) and arterial elasticity indices in asymptomatic patients with beta-thalassemia major without known heart disease and to determine relationship between these indices and parameters indicating iron load of body. Methods The study included 55 asymptomatic beta-thalassemia patients (median age: 20 years (10 - 48 years)) without known history of heart disease and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. MPI and arterial elasticity indices were determined by using standard two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. Data were analyzed by SPSS for Windows version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results Left ventricular mass index (83.917 (50.62 - 144) and 68.37 (41.9 - 113.3)) and MPI (0.464 (0.33 - 0.68) and 0.431 (0.31 - 0.51)) were significantly higher in patients with beta-thalassemia when compared to control group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.006). Aortic elasticity indices were significantly higher while aortic strain and distensibility values were significantly lower in patients with beta-thalassemia compared to controls (all P values < 0.001). Positive correlations were detected between aortic stiffness index and platelet (r = 0.235; P = 0.019) and ferritin values (r = 0.328; P = 0.008). Presence of thalassemia (β = -0.729; P = 0.041) and higher platelet value (β = 0.235; P = 0.019) were significant determinants for increased aortic stiffness in linear regression analysis. Conclusion Arterial elasticity indices and MPI are impaired in patients with beta-thalassemia major and these parameters may be used to predict cardiovascular complications in asymptomatic patients with beta-thalassemia major.
Management of Malignant Pleural Effusions

Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) are commonly seen as complications of advanced malignancy, especially in lung cancer and breast cancer. The management will depend on the performance status of the patient, severity of the symptoms, and the primary tumor's response to systemic therapy. Thoracentesis is usually the first step for both diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. Chest tube placement with sclerotherapy is successful in 60 to 90% of cases, but it requires hospitalization for ~1 week. Alternatively, long-term tunneled pleural drainage catheters can be performed on an outpatient basis and are effective in controlling symptoms in 80 to 100% of patients. Additional advantages are the ability to treat trapped lung, large loculated effusions, and bilateral effusions simultaneously, as well as lower charges. Spontaneous pleurodesis can occur in up to 50% of the patients. Tunneled catheters should be considered in all patients with MPE and particularly those who have a reasonable expectancy of being outpatient.
Genetic Programming for Robocode Strategy

We present an approach to learning Robocode controller strategy. Robocode strategies are represented as trees of atomic elements corresponding to actions and observations in a Robocode battle. Genetic programming is used to search the space of such representations. Through this approach, we were able to induce stategies capable of defeating many hand-coded tanks.
Disordered Binding Regions and Linear Motifs—Bridging the Gap between Two Models of Molecular Recognition

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) exist without the presence of a stable tertiary structure in isolation. These proteins are often involved in molecular recognition processes via their disordered binding regions that can recognize partner molecules by undergoing a coupled folding and binding process. The specific properties of disordered binding regions give way to specific, yet transient interactions that enable IDPs to play central roles in signaling pathways and act as hubs of protein interaction networks. An alternative model of protein-protein interactions with largely overlapping functional properties is offered by the concept of linear interaction motifs. This approach focuses on distilling a short consensus sequence pattern from proteins with a common interaction partner. These motifs often reside in disordered regions and are considered to mediate the interaction roughly independent from the rest of the protein. Although a connection between linear motifs and disordered binding regions has been established through common examples, the complementary nature of the two concepts has yet to be fully explored. In many cases the sequence based definition of linear motifs and the structural context based definition of disordered binding regions describe two aspects of the same phenomenon. To gain insight into the connection between the two models, prediction methods were utilized. We combined the regular expression based prediction of linear motifs with the disordered binding region prediction method ANCHOR, each specialized for either model to get the best of both worlds. The thorough analysis of the overlap of the two methods offers a bioinformatics tool for more efficient binding site prediction that can serve a wide range of practical implications. At the same time it can also shed light on the theoretical connection between the two co-existing interaction models.
Fighting Knowledge Acquisition Bottleneck with Argument Based Machine Learning

Knowledge elicitation is known to be a difficult task and thus a major bottleneck in building a knowledge base. Machine learning has long ago been proposed as a way to alleviate this problem. Machine learning usually helps the domain expert to uncover some of the more tacit concepts. However, the learned concepts are often hard to understand and hard to extend. A common view is that a combination of a domain expert and machine learning would yield the best results. Recently, argument based machine learning (ABML) has been introduced as a combination of argumentation and machine learning. Through argumentation, ABML enables the expert to articulate his knowledge easily and in a very natural way. ABML was shown to significantly improve the comprehensibility and accuracy of the learned concepts. This makes ABML a most natural tool for constructing a knowledge base. The present paper shows how this is accomplished through a case study of building a knowledge base of an expert system used in a chess tutoring application.
Maintenance of Object-Oriented C + + Software : A Protocol Study

A protocol study has been conducted which examines the strategies intermediate level programmers use along and the errors which are made when a small number of experimental problems written using the language C++ are maintained. An integrated compilation and editing environment has been developed which captures editing events, such as cursor movements, keystrokes and compilation attempts. Maintenance strategy and error analysis utilises both data captured from the compilation environment and verbal protocols. Some suggestions for further research is given.
Design matters in secondary prevention: individualization and supervised exercise improves the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation

Background: Hospital or centre-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) can lengthen and improve life. However, most existing trials do not examine the effects of design characteristics. To examine the effects of these characteristics, this study compared an individualized cardiac rehabilitation programme to a standardized programme and examined what factors contributed most to programme effects. Design: A prospective cohort analysis was done comparing patients using an individualized centre-based cardiac rehabilitation programme (ICR) in a mixed urban-rural region of the west of Scotland, to a standardized cardiac rehabilitation programme (SCR) provided at the same site three years previously. Both inter- and intra-programme differences in outcomes were explored. Results: More patients were referred to ICR than SCR (749 versus 414 patients, p = 0.002) and the proportion of patients who subsequently attended was around 30% higher (p < 0.0001) although the overall rate of referral to ICR was lower (70% versus 62%, p = 0.002). ICR was associated with a reduction in hospital admission compared to SCR (HR: 0.664: 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.554 to 0.797). ICR patients also had significantly shorter hospitalizations (mean: 8.02 days versus 5.84 days, p < 0.05). ICR patients who attended at least 75% of the exercise sessions were significantly less likely to be hospitalized than individuals who partially attended (HR 2.39, 95% CI: 1.659 to 3.488) or did not participate in exercise sessions (HR 2.16, 95% CI: 1.482 to 3.143). Conclusions: Individualized content and supervised exercise components are key design characteristics for improving outcomes from centre-based CR in clinically representative populations.
A New Disk I/O Model of Virtualized Cloud Environment

In a traditional virtualized cloud environment, using asynchronous I/O in the guest file system and synchronous I/O in the host file system to handle an asynchronous user disk write exhibits several drawbacks, such as performance disturbance among different guests and consistency maintenance across guest failures. To improve these issues, this paper introduces a novel disk I/O model for virtualized cloud system called HypeGear, where the guest file system uses synchronous operations to deal with the guest write request and the host file system performs asynchronous operations to write the data to the hard disk. A prototype system is implemented on the Xen hypervisor and our experimental results verify that this new model has many advantages over the conventional asynchronous-synchronous model. We also evaluate the overhead of asynchronous I/O at host, which is brought by our new model. The result demonstrates that it enforces little cost on host layer.