Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
About Retrieval Models and Logic

In this paper we investigate some aspects of the logical approach for retrieval models. We develop here the idea that the intrinsic expressive power of logic has already brought its benefits in information retrieval through the design of the first logical retrieval model which has proved more general, or powerful, than any existing model. This benefit lies in the expressive power, or generality of logic on one side, and in its very close fitness with the fundamentals of information retrieval. We mainly develop this second point in giving an informal interpretation of the semantics of the logical model as it was first introduced by C. J. Van Rijsbergen in 1986. This discussion is also for us an occasion to investigate in more details some less known aspects of information retrieval, as for example the impact of new applications which already induce a complete revision of the notion of document. Then the logical model is presented as the one the expressive power of which may provide a much needed common framework for a coherent integration of recent approaches in information retrieval involving the use of Natural Language Processing techniques (NLP) or Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques. This idea is further developed in showing that the logical approach may also help in giving new insights into classical retrieval models and even help in improving them in a coherent way. An example of this later idea is developed with the Boolean model.
Use of exogenous adenine to label the nucleic acids of wild-type Neisseria meningitidis

The nutritional requirements of Neisseria meningitidis have been studied by several investigators, and a semidefined medium suitable for the growth of wild-type meningococci has been developed (R. G. Watson and H. W. Scherp, J. Immunol. 81:331, 1958). It is clear from these studies that meningococci do not require an exogenous supply of purine and pyrimidine bases. It might be desirable, however, to add a nucleic acid precursor to label the nucleic acids with 'IC
Antifungal susceptibility of 44 clinical isolates of Fusarium species determined by using a broth microdilution method

The MICs and minimum fungicidal concentrations of amphotericin B, natamycin, miconazole, itraconazole, and flucytosine against 17 isolates of Fusarium solani, 14 isolates of Fusarium moniliforme, 10 isolates of Fusarium oxysporum, and 3 isolates of Fusarium semitectum were determined by a broth microdilution method. Amphotericin B and natamycin were the most active agents tested and failed to show any inoculum size effect. In contrast, miconazole and itraconazole showed poor inhibitory and fungicidal activities, and the inoculum size had a major effect on the results. Flucytosine had no activity against any of the isolates tested.
Radiotransparent carbon electrode for ECG recordings in the catheterization laboratory

The electrical properties of a radiotransparent carbon electrode were evaluated and compared with those of a high-quality Ag/AgCl electrode. In order to approach clinical electrocardiographic (ECG) recording conditions, special experimental arrangements for the determination of impedance, phase angle, and noise characteristics were used. It is shown that the carbon electrode provides precordial ECG signals of excellent quality during catheterizations and allows simultaneous use of X-ray examination. <<ETX>>
An algebraic geometry approach to nonlinear parametric optimization in control

We present a method for nonlinear parametric optimization based on algebraic geometry. The problem to be studied, which arises in optimal control, is to minimize a polynomial function with parameters subject to semialgebraic constraints. The method uses Grobner bases computation in conjunction with the eigenvalue method for solving systems of polynomial equations. In this way, certain companion matrices are constructed off-line. Then, given the parameter value, an on-line algorithm is used to efficiently obtain the optimizer of the original optimization problem in real time
Implementation of High Speed and High-Resolution FFT Algorithm Based on Radix 2 for DSP Application

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. VLSI Implementation of High Speed and High-Resolution FFT Algorithm Based on Radix 2 for DSP Application Nooshin Mahdavi, Rozita Teymourzadeh, Masuri Bin Othman
Fast Distributed Consensus-based Estimation (Fast-DiCE) for Cooperative Networks

