Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple-Spectral-Band CRFs for Denoising Junk Bands of Hyperspectral Imagery

Denoising of hyperspectral imagery in the domain of imaging spectroscopy by conditional random fields (CRFs) is addressed in this work. For denoising of hyperspectral imagery, the strong dependencies across spatial and spectral neighbors have been proved to be very useful. Many available hyperspectral image denoising algorithms adopt multidimensional tools to deal with the problems and thus naturally focus on the use of the spectral dependencies. However, few of them were specifically designed to use the spatial dependencies. In this paper, we propose a multiple-spectral-band CRF (MSB-CRF) to simultaneously model and use the spatial and spectral dependencies in a unified probabilistic framework. Furthermore, under the proposed MSB-CRF framework, we develop two hyperspectral image denoising algorithms, which, thanks to the incorporated spatial and spectral dependencies, can significantly remove the noise, while maintaining the important image details. The experiments are conducted in both simulated and real noisy conditions to test the proposed denoising algorithms, which are shown to outperform the popular denoising methods described in the previous literatures.
Localization of Prostate Cancer Using 3T MRI: Comparison of T2-Weighted and Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Imaging

Objective: To compare dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging and T2-weighted imaging using a 3T MR unit for the localization of prostate cancer. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer underwent both T2-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. At T2-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging, the presence or absence of prostate cancer confined within the prostate without extracapsular or adjacent organ invasion was evaluated in the peripheral zones of base, mid-gland, and apex on each side. Final decisions on prostate cancer localization were made by consensus between two radiologists. Degrees of depiction of tumor borders were graded as poor, fair, or excellent. Results: Prostate cancer was pathologically detected in 64 (53%) of 120 peripheral zone areas. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for prostate cancer detection were 55%, 88% and 70% for T2-weighted imaging and 73%, 77%, and 75% for dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging, respectively. Three cancer areas were detected only by T2-weighted imaging, 15 only by dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging, and 34 by both T2-weighted imaging and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. A fair or excellent degree at depicting tumor border was achieved in 67% by T2-weighted imaging and in 90% by dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging at 3T MRI is superior to T2-weighted imaging for the detection and depiction of prostate cancer and thus is likely to be more useful for preoperative staging.
Stomatal responses to drought at a Mediterranean site: a comparative study of co-occurring woody species differing in leaf longevity.

We studied stomatal responses to decreasing predawn water potential (Psipd) and increasing leaf-to-air water vapor pressure difference (VPD) of co-occurring woody Mediterranean species with contrasting leaf habits and growth form. The species included two evergreen oaks (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp. and Q. suber L. ), two deciduous oaks (Q. faginea Lam. and Q. pyrenaica Willd.) and two deciduous shrubs (Pyrus bourgaeana Decne. and Crataegus monogyna Jacq.). Our main objective was to determine if stomatal sensitivity is related to differences in leaf life span and leaf habit. The deciduous shrubs had the least conservative water-use characteristics, with relatively high stomatal conductance and low stomatal sensitivity to soil and atmospheric drought. As a result, Psipd decreased greatly in both species during the growing season, resulting in early leaf abscission in the summer. The deciduous oaks showed intermediate water-use characteristics, having maximum stomatal conductances and CO2 assimilation rates similar to or even higher than those of the deciduous shrubs. However, they had greater stomatal sensitivity to soil drying and showed less negative Psipd values than the deciduous shrubs. The evergreen oaks, and especially the species with the greatest leaf longevity, Q. ilex, exhibited the most conservative water-use behavior, having lower maximum stomatal conductances and greater sensitivity to VPD than the deciduous species. As a result, Psipd decreased less during the growing season in the evergreens than in the deciduous species, which may contribute to greater leaf longevity by avoiding irreversible damage during the summer drought. However, the combination of low maximum CO2 assimilation rates and high stomatal sensitivity to drought must have a negative impact on the final carbon budget of leaves with a long life span.
Please Scroll down for Article Journal of New Music Research Automated Music Emotion Recognition: a Systematic Evaluation Automated Music Emotion Recognition: a Systematic Evaluation

