Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Observation of two counter-intuitive behaviors in the antennas having EBG or HIS structure as the ground plane

Advantages of employing artificial ground planes such as electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) structures, high impedance surfaces (HISs) and artificial magnetic conductors (AMCs) for different antennas has received much attention for almost a decade, since their introduction in [1]. It has been illustrated in [1], that EBG structures suppress surface waves propagating transversely along the ground plane [1]. When such structures are used as the antenna ground planes, due to the absence of the surfaces waves, it is expected that less power is wasted in the backward radiation or edge diffractions and thus the antenna directivity is increased. For the HIS or AMC ground planes, on the other hand, image theory is invoked to explain the efficient antenna radiation. As is known, a horizontal wire radiates poorly above the conventional ground plane, commonly made of a good electric conductor, due to the reverse image introduced by the ground plane. Using a magnetic ground plane, one expects that this problem to be alleviated significantly because of the in-phase flowing currents in the wire and its image. The magnetic conducting ground planes in practice are artificially simulated by the so-called HISs or AMCs, which are typically periodic structures [1].
A strip-splitting-based optimal algorithm for decomposing a query window into maximal quadtree blocks

Decomposing a query window into maximal quadtree blocks is a fundamental problem in quadtree-based spatial database. Recently, Proietti presented the first optimal algorithm for solving this problem. Given a query window of size n/sub 1//spl times/n/sub 2/, Proietti's algorithm takes O(n/sub 1/) time, where n/sub 1/=max(n/sub 1/, n/sub 2/). Based on a strip-splitting approach, we present a new optimal algorithm for solving the same problem. Experimental results reveal that our proposed algorithm is quite competitive with Proietti's algorithm.
Iterative unsupervised adaptation using maximum likelihood linear regression

Maximum likelihood linear regression (MLLR) is a parameter transformation technique for both speaker and environment adaptation. In this paper, the iterative use of MLLR is investigated in the context of large-vocabulary speaker-independent transcription of both noise-free and noisy data. It is shown that iterative application of MLLR can be beneficial especially in situations of severe mismatch. When word lattices are used, it is important that the lattices contain the correct transcription, and it is shown that global MLLR based on rough initial transcriptions of the data can be very useful in generating high-quality lattices. MLLR can also be used in an iterative fashion to refine the transcriptions of the test data and to adapt models based on the current transcriptions. These techniques were used by the HTK large-vocabulary speech recognition system for the November 1995 ARPA H3 evaluation. It is shown that iterative-application MLLR proved to be very effective prior to lattice generation and for iterative refinement.
Real-time planning for adjacent consecutive intersections

Real-time path planning constitutes one of the hot topics when developing automated driving. Different path planning techniques have been studied in both the robotics and automated vehicles fields trying to improve the trajectory generation and its tracking. In this paper, a novel local path planning algorithm combining both off-line and real-time generation for automated vehicles in urban environments is presented. It takes advantage of an off-line planning strategy to achieve a smooth and continuous trajectory generation with adjacent consecutive intersections. Therefore, this approach allows a smooth and continuous trajectory by means of planning consecutive curves concurrently, i.e., it will plan the upcoming curve and the following one in advance, taking into account the constraints of the infrastructure and the physical limitations of the vehicle. The real-time planning algorithm has been tested in simulation based on the INRIA-RITS vehicles architecture. The results obtained show an improvement in the smoothness, continuity and comfort of the generated paths.
An Intelligent Surveillance System for Dangerous Situation Detection in Home Environments

In this paper we address the problem of human posture classification, in particular focusing to an indoor surveillance application. The approach was initially inspired to a previous works of Haritaoglou et al. [5] that uses histogram projections to classify people’s posture. Projection histograms are here exploited as the main feature for the posture classification, but, differently from [5], we propose a supervised statistical learning phase to create probability maps adopted as posture templates. Moreover, camera calibration and homography are included to solve perspective problems and to improve the precision of the classification. Furthermore, we make use of a finite state machine to detect dangerous situations as falls and to activate a suitable alarm generator. The system works on-line on standard workstations with network cameras.
A Novel Frequency Sense Solution for Cognitive Radio Based on Tracing Localization

