Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
End-to-End Learning From Spectrum Data: A Deep Learning Approach for Wireless Signal Identification in Spectrum Monitoring Applications

This paper presents end-to-end learning from spectrum data—an umbrella term for new sophisticated wireless signal identification approaches in spectrum monitoring applications based on deep neural networks. End-to-end learning allows to: 1) automatically learn features directly from simple wireless signal representations, without requiring design of hand-crafted expert features like higher order cyclic moments and 2) train wireless signal classifiers in one end-to-end step which eliminates the need for complex multi-stage machine learning processing pipelines. The purpose of this paper is to present the conceptual framework of end-to-end learning for spectrum monitoring and systematically introduce a generic methodology to easily design and implement wireless signal classifiers. Furthermore, we investigate the importance of the choice of wireless data representation to various spectrum monitoring tasks. In particular, two case studies are elaborated: 1) modulation recognition and 2) wireless technology interference detection. For each case study three convolutional neural networks are evaluated for the following wireless signal representations: temporal IQ data, the amplitude/phase representation, and the frequency domain representation. From our analysis, we prove that the wireless data representation impacts the accuracy depending on the specifics and similarities of the wireless signals that need to be differentiated, with different data representations resulting in accuracy variations of up to 29%. Experimental results show that using the amplitude/phase representation for recognizing modulation formats can lead to performance improvements up to 2% and 12% for medium to high SNR compared to IQ and frequency domain data, respectively. For the task of detecting interference, frequency domain representation outperformed amplitude/phase and IQ data representation up to 20%.
A Statistical Approach to Preprocess and Enhance C-Band SAR Images in Order to Detect Automatically Marine Oil Slicks

The aim of this paper was to propose a new methodology for preprocessing and enhancing C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images for the automatic detection of marine oil slicks. The proposed methodology includes three processing levels: preprocessing, thresholding, and binary cleaning. The first level is to correct the heterogeneity of brightness in SAR images caused by the non-Lambertian reflection of the radar signal on the sea surface. This heterogeneity can be justified by: the distance from the nadir (incidence angle effect), the interaction between wind direction and radar pulse, and the wide swath mode. The second level consists of a thresholding step. The third level is to clean the binary output images from noise residues. Several preprocessing and cleaning methods have been tested and evaluated by a qualification engine that compares the automatically detected patches with a training data set of manually detected dark patches. The training data set includes oil slicks and lookalikes. As a result, the “best” preprocessing method that homogenizes the brightness of C-band SAR scenes and optimizes the automatic detection of marine oil slicks is based on an adaptation to the C-band MODel. As for the cleaning process, the tested morphological methods show that small object removal followed by a morphological closing optimizes the automatic detection of marine oil slicks.
Long-term evaluation of rapid maxillary expansion and bite-block therapy in open bite growing subjects: A controlled clinical study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the long-term effects of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) and posterior bite block (BB) in prepubertal subjects with dentoskeletal open bite. MATERIALS AND METHODS The treatment group (TG) comprised 16 subjects (14 girls, 2 boys) with dentoskeletal open bite with a mean age of 8.1 ± 1.1 years treated with RME and BB. Three consecutive lateral cephalograms were available before treatment (T1), at the end of the active treatment with the RME and BB (T2), and at a follow-up observation at least 4 years after the completion of treatment (T3). The TG was compared with a control group (CG) of 16 subjects (14 girls, 2 boys) matched for sex, age, and vertical skeletal pattern. An independent sample t-test was used to compare the T1 to T3, T1 to T2, and T2 to T3 cephalometric changes between the TG and the CG. RESULTS In the long term, the TG showed a significantly greater increase in overbite (+1.8 mm), reduced extrusion of maxillary and mandibular molars (-3.3 mm), and, consequently, a significant decrease in facial divergence (-2.8°) when compared with untreated subjects. CONCLUSIONS The RME and BB protocol led to successful and stable recovery of positive overbite in 100% of the patients considered. Correction of open bite was associated with reduced extrusion of maxillary and mandibular molars with a significant improvement in vertical skeletal relationships when compared with the CG.
Variations in leaf total protein, phenolic and thiol contents amongst old varieties of mulberry from the Gorizia region

Abstract Preserving the plant genetic resources of genus Morus is insuffcient but undoubtedly vital for conservation of the world’s germplasm for our successors. This research was focused on old mulberry varieties from the Gorizia region in Slovenia which were assessed for their contents on crucial metabolites (proteins, phenolics and thiols) in leaves regarding their antioxidant and nutraceutical potentials. Total proteins were measured spectrophotometrically by following the procedure of Bradford, the total phenolic contents were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and thiols were established with monobromobimane fluorescent dye. The presented metabolite screening showed that some of the evaluated genotypes had higher concentrations of glutathione and were superior in contents of proteins and phenolics when compared to the results of other authors and could be propagated as highly recommendable feed for silkworms, and other animals.
The Membrane-Bound C Subunit of Reductive Dehalogenases: Topology Analysis and Reconstitution of the FMN-Binding Domain of PceC

