Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extremal optimization-based semi-supervised algorithm with conflict pairwise constraints for community detection

The research on community structure is a key to analyze the network functionality and topology, and thus it is significant to detect and analysis the community structure. During the abstract process from an actual system to a network, especially for a large-scale network, it is inevitable to have mistaken connections between nodes or have connection missing. In addition, in real applications, from time to time we can obtain prior information in the form of pairwise constraints between nodes besides topology information, although they may be inaccurate or conflicted. These noises in the network-related information will dramatically reduce the accuracy of community detection. Hence, in this paper, we introduce a dissimilarity index to determine the trustworthiness of pairwise constraints and settle the conflict of pairwise constraints. Then, focusing on the community detection with false connections or conflicted connections, we propose a pairwise constrained structure-enhanced extremal optimization-based semi-supervised algorithm (PCSEO-SS algorithm). Compared with existing semi-supervised community detection approaches, the experimental results executed on real networks and synthetic networks, show that PCSEO-SS can solve the problem of false connections or conflicted connections to some extent and detect the community structure more precisely.
A preliminary case study of androgen receptor gene polymorphism association with impulsivity in women with alcoholism

Objective The androgen receptor (AR) gene, located on the X chromosome, contains a common polymorphism involving cytosine–adenine–guanine (CAG) repeats, which impacts disease and could contribute to the unequal sex ratio in alcoholism. CAG repeats in the AR gene are known to correlate with impulsivity in males. We report the first preliminary study examining the association between the number of CAG repeats and measures of impulsivity in females with chronic alcoholism. Methods A total of 35 women and 85 men with chronic alcoholism were previously recruited for a nutritional clinical trial, and 26 well-characterized females (19 African–American and seven Caucasian) with alcoholism agreed to participate for genetic testing. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was isolated from peripheral blood and CAG repeats determined by analyzing polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified products, using the polymorphic AR gene assay. CAG repeat length was correlated with raw scores from the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, version 11 and the Alcoholism Severity Scale. Results CAG repeat lengths were significantly longer in Caucasian alcoholic women compared with African–Americans, and the average number of CAG repeats were significantly, positively correlated (P<0.05) with impulsivity scores. Women with average CAG repeat length (CAGave) ≥18, representing the upper quartile of the repeat range, showed significantly greater mean raw impulsivity scores. CAG repeat length appeared to have less effect in African–American compared with Caucasian women, possibly due to a shorter average repeat length. Conclusion We found an association between the number of CAG repeats and impulsivity in females with chronic alcoholism, specifically in women with CAGave ≥18, seen more commonly in Caucasian compared with African–American women.
Immunohistological localization of cell adhesion proteins and integrins in the periodontium.

The distribution of the cell adhesion proteins vitronectin, fibronectin, tenascin, and laminin as well as several integrin subunits, alpha 2, alpha 5, and alpha v, was studied in primate periodontal tissues. Full baboon mandibular sections were analyzed by immunohistochemical methods in order to localize the molecules studied in both soft and hard tissues. Vitronectin was associated with the connective tissue of the marginal gingiva, the periodontal ligament, as well as the endosteum and periosteum. A notable finding was the particularly high staining intensity of vitronectin in the periodontal ligament. Fibronectin was widely distributed in the periodontal connective tissue and was also localized to the pericellular matrix of osteocytes and blood vascular elements. Epithelial basement membranes stained positively for both fibronectin and tenascin. These proteins were also expressed in the periosteal and endosteal connective tissues and the periodontal ligament. The staining intensity for tenascin was higher in zones along the cementum and bone surfaces. Laminin was, characteristically, limited to basement membranes of epithelium and endothelium. The distribution of fibronectin, tenascin, and laminin is related to previous findings in other species. The localization of the several integrin alpha-subunits is also described in full baboon mandibular sections. The vitronectin receptor (alpha v) had a uniquely strong expression in osteoclasts of the alveolar bone and was found, at lesser intensity, on periodontal ligament fibroblasts. The fibronectin receptor alpha subunit, alpha 5, was also observed on osteoclasts, and, in addition, was widely distributed on fibroblasts, cementoblasts, and osteoblasts. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Detection of Aggregate Clay Coatings and Impacts on Concrete

This article will discuss how deleterious clay minerals often enter concrete as coatings on aggregates. The impacts of the certain clays introduced by this mechanism is the subject of this study. The effects of different clay properties, including cation exchange capacity (CEC) and the nature of the exchangeable cations on concrete, were measured. The material selected for this research was an igneous clean coarse aggregate which, for purposes of repeatability and experimental control, was lab-coated with four different clay suspensions (kaolin, illite, sodium montmorillonite, and calcium montmorillonite). The coated aggregate was then used to make concrete test specimens. The results clearly show that the impact of the clays is not only a function of the CEC of the clay but also of the nature of the exchangeable cation.
Use of non-negative matrix factorization for language model adaptation in a lecture transcription task

