Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using persistent homology to reveal hidden information in neural data

We propose a method, based on persistent homology, to uncover topological properties of a priori unknown covariates of neuron activity. Our input data consist of spike train measurements of a set of neurons of interest, a candidate list of the known stimuli that govern neuron activity, and the corresponding state of the animal throughout the experiment performed. Using a generalized linear model for neuron activity and simple assumptions on the effects of the external stimuli, we infer away any contribution to the observed spike trains by the candidate stimuli. Persistent homology then reveals useful information about any further, unknown, covariates.
Toeplitz-structured measurement for compressed channel feedback in FDD massive MIMO system

By exploiting the correlations of the massive MIMO channel, Compressed Sensing (CS) has been applied to develop efficient channel feedback scheme. The existing CS-based channel feedback schemes, however, adopt Gaussian random matrices to compress the channel, which will impose an unreachable memory and computation requirement on user equipment (UE). In this paper, a new Toeplitz-structured measurement matrix is proposed to perform efficient channels compression in massive MIMO system. Instead of containing entries of are independent realizations of random variables with certain distributions, Toeplitz matrices have constant diagonals, leading a significant reduction of UE requirement for storing and computation. Based on such matrices, we introduce novel feedback mechanism improving further the feedback efficiency for frequency division duplex (FDD) massive MIMO systems. Simulation results show that the Toeplitz-structured matrices perform comparably with Gaussian random matrices while requiring less independent random variables and computation complexity.
HER2 overexpression and amplification as a potential therapeutic target in colorectal cancer: analysis of 3256 patients enrolled in the QUASAR, FOCUS and PICCOLO colorectal cancer trials

HER2 overexpression/amplification is linked to trastuzumab response in breast/gastric cancers. One suggested anti‐EGFR resistance mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC) is aberrant MEK–AKT pathway activation through HER2 up‐regulation. We assessed HER2‐amplification/overexpression in stage II–III and IV CRC patients, assessing relationships to KRAS/BRAF and outcome. Pathological material was obtained from 1914 patients in the QUASAR stage II–III trial and 1342 patients in stage IV trials (FOCUS and PICCOLO). Tissue microarrays were created for HER2 immunohistochemistry. HER2‐amplification was assessed using FISH and copy number variation. KRAS/BRAF mutation status was assessed by pyrosequencing. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) data were obtained for FOCUS/PICCOLO and recurrence and mortality for QUASAR; 29/1342 (2.2%) stage IV and 25/1914 (1.3%) stage II–III tumours showed HER2 protein overexpression. Of the HER2‐overexpressing cases, 27/28 (96.4%) stage IV tumours and 20/24 (83.3%) stage II–III tumours demonstrated HER2 amplification by FISH; 41/47 (87.2%) also showed copy number gains. HER2‐overexpression was associated with KRAS/BRAF wild‐type (WT) status at all stages: in 5.2% WT versus 1.0% mutated tumours (p < 0.0001) in stage IV and 2.1% versus 0.2% in stage II–III tumours (p = 0.01), respectively. HER2 was not associated with OS or PFS. At stage II–III, there was no significant correlation between HER2 overexpression and 5FU/FA response. A higher proportion of HER2‐overexpressing cases experienced recurrence, but the difference was not significant. HER2‐amplification/overexpression is identifiable by immunohistochemistry, occurring infrequently in stage II–III CRC, rising in stage IV and further in KRAS/BRAF WT tumours. The value of HER2‐targeted therapy in patients with HER2‐amplified CRC must be tested in a clinical trial. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Obesity, obstructive sleep apnoea and metabolic syndrome

OSA is increasingly recognized as a major health problem in developed countries. Obesity is the most common risk factor in OSA and hence, the prevalence of OSA is undoubtedly rising given the epidemic of obesity. Recent data also suggest that OSA is highly associated with the metabolic syndrome, and it is postulated that OSA contributes to cardiometabolic dysfunction, and subsequently vasculopathy.
MULTI-BLOCK CHAINING-BASED AUTHENTICATION MODE 1

