Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FIR-median hybrid filters

This paper introduces a new generalized class of median-type filters which we call FIR-median hybrid (FMH) filters. The input signal x(n) is filtered with M linear phase FIR filters, and the output of the FMH filter is the median of the outputs of the FIR filters. The statistical properties of the FMH filters are analyzed for input signals with Gaussian, double exponential, and uniform density functions. It is shown that FMH filters have essentially the same statistical properties and same type of root signals as the standard median (SM) filters. FMH filters preserve corner points and ramps and attenuate impulsive-type noise components effectively. An interesting subclass of the FMH filters requiring only one scaling multiplier, two additions, and three compare/swap operations irrespective of the filter length is introduced. In the examples, speed improvement by a factor of 450 is obtained over an otherwise approximately equivalent SM filter.
Mise au point de la calorimétrie au Run II de l'expérience D0 et mesure de la masse du boson W

Ce memoire resume une grande partie de mon activite de recherche au cours des dix dernieres annees, c'est-a-dire depuis mon arrivee au CNRS et dans la Collaboration D0. Pendant ces annees, j'ai eu le privilege de participer a une periode exceptionnellement excitante dans la recherche a la frontiere actuelle des hautes energies. En effet, une nouvelle phase d'exploitation du collisionneur Tevatron, le Run II, venait tout juste de commencer. A l'epoque, le Tevatron etait le collisionneur avec l'energie dans le centre de masse la plus elevee au monde. De plus, il etait le seul collisionneur operationnel avec une energie et une luminosite suffisamment grandes pour fournir de grands echantillons des bosons vecteur de l'interaction faible, les bosons Z et W. Leurs proprietes avaient deja ete etudiees tres precisement aupres du collisionneur LEP qui fonctionnait au CERN dans les annees 1989-2000. Les resultats des quatre experiences aupres du LEP incluent une riche collection d'etudes precises de tous les aspects des proprietes des bosons Z et W. Ces resultats resteront, pendant au moins quelques decennies encore, une contribution incontournable a notre comprehension de l'interaction electrofaible. Cependant, la precision experimentale sur l'une des observables, la masse du boson W, qui a ete mesuree tres precisement au LEP avec une incertitude relative de 4,1 * 10^-4 n'est pas suffisante pour l'un des principaux tests du modele standard de l'interaction electrofaible. En effet, le MS predit une relation entre les masses du quark top, du boson W et du boson de Higgs. Une mesure de la masse du quark top et de celle du boson W permet donc, dans le cadre du MS, de predire la masse du boson de Higgs hypothetique. Le facteur limitant dans cette contrainte indirecte sur la masse du boson de Higgs est la pr\'ecision des mesures de m_W. De nouvelles mesures de precision de m_W sont donc une contribution importante aux tests du MS et a notre comprehension du mecanisme de brisure de la symetrie electrofaible. Une mesure de m_W dans l'experience D0 est au coeur du travail qui est expose dans ce memoire.
Asthma Morbidity Among Children Evaluated by Asthma Case Detection

OBJECTIVE: Population-based asthma detection is a potential strategy to reduce asthma morbidity in children; however, the burden of respiratory symptoms and health care use among children identified by case detection is not well known. METHODS: Data come from a school-based asthma case detection validation study of 3539 children. Respiratory symptoms, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations were assessed by questionnaire for children whose case detection result and physician study diagnosis agreed. RESULTS: Physician evaluation of 530 case detection results yielded 420 cases of agreement (168 children with previously diagnosed asthma, 39 with undiagnosed asthma, and 213 without asthma). Children with previously diagnosed asthma were more likely to be male (P < .0001). No differences in severity were observed in children with previously and undiagnosed asthma (P = .31). Children with undiagnosed asthma reported less frequent daytime and nighttime symptoms than children with previously diagnosed asthma but more than those without asthma (P < .0001). The proportion of children with at least 1 respiratory-related ED visit in the past year was 32%, 3%, and 3% for those with previously diagnosed, undiagnosed, and no asthma, respectively (P < .0001). The proportion with at least 1 respiratory-related hospitalization was 8%, 0%, and 0%, respectively (P < .0001). There were no differences in nonrespiratory ED visits (P = .93). CONCLUSIONS: Despite similar physician-rated severity, children with undiagnosed asthma reported significantly less frequent respiratory symptoms and health care use than children with previously diagnosed asthma. These findings suggest that the potential health gains from case detection may be smaller than expected.
UC Office of the President Recent Work Title Effect of Nanoporous Gold Thin Film Morphology on Electrochemical DNA Sensing