Cognitive radio has potential to improve spectrum efficiency in future wireless multimedia communications. There exist various performance problems in the dynamic spectrum resource management, frequency sense and utilization for cognitive radio. In this paper, a novel frequency sense solution based on the double-station cooperation and multi-hop tracing localization is proposed to resolve the hidden and exposed problems in spectrum resource management. In specific, the solution is proposed to improve reliability and efficiency of frequency sense and increase the utilization of spectrum. With this solution, a secondary user can obtain more accurate primary user's location by an improved centroid localization algorithm cooperated with a known position user. The tracing localization accuracy is also analyzed. Simulation results show that the proposed solution significantly improves the performance while location accuracy is still within controllable range after multiple tracing hops.
Pelvic vein reflux in female patients with varicose veins: comparison of incidence between a specialist private vein clinic and the vascular department of a National Health Service district general hospital

Objectives Mounting evidence suggests that pelvic vein reflux is an important contributing factor to recurrent varicose veins. We compared the incidence in our specialist private unit (Unit A) with that of a District General Hospital (Unit B). Methods Results of all female patient lower limb duplex ultrasound (LLDUS) and transvaginal pelvic ultrasound (TVUS) scans performed over a one-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with refluxing veins emanating from the abdomen or pelvis on LLDUS (non-saphenous reflux) routinely proceeded to TVUS in Unit A. Results In Unit A, non-saphenous reflux on LLDUS was present in 90–462 female patients (19.5%). In 81.1% of these, TVUS confirmed reflux in truncal pelvic veins (incidence 15.8%). In Unit B, non-saphenous reflux was present in 60–279 female patients (21.5%). Conclusion One in five women presenting with varicose veins have reflux of non-saphenous origin. This is the case in specialist and non-specialist units. One in six has associated pelvic vein reflux.
Detection of resonance frequency in motion control systems

Due to the elastic nature of mechanical linkages and high control gains mechanical resonance may occur and cause torsional vibrations between motor and load in servo control systems. These vibrations introduce velocity and positioning errors to the control system and may be harmful to the system components. In this paper, a resonance frequency tracking scheme for servo control systems is presented. The scheme uses velocity error and band pass filters to track resonance frequencies. After the detection a notch filter cascaded to the torque command can be set to suppress the vibration. This scheme can be used in the initial setup and on-line resonance frequency tracking. Also, it can be used to identify all the vibrational frequencies in the systems with multiple resonant frequencies.
The Functional −765G→C Polymorphism of the COX-2 Gene May Reduce the Risk of Developing Crohn's Disease

Background Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a key enzyme involved in the conversion of arachidonic acid into prostaglandins. COX-2 is mainly induced at sites of inflammation in response to proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1α/β, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α produced by inflammatory cells. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the possible modulating effect of the functional COX-2 polymorphisms −1195 A→G and −765G→C on the risk for development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a Dutch population. Methods Genomic DNA of 525 patients with Crohn's disease (CD), 211 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 973 healthy controls was genotyped for the −1195 A→G (rs689466) and −765G→C (rs20417) polymorphisms. Distribution of genotypes in patients and controls were compared and genotype-phenotype interactions were investigated. Results The genotype distribution of the −1195A→G polymorphism was not different between the patients with CD or UC and the control group. The −765GG genotype was more prevalent in CD patients compared to controls with an OR of 1.33 (95%CI 1.04–1.69, p<0.05). The −765GC and −765CC genotype carriers showed a tendency to be less frequent in patients with CD compared to controls, with ORs of 0.78 (95%CI: 0.61–1.00) and 0.49 (95%CI 0.22–1.08), respectively. Combining homozygous and heterozygous patients with the −765C allele showed a reduced risk for developing CD, with an OR of 0.75 (95%CI: 0.59–0.96). In the context of this, the G−1195G−765/A−1195C−765 diplotype was significantly less common in patients with CD compared to controls, with an OR of 0.62 (95%CI: 0.39–0.98). For UC however, such an effect was not observed. No correlation was found between COX-2 diplotypes and clinical characteristics of IBD. Conclusions The −765G→C polymorphism was associated with a reduced risk for developing Crohn's disease in a Dutch population.
Biting and resting behaviour of anophelines in western Venezuela and implications for control of malaria transmission

A study was conducted in three villages in western Venezuela between February 1988 and October 1989 to determine the biting and resting activity of anophelines in relation to human habits, rainfall and fenitrothion spraying of houses. Mosquitoes were collected landing on humans inside and outside experimental huts throughout the night. Only three mosquitoes were found resting in the huts in the morning, but 2470 were collected resting on vegetation in the early morning. The collections yielded eleven species of anopheline, the most abundant being Anopheles nuneztovari, comprising over 75% of the total anophelines collected, followed by An.triannulatus, An.albitarsis s.l. and An.oswaldoi.
Biosynthesis and Accumulation of Ergoline Alkaloids in a Mutualistic Association between Ipomoea asarifolia (Convolvulaceae) and a Clavicipitalean Fungus1

Ergoline alkaloids occur in taxonomically unrelated taxa, such as fungi, belonging to the phylum Ascomycetes and higher plants of the family Convolvulaceae. The disjointed occurrence can be explained by the observation that plant-associated epibiotic clavicipitalean fungi capable of synthesizing ergoline alkaloids colonize the adaxial leaf surface of certain Convolvulaceae plant species. The fungi are seed transmitted. Their capacity to synthesize ergoline alkaloids depends on the presence of an intact differentiated host plant (e.g. Ipomoea asarifolia or Turbina corymbosa [Convolvulaceae]). Here, we present independent proof that these fungi are equipped with genetic material responsible for ergoline alkaloid biosynthesis. The gene (dmaW) for the determinant step in ergoline alkaloid biosynthesis was shown to be part of a cluster involved in ergoline alkaloid formation. The dmaW gene was overexpressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the encoded DmaW protein purified to homogeneity, and characterized. Neither the gene nor the biosynthetic capacity, however, was detectable in the intact I. asarifolia or the taxonomically related T. corymbosa host plants. Both plants, however, contained the ergoline alkaloids almost exclusively, whereas alkaloids are not detectable in the associated epibiotic fungi. This indicates that a transport system may exist translocating the alkaloids from the epibiotic fungus into the plant. The association between the fungus and the plant very likely is a symbiotum in which ergoline alkaloids play an essential role.
Lossy Bulk Synchronous Parallel Processing Model for Very Large Scale Grids

The performance of a parallel algorithm in a very large scale grid is significantly influenced by the underlying Internet protocols and inter-connectivity. Many grid programming platforms use TCP due to its reliability, usually with some optimizations to reduce its costs. However, TCP does not perform well in a high bandwidth and high delay network environment. On the other hand, UDP is the fastest protocol available because it omits connection setup process, acknowledgments and retransmissions sacrificing reliable transfer. Many new bulk data transfer schemes using UDP for data transmission such as RBUDP, Tsunami, and SABUL have been introduced and shown to have better performance compared to TCP. In this paper, we consider the use of UDP and examine the relationship between packet loss and speedup with respect to the number of grid nodes. Our measurement suggests that packet loss rates between 5%-15% on average are not uncommon between PlanetLab nodes that are widely distributed over the Internet. We show that transmitting multiple copies of same packet produces higher speedup. We show the minimum number of packet duplication required to maximize the possible speedup for a given number of nodes using a BSP based model. Our work demonstrates that by using an appropriate number of packet copies, we can increase performance of parallel program.
A Genome-Wide, Fine-Scale Map of Natural Pigmentation Variation in Drosophila melanogaster

