Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Immunological and reproductive health assessment in herring gulls and black‐crowned night herons in the Hudson–Raritan Estuary

Previous studies have shown inexplicable declines in breeding waterbirds within western New York/New Jersey Harbor between 1996 and 2002 and elevated polychlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in double‐crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) eggs. The present study assessed associations between immune function, prefledgling survival, and selected organochlorine compounds and metals in herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and black‐crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) in lower New York Harbor during 2003. In pipping gull embryos, lymphoid cells were counted in the thymus and bursa of Fabricius (sites of T and B lymphocyte maturation, respectively). The phytohemagglutinin (PHA) skin response assessed T cell function in gull and heron chicks. Lymphocyte proliferation was measured in vitro in adult and prefledgling gulls. Reference data came from the Great Lakes and Bay of Fundy. Survival of prefledgling gulls was poor, with only 0.68 and 0.5 chicks per nest surviving to three and four weeks after hatch, respectively. Developing lymphoid cells were reduced 51% in the thymus and 42% in the bursa of gull embryos from New York Harbor. In vitro lymphocyte assays demonstrated reduced spontaneous proliferation, reduced T cell mitogen‐induced proliferation, and increased B cell mitogen‐induced proliferation in gull chicks from New York Harbor. The PHA skin response was suppressed 70 to 80% in gull and heron chicks. Strong negative correlations (r = –0.95 to –0.98) between the PHA response and dioxins and PCBs in gull livers was strong evidence suggesting that these chemicals contribute significantly to immunosuppression in New York Harbor waterbirds. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2013;32:548–561. © 2012 SETAC
AUTOMATIC METHODS TOWARD GENERATING DIGITAL TRUE ORTHOPHOTO BY USING DENSE LiDAR DATA

Technological developments of recent years in the digital photogrammetry field have facilitated generation of reliable digital orthophotos, required for various surveying and Geographic Information (GI) applications. These developments are driven by the demand for high resolution data for research and engineering projects – properties that digital orthophotos provide. The existing methods for generating digital orthophotos require interpretation of aerial photographs and using a Digital Terrain Model (DTM), correspondingly. Even though this process utilizes dense and accurate data, the final product is not always reliable, due to several limitations of the existing methods, such as double mapping, hidden areas and geometric distortions of objects (such as buildings), etc. which require further intervention. In recent years, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology became a significant factor in producing up-to-date and accurate topographic data. This technology, based on airborne laser scanners, enables acquiring dense and accurate 3D data of the surveyed area, i.e., the Digital Surface Model (DSM). The research presented here is based on the advantages, accuracy and reliability of the LiDAR data in providing better solutions of problems and difficulties arising in the existing methods for generating digital orthophotos, thus affecting the quality of the final orthophoto product. In this paper we are introducing novel fully automatic procedures and algorithms employing LiDAR data to solve the problems noted above. This new technique is based on correct filtering and classification of the LiDAR data, and is thus able to generate a reliable digital orthophoto that accurately represents the processed area.
Redundant Hash Addressing for Large-Scale Query by Example Spoken Query Detection

State of the art query by example spoken term detection (QbE-STD) systems rely on representation of speech in terms of sequences of class-conditional posterior probabilities estimated by deep neural network (DNN). The posteriors are often used for pattern matching or dynamic time warping (DTW). Exploiting posterior probabilities as speech representation propounds diverse advantages in a classification system. One key property of the posterior representations is that they admit a highly effective hashing strategy that enables indexing the large archive in divisions for reducing the search complexity. Moreover, posterior indexing leads to a compressed representation and enables pronunciation dewarping and partial detection with no need for DTW. We exploit these characteristics of the posterior space in the context of redundant hash addressing for query-by-example spoken term detection (QbE-STD). We evaluate the QbE-STD system on AMI corpus and demonstrate that tremendous speedup and superior accuracy is achieved compared to the state-of-the-art pattern matching and DTW solutions. The system has great potential to enable massively large scale query detection.
Cell interactions influence the pattern of biomineralization in the Ilyanassa obsoleta (mollusca) embryo

Ilyanassa obsoleta larvae have two calcium carbonate‐containing organs, shell and statocyst, which are derived from five micromere cells (2a, 2c, 2d, 3c, 3d). “Internal shell,” an abnormal, internal calcium carbonate mass, was previously observed when cells which normally induce shell and statocyst were removed. This study utilizes multiple‐cell deletions to examine how these calcium carbonate‐producing precursors control the pattern of biomineralization, whether it is in external shell, statocyst, or internal shell. It was demonstrated that internal shell was solely derived from any of these five cells. However, there was a quantitative difference in the frequency of internal shell production depending upon which cells, as well as how many, are deleted. In general, when external shell or statocyst production was diminished, as the result of removing several of the calcium carbonate‐producing cells, internal shell was deposited instead. The presence of internal shell can best be explained as the result of altered interactions between these five cells after one or more have been deleted. Electron diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show that internal shell differs from normal shell in both structure and crystal morphology and it can also be produced by statocyst precursors. Thus, both the deletion and electron microscopy data support the interpretation that the development of internal shell is controlled by shell‐ and statocyst‐producing cells when the cell communication between these cells is disrupted. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Taking a long look at QUIC: an approach for rigorous evaluation of rapidly evolving transport protocols

