Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Organic conductors—from fundamentals to nonlinear conductivity

Organic conductors are studied from the viewpoint of the high conductivity in organic metals and superconductors, as well as from the application oriented viewpoint of organic electronics. This review provides a brief survey of organic charge-transfer salts, with particular emphasis on their electronic structure and energy band calculations, together with an elementary introduction to strong-electron-correlation physics. In particular, incommensurate organic superconductors based on MDT-TSF (methylenedithiotetraselenafulvalene) family donors are reviewed. Finally, the recently rising interest in nonlinear conductivity is described, including a historical survey of various works of nonlinear conductivity, as well as the nonlinearity arising from the competing charge order in the so-called θ-phase materials.
Coordinated Scheduling and Power Allocation in Downlink Multicell OFDMA Networks

We consider a multicell orthogonal frequency-division multiple-access (OFDMA) wireless network with universal frequency reuse and treat the problem of cochannel interference mitigation via base station coordination in the downlink. Assuming that coordinated access points only share channel quality measurements but not user data symbols, we propose to select the set of cochannel users and the power allocation across tones to maximize the weighted system sum rate subject to per-base-station power constraints. Since this is a nonconvex combinatorial problem, efficient suboptimal algorithms are presented and discussed, each requiring a different level of coordination among base stations and a different feedback signaling overhead. Simulation results are provided to assess the performances of the proposed strategies.
Generative Iterative Closest Points An Iterative Closest Points Approach to Neural Generative Models

We present a simple way to learn a transformation that maps samples of one distribution to the samples of another distribution. Our algorithm comprises an iteration of 1) drawing samples from some simple distribution and transforming them using a neural network, 2) determining pairwise correspondences between the transformed samples and training data (or a minibatch), and 3) optimizing the weights of the neural network being trained to minimize the distances between the corresponding vectors. This can be considered as a variant of the Iterative Closest Points (ICP) algorithm, common in geometric computer vision, although ICP typically operates on sensor point clouds and linear transforms instead of random sample sets and neural nonlinear transforms. We demonstrate the algorithm on simple synthetic data and MNIST data. We furthermore demonstrate that the algorithm is capable of handling distributions with both continuous and discrete variables. (a) Samples from the origin distribution. ⇒ (b) Generated samples. Figure 1: A two dimensional uniform distribution is transformed to a swiss roll with added noise. 1 ar X iv :1 71 1. 06 56 2v 4 [ cs . L G ] 2 J ul 2 01 8 Rajamäki and Hämäläinen
Photosynthetic water splitting by the Mn4Ca2+O X catalyst of photosystem II: its structure, robustness and mechanism

Abstract The biological energy cycle of our planet is driven by photosynthesis whereby sunlight is absorbed by chlorophyll and other accessory pigments. The excitation energy is then efficiently transferred to a reaction centre where charge separation occurs in a few picoseconds. In the case of photosystem II (PSII), the energy of the charge transfer state is used to split water into oxygen and reducing equivalents. This is accomplished by the relatively low energy content of four photons of visible light. PSII is a large multi-subunit membrane protein complex embedded in the lipid environment of the thylakoid membranes of plants, algae and cyanobacteria. Four high energy electrons, together with four protons (4H+), are used to reduce plastoquinone (PQ), the terminal electron acceptor of PSII, to plastoquinol (PQH2). PQH2 passes its reducing equivalents to an electron transfer chain which feeds into photosystem I (PSI) where they gain additional reducing potential from a second light reaction which is necessary to drive CO2 reduction. The catalytic centre of PSII consists of a cluster of four Mn ions and a Ca2+ linked by oxo bonds. In addition, there are seven amino acid ligands. In this Article, I discuss the structure of this metal cluster, its stability and the probability that an acid-base (nucleophilic-electrophilic) mechanism catalyses the water splitting reaction on the surface of the metal-cluster. Evidence for this mechanism is presented from studies on water splitting catalysts consisting of organo-complexes of ruthenium and manganese and also by comparison with the enzymology of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH). Finally the relevance of our understanding of PSII is discussed in terms of artificial photosynthesis with emphasis on inorganic water splitting catalysts as oxygen generating photoelectrodes.
Super-Resolution mmWave Channel Estimation using Atomic Norm Minimization

