Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dual Fuzzy-Snake model for IMT measurement in carotid ultrasound images of low- and high-risk patients

The carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) is commonly deemed an indicator for cardiovascular diseases. Several methods were proposed for the automatic estimation of the IMT on ultrasound carotid images, in order to obtain accurate, objective and repetitive values. One of the most used techniques for image segmentation is the snake, often requiring a preliminary manual phase of parameter tuning and profile initialization. In this study we present a new segmentation method for automatic detection of lumen-intima (LI) and media-adventitia (MA) interfaces. This technique is based on the simultaneously evolution of the two snakes under the action of a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS). We tested our method for images both with normal carotid wall and with plaques. The performances of the Fuzzy-Snake system result better than the classical snake implementation, showing no trends between errors and IMT values. In plaqued vessels, the FIS driven snake improves the detection of the LI compared to classical snakes.
Binocular estimation of motion: A least-square solution using normal flows

We present a direct method for estimating general camera motion from a rectified stereo image sequence using merely normal flows. We require neither point-to-point feature correspondences nor special assumption about the imaged scene. It has a closed-form expression, requiring no iterative computation. Experimental results on both synthetic and real image data are provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method.
Magnetic domain-wall racetrack memory for high density and fast data storage

The racetrack memory device is a new concept of Magnetic RAM (MRAM) based on controlling domain wall (DW) motion in ferromagnetic nanowires. It promises ultra-high storage density thanks to the possibility to store multiple narrow DWS per memory cell. By using read and write heads based on magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) fast data access speed can also be achieved. Thereby the racetrack memory can be used as universal storage to address both embedded and standalone applications. In this paper, we present the device physics, integration circuit and architecture designs of a racetrack memory based on MTJs with PMA. Mixed SPICE simulations at 65 nm node demonstrate the capabilities of this device to perform high performances. Finally, we compare the potential specifications of the racetrack memory with other advanced non-volatile memory technologies.
Tetrahydroaminoacridine‐induced ribosomal changes and inhibition of protein synthesis in rat hepatocyte suspensions

Tacrine (tetrahydroaminoacridine) is currently the only drug approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, tetrahydroaminoacridine therapy is often limited by this drug's propensity to induce reversible hepatotoxicity. Using suspensions of freshly isolated rat hepatocytes, we investigated the mechanism of tetrahydroaminoacridine cytotoxicity by examining the effect of tetrahydroaminoacridine on hepatocyte viability, protein synthesis, protein, DNA and RNA levels and ultrastructure. Our experimental findings support the explanation that tetrahydroaminoacridine‐induced hepatotoxicity results from tetrahydroaminoacridine's adverse effect on protein synthesis and ribosomal structure and function. We found that viable, tetrahydroaminoacridine‐treated hepatocytes (1.0 to 2.0 mmol/L or 118 to 235 μg/106 cells) demonstrated a dose‐dependent and dramatic aggregation of ribosomes on endoplasmic reticulum as well as the aggregation of other nucleic acids found in the nucleus (chromatin) and in mitochondria. These electron microscopy data suggest that tetrahydroaminoacridine treatment results in severe ribosomal dysfunction. This was confirmed by the observed rapid loss of cellular RNA content (but not DNA or protein) and the rapid and complete inhibition of protein synthesis in tetrahydroaminoacridine‐treated cells (lowest concentration tested was 0.5 mmol/L or 58 μg/106 cells). Thus tetrahydroaminoacridine treatment appears to aggregate hepatocellular nucleic acids, and in doing so adversely affects ribosomal function and protein synthesis. We propose that these adverse effects of exposure to tetrahydroaminoacridine are responsible for tetrahydroaminoacridine‐induced hepatotoxicity. (Hepatology 1994;20:•••.)
Delay or probability discounting in a model of impulsive behavior: effect of alcohol.

Little is known about the acute effects of drugs of abuse on impulsivity and self-control. In this study, impulsivity was assessed in humans using a computer task that measured delay and probability discounting. Discounting describes how much the value of a reward (or punisher) is decreased when its occurrence is either delayed or uncertain. Twenty-four healthy adult volunteers ingested a moderate dose of ethanol (0.5 or 0.8 g/kg ethanol: n = 12 at each dose) or placebo before completing the discounting task. In the task the participants were given a series of choices between a small, immediate, certain amount of money and $10 that was either delayed (0, 2, 30, 180, or 365 days) or probabilistic (i.e., certainty of receipt was 1.0, .9, .75, .5, or .25). The point at which each individual was indifferent between the smaller immediate or certain reward and the $10 delayed or probabilistic reward was identified using an adjusting-amount procedure. The results indicated that (a) delay and probability discounting were well described by a hyperbolic function; (b) delay and probability discounting were positively correlated within subjects; (c) delay and probability discounting were moderately correlated with personality measures of impulsivity; and (d) alcohol had no effect on discounting.
Identification of neuronal outgrowth cells from peripheral blood of stroke patients