This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution , reselling , loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. The publisher does not give any warranty express or implied or make any representation that the contents will be complete or accurate or up to date. The accuracy of any instructions, formulae and drug doses should be independently verified with primary sources. The publisher shall not be liable for any loss, actions, claims, proceedings, demand or costs or damages whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with or arising out of the use of this material. Abstract Automated music emotion recognition (MER) is a challenging task in Music Information Retrieval (MIR) with wide-ranging applications. Some recent studies pose MER as a continuous regression problem in the Arousal-Valence (AV) plane. These consist of variations on a common architecture having a universal model of emotional response, a common repertoire of low-level audio features, a bag-of-frames approach to audio analysis, and relatively small data sets. These approaches achieve some success at MER and suggest that further improvements are possible with current technology. Our contribution to the state of the art is to examine just how far one can go within this framework , and to investigate what the limitations of this framework are. We present the results of a systematic study conducted in an attempt to maximize the prediction performance of an automated MER system using the architecture described. We begin with a carefully constructed data set, emphasizing quality over quantity. We address affect induction rather than affect attribution. We consider a variety of algorithms at each stage of the training process, from preprocessing to feature selection and model selection, and we report the results of extensive testing. We found that: (1) none of the variations we considered leads to a substantial improvement in performance, which we present as evidence of a limit on what is achievable under this architecture, and (2) the size of the small data sets that are commonly used in the MER literature limits the possibility of improving the set of features used in MER due to the phenomenon of Subset Selection Bias. We conclude with some proposals for advancing the state of the art.
Family and socialization in cross-cultural perspective: a model of change.

I have attempted to cover some aspects of the rather disjointed interdisciplinary field of family and socialization from a cross-cultural perspective. The coverage has necessarily been incomplete and selective, focusing mainly on intergenerational family interactions along the dependence/independence dimension, working toward a model of family change. I started out with an observation that psychology has not concerned itself much with holistic study of the family or the complex socialization process, especially within a cross-cultural perspective, even though some of the main models of person-environment relations at its disposal are appropriate for such study. With the recently increasing acceptance and use of the ecological and contextual models in coverging interdisciplinary approaches, the time may be ripe for cross-cultural theorizing on the family and socialization. The contextual approach to socially defined meaning is a key in such an endeavor to develop a thorough understanding of family diversity. Such an approach goes beyond simple description of cross-cultural differences and explains what meanings are attributed to events and how similar behaviors may be given different meanings in different contexts or how apparently contrasting behaviors may carry common meanings and lead to common outcomes. Family diversity in parental beliefs and values, parent-child interactions, and social class and family types can be better understood with such a contextual approach, where structural-functional links between underlying causes and behavioral outcomes are sought. Macro-level explanations such as industrialization, economic development models, and political/religious ideologies are often proposed to explain human diversity. What seem to be lacking are psychological models with cross-cultural validity that can tackle both human diversity and commonality. The (inter)dependence/independence dimension of human (family) relations is proposed as a psychological parameter that is independent of socioeconomic development levels and such and that has the potential to be the basis of a psychological explanation. There appears to be systematic cross-cultural variation along this dimension, and a number of assumptions prevail about shifts on this dimension through both time and space. The main assumption of unidirectional change toward the Western ideal-typical model of human (family) independence is challenged by much conflicting evidence including that on the American family. Some of the findings of the cross-cultural Value of Children Study also throw light on this issue, so that material and emotional interdependencies can be differentiated. I next proposed a heuristic model of family change comprising three ideal-typical patterns. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Prenatal diagnosis of omphalocele and gastroschisis by ultrasonography

As the use of ultrasonography has become a routine procedure in the care of pregnant women, fetal congenital malformations have been frequently diagnosed prenatally. During a 4‐year period abdominal wall defects (AWD) were diagnosed in 14 cases, five were gastroschises and nine were omphaloceles, seven females and seven males. Concomitant malformations were present in one case of gastroschisis and in five cases of omphalocele. Eleven AWD's were diagnosed in the second trimester and six pregnancies were interrupted. Eight children with AWD were born; two boys with omphalocele and one girl and one boy with gastroschisis are still alive. Alpha‐fetoprotein was determined in amniotic fluid in 11 cases and also in maternal serum prior to the amniocentesis in eight cases. Chromosomal investigations were performed in 13 cases, 11 on amniotic fluid cells and two on lymphocytes from a blood sample made postnatally. Two abnormal karyotypes, 47,XX + 18 were found.
Direct evidence that hepatocyte growth factor is a hepatotrophic factor for liver regeneration and has a potent antihepatitis effect in vivo

