Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controlled environment vitrification system: an improved sample preparation technique.

The controlled environment vitrification system (CEVS) permits cryofixation of hydrated biological and colloidal dispersions and aggregates from a temperature- and saturation-controlled environment. Otherwise, specimens prepared in an uncontrolled laboratory atmosphere are subject to evaporation and heat transfer, which may introduce artifacts caused by concentration, pH, ionic strength, and temperature changes. Moreover, it is difficult to fix and examine the microstructure of systems at temperatures other than ambient (e.g., biological systems at in vivo conditions and colloidal systems above room temperature). A system has been developed that ensures that a liquid or partially liquid specimen is maintained in its original state while it is being prepared before vitrification and, once prepared, is vitrified with little alteration of its microstructure. A controlled environment is provided within a chamber where temperature and chemical activity of volatile components can be controlled while the specimen is being prepared. The specimen grid is mounted on a plunger, and a synchronous shutter is opened almost simultaneously with the release of the plunger, so that the specimen is propelled abruptly through the shutter opening into a cryogenic bath. We describe the system and its use and illustrate the value of the technique with TEM micrographs of surfactant microstructures in which specimen preparation artifacts were avoided. We also discuss applications to other instruments like SEM, to other techniques like freeze-fracture, and to novel "on the grid" experiments that make it possible to freeze successive instants of dynamic processes such as membrane fusion, chemical reactions, and phase transitions.
The X-Ray Spectrum of the Seyfert I Galaxy Markarian 766: Dusty Warm Absorber or Relativistic Emission Lines?

Competing models for broad spectral features in the soft X-ray spectrum of the Seyfert I galaxy Mrk 766 are tested against data from a 130 ks XMM-Newton observation. A model including relativistically broadened Lyα emission lines of O VIII, N VII, and C VI is a better fit to 0.3-2 keV XMM RGS data than a dusty warm absorber. Moreover, the measured depth of neutral iron absorption lines in the spectrum is inconsistent with the magnitude of the iron edge required to produce the continuum break at 17-18 Å in the dusty warm absorber model. The relativistic emission line model can reproduce the broadband (0.1-12 keV) XMM EPIC data with the addition of a fourth line to represent emission from ionized iron at 6.7 keV and an excess due to reflection at energies above the iron line. The profile of the 6.7 keV iron line is consistent with that measured for the low-energy lines. There is evidence in the RGS data, at the 3 σ level, of spectral features that vary with source flux. The covering fraction of warm absorber gas is estimated to be 12%. Iron in the warm absorber is found to be overabundant with respect to CNO, compared to solar values.
Task-Space Synchronization of Networked Robotic Systems With Uncertain Kinematics and Dynamics

In this technical note, we investigate the task-space synchronization for networked robots interconnected on strongly connected graphs with both the uncertain kinematics and dynamics. A cascade framework is proposed to facilitate the synchronization controller design for networked robotic systems. Under this framework, we propose an adaptive task-space synchronization scheme with indirect/direct kinematic parameter adaptations and a direct dynamic parameter adaptation for the networked robots. We employ the passive decomposition approach to show the asymptotic task-space synchronization of the networked system, and we demonstrate that the proposed control is capable of ensuring the weighted average consensus of the networked uncertain robots. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed control approach.
Cyclic outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis among pigs and humans.

