Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Some Practical Advice for Dealing with Semantic Heterogeneity in Federated Database Systems

For many organizations, database federation has become the preferred strategy for reconciling the proliferation of private and independent databases, and for increasing the productivity of their information technology investment. However, federation preserves the autonomy of the underlying systems, which are often based on different sets of assumptions. Hence, it does not directly address the problem of integrating semantically heterogeneous databases. The “integration” of component system data in the federation requires making database semantics, which are implicit in the component systems, explicit in metadata, and reconciling these differences in meaning. Currently, there is little technology available to “automate” this process. But, the problem cannot be avoided if organizations wish to provide semantically consistent access to multiple databases. Integrating semantically heterogeneous databases is costly, since it is a largely intellectual process involving extracting semantics, expressing them as metadata, and resolving inconsistencies among them for overlapping data. Thus, it is important to avoid expending the effort wherever possible. We suggest two ways to make this effort practical, based on our own experience with very large system integration efforts and discussions with others engaged in these efforts. First, narrow the scope of the problem and prioritize the information to be federated, based on requirements specifications for federation users. Second, exploit the various tools and enabling technologies that are available, including semantic and object models, Repository, CASE tools, and standards.
Short-Latency Visual Input to the Subthalamic Nucleus Is Provided by the Midbrain Superior Colliculus

The subthalamic nucleus (STN) is one of the principal input nuclei of the basal ganglia. Using electrophysiological techniques in anesthetized rats, we show that the STN becomes responsive to visual stimuli at short latencies when local disinhibitory injections are made into the midbrain superior colliculus (SC), an important subcortical visual structure. Significantly, only injections into the lateral, but not medial, deep layers of the SC were effective. Corresponding disinhibition of primary visual cortex also was ineffective. Complementary anatomical analyses revealed a strong, regionally specific projection from the deep layers of the lateral SC to neurons in rostral and dorsal sectors of the STN. Given the retinocentric organization of the SC, these results suggest that lower-field stimuli represented in the lateral colliculus have a direct means of communicating with the basal ganglia via the STN that is not afforded to visual events occurring in the upper visual field.
A new method on deterministic construction of the measurement matrix in compressed sensing

Construction on the measurement matrix $A$ is a central problem in compressed sensing. Although using random matrices is proven optimal and successful in both theory and applications. A deterministic construction on the measurement matrix is still very important and interesting. In fact, it is still an open problem proposed by T. Tao. In this paper, we shall provide a new deterministic construction method and prove it is optimal with regard to the mutual incoherence.
Doxycycline and HIV infection suppress tuberculosis-induced matrix metalloproteinases.

RATIONALE Tuberculosis kills more than 1.5 million people per year, and standard treatment has remained unchanged for more than 30 years. Tuberculosis (TB) drives matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity to cause immunopathology. In advanced HIV infection, tissue destruction is reduced, but underlying mechanisms are poorly defined and no current antituberculous therapy reduces host tissue damage. OBJECTIVES To investigate MMP activity in patients with TB with and without HIV coinfection and to determine the potential of doxycycline to inhibit MMPs and decrease pathology. METHODS Concentrations of MMPs and cytokines were analyzed by Luminex array in a prospectively recruited cohort of patients. Modulation of MMP secretion and Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth by doxycycline was studied in primary human cells and TB-infected guinea pigs. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS HIV coinfection decreased MMP concentrations in induced sputum of patients with TB. MMPs correlated with clinical markers of tissue damage, further implicating dysregulated protease activity in TB-driven pathology. In contrast, cytokine concentrations were no different. Doxycycline, a licensed MMP inhibitor, suppressed TB-dependent MMP-1 and -9 secretion from primary human macrophages and epithelial cells by inhibiting promoter activation. In the guinea pig model, doxycycline reduced lung TB colony forming units after 8 weeks in a dose-dependent manner compared with untreated animals, and in vitro doxycycline inhibited mycobacterial proliferation. CONCLUSIONS HIV coinfection in patients with TB reduces concentrations of immunopathogenic MMPs. Doxycycline decreases MMP activity in a cellular model and suppresses mycobacterial growth in vitro and in guinea pigs. Adjunctive doxycycline therapy may reduce morbidity and mortality in TB.
Angiotensin II Removes Kidney Resistance Conferred by Ischemic Preconditioning

Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) renders resistance to the kidney. Strong IPC triggers kidney fibrosis, which is involved in angiotensin II (AngII) and its type 1 receptor (AT1R) signaling. Here, we investigated the role of AngII/AT1R signal pathway in the resistance of IPC kidneys to subsequent I/R injury. IPC of kidneys was generated by 30 minutes of bilateral renal ischemia and 8 days of reperfusion. Sham-operation was performed to generate control (non-IPC) mice. To examine the roles of AngII and AT1R in IPC kidneys to subsequent I/R, IPC kidneys were subjected to either 30 minutes of bilateral kidney ischemia or sham-operation following treatment with AngII, losartan (AT1R blocker), or AngII plus losartan. IPC kidneys showed fibrotic changes, decreased AngII, and increased AT1R expression. I/R dramatically increased plasma creatinine concentrations in non-IPC mice, but not in IPC mice. AngII treatment in IPC mice resulted in enhanced morphological damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses, with functional impairment, whereas losartan treatment reversed these effects. However, AngII treatment in non-IPC mice did not change I/R-induced injury. AngII abolished the resistance of IPC kidneys to subsequent I/R via the enhancement of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, suggesting that the AngII/AT1R signaling pathway is associated with outcome in injury-experienced kidney.
In-cylinder Burned Gas Rate Estimation and Control on VVA Diesel Engines

In this paper, we propose a strategy to control the incylinder burned gas rate inside the combustion chambers of turbocharged Diesel engines equipped with low pressure EGR loop and VVA actuator. We first design a mean-value model of the in-cylinder composition and validate it on a high frequency reference simulator. Then, we develop the control strategy. It is based on the coordination of existing low-level controllers acting separately on the EGR valve and on the VVA actuator. The objective is to improve transient response, taking into account the responses of the low-level controllers. Supportive simulation results show the relevance of this approach.
gHRV: A user friendly application for HRV analysis

This paper introduces a software application designed for Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis. The application, named gHRV, was implemented using Python programming language, and it is partially based on RHRV, an R package developed by the authors. gHRV is now in an early development stage, and it is focused on being used by researchers or clinical professionals non skilled in informatics. As a consequence, easy of installation and use are key aspects in its design. In this paper, the application gHRV is presented from an user's point of view and programming resources used in developing gHRV are also commented. Finally, the paper introduces some ideas for further work and conclusions.
Automatic Detection of QRS Complexes using Quantum Neural Networks

The paper presents an approach to automatically detect QRS complexes using a novel type of neural networks, quantum neural networks(QNNs). QNNs are designed to achieve the goal through multilevel partitioning of the feature space. The capacity of QNNs for autonomously forming multilevel partitions of the feature space arises from their ability to create graded internal representations of the sample information provided by ECG signals. The fuzzy feature is expected to enhance the reliability of the network, which is critical for improving desirable diagnosis accuracy. The simulated results based on the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database confirmed the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Clinical analysis of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 in patients with in-stent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention

Abstract In-stent restenosis (ISR) is the most common complication associated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Although some studies have reported an association between lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) and ISR, not enough clinical validation data are available to support this link. Here, we report our cross-sectional study aimed at exploring the feasibility of LOX-1 as a biomarker for the prognostic diagnosis of patients undergoing PCI. Three groups were included: ISR group, including 99 patients with ISR diagnosed with coronary arteriography (CAG) after PCI; lesion group, comprising 87 patients with coronary artery stenosis (<50%) diagnosed with CAG after PCI; and control group, consisting of 96 volunteers with no coronary artery disease. The levels of LOX-1 were measured in each patient by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and their general information as well as laboratory parameters were recorded and followed up during a period of 2 years. LOX-1 levels gradually increased after PCI along with the progression of the lesion in the 3 groups. The levels of LOX-1 were significantly higher in the ISR group than in the other 2 groups (P < .001). LOX-1 levels were correlated with the levels of uric acid (UA) (r = 0.289, P = .007), creatinine (CREA) (r = .316, P = .003), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (r = −0.271, P = .012), whereas no statistically significant correlation was detected with the Gensini score (r = 0.157, P = .141). The sensitivity and specificity of LOX-1 were 81.5% and 55.7%, respectively, with the most optimal threshold (5.04 &mgr;g/L). The area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve of LOX-1 was 0.720, and LOX-1 had the highest AUC compared with CREA, UA, and HDL-C, both individually and in combination. A high level of LOX-1 in the early period after PCI has a certain predictive power and diagnostic value for ISR. However, the level of LOX-1 is not related to the Gensini score of coronary artery after PCI, and CREA and UA, which are weakly related to LOX-1, have no obvious synergy in the diagnosis of ISR with LOX-1.
Regulating child care: the effects of state regulations on child care demand and its cost.