Introduces the non-negative matrix factorization for language model adaptation. This approach is an alternative to latent semantic analysis based language modeling using singular value decomposition with several benefits. A new method, which does not require an explicit document segmentation of the training corpus is presented as well. This method resulted in a perplexity reduction of 16% on a database of biology lecture transcriptions.
Contributions to real-time visual tracking and live environment modeling for augmented reality applications: design and implementation of new methods and evaluations on real image-based ground truth data

Real-time visual tracking and live environment modeling are key problems of Augmented Reality applications. This thesis presents a novel methodology for benchmarking visual tracking algorithms. Ground truth camera motions are obtained by mounting a camera on a highly precise mechanical measurement arm and performing several calibration steps. In 2009, we published the first systematic dataset based on real images and specifically created for planar template-based tracking. It is part of the Trakmark benchmark and used by several research institutes. The thesis also presents two novel methods which aim to reconstruct parts of the environment online while tracking a hand-held camera. The first approach is an extension of inter-frame 2D template tracking to 2.5D tracking of convex objects while the second approach uses RGB-D images from a Microsoft Kinect to track and reconstruct arbitrarily shaped objects.
The Bostrichidae of the Maltese Islands (Coleoptera)

Abstract The Bostrichidae of the Maltese Islands are reviewed. Ten species are recorded with certainty from this Archipelago, of which 6 namely, Trogoxylon impressum (Comolli, 1837), Amphicerus bimaculatus (A.G. Olivier, 1790), Heterobostrychus aequalis (Waterhouse, 1884), Sinoxylon unidentatum (Fabricius, 1801), Xyloperthella picea (A.G. Olivier, 1790) and Apate monachus Fabricius, 1775 are recorded for the first time. Two of the mentioned species (Heterobostrychus aequalis and Sinoxylon unidentatum) are alien and recorded only on the basis of single captures and the possible establishment of these species is discussed. Earlier records of Scobicia pustulata (Fabricius, 1801) from Malta are incorrect and should be attributed to Scobicia chevrieri (A. Villa & J.B. Villa, 1835). A zoogeographical analysis and an updated checklist of the 12 species of Bostrichidae recorded from the Maltese Islands and neigbouring Sicilian islands (Pantelleria, Linosa and Lampedusa) are also provided. Rhizopertha dominica (Fabricius, 1792) form granulipennis Lesne in Beeson & Bhatia, 1937 from Uttarakhand (northern India) was overlooked by almost all subsequent authors. Its history is summarized and the following new synonymy is established: Rhizopertha dominica (Fabricius, 1792) form granulipennis Lesne in Beeson & Bhatia, 1937 = Rhyzopertha dominica (Fabricius, 1792), syn. n. Finally, records of Amphicerus bimaculatus from Azerbaijan, of Bostrichus capucinus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Jordan and Syria, of Scobicia chevrieri from Jordan and Italy, of Xyloperthella picea from Italy, and of Apate monachus from Corsica (France) and Italy, are also provided.
Historical Perspectives on 4D Virtualized Reality

Recording dynamic events, such as a sports event, a ballet performance, or a lecture, digitally for experiencing in a spatiotemporally distant setting requires 4D capture: three dimensions for their geometry/ appearance over the fourth dimension of time. Cameras are suitable for this task as they are nonintrusive, universal, and inexpensive. Computer Vision techniques have advanced sufficiently to make the 4D capture possible. In this paper, we present a historical perspective on the Virtualized RealityTM system developed since early 90s to early 2000 at CMU for the 4D capture of dynamic events.
Segmenting handwritten text using supervised classification techniques

Recent work on extracting features of gaps in handwritten text allows a classification into inter-word and intra-word classes using suitable classification techniques. In this paper, we apply 5 different supervised classification algorithms from the machine learning field on both the original dataset and a dataset with the best features selected using mutual information. The classifiers are compared by employing McNemar's test. We find that SVMs and MLPs outperform the other classifiers and that preprocessing to select features works well.
Signaling During Platelet Adhesion and Activation

Upon vascular injury, platelets are activated by adhesion to adhesive proteins, such as von Willebrand factor and collagen, or by soluble platelet agonists, such as ADP, thrombin, and thromboxane A2. These adhesive proteins and soluble agonists induce signal transduction via their respective receptors. The various receptor-specific platelet activation signaling pathways converge into common signaling events that stimulate platelet shape change and granule secretion and ultimately induce the “inside-out” signaling process leading to activation of the ligand-binding function of integrin &agr;IIb&bgr;3. Ligand binding to integrin &agr;IIb&bgr;3 mediates platelet adhesion and aggregation and triggers “outside-in” signaling, resulting in platelet spreading, additional granule secretion, stabilization of platelet adhesion and aggregation, and clot retraction. It has become increasingly evident that agonist-induced platelet activation signals also cross talk with integrin outside-in signals to regulate platelet responses. Platelet activation involves a series of rapid positive feedback loops that greatly amplify initial activation signals and enable robust platelet recruitment and thrombus stabilization. Recent studies have provided novel insight into the molecular mechanisms of these processes.
DSOS and SDSOS Optimization: More Tractable Alternatives to Sum of Squares and Semidefinite Optimization