In order to determine whether human epidemics of Japanese encephalitis can be predicted by increased infection rate in domestic animals, serologic surveys of pigs were carried out weekly through the summer of 1964, using the hemagglutinininhibition test. Porcine sera were obtained at strategic geographical locations from the 4 largest abattoirs in Miyagi Prefecture, Northern Honshu Island, Japan. Virus isolation was also attempted from vector mosquitoes, C. tritaeniorhynchus, collected near these slaughterhouses. Serologic confirmatory testing was conducted on all clinically reported human cases. A schematic illustration is presented in figure. (1) At least two cycles of infection with an interval of 18 days seemed necessary in swine to approach 100 % incidence in the population and produce an epidemiologically significant level of infection among mosquitoes. (2) Isolation of virus from mosquitoes was highest, coincident with the time when the curve of antibody detection rate rose abruptly among pigs. (3) The outbreak of J. E. among pigs was three weeks ahead of the one among people. Table 7. Total Number of Frogs Collected and Tested for Japanese Encephalitis Virus in 1967
Immediate Mood Scaler: Tracking Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using a Novel Mobile Mood Scale

Background Mood disorders are dynamic disorders characterized by multimodal symptoms. Clinical assessment of symptoms is currently limited to relatively sparse, routine clinic visits, requiring retrospective recollection of symptoms present in the weeks preceding the visit. Novel advances in mobile tools now support ecological momentary assessment of mood, conducted frequently using mobile devices, outside the clinical setting. Such mood assessment may help circumvent problems associated with infrequent reporting and better characterize the dynamic presentation of mood symptoms, informing the delivery of novel treatment options. Objectives The aim of our study was to validate the Immediate Mood Scaler (IMS), a newly developed, iPad-deliverable 22-item self-report tool designed to capture current mood states. Methods A total of 110 individuals completed standardized questionnaires (Patient Health Questionnaire, 9-item [PHQ-9]; generalized anxiety disorder, 7-Item [GAD-7]; and rumination scale) and IMS at baseline. Of the total, 56 completed at least one additional session of IMS, and 17 completed one additional administration of PHQ-9 and GAD-7. We conducted exploratory Principal Axis Factor Analysis to assess dimensionality of IMS, and computed zero-order correlations to investigate associations between IMS and standardized scales. Linear Mixed Model (LMM) was used to assess IMS stability across time and to test predictability of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 score by IMS. Results Strong correlations were found between standard mood scales and the IMS at baseline (r=.57-.59, P<.001). A factor analysis revealed a 12-item IMS (“IMS-12”) with two factors: a “depression” factor and an “anxiety” factor. IMS-12 depression subscale was more strongly correlated with PHQ-9 than with GAD-7 (z=1.88, P=.03), but the reverse pattern was not found for IMS-12 anxiety subscale. IMS-12 showed less stability over time compared with PHQ-9 and GAD-7 (.65 vs .91), potentially reflecting more sensitivity to mood dynamics. In addition, IMS-12 ratings indicated that individuals with mild to moderate depression had greater mood fluctuations compared with individuals with severe depression (.42 vs .79; P=.04). Finally, IMS-12 significantly contributed to the prediction of subsequent PHQ-9 (beta=1.03, P=.02) and GAD-7 scores (beta =.93, P=.01). Conclusions Collectively, these data suggest that the 12-item IMS (IMS-12) is a valid tool to assess momentary mood symptoms related to anxiety and depression. Although IMS-12 shows good correlation with standardized scales, it further captures mood fluctuations better and significantly adds to the prediction of the scales. Results are discussed in the context of providing continuous symptom quantification that may inform novel treatment options and support personalized treatment plans.
Identifying Uncertainty Distributions and Confidence Regions of Power Plant Parameters

Power system operators, when obtaining a model’s parameter estimates; require additional information to guide their decision on a model’s acceptance. This information has to establish a relationship between the estimates and the chosen model in the parameter space. For this purpose, this paper proposes to extend the usage of the particle filter (PF) as a method for the identification of power plant parameters; and the parameters’ confidence intervals, using measurements. Taking into consideration that the PF is based on the Bayesian filtering concept, the results returned by the filter contain more information about the model and its parameters than usually considered by power system operators. In this paper the samples from the multi-modal posterior distribution of the estimate are used to identify the distribution shape and associated confidence intervals of estimated parameters. Three methods [rule of thumb, least-squares cross validation, plug-in method (HSJM)] for standard deviation (bandwidth) selection of the Gaussian mixture distribution are compared with the uni-modal Gaussian distribution of the parameter estimate. The applicability of the proposed method is demonstrated using field measurements and synthetic data from simulations of a Greek power plant model. The distributions are observed for different system operation conditions that consider different types of noise. The method’s applicability for model validation is also discussed.
A Novel Measurement-Based Algorithm for Coverage Prediction of Urban and Suburban Cells in Wireless Networks

