Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Color image morphology based on distances in the HSI color space

Multivariate mathematical morphology is increasing becoming a powerful utility for color image processing and analysis. In the paper, a new vector ordering scheme based on distances in the HSI color space is proposed. The methodology first uses nonlinear weighted combination with color distances, where vectors are reduced to scalars with the help of weighted coefficients. These coefficients are entirely determined by the saturation-intensity plane, which fit in with human perception. Then a lexicographical cascade is employed to complete total ordering. On the basis of the ordering approach, new erosion and dilation operations are defined. The performance of proposed is illustrated by means of color edge detection. Experimental results demonstrate its advantageous effectiveness. Additionally, the proposed framework can be also extended for other perceptual color representations based on polar coordinate.
The modulatory role played by TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in the inflammatory responses induced by carrageenan in the mouse model of pleurisy.

We describe here the modulation caused by intrapleural (i.pl.) injection of the cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta and their specific antibodies in the early (4 h) and late (48 h) inflammatory responses caused by injection of carrageenan (Cg) into the mouse pleural cavity. The antibodies against TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, when injected 30 min prior to Cg, reduced, in a graded and significant manner, both exudation and cell migration in the early (4 h) phase, while they potentiated or had no effect in the late (48 h) phase of Cg response. The natural IL-1 receptor antagonist IL-1RA, given 30 min prior to Cg, reduced the exudation by about 50% and abolished the total and differential cell migration in the early (4 h) and late (48 h) phases of the Cg responses. The i.pl. injection of TNF-alpha or IL-1beta, 5 min prior to Cg, caused graded increase in the exudation of the early (4 h) and late (48 h) phases of the Cg-induced inflammatory responses. In contrast, these treatments markedly reduced the total and differential cell migration at 4 h, while having little or no effect on the late (48 h) phase of the Cg pleurisy. These findings extend previous results and demonstrate that the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta have a critical role in controlling both cell migration and exudation caused by injection of Cg in the mouse pleural cavity. Together, these findings may be relevant to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in airway inflammatory responses.
Regulation of AEC GM-CSF expression by miRNA 1 Key role of microRNA in the regulation of Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor expression in murine alveolar epithelial cells during oxidative stress

Background: Accelerated mRNA turnover results in suppression of lung epithelial cell GM-CSF expression during oxidative stress. Results: We found that microRNAs 133a and 133b, targeting GM-CSF, are both necessary and sufficient for this accelerated turnover. Conclusion: MicroRNAs play a central role in determining cell-specific GM-CSF expression during stress. Significance: Regulation of microRNA offers a new therapeutic approach to protect the lung during injury.
Robust mobile robot localization based on a security laser: an industry case study

Purpose This paper aims to address a mobile robot localization system that avoids using a dedicated laser scanner, making it possible to reduce implementation costs and the robot’s size. The system has enough precision and robustness to meet the requirements of industrial environments. Design/methodology/approach Using an algorithm for artificial beacon detection combined with a Kalman Filter and an outlier rejection method, it was possible to enhance the precision and robustness of the overall localization system. Findings Usually, industrial automatic guide vehicles feature two kinds of lasers: one for navigation placed on top of the robot and another for obstacle detection (security lasers). Recently, security lasers extended their output data with obstacle distance (contours) and reflectivity. These new features made it possible to develop a novel localization system based on a security laser. Research limitations/implications Once the proposed methodology is completely validated, in the future, a scheme for global localization and failure detection should be addressed. Practical implications This paper presents a comparison between the presented approach and a commercial localization system for industry. The proposed algorithms were tested in an industrial application under realistic working conditions. Social implications The presented methodology represents a gain in the effective cost of the mobile robot platform, as it discards the need for a dedicated laser for localization purposes. Originality/value This paper presents a novel approach that benefits from the presence of a security laser on mobile robots (mandatory sensor when considering industrial applications), using it simultaneously with other sensors, not only to guarantee safety conditions during operation but also to locate the robot in the environment. This paper is also valuable because of the comparison made with a commercialized system, as well as the tests conducted in real industrial environments, which prove that the approach presented is suitable for working under these demanding conditions.
Prognostic value of C-reactive protein in esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND The classical inflammatory biomarker, C-reactive protein (CRP), has been identified to be related to progression of esophageal cancer. Some research showed that elevated pretreatment serum CRP indicated a poor prognosis, but results have been inconsistent. MATERIALS AND METHODS We searched the Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Central Search Library for suitable studies and a meta-analysis of eleven (1,886 patients) was conducted to examine the relationship between elevated serum CRP level and overall survival (OS) in esophageal cancer cases. Moreover, correlation analyses were conducted to assess links between pretreatment serum CRP level and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage as well as T, N, M grade, respectively. RESULTS The pooled analysis showed that elevated pretreatment serum CRP level was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (HR 2.09, 95%CI 1.52-2.87, p<0.01). Subgroup analyses were conducted by "country", "cut-off value", "treatment" and "number of patients", and no single factor could alter the result. Elevated pretreatment serum CRP was significantly correlated with more advanced TNM stage and T, N, M grade respectively. CONCLUSIONS Elevated pretreatment serum CRP levels are associated with poorer prognosis in esophageal cancer patients, and could serve as a useful biomarker for outcome prediction.
Analysis of dynamic effects of resistive bridging faults in CMOS and BiCMOS digital ICs