Advances in materials science and chemistry have led to the development of a wide range of nanostructured materials for building novel electrochemical biosensors. A systematic understanding of the challenges related to electrode morphology involved in designing such sensors is essential for developing effective biosensing tools. In this study, we use nanoporous gold (npAu) thin film electrode coatings with sub-micron thicknesses, as a model system to investigate the influence of nanostructuring on DNA–methylene blue (MB) interactions and their application for DNA biosensors. The interaction of singleand double-stranded DNA immobilized onto morphologically different np-Au films with MB was electrochemically interrogated via square wave voltammetry (SWV). The electrochemical signal from these electrodes in response to MB decayed progressively with each SWV scan. The decay rate was governed by accessibility of the electrochemically-active np-Au surface by the analyte. The optimum frequency for extracting the maximum signal via SWV was influenced by the film morphology, where the optimum frequency was lower for the nanoporous morphology with lower density of molecular access points into the porous coating. Overall, the np-Au electrodes exhibited a 10-fold enhancement in probe grafting density and approximately 10-fold higher electrochemical current upon probetarget hybridization as compared to the planar Au electrodes. The np-Au electrodes enabled sensitive detection with a dynamic range of 10 nM to 100 nM that shifts by an order of magnitude for coarsened np-Au morphology due to increased target penetration into the porous network and hence enhanced hybridization efficiency. These findings provide insight into the influence of nanostructuring on the transport mechanisms of small molecules and nucleic acids, and yield an understanding of diverse sensor performance parameters such as DNA grafting density, hybridization efficiency, sensitivity and dynamic range.
Implementation of electric drive system using induction motor for traction applications

Most recently, the major proportion of transporta-tion sector utilizes fossil fuels. Burning of fossil fuels adds massive amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Moreover, the fossil fuels reserves are depleting and their prices are also fluctuating. In addition, new environmental policies are also being made to reduce carbon emissions. So, electrification of the transportation sector is essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper proposes an improved method of assembling an electric drive system. A variable frequency drive (VFD) is implemented to drive a three-phase (3φ) induction motor using battery bank. The sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) technique is used to implement the VFD. To make the system more efficient a regenerative braking mechanism is used. In addition, a solar panel is also used to supply the auxiliary loads.
Le récepteur à domaine discoïdine de type 1 : un acteur majeur des pathologies rénales chroniques et aiguës

Les maladies renales ont un impact socio-economique majeur sur la sante publique necessitant le developpement de nouvelles strategies therapeutiques. Le Recepteur a Domaine Discoidine de type 1 (DDR1) est un recepteur non-integrine des collagenes, a activite tyrosine-kinase. Son expression anormale est un facteur cle de la pathologie renale qui promeut le developpement de l’inflammation et de la fibrose.Ces travaux de these nous ont permis de demontrer que l'inhibition de DDR1 freinait la progression des maladies renales dans trois modeles, dont l'un d'evolution aigue, l'ischemie-reperfusion (I/R). Apres I/R, les cellules epitheliales tubulaires proximales (CETP) exprimaient anormalement DDR1 et l'inhibition de ce recepteur empechait l'acquisition d'un phenotype pro-inflammatoire par ce type cellulaire. Nous avons demontre in vitro que le stress du reticulum endoplasmique (RE), secondaire a l'hypoxie, etait responsable de l'induction de DDR1, via l'activation du facteur de transcription CHOP. De plus, le profil d'expression de DDR1 dans des biopsies de patients transplantes etait similaire a celui obtenu dans l'I/R experimentale.Enfin, les resultats preliminaires obtenus dans un nouveau modele de souris triples transgeniques ont montre l'installation d'une inflammation et d'une fibrose renales secondaires a la surexpression genetiquement definie de DDR1 durant 4 semaines dans les cellules epitheliales tubulaires.En conclusion, nos resultats suggerent que la surexpression de DDR1 joue un role deletere dans les nephropathies chroniques et aigues, ce qui renforce l’interet du developpement d’inhibiteurs specifiques de DDR1 capables de bloquer la fonction de ce recepteur.
Non-invasive thermal assessment of tissue phantoms using an active near field microwave imaging technique.