A fast authentication mode based on Multi-Block Chaining (MBC) is put forward; and its security is proved. The MBC mode is for new generation block cipher algorithms. Its speed is about 13% faster than that of the authentication modes in common use (for example, cipher block chaining-message authentication code mode). The dependence test results meet the requirement. The MBC mode is complete; its degree of avalanche effect is about 0.9993; its degree of strict avalanche criterion is 0.992 or so. The frequency test results indicate that the output generated by the MBC mode has uniformity. The binary matrix rank test results imply that it is linear independent among disjoint sub-matrices of the output. Maurer’s universal statistical test results show that the output could be significantly compressed without loss of information. Run test, spectral test, non-overlapping template matching test, overlapping template matching test, Lempel-Ziv compression test, linear complexity test, serial test, approximate entropy test, cumulative sums test, random excursions test and random excursions variant test results fulfill the requirements of all. Therefore the MBC mode has good pseudo-randomness. Thus the security of MBC mode is verified by the way of statistical evaluation.
DressUp: a 3D interface for clothing design with a physical mannequin

This paper introduces DressUp, a computerized system for designing dresses with 3D input using the form of the human body as a guide. It consists of a body-sized physical mannequin, a screen, and tangible prop tools for drawing in 3D on and around the mannequin. As the user draws, he/she modifies or creates pieces of digital cloth, which are displayed on a model of the mannequin on the screen. We explore the capacity of our 3D input tools to create a variety of dresses. We also describe observations gained from users designing actual physical garments with the system.
A flexible Speech Distortion Weighted Multi-channel Wiener Filter for noise reduction in hearing aids

In this paper, a multi-channel noise reduction algorithm is presented based on a Speech Distortion Weighted Multi-channel Wiener Filter (SDW-MWF) approach that incorporates a flexible weighting factor. A typical SDW-MWF uses a fixed weighting factor to trade-off between noise reduction and speech distortion without taking speech presence or speech absence into account. Consequently, the improvement in noise reduction comes at the cost of a higher speech distortion since the speech dominant segments and the noise dominant segments are weighted equally. Based on a two-state speech model with a noise-only and a speech+noise state, a solution is introduced that allows for a more flexible trade-off between noise reduction and speech distortion. Experimental results with hearing aid scenarios demonstrate that the proposed SDW-MWF incorporating the flexible weighting factor improves the signal-to-noise-ratio with lower speech distortion compared to a typical SDW-MWF and the SDW-MWF incorporating the conditional speech presence probability (SPP).
Quality of Service in 802.11 Networks: Modeling and Experimental Evaluation

This paper compares the theoretical and the experimental throughput of an 802.11 adhoc network implementing Quality of Service (QoS) mechanisms. The theoretical model provides the throughput of each Access Category (AC) of each node in saturated and non-saturated traffic conditions. The experimental setup is described in detail to enable the reproduction of the presented measurements. This setup adopts the widely used Multiband Atheros Driver forWireless Fidelity (MADWiFi), which, however, provides the QoS option for centralized operations only. Hence, this study describes the adjustments to the MADWiFi source code that guarantee the control of the QoS parameters in adhoc mode.
PTSD Reactions and Coping Responses of East Coast and West Coast American Airlines Flight Attendants After September 11: A Possible Psychological Contagion Effect?

