Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seismic data interpolation using generalised velocity‐dependent seislet transform

Data interpolation is an important step for seismic data analysis because many processing tasks, such as multiple attenuation and migration, are based on regularly sampled seismic data. Failed interpolations may introduce artifacts and eventually lead to inaccurate final processing results. In this paper, we generalised seismic data interpolation as a basis pursuit problem and proposed an iteration framework for recovering missing data. The method is based on non‐linear iteration and sparse transform. A modified Bregman iteration is used for solving the constrained minimisation problem based on compressed sensing. The new iterative strategy guarantees fast convergence by using a fixed threshold value. We also propose a generalised velocity‐dependent formulation of the seislet transform as an effective sparse transform, in which the non‐hyperbolic normal moveout equation serves as a bridge between local slope patterns and moveout parametres in the common‐midpoint domain. It can also be reduced to the traditional velocity‐dependent seislet if special heterogeneity parametre is selected. The generalised velocity‐dependent seislet transform predicts prestack reflection data in offset coordinates, which provides a high compression of reflection events. The method was applied to synthetic and field data examples, and the results show that the generalised velocity‐dependent seislet transform can reconstruct missing data with the help of the modified Bregman iteration even for non‐hyperbolic reflections under complex conditions, such as vertical transverse isotropic (VTI) media or aliasing.
CMOS Image Sensors for High Speed Applications

Recent advances in deep submicron CMOS technologies and improved pixel designs have enabled CMOS-based imagers to surpass charge-coupled devices (CCD) imaging technology for mainstream applications. The parallel outputs that CMOS imagers can offer, in addition to complete camera-on-a-chip solutions due to being fabricated in standard CMOS technologies, result in compelling advantages in speed and system throughput. Since there is a practical limit on the minimum pixel size (4∼5 μm) due to limitations in the optics, CMOS technology scaling can allow for an increased number of transistors to be integrated into the pixel to improve both detection and signal processing. Such smart pixels truly show the potential of CMOS technology for imaging applications allowing CMOS imagers to achieve the image quality and global shuttering performance necessary to meet the demands of ultrahigh-speed applications. In this paper, a review of CMOS-based high-speed imager design is presented and the various implementations that target ultrahigh-speed imaging are described. This work also discusses the design, layout and simulation results of an ultrahigh acquisition rate CMOS active-pixel sensor imager that can take 8 frames at a rate of more than a billion frames per second (fps).
The Sheffield and Basque Country Universities Entry to CHiC: Using Random Walks and Similarity to Access Cultural Heritage

The Cultural Heritage in CLEF 2012 (CHiC) pilot evaluation included these tasks: ad-hoc retrieval, semantic enrichment and variability tasks. At CHiC 2012, the University of She�eld and the University of the Basque Country submitted a joint entry, attempting the three English monolingual tasks. For the ad-hoc task, the baseline approach used the Indri Search engine. Query expansion approaches used random walks using Personalised Page Rank over graphs constructed from Wikipedia and WordNet, and also by �nding similar articles within Wikipedia. For the semantic enrichment task, random walks using Personalised Page Rank were again used. Additionally links to Wikipedia were added and further approaches used this information to �nd enrichment terms. Finally for the variability task, TF-IDF scores were calculated from text and meta-data �elds. The �final results were selected using MMR (Maximal Marginal Relevance) and cosine similarity.
Cell-Specific Cardiac Electrophysiology Models

The traditional cardiac model-building paradigm involves constructing a composite model using data collected from many cells. Equations are derived for each relevant cellular component (e.g., ion channel, exchanger) independently. After the equations for all components are combined to form the composite model, a subset of parameters is tuned, often arbitrarily and by hand, until the model output matches a target objective, such as an action potential. Unfortunately, such models often fail to accurately simulate behavior that is dynamically dissimilar (e.g., arrhythmia) to the simple target objective to which the model was fit. In this study, we develop a new approach in which data are collected via a series of complex electrophysiology protocols from single cardiac myocytes and then used to tune model parameters via a parallel fitting method known as a genetic algorithm (GA). The dynamical complexity of the electrophysiological data, which can only be fit by an automated method such as a GA, leads to more accurately parameterized models that can simulate rich cardiac dynamics. The feasibility of the method is first validated computationally, after which it is used to develop models of isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes that simulate the electrophysiological dynamics significantly better than does a standard guinea pig model. In addition to improving model fidelity generally, this approach can be used to generate a cell-specific model. By so doing, the approach may be useful in applications ranging from studying the implications of cell-to-cell variability to the prediction of intersubject differences in response to pharmacological treatment.
Scheduling replicated critical tasks in faulty networks using evolutionary strategies