An active microwave imaging system for non-invasive temperature sensing has been developed and evaluated. The system is designed to assess biological tissues undergoing thermal therapy. This paper presents results that demonstrate the imaging capabilities of the microwave method using simulated and experimental phantom materials. Results from both numerical studies and laboratory experiments have been analysed and are presented. The imaging system uses a 16 channel fixed monopole array transceiver unit operating over a bandwidth of 300-900 MHz. The annular array diameter is 14.75 cm and is immersed in a 0.9% saline solution. Standard heterodyning principles are used for signal detection leading to a dynamic range of the system of better than 115dB. Image formation is accomplished with a 2-D finite element based, near-field iterative technique. This allows the simultaneous reconstruction of both the real and imaginary components of the dielectric property distribution in tissue equivalent phantoms. Data acquisition currently captures 144 complex field measurements per image. Image reconstruction requires approximately 2 min per iteration with a typical convergence in less than 10 steps. Experiments performed to evaluate the temperature dependence of biological phantoms (saline with variable salt concentrations) are described. The numerical accuracy and precision of the reconstruction algorithm based upon these phantom studies are presented. Simple laboratory models of localized hyperthermia have been used to evaluate the experimental accuracy and precision of the imaging system. A numerical precision of 0.02 degrees C and an accuracy of 0.37 degrees C have been observed with the current algorithm. In laboratory experiments, images have been reconstructed at different target temperatures and target saline concentrations. The effect of placing high contrast biological phantoms (i.e. bone/fat simulants) along with the heated objects have also been studied. Localized heating of the biological phantom is achieved by pumping a saline solution of pre-selected concentration through enclosed ends of hollow dielectric cylinders having approximately 5cm inner diameter and 4 mm wall thickness. The temperature of the heated zone is preset and maintained to +/-0.2 degrees C by an external heater and circulator. The results currently show that a maximum temperature precision of 0.98 degrees C and maximum relative accuracy of 0.56 degrees C has been achieved in the laboratory using the current generation of the prototype system.
Ferrography Wear Particles Image Recognition Based on Extreme Learning Machine

The morphology of wear particles reflects the complex properties of wear processes involved in particle formation. Typically, the morphology of wear particles is evaluated qualitatively based on microscopy observations. This procedure relies upon the experts’ knowledge and, thus, is not always objective and cheap. With the rapid development of computer image processing technology, neural network based on traditional gradient training algorithm can be used to recognize them. However, the feedforward neural network based on traditional gradient training algorithms for image segmentation creates many issues, such as needing multiple iterations to converge and easy fall into local minimum, which restrict its development heavily. Recently, extreme learning machine (ELM) for single-hidden-layer feedforward neural networks (SLFN) has been attracting attentions for its faster learning speed and better generalization performance than those of traditional gradient-based learning algorithms. In this paper, we propose to employ ELM for ferrography wear particles image recognition. We extract the shape features, color features, and texture features of five typical kinds of wear particles as the input of the ELM classifier and set five types of wear particles as the output of the ELM classifier. Therefore, the novel ferrography wear particle classifier is founded based on ELM.
Dual effects of hepatitis C virus Core protein on the transcription of cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor p21 gene