We propose super-resolution MIMO channel estimators for millimeter-wave (mmWave) systems that employ hybrid analog and digital beamforming and generalized spatial modulation, respectively. Exploiting the inherent sparsity of mmWave channels, the channel estimation problem is formulated as an atomic norm minimization that enhances sparsity in the continuous angles of departure and arrival. Both pilot-assisted and data-aided channel estimators are developed, with the former one formulated as a convex problem and the latter as a non-convex problem. To solve these formulated channel estimation problems, we develop a computationally efficient conjugate gradient descent method based on non-convex factorization which restricts the search space to low-rank matrices. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the superior channel estimation performance of the proposed algorithms for both types of mmWave systems compared to the existing compressed-sensing-based estimators with finely quantized angle grids.
Autophagy-associated immune responses and cancer immunotherapy

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved catabolic process by which cellular components are sequestered into a double-membrane vesicle and delivered to the lysosome for terminal degradation and recycling. Accumulating evidence suggests that autophagy plays a critical role in cell survival, senescence and homeostasis, and its dysregulation is associated with a variety of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration. Recent studies show that autophagy is also an important regulator of cell immune response. However, the mechanism by which autophagy regulates tumor immune responses remains elusive. In this review, we will describe the role of autophagy in immune regulation and summarize the possible molecular mechanisms that are currently well documented in the ability of autophagy to control cell immune response. In addition, the scientific and clinical hurdles regarding the potential role of autophagy in cancer immunotherapy will be discussed.
Scalable graph exploration and visualization: Sensemaking challenges and opportunities

Making sense of large graph datasets is a fundamental and challenging process that advances science, education and technology. We survey research on graph exploration and visualization approaches aimed at addressing this challenge. Different from existing surveys, our investigation highlights approaches that have strong potential in handling large graphs, algorithmically, visually, or interactively; we also explicitly connect relevant works from multiple research fields - data mining, machine learning, human-computer ineraction, information visualization, information retrieval, and recommender systems - to underline their parallel and complementary contributions to graph sensemaking. We ground our discussion in sensemaking research; we propose a new graph sensemaking hierarchy that categorizes tools and techniques based on how they operate on the graph data (e.g., local vs global). We summarize and compare their strengths and weaknesses, and highlight open challenges. We conclude with future research directions for graph sensemaking.
KinWrite: Handwriting-Based Authentication Using Kinect

Password-based authentication is easy to use but its security is bounded by how much a user can remember. Biometrics-based authentication requires no memorization but ‘resetting’ a biometric password may not always be possible. In this paper, we propose a user-friendly authentication system (KinWrite) that allows users to choose arbitrary, short and easy-to-memorize passwords while providing resilience to password cracking and password theft. KinWrite lets users write their passwords in 3D space and captures the handwriting motion using a low cost motion input sensing device—Kinect. The low resolution and noisy data captured by Kinect, combined with low consistency of in-space handwriting, have made it challenging to verify users. To overcome these challenges, we exploit the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm to quantify similarities between handwritten passwords. Our experimental results involving 35 signatures from 18 subjects and a brute-force attacker have shown that KinWrite can achieve a 100% precision and a 70% recall (the worst case) for verifying honest users, encouraging us to carry out a much larger scale study towards designing a foolproof system.
Use of a Survey to Assess the Environmental Exposure and Family Perception to Lead in Children (<6 Years) in Four Valley Cities, Northwestern China

With the growth of industry, the extensive use of lead, and urban expansion in Northwestern Valley Cities (NVC) China, there is probable reason for presuming an increasing risk of lead exposure. However, little is known about the lead exposure of children less than 6 years old in NVC. As a first investigation, this study uses a survey to systematically determine the influences of various risk factors within the family environment, parents’ background, children’s behavior, mother’s behavior during pregnancy, and parental perception about children’s blood lead (CBL). A total of 596 families were recruited from the general population in Urumqi, Lanzhou, Xining and Yan’an. Parents, and their children (<6 years old), were asked about the environment and behaviors which could possibly relate with lead exposure. The results indicated that in the typical NVC of China, children’s environment and behavior, parents’ education level, and mother’s pregnancy behavior, were associated with potential CBL. It was noted that not all parents in NVC China recognized the importance of children’s lead exposure. Therefore, children’s health care and medical screening campaigns need to be designed to improve family’s fundamental knowledge of lead hazards, associated health effects, and prevention in the NVC of China.
Light-Intensity Physical Activity and All-Cause Mortality