This paper presents a study of the dynamic behavior of CMOS and BiCMOS digital circuits induced by bridging faults, whose resistance value is shown to have a strong impact on the dynamic behavior of faulty gates and of their fan-out gates. The problem of fault detection is addressed considering delay fault testing and results are compared with those achieved by means of functional testing. Electrical simulation has been used to investigate the main differences between BiCMOS and CMOS circuits. It is shown that, because of the large driving capability of BJTs, the detection as delay faults of bridging faults in BiCMOS circuits is more difficult than in the CMOS case. <<ETX>>
Phage display and molecular imaging: expanding fields of vision in living subjects

Abstract In vivo molecular imaging enables non-invasive visualization of biological processes within living subjects, and holds great promise for diagnosis and monitoring of disease. The ability to create new agents that bind to molecular targets and deliver imaging probes to desired locations in the body is critically important to further advance this field. To address this need, phage display, an established technology for the discovery and development of novel binding agents, is increasingly becoming a key component of many molecular imaging research programs. This review discusses the expanding role played by phage display in the field of molecular imaging with a focus on in vivo applications. Furthermore, new methodological advances in phage display that can be directly applied to the discovery and development of molecular imaging agents are described. Various phage library selection strategies are summarized and compared, including selections against purified target, intact cells, and ex vivo tissue, plus in vivo homing strategies. An outline of the process for converting polypeptides obtained from phage display library selections into successful in vivo imaging agents is provided, including strategies to optimize in vivo performance. Additionally, the use selections are performed against pre-defined targets, the use of cell lines, tissue, and in vivo homing selections have also been valuable. These latter strategies avoid the need to identify a specific target at the outset, allow library selections under conditions potentially more relevant to a clinical setting, and can lead to the discovery of unanticipated and interesting targets. The full potential of phage display is far from being completely explored; many library formats and selection strategies have not been fully exploited for the production of molecular imaging agents. The successful and rapid translation of phage-derived molecular imaging agents into the clinic remains a challenge, but new methods and tools are becoming available for optimizing in vivo performance. In conclusion, phage display will continue to be a significant driving force and a key player in enabling in vivo molecular imaging to deliver on its promise for both basic science and clinical applications.
Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument for mental health needs of juvenile justice youths.

OBJECTIVE This report describes the development of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-Second Version (MAYSI-2), a brief screening measure to identify youths with potential mental, emotional, or behavioral problems at entry points in the juvenile justice system. METHOD This 52-item self-report measure, with content relevant to common mental health problems in delinquent populations, was administered to 1,279 male and female youths, aged 12 to 17, in Massachusetts juvenile justice facilities. A subsample of youths also received the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI) and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). The instrument was subsequently administered to 3,804 male and female youths in California Youth Authority custody. RESULTS Factor analyses of the 52 items identified seven scales that were conceptually associated with various mental, emotional, and behavioral problems of youths, which were generally confirmed by separate factor analyses with the California sample. The scales manifested adequate internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Most scales were substantially correlated with conceptually similar scales in the MACI and YSR, and they identified most youths who scored at clinically significant levels on those instruments. CONCLUSIONS The MAYSI-2 shows promise as a reliable and valid screening tool to assist juvenile justice staff in identifying youths who may need an immediate response to mental or emotional problems.
High prevalence of underweight and undernutrition in Japanese inpatients with schizophrenia: a nationwide survey