In distributed networks several nodes aim to estimate the signals broadcasted by the sources in a cooperative fashion by exchanging information among neighboring nodes. Consensus based estimation is a specific class of In-Network-Processing (INP) techniques and the Distributed Consensusbased Estimation (DiCE) algorithm is an efficient realization for the Least Squares (LS) estimation problem. In this paper, we modify the update functions of the DiCE algorithm by applying Nesterov‚s optimal gradient descend method leading to the novel fast-DiCE algorithm. Furthermore, we extend the distributed estimation algorithms with respect to the MMSE-criterion. The performance of the discussed schemes will be evaluated considering two different applications: a cooperative sensor network and the uplink of a small-cell mobile communication network. The results indicate the improved convergence of the fast-DiCE algorithm resulting also in a reduced communication overhead among the cooperating nodes.
Promoter competition as a mechanism of transcriptional interference mediated by retrotransposons

Enhancers can function over great distances and interact with almost any kind of promoter, but insulators or promoter competition generally limit their effect to a single gene. We provide in vivo evidence that retroelements may establish promoter competition with their neighboring genes and restrict the range of action of an enhancer. We report that the retroelement Idefix from Drosophila melanogaster inhibits white gene expression in testes by a promoter competition mechanism that does not occur in the eyes. The sequence specificity of the two TATA‐less promoters of white and Idefix is a prime determinant in the competition that takes place in tissues where both are transcriptionally active. This study brings to light a novel mechanism whereby transcriptional interference by an active retrotransposon may perturb expression of neighboring genes. This capacity to interfere with the transcriptional regulation of their host, together with the facts that retroelements preferentially move within the germline and do not excise to replicate, suggest that these elements are cis‐regulatory sequences able to imprint specific and heritable controls essential for eukaryotic gene regulation.
Akt Down-regulation of p38 Signaling Provides a Novel Mechanism of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-mediated Cytoprotection in Endothelial Cells*

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) utilizes a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase)/Akt signaling pathway to protect endothelial cells from apoptotic death. Here we show that PI 3-kinase/Akt signaling promotes endothelial cell survival by inhibiting p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent apoptosis. Blockade of the PI 3-kinase or Akt pathways in conjunction with serum withdrawal stimulates p38-dependent apoptosis. Blockade of PI 3-kinase/Akt also led to enhanced VEGF activation of p38 and apoptosis. In this context, the pro-apoptotic effect of VEGF is attenuated by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. VEGF stimulation of endothelial cells or infection with an adenovirus expressing constitutively active Akt causes MEKK3 phosphorylation, which is associated with decreased MEKK3 kinase activity and down-regulation of MKK3/6 and p38 MAPK activation. Conversely, activation-deficient Akt decreases VEGF-stimulated MEKK3 phosphorylation and increases MKK/p38 activation. Activation of MKK3/6 is not dependent on Rac activation since dominant negative Rac does not decrease p38 activation triggered by inhibition of PI 3-kinase. Thus, cross-talk between the Akt and p38 MAPK pathways may regulate the level of cytoprotection versus apoptosis and is a new mechanism to explain the cytoprotective actions of Akt.
A Legionella pneumophila Peptidyl-Prolyl cis-trans Isomerase Present in Culture Supernatants Is Necessary for Optimal Growth at Low Temperatures

ABSTRACT Several Legionella pneumophila proteins were highly expressed in low-temperature supernatants. One of these proteins was the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase PpiB. Mutants lacking ppiB exhibited reduced growth at 17°C. Since PpiB lacked a signal sequence and was present in 17°C supernatants of type II and type IV secretion mutants, this protein may be secreted by a novel mechanism.
Biomechanics of Load Carriage—Historical Perspectives and Recent Insights