Hepatocyte growth factor, a potent mitogen for mature hepatocytes in vitro, seems to function as a hepatotrophic factor for liver regeneration. We examined the mitogenic effect of hepatocyte growth factor on mouse liver in vivo. The labeling index of hepatocytes was markedly increased when recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor was injected intravenously into mice subjected to 30% hepatectomy (control, 1.7% ± 0.1%; 1 μg hepatocyte growth factor, 6.4% ± 1.3%; 5 μg hepatocyte growth factor, 18.3% ± 0.2%) and into mice administered carbon tetrachloride (control, 12.7% ± 1.0%; 1 μg hepatocyte growth factor, 26.3% ± 2.8%) or α‐naphthylisothiocyanate (control, 0.4% ± 0.1%; 1 μg hepatocyte growth factor, 3.8% ± 1.1%; 5 μg hepatocyte growth factor, 14.2% ± 2.0%). In addition, weights of the remnant livers in mice given hepatocyte growth factor 60 hr after 30% hepatectomy were significantly greater than those of untreated control mice (control, 0.93 ± 0.04 gm; 5 μg hepatocyte growth factor, 1.06 ± 0.04 gm). Hepatocyte growth factor prevented any marked increase in the serum levels of liver enzymes and bilirubin when it was administered to mice also treated with α‐naphthylisothiocyanate (control: ALT, 394 ± 278 IU/L; lactate dehydrogenase, 2,644 ± 1,109 IU/L; bilirubin, 9.6 ± 2.6 mg/dl; and 5 μg hepatocyte growth factor: ALT, 135 ± 7.9 IU/L; lactate dehydrogenase, 1,672 ± 626 IU/L; bilirubin, 1.0 ± 0.8 mg/dl). Our findings show that intravenously injected hepatocyte growth factor stimulates the growth of hepatocytes in mouse liver and protects the integrity of hepatocytes in vivo against hepatitis caused by hepatotoxin. Thus hepatocyte growth factor may prove to be useful as a treatment for liver diseases as it is a hepatotrophic factor with a potent antihepatitis effect. (HEPATOLOGY 1992;16:1227–1235.)
Efficient gene transfer into the embryonic mouse brain using in vivo electroporation.

Mouse genetic manipulation has provided an excellent system to characterize gene function in numerous contexts. A number of mutants have been produced by using transgenic, gene knockout, and mutagenesis techniques. Nevertheless, one limitation is that it is difficult to express a gene in vivo in a restricted manner (i.e., spatially and temporally), because the number of available enhancers and promoters which can confine gene expression is limited. We have developed a novel method to introduce DNA into in/exo utero embryonic mouse brains at various stages by using electroporation. More than 90% of operated embryos survived, and more than 65% of these expressed the introduced genes in restricted regions of the brain. Expression was maintained even after birth, 6 weeks after electroporation. The use of fluorescent protein genes clearly visualized neuronal morphologies in the brain. Moreover, it was possible to transfect three different DNA vectors into the same cells. Thus, this method will be a powerful tool to characterize gene function in various settings due to its high efficiency and localized gene expression.
Technology Acceptance among Physicians

The proliferation of information technology has been a revolutionary force that has increased efficiency and effectiveness in many industries. However, health care organizations, particularly physician practices, are noticeably lagging in the adoption of such technologies. This article provides a systematic review of the literature on physician acceptance of information technology. An overview of the technology acceptance model (TAM) is discussed, and a modified version of this model is proposed. Finally, ideas for testing this new model in a physician setting are presented. By providing a better understanding of physician technology acceptance, this model will inform health care managers about barriers that make physicians hesitant to embrace new technologies designed to increase efficiency and improve quality in a health care setting.
Spatially Periodic Multipulse Patterns in a Generalized Klausmeier-Gray-Scott Model

Semiarid ecosystems form the stage for a plethora of vegetation patterns, a feature that has been captured in terms of mathematical models since the beginning of this millennium. To study these patterns, we use a reaction-advection-diffusion model that describes the interaction of vegetation and water supply on gentle slopes. As water diffuses much faster than vegetation, this model operates on multiple timescales. While many types of patters are observed in the field, our focus is on two-dimensional stripe patterns. These patterns are typically observed on sloped terrains. In the present idealized setting they correspond to solutions of the model that are spatially periodic in one direction---the $x$-direction---and are extended trivially in the perpendicular $y$-direction. The existence of long wavelength patterns in our model is established analytically using methods from geometric singular perturbation theory, in which a correct parameter scaling is crucial. Subsequently, an Evans function approach yi.
An automated multimodal face recognition system based on fusion of face and ear

This thesis presents an automated system for the detection and recognition of humans using a multimodal approach. Face recognition is a biometric method which has in recent years become more relevant and needed. With heavy research, it is achieving respectable recognition rates and is becoming more mature as a technology. It is even being deployed in certain situations such as with passports and credit cards. Our multimodal biometric system uses both a person's face and ear to improve the recognition rate of individuals. By combining these two biometric systems we are able to achieve significantly improved recognition rates, as compared to using a unimodal biometric system. The system is totally automated, with a trained detection system for face and one for ear. We look at recognition rates for both face and ear, and then at combined recognition rates, and see that we have significant performance gains from the multimodal approach. We also discuss many existing methods of combining biometric input and the recognition rates that each achieves. Experimental results indicate that a multimodal biometric system has higher recognition rates than unimodal systems. This type of automated biometric recognition system can easily be used in installations requiring person identification such as person recognition in mugshots. It can also be used by security agencies and intelligence agencies requiring robust person identification systems.
Free delivery (functional pearl)

