Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quietto: An Interactive Timepiece Molded in Concrete and Milled Wood

We introduce Quietto: an interactive timepiece made of molded concrete and milled wood. It shows upcoming daily schedules and the time through the quiet, ambient motions of a clock hand and light through the concrete touch interface. The results of an in-field user observation of 10 participants over 3 days showed the possibilities of using concrete as a unique and attractive material for designing a tangible interface due to its unexpected haptic feeling. We also found that Quietto provides an intuitive and effective representation of its users' daily schedules and can be used as a private, personal device. Through its distinctive design, Quietto can provide a new way of understanding scheduling through its concrete texture and amusing interaction qualities.
A reduced complexity interference cancellation receiver based on IDMA in OFDMA uplink

In OFDMA cellular system, the inter-cell interference is main interference of the system, which greatly degrades the system performance. In the inter-cell interference mitigation scheme, interference cancellation based on IDMA is a potential technology, especially in full-loaded scenario. Although it can enhance the system performance, its well work needs many information such as MCS, which makes it unpractical. In this paper, a reduced complexity receiver is proposed, which only makes use of its own coding information and some fixed information. Since the receiver loses other user¿s coding information, which make the performance degraded. In AWGN simulation, the best spreading length of reduced complexity receiver is at 7, the required Eb/N0 gap is 1.167 dB, and for delay consideration, the iteration number is 5.
Core Competencies of the Entrepreneurial Leader in Health Care Organizations

The purpose of this article is to discuss core competencies that entrepreneurial health care leaders should acquire to ensure the survival and growth of US health care organizations. Three overlapping areas of core competencies are described: (1) health care system and environment competencies, (2) organization competencies, and (3) interpersonal competencies. This study offers insight into the relationship between leaders and entrepreneurship in health care organizations and establishes the foundation for more in-depth studies on leadership competencies in health care settings. The approach for identifying core competencies and designing a competency model is useful for practitioners in leadership positions in complex health care organizations, so that through the understanding and practice of these 3 areas of core competencies, they can enhance their entrepreneurial leadership skills to become more effective health care entrepreneurial leaders. This study can also be used as a tool by health care organizations to better understand leadership performance, and competencies can be used to further the organization's strategic vision and for individual improvement purposes.
Centralized self-optimization of pilot powers for load balancing in LTE

Optimization of radio access networks is a challenge for cellular operators. With the deployment of new radio access technologies and advanced features, network optimization needs to be automated for performance improvement and OPerational EXpenditures (OPEX) reduction. In this paper, we propose a method for centralized self-optimization of pilot powers to perform load balancing between base stations. The proposed method uses a stochastic surrogate function to model the functional relationships between noisy Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and network parameters, and subsequently performs optimization using a pattern search algorithm in a recursive manner. The method is applied to solve a high dimensional optimization problem of pilot power based load balancing in an LTE network. Results obtained using a flow level analytical network simulator show the advantages of the proposed recursive modeling and optimization approach as a promising solution in terms of robustness to noisy data and fast convergence to the optimum point for a high dimensional network optimization.
Extensive changes in the transcriptional profile of human adipose tissue including genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation after a 6‐month exercise intervention

Adipose tissue has an important function in total energy homeostasis, and its dysregulation may contribute to lifestyle‐related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate genome‐wide mRNA expression in adipose tissue in healthy men before and after an exercise intervention to identify genes or pathways that mediate the beneficial effect of regular exercise. We also investigated the difference in adipose tissue mRNA expression between individuals with or without a family history of type 2 diabetes.
Towards Self-Service Governance by Means of Information Technology

In this paper we present a novel model for governing societies based on modern information technology, which neither relies on manual bureaucratic labor, nor depends on process-based e-government services for governance. We expose the flaws of the later and argue that it is not feasible for sustainable governance due to permanently changing laws and instead propose a model in which people can govern themselves in a self-service manner by relying on constellations of data stored in a network of governmental databases to which citizen and officials have read- and write access under rules defined by temporary valid law.
CMOS rectifier design for RFID chip with high sensitivity at low input power to be combined with an ultrasmall antenna