Recent studies have identified a subset of outgrowth cell population with endothelial phenotype in long‐term cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The concept that peripheral blood–derived cells participate in neuronal regeneration remains highly controversial, and no specific cell type has been identified. In this study, we undertook to characterize outgrowth cells in the peripheral blood culture from stroke patients.
Chapter 5 . 3 : Data Security in Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing has come into reality as a new IT infrastructure built on top of a series of techniques such as distributed computing, virtualization, etc. Besides the many benefits that it can bring forth, Cloud Computing also introduces the difficulty of protecting the security of data outsourced by cloud users. This chapter will first study the basic concepts and analyze the essentials of data security issues pertaining to Cloud Computing. Then we elaborate on each issue by discussing its nature and existing solutions if available. Specifically, we will emphasize on issues of protecting data confidentiality/integrity/availability, securing data access and auditing, and enforcing the regulations and compliances regarding to data security and privacy.
Two isozymes of particulate methane monooxygenase with different methane oxidation kinetics are found in Methylocystis sp. strain SC2

Methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) attenuate methane emission from major sources, such as wetlands, rice paddies, and landfills, and constitute the only biological sink for atmospheric methane in upland soils. Their key enzyme is particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO), which converts methane to methanol. It has long been believed that methane at the trace atmospheric mixing ratio of 1.75 parts per million by volume (ppmv) is not oxidized by the methanotrophs cultured to date, but rather only by some uncultured methanotrophs, and that type I and type II methanotrophs contain a single type of pMMO. Here, we show that the type II methanotroph Methylocystis sp. strain SC2 possesses two pMMO isozymes with different methane oxidation kinetics. The pmoCAB1 genes encoding the known type of pMMO (pMMO1) are expressed and pMMO1 oxidizes methane only at mixing ratios >600 ppmv. The pmoCAB2 genes encoding pMMO2, in contrast, are constitutively expressed, and pMMO2 oxidizes methane at lower mixing ratios, even at the trace level of atmospheric methane. Wild-type strain SC2 and mutants expressing pmoCAB2 but defective in pmoCAB1 consumed atmospheric methane for >3 months. Growth occurred at 10–100 ppmv methane. Most type II but no type I methanotrophs possess the pmoCAB2 genes. The apparent Km of pMMO2 (0.11 μM) in strain SC2 corresponds well with the Km(app) values for methane oxidation measured in soils that consume atmospheric methane, thereby explaining why these soils are dominated by type II methanotrophs, and some by Methylocystis spp. , in particular. These findings change our concept of methanotroph ecology.
An evolutionary frame of work to study physiological adaptation to high altitudes

How complex physiological systems evolve is one of the major questions in evolutionary physiology. For example, how traits interact at the physiological and genetic level, what are the roles of development and plasticity in Darwinian evolution, and eventually how physiological traits will evolve, remains poorly understood. In this article we summarize the current frame of work evolutionary physiologists are employing to study the evolution of physiological adaptations, as well as the role of developmental and reversible phenotypic plasticity in this context. We also highlight representative examples of how the integration of evolutionary and developmental physiology, concomitantly with the mechanistic understanding of physiological systems, can provide a deeper insight on how endothermic vertebrates could cope with reduced ambient temperatures and oxygen availability characteristic of high altitude environments. In this context, high altitude offers a unique system to study the evolution of physiological traits, and we believe much can be gained by integrating theoretical and empirical knowledge from evolutionary biology, such as life-history theory or the comparative method, with the mechanistic understanding of physiological processes.
Visualization of Lipid Droplet Composition by Direct Organelle Mass Spectrometry*