Various approaches can be applied to uncover the genetic basis of natural phenotypic variation, each with their specific strengths and limitations. Here, we use a replicated genome-wide association approach (Pool-GWAS) to fine-scale map genomic regions contributing to natural variation in female abdominal pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster, a trait that is highly variable in natural populations and highly heritable in the laboratory. We examined abdominal pigmentation phenotypes in approximately 8000 female European D. melanogaster, isolating 1000 individuals with extreme phenotypes. We then used whole-genome Illumina sequencing to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) segregating in our sample, and tested these for associations with pigmentation by contrasting allele frequencies between replicate pools of light and dark individuals. We identify two small regions near the pigmentation genes tan and bric-à-brac 1, both corresponding to known cis-regulatory regions, which contain SNPs showing significant associations with pigmentation variation. While the Pool-GWAS approach suffers some limitations, its cost advantage facilitates replication and it can be applied to any non-model system with an available reference genome.
THE EFFECT OF ISONIAZID ON CYP 2 E 1-AND CYP 4 A-MEDIATED HYDROXYLATION OF ARACHIDONIC ACID IN THE RAT LIVER AND KIDNEY

Cytochrome P450 (P450) bioactivation of arachidonic acid to hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs) has been reported to be isoformand tissue-specific. To determine whether altered P450 expression affects the production of these metabolites, the formation of HETEs after isoniazid-mediated CYP2E1 induction was evaluated in the rat liver and kidney. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received isoniazid (200 mg/kg) or saline intraperitoneally once daily for 5 days. Chlorzoxazone, lauric acid, and arachidonic acid hydroxylation was measured in liver and kidney microsomes with and without preincubation with the specific CYP2E1 inhibitor, trans-1,2dichloroethylene (DCE). P450 isoform content and tissue HETE metabolite concentrations were also determined. Isoniazid increased CYP2E1 protein, and the 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone formation rate was increased by 2.7 0.3and 2.2 0.5-fold in liver and kidney, respectively. Formation of 19-HETE and 11-hydroxylauric acid was induced 2.3 0.6-fold and 2.2 0.4-fold in the liver, respectively, with no difference in the kidney. All of the induced activities were attenuated by DCE. An unanticipated decrease in liver CYP4A expression and in vitro 20-HETE formation rate was observed after isoniazid administration. Isoniazid decreased liver and kidney 20-HETE content to 34 10% and 15.6 5.3% of control, respectively, without significantly altering tissue 19-HETE concentration. Based on these findings, we conclude that under induced conditions, CYP2E1 is a primary enzyme involved in liver, but not kidney, formation of 19-HETE. In addition, formation of both CYP4A and 20-HETE is reduced in the liver by isoniazid. It was also demonstrated that tissue concentrations parallel in vitro inhibited formation rates for 20-HETE, but not the induced 19-HETE forma-
Evidence for a Protective Effect of Connexin 43 Deficiency in the Development of Osteocytic Osteolysis During Skeletal Unloading

Evidence for a Protective Effect of Connexin 43 Def iciency in the Development of Osteocytic Osteolysis During Skeleta l Unloading Shane A. Lloyd slloyd@hmc.psu. edu Alayna E. Loiselle aloiselle@hmc.psu. edu Yue Zhang yzhang1@hmc.psu. edu Henry J. Donahue 1 hdonahue@hmc.psu. edu Division of Musculoskeletal Sciences, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilit ation Penn State College of Medicine, 500 University Drive, Hershey, PA, USA 17033
Effect of Multiple Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Detection of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Virus Antibodies

ABSTRACT We investigated the effect of multiple freeze-thaw cycles on mumps, measles, and rubella virus serum antibody levels with whole-virus immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunoassays. Fresh serum samples from nine healthy adult volunteers were divided into six sets of five aliquots each. Samples were taken through a total of 10 freeze-thaw cycles and stored at 4°C until assayed. Each assay measurement was done in replicates of five, and the mean value was reported. After completing 10 freeze-thaw cycles, we found no clinically or statistically significant effect on measured antibody levels and found no discernible detrimental effect on the ability to measure these antibodies by enzyme-linked immunoassays.
High-Resolution Three-Dimensional Structural Data Quantify the Impact of Photoinhibition on Long-Term Carbon Gain in Wheat Canopies in the Field1[OPEN]

A digital reconstruction method models the effect of photoinhibition on daily canopy photosynthesis in three contrasting wheat canopies. Photoinhibition reduces photosynthetic productivity; however, it is difficult to quantify accurately in complex canopies partly because of a lack of high-resolution structural data on plant canopy architecture, which determines complex fluctuations of light in space and time. Here, we evaluate the effects of photoinhibition on long-term carbon gain (over 1 d) in three different wheat (Triticum aestivum) lines, which are architecturally diverse. We use a unique method for accurate digital three-dimensional reconstruction of canopies growing in the field. The reconstruction method captures unique architectural differences between lines, such as leaf angle, curvature, and leaf density, thus providing a sensitive method of evaluating the productivity of actual canopy structures that previously were difficult or impossible to obtain. We show that complex data on light distribution can be automatically obtained without conventional manual measurements. We use a mathematical model of photosynthesis parameterized by field data consisting of chlorophyll fluorescence, light response curves of carbon dioxide assimilation, and manual confirmation of canopy architecture and light attenuation. Model simulations show that photoinhibition alone can result in substantial reduction in carbon gain, but this is highly dependent on exact canopy architecture and the diurnal dynamics of photoinhibition. The use of such highly realistic canopy reconstructions also allows us to conclude that even a moderate change in leaf angle in upper layers of the wheat canopy led to a large increase in the number of leaves in a severely light-limited state.
A Threonine Stabilizes the NiC and NiR Catalytic Intermediates of [NiFe]-hydrogenase*

Background: A conserved threonine in [NiFe]-hydrogenases is a putative proton transfer relay. Results: Poorly active variants have modified spectroscopic signatures associated with changes in local protein structure. Conclusion: This threonine is not necessarily a proton transfer relay but, rather, stabilizes reaction intermediates. Significance: Combined kinetic, spectroscopic, and structural characterizations of several variants are necessary to assess the role of a residue in [NiFe]-hydrogenase. The heterodimeric [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio fructosovorans catalyzes the reversible oxidation of H2 into protons and electrons. The catalytic intermediates have been attributed to forms of the active site (NiSI, NiR, and NiC) detected using spectroscopic methods under potentiometric but non-catalytic conditions. Here, we produced variants by replacing the conserved Thr-18 residue in the small subunit with Ser, Val, Gln, Gly, or Asp, and we analyzed the effects of these mutations on the kinetic (H2 oxidation, H2 production, and H/D exchange), spectroscopic (IR, EPR), and structural properties of the enzyme. The mutations disrupt the H-bond network in the crystals and have a strong effect on H2 oxidation and H2 production turnover rates. However, the absence of correlation between activity and rate of H/D exchange in the series of variants suggests that the alcoholic group of Thr-18 is not necessarily a proton relay. Instead, the correlation between H2 oxidation and production activity and the detection of the NiC species in reduced samples confirms that NiC is a catalytic intermediate and suggests that Thr-18 is important to stabilize the local protein structure of the active site ensuring fast NiSI-NiC-NiR interconversions during H2 oxidation/production.
Developing a domain-specific plug-in for a modelling platform: The good, the bad, the ugly

Domain-Specific Modelling Languages (DSML) allow software engineers to use the techniques and tools of Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) to express, represent and analyse a particular domain. By defining DSMLs as UML profiles, i.e. domain-specific extensions of the UML metamodel, development time for DSMLs can be greatly reduced by extending existing UML tools. In this paper, we reflect on our own experience in building rbacUML, a DSML for Role-Based Access Control modelling and analysis, as a plugin for a UML modelling platform. We describe what motivated our choice, and discuss the advantages and drawbacks of using an existing platform to develop a DSML on top of UML and additional analysis tooling.