Purpose. Research demonstrates that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Few studies have examined the effects of light-intensity physical activity on mortality. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the association between objectively measured light-intensity physical activity and all-cause mortality risk. Design. Longitudinal. Setting. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2006 with follow-up through December 31, 2011. Subjects. Five thousand five hundred seventy-five U.S. adults. Measures. Participants wore an accelerometer for at least 4 days and completed questionnaires to assess sociodemographics and chronic disease information, with blood samples taken to assess biological markers. Follow-up mortality status was assessed via death certificate data from the National Death Index. Analysis. Cox proportional hazard model. Results. After adjusting for accelerometer-determined MVPA, age, gender, race-ethnicity, cotinine, weight status, poverty level, C-reactive protein, and comorbid illness, for every 60-minute increase in accelerometer-determined light-intensity physical activity, participants had a 16% reduced hazard of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio = .84; 95% confidence interval: .78–.91; p < .001). Conclusion. In this national sample of U.S. adults, light-intensity physical activity was inversely associated with all-cause mortality risk, independent of age, MVPA, and other potential confounders. In addition to MVPA, promotion of light-intensity physical activity is warranted.
Evaluation of head pose features for stress detection and classification

This paper investigates variations in head pose features in response to specific stressors. A proper experiment consisting of neutral and stressful states was performed aiming to cover different types of stress affect. Then, features related to head movements and pose were computationally estimated and analyzed. Towards this direction, facial landmarks were fitted using Active Appearance Models (AAM). Using the 2D AAM facial landmarks, a 3D head pose model was estimated revealing head inclinations. Results indicate that specific stress conditions increase head mobility and mobility velocity, in both translational and rotational features. Even though stress modulates head movements and velocities, the most prominent increases are presented during tasks that include participant's speech. The degree and the intensity of the interaction effect between speech and stress should be investigated in more detail. The analysis reports that specific head pose features can be significant stress indicators that could contribute among other facial cues in reliable stress recognition.
A Theory of Task/Technology Fit for Mobile Applications to Support Organizational Processes 1

In this paper, we propose a theory of task/technology fit for mobile applications to support organizational processes (tasks). We adapt the concept of task/technology fit developed by Zigurs and Buckland (1998) and Goodhue and Thompson (1995), to account for the fact that mobile applications, as a type of IT infrastructure, potentially cover a wider area of tasks than the specific applications discussed in the earlier papers. Our analysis of the technology reveals a general trade-off between functionality and mobility, which has implications for application development. Our theory suggests that advancements that ensure compatibility between the IS requirements of a task and the IS capabilities of an application are ultimately more successful. We support our findings with reported case studies, as well as with insights from a project that we conducted in cooperation with Motorola. In the conclusions, we discuss the concept as part of a more comprehensive framework and suggest future research directions.
[Socioeconomic inequalities in mortality due to all causes in the working age population of Poland in 2002 and 2011].

BACKGROUND The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of education, marital status, employment status and place of residence on mortality in the working age population of Poland in 2002 and 2011. MATERIAL AND METHODS All deaths of Poland's inhabitants aged 25-64, in 2002 (N = 97 004) and 2011 (N = 104 598) were analyzed. For individual socio-economic groups standardized mortality rates (SDR) per 100 000 and rate ratio (RR) were calculated. RESULTS In the group of economically inactive men SDR decreased from 2244.3 in 2002 to 1781.9 in 2011, while in the group of economically active population increased from 253.8 to 298.9 (RR drop from 8.8 to 6). In the group of economically inactive women SDR decreased from 579.5 to 495.2, and among the economically active women population it increased from 78.8 to 90.9 (RR drop from 7.4 to 5.4). In the group of men with higher education SDR decreased from 285.7 to 246, while among men with primary education it increased from 1141 to 1183 (RR increase from 4 to 4.8). In the group of women with higher education SDR decreased from 127.2 to 115.6 and among women with primary education it increased from 375.8 to 423.1 (RR increase from 3 to 3.7). In the group of divorced/separated SDR also increased - from 1521.4 to 1729.8 among men and from 365.5 to 410.8 among women. CONCLUSIONS Future prevention and educational programs should be addressed primarily to the population economically inactive, with primary education and those divorced/separated. Med Pr 2017;68(6):771-778.
Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Mitigates 6-OHDA-Induced Behavioral Impairments in Parkinsonian Rats