In recent years, optimization theory has been greatly impacted by the advent of sum of squares (SOS) optimization. The reliance of this technique on large-scale semidefinite programs however, has limited the scale of problems to which it can be applied. In this paper, we introduce DSOS and SDSOS optimization as linear programming and second-order cone programming-based alternatives to sum of squares optimization that allow one to trade off computation time with solution quality. These are optimization problems over certain subsets of sum of squares polynomials (or equivalently subsets of positive semidefinite matrices), which can be of interest in general applications of semidefinite programming where scalability is a limitation. We show that some basic theorems from SOS optimization which rely on results from real algebraic geometry are still valid for DSOS and SDSOS optimization. Furthermore, we show with numerical experiments from diverse application areas---polynomial optimization, statistics and machine learning, derivative pricing, and control theory---that with reasonable tradeoffs in accuracy, we can handle problems at scales that are currently significantly beyond the reach of traditional sum of squares approaches. Finally, we provide a review of recent techniques that bridge the gap between our DSOS/SDSOS approach and the SOS approach at the expense of additional running time. The Supplementary Material of the paper introduces an accompanying MATLAB package for DSOS and SDSOS optimization.
ON THE MEROMORPHIC NON-INTEGRABILITY OF SOME N-BODY PROBLEMS

We present a proof of the meromorphic non--integrability of the planar $N$-Body Problem for some special cases. A simpler proof is added to those already existing for the Three-Body Problem with arbitrary masses. The $N$-Body Problem with equal masses is also proven non-integrable. Furthermore, a new general result on additional integrals is obtained which, applied to these specific cases, proves the non-existence of an additional integral for the general Three-Body Problem, and provides for an upper bound on the amount of additional integrals for the equal-mass Problem for $N=4,5,6$. These results appear to qualify differential Galois theory, and especially a new incipient theory stemming from it, as an amenable setting for the detection of obstructions to Hamiltonian integrability.
Pediatric Vaccine Adjuvants: Components of the Modern Vaccinologist’s Toolbox

The goal of immunization is the induction of an immune response to protect from infection or disease (1). Until the end of the 20th century, adjuvantation science was limited to the use aluminum salts (alum) (2). Over the past 20 years there has been explosive growth of information regarding pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that can activate leukocytes and thereby enhance immune responses (3). In parallel, a growing menu of adjuvants, agents that boost responses to vaccinal antigens following immunization, is now becoming available to immunologists and vaccinologists. However, immunity over life is not static but rather changes with age (4). Here, we will summarize the adjuvants currently in clinical use, new adjuvants in development and potential uses and benefits of a new “adjuvant toolbox” for developing novel early life vaccines (5).
Fabrication of biodegradable scaffolds by use of self-assembled magnetic sugar particles as a casting template

Technologies to develop scaffolds with controlled pore layout and porosity have great significance in tissue engineering. As one method of scaffold fabrication, porogen leaching has been commonly used to control pore size, pore structure and porosity in the scaffold. In this paper, we describe a novel approach to fabricate 2D and 3D porous biodegradable scaffolds made of poly(L-lactide-co-epsiv-caprolactone) by using magnetic sugar particles as porogens. First, ferrite micro/nano particles were encapsulated in sugar microspheres to make them magnetized. After sieving magnetic sugar particles, those diameter-controlled particles were attracted by a magnetic force to form an assembled template for polymer casting. A magnetic field with polka-dot pattern was also utilized to align particles on desired positions. After polymer casting and removal of the sugar template, spherical pores were generated inside scaffold. For future application in vascular tissue engineering, we extended the scaffold fabrication to straight tubular scaffolds by winding 2D porous sheets on sacrificial molds. The biocompatibility of the developed scaffold was confirmed by viable cells after 4-day culture.
Dietary administration of daidzein, chrysin, caffeic acid and spironolactone on growth, sex ratio and bioaccumulation in genetically all-male and all-female Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Aromatase inhibitors can produce monosex populations of fish by blocking estrogen induced ovarian differentiation. Phytochemicals such as flavonoids and other phenolic compounds can exhibit aromatase inhibitor-like characteristics as reported for many of these compounds. Two experiments were conducted with genetically all-female or genetically all-male first feeding Nile tilapia to evaluate the potential in vivo aromatase inhibitory activity of three selected phytochemicals in parallel with synthetic steroidal compound treatments. Experimental diets were the following: control, 17αmethyltestosterone (MT); 1,4,6-androstatrien-3-17-dione (ATD); spironolactone (SPIRO); daidzein (DAID); chrysin (CHR) and caffeic acid (CAFF) at different inclusion levels. Fish were fed for 6 weeks (all-male) and 8 weeks (all-female). Survival, final individual body weight and specific growth rate and final sex ratios were recorded. All phytochemicals were effectively detected using HPLC analyses. No differences were observed in survival, final mean weight, SGR between treatments in all-male tilapia. For all-female tilapia, MT and ATD groups showed significantly smaller final mean weights (p<0.05); still, survival or SGR were not significantly different. Final sex ratios were as follows: for all-male juveniles no effect was observed in the final sex ratio for any of the phytochemicals or spironolactone. The sex ratio of genetically all-female tilapia was not affected by the inclusion of tested phytochemicals and spironolactone, while MT and ATD male ratios of 100% and 50%, respectively. Thus, selected dietary inclusion levels of phytochemicals did not exert an in vivo effect on sex differentiation in Nile tilapia.
Multiscale Unsupervised Segmentation of SAR Imagery Using the Genetic Algorithm