Psychological reactions and functional coping of East Coast and West Coast-based flight attendants were compared after the attacks on September 11. Demographics and standardized questionnaires were sent in June 2002 to approximately 26,000 flight attendants. The 2,050 returned surveys were separated into East Coast-based flight crews (513 from Boston, New York, and Washington, DC) and West Coast-based flight crews (353 from Los Angeles and San Francisco). Despite demographic differences between the flight crews, most notably that the East Coast members were more than twice as likely to know someone who perished in the wake of September 11, there was no difference between them regarding probable PTSD (19.1% and 18.3%, respectively) or life functioning. We suggest that a psychological contagion effect occurred in this at-risk group of workers in the war on terrorism. Public health implications, including multicomponent treatment interventions, are suggested.
Rendering the Intractable More Tractable: Tools from Caenorhabditis elegans Ripe for Import into Parasitic Nematodes

Recent and rapid advances in genetic and molecular tools have brought spectacular tractability to Caenorhabditis elegans, a model that was initially prized because of its simple design and ease of imaging. C. elegans has long been a powerful model in biomedical research, and tools such as RNAi and the CRISPR/Cas9 system allow facile knockdown of genes and genome editing, respectively. These developments have created an additional opportunity to tackle one of the most debilitating burdens on global health and food security: parasitic nematodes. I review how development of nonparasitic nematodes as genetic models informs efforts to import tools into parasitic nematodes. Current tools in three commonly studied parasites (Strongyloides spp., Brugia malayi, and Ascaris suum) are described, as are tools from C. elegans that are ripe for adaptation and the benefits and barriers to doing so. These tools will enable dissection of a huge array of questions that have been all but completely impenetrable to date, allowing investigation into host–parasite and parasite–vector interactions, and the genetic basis of parasitism.
Optimization of Power Conversion Efficiency in Threshold Self-Compensated UHF Rectifiers With Charge Conservation Principle

This paper presents a compact model for threshold self-compensated rectifiers that can be used to optimize circuit parameters early in the design phase instead of time-consuming transient simulations. A design procedure is presented for finding the optimum aspect ratio of transistors used in the converter and number of rectifying stages to achieve the maximum power conversion efficiency. In the presented analysis, the relation between the power conversion efficiency and the load current over the variation of the output dc voltage is used to find the optimum design parameters. Accurate approximation of the charge entering to and exiting from the rectifier during the steady state helps to get good agreement between the predicted output dc voltage and simulation results under different load current values. Using the Enz-Krummenacher-Vittoz model for the MOS transistor, an accurate formula is derived for optimization. The ability of the model in weak, moderate, and strong inversion region aids to find the optimum design parameters for broad range of RF voltage variation. The presented formula for estimating the optimum size and number of stages shows good agreement with simulations. Further validation is provided by comparing model predictions with measurement results of a four-stage self-compensated rectifier operating at 900 MHz, which is implemented in a commercial 0.18- $\mu \text{m}$ partially-depleted silicon-on-insulator process.
Field evaluation of synthetic sex pheromone traps for the cocoa mirid Sahlbergella singularis (Hemiptera: Miridae).

BACKGROUND Field trapping experiments were conducted to evaluate the attractiveness of five different pheromone blends as well as the impact of trap design on attractiveness towards cocoa mirids, Sahlbergella singularis Hagl. and Distantiella theobroma (Dist.), in Cameroon. RESULTS A total of 361 adults of S. singularis (359 males and two females) were caught. The highest numbers of mirids were found in traps with pheromone blends that combined a monoester and a diester, compared with traps with the diester or the monoester individually and control traps with no pheromone. Rectangular traps caught significantly more mirids compared with delta traps. The mean number of 5.1 mirids trap⁻¹ year⁻¹ caught in rectangular traps was significantly higher compared with the 1.8 mirids trap⁻¹ year⁻¹ for the delta traps. CONCLUSION The data revealed that rectangular traps containing pheromone blends combining both the monoester and the diester have a good potential to lure and trap adult males of S. singularis on cocoa farms. The pheromone blends used were specific for S. singularis, and the use of pheromone traps appears to be a promising strategy for incorporation into integrated pest management strategies for the monitoring or even the control of S. singularis in cocoa plantations.
CIMbaT - automated generation of CIM-based OPC UA-address spaces

