Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Split-Bregman-based group-sparse reconstruction of multidimensional spectroscopic imaging data

4D Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging data provides valuable biochemical information in vivo, however, its acquisition time is too long to be used clinically. In this paper, 4D phantom MRSI data are retrospectively under-sampled 4X, 6X, and 8X then reconstructed with Compressed Sensing and Group Sparsity. A derivation for the Group Sparse problem solution within the Split-Bregman framework is provided which allows for arbitrary, over-lapping groups of transform coefficients. Results show that Group Sparse reconstruction with over-lapping groups is more accurate at each under-sampling rate than Compressed Sensing reconstruction with superior peak line-shape and amplitude reproduction. The acceleration factors used in these experiments could potentially reduce scan times from 40 minutes to 5 minutes.
Analysis of cd45- [cd34+/kdr+] Endothelial Progenitor Cells as Juvenile Protective Factors in a Rat Model of Ischemic-Hemorrhagic Stroke

Background Identification of juvenile protective factors (JPFs) which are altered with age and contribute to adult-onset diseases could identify novel pathways for reversing the effects of age, an accepted non-modifiable risk factor to adult-onset diseases. Since endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been observed to be altered in stroke, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, said EPCs are candidate JPFs for adult-onset stroke. A priori, if EPC aging plays a ‘master-switch JPF-role’ in stroke pathogenesis, juvenile EPC therapy alone should delay stroke-onset. Using a hypertensive, transgenic-hyperlipidemic rat model of spontaneous ischemic-hemorrhagic stroke, spTg25, we tested the hypothesis that freshly isolated juvenile EPCs are JPFs that can attenuate stroke progression and delay stroke onset. Methodology/Principal Findings FACS analysis revealed that cd45- [cd34+/kdr+] EPCs decrease with progression to stroke in spTg25 rats, exhibit differential expression of the dual endodthelin-1/VEGFsp receptor (DEspR) and undergo differential DEspR-subtype specific changes in number and in vitro angiogenic tube-incorporation. In vivo EPC infusion of male, juvenile non-expanded cd45-[cd34+/kdr+] EPCs into female stroke-prone rats prior to stroke attenuated progression and delayed stroke onset (P<0.003). Detection of Y-chromosome DNA in brain microvessels of EPC-treated female spTg25 rats indicates integration of male EPCs into female rat brain microvessels. Gradient-echo MRI showed delay of ischemic-hemorrhagic lesions in EPC-treated rats. Real-time RT-PCR pathway-specific array-analysis revealed age-associated gene expression changes in cd45-[cd34+/kdr]EPC subtypes, which were accelerated in stroke-prone rats. Pro-angiogenic genes implicated in intimal hyperplasia were increased in stroke-prone rat EPCs (P<0.0001), suggesting a maladaptive endothelial repair system which acts like a double-edged sword repairing while predisposing to age-associated intimal hyperplasia. Conclusions/Significance Altogether, the data demonstrate that cd45-[cd34/kdr+]EPCs are juvenile protective factors for ischemic hemorrhagic stroke as modeled in the spTg25-rat model. The ability to delay stroke onset emphasizes the importance of EPC-mediated roles in vascular health for ischemic-hemorrhagic stroke, a high unmet need.
DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF TRACKING CONTROLLER OF NONLINEAR COMPOSITE SYSTEMS USING NEURAL NETWORKS

A new tracking controller scheme is presented for a class of nonlinear composite system using dynamic neural networks. Lyapunov stability theory is used to guarantee a uniform ultimate boundedness property for the tracking error and all other signals in the closed loop. The controller derived is smooth. In addition, the performance criteria of the mean-square performance are provided to quantify the control performance of proposed method. No a priori knowledge of an upper bound on the ”optimal” weights and modelling errors is required. Numerical simulation examples are used to illustrate and clarify the theoretical results.Copyright c ©2005 IFAC
Investigating Novel Point-select Techniques for Older People

As the number and proportion of older people worldwide continues to grow, robotic devices can play a role in helping older people continue to live independent and active lives. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and interactions that involve pointing to items and selecting them are becoming more common in assistive robots. The authors are currently working on a project investigating techniques to improve point-select interactions for older people. In particular, the project studies how older people respond to expanding and moving targets. The research is ongoing, and this paper describes the methods that will be used in upcoming experiments.
Lung Ultrasound in the Critically Ill Neonate