Objectives To clarify the prevalence of underweight and overweight/obesity, and laboratory data for nutritional status in Japanese outpatients and inpatients with schizophrenia. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting A questionnaire conducted in inpatient and outpatient facilities in Japan. Participants The population of adult patients with schizophrenia in Japan (N=23 116). Main outcome measures The prevalence of underweight and undernutrition in Japanese inpatients and outpatients with schizophrenia. Results We conducted a large-scale investigation of the prevalence of underweight and undernutrition in 520 outpatient facilities and 247 inpatient facilities belonging to the Japan Psychiatric Hospitals Association between January 2012 and July 2013. There were 7655 outpatients and 15 461 inpatients with schizophrenia. There was a significant difference in the distribution of three body mass index levels between outpatients and inpatients (p<0.001). The proportion of underweight inpatients with schizophrenia was significantly higher than that among outpatients (p<0.001). Age-specific analysis revealed that the proportion of underweight individuals aged ≥40 years was higher in inpatients than in outpatients and in the general Japanese population. The proportion of individuals with hypocholesterolaemia was significantly higher in inpatients with schizophrenia than in outpatients (p<0.001). There was a significant difference in the severity of underweight between outpatients and inpatients with schizophrenia; the proportion of severe underweight in inpatients was twofold higher than in outpatients. Conclusions The prevalence of underweight and undernutrition in Japanese inpatients with schizophrenia was higher than in outpatients and the general population. Therefore, the physical risk of inpatients should be carefully considered in clinical practice.
Long-Term Trends in Extreme Precipitation Events over the Conterminous United States and Canada

This paper describes the results of an analysis of trends in short duration (1‐7 days) extreme precipitation events that have a recurrence interval of 1 yr or longer for stations in the United States and Canada. This definition of extreme precipitation was chosen because such events are highly correlated with hydrologic flooding in some U.S. regions. The dominant temporal characteristic of a national event composite index is significant low-frequency variability. There were lengthy periods of a below-average number of events in the 1930s and 1950s and an above-average number of events in the early 1940s, early 1980s, and 1990s. Regional variations often differ substantially from the national composite. A simple linear analysis indicates that the overall trend covering the period 1931‐96 has been upward at a highly statistically significant rate over the southwest United States and in a broad region from the central Great Plains across the middle Mississippi River and southern Great Lakes basins. The national trend for the United States is upward at a rate of 3% decade 21 for the period 1931‐96. While the annual trend for Canada is upward for the period 1951‐93, it is not statistically significant. Although the high statistical significance of the results is partially a consequence of the low frequency during the 1930s and 1950s located in the first half of the record, the latter half of the record exhibits an upward trend nearly identical to the entire record. However, an analysis of a 101-yr record of midwestern stations shows that heavy precipitation event frequencies around the turn of the twentieth century (1896‐1906) were higher than for other periods of comparable length, except for 1986‐96. Although data were not available in digital form to extend the analysis back to 1896 for the entire United States, the midwestern analysis shows that interpretation of the recent upward trends must account for the possibility of significant natural forcing of variability on century timescales.
Facilitating reuse of software components using repository technology

Identifying a reusable component and its functionality is important to heighten productivity of component-based software. A component repository is required to facilitate storing and maintaining reusable software components efficiently. We describe the component repository, which supports to facilitate reuse of software component in component-based software development. Our component repository provides functionality for component reuse process such as specification viewing, adapting, testing, and deploying. Through the component repository with these functions, components can be efficiently reused in component reuse process.
Proposed N-wavelength M-fiber WDM crossconnect switch using active microring resonators

Novel designs for integrated-optic M/spl times/N/spl times/M crossconnect switches are presented and analyzed. Arrays of electroabsorptive microring resonators on a semiconductor chip would provide dense wavelength-division-multiplexed switching in a compact, planar, low-voltage, high-speed geometry. Analysis indicates that the crossconnect is scaleable to 8/spl times/8/spl times/8 with more than 48-dB signal-to-crosstalk ratio.
Using eye movements to model the sequence of text-picture processing for multimedia comprehension

This study used eye movement modeling examples (EMME) to support students’ integrative processing of verbal and graphical information during the reading of an illustrated text. EMME consists of a replay of eye movements of a model superimposed onto the materials that are processed for accomplishing the task. Specifically, the study investigated the effects of modeling the temporal sequence of text and picture processing as shown in various replays of a model’s gazes. Eighty-four 7th graders were randomly assigned to one of the four experimental conditions: text-first processing sequence (text-first EMME), picture-first processing sequence (picture-first EMME), picture-last processing sequence (picture-last EMME) and no-EMME (control). Online and offline measures were used. Eye movement indices indicate that only readers in the picture-first EMME condition spent significantly longer processing the picture and showed stronger integrative processing of verbal and graphical information than students in the no-EMME condition. Moreover, readers in all EMME conditions outperformed those in the control condition for recall. However, for learning and transfer, only readers in the picture-first EMME condition were significantly superior to readers of the control condition. Furthermore, both the frequency and duration of integrative processing of verbal and graphical information mediated the effect of condition on learning outcomes.
StreetGen : In base city scale procedural generation of streets: road network, road surface and street objects