Summary. Transcription of p21 was activated in hepatitis C virus (HCV) Core‐expressing HepG2 cells where its upstream p53 was stabilized. However, this effect was not absolutely required for the activation of p21 by Core, as demonstrated in Hep3B cells. In addition, an opposite effect on the transcription of p21 was observed in NIH3T3 and primary hepatocytes, where p53 was not decreased by Core. To explain the p53‐independent regulation of p21 by Core, we identified a Core‐responsive element between positions −74 and −83 of the p21 promoter, exactly overlapped with a tumour growth factor β (TGF‐β)/butyrate responsive element. Furthermore, we demonstrated that Core could activate the p21 through the element by stimulating a butyrate pathway, whereas this was inhibited through a TGF‐β pathway. The opposing effects of Core protein on the transcription of p21 might be important in understanding the progression of hepatic disease in HCV‐positive patients.
A Guide to the Perplexed on the Specificity of Antibodies

Many investigators are unaware of the potential problems with specificity of antibodies and the need to document antibody characterization meticulously for each antibody that is used. In this review, I consider the principles of antibody action and how they define a set of rules for what information should be obtained by the investigator before using an antibody in a serious scientific investigation.
Evolutionary trade‐offs of insecticide resistance — The fitness costs associated with target‐site mutations in the nAChR of Drosophila melanogaster

The evolution of resistance to drugs and pesticides poses a major threat to human health and food security. Neonicotinoids are highly effective insecticides used to control agricultural pests. They target the insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and mutations of the receptor that confer resistance have been slow to develop, with only one field‐evolved mutation being reported to date. This is an arginine‐to‐threonine substitution at position 81 of the nAChR_β1 subunit in neonicotinoid‐resistant aphids. To validate the role of R81T in neonicotinoid resistance and to test whether it may confer any significant fitness costs to insects, CRISPR/Cas9 was used to introduce an analogous mutation in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. Flies carrying R81T showed an increased tolerance (resistance) to neonicotinoid insecticides, accompanied by a significant reduction in fitness. In comparison, flies carrying a deletion of the whole nAChR_α6 subunit, the target site of spinosyns, showed an increased tolerance to this class of insecticides but presented almost no fitness deficits.
Socio-economic status influences blood pressure control despite equal access to care.

OBJECTIVE Denmark has a health care system with free and equal access to care irrespective of age and socio-economic status (SES). We conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate a possible association between SES and blood pressure (BP) control of hypertensive patients treated in general practice. METHODS We enrolled 184 general practices and 5260 hypertensive patients. The general practitioners reported information about BP and diagnosis of diabetes. Information about education, income, antihypertensive drug treatment and other co-morbidity was retrieved from relevant registers from Statistics Denmark. The outcome measure was BP control defined as BP <140/90 mmHg in general and <130/80 mmHg in diabetics. RESULTS Patients <65 years and with an educational level of 10-12 years had increased odds ratio (OR) of BP control compared to patients with an educational level <10 years. Patients ≥65 years had increased OR of BP control if they were married/cohabiting as compared to being single, whereas education and income had no impact in this age group. Diabetics had significantly reduced odds of BP control irrespective of age, educational or income level. CONCLUSIONS Despite equal access to care for all patients, SES had significant impact on BP control in this survey. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease also had a substantial influence irrespective of age, educational and income level.
Comparison of the Biofire FilmArray RP, Genmark eSensor RVP, Luminex xTAG RVPv1, and Luminex xTAG RVP Fast Multiplex Assays for Detection of Respiratory Viruses