Google's QUIC protocol, which implements TCP-like properties at the application layer atop a UDP transport, is now used by the vast majority of Chrome clients accessing Google properties but has no formal state machine specification, limited analysis, and ad-hoc evaluations based on snapshots of the protocol implementation in a small number of environments. Further frustrating attempts to evaluate QUIC is the fact that the protocol is under rapid development, with extensive rewriting of the protocol occurring over the scale of months, making individual studies of the protocol obsolete before publication. Given this unique scenario, there is a need for alternative techniques for understanding and evaluating QUIC when compared with previous transport-layer protocols. First, we develop an approach that allows us to conduct analysis across multiple versions of QUIC to understand how code changes impact protocol effectiveness. Next, we instrument the source code to infer QUIC's state machine from execution traces. With this model, we run QUIC in a large number of environments that include desktop and mobile, wired and wireless environments and use the state machine to understand differences in transport- and application-layer performance across multiple versions of QUIC and in different environments. QUIC generally outperforms TCP, but we also identified performance issues related to window sizes, re-ordered packets, and multiplexing large number of small objects; further, we identify that QUIC's performance diminishes on mobile devices and over cellular networks.
Application of Ultrasound on Monitoring the Evolution of the Collagen Fiber Reinforced nHAC/CS Composites In Vivo

To date, fiber reinforce scaffolds have been largely applied to repair hard and soft tissues. Meanwhile, monitoring the scaffolds for long periods in vivo is recognized as a crucial issue before its wide use. As a consequence, there is a growing need for noninvasive and convenient methods to analyze the implantation remolding process in situ and in real time. In this paper, diagnostic medical ultrasound was used to monitor the in vivo bone formation and degradation process of the novel mineralized collagen fiber reinforced composite which is synthesized by chitosan (CS), nanohydroxyapatite (nHA), and collagen fiber (Col). To observe the impact of cells on bone remodeling process, the scaffolds were planted into the back of the SD rats with and without rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). Systematic data of scaffolds in vivo was extracted from ultrasound images. Significant consistency between the data from the ultrasound and DXA could be observed (P < 0.05). This indicated that ultrasound may serve as a feasible alternative for noninvasive monitoring the evolution of scaffolds in situ during cell growth.
The Changes in Fiber-Number Length Distribution Under Various Breakage Models

Two basic models for the breakage of uniform rods or fibers are discussed—the lost ends in which one of the pieces of each broken rod is discarded from the system and the saved ends under which all fragments are retained. Random breakage is considered as a process with an input length distribution F(x), a breakage function π( x), and an output distribution G(x). General solutions are given so that, from any two functions, the third may be obtained. Cases under which departures from random breakage occur are discussed, and a solution is given for each. Simplifications of the general solutions are show n for the two important cases of breakage independent of and proportional to length, i.e., π( x) = α and #( x) = βx, respectively. Practical application to the length distributions of cotton fibers which had been subjected to varying degrees of damage are given.
A PTIP–PA1 subcomplex promotes transcription for IgH class switching independently from the associated MLL3/MLL4 methyltransferase complex

Transcription at the immunoglobulin heavy chain (Igh) locus targets class switch recombination (CSR)-associated DNA damage and is promoted by the BRCT domain-containing PTIP protein. Starnes et al. found that PTIP functions in transcription and CSR separately from its association with the MLL3/MLL4 complex and from its localization to sites of DNA damage.
Construction of Highway Base and Subbase Layers Containing Residue from an Atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustion Process

This report summarizes findings of laboratory and construction evaluations of using residue from an atmospheric fluidized bed combustion (AFBC) process as a component in an experimental road base and subbase application. The base mixture contains pulverized fuel ash, AFBC residue, and limestone aggregates used as bulk filler. The subbase mixture contains AFBC residue and pond ash (ponded fly ash and bottom ash). Mixtures containing various proportions of each component were evaluated in the laboratory relative to maximum dry density, optimum moisture content, and compressive strength development. Two 750-foot test sections of a 22-foot wide roadway, containing the experimental mixtures, were constructed in May and June 1988. Prior to construction, in-place California Bearing Ratio tests, moisture content determinations and Road Rater deflection tests were performed on the prepared subgrade. During construction of the experimental base and subbase layers, relative compaction and moisture contents of the materials were monitored by nuclear devices. Specimens were compacted for subsequent evaluations. Initial post-construction evaluations included compressive strength development, elastic modulus, Road Rater deflection analyses, and monitoring expansion of the experimental mixtures both in the field and in the laboratory.
Rapid Prototyping of Biomimetic Structures: Fabrication of Mosquito-like Microneedles by Two-Photon Polymerization