Abstract Seay, JF. Biomechanics of load carriage—Historical perspectives and recent insights. J Strength Cond Res 29(11S): S129–S133, 2015—Loads carried by the warfighter have increased substantially throughout recorded history, with the typical U.S. ground soldier carrying external loads averaging 45 kg during operations in Afghanistan. Incidence of disability in the U.S. Army has also increased sixfold since the 1980s, predominantly driven by increases in musculoskeletal injuries, with load carriage implicated as a possible mechanism. This article will provide a brief overview of the biomechanics of load carriage and will provide some recent insights into how the stress of the loads carried by military personnel can affect the musculoskeletal system. Studies into the biomechanics of load carriage have documented motion-related differences such as increased step rate, decreased stride length, and more trunk lean with increases in pack-borne loads. However, there is a paucity of literature on the relationship between load carriage and biomechanical mechanisms of overuse injury. Findings of recent studies will be presented, which add mechanistic information to increased stresses on the lower extremity. This was particularly true at the knee, where in one study, peak knee extension moment increased 115% when carrying a 55 kg load (0.87 ± 0.16 Nm·kg−1) vs. no external load (0.40 ± 0.13 Nm·kg−1). Efforts to model injury mechanisms require continued biomechanical measurements in humans while carrying occupationally relevant loads to be validated. Specifically, imaging technologies (e.g., bone geometry scans) should be incorporated to produce higher fidelity model of the stresses and strains experienced by the load carrier. In addition to laboratory-based biomechanics, data are needed to further explore the mechanistic relationship between load magnitude and injury; to this end, wearable sensors should continue to be exploited to accurately quantify biomechanical stresses related to load carriage in the field.
Approches textuelles pour la catégorisation et la recherche de documents manuscrits en-ligne. (Text-based approaches to on-line handwritten document categorization and retrieval)

L'evolution technologique des dispositifs electroniques de capture de l'ecriture manuscrite se traduit par l'apparition d'une grande quantite de documents manuscrits en-ligne. Cela pose la question de l'acces a l'information contenue dans ces donnees. Ce travail s'interesse a l'acces a l'information textuelle contenue dans des documents qui se presentent sous la forme d'une sequence temporelle de points (x; y). Deux tâches principales ont ete etudiees : la premiere concerne le developpement d'un systeme de categorisation de documents, tandis que la seconde s'interesse a la recherche d'information dans des bases documentaires manuscrites. En amont, une premiere etape importante a consiste a collecter un corpus manuscrit de reference pour la validation experimentale de cette etude. L'utilisation d'un systeme de reconnaissance de l'ecriture etant l'element transversal des approches proposees, une partie de notre travail a consiste a analyser le comportement de ces approches face aux erreurs de reconnaissance. La categorisation est effectuee en enchainant un systeme de reconnaissance a un systeme de categorisation base sur des methodes d'apprentissage statistique. Pour la recherche d'information, deux approches ont ete proposees. La premiere tire parti de la diversite des resultats restitues par des algorithmes de recherche differents, l'idee etant que la combinaison des resultats peut pallier leurs faiblesses respectives. La seconde approche exploite les relations de proximite thematique entre les documents. Si deux documents proches ont tendance a repondre au meme besoin d'information, alors ces memes documents doivent avoir des scores de pertinence proches.
A FAST AND ROBUST NUMERICAL METHOD FOR OPTION PRICES AND GREEKS IN A JUMP-DIFFUSION MODEL

We propose a fast and robust finite difference method for Merton’s jump diffusion model, which is a partial integro-differential equation. To speed up a computational time, we compute a matrix so that we can calculate the non-local integral term fast by a simple matrix-vector operation. Also, we use non-uniform grids to increase efficiency. We present numerical experiments such as evaluation of the option prices and Greeks to demonstrate a performance of the proposed numerical method. The computational results are in good agreements with the exact solutions of the jump-diffusion model.
Urine eosinophil cationic protein in painful bladder disease.