This paper presents CMOS radio frequency (RF) rectifier circuit design for radio frequency identification (RFID) tag with integrated on‐chip antenna. The proposed design focuses on high sensitivity and high efficiency at low input power. The rectifier circuit was designed using Advanced Design System (ADS) software tool with the UMC130 process as a single‐ended rectifier structure in different topologies where sensitivity and efficiency enhancement techniques are applied. This work presents the performance of the proposed CMOS RF rectifier circuit in comparison with previously published works for 915 MHz and 5.8 GHz operating frequencies. For the 915 MHz band, the highest sensitivity of −19.8 dBm is provided by the adaptive threshold voltage compensation circuit with a power conversion efficiency of 9.843%. The 5.8 GHz band uses the adaptive threshold voltage compensation and dynamic bulk bias techniques providing the highest sensitivity of −16.8 dBm. Compared with other works in the literature, the proposed circuits offer greater sensitivity and can easily be matched with ultrasmall on‐chip antennas because of appropriate values of the input impedance.
Simultaneous Inpainting and Super-resolution Using Self-learning

In applications like creating immersive walkthrough systems or digital reconstruction of invaluable artwork, both inpainting and super-resolution of the given images are the preliminary steps in order to provide better visual experience. The usual practice is to solve these problems independently in a pipelined manner. In this paper we propose a unified framework to perform simultaneous inpainting and super-resolution (SR). The main focus of this paper is inpainting, i.e. to remove objects in photographs and replace them with visually plausible backgrounds. The super-resolved version is obtained as a by-product in the process of using an additional constraint that helps in finding a better source for inpainting. The proposed approach starts with a given test image I0 having a region Ω0 to be inpainted. We obtain the coarser resolution image I−1 by blurring and downsampling I0 as done in [2]. We then construct dictionaries of image-representative low and high resolution (LR-HR) patch pairs from the known regions in the test image I0 and its coarser resolution I−1. The inpainting of the missing pixels is performed using exemplars found by comparing patch details at a finer resolution. Here, self-learning [4] is used to obtain the finer resolution patches by making use of the constructed dictionaries. The obtained finer resolution patches represent the super-resolved patches in the missing regions. Advantage of our approach when compared to other exemplar based inpainting techniques are (1) additional constraint in the form of finer resolution matching results in better inpainting and (2) inpainting is obtained not only in the given spatial resolution but also at higher resolution leading to super-resolution inpainting. The proposed approach is summarized in table 1 and one result is shown in figure 2.
Quantity of Remaining Double Bonds of Propanal-containing Resins

Improved mechanical properties of resin composites have been reported to be a consequence of the addition of aldehyde to the resins. The objective of the present study was to examine whether this improvement could be attributed to an increased degree of conversion of double bonds. For this purpose, propanal was added to monomer mixtures, which were then made light-curing. The monomer mixtures were varied with respect to monomer composition and content of propanal. The quantity of remaining double bonds was determined by means of transmission infrared spectra of the resins recorded before and after wet or dry storage for one week. The addition of propanal resulted in a decrease in the quantity of remaining double bonds by as much as 89% as compared with the mixtures without propanal. Negative correlations of statistical significance were found between the content of propanal and quantity of remaining double bonds in BISGMA:TEGDMA-based as well as in UEDMA:HEMA-based resins for both modes of storage. Significant negative correlations were found between the quantity of remaining double bonds and the previously determined mechanical properties.
EVALUATION OF THE USER STRATEGY ON 2D AND 3D CITY MAPS BASED ON NOVEL SCANPATH COMPARISON METHOD AND GRAPH VISUALIZATION

Abstract. The paper is dealing with scanpath comparison of eye-tracking data recorded during case study focused on the evaluation of 2D and 3D city maps. The experiment contained screenshots from three map portals. Two types of maps were used - standard map and 3D visualization. Respondents’ task was to find particular point symbol on the map as fast as possible. Scanpath comparison is one group of the eye-tracking data analyses methods used for revealing the strategy of the respondents. In cartographic studies, the most commonly used application for scanpath comparison is eyePatterns that output is hierarchical clustering and a tree graph representing the relationships between analysed sequences. During an analysis of the algorithm generating a tree graph, it was found that the outputs do not correspond to the reality. We proceeded to the creation of a new tool called ScanGraph. This tool uses visualization of cliques in simple graphs and is freely available at www.eyetracking. upol.cz/scangraph . Results of the study proved the functionality of the tool and its suitability for analyses of different strategies of map readers. Based on the results of the tool, similar scanpaths were selected, and groups of respondents with similar strategies were identified. With this knowledge, it is possible to analyse the relationship between belonging to the group with similar strategy and data gathered from the questionnaire (age, sex, cartographic knowledge, etc.) or type of stimuli (2D, 3D map).
Informal carers of mentally infirm elderly in Lancashire.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the determinants of satisfaction in caregiving and to compare satisfaction in care-giving amongst carers of demented and non-demented mentally infirm elders; and, assess carer attitudes and concerns, and their implications on care in the community. DESIGN Cross-sectional study of informal carers of the elderly referred to a psychogeriatric service, using a questionnaire investigating carer satisfaction (CASI), care-recipient dependency needs, carer burden (CADI), carer concerns and attitudes in relation to caregiving, and the 28-item GHQ. SETTING Lancashire communities of Fleetwood, Thornton-Cleveleys, Poulton-Le-Fylde, and Over-Wyre. RESULTS Carers achieved significant degrees of satisfaction in their role as care-givers; there was no significant difference in the degree of satisfaction gained by carers of the demented and non-demented. The mean CASI score, for carers of the demented and non-demented was 23(5.5) and 24.4 (5.7) respectively (mean difference -2.9; CI -4.6, 0.1; p = 0.058). Dissatisfaction in care giving was determined by total burden (CADI) scores, and younger carer age. Emotional distress in carers was weakly inversely correlated with CASI scores (r = -0.21, p = 0.042). Concerns expressed by carers, included desire for information on care recipient disability (39.5%) and fear of nursing/residential home placements (43%). Most carers had a generally positive attitude to care giving, inspite of significant degrees of burden to which they were subjected. CONCLUSIONS Carer-related factors, particularly younger age, rather than dependency factors, were determinant of care giving satisfaction. Greater involvement of older persons in care giving should be encouraged, with younger persons assisting if care giving becomes overbearing. Carers require education on care-recipient disabilities and the benefits of care in formal care institutions.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in Rehmannia glutinosa (Scrophulariaceae), a medicinal herb

Premise of the study: Rehmannia glutinosa (Scrophulariaceae) is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Microsatellite primers were developed and characterized for this species to evaluate its genetic diversity and population genetic structure. Methods and Results: Sixteen microsatellite loci were isolated from R. glutinosa using an enriched genomic library, and these markers were characterized in two wild populations of this species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 20. A high genetic diversity was observed in two populations, with average observed heterozygosity of 0.812 and 0.794, and average expected heterozygosity of 0.802 and 0.814, respectively. Conclusions: Rehmannia glutinosa is an important medicinal resource. The genetic markers described in our study will be useful for future population genetic studies and molecular breeding programs on this species.
Influence of endostatin on embryonic vasculo‐ and angiogenesis