Organohalide respiration (OHR) is the energy metabolism of anaerobic bacteria able to use halogenated organic compounds as terminal electron acceptors. While the terminal enzymes in OHR, so-called reductive dehalogenases, are well-characterized, the identity of proteins potentially involved in electron transfer to the terminal enzymes remains elusive. Among the accessory genes identified in OHR gene clusters, the C subunit (rdhC) could well code for the missing redox protein between the quinol pool and the reductive dehalogenase, although it was initially proposed to act as transcriptional regulator. RdhC sequences are characterized by the presence of multiple transmembrane segments, a flavin mononucleotide (FMN) binding motif and two conserved CX3CP motifs. Based on these features, we propose a curated selection of RdhC proteins identified in general sequence databases. Beside the Firmicutes from which RdhC sequences were initially identified, the identified sequences belong to three additional phyla, the Chloroflexi, the Proteobacteria, and the Bacteriodetes. The diversity of RdhC sequences mostly respects the phylogenetic distribution, suggesting that rdhC genes emerged relatively early in the evolution of the OHR metabolism. PceC, the C subunit of the tetrachloroethene (PCE) reductive dehalogenase is encoded by the conserved pceABCT gene cluster identified in Dehalobacter restrictus PER-K23 and in several strains of Desulfitobacterium hafniense. Surfaceome analysis of D. restrictus cells confirmed the predicted topology of the FMN-binding domain (FBD) of PceC that is the exocytoplasmic face of the membrane. Starting from inclusion bodies of a recombinant FBD protein, strategies for successful assembly of the FMN cofactor and refolding were achieved with the use of the flavin-trafficking protein from D. hafniense TCE1. Mass spectrometry analysis and site-directed mutagenesis of rFBD revealed that threonine-168 of PceC is binding FMN covalently. Our results suggest that PceC, and more generally RdhC proteins, may play a role in electron transfer in the metabolism of OHR.
Self-Reported Juvenile Firesetting: Results from Two National Survey Datasets

The main purpose of this study was to address gaps in existing research by examining the relationship between academic performance and attention problems with juvenile firesetting. Two datasets from the Achenbach System for Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) were used. The Factor Analysis Dataset (N = 975) was utilized and results indicated that adolescents who report lower academic performance are more likely to set fires. Additionally, adolescents who report a poor attitude toward school are even more likely to set fires. Results also indicated that attention problems are predictive of self-reported firesetting. The National Survey Dataset (N = 1158) was analyzed to determine the prevalence of firesetting in a normative sample and also examine whether these children reported higher levels of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. It was found that 4.5% of adolescents in the generalized sample reported firesetting. Firesetters reported more internalizing, externalizing, and total problems than their non-firesetting peers. In this normative sample, firesetters were found to have lower academic performance and more attention problems. Limitations include the low overall number of firesetters in each dataset (Factor Analysis n = 123 and National Survey n = 53) and the inclusion of children who had been referred for services in the Factor Analysis Dataset.
User-Driven Design Principles for Gesture Representations

Many recent studies have explored user-defined interactions for touch and gesture-based systems through end-user elicitation. While these studies have facilitated the user-end of the human-computer dialogue, the subsequent design of gesture representations to communicate gestures to the user vary in style and consistency. Our study explores how users interpret, enact, and refine gesture representations adapting techniques from recent elicitation studies. To inform our study design, we analyzed gesture representations from 30 elicitation papers and developed a taxonomy of design elements. We then conducted a partnered elicitation study with 30 participants producing 657 gesture representations accompanied by think-aloud data. We discuss design patterns and themes that emerged from our analysis, and supplement these findings with an in-depth look at users' mental models when perceiving and enacting gesture representations. Finally, based on the results, we provide recommendations for practitioners in need of "visual language" guidelines to communicate possible user actions.
Risperidone oral disintegrating mini-tablets: A robust-product for pediatrics

Abstract This study was aimed at developing risperidone oral disintegrating mini-tablets (OD-mini-tablets) as age-appropriate formulations and to assess their suitability for infants and pediatric use. An experimental Box-Behnken design was applied to assure high quality of the OD-mini-tablets and reduce product variability. The design was employed to understand the influence of the critical excipient combinations on the production of OD-mini-tablets and thus guarantee the feasibility of obtaining products with dosage form uniformity. The variables selected were mannitol percent in Avicel (X1), swelling pressure of the superdisintegrant (X2), and the surface area of Aerosil as a glidant (X3). Risperidone-excipient compatibilities were investigated using FTIR and the spectra did not display any interaction. Fifteen formulations were prepared and evaluated for preand post-compression characteristics. The prepared ODmini- tablet batches were also assessed for disintegration in simulated salivary fluid (SSF, pH 6.2) and in reconstituted skimmed milk. The optimized formula fulfilled the requirements for crushing strength of 5 kN with minimal friability, disintegration times of 8.4 and 53.7 s in SSF and skimmed milk, respectively. This study therefore proposes the risperidone OD-mini-tablet formula having robust mechanical properties, uniform and precise dosing of medication with short disintegration time suitable for pediatric use.
Dried plums (prunes) reduce atherosclerosis lesion area in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice

Dried plums are a fruit high in pectin with substantial antioxidant activity. Previous studies in rats and man indicate that dried plums or plum fibre lower liver and plasma cholesterol, respectively. The apoE-deficient mouse, which develops atherosclerotic lesions rapidly when fed cholesterol, was used to determine the ability of dried plums to reduce atherosclerosis. Diets containing 0·15 % cholesterol and either 0 (B+C), 4·75 % (Lo DP) or 9·5 % (Hi DP) dried plum powder were fed for 5 months. An additional group fed the basal diet without cholesterol (B − C) was included as a negative control. Arterial trees were dissected, stained to visualize lesions, and lesion area was quantitated by imaging software. Urinary thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) excretion and serum amyloid P-component (SAP) were measured as indicators of oxidative stress and inflammation, respectively. Final serum cholesterol was significantly increased and serum TAG decreased in the B+C group and dried plum groups relative to the B − C group. Percentage arterial tree atherosclerotic lesion area was significantly lower in the B − C and Lo DP groups compared to the B+C group (P < 0·05), with a trend for a difference between the B+C and Hi DP groups (P = 0·075). SAP concentration was significantly lower in the B − C and Lo DP groups with the Hi DP group trending lower than the B+C group. Urinary TBARS excretion did not differ among the groups. These results suggest that consuming dried plums may help slow the development of atherosclerosis.
Evaluation of the mechanical properties of friction stir lap welded joints for dissimilar aluminum alloys(AA1100 To AA6061)

In this study friction stir lap welding (FSLW) joints are made for similar and dissimilar aluminum alloys (AA1100 to AA6061-T6) sheets of 3mm thickness by varying the welding parameters, such as tool rotation speeds (1000, 1250 & 1600 rpm) and welding speeds (35, 75 & 100 mm/min) and pin length of (2.8, 5.4 & 5.7mm) with using cylindrical threaded tool pin profile. Many tests and inspections were performed such as X-Ray radiographic and tensile shear test to evaluate the weld quality and joint efficiency under different welding parameters. Microhardness and microstructure observations were carried out at the best welding parameters. The maximum tensile shear force (4.93 KN) and joint efficiency (93%) were obtained when welding process was conducted by a new technique with using friction stir diffusion welding process at the welding speed of 75 mm/min, tool rotation speed of 1250 rpm and using pin length of 2.8 mm. It was found that the Vickers hardness of the similar and dissimilar joints reached to the maximum value at stir zone and drop toward the base metals.
Exploring Accessible Smartwatch Interactions for People with Upper Body Motor Impairments

Smartwatches are always-available, provide quick access to information in a mobile setting, and can collect continuous health and fitness data. However, the small interaction space of these wearables may pose challenges for people with upper body motor impairments. To investigate accessible smartwatch interactions for this user group, we conducted two studies. First, we assessed the accessibility of existing smartwatch gestures with 10 participants with motor impairments. We found that not all participants were able to complete button, swipe and tap interactions. In a second study, we adopted a participatory approach to explore smartwatch gesture preferences and to gain insight into alternative, more accessible smartwatch interaction techniques. Eleven participants with motor impairments created gestures for 16 common smartwatch actions on both touchscreen and non-touchscreen (bezel, wristband) areas of the watch and the user's body. We present results from both studies and provide design recommendations.
Learning Dual Convolutional Neural Networks for Low-Level Vision

In this paper, we propose a general dual convolutional neural network (DualCNN) for low-level vision problems, e.g., super-resolution, edge-preserving filtering, deraining and dehazing. These problems usually involve the estimation of two components of the target signals: structures and details. Motivated by this, our proposed DualCNN consists of two parallel branches, which respectively recovers the structures and details in an end-to-end manner. The recovered structures and details can generate the target signals according to the formation model for each particular application. The DualCNN is a flexible framework for low-level vision tasks and can be easily incorporated into existing CNNs. Experimental results show that the DualCNN can be effectively applied to numerous low-level vision tasks with favorable performance against the state-of-the-art methods.
Light, Wind, and Touch Influence Leaf Chemistry and Rates of Herbivory in Apocynum cannabinum (Apocynaceae)