Over the past twenty years, the use of rapid prototyping techniques for processing of medical devices has seen rapid growth. A number of rapid prototyping techniques currently exist for producing a broad range of medical devices using metals, ceramics, polymers, and composite materials. One promising rapid prototyping technology for creating medical devices with small scale features is two photon polymerization; this scalable photopolymerization technique enables processing of photosensitive materials such as organically-modified ceramic materials. In this study, two photon polymerization was used to produce microneedles that mimic the anatomy of the mosquito fascicle. The labrum of the mosquito was replicated in the mosquito-like microneedle. On the other hand, the maxillae of the mosquito were not replicated in the mosquito-like microneedle; the absence of these features was attributed to inadequate mechanical support of the maxillae. This study suggests that two photon polymerization and other rapid prototyping technologies may be used to produce biomimetic drug delivery devices that imitate the intricate structures found in nature.
Vesicle-associated Membrane Protein-2 (VAMP2) Mediates cAMP-stimulated Renin Release in Mouse Juxtaglomerular Cells*

Renin is essential for blood pressure control. Renin is stored in granules in juxtaglomerular (JG) cells, located in the pole of the renal afferent arterioles. The second messenger cAMP stimulates renin release. However, it is unclear whether fusion and exocytosis of renin-containing granules is involved. In addition, the role of the fusion proteins, SNAREs (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment proteins), in renin release from JG cells has not been studied. The vesicle SNARE proteins VAMP2 (vesicle associated membrane protein 2) and VAMP3 mediate cAMP-stimulated exocytosis in other endocrine cells. Thus, we hypothesized that VAMP2 and/or -3 mediate cAMP-stimulated renin release from JG cells. By fluorescence-activated cell sorting, we isolated JG cells expressing green fluorescent protein and compared the relative abundance of VAMP2/3 in JG cells versus total mouse kidney mRNA by quantitative PCR. We found that VAMP2 and VAMP3 mRNA are expressed and enriched in JG cells. Confocal imaging of primary cultures of JG cells showed that VAMP2 (but not VAMP3) co-localized with renin-containing granules. Cleavage of VAMP2 and VAMP3 with tetanus toxin blocked cAMP-stimulated renin release from JG cells by ∼50% and impaired cAMP-stimulated exocytosis by ∼50%, as monitored with FM1–43. Then we specifically knocked down VAMP2 or VAMP3 by adenoviral-mediated delivery of short hairpin silencing RNA. We found that silencing VAMP2 blocked cAMP-induced renin release by ∼50%. In contrast, silencing VAMP3 had no effect on basal or cAMP-stimulated renin release. We conclude that VAMP2 and VAMP3 are expressed in JG cells, but only VAMP2 is targeted to renin-containing granules and mediates the stimulatory effect of cAMP on renin exocytosis.
Beyond Lexical Units: Enriching WordNets with Phrasets

In this paper we present a proposal to extend WordNet-like lexical databases by adding phrasets, i.e. sets of free combinations of words which are recurrently used to express a concept (let's call them recurrent free phrases). Phrasets are a useful source of information for different NLP tasks, and particularly in a multilingual environment to manage lexical gaps. Two experiments are presented to check the possibility of acquiring recurrent free phrases from dictionaries and corpora.
Self-organized Diversification of Signals of Different Species

This paper reports results of a computer simulation which mo dels the behavior of different species of communicative agents which share the same habitat. The agen ts use signals to communicate. This communication is in a male/female context: males use their s ignals to attract females. Since both share the same habitat, the signals of the species have to be distin guishable, allowing females to identify a male of her own species. But signals used by males of the same pecies should be similar. The simulation shows that these conventions can emerge using me chanisms of self-organization.
An Investigation into the Applicability of Distributed FPGAs to High Performance Computing

FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) are silicon chips that can be continuously reprogrammed with application specific logic configurations. This interesting property gives them many advantages over ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), which contain fixed hardware configurations and cannot be altered to implement different algorithms or updated if a bug is found. The first, simple, FPGAs were manufactured in 1986 and since then they have increased considerably in logic density and in clock speed (however, FPGA clock speeds are not increasing at the same rate as microprocessor clock speeds, see below). As FPGA logic density and clock speeds increased, the field of Reconfigurable Computing i.e., using the reprogrammable aspect of FPGAs to implement different algorithms directly in hardware grew in popularity. In order to avoid confusion it is instructive to clearly distinguish between the similar but distinct fields of Reconfigurable Computing in Embedded Computing and Reconfigurable Computing in High Performance Computing . FPGAs have found widespread adoption in the Embedded Computing field as devices for prototyping ASIC designs, creating a steadily growing, multi-billion dollar industry. Despite the much greater complexity of FPGAs in comparison with ASICs, the economies of scale achieved during their production has led to them becoming a viable alternative to ASICs in many situations. With the release of the new Spartan 3 FPGA [1] it is expected that FPGAs will push even further into high volume applications, offering
Gene Expression Profiling Reveals Large Regulatory Switches between Succeeding Stipe Stages in Volvariella volvacea