In this paper, we examine the effects of existing state-level child care regulations on the cost, or price, of non-parental child care, the demand for (non-parental) child care by parents, and the mother's decision to enter the labor force. We distinguish between the indirect effects of regulations on demand via their effect on the cost of such care facing parents as well and the direct (and non-price) effects regulations may have by imposing standards in the form of minimum levels of quality on available care facing parents. In our empirical analysis, we analyze the child care decisions of all parents with preschool age children, including households with working and non-working mothers, using child care data from the 1986 wave of the National Longitudinal Survey of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS72). We present estimates of the effects of two sets of regulations--namely, restrictions on child-to-staff ratios in day care centers and educational and/or training requirements of workers in either centers or home day care setting – as well as two types of child care subsidies – child care tax credit for working mothers and subsidies to providers – on the child care and maternal work decisions of households as well as on the hourly cost of child care. Our evidence indicates that state regulations both increase the cost of child care as well as have direct (non-price) effects on utilization but that their total effect tends to reduce the utilization of market-based child care, especially among households with non-working mothers. Since economically disadvantaged and black women are disproportionately represented in the latter group, it appears that one of the consequences of regulations are to defer the utilization of child care by households with children for whom the purported developmental benefits of organized day care might be most beneficial.
Financial Institutions Center The Value Effects of Bank Mergers and Acquisitions

The banking industry has experienced an unprecedented level of consolidation on a belief that gains can accrue through expense reduction, increased market power, reduced earnings volatility, and scale and scope economies. A review of the literature suggests that the value gains that are alleged have not been verified. The paper then seeks to address alternative explanations and reconcile the data with continued merger activity.
Parallel Newton-Type Iterative Methods Based on ILU Factorizations

c © 2006 by John von Neumann Institute for Computing Permission to make digital or hard copies of portions of this work for personal or classroom use is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. To copy otherwise requires prior specific permission by the publisher mentioned above.
Modeling and simulation of 2 kV 50 A SiC MOSFET/JBS power modules

This paper presents a methodology for modeling the high-voltage silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET/Junction-Barrier Schottky (JBS) diode power modules. The electrical model of an actual high-voltage SiC MOSFET/JBS module has been obtained using computer-aided electromagnetic analysis and verified through measurements. A circuit simulation model of a 2 kV, 5 A 4-H SiC MOSFET has also been built based on the Hefner MOSFET model and published experimental data. The device and package models are then combined and used to run circuit simulations of a double-pulse tester. The simulation results obtained provide good insight into the fast switching behavior and parametric dependencies of the paralleled SiC dice, which will aid in the module physical layout and gate driver design, as well as switching and conduction loss analysis.
A wideband multi-resolution spectrum sensing method based on belief propagation

A novel wideband multi-resolution spectrum sensing method is presented in this paper. By exploiting the frequency aliasing effect caused by multi-rate down-sampling, the spectrum activities of multi-channels can be inferred from the resulted spectrum-aliased sample streams. A specially designed Belief Propagation (BP) algorithm is adopted to conduct the above inferring. Simulation results show that this spectrum sensing method has excellent performance. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first algorithm to do multi-channel spectrum sensing based on multi-rate down-sampling and frequency aliasing.
Zurück in den Beruf - subjektive und objektive Perspektiven berufsorientierter Neurorehabilitation

The vocational participation of patients, who suffer from neurological diseases, is a major goal of neurological rehabilitation. Steps toward this goal should already be implemented during medical in-patient rehabilitation. However, specific concepts of neurological vocational therapy are necessary to capture the complexity of the multifaceted effects of brain damage. This can be achieved by adjusting individual treatment programmes preparing a patient’s vocational reintegration. Both, objective and subjective performance perspectives should be focussed on integratively. Vocational exertion tests can not be completely standardized due to individual treatment goals. However, these tests should proceed data driven and, in contrast to more selective standard diagnostics, provide comprehensible progress data. Additionally, it is important to consider systematically the subjective perspective of the patients, their beliefs and expectations concerning the vocational participation. We present new approaches of assessing subjective ratings of vocational performance, taking work-related context factors into account and measuring work-related cognitive load by integrating general exertion testing and circadian attention measurement. The concept of neurological vocational therapy will be explained in terms of treatment objectives and different therapeutic intervention levels such as training of impaired performance, development of compensatory-adaptive behaviour, promotion of performance resources and work-related psychoeducation in group settings. Finally, guidelines are presented which aim to direct therapeutic intensity and distribution within vocationally oriented rehabilitation according to MBOR requirements: factors such as age, time since lesion, period of work incapacity, availability of a job or already critical reintegration events such as an unsuccessful work attempt are considered.
Cacti , Braids and Complex