A valid unsupervised and multiscale segmentation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is proposed by a combination GA-EM of the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorith with the genetic algorithm (GA). The mixture multiscale autoregressive (MMAR) model is introduced to characterize and exploit the scale-to-scale statistical variations and statistical variations in the same scale in SAR imagery due to radar speckle, and a segmentation method is given by combining the GA algorithm with the EM algorithm. This algorithm is capable of selecting the number of components of the model using the minimum description length (MDL) criterion. Our approach benefits from the properties of the Genetic and the EM algorithm by combination of both into a single procedure. The population-based stochastic search of the genetic algorithm (GA) explores the search space more thoroughly than the EM method. Therefore, our algorithm enables escaping from local optimal solutions since the algorithm becomes less sensitive to its initialization. Some experiment results are given based on our proposed approach, and compared to that of the EM algorithms. The experiments on the SAR images show that the GA-EM outperforms the EM method.
Poor quality diet is associated with overweight status and obesity in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND The high rates of overweight status observed in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may reflect dietary intake, and so it is important to investigate diet quality and its relationship with the rates of overweight status and obesity among these patients. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 100 women with PCOS (Rotterdam criteria) were evaluated considering anthropometric and dietary data. The anthropometric evaluation included the measurement of weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference and waist-hip ratio. Food intake data were collected from two 24-h dietary recalls to assess dietary patterns using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index - Revised (BHEI-R). RESULTS The anthropometric analysis indicated a high prevalence of overweight status, obesity and increased visceral fat (30.0%, 60.0% and 90.0%, respectively). The mean BHEI-R score was 56.1 ± 12.0 points (range 34.5-77.5 points). Diet quality was negatively correlated with obesity, which was evaluated by BMI (r = -0.248; P = 0.013) and WC (r = -0.278; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS Dietary interventions focused on improvement of diet quality should be targeted to treat patients with PCOS because obesity in these women is associated with worsening endocrine, metabolic and reproductive functions.
Associate A User's Goal: Exhaustivity and Specificity Information Retrieval Using Ontology

In information retrieval it is difficult to extract the accurate information to satisfy a user's information need. Based on the goals, we categorize the searches into two groups: information search and navigational search, and proposed a method using ontology to extract the the specific or general context for the given query and perform the search using it. An IR system using the method can be more efficient as it performs the search associating to the user's particular goal.
Application of natural dyes on bleached coir yarn

Coir yarns have been dyed with different purified commercial natural dye powders. It is observed that almost all the dyes have very good wash fastness ranging from 4 to 5 and some dyes have light fastness rating of ≥ 3. By using the dyeing combination shades of dyes having good fastness properties, a large number of shades with reasonably good fastness properties can be obtained.
Incremental Learning of Linear Predictors for Fast Object Tracking

This is a PhD thesis proposal. We concetrate on fast visual tracking methods in videos. We are especially interested in incremental learning of new object appearances. Current state of the art methods like background subtraction, kernel-based tracking or tracking by detection are shortly described. We use linear predictors for fast object tracking and an exhaustive description of the predictor learnig, tracking and incremental learning is given. We give also a detailed description of the most popular Lucas-Kanade tracking algorithm for comparison. Existing on-line learning algorithms are overviewed, too. In the final part of this text we summarize our current work and experiments and finaly we outline the doctoral thesis proposal, where we will focus on incremental learning of the linear predictor, automatic training examples selection and selection of good features to track.