Critical ultrasound is a new tool for first-line physicians, including neonate intensivists. The consideration of the lung as one major target allows to redefine the priorities. Simple machines work better than up-to-date ones. We use a microconvex probe. Ten standardized signs allow a majority of uses: the bat sign (pleural line), lung sliding and the A-line (normal lung surface), the quad sign and sinusoid sign indicating pleural effusion regardless its echogenicity, the tissue-like sign and fractal sign indicating lung consolidation, the B-line artifact and lung rockets (indicating interstitial syndrome), abolished lung sliding with the stratosphere sign, suggesting pneumothorax, and the lung point, indicating pneumothorax. Other signs are used for more sophisticated applications (distinguishing atelectasis from pneumonia for instance.). All these disorders were assessed in the adult using CT as gold standard with sensitivity and specificity ranging from 90 to 100%, allowing to consider ultrasound as a reasonable bedside gold standard in the critically ill. The same signs are found, with no difference in the critically ill neonate. Fast protocols such as the BLUE-protocol are available, allowing immediate diagnosis of acute respiratory failure using seven standardized profiles. Pulmonary edema e.g. yields anterior lung rockets associated with lung sliding, making the B-profile. The FALLS-protocol, inserted in a Limited Investigation including a simple model of heart and vessels, assesses acute circulatory failure using lung artifacts. Interventional ultrasound (mainly, thoracocenthesis) provides maximal safety. Referrals to CT can be postponed. CEURF proposes personnalized bedside trainings since 1990. Lung ultrasound opens physicians to a visual medicine.
An Efficient Homomorphic Coercion Resistant and E2E Verifiable Voting Scheme

This paper proposes a voting scheme that coalesces many features of an efficient e- voting scheme like receipt-freeness, uncoercibility, E2E verifiable and write-in ballot. Some of the previous schemes in the past literatures provide most of these features at the cost of increased running time. This paper proposes a simple and efficient voting scheme that is coercion resistant and E2E verifiable. It also has the write-in property. Our protocol addresses some of the major drawbacks of previous popular voting schemes to make the proposed scheme applicable for any kind of real time elections.
Bitmap Index Partition Techniques for Continuous and High Cardinality Discrete Attributes

Bitmap indexing is a technique to index data. The main advantage of bitmap indexing is that boolean operations on bitmaps are very fast. This is essential for queries in OLAP applications. Typically, bitmap indexing is used for low cardinality attributes since the overall space requirement depends on the cardinality. For high cardinality attributes, a technique of associating a range of contiguous values to a single bitmap is generally applied to reduce the space requirement. This technique requires an additional step, candidate check, which checks the actual records to verify if they satisfy the condition in the query or not. In this paper, we study techniques on partitioning the attribute domain into intervals, each is assigned to a bitmap. The goal is to minimize the candidate check cost. We propose two partitioning techniques. the first technique is for the situation that the query distribution is similar to the data distribution in the database. We also prove that this partitioning scheme is optimal when both query and data distributions are the same. The second technique uses a set of training queries in addition to the data in database. The partition generated by this technique has the minimal candidate checking cost with respect to the training query set. We consider both equality queries and range queries.
Epidermal Growth-Factor – Induced Transcript Isoform Variation Drives Mammary Cell Migration

Signal-induced transcript isoform variation (TIV) includes alternative promoter usage as well as alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation of mRNA. To assess the phenotypic relevance of signal-induced TIV, we employed exon arrays and breast epithelial cells, which migrate in response to the epidermal growth factor (EGF). We show that EGF rapidly – within one hour – induces widespread TIV in a significant fraction of the transcriptome. Importantly, TIV characterizes many genes that display no differential expression upon stimulus. In addition, similar EGF-dependent changes are shared by a panel of mammary cell lines. A functional screen, which utilized isoform-specific siRNA oligonucleotides, indicated that several isoforms play essential, non-redundant roles in EGF-induced mammary cell migration. Taken together, our findings highlight the importance of TIV in the rapid evolvement of a phenotypic response to extracellular signals.
Mutational Analysis of the Cyanobacterial Nitrogen Regulator PipX

PipX provides a functional link between the cyanobacterial global transcriptional regulator NtcA and the signal transduction protein PII, a protein found in all three domains of life as integrators of signals of the nitrogen and carbon balance. PipX, which is toxic in the absence of PII, can form alternative complexes with NtcA and PII and these interactions are respectively stimulated and inhibited by 2-oxoglutarate, providing a mechanism by which PII can modulate expression at the NtcA regulon. Structural information on PipX-NtcA complexes suggests that PipX coactivates NtcA controlled genes by stabilizing the active conformation of NtcA bound to 2-oxoglutarate and by possibly helping recruit RNA polymerase. To get insights into PipX functions, we perform here a mutational analysis of pipX informed by the structures of PipX-PII and PipX-NtcA complexes and evaluate the impact of point mutations on toxicity and gene expression. Two amino acid substitutions (Y32A and E4A) were of particular interest, since they increased PipX toxicity and activated NtcA dependent genes in vivo at lower 2-oxoglutarate levels than wild type PipX. While both mutations impaired complex formation with PII, only Y32A had a negative impact on PipX-NtcA interactions.
Forensic Analysis of Linear and Nonlinear Image Filtering Using Quantization Noise