An expanding appreciation for the varied functions of neutral lipids in cellular organisms relies on a more detailed understanding of the mechanisms of lipid production and packaging into cytosolic lipid droplets (LDs). Conventional lipid profiling procedures involve the analysis of tissue extracts and consequently lack cellular or subcellular resolution. Here, we report an approach that combines the visualization of individual LDs, microphase extraction of lipid components from droplets, and the direct identification of lipid composition by nanospray mass spectrometry, even to the level of a single LD. The triacylglycerol (TAG) composition of LDs from several plant sources (mature cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) embryos, roots of cotton seedlings, and Arabidopsis thaliana seeds and leaves) were examined by direct organelle mass spectrometry and revealed the heterogeneity of LDs derived from different plant tissue sources. The analysis of individual LDs makes possible organellar resolution of molecular compositions and will facilitate new studies of LD biogenesis and functions, especially in combination with analysis of morphological and metabolic mutants. Furthermore, direct organelle mass spectrometry could be applied to the molecular analysis of other subcellular compartments and macromolecules.
How People Resolve Dilemmas: An Elicitation Method for Subjective Decision Factors

In human society, people encounter various deontic conflicts every day. Deontic decisions are those that include moral, ethical, and normative aspects. Here, the concern is with deontic conflicts: decisions where all the alternatives lead to the violation of some norms. People think critically about these kinds of decisions. But, just ‘what’ they think about is not always clear. People use certain estimating factors/criteria to balance the tradeoffs when they encounter deontic conflicts. It is unclear what subjective factors people use to make a deontic decision. An elicitation approach called the Open Factor Conjoint System is proposed, which applies an online elicitation methodology which is a combination of two well-know research methodologies: repertory grid and conjoint analysis. This new methodology is extended to be a web based application. It seeks to elicit additional relevant (subjective) factors from people, which affect deontic decisions. The relative importance and utility values are used for the development of a decision model to predict people’s decisions.Fundamentally, this methodology was developed and intended to be applicable for a wide range of elicitation applications with minimal experimenter bias. Comparing with the traditional method, this online survey method reduces the limitation of time and space in data collection and this methodology can be applied in many fields. Two possible applications were addressed: robotic vehicles and the choice of medical treatment. In addition, this method can be applied to many research related disciplines in cross-cultural research due to its online ability with global capacity.
Gender and Strain Variations in Left Ventricular Cardiac Function and Mass Determined With Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 7 Tesla in Adult Mice

Objectives: We sought to assess with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) the influence of strain type and gender on left ventricular (LV) global function and mass in 3 inbred mouse strains with a normal cardiac phenotype. Materials and Methods: A total of 30 mice from 3 inbred strains (C57BL/6, 29S2/SvPasCrl, and C3HFeJ) were studied on a 7.05-T MR scanner using ECG-triggered cine sequences. LV mass and volumes were calculated with inclusion and exclusion of papillary muscles (PMs) in the LV wall. Results: Significant differences were found with strain and gender (P < 0.001), with strain–effect but no gender–effect for ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic volume (EDV), and end-systolic volume (ESV). There were no differences in LV mass between strains but lower values in female mice except in the C3H strain. The exclusion of PMs led to the relative underestimation of EF (−6.1%) and of LV mass (−6.4 mg) and the relative overestimation of EDV (6.3 &mgr;L) and ESV (5.3 &mgr;L). Inter- and intraobserver reproducibility was better when PMs were included. Conclusion: The use of MRI demonstrates cardiac interstrain and gender-related phenotypic diversities that are essential factors to consider when building genomic databases and designing studies.
Stochastic Fluid Theory for P2P Streaming Systems

We develop a simple stochastic fluid model that seeks to expose the fundamental characteristics and limitations of P2P streaming systems. This model accounts for many of the essential features of a P2P streaming system, including the peers' realtime demand for content, peer churn (peers joining and leaving), peers with heterogeneous upload capacity, limited infrastructure capacity, and peer buffering and playback delay. The model is tractable, providing closed-form expressions which can be used to shed insight on the fundamental behavior of P2P streaming systems. The model shows that performance is largely determined by a critical value. When the system is of moderate-to-large size, if a certain ratio of traffic loads exceeds the critical value, the system performs well; otherwise, the system performs poorly. Furthermore, large systems have better performance than small systems since they are more resilient to bandwidth fluctuations caused by peer churn. Finally, buffering can dramatically improve performance in the critical region, for both small and large systems. In particular, buffering can bring more improvement than can additional infrastructure bandwidth.
Transnationalism and Leisure: Mexican Temporary Migrants in the U.S.