The proteolytic fragment of collagen XVIII, endostatin, acts as an inhibitor of angiogenesis. To date, only limited knowledge exists on the effects of endostatin on endothelial cells during embryonic development. Therefore, we analysed the role of endostatin on embryonic vasculo‐ and angiogenesis. Endostatin is accumulated in embryonic tissue of mouse embryos. Similarly, in vessels of embryoid bodies (EBs), endostatin and its binding sites are distributed in vessels and sprouting areas. In EBs, endostatin increases endothelial cells (control, 279.3 ± 76.5; 50 ng/ml, 566.3 ± 90.1; 200 ng/ml, 594.5 ± 166.3 tube‐like structures per EB) and endothelial tubes by proliferation (control, 21.4 ± 7.5; 50 ng/ml, 160.2 ± 9.9; 200 ng/ml, 184.2 ± 16.5 Ki67‐positive nuclei per 50 tube‐like structures); it also enhances migration (control, 380.5 ± 159.8 cells; 50 ng/ml, 718.3 ± 251 cells; 200 ng/ml, 706 ± 89.4 cells) and apoptosis (control, 16.8 ± 6.7; 50 ng/ml, 94.4 ± 23.6; 200 ng/ml, 106 ± 42 PARP‐positive nuclei per 50 tube‐like structures). Furthermore, endostatin modulates the morphology of the endothelial tubes by inducing contraction. Endostatin modulates the embryonic vascular development by enhancing proliferation, migration, and apoptosis as well as by regulating morphogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 230:468–480, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Apolipoprotein structure and dynamics

Purpose of review This review highlights recent advances in structural studies of exchangeable human apolipoproteins and the insights they provide into lipoprotein action in cardiovascular and amyloid diseases. Recent findings The high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of free apoA-II reveals a parallel helical array that may represent other lipid-poor apolipoproteins, and the structure in complex with detergent substantiates the belt model for the protein arrangement on lipoproteins. Nuclear magnetic resonance structures of apolipoprotein–detergent complexes show a repertoire of curved helical conformations, suggesting multiple helical arrangements on the lipid. Low-resolution spectroscopic analyses, interface studies and molecular modeling provide new insights into the ‘hinge-domain’ mechanism of apolipoprotein adaptation at variable lipoprotein surfaces. A kinetic mechanism for lipoprotein stabilization is proposed. Summary Cumulative evidence supports the belt model that provides a general structural basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms of functional apolipoprotein reactions, such as binding to lipoprotein receptors, lipid transporters, and the activation of lipophilic enzymes. However, the detailed protein and lipid conformations on lipoproteins and the underlying molecular interactions are unclear. New insights will hopefully emerge once the first detailed lipoprotein structure is solved.
Removal of ocular artifacts in EEG

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is an important medical imaging tool which reflects the electrical activity in the brain. It is recorded over the surface of the brain with respect to time. EEG draws potential from the electrodes which are placed on the scalp, this happens due to the firing of the neurons. These signals are in the order of microvolt shows as low amplitude, which are very much prone to the misrepresentation like overlay of other electrical activities exhibit by eye, muscle, heart etc. The other electrical activities which superimposed on the true EEG signal and forms a cock-tailed signal, the other electrical activity which overlay on the true EEG signal is called as Artifact with respect to the brain electrical activity. Mainly EEG signal gets affected with artifact signal which is near or around the brain like EOG, ECG, EMG, etc. forms their respective artifacts in the EEG signal, this makes the physician to make a wrong analysis of EEG signal and treating the brain activity as abnormal and direct the patient to have diagnosis which causes the serious issue. There are many artifacts that overlay and cause misinterpretation of EEG, like from the side of the patient, machinery and other environmental issues. Among this all causes of the artifacts the Ocular artifact caused from the side of the patient takes a principal position because the Ocular artifact (OA) caused by the eye is very much nearer to the psyche. Hence, in this paper the study of the various methods to remove the Ocular artifacts and their benefits, drawbacks are also stated.
Increased Rate of Helicobacter pylori Infection Detected by PCR in Biopsies With Chronic Gastritis