Simply visiting and manipulating plants in a way consistent with measurement in typical ecological studies influences the amount of leaf herbivory experienced by some plant species. We examined the mechanistic basis for why Apocynum cannabinum is particularly responsive to such visitation and manipulation. In a field experiment, we manipulated both visitation and shading by neighboring plants and measured the resultant changes in plant chemistry, growth, and herbivory. In a greenhouse experiment, we manipulated touch and wind exposure while holding light constant, allowing us to directly test whether the handling causes changes in the plant that might also occur in response to wind exposure. Visitation and neighbor tie back both increased herbivory, shoot biomass, and cardenolide concentration. These changes appear to be mediated by changes in light environment with each treatment. Leaf N and C were also highly responsive to visitation, neighbor tie back, and touch. The strong and similar responses to visitation and neighbor tie back suggest that in this species, visitation acts by reducing aboveground competition through trampling of neighbors; that growth, plant chemistry, and herbivory are extremely sensitive to visitation effects associated with basic ecological measurement; and that competition between plants for light can influence plant‐insect interactions. Of even greater importance is the identification that some species are extremely sensitive to even minor changes to their local environment. Such sensitivity may have significant implications for growth in natural communities.
Stability Analysis of Fluid Flows Using Lagrangian Perturbation Theory (LPT): Application to the Plane Couette Flow

We present a new application of the framework of Lagrangian Perturbation Theory (LPT): the stability analysis of fluid flows. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equation is recast such that the particle position is the fundamental variable, expressed as a function of Lagrangian coordinates. The displacement due to the steady state flow is taken to be the zeroth order solution and the position is formally expanded in terms of a small parameter (generally, the strength of the initial perturbation). The resulting hierarchy of equations is solved analytically at first order. As a test case, we apply this framework to analyze the stability of the plane Couette flow. We find that we recover the standard result in the Eulerian frame: the plane Couette flow is asymptotically stable for all Reynolds numbers. However, it is also well established that experiments contradict this prediction. In the Eulerian picture, this is attributed to the phenomenon of `transient growth' which is related to the non-normal nature of the linear stability operator. The first order solution in the Lagrangian frame also qualitatively recovers this feature, this providing an alternate analytic derivation of the `transient growth'. As a first step, and for the purposes of analytic manipulation, we consider only linear stability of 2D perturbations but the framework presented is general and can be extended to higher orders, other flows and/or 3D perturbations.
Satellite symposium: Throw another fish on the fire: the role of n-3 in inflammation Rationale and use of n-3 fatty acids in artificial nutrition

Lipids traditionally used in artificial nutrition are based on n-6 fatty acid-rich vegetable oils like soyabean oil. This may not be optimal because it may present an excessive supply of linoleic acid. One alternative to the use of soyabean oil is its partial replacement by fish oil, which contains n-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids influence inflammatory and immune responses and so may be useful in particular situations where those responses are not optimal. Fish oil-containing lipid emulsions have been used in parenteral nutrition in adult patients post-surgery (mainly gastrointestinal). This has been associated with alterations in patterns of inflammatory mediators and in immune function and, in some studies, a reduction in length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay. Perioperative administration of fish oil may be superior to post-operative. Parenteral fish oil has been used in critically ill adults. Here the influence on inflammatory processes, immune function and clinical endpoints is not clear, since there are too few studies and those that are available report contradictory findings. Fish oil is included in combination with other nutrients in various enteral formulas. In post-surgical patients and in those with mild sepsis or trauma, there is clinical benefit from a formula including fish oil and arginine. A formula including fish oil, borage oil and antioxidants has demonstrated marked benefits on gas exchange, ventilation requirement, new organ failures, ICU stay and mortality in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute lung injury or severe sepsis.
Novel Desalination RO Membranes

Since the initial operation of the first reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants, only polymeric membranes have been employed for industrial use. As described in the pre vious chapter, the various advancements in the conventional polymeric RO membranes have been rather limited since the late 1990s, especially in the membrane permeability issue. Although new membrane modules have been released, however most of them are improved through a method that relies on increasing the membrane area per module. Recently, advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of nanostructured materials which may form the basis for new RO membranes. Li and Wang have included inorganic membranes and thin film nanocomposite membranes in a recent review, whereas Mauter and Elimelech have discussed the potential of carbon nanotube membranes for use as high flux membrane filters. In this chapter, the development of membranes that have been discussed in the previous two reviews will be briefly highlighted with a particu lar focus on the possibility of them being engineered into commercial RO membranes. At the same time this chapter includes a discussion about structured polymeric membranes synthesized via a new course featuring carbon-derived nanoporous membranes and bio - mimetic membranes. The coverage of all proposed novel desalination RO membranes in this section is aimed to provide a general overview of these materials and to draw a fair comparison of them possibly being developed into commercial RO membranes.