Streets are large, diverse, and used for several (and possibly conflicting) transport modalities as well as social and cultural activities. Proper planning is essential and requires data. Manually fabricating data that represent streets (street reconstruction) is error-prone and time consuming. Automatising street reconstruction is a challenge because of the diversity, size, and scale of the details (few centimetres for cornerstone) required. The state-of-the-art focuses on roads (no context, no urban features) and is strongly determined by each application (simulation, visualisation, planning). We propose a unified framework that works on real Geographic Information System (GIS) data and uses a strong, yet simple modelling hypothesis when possible to robustly model streets at the city level or street level. Our method produces a coherent street-network model containing topological traffic information, road surface and street objects. We demonstrate the robustness and genericity of our method by reconstructing the entire city of Paris streets and exploring other similar reconstruction (airport driveway).
Expression of peroxisomal proteins provides clear evidence for the presence of peroxisomes in the male germ cell line GC1spg.

Peroxisomes are cell organelles that perform multiple functions in the metabolism of lipids and of reactive oxygen species. They are present in most eukaryotic cells. However, they are believed to be absent in spermatozoa and they have never been described in male germ cells. We have used the immortalized germ cell line GC1spg to investigate the expression of peroxisomal proteins in germ cells of mice. The GC1spg cells represent the differentiation state of type B spermatogonia or preleptotene spermatocytes. We could show that peroxisomal membrane proteins like Pmp70 and Pex14p as well as peroxisomal matrix proteins like catalase or acyl CoA oxidase are expressed in GC1spg cells. All these proteins were colocalized in the same structures within the cells. Furthermore, by electron microscopy we have identified subcellular particles with an ultrastructural appearance that is characteristic of peroxisomes. This is the first report demonstrating the peroxisomal compartment in male germ cells of mice.
Cloning of leptin cDNA and assignment to the long arm of chromosome 5 in the marsupial Sminthopsis crassicaudata

We have isolated and sequenced full-length cDNA clones for leptin in the dasyurid marsupial Sminthopsis crassicaudata (fat-tailed dunnart). Southern and in situ hybridisation data indicated a single leptin gene in the S. crassicauda- ta genome, localised to arbitrary chromosome bands 5q24→ q31 on the long arm of chromosome 5, the short-arm terminus of which bears the only nucleolar organising region. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNAs revealed that the primary translation product of S. crassicaudata leptin is composed of 167 amino acid residues, with a potential signal peptide of 21 residues. The mature protein of 146 amino acids is 82% similar to both the mouse and human proteins and is predicted to have a molecular weight of 16.26 kDa. Northern blot analysis revealed that the corresponding mRNA is approximately 3.9 kb in size and is expressed only in white adipose tissue of this marsupial species. Evolutionary analyses indicate that S. crassicaudata leptin cDNA has evolved at a significantly faster rate than cDNAs from eutherian mammals.
Investigation of Polaron Pair Dynamics in Poly(3-Hexylthiophene) Film by Time Resolved Spectroscopy

Polaron pair dynamics in regioregular Poly (3-hexylthiophene) (RR-P3HT) film was studied by applying both femtosecond transient absorption and fluorescence up-conversion techniques. The comparison of the dynamics of the pure fluorescence, the ground state bleaching recovery and the polaron pair absorption reveals that the polaron pairs decay back to the ground state of certain morphological places with distinct absorption features, instead of the singlet excited state.
A biomechatronical transtibial prosthesis powered by pleated pneumatic artificial muscles

Due to its high power-to-weight ratio, a pleated pneumatic artificial muscle (PPAM) offers an interesting alternative actuation source for robotic devices. Its inherent compliant behaviour excites another broad field of interest: assistive clinical devices such as powered exoskeletons and prosthetics. In this paper, the design of a pneumatically powered transtibial prosthetic device is presented. A first prototype has been built and provides a preliminary test bed for control algorithm development and testing with able-bodied subjects in laboratory conditions. The characteristics and working principle of a PPAM are described. The design specifications and the mechanical model of the prosthesis are discussed. The mechanical design and the control structure are outlined. Furthermore, some initial walking trials with an able-bodied subject wearing the prosthesis prototype are presented and discussed.