Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Further Results on Hysteresis Compensation of Smart Micropositioning Systems With the Inverse Prandtl–Ishlinskii Compensator

A formula that characterizes the output of the inverse compensation is derived when the inverse Prandtl-Ishlinskii hysteresis model is applied as a feedforward compensator. For that the composition property as well as the initial loading curve of the Prandtl-Ishlinskii model is used to obtain this formula. We demonstrate, therefore, that the output of the feedforward controlled system is linear versus the input reference with an additional nonlinear and bounded term. To illustrate the interest of this theoretical result, we propose an experimental application with a piezoelectric actuator (PEA). First, we apply the Prandtl-Ishlinskii feedforward technique to control the PEA. Then, the formula of the previous theoