Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Model evaluation and calibration for prospective respiratory motion correction in coronary MR angiography based on 3-D image registration

Image processing was used as a fundamental tool to derive motion information from magnetic resonance (MR) images, which was fed back into prospective respiratory motion correction during subsequent data acquisition to improve image quality in coronary MR angiography (CMRA) scans. This reduces motion artifacts in the images and, in addition, enables the usage of a broader gating window than commonly used today to increase the scan efficiency. The aim of the study reported in this paper was to find a suitable motion model to be used for respiratory motion correction in cardiac imaging and to develop a calibration procedure to adapt the motion model to the individual patient. At first, the performance of three motion models [one-dimensional translation in feet-head (FH) direction, three-dimensional (3-D) translation, and 3-D affine transformation] was tested in a small volunteer study. An elastic image registration algorithm was applied to 3-D MR images of the coronary vessels obtained at different respiratory levels. A strong intersubject variability was observed. The 3-D translation and affine transformation model were found to be superior over the conventional FH translation model used today. Furthermore, a new approach is presented, which utilizes a fast model-based image registration to extract motion information from time series of low-resolution 3-D MR images, which reflects the respiratory motion of the heart. The registration is based on a selectable global 3-D motion model (translation, rigid, or affine transformation). All 3-D MR images were registered with respect to end expiration. The resulting time series of model parameters were analyzed in combination with additionally acquired motion information from a diaphragmatic MR pencil-beam navigator to calibrate the respiratory motion model. To demonstrate the potential of a calibrated motion model for prospective motion correction in coronary imaging, the approach was tested in CMRA examinations in five volunteers.
Beyond Command and Control: Sense Making under Large World Uncertainty

During military endeavors a large amount of information floods in from a variety of sources, both human sources and non-human sources such as autonomous (robotic) vehicles, sensors, etc. Timely evaluation of intelligence with background information is necessary for effective operations, but the sheer volume of incoming data poses a tremendous challenge. Automatically fusing data derived from multiple diverse sources into recognizable patterns of potentially threatening behavior can provide a distinct operational advantage, allowing commanders to react with agile, appropriate responses to an ever-changing situation. This advantage would be even more marked if the model is flexible enough to respond to changing patterns of behavior, and if the time needed for processing was close to real-time. In this article we present an easily modifiable model for threats which use Battle Management Language (BML) as the underlying standardized language for representation and fusion. The model is simple and based upon heuristics, its strength lies in the analysis and quantification of uncertainties in the fusion process. And most importantly, it provides a near real-time solution for first-pass processing of inflowing information to provide early warning of developing threats.
A 4-Element UWB MIMO Antenna System with High Isolation Performance

This paper proposes a 4-element multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna system, which is intended for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. The antenna has a dimension of 92 × 70 × 1.6 mm3. It achieves element isolation via the defected ground structure (DGS) and symmetric E-shaped branch structures design. The realized operating bandwidth is from 3 GHz to 18 GHz, with 15 dB isolation within the whole wide band. The envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) is less than 0.01 with diversity gain (DG) greater than 9.95. The prototype is fabricated and measured to verify its potential applications for UWB MIMO communication.
Signaling Pathways Involved in Megakaryocyte‐Mediated Proliferation of Osteoblast Lineage Cells

Recent studies suggest that megakaryocytes (MKs) may play a significant role in skeletal homeostasis, as evident by the occurrence of osteosclerosis in multiple MK related diseases (Lennert et al., 1975; Thiele et al., 1999; Chagraoui et al., 2006). We previously reported a novel interaction whereby MKs enhanced proliferation of osteoblast lineage/osteoprogenitor cells (OBs) by a mechanism requiring direct cell–cell contact. However, the signal transduction pathways and the downstream effector molecules involved in this process have not been characterized. Here we show that MKs contact with OBs, via beta1 integrin, activate the p38/MAPKAPK2/p90RSK kinase cascade in the bone cells, which causes Mdm2 to neutralizes p53/Rb‐mediated check point and allows progression through the G1/S. Interestingly, activation of MAPK (ERK1/2) and AKT, collateral pathways that regulate the cell cycle, remained unchanged with MK stimulation of OBs. The MK‐to‐OB signaling ultimately results in significant increases in the expression of c‐fos and cyclin A, necessary for sustaining the OB proliferation. Overall, our findings show that OBs respond to the presence of MKs, in part, via an integrin‐mediated signaling mechanism, activating a novel response axis that de‐represses cell cycle activity. Understanding the mechanisms by which MKs enhance OB proliferation will facilitate the development of novel anabolic therapies to treat bone loss associated with osteoporosis and other bone‐related diseases. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 578–586, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company
Stomatal Conductance Responses of Acacia caven to Seasonal Patterns of Water Availability at Different Soil Depths in a Mediterranean Savanna

Soil water availability controls plant productivity in seasonally dry ecosystems, although plant water use at different soil depths and times is, to the best of our knowledge, not clearly understood. Environmental variables at the canopy level and the soil volumetric water content (VWC) at five different soil depths were continuously recorded for three years (2011–2014) in an Acacia caven savanna site in central Chile. Stomatal conductance ( g s ) was measured every hour during daytime for 42 days distributed across the study period. Values of g s were weakly controlled by photosynthetically active radiation, vapor pressure deficit, and leaf temperature when considering the whole series. The variance proportion being explained increased from 5% to 20% if the whole series was partitioned into a dry and a wet season. According to the above, A. caven exhibited a more anisohydric behavior than previously thought. When we added the VWC in the root zone, to the g s atmospheric variables model, R2 increased to 47% when separately considering the dry and wet seasons. However, we did not find a differentiated use of water in the root zone, but instead a joint activity of the radicular system within the top 100 cm of the soil controlling g s .
Understanding Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS): Insights from LLM-Generated Regexes and Developer Forums

Regular expression Denial of Service (ReDoS) represents an algorithmic complexity attack that exploits the processing of regular expressions (regexes) to produce a denial-of-service attack. This attack occurs when a regex’s evaluation time scales polynomially or exponentially with input length, posing significant challenges for software developers. The advent of Large Language Models (LLMs) has revolutionized the generation of regexes from natural language prompts, but not without its risks. Prior works showed that LLMs can generate code with vulnerabilities and security smells. In this paper, we examined the correctness and security of regexes generated by LLMs as well as the characteristics of LLM-generated vulnerable regexes. Our study also examined ReDoS patterns in actual software projects, aligning them with corresponding regex equivalence classes and algorithmic complexity. Moreover, we analyzed developer discussions on GitHub and StackOverflow, constructing a taxonomy to investigate their experiences and perspectives on ReDoS. In this study, we found that GPT-3.5 was the best LLM to generate regexes that are both correct and secure. We also observed that LLM-generated regexes mainly have polynomial ReDoS vulnerability patterns, and it is consistent with vulnerable regexes found in open source projects. We also found that developers’ main discussions around insecure regexes is related to mitigation strategies to remove vulnerable regexes.
The potential role of benefit and burden finding in school engagement of young leukaemia survivors: an exploratory study.

BACKGROUND Childhood cancer may radically change the daily lives of young survivors, particularly in school. Depending on the sense they derive from the experience of illness, survivors may go through profound transformations in the way they approach life. METHODS This exploratory study reports on school engagement of cancer survivors by examining their perceptions of benefits and burdens in relation to their illness. Forty-nine young Quebecers, previously diagnosed and treated for leukaemia, completed a questionnaire measuring their school engagement and participated in an interview focusing on the impact of cancer on their lives. Perceptions with regard to the presence and types of benefits and burdens were described and examined in light of participants' characteristics. An analysis of variance explored whether the presence/absence of benefits and burdens were associated with participants' scores regarding school engagement. RESULTS Most participants mentioned benefits from having had cancer, and in particular benefits at an interpersonal level. Half of the participants mentioned burdens, mainly of a physical and psychological nature. Significant correlations indicated that (i) the older the survivors were, the more likely they were to report benefits in terms of qualities and strengths of character; (ii) the more time had elapsed since their diagnosis, the more survivors were likely to report psychological types of burdens; and (iii) children from single-parent families reported more frequently having appreciated social or recreational activities compared with children from two-parent families. One main effect indicated that school engagement was greater for survivors who perceived the presence of benefits. An interaction effect revealed that the perception of both benefits and burdens predicts the highest scores of school engagement. CONCLUSIONS While the results reveal the promising potential that an optimistic yet realistic disposition has in regard to school engagement, more research is necessary to further our understanding of such a disposition.
The initial experience with RENAL nephrometry in children, adolescents, and young adults with renal tumors