The availability of intelligent image editing techniques and antiforensic algorithms, make it convenient to manipulate an image and to hide the artifacts that it might have produced in the process. Real world forgeries are generally followed by the application of enhancement techniques such as filtering and/or conversion of the image format to suppress the forgery artifacts. Though several techniques evolved in the direction of detecting some of these manipulations, additional operations like recompression, nonlinear filtering, and other antiforensic methods during forgery are not deeply investigated. Toward this, we propose a robust method to detect whether a given image has undergone filtering (linear or nonlinear) based enhancement, possibly followed by format conversion after forgery. In the proposed method, JPEG quantization noise is obtained using natural image prior and quantization noise models. Transition probability features extracted from the quantization noise are used for machine learning based detection and classification. We test the effectiveness of the algorithm in classifying the class of the filter applied and the efficacy in detecting filtering in low resolution images. Experiments are performed to compare the performance of the proposed technique with state-of-the-art forensic filtering detection algorithms. It is found that the proposed technique is superior in most of the cases. Also, experiments against popular antiforensic algorithms show the counter antiforensic robustness of the proposed technique.
Report on the CLEF-IP 2011 Experiments: Exploring Patent Summarization

This technical report presents the work carried out for the Prior Art Candidate Search track of CLEF-IP 2011. In this search scenario, information need is expressed as a patent document (query topic). We compare two methods for estimating query model from the patent document to support summary-based query modeling and descriptionbased query modeling. The former approach utilizes a known text summarization technique, called “TextTiling”, and is adopted for patent documents. The latter approach uses the description section of a patent document for estimating the query model. With summary-based query modeling we aspire to capture the main topic of the document as well as the most important subtopics and discard subtopics, which are only marginally discussed in the patent document. We submitted four runs for the Prior Art Candidate Search task. According to recall@1000 our best run was ranked 3 across 6 participants and 8, across all 30 submitted runs. In terms of MAP our best run achieved the 3 rank across participants and 4 rank, across all runs. keywords: Patent Retrieval, Query Generation, Patent Summarization, CLEF-IP track
Purification, Characterization and Sequence Analyses of the Extracellular Giant Hemoglobin from Oligobrachia mashikoi

Abstract We purified an extracellular hemoglobin with the molecular mass of ca. 440 kDa from the whole homogenates of Oligobrachia mashikoi (phylum Pogonophora) by a one-step gel-filtration. The preparation was pure to be crystallized. The P50 values of the hemoglobin and the fresh blood prepared from O. mashikoi were about 0.82 Torr and 0.9 Torr, respectively, which were much lower than the P50 value of human hemoglobin. However, the n values of the hemoglobin and the blood were about 1.2 and 1.1, respectively. Using the improved tricine SDS-PAGE, we could separate O. mashikoi hemoglobin into four kinds of the globin chains, A1, A2, B1 and B2, and succeeded for the first time in cloning and sequencing of the complete cDNA encoding B1 globin gene, in addition to A1, A2 and B2 globin genes in full length. We found that all globin genes have the extracellular signal sequences in each molecule and the distal His of the B1 globin chain is replaced to Gln. Finally, we constructed phylogenetic trees of the hemoglobins from Pogonophora, Vestimentifera and Annelida.
0 30 15 89 v 1 3 0 Ja n 20 03 Modelling transverse dunes

Transverse dunes appear in regions of mainly unidirectional wind and high sand availability. A dune model is extended to two dimensional calculation of the shear stress. It is applied to simulate dynamics and morphology of transverse dunes which seem to reach translational invariance and do not stop growing. Hence, simulations of two dimensional dune fields have been performed. Characteristic laws were found for the time evolution of transverse dunes. Bagnold’s law of the dune velocity is modified and reproduced. The interaction between transverse dunes led to interesting results which conclude that small dunes can pass through bigger ones.
Adaptive multiscale moment method (AMMM) for analysis of scattering from perfectly conducting plates

Adaptive multiscale moment method (AMMM) is presented for the analysis of scattering from a thin perfectly conducting plate. This algorithm employs the conventional moment method and a special matrix transformation, which is derived from the tensor products of the two one-dimensional (1-D) multiscale triangular basis functions that are used for expansion and testing functions in the conventional moment method. The special feature of these new basis functions introduced through this transformation is that they are orthogonal at the same scale except at the initial scale and not between scales. From one scale to another scale, the initial estimate for the solution can be predicted using this multiscale technique. Hence, the compression is applied directly to the solution and the size of the linear equations to be solved is reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of the conventional moment method. The basic difference between this methodology and the other techniques that have been presented so far is that we apply the compression not to the impedance matrix, but to the solution itself directly using an iterative solution methodology. The extrapolated results at the higher scale thus provide a good initial guess for the iterative method. Typically, when the number of unknowns exceeds a few thousand unknowns, the matrix solution time exceeds generally the matrix fill time. Hence, the goal of this method is directed in solving electrically larger problems, where the matrix solution time is of concern. Two numerical results are presented, which demonstrate that the AMMM is a useful method to analyze scattering from perfectly conducting plates.
Connecting Secondary and Postsecondary Student Social Media Skills: Recommendations for Administrators.