In the present study, the effectiveness of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) was evaluated by behavioral tests in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) hemi-parkinsonian (PD) rats. Pharmacokinetic measurements of GIP were carried out at the same dose studied behaviorally, as well as at a lower dose used previously. GIP was delivered by subcutaneous administration (s.c.) using implanted ALZET micro-osmotic pumps. After two days of pre-treatment, male Sprague Dawley rats received a single unilateral injection of 6-OHDA into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). The neuroprotective effects of GIP were evaluated by apomorphine-induced contralateral rotations, as well as by locomotor and anxiety-like behaviors in open-field tests. Concentrations of human active and total GIP were measured in plasma during a five-day treatment period by ELISA and were found to be within a clinically translatable range. GIP pretreatment reduced behavioral abnormalities induced by the unilateral nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) lesion produced by 6-OHDA, and thus may be a novel target for PD therapeutic development.
Risk for Overall Infection with Anti-TNF and Anti-integrin Agents Used in IBD: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: The overall risk for infection with contemporary biological agents in treating Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) has not been systematically assessed. Methods: We performed a PubMed and Cochrane database literature search to evaluate randomized, placebo-controlled trials of biologics in treating UC and CD. Meta-analysis was performed using a DerSimonian and Laird random effects model. We determined relative risk (RR) of harm against placebo; number needed to harm (NNH) was reported when appropriate. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed. Results: Fourteen trials (6 UC and 8 CD) evaluating 5107 patients were included. For anti–tumor necrosis factor agents used in the treatment of UC, golimumab {NNH of 9.3, RR = 1.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.8)} and pooled studies of infliximab and adalimumab (NNH = 17.2, RR = 1.2 [95% CI, 1.0–1.3]) had a statistically significant higher risk for any infection versus placebo. Risk was not significantly increased in anti–tumor necrosis factor trials in CD (RR = 1.1 [95% CI, 0.8–1.5]). By contrast, anti-integrin agents in UC (RR = 1.0 [95% CI, 0.9–1.2]) or CD (RR = 1.1 [95% CI, 0.97–1.3]) did not confer a statistically significant excess risk of infection versus placebo. Conclusions: Anti–tumor necrosis factor therapy but not anti-integrin therapy is associated with a greater infection risk than placebo in treating UC. Neither class of therapy is associated with increased infection risk over placebo in treating CD. Our findings can help guide patient-centered discussions regarding the risk for infection with biological agents.
Advanced modulation for the Active-Bridge-Active-Clamp (ABAC) converter

The Dual-Active-Bridge is a promising isolated, bidirectional DC/DC converter topology, particularly suitable for applications where high efficiency, galvanic isolation and large voltage conversion ratios are required. However, in low voltage, high current applications, the low voltage current ripple may be considerably high, thus requiring large capacitive filtering. As an alternative to the standard Dual Active Bridge, the Active Bridge Active Clamp (ABAC) converter is introduced in this paper. The ABAC converter overcomes the current ripple limitation by directly imposing the load current. Conventional Phase Shift modulation is adapted and analyzed for the ABAC converter. In order to optimize the operation of the topology, a Ripple Cancellation Phase Shift scheme is investigated. Finally, experiment results from a 10kW ABAC converter are presented to validate the theoretical claims.
Security Properties of Gait for Mobile Device Pairing

Gait has been proposed as a feature for mobile device pairing across arbitrary positions on the human body. Results indicate that the correlation in gait-based features across different body locations is sufficient to establish secure device pairing. However, the population size of the studies is limited and powerful attackers with e.g., capability of video recording are not considered. We present a concise discussion of security properties of gait-based pairing schemes including quantization, classification and analysis of attack surfaces, of statistical properties of generated sequences, an entropy analysis, as well as possible threats and security weaknesses. For one of the schemes considered, we present modifications to fix an identified security flaw. As a general limitation of gait-based authentication or pairing systems, we further demonstrate that an adversary with video support can create key sequences that are sufficiently close to on-body generated acceleration sequences to breach gait-based security mechanisms.
Dynamic Case Retrieval Method With Subjective Preferences and Objective Information for Emergency Decision Making

Case-based reasoning U+0028 CBR U+0029 is one of the best methods for generating an effective solution in an emergency. In recent years, some methods for generating emergency alternatives have been included in practical CBR applications, but there have been no in-depth studies of these processes. In this study, we propose a new method for dynamic case retrieval with subjective preferences and objective information, which considers the personal preferences of the decision makers and changes in the attributes of the emergency as the situation develops. First, we present a formula for calculating the case similarity and changing trends in the case considered, where similar cases are obtained. Next, we describe a method for measuring the overall assessment value with respect to similar historical cases, which is obtained by aggregating the case similarity, the utility case similarity, the first response time, and the implementation effect. The subjective preferences and objective information are also integrated in the decision-making process. Finally, we present a case study based on the emergency response to a fire in a high-rise building, which illustrates the applicability and feasibility of the proposed method.