Abstract The goal of this study was to investigate how Mexican migrant workers' transnational status affected their leisure behavior. Twenty one in-depth interviews with Mexican migrants, temporarily residing in a large metropolitan center and a smaller city in Illinois, were conducted between August and November 2003. Findings suggest that factors such as specific family status, unique work arrangements, economic, social and cultural networks, and unique legal status, conditioned the leisure of interviewed Mexican migrants. Findings were analyzed in light of the theory of transnationalism. We also introduced the concept of transnational leisure, which we defined as leisure that is maintained by transnational migrants to foster ties with their countries and communities of origin.
Granulocytic sarcoma of the heart: Extramedullary relapse of acute myeloblastic leukemia after allogeneic stem cell transplantation successfully treated by chemotherapy alone

We present a case of granulocytic sarcoma (GS) of the heart. A 28-year-old man with relapsed acute myelogenous leukemia (AML-M2) had undergone a non-myeloablative allogeneic peripheral stem cell transplantation. Three years following transplantation, masses were evidenced in his heart by echocardiography but had completely disappeared following a common chemotherapy etoposide, mitoxantrone, ara-C (EMA) regimen for relapsed AML. The involvement of the heart with GS is very rare and this is the first case of extramedullary disease in the heart after allogeneic transplantation. Here we present the case history and related literature has been reviewed.
The IMU/UWB Fusion Positioning Algorithm Based on a Particle Filter

This paper integrates UWB (ultra-wideband) and IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) data to realize pedestrian positioning through a particle filter in a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environment. After the acceleration and angular velocity are integrated by the ZUPT-based algorithm, the velocity and orientation of the feet are obtained, and then the velocity and orientation of the whole body are estimated by a virtual odometer method. This information will be adopted as the prior information for the particle filter, and the observation value of UWB will act as the basis for weight updating. According to experimental results, the prior information provided by an IMU can be used to restrain the observation error of UWB under an NLOS condition, and the positioning precision can be improved from the positioning error of 1.6 m obtained using the pure UWB-based algorithm to approximately 0.7 m. Moreover, with high computational efficiency, this algorithm can achieve real-time computing performance on ordinary embedded devices.
Social Learning and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices

Patterns in infant and young child feeding behaviors have been the focus of much anthropological, nutritional, and demographic exploration because of their relationship to morbidity and mortality. Researchers often label these patterns as cultural, which, by definition, means that the patterns are linked to ideational factors that are shared within cultural groups. Although widely discussed, empirical tests of the shared aspect of this theory are lacking. We hypothesized a broad match between attitudes about early child feeding practices and feeding practices at the population level. We also hypothesized that proxy indicators of interaction frequency between mothers would predict sharing in responses to a set of statements about infant feeding. Data from four different ethnic groups living in two sites in rural Tanzania are examined to test these hypotheses. The results indicate that mothers’ attitudes do not correspond to current public health recommendations for infant and young child feeding. Moreover, site- and ethnic-group-level differences emerge that may be consistent with the social learning hypothesis. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Activate Complement Exacerbating the Degraded in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Neutrophil Extracellular Traps That Are Not

Ongoing inﬂammation including activation of the complement system is a hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Antimicrobial neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are composed of secreted chromatin that may act as a source of autoantigens typical for SLE. In this study, we investigated how complement interacts with NETs and how NET degradation is affected by complement in SLE patients. We found that sera from a subset of patients with active SLE had a reduced ability to degrade in vitro-generated NETs, which was mostly restored when these patients were in remission. Patients that failed to degrade NETs had a more active disease and they also displayed lower levels of complement proteins C4 and C3 in blood. We discovered that NETs activated complement in vitro and that deposited C1q inhibited NET degradation including a direct inhibition of DNase-I by C1q. Complement deposition on NETs may facilitate autoantibody production, and indeed, Abs against NETs and NET epitopes were more pronounced in patients with impaired ability to degrade NETs. NET-bound autoantibodies inhibited degradation but also further increased C1q deposition, potentially exacerbating the disease. Thus, NETs are a potent complement activator, and this interaction may play an important role in SLE. Targeting complement with inhibitors or by removing complement activators such as NETs could be beneﬁcial for patients with SLE. The Journal of Immunology , 2012, 188: 3522–3531.
A Survey of Ocean Simulation and Rendering Techniques in Computer Graphics

This paper presents a survey of ocean simulation and rendering methods in computer graphics. To model and animate the ocean’s surface, these methods mainly rely on two main approaches: on the one hand, those which approximate ocean dynamics with parametric, spectral or hybrid models and use empirical laws from oceanographic research. We will see that this type of methods essentially allows the simulation of ocean scenes in the deep water domain, without breaking waves. On the other hand, physically‐based methods use Navier–Stokes equations to represent breaking waves and more generally ocean surface near the shore. We also describe ocean rendering methods in computer graphics, with a special interest in the simulation of phenomena such as foam and spray, and light’s interaction with the ocean surface.