The edible mushroom Volvariella volvacea is an important crop in Southeast Asia and is predominantly harvested in the egg stage. One of the main factors that negatively affect its yield and value is the rapid transition from the egg to the elongation stage, which has a decreased commodity value and shelf life. To improve our understanding of the changes during stipe development and the transition from egg to elongation stage in particular, we analyzed gene transcription in stipe tissue of V. volvacea using 3′-tag based digital expression profiling. Stipe development turned out to be fairly complex with high numbers of expressed genes, and regulation of stage differences is mediated mainly by changes in expression levels of genes, rather than on/off modulation. Most explicit is the strong up-regulation of cell division from button to egg, and the very strong down-regulation hereof from egg to elongation, that continues in the maturation stage. Button and egg share cell division as means of growth, followed by a major developmental shift towards rapid stipe elongation based on cell extension as demonstrated by inactivation of cell division throughout elongation and maturation. Examination of regulatory genes up-regulated from egg to elongation identified three potential high upstream regulators for this switch. The new insights in stipe dynamics, together with a series of new target genes, will provide a sound base for further studies on the developmental mechanisms of mushroom stipes and the switch from egg to elongation in V. volvacea in particular.
A Blind and Non-Blind Deblurring: An Algorithm for Deblurring based on Residual Whiteness in Images

Now a day&apos;s deblurring plays a crucial problem in many situations research due to the digital devices popularity such as digital camera, smart phone with camera etc. Aim of the image deblurring is making pictures sharp and useful. In previous methods do not find the perfect solution some disturbances are spectrally white occur in the image deblurring techniques. But In the proposed method compared to the non-blind deblur blind deblur gives the better results for synthetic and real life degradations with and without noise both in single and multiframe scenarios and also evaluate the whiteness in the image in terms of speed and restoration quality to compare the other deblurring techniques this paper yields better results .
Clinical Ophthalmology

Additive intraocular pressure-lowering effect of dorzolamide 1%/timolol 0.5% fixed combination on prostaglandin monotherapy in patients with normal tension glaucoma Purpose: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effect of adding dorzolamide 1.0%/timolol 0.5% fixed combination (DTFC) to prostaglandin analogs (PGAs) as monotherapy in patients with normal tension glaucoma. Methods: A prospective, clinical, case-controlled study of patients with normal tension glaucoma. Patients had been on a once-daily night dose of prostaglandins (PGs) as monotherapy and then received DTFC added to PGs for 8 weeks. The IOP was measured at 9 am, week 0 (baseline), week 4, and week 8.
Japanese Pronunciation Prediction as Phrasal Statistical Machine Translation

This paper addresses the problem of predicting the pronunciation of Japanese text. The difficulty of this task lies in the high degree of ambiguity in the pronunciation of Japanese characters and words. Previous approaches have either considered the task as a word-level classification problem based on a dictionary, which does not fare well in handling out-of-vocabulary (OOV) words; or solely focused on the pronunciation prediction of OOV words without considering the contextual disambiguation of word pronunciations in text. In this paper, we propose a unified approach within the framework of phrasal statistical machine translation (SMT) that combines the strengths of the dictionary-based and substring-based approaches. Our approach is novel in that we combine wordand character-based pronunciations from a dictionary within an SMT framework: the former captures the idiosyncratic properties of word pronunciation, while the latter provides the flexibility to predict the pronunciation of OOV words. We show that based on an extensive evaluation on various test sets, our model significantly outperforms the previous state-of-the-art systems, achieving around 90% accuracy in most domains.
Trypanosome variant surface glycoproteins are recognized by self-reactive antibodies in uninfected hosts

The variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) of African trypanosomes form a dense surface coat on the bloodstream parasites. VSGs are immunodominant antigens that stimulate a rapid antibody response in trypanosome-infected individuals. In the present study, we examined VSG-specific antibodies present not only in sera from infected individuals but also in sera from individuals that had never been exposed to trypanosomes. Native antibodies against different VSGs were detected in sera from uninfected mice, bovines, and humans; the antibodies were revealed to be exclusively directed against variable determinants of the antigens. Further experimentation demonstrated that such native antibodies immunoreact with cellular components of mice and thus are most likely produced by the self-reactive B-cell compartment of the murine immune system.