Urine eosinophil cationic protein (U-ECP), blood eosinophils and eosinophils in bladder biopsy specimens were studied in 30 patients with painful bladder disease (15 with detrusor mastocytosis, i.e. interstitial cystitis (IC) (greater than or equal to 28 mast cells/mm2 in the detrusor muscle) and 15 patients without detrusor mastocytosis). In patients with IC the median concentration of U-ECP was 140 arbitrary u/l versus 14 arb. u/l in the remaining patients (P less than 0.001). The mean peripheral leukocyte count was significantly lower in the IC group (P less than 0.05). Tissue infiltration with eosinophils was found in 43% of the bladder biopsies from patients with IC compared with 4% of the biopsies in the remaining patients (P less than 0.05). A negative correlation between peripheral eosinophils and U-ECP was found in the patients with IC (r = 0.52, P less than 0.05). These results suggest that eosinophils are attracted to the inflammatory site in the bladder wall where ECP is released. Eosinophils thus seem to participate actively in the inflammatory process. U-ECP seems to provide valuable diagnostic information when diagnosing IC in patients with painful bladder disease. It is suggested that ECP might be involved in the process of tissue destruction in IC.
Clinical Significance of Yes-Associated Protein Overexpression in Cervical Carcinoma: The Differential Effects Based on Histotypes

Objectives The objective of this study was to explore the prognostic values of Yes-associated protein (YAP) expression in cervical carcinoma. Methods We compared the YAP expression of 120 samples from squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 42 samples from adenocarcinomas with 22 normal cervical specimens by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of cytoplasmic and nuclear YAP were analyzed separately. Result Yes-associated protein expression in tumors is significantly higher than the level in normal tissues. In SCCs, cytoplasmic YAP expression is associated with histologic grading, lymph node metastasis, and recurrence. Nuclear expression of YAP is absent in SCC. In adenocarcinomas, cytoplasmic YAP overexpression is associated with histologic grading, and nuclear overexpression is associated with shorter overall survival and disease-free survival. Conclusions Our results indicate the oncogenic potential of YAP in cervical cancer and its distinct functions in SCC and adenocarcinoma.
Staining of nervous tissue by protein-silver mixtures.

A staining method for nerves in paraffin sections is described in which an egg albumen-silver nitrate mixture is the impregnating solution. Blocks of tissue are fixed in Bouin's fixative, formol, Huber's fixative or formol-acetic-alcohol, and decalcified if necessary in Bensley's decalcifier. Sections are impregnated overnight, in the dark, at 37-56°C in a solution containing 50 ml of filtered, aqueous 0.5% dried egg albumen with 1.8-2.5 ml of 2% silver nitrate and adjusted to pH 8.2-8.3 by the addition of ammonia. The sections are then rinsed in distilled water and the silver reduced in a mixture of hydroquinone, 1 gm; anhydrous sodium sulfite, 10 gm and distilled water, 100 ml. The remainder of the process consists of washing, gold toning, fixing in 5% sodium thiosulfate, washing, dehydrating, clearing and mounting. Casein may be used as an alternative to egg albumen in the impregnating solution (0.5% casein, 50 ml; 2% silver nitrate, 1 ml). The pH value of the solution may be adjusted by a boric acid-b.
Tanagra: An Intelligent Level Design Assistant for 2D Platformers

We present a demonstration of Tanagra, an intelligent level design assistant for 2D platformers. Tanagra integrates reactive planning and constraint programming to automatically generate levels and respond to designer changes in realtime. A reactive planning language, ABL, allows us to easily express hierarchical patterns of level geometry, from simple patterns such as a jump over a gap, to more complex patterns such as staircases and pits. A model of player movement and constraints within and between geometry components ensure that the levels created by our system are always playable.
Receipt of Regular Primary Care and Early Cancer Detection in Appalachia.