Social media has become common ground for many high school and college students, and its use has the potential to impact learning. With fast response times and immediate availability of ideas and data, students change their perceptions about how education should be experienced. This study explored how high school and college students view the value of social media as a learning tool, and findings showed significantly different perceptions about how social media aids learning. These differences provide a foundation for discussion among educational leaders about the transition of students from high school to college and about how social media can be used effectively for instruction.
VARIANCE OF QUADRATURE OVER SCRAMBLED UNIONS OF NETS

Based on the work of Owen (1997a,b) who studied the variance of quadra- ture under a scrambled net with sample size n = λb m , this paper investigates scram- bled sequences with sample sizes other than λb m . First, the variance of quadrature under a scrambled sequence which is a union of two nets in base b is found. The scrambling schemes applied to the two nets can be independent or simultaneous. The results can be extended to the union of more than two nets. For finite sample sizes, the scrambled net-union variance is bounded by a small constant multiple of the Monte Carlo variance. Second, it is shown that for any Lipschitz integrand on (0,1), the variance is O(n −3 ) for a scrambled net, and O(n −3+α ) for a union of two
Censorship and Intellectual Freedom: A Survey of School Librarians' Attitudes and Moral Reasoning

Continuing the line of research dealing with the attitudes of professional librarians toward intellectual freedom, this study reaffirms the gap between professional beliefs and practices. In addition to looking at demographic variables and personal characteristics, this study of secondary school librarians examines the relationship between moral reasoning and attitudes toward intellectual freedom and censorship. The findings verify previous studies, provide additional information and add to the emerging picture of characteristics of librarians that contribute to upholding the principles of their profession. An overview of intellectual freedom and censorship research and relevant moral development research are included. The book is indexed. Intellectual freedom activists will find data to support their efforts to explain the discrepancy between professional values and professional behavior. Library educators will be challenged to examine their freedom of access curriculum and their teaching methods. Researchers will be pointed to the needed next stage of intellectual freedom research. Librarians and other educators will find insights into the conflict between their belief in the "Library Bill of Rights" and "Freedom to Read" documents and self-censorship and other restrictive practices in school libraries.
Preparation of Rotenone Derivatives and in Vitro Analysis of Their Antimalarial, Antileishmanial and Selective Cytotoxic Activities

Six derivatives of the known biopesticide rotenone were prepared by several chemical transformations. Rotenone and its derivatives showed differential in vitro antiparasitic activity and selective cytotoxicity. In general, compounds were more active against Plasmodium falciparum than Leishmania panamensis. Rotenone had an EC50 of 19.0 µM against P. falciparum, and 127.2 µM against L. panamensis. Although chemical transformation does not improve its biological profile against P. falciparum, three of its derivatives showed a significant level of action within an adequate range of activity with EC50 values < 50.0 µM. This antiplasmodial activity was not due to red blood cell hemolysis, since LC50 was >>400 µM. On the other hand, all derivatives displayed a non-specific cytotoxicity on several cell lines and primary human cell cultures.
An Empirical Evaluation of Some Articulatory and Cognitive Aspects of Marking Menus

We describe marking menus, an extension of pie menus, which are well suited for stylus-based interfaces. Pie menus are circular menus subdivided into sectors, each of which might correspond to a different command. One moves the cursor from the center of the pie into the desired sector. Marking menus are invisible pie menus in which the movement of the cursor during a selection leaves an "ink trail" similar to a pen stroke on paper. The combination of a pie menu and a marking menu supports an efficient transition from novice to expert performance. Novices can "pop-up" a pie menu and make a selection, whereas experts can simply make the corresponding mark without waiting for the menu to appear. This article describes an experiment in which we explored both articulatory and cognitive aspects of marking menus for different numbers of items per menu and using different input devices (mouse, trackball, and stylus). The articulatory aspects are how well subjects could execute the physical actions necessary to select from pie marking menus. Articulatory aspects were investigated by presenting one group of subjects with the task of selecting from fully visible menus. Because one feature of marking menus is that users should be able to select from them without seeing the menus (by making a mark), we also ran two groups of subjects with invisible pie menus: one group with an ink trail and one without. These subjects were therefore faced with the task of either mentally representing the menu or associating marks with the commands they invoked through practice. These then are the cognitive aspects to which we refer. Our results indicate that subjects' performance degraded as the number of items increased. When menus were hidden, however, subjects performance did not degrade as rapidly when menus contained even numbers of items. We also found subjects performed better with the mouse and stylus than with the trackball.