Remote procedure calls are computationally expensive, because network round-trips take several orders of magnitude longer than local interactions. One common technique for amortizing this cost is to batch together multiple independent requests into one compound request. Batching requests amounts to serializing the abstract syntax tree of a small program, in order to transmit it and run it remotely. The standard representation for abstract syntax is to use free monads; we show that free applicative functors are actually a better choice of representation for this scenario.
It Never Rains but it Pours: Modeling the Persistence of Spikes in Electricity Prices

During periods of market stress, electricity prices can rise dramatically. This paper treats these abnormal episodes or price spikes as count events and attempts to build a model of the spiking process. By contrast to the existing literature, which either ignores temporal dependence in the spiking process or attempts to model the dependence solely in terms of deterministic variables (like seasonal and day of the week effects), this paper argues that persistence in the spiking process is an important factor in building an effective model. A Poisson autoregressive framework is proposed in which price spikes occur as a result of the latent arrival and survival of system stresses. This formulation captures the salient features of the process adequately, and yields forecasts of price spikes that are superior to those obtained from naïve models that do not account for persistence in the spiking process.
Identification of Genes with Nutrient‐controlled Expression by PCR‐mapping in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We have used RNA fingerprinting by the mRNA Differential Display technique to identify new genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, expression of which is controlled by specific nutrient conditions. mRNA was isolated from cells grown on glucose medium into exponential and stationary phase, and from cells starved for nitrogen on glucose‐containing medium. To avoid interference with the large number of glucose‐repressible genes, a glucose‐repression‐deficient strain was used. Twenty different sets of arbitrary primers chosen at random were used for PCR‐amplification of reverse transcriptase generated cDNAs, which resulted in six highly reproducible gene expression patterns. The validity of the approach was confirmed by sequencing PCR products of genes with known expression patterns, SUP44/RPS4, CTT1, SSA3, HSP30 and HSP104, and genes with related functions, TEF1 and TEF3, encoding translation elongation factors. In all cases the specificity of the responses was confirmed by Northern blot analysis. The results show that the PCR‐mapping method is highly useful for the identification of new genes expressed under specific conditions in the yeast S. cerevisiae © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of an herbal supplement containing black tea and caffeine on metabolic parameters in humans.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to test an herbal supplement containing black tea (the fully oxidized form of Camellia sinensis) and caffeine for stimulation of thermogenesis. METHODS/MATERIALS A double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study was conducted on 16 healthy, weight-stable, non-smoking subjects, ages 21-55 years, with body mass index (BMI) of 20-30 kg/m2, and on no medications other than oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy. Subjects had no caffeine for 48 hours, no exercise for 24 hours, and no food for 12 hours before each visit. Area under the curve (AUC) for resting metabolic rate (RMR), respiratory quotient (RQ), blood pressure, pulse rate, and temperature were measured. At each visit RMR was measured at baseline and at one and two hours following oral administration of a supplement containing principally 600 mg black tea extract (60 percent polyphenols, 20 percent caffeine) and 442 mg guarana extract (36 percent caffeine) or matching placebo. RESULTS The RMR and systolic blood pressure (SBP) AUCs increased significantly (p less than 0.02 and p less than 0.01, respectively) in the herbal supplement group compared to placebo. The AUC increase in RMR over the two-hour test period was 77.19 kcal/24 hr2 +/- 120.10 kcal/24 hr2 with an average rise of 52.38 +/- 29.52 kcal/24 hrs. The AUC rise in SBP over two hours was 10.3 mm Hg/hr +/- 14 mm Hg/hr. The average rise in SBP over two hours was 3.7 mm Hg +/- 4.4 mm Hg. DISCUSSION The herbal supplement increased metabolic rate without changing substrate oxidation. The rise in SBP was consistent with the amount of caffeine the supplement contained.
Experience with sorafenib in the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma

The molecular-targeted agent sorafenib is the first anticancer agent able to slow the progression of advanced/metastatic renal cell carcinoma, a tumor that was formerly refractory to conventional therapy. Experience from everyday clinical practice and investigations exploring the suitability of this agent for patients with harmful pathological conditions has extended the use of sorafenib to other settings of renal cell carcinoma and to particular risk populations. The aim of this review is to provide evidence on the most effective and safe use of sorafenib. The review pays particular attention to patients who have several comorbidities, such as impaired renal and cardiac function, and older patients whose frailty due to impaired organ function necessitates the most careful administration of targeted antineoplastic agents.