PURPOSE The objective was to examine the impact of regular primary care encounters (PCE) on early breast cancer detection in an Appalachian sample of Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed 2006-2008. Determinants of PCE were investigated and a mediation analysis was conducted where PCE was a mediator to cancer stage. METHODS A total of 3,589 cases were identified from Appalachian areas in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio, and North Carolina, and health care services were examined 2 months to 2 years prior to diagnosis. A regular care PCE variable was constructed with 4 ordinal levels: none, any, "annual," and "semi-annual. " Association of PCE with stage, mortality and covariables was conducted using ordinal logistic regressions and Cox Proportional Hazards survival models. RESULTS Sixty-eight percent of the cases had semi-annual PCE. Regular PCE was strongly associated with late-stage cancer rates (39%-13% by increasing PCE level, P < .0001) and 5-year all-cause mortality (42%-24%, P < .0001). Subgroup analysis revealed variations by hypertension and urban status, with nonhypertensives with no PCE being at particularly increased risk. Significant determinants of PCE included age, rural/urban status, comorbidity, dual Medicaid insurance, Appalachian region economic classification, state, select comorbidities, hypertension, and minimum distance to provider. Mediation analysis results were consistent with lower number of comorbidities leading to increased late cancer detection due to patients having a decreased PCE. CONCLUSION PCE is an important determinant of cancer detection, with a dose-response relationship. Variations exist by geography and hypertension. Comorbidity may influence both PCE and late-stage rates with partial mediation through PCE.
A manualised treatment protocol to guide delivery of evidence-based cognitive therapy for people with distressing psychosis: learning from clinical trials

Abstract NICE guidelines recommend use of treatment protocols that have trial-based evidence of efficacy to guide the delivery of CBT for psychosis. The rationale for using such an approach, and a manual that has been used to ensure fidelity and adherence within six clinical trials, is described. The protocol emphasises principles and values, such as collaborative teamwork, active participation involving between session tasks for service users and therapists and a normalising philosophy, as well as specific milestones such as early agreement of a shared goal, maintenance formulations and use of defined change strategies. Challenges to implementation and methods for promoting good practice are considered and implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Graphene in Edge-Carboxylated Graphite by Ball Milling and Analyses Using Finite Element Method

Edge-carboxylated graphite (ECG) was produced by grinding pristine graphite in a planetary ball-mill machine. Transmission electron microscope was used to confirm the layers of graphene in ECG. The elemental analyses showed that the oxygen contents are different between ECG samples. The vibrational analysis of single- and five-layered graphene was conducted using finite element method within ANSYS. The vibrational behaviors of cantilevered and fixed graphene with one or five layers were modeled using three-dimensional elastic beams of carbon bonds and point masses. The dynamic analysis was conducted using nonlinear elastic elements within LS-DYNA. The natural frequencies, strain and kinetic energy of the beam elements were calculated considering the van der Waals forces between the carbon atoms in the hexagonal lattice. The natural frequencies, strain and kinetic energy of the graphene sheets were estimated based on the geometrical type and the layered sheets with boundary conditions. In the dynamic analysis, the change in displacement over time appears larger along the x- and y-axes than along the z-axis, and the value of the displacement vector sum appears larger in the five-layer graphene than in the single-layer graphene.
Heuristic-based online adaptation of ankle exoskeleton assistance using plantarflexor electromyography

INTRODUCTION People often change their coordination strategies as they learn to walk with ankle exoskeletons [1], yet most current exoskeleton control approaches do not appropriately account for these changes. Timebased assistance techniques, in which the exoskeleton is actuated at a specific point in the gait cycle [2, 3], keep device behavior static regardless of human adaptation. Proportional myoelectric control, in which torque provided from the exoskeleton is directly proportional to the user’s muscle activity [4], requires a certain level of muscle activity be maintained for the exoskeleton to supply torque, preventing muscle activity from being fully supplanted. Control techniques that adjust exoskeleton behavior online in response to measured changes in human coordination patterns would allow the human and device to co-adapt and potentially result in improved human-robot interaction. The goal of this project is to use soleus muscle activity, measured online, to update the desired ankle exoskeleton torque trajectory every step. Ideally, the exoskeleton will learn the changing pattern of soleus muscle activity over time and supplant the role the soleus muscle plays in plantarflexion. We expect to be able to tie our immediate goal, to drive soleus muscle activity down towards zero, to a higher level outcome, such as reduced whole-body metabolic rate.