ABSTRACT There are several U.S. FDA-cleared molecular respiratory virus panels available today, each with advantages and disadvantages. This study compares four multiplex panels, the BioFire Diagnostics FilmArray RP (respiratory panel), the GenMark Dx eSensor RVP (respiratory viral panel), the Luminex xTAG RVPv1, and the Luminex xTAG RVP fast. Three hundred specimens (200 retrospective and 100 consecutive) were tested using all four platforms to determine performance characteristics. The overall sensitivity and specificity, respectively, and 95% confidence interval (CI; in parentheses) for each panel were as follows: FilmArray RP, 84.5% (79.2, 88.6) and 100% (96.2, 100); eSensor RVP, 98.3% (95.5, 99.5) and 99.2% (95.4, 100); xTAG RVPv1, 92.7% (88.5, 95.4) and 99.8% (96.0, 100); and xTAG RVP fast, 84.4% (78.5, 88.9) and 99.9% (96.1, 100). The sensitivity of each assay fluctuated by viral target, with the greatest discrepancies noted for adenovirus and influenza virus B detection. Hands-on time and time to result were recorded and ease of use was assessed to generate a complete profile of each assay.
Fast SEU fault injection in the SoC-memory

In this paper the SoC-microprocessor testing problem using SEU fault injection in the SoC-memory is considered. It is substantiated the minimal time delay of fault injection is a necessity for some tests. We overview the current approach to SEU fault injection ensuring the minimal time delay. It is offered the fault injection method in the SoC-microprocessors using the on-chip fault injector. Possibilities of the proposed method are suggested. By way of illustration the injection in LEON3 SoC-microprocessor is regarded. The general injection algorithm is described. The outcome of experiment supported the injection minimal time delay are given.
Reliability of a measurement method for the cross-sectional area of the longus colli using real-time ultrasound imaging

Objective Real-time ultrasound imaging is an established objective outcome measurement with proven reliability. However, it is still largely biased by user-ability. Published research in the area of real-time ultrasound imaging reliability in the cervical region and in particular the deep cervical flexors is quite sparse. The purpose of this investigation was to examine if a novice ultrasound user could agree favourably with an experienced ultrasound sonographer in measuring the cross-sectional area of the longus colli. Methods Ultrasound images were captured from 22 healthy subjects on two different occasions, one week apart, by a novice ultrasound user. They were acquired using a GE Healthcare LOGIQe ultrasound machine, at a depth of 3–4 cm with the transducer frequency set to 8 MHz, in line with previous research guidelines. Cross-sectional area was then measured on-screen by both a novice and experienced ultrasound user to determine inter-rater reliability. Intra-rater reliability was also analysed using cross-sectional area figures from days one and two. Results Intra-rater reliability for real-time ultrasound imaging for the cross-sectional area of the longus colli was “excellent” (intra-class correlation 0.90, 95% CI 0.82–0.95). Inter-rater reliability was “moderate” but in keeping with previous published research (intra-class correlation 0.61, 95% CI 0.37–0.77). Conclusion Difficulties in identifying the borders of the longus colli muscle due to its deep anatomical location and surrounding structures make it difficult for assessors to agree favourably on cross-sectional area measurements, leading to “moderate” levels of inter-rater reliability and poor agreement. Intra-rater reliability is excellent, and in this instance indicates that a novice user can be just as reliable as a more experienced ultrasound user.
Limits of Advisability for Master–Slave Configuration of DC–AC Converters in Photovoltaic Systems

Several feed-in tariffs are now available for photovoltaic (PV) systems, and thus, the maximization of the productivity is very important; this goal can be achieved by solar cell technologies with high efficiency and low temperature losses, one axis or dual axis sun-tracking systems, proper cooling techniques for PV modules in building integrated applications, master-slave (M-S) control for the inverters in large grid-connected PV plants, etc. About the last item, this paper deals with the advisability of the master-slave concept versus the centralized inverter layout. Here, attention is focused on the influence of the installation site with its irradiation peculiarities, the tilt angle of the PV modules, the efficiency curve of the inverters, and the number of slaves. The simulated productions put into evidence energy gains up to 4% per year, considering the only cloudy-day contribution. On the basis of these comparisons, the M-S concept can be profitable if the number of cloudy days is sufficiently high, the tilt angle is adequate, and the dc-ac efficiency curve is “well shaped”.