The study of the topological classiication of complex polynomials began in the XIX-th century by Luroth (1871), Clebsch (1873) and Hurwitz (1891). In the works of Zdravkovska 23] and Khovanskii and Zdravkovska 17] the problem is reduced to a purely combinatorial one, that of the study of a certain action of the braid groups on a class of tree-like gures that we, following 14], call \cacti". Using explicit computation of the braid group orbits, enumerative results of 14], and also establishing some combinatorial invariants of the action, we provide the topological classiication of polynomials of degree up to 9 (previous results were known up to degree 6). R esum e L' etude de la classiication topologique des polyn^ omes complexes a commenc e au XIX-eme siecle par Luroth (1871), Clebsch (1873) et Hurwitz (1891). Dans les travaux de Zdravkovska 23] et Khovanskii et Zdravkovska 17] le probl eme est r eduit a une etude purement com-binatoire d'une certaine action du groupe des tresses sur un genre de gures arborescentes que nous appelons, d'apr es 14], les \cactus". En utilisant le calcul explicite des orbites du groupe des tresses, les r esultats enum eratifs de 14], et aussi en mettant en evidence certains invariants combinatoires de l'action, nous achevons la classiication topologique des polyn^ omes de degr e jusqu'' a 9 (une telle classiication a et e connue jusqu'au degr e 6).
Empirical Analysis of Customer Behaviors in Chinese E-Commerce

With the burgeoning e-Business websites, E-Commerce in China has been developing rapidly in recent years. From the analysis of Chinese E-Commerce market, it is possible to discover customer purchasing patterns or behavior characteristics, which are indispensable knowledge for the expansion of Chinese E-Commerce market. This paper presents an empirical analysis on the sale transactions from the 360buy website based on the analysis of time interval distributions in perspectives of customers. Results reveal that in most situations the time intervals approximately obey the power-law distribution over two orders of magnitudes. Additionally, time interval on customer’s successive purchase can reflect how loyal a customer is to a specific product category. Moreover, we also find an interesting phenomenon about human behaviors that could be related to psychology of customers. In general, customers’ requirements in different product categories are similar. The investigation into individual behaviors may help researchers understand how customers’ group behaviors generated.
Monitoring tuberculosis treatment outcome: analysis of national surveillance data from a clinical perspective

Background: In 1998, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) published recommendations standardising the evaluation of tuberculosis treatment outcome in Europe. These guidelines fail to account for clinically appropriate alterations in the management of patients. Objectives: To evaluate tuberculosis treatment outcome in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by redefining the outcome criteria and investigate factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome 12 months after notification. Methods: This was a prospective analysis of a cohort of patients diagnosed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and reported to the Enhanced Tuberculosis Surveillance system in 2001 and 2002. Proportions of success and failure were calculated based on a new set of criteria following discussion with clinicians treating tuberculosis cases. Logistic regression was used to study risk factors for unsuccessful treatment outcome. Results: 13 048 cases were notified in the study period. Of the 2676 that were identified as new sputum smear positive pulmonary cases, 2209 (82.5%) had treatment outcome data reported. Using the WHO/IUATLD criteria, 76.8% were classified as successful. In contrast, applying the new criteria, the success rate was 87.5%. This rate exceeds the 85% success target set by the WHO. Risk factors for unsuccessful treatment outcome included male sex (OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.49), being elderly (p trend <0.001), having pulmonary tuberculosis (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.53) and having resistance to any antituberculosis drug (OR 1.90; 95% CI 1.44 to 2.52). Conclusion: The proportion of tuberculosis cases with a successful treatment outcome exceeded the target of 85% success rate based on the modified outcome categories. Although the tuberculosis treatment outcome criteria set by WHO/IUATLD appear to be clear, they mix measures of process and outcome. Further refinement may be necessary in low incidence high income countries, especially those with a high mortality among the elderly.
Phylogenetic Studies of Transmission Dynamics in Generalized HIV Epidemics: An Essential Tool Where the Burden is Greatest?

Abstract:Efficient and effective HIV prevention measures for generalized epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa have not yet been validated at the population level. Design and impact evaluation of such measures requires fine-scale understanding of local HIV transmission dynamics. The novel tools of HIV phylogenetics and molecular epidemiology may elucidate these transmission dynamics. Such methods have been incorporated into studies of concentrated HIV epidemics to identify proximate and determinant traits associated with ongoing transmission. However, applying similar phylogenetic analyses to generalized epidemics, including the design and evaluation of prevention trials, presents additional challenges. Here we review the scope of these methods and present examples of their use in concentrated epidemics in the context of prevention. Next, we describe the current uses for phylogenetics in generalized epidemics and discuss their promise for elucidating transmission patterns and informing prevention trials. Finally, we review logistic and technical challenges inherent to large-scale molecular epidemiological studies of generalized epidemics and suggest potential solutions.