No standardized manner exits to objectively compare renal tumor complexity in children and adolescents. However, the RENAL Nephrometry scoring system has been recently developed in adults and shown to predict tumor complexity and correlate with clinical outcomes. Thus, the study objective was to evaluate RENAL Nephrometry tumor score in a population of children, adolescents, and young adults and correlate it with tumor features and pathology.
Enhancing the Effectiveness of Diabetes Self-Management Education: The Diabetes Literacy Project

Abstract Patient empowerment through self-management education is central to improving the quality of diabetes care and preventing Type 2 Diabetes. Although national programs exist, there is no EU-wide strategy for diabetes self-management education, and patients with limited literacy face barriers to effective self-management. The Diabetes Literacy project, initiated with the support of the European Commission, aims to fill this gap. The project investigates the effectiveness of diabetes self-management education, targeting people with or at risk of Type 2 Diabetes in the 28 EU Member States, as part of a comprehensive EU-wide diabetes strategy. National diabetes strategies in the EU, US, Taiwan, and Israel are compared, and diabetes self-management programs inventorized. The costs of the diabetes care pathway are assessed on a per person basis at national level. A comparison is made of the (cost)-effectiveness of different methods for diabetes self-management support, and the moderating role of health literacy, organization of the health services, and implementation fidelity of education programs are considered. Web-based materials are developed and evaluated by randomized trials to evaluate if interactive internet delivery can enhance self-management support for people with lower levels of health literacy. The 3-year project started in December 2012. Several literature reviews have been produced and protocol development and research design are in the final stages. Primary and secondary data collection and analysis take place in 2014. The results will inform policy decisions on improving the prevention, treatment, and care for persons with diabetes across literacy levels.
The Thai

Bio-monitoring, in the control strategies for pollution, has several advantages over other tests in aquatic organisms. Bio-effects may link the bioavailability of the compounds of interest with their concentration at target organs and intrinsic toxicity. Potential harmful effects of 2,4-difluoroaniline (DFA), on a 96-hour acute static test, on adult zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) were followed. According to OECD 203: Fish Acute Toxicity Test, LC50 was determined using 70 adult zebrafish AB strain and 14 zebrafish as control group, to evaluate the effects and action at different concentrations of DFA. Obtained data were analyzed using Minitab Statistical Software as Goodness-of-Fit correlation tests. Logarithmic value obtained for LC50 was of 2.30311, which corresponded to LC50 of 200.96 mg/L. Results from the performed work reinforce the idea of the zebrafish adults as simple and easy reproducible model organisms in ecotoxicology. Although there are more comprehensive tests available, this particular one is both rapid and relatively cheap. The results obtained for LC50, in our opinion, are useful and applicable to a large number of substances, especially in field conditions when overall effectiveness is more important than meticulousness of the method.
Dopamine–Galanin Receptor Heteromers Modulate Cholinergic Neurotransmission in the Rat Ventral Hippocampus

Previous studies have shown that dopamine and galanin modulate cholinergic transmission in the hippocampus, but little is known about the mechanisms involved and their possible interactions. By using resonance energy transfer techniques in transfected mammalian cells, we demonstrated the existence of heteromers between the dopamine D1-like receptors (D1 and D5) and galanin Gal1, but not Gal2 receptors. Within the D1–Gal1 and D5–Gal1 receptor heteromers, dopamine receptor activation potentiated and dopamine receptor blockade counteracted MAPK activation induced by stimulation of Gal1 receptors, whereas Gal1 receptor activation or blockade did not modify D1-like receptor-mediated MAPK activation. Ability of a D1-like receptor antagonist to block galanin-induced MAPK activation (cross-antagonism) was used as a “biochemical fingerprint” of D1-like–Gal1 receptor heteromers, allowing their identification in the rat ventral hippocampus. The functional role of D1-like–Gal receptor heteromers was demonstrated in synaptosomes from rat ventral hippocampus, where galanin facilitated acetylcholine release, but only with costimulation of D1-like receptors. Electrophysiological experiments in rat ventral hippocampal slices showed that these receptor interactions modulate hippocampal synaptic transmission. Thus, a D1-like receptor agonist that was ineffective when administered alone turned an inhibitory effect of galanin into an excitatory effect, an interaction that required cholinergic neurotransmission. Altogether, our results strongly suggest that D1-like–Gal1 receptor heteromers act as processors that integrate signals of two different neurotransmitters, dopamine and galanin, to modulate hippocampal cholinergic neurotransmission.
NRC Publications Archive Archives des publications du CNRC