Scheduling tasks in distributed systems is a difficult problem. Finding good schedules becomes even more complex when the network is faulty and there are no additional resources available. This paper presents a technique using evolutionary strategies to find task schedules in such systems. Our results indicate that good schedules can be found even when critical tasks must be replicated on distnnct processors
Remarks on Concept Processing for Cognitive Robotics

We present preliminary considerations on the architecture of a CONCEPT processing system for robots. With the help of CONCEPTS cognitive robots will be able to structure their sensory input, access their inner motivational states, and gain flexibility for reacting on changing circumstances. Concept is a theoretical construct in Cognitive Science for which considerable experimental evidence from psychological experiments exists. We propose that CONCEPTS should be considered to be pre-linguistic, language agreement processes making use of them in forming the CONCEPTS we “see through” natural language. As pre-linguistic concepts, CONCEPTS may also be generally assumed for living beings. A tentative comparison with Natural Language Semantics, concept theory in Cognitive Science, and Jackendoff ’s Conceptual Grammar is tried. – Es werden erste Uberlegungen zu einem CONCEPT-Verarbeitungssystem fur Roboter angestellt. Mit der Hilfe von CONCEPTS sollen kognitive Roboter in die Lage versetzt werden, ihren sensorischen Input zu strukturieren, auf ihre inneren Motivationszustande zugreifen zu konnen und Flexibilitat beim Reagieren auf wechselnde Umstande zu erlangen. “Konzept” ist ein theoretisches Konstrukt in der Kognitionswissenschaft, fur dessen Existenz einige Evidenz aus psychologischen Experimenten abgeleitet werden kann. Wir meinen, das CONCEPTS vorsprachlich sind; mit ihrer Hilfe bilden Sprachvereinbarungsprozesse die CONCEPTS, die wir “durch die Sprache” sehen. Als vorsprachliche Konzepte konnen CONCEPTS bei allen Lebewesen angenommen werden. Ein vorlaufiger Vergleich mit Aussagen aus der Semantik naturlicher Sprachen, aus der Konzepttheorie der Kognitionswissenschaft und aus der Conceptual Grammar Jackendoffs wird versucht.
A Defense Mechanism for Distributed Denial of Service Attack in Software-Defined Networks

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is a major threat to Internet based killer applications, such as independent news web sites, e-business and online games. Detecting and blocking such clever attacks has become difficult. Software-Defined Networks (SDN) has emerged as a future communication network architecture which decouples network control and forwarding. It has some particular features such as central control and programmability to combat against DDoS attack. In this paper, we survey DDoS attacks and existing defense mechanisms, and draw a conclusion of the needs of defense mechanism for successful combating against DDoS. Then, we analyze the particular features of SDN and conclude it is conducive to countermeasure DDoS attack. According the analysis, we construct a defense mechanism for DDoS in SDN. At last, we illustrate how this mechanism could combat against DDoS attacks through a working example.
Solution of a Riccati equation for the design of an observer contracting a Riemannian distance

We propose a method to design an intrinsic observer guaranteeing that the Riemannian distance between the estimate it generates and the state of the system is decreasing in time, at least locally. The design relies on the existence of a Riemannian metric, the Lie derivative of which along the system vector field is negative in the space tangent to the level sets of the output function. We show that, at least when the system is uniformly strongly infinitesimally observable (i.e., each time-varying linear system resulting from the linearization along a solution to the system satisfies a uniform observability property), there exists such a metric and it can be obtained as a solution to an algebraic-like Riccati equation. For such systems, we propose also an algorithm to numerically approximate the metric by griding the space and integrating ordinary differential equations.
Case Report: Patient Portal versus Telephone Recruitment for a Surgical Research Study

Summary Background: Patient portal adoption has rapidly increased over the last decade. Most patient portal research has been done in primary care or medical specialties, and few studies have examined their use in surgical patients or for recruiting research subjects. No known studies have compared portal messaging with other approaches of recruitment. Objectives: This case report describes our experience with patient portal versus telephone recruitment for a study involving long-term follow up of surgical patients. Methods: Participants were recruited for a study of recurrence after ventral hernia repair through telephone calls and patient portal messaging based on registration status with the portal. Potential subjects who did not have a portal account or whose portal messages were returned after 5 days were called. The proportion of participants enrolled with each method was determined and demographics of eligible patients, portal users, and participants were compared. Results: 1359 patients were eligible for the hernia study, and enrollment was 35% (n=465). Most participants were recruited by telephone (84%, n=391); 16% (n=74) were recruited through portal messaging. Forty-four percent of eligible participants had a registered portal account, and 14% of users responded to the recruitment message. Portal users were younger than non-users (55 vs. 58 years, p<0.001); participants recruited through the portal versus telephone were also younger (54 vs. 59 years, p=0.001). Differences in the sex and racial distributions between users and non-users and between portal and telephone recruits were not significant. Conclusions: Portal versus telephone recruitment for a surgical research study demonstrated modest portal recruitment rates and similar demographics between recruitment methods. Published studies of portal-only recruitment in primary care or medical-specialty patient populations have demonstrated higher enrollment rates, but this case study demonstrates that portal recruitment for research studies in the surgical population is feasible, and it offers convenience to patients and researchers. Citation: Baucom RB, Ousley J, Poulose BK, Rosenbloom ST, Jackson GP. Case report: Patient portal versus telephone recruitment for a surgical research study. Appl Clin Inf 2014; 5: 1005–1014 http://dx.doi. org/10.4338/ACI-2014-07-CR-0059
Visualization and interactive feature selection for unsupervised data