A novel approach is proposed to predict the coverage of urban and suburban cells in wireless networks. By this approach, the propagation loss between any two points along the virtual propagation path from the base-station to the mobile-station within a predicted area can be deduced in an average sense with reasonable accuracy, based on an a priori series of measurements, finite and limited in extent, taken along the periphery of this area. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been demonstrated using experiments under various radio environments in Guang Dong, China. It was shown that the prediction results were approximately consistent with independent checking samples
Ieee Transactions on Information Forensics and Security an Evaluation of Popular Copy-move Forgery Detection Approaches

—A copy-move forgery is created by copying and pasting content within the same image, and potentially post-processing it. In recent years, the detection of copy-move forgeries has become one of the most actively researched topics in blind image forensics. A considerable number of different algorithms have been proposed focusing on different types of postprocessed copies. In this paper, we aim to answer which copy-move forgery detection algorithms and processing steps (e. g. , matching, filtering, outlier detection, affine transformation estimation) perform best in various postprocessing scenarios. The focus of our analysis is to evaluate the performance of previously proposed feature sets. We achieve this by casting existing algorithms in a common pipeline. In this paper, we examined the 15 most prominent feature sets. We analyzed the detection performance on a per-image basis and on a per-pixel basis. We created a challenging real-world copy-move dataset, and a software framework for systematic image manipulation. Experiments show, that the keypoint-based features SIFT and SURF, as well as the block-based DCT, DWT, KPCA, PCA and ZERNIKE features perform very well. These feature sets exhibit the best robustness against various noise sources and downsampling, while reliably identifying the copied regions.
Overexpression of ccl1−2 can bypass the need for the putative apocytochrome chaperone CycH during the biogenesis of c‐type cytochromes

In Gram‐negative bacteria, including Rhodobacter capsulatus, the membrane protein CycH acts as a putative apocytochrome chaperone during the biogenesis of c‐type cytochromes. CycH‐null mutants are unable to produce various c‐type cytochromes and sustain photosynthetic (Ps) growth that requires the cytochromes c1 and c2 or cy. However, Ps+ revertants are readily obtained only on minimal, but not on enriched, medium. To obtain further information about the biogenesis of c‐type cytochromes, these suppressor mutants were studied. Complementation of a CycH‐null mutant for Ps+ growth by a genomic library constructed using DNA from a Ps+ suppressor yielded a plasmid carrying the ccl1–2 operon, the products of which, Ccl1 and Ccl2, are also involved in the biogenesis of c‐type cytochromes. DNA sequence analysis revealed that the complementing activity resulted from a single point mutation, G488A, located upstream of the coding region of ccl1–2. This mutation changed the −35 region of the ccl1–2 promoter from TTGGCC to TTGACC, improving its similarity to the consensus sequence of Escherichia coliσ70‐dependent promoters. That the G488A mutation indeed enhanced transcription of ccl1–2 was demonstrated by the use of reporter gene fusions. An appropriate ccl1‐2::lacZ transcriptional–translational fusion carrying the G488A mutation produced in R. capsulatus over 30‐fold higher β‐galactosidase activity than a wild‐type construct. Immunoblot analyses confirmed that Ccl1 and Ccl2 were overproduced in the Ps+ suppressors. Deletion of either ccl1 or ccl2, from the ccl1–2 cluster carrying the G488A mutation abolished the complementing ability, indicating that overexpression of both ccl1 and ccl2 was required to confer the Ps+ phenotype on a CycH‐null mutant. These findings therefore demonstrate that, during R. capsulatus growth on minimal medium, the requirement for CycH in c‐type cytochrome biogenesis could be bypassed by overexpressing the ccl1–2 operon.
How good are detection proposals, really?