Realizations of so called smart grids imply numerous challenges for stakeholders within the energy domain. ICT plays more and more a key role as it provides methodologies and approaches fostering smart grid applications. One of the challenges addresses integrated communications among energy management systems, distribution management systems, power generation systems and SCADA systems. In this case, a key issue to be considered is interoperability in terms of both syntax and semantics. For both, using standardized components like interfaces, protocols and data models, is essential to cope with the increasing number of actors and systems. Standards covering these components are discussed in various roadmaps and studies making recommendations. The Common Information Model is one of the recommended core standards for the smart grid and provides amongst others, a comprehensive data model for the energy domain. Another recommended standard is the OPC Unified Architecture being an abstract standard for server-client-communications which could be used in domain-specific contexts. Thus, combining the CIM data model and the UA communication architecture leads to a highly interoperable infrastructure meeting syntactic and semantic requirements. In this contribution, a two-step-approach is introduced realizing such an architecture.
Gender Different Response to Immunonutrition in Liver Cirrhosis with Sepsis in Rats

Females with sepsis have a better prognosis than males, while those of both genders with cirrhosis have a high mortality. Impaired immunity accompanies liver cirrhosis. The potential association between sex and immunologic response of cirrhotic rats in sepsis following immunonutrition was investigated. One hundred and forty-three rats were randomly divided into groups. Liver cirrhosis was produced by weekly feeding of CCl4 for 8 weeks. Among them, 24 male and 19 female underwent castration one month before studying. The rats were fed with either immune enhancing diet or control diet for five days, then sepsis was induced with cecal ligation and two holes puncture. Main outcomes included mortality and serum cytokines (IL-1β, 6, and 10). Comparisons were made both within and between genders. Cirrhotic non-castrated male rats showed a significant decrease in mortality (64.1% vs. 32.1%, p = 0.032) with better survival than control diet following immune enhancing diet. Lower mortality of cirrhotic non-castrated female rats was found after immune enhancing diet (69.6% vs. 52.1%, p = 0.365). Cirrhotic castrated male rats showed a lower mortality (44.4%) following immune enhancing diet, and cirrhotic castrated female rats also showed significantly lower mortality and better survival than control diet after immune enhancing diet (87.5% vs. 33.3%, p = 0.004). Plasma concentrations of IL-1β were higher in non-oophorectomized female rats fed with control diet compared to immune enhancing diet. Non-orchidectomized males and non-oophorectomized females exhibited similar increases in IL-10 after immune enhancing diet. Our results demonstrated that immunonutrition was more beneficial for male than female cirrhotic rats following sepsis. Though orchidectomy was not found to be more advantageous for the normal male rats in sepsis, immunonutrition seemed to be as important as sex hormone for female rats in sepsis.
Differential Effects of Doxycycline, a Broad-Spectrum Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitor, on Angiotensin II–Induced Atherosclerosis and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Objective—Angiotensin II (AngII) infusion into hyperlipidemic mice leads to the rapid formation of atherosclerotic lesions and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). To define the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the development of these vascular pathologies, we administered the broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor doxycycline to saline- and AngII-infused LDL receptor−/− mice. Methods and Results—Mice were placed on a high-fat diet for 1 week before infusion with either saline or AngII (1000 ng · kg−1 · min−1) via osmotic pumps for 28 days. Doxycycline (30 mg · kg−1 · d−1) was administered in the drinking water to both saline- and AngII-infused mice. Administration of doxycycline did not significantly influence systolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol concentrations, or lipoprotein-cholesterol distribution. Doxycycline had no effect on the extent of atherosclerosis in saline- or AngII-infused mice. In contrast, doxycycline markedly reduced the incidence of AAA formation (86% vs 35%, AngII vs AngII+doxycycline, respectively;P <0.05), in addition to reducing aneurysm severity. Conclusions—These data do not imply a role for MMPs in AngII-induced atherosclerosis but provide evidence consistent with a role in AngII-induced AAA formation.
Arg1098 Is Critical for the Chloride Dependence of Human Angiotensin I-converting Enzyme C-domain Catalytic Activity*