Summary Tick-borne diseases (TBD) remain prevalent worldwide, and risk assessment of tick habitat suitability is crucial to prevent or reduce their burden. This scoping review provides a comprehensive survey of models and data used to predict I. scapularis distribution and abundance in North America. We identi ﬁ ed 4661 relevant primary research articles published in English between January 1st, 2012, and July 18th, 2022, and selected 41 articles following full-text review. Models used data-driven and mechanistic modelling frameworks informed by diverse tick, hydroclimatic, and ecological variables. Predictions captured tick abundance (n = 14, 34.1%), distribution (n = 22, 53.6%) and both (n = 5, 12.1%). All studies used tick data, and many incorporated both hydroclimatic and ecological variables. Minimal host-and human-speci ﬁ c data were utilized. Biases related to data collection, protocols, and tick data quality affect completeness and representativeness of prediction models. Further research and collaboration are needed to improve prediction accuracy and develop effective strategies to reduce TBD.
Aortic aneurysm and craniosynostosis in a family with Cantu syndrome

Cantu syndrome is an autosomal dominant overgrowth syndrome associated with facial dysmorphism, congenital hypertrichosis, and cardiomegaly. Some affected individuals show bone undermodeling of variable severity. Recent investigations revealed that the disorder is caused by a mutation in ABCC9, encoding a regulatory SUR2 subunit of an ATP‐sensitive potassium channel mainly expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle as well as vascular smooth muscle. We report here on a Japanese family with this syndrome. An affected boy and his father had a novel missense mutation in ABCC9. Each patient had a coarse face and hypertrichosis. However, cardiomegaly was seen only in the boy, and macrosomia only in the father. Skeletal changes were not evident in either patient. Craniosynostosis in the boy and the development of aortic aneurysm in the father are previously undescribed associations with Cantu syndrome. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Determining privileges of mobile agents

This paper describes a method for controlling the behavior of mobile agent-system entities through the allocation of privileges. Privileges refer to policy rules that govern the access and use of computational resources and services by mobile agents. Our method is based on extending the platform processing environment, using the capabilities present in most mobile agent systems, and applying two forms of privilege management certificates: attribute certificates and policy certificates. Privilege management certificates are digitally signed objects that allow various policy-setting principals to govern the activities of mobile agents through selective privilege assignment. The approach overcomes a number of problems in existing agent systems and provides a means for attaining improved interoperability of agent systems designed and implemented independently by different manufacturers. The paper also describes the application of the scheme to Java-based agent systems.
Learning with memristive devices: How should we model their behavior?

This work discusses the modeling of memristive devices, for architectures where they are used as synapses. It is shown that the most common models used in this context do not always accurately reflect the actual behavior of popular devices in pulse regime. We introduce a new behavioral model, intended towards the nanoarchitecture community. It fits the conductance evolution of Univ. Michigan's synaptic memristive devices. A variation of the model fits HP labs's memristors' behavior in the same conditions. Finally, we discuss using a simple example the importance of this type of modeling for learning architectures and how it can impact the behavior of the learning.
Current carrying capacity of overhead line that connects wind power plant to the grid

The mathematical model for calculating conductor temperature of overhead transmission line (OHTL) has been developed in this paper. This model is able to calculate conductor temperature for real meteorological conditions. Also it can be used for calculating temperature in case that electrical current which flows through conductor is produced using wind turbines. Using this model the critical conditions for calculating current-carrying capacity of transmission line that connects wind power plant to the grid can be determined. The importance of this study is to show that the overhead lines that connect wind turbines on the grid can be significantly overloaded, comparing to the values that are given by current standards and technical reports. This is possible due to better cooling conditions of conductors. During the production of electrical energy in wind turbine, it is assumed that the wind speed that is used for energy production is also used for conductor cooling.
VORONOI DIAGRAMS AND ORNAMENTAL DESIGN

A set of points in the plane induces a Voronoi diagram, a division of the plane based on proximity to points in the set. Voronoi diagrams have been used extensively in engineering and scientific disciplines, but the possibility of using them for creating abstract ornamental designs is largely unexplored. I present some techniques for creating attractive ornamental designs using Voronoi diagrams. I focus on two features of Voronoi diagrams that make them particularly useful artistic tools: their conservation of symmetry, which can be used to construct interesting tilings of the plane, and their continuity with respect to changes in the generators, which makes possible smooth, organic animations of tilings.