Histology is considered a sensitive method for detection of Helicobacter pylori, in gastric biopsies. We investigated the diagnostic potential of qualitative nested (nPCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) for detection of H. pylori using different primers on 126 archived gastric biopsies with inflammation and correlated the inflammatory changes with the presence and density of bacteria. H. pylori was detected in 42.8% biopsies by histology and PCR, an additional 15 samples were positive exclusively by PCR: nPCR was positive in all histologically positive samples, but qPCR failed to detect H. pylori in 10 biopsies. The inflammatory score was significantly higher in biopsies positive for H. pylori only by PCR showed a significant higher inflammatory score compared with negative biopsies (mean of neutrophils score, 1.60 vs. 0.90, P < 0.01; mean of mononuclear cells score, 2.27 vs. 1.67, P < 0.01), whereas the inflammatory score was similar compared with biopsies positive for H. pylori by histology (mean of neutrophils score, 1.60 vs. 1.56, not significant; mean of mononuclear cells score, 2.27 vs. 2.20, not significant). A weak correlation between inflammatory score and the density of H. pylori detected by histology was observed. The mean values of H. pylori DNA were significantly higher in histologic-positive than in histologic negative biopsies. We have shown that PCR can detect H. pylori in about 20% of histologic-negative gastric biopsies, indicating the clinical relevance of H. pylori detection by PCR in biopsies with characteristic inflammatory changes.
A fusion approach for anomaly detection in hard disk drives

As the information stored in hard disk drives (HDDs) is continuous increasing, the safety of data is become more and more important. Among the safety technologies, anomaly detection is crucial for users to prevent data loss and to backup their data. A fusion approach was proposed to monitor the HDD health status based on Mahalanobis distance (MD) and Box-Cox transformation. A quality control technique-Shewhart control chart-was introduced using the transformed MD values to detect the anomalies in HDDs. A case study was then conducted to verify the validity of the proposed approach. The results showed that the proposed approach is effective for detecting the anomalies.
Unsupervised 3D object retrieval with parameter-free hierarchical clustering

In 3D object retrieval, additional knowledge like user input, classification information or database dependent configured parameters are rarely available in real scenarios. For example, meta data about 3D objects is seldom if the objects are not within a well-known evaluation database. We propose an algorithm which improves the performance of unsupervised 3D object retrieval without using any additional knowledge. For the computation of the distances in our system any descriptor can be chosen; we use the Panorama-descriptor. Our algorithm uses a precomputed parameter-free agglomerative hierarchical clustering and combines the information of the hierarchy of clusters with the individual distances to improve a single object query. Additionally, we propose an adaption algorithm for the cases that new objects are added frequently to the database. We evaluate our approach with 6 databases including a total of 13271 objects in 481 classes. We show that our algorithm improves the average precision in an unsupervised scenario without any parameter configuration.
Peptide‐mediated activation of Akt and extracellular regulated kinase signaling prevents lymphocyte apoptosis

Lymphocyte apoptosis is a hallmark of sepsis and contributes to disease mortality. In other acute injuries, such as myocardial and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, apoptosis plays a significant role in disease‐associated morbidity and mortality. We previously showed that constitutive activation of the potent antiapoptotic Akt/protein kinase B signaling pathway in lymphocytes both reduces sepsis‐induced lymphocyte apoptosis and confers a significant survival advantage compared to wild‐type littermates. Here, we demonstrate a therapeutic approach to acutely augment Akt activity in a wild‐type animal. A cell‐permeable peptide conjugated to the Akt‐binding domain of the endogenous Akt coactivator, Tcl‐1, prolongs Akt activity, activates extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) signaling and protects lymphocytes from numerous apoptotic stimuli both in vitro and in vivo. Molecular approaches to activate the antiapoptotic Akt and ERK signaling pathways may provide a novel tool to study these signaling pathways, as well as a new antiapoptotic strategy for the treatment of sepsis and other acute injuries. McDunn, J. E. , Muenzer, J. T. , Rachdi, L. , Chang, K. C. , Davis, C. G. , Dunne, W. M. , Piwnica‐Worms, D. , Mizrachi, E. ‐B. , Hotchkiss, R. S. Peptidemediated activation of Akt and ERK signaling prevents lymphocyte apoptosis. FASEB J. 22, 561−568 (2008)