For many feature selection problems, a human de nes the features that are potentially useful, and then a subset is chosen from the original pool of features using an automated feature selection algorithm. In contrast to supervised learning, class information is not available to guide the feature search for unsupervised learning tasks. In this paper, we introduce Visual-FSSEM (Visual Feature Subset Selection using Expectation-Maximization Clustering), which incorporates visualization techniques, clustering, and user interaction to guide the feature subset search and to enable a deeper understanding of the data. Visual-FSSEM, serves both as an exploratory and multivariate-data visualization tool. We illustrate Visual-FSSEM on a high-resolution computed tomography lung image data set.
A lighting reproduction approach to live-action compositing

We describe a process for compositing a live performance of an actor into a virtual set wherein the actor is consistently illuminated by the virtual environment. The Light Stage used in this work is a two-meter sphere of inward-pointing RGB light emitting diodes focused on the actor, where each light can be set to an arbitrary color and intensity to replicate a real-world or virtual lighting environment. We implement a digital two-camera infrared matting system to composite the actor into the background plate of the environment without affecting the visible-spectrum illumination on the actor. The color reponse of the system is calibrated to produce correct color renditions of the actor as illuminated by the environment. We demonstrate moving-camera composites of actors into real-world environments and virtual sets such that the actor is properly illuminated by the environment into which they are composited.
Health checks in primary care for adults with intellectual disabilities: how extensive should they be?

BACKGROUND Routine health checks have gained prominence as a way of detecting unmet need in primary care for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and general practitioners are being incentivised in the UK to carry out health checks for many conditions through an incentivisation scheme known as the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). However, little is known about the data being routinely recorded in such health checks in relation to people with ID as practices are currently only incentivised to keep a register of people with ID. The aim of this study was to explore the additional value of a health check for people with ID compared with standard care provided through the current QOF structure. METHODS Representative practices were recruited using a stratified sampling approach in four primary care trusts to carry out health checks over a 6-month period. The extracted data were divided into two aggregated informational domains for the purpose of multilevel regression analysis: 'ID-specific' (containing data on visual assessment, hearing assessment, behaviour assessment, bladder function, bowel function and feeding assessment) and financially incentivised QOF targets (blood pressure, smoking status, ethnicity, body mass index, urine analysis and carer details) which are incentivised processes. RESULTS A total of 651 patients with ID were identified in 27 practices. Only nine practices undertook a health check on 92 of their patients with ID. Significant differences were found in the recorded information, between those who underwent a health check and those who did not (P < 0.001, chi(2) = 56.3). In the group that had health check, recorded information was on average higher for the 'QOF targets' domain, compared with the 'ID-specific' domain, by 58.7% (95% CI: 54.1, 63.3, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS If incentives are to be used as a method for improving care for people with ID through health checks a more targeted approach focused on ID-specific health issues might be more appropriate than an extensive health check.
A MAGE-A4 peptide presented by HLA-B37 is recognized on human tumors by cytolytic T lymphocytes.

'Cancer-germline' genes such as those of the MAGE family are expressed in many tumors and in male germline cells, but are silent in normal tissues. They encode shared tumor-specific antigens, which have been used in therapeutic vaccination trials of cancer patients. MAGE-A4 is expressed in more than 50% of carcinomas of esophagus, head and neck, lung, and bladder. We report here the identification of a new MAGE-A4 encoded peptide, which is recognized by a cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) clone on HLA-B*3701. The sequence of the peptide is SESLKMIF. It corresponds to the MAGE-A4156-163 protein sequence. When tumor cells expressing MAGE-A4 were transfected with HLA-B*3701, they were recognized by the CTL clone, demonstrating that the peptide ought to be processed in tumor cells and could therefore serve as a target for therapeutic antitumoral vaccination.
New empirical approach for the structure and energy of covalent systems.