Current top performing Pascal VOC object detectors employ detection proposals to guide the search for objects thereby avoiding exhaustive sliding window search across images. Despite the popularity of detection proposals, it is unclear which trade-offs are made when using them during object detection. We provide an in depth analysis of ten object proposal methods along with four baselines regarding ground truth annotation recall (on Pascal VOC 2007 and ImageNet 2013), repeatability, and impact on DPM detector performance. Our findings show common weaknesses of existing methods, and provide insights to choose the most adequate method for different settings.
The role of 5‐HT1B receptors in the regulation of serotonin cell firing and release in the rat brain

The release of 5‐HT in terminal areas of the rodent brain is regulated by 5‐HT1B receptors. Here we examined the role of 5‐HT1B receptors in the control of 5‐HT output and firing in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR), median raphe nucleus (MnR) and forebrain of the rat in vivo. The local perfusion (30–300 µm) of the selective 5‐HT1B receptor agonist CP‐93,129 to freely moving rats decreased 5‐HT release in the DR and more markedly in the MnR. Likewise, 300 µm CP‐93,129 reduced 5‐HT output in substantia nigra pars reticulata, ventral pallidum, lateral habenula and the suprachiasmatic nucleus. The effect of CP‐93,129 was prevented by SB‐224289, but not by WAY‐100635, selective 5‐HT1B and 5‐HT1A receptor antagonists, respectively. SB‐224289 did not alter dialysate 5‐HT in any raphe nuclei. The intravenous administration of the brain‐penetrant selective 5‐HT1B receptor agonist CP‐94,253 (0.5–2.0 mg/kg) to anesthetized rats decreased dialysate 5‐HT in dorsal hippocampus and globus pallidus, increased it in MnR and left it unaltered in the DR and medial prefrontal cortex. SB‐224289, at a dose known to block 5‐HT1B autoreceptor‐mediated effects (5 mg/kg), did not prevent the effect of CP‐94,253 on MnR 5‐HT. The intravenous administration of CP‐94,253 (0.05–1.6 mg/kg) to anesthetized rats increased the firing rate of MnR, but not DR‐5‐HT neurons. The local perfusion of CP‐94,253 in the MnR showed a biphasic effect, with 5‐HT reductions at 0.3–3 µm and increase at 300 µm. These results suggest that 5‐HT cell firing and release in midbrain raphe nuclei (particularly in the MnR) are under control of 5‐HT1B receptors. The activation of 5‐HT1B autoreceptors (possibly located on 5‐HT nerve endings and/or varicosities within DR and MnR) reduces 5‐HT release. The effects of higher concentrations of 5‐HT1B receptor agonists seem more compatible with the activation of 5‐HT1B heteroreceptors on inhibitory neurons.
Classification of Breast Cancer Malignancy Using Cytological Images of Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies

Classification of Breast Cancer Malignancy Using Cytological Images of Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer (BC) is one of the most deadly cancers diagnosed among middle-aged women. Precise diagnosis and prognosis are crucial to reduce the high death rate. In this paper we present a framework for automatic malignancy grading of fine needle aspiration biopsy tissue. The malignancy grade is one of the most important factors taken into consideration during the prediction of cancer behavior after the treatment. Our framework is based on a classification using Support Vector Machines (SVM). The SVMs presented here are able to assign a malignancy grade based on preextracted features with the accuracy up to 94.24%. We also show that SVMs performed best out of four tested classifiers.
Serosorting and recreational drug use are risk factors for diagnosis of genital infection with chlamydia and gonorrhoea among HIV-positive men who have sex with men: results from a clinical cohort in Ontario, Canada