Angiotensin (Ang) I-converting enzyme (ACE) is a Zn2+ metalloprotease with two homologous catalytic domains. Both the N- and C-terminal domains are peptidyl dipeptidases. Hydrolysis by ACE of its decapeptide substrate Ang I is increased by Cl−, but the molecular mechanism of this regulation is unclear. A search for single substitutions to Gln among all conserved basic residues (Lys/Arg) in human ACE C-domain identified R1098Q as the sole mutant that lacked Cl− dependence. Cl−dependence is also lost when the equivalent Arg in the N-domain, Arg500, is substituted with Gln. The Arg1098 to Lys substitution reduced Cl− binding affinity by ∼100-fold. In the absence of Cl−, substrate binding affinity (1/K m ) of and catalytic efficiency (k cat/K m ) for Ang I hydrolysis are increased 6.9- and 32-fold, respectively, by the Arg1098 to Gln substitution, and are similar (<2-fold difference) to the respective wild-type C-domain catalytic constants in the presence of optimal [Cl−]. The Arg1098to Gln substitution also eliminates Cl− dependence for hydrolysis of tetrapeptide substrates, but activity toward these substrates is similar to that of the wild-type C-domain in the absence of Cl−. These findings indicate that: 1) Arg1098 is a critical residue of the C-domain Cl−-binding site and 2) a basic side chain is necessary for Cl− dependence. For tetrapeptide substrates, the inability of R1098Q to recreate the high affinity state generated by the Cl−-C-domain interaction suggests that substrate interactions with the enzyme-bound Cl− are much more important for the hydrolysis of short substrates than for Ang I. Since Cl− concentrations are saturating under physiological conditions and Arg1098 is not critical for Ang I hydrolysis, we speculate that the evolutionary pressure for the maintenance of the Cl−-binding site is its ability to allow cleavage of short cognate peptide substrates at high catalytic efficiencies.
The Dynamic Buffer Overflow Detection and Prevent ion Tool for Yindows Executables Using Binary Rewr iting

This paper presents novel buffer overflow countermeasure tool for Windows portable executables at run-time. Our tool enables dynamically detecting and preventing of stack-based buffer overflow attacks for Windows applications, using binary rewriting method. Our solution protects the return address area and the previous frame pointer area of function stack frame in program stack to prevent program control flow from being changed at execution time. Protecting the return address and previous frame pointer, we have used additional stack memory area that is called safe-zone, storing original return address and previous frame pointer values. We has revised function prologue and function epilogue. The revised function prologue stores copies of the return address and the previous frame pointer values to our safe-zone, and the revised function epilogue overwrites the return address and the previous frame pointer on the stack with copies of them. The paper presents performance analysis result of our solution. The result shows that the relative performance overhead is about 1.6-2.6% and additional constant space overhead is about 25 Kbytes.
Detection of human herpesvirus 6 and human herpesvirus 7 in the submandibular gland, parotid gland, and lip salivary gland by PCR

In order to define the major sites of persistence of human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and HHV-7, PCR with DNAs from more than 100 specimens of 3 different salivary glands was performed. HHV-6 DNA was detected in 52 (88.1%) of 59 submandibular gland, 17 (63.0%) of 27 parotid gland, and 9 (52.9%) of 17 lip salivary gland specimens. On the other hand, HHV-7 DNA was detected in 59 (100%) of 59 submandibular gland, 23 (85.2%) of 27 parotid gland, and 10 (58.8%) of 17 lip salivary gland specimens. These findings demonstrate that salivary glands are a site of persistent infection of both HHV-6 and HHV-7 and that among the three types of salivary gland examined, the submandibular gland is the primary one in which these herpesviruses, especially HHV-7, persist.