Empirical interatomic potentials permit the calculation of structural properties and energetics of complex systems. A new approach for constructing such potentials, by explicitly incorporating the dependence of bond order on local environment, permits an improved description of covalent materials. In particular, a new potential for silicon is presented, along with results of extensive tests which suggest that this potential provides a rather realistic description of silicon. The limitations of the potential are discussed in detail.
A Social Video Recommendation System on YouTube

The rapid increase in the online information content has made it very difficult for people to find information that is relevant to their needs and interests. Recommendation system is a powerful tool that provides a potential solution to this challenge by offering an automated mechanism to seek out relevant as well as new information. People rely on their social network on the internet and in real life for recommendations/reviews when they need information about a product, movie, music, video, news, blog, restaurant, etc. Recommendation systems help augmented this aspect of social life by providing automatic recommendations based on the background knowledge the system has about the users and the items. Recommendation systems are widely used in several websites to suggest items that users may find interesting. Websites like Amazon, Netflix, Pandora, Last.fm, use recommendation systems to serve relevant items to users. Combined with traditional search they allow users to navigate and find useful content from the information-rich online environment.
A prospective study characterizing full-length hepatitis B virus genomes during acute exacerbation.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatitis B virus (HBV) evolves rapidly in patients with chronic hepatitis B, and HBV variation may trigger acute exacerbation. To study this relationship, we investigated full-length viral sequences before, during, and after exacerbation. METHODS We prospectively studied 14 patients with exacerbation of hepatitis B, either spontaneously (n = 4) or after receiving various medical interventions (n = 10), and measured their serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and HBV DNA levels monthly. Full-length HBV genomes at baseline, at the peak of serum viral load, at ALT peak, and after ALT peak were obtained by polymerase chain reaction, sequenced, and compared. Replication activities of serial HBV variants were assayed by in vitro transfection. RESULTS Serum viral load was increased in all exacerbations. Viral peak preceded ALT peak in 13 (93%) of the 14 patients. At virologic peak, 12 patients (86%) harbored viral genome identical to the corresponding baseline genome. At and after ALT peak, 9 (64%) and 7 (50%) of the viral genomes remained identical to baseline, respectively. Mean nucleotide change per genome was 0.2 at virologic peak but increased to 4.4 and 8.1 at and after ALT peak, respectively. The replication potential of the viral variant that emerged during or after exacerbation was equivalent to that at baseline. CONCLUSIONS Most exacerbations were preceded by an upsurge of serum HBV identical to the preexisting HBV strain. After exacerbation, about half of the patients were repopulated by a different viral variant, which was likely a result of immune selection.
Response of Alaskan wells to near and distant large earthquakes

We observed water level changes in groundwater wells in Alaska following the large 2002 Nenana Mountain and the Denali fault earthquakes. Multiple mechanisms must be responsible for the variable temporal pattern and the magnitude of the observed water level changes. For the wells in a consolidated confined aquifer system, poroelastic theory explains the water level changes. However for the wells in a partially confined unconsolidated aquifer, 1) fracture formation due to an earthquake which changes the permeability of the aquifer, or 2) consolidation of the unconfined aquifer in host rock by earthquake induced dynamic strain (liquefaction) are both important mechanisms. For each well the dominant mechanisms are the same for both earthquakes. For the group of wells where dynamic strain is the cause of water level changes, we also observed water level changes due to the 2004 great Sumatra-Andaman earthquakes. Though more than 10000 km away, the Sumatra earthquake induced water level changes that are very consistent with the changes due to the local large earthquakes. Along with the determination of the mechanics of the well water level changes in Alaska, we also determined general hydrological parameters of the wells which can be helpful for future studies.
Diagnosis and definition of severe refractory asthma: an international consensus statement from the Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI)

Patients with severe refractory asthma pose a major healthcare problem. Over the last decade it has become increasingly clear that, for the development of new targeted therapies, there is an urgent need for further characterisation and classification of these patients. The Unbiased Biomarkers for the Prediction of Respiratory Disease Outcomes (U-BIOPRED) consortium is a pan-European public-private collaboration funded by the European Commission Innovative Medicines Initiative of the European Union. U-BIOPRED aims to subphenotype patients with severe refractory asthma by using an innovative systems biology approach. This paper presents the U-BIOPRED international consensus on the definition and diagnosis of severe asthma, aligning the latest concepts in adults as well as in children. The consensus is based on existing recommendations up to 2010 and will be used for the selection of patients for the upcoming U-BIOPRED study. It includes the differentiation between ‘problematic’, ‘difficult’ and ‘severe refractory’ asthma, and provides a systematic algorithmic approach to the evaluation of patients presenting with chronic severe asthma symptoms for use in clinical research and specialised care.