Objectives Rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea have been rising in urban centres in Canada, particularly among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Our objective was to identify behavioural risk factors for diagnosis with chlamydia and gonorrhoea in this population, with a focus on the HIV status of sexual partners. Methods The OHTN Cohort Study follows people in HIV care across Ontario. We restricted the analysis to 1997 MSM who completed questionnaires in 2010–2013 at one of seven clinics that submit all chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests to the provincial public health laboratory; we obtained test results via record linkage. We estimated cumulative incidences using Kaplan–Meier methods and identified risk factors for diagnosis of a composite outcome (chlamydia or gonorrhoea infection) using Cox regression. Results At follow-up, there were 74 new chlamydia/gonorrhoea diagnoses with a 12-month cumulative incidence of 1.7% (95% CI 1.1% to 2.2%). Risk factors for chlamydia/gonorrhoea diagnosis were: 5+ HIV-positive partners (HR=3.3, 95% CI 1.4 to 7.8; reference=none) and recreational drug use (HR=2.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.9). Conclusions Heightened risks with recreational drug use and multiple HIV-positive partners suggest that chlamydia/gonorrhoea may have achieved high prevalence in certain sexual networks among HIV-positive MSM. Interventions to promote safer sex and timely testing among MSM are needed.
IRS Attention

We study how public and private disclosure requirements interact to influence both tax regulator enforcement and firm disclosure. To capture IRS enforcement activities, we introduce a novel dataset of IRS acquisition of firms’ public financial disclosures, which we label IRS attention. We examine the implementation of two new disclosure requirements that potentially alter IRS attention: FIN 48, which increased public tax disclosure requirements, and Schedule UTP, which increased private tax disclosure. We find that IRS attention increased following FIN 48 but subsequently decreased following Schedule UTP, consistent with public and private disclosure interacting to influence tax enforcement. We next examine how private tax disclosure requirements under Schedule UTP affected firms’ public disclosure responses. We find that, following Schedule UTP, firms significantly increased the quantity and altered the content of their tax-related disclosures, consistent with lower tax-related proprietary costs of disclosure. Our results suggest that changes in SEC disclosure requirements altered the IRS’s behavior with regard to public information acquisition, and, relatedly, changes in IRS private disclosure requirements appear to change firms’ public disclosure behavior.
A 6.5 Gb/s backplane transmitter with 6-tap FIR equalizer and variable tap spacing

This paper presents a 6.5 Gb/s transmitter for use in backplane links. This transmitter incorporates a finite impulse response filter with programmable tap spacing in the output driver to compensate for intersymbol interference. Using jitter-minimizing tap weights computed using a behavioral model of the transmitter, it is shown that at 6.5 Gb/s peak-to-peak data-dependent jitter is reduced by over 50% by using a tap spacing of 0.53 unit intervals (UI) instead of the usual 1 UI.
Hepatitis E virus infection in patients with acute non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis in Central Brazil

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection has a worldwide distribution and represents an important cause of acute hepatitis. This study aims to investigate the occurrence of HEV infection and factors associated with this infection in patients with acute non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis in Central Brazil. From April 2012 to October 2014, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 379 patients with acute non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis in the City of Goiania, Central Brazil. Serum samples of all patients were tested for serological markers of HEV infection (anti-HEV IgM and IgG) by ELISA. Positive samples were confirmed using immunoblot test. Anti-HEV IgM and IgG positive samples were tested for HEV RNA. Of the 379 serum samples, one (0.3%) and 20 (5.3%) were positive for anti-HEV IgM and IgG, respectively. HEV RNA was not found in any sample positive for IgM and/or IgG anti-HEV. After multivariate analysis, low education level was independently associated with HEV seropositivity (p = 0.005), as well as living in rural area, with a borderline p-value (p = 0.056). In conclusion, HEV may be responsible for sporadic self-limited cases of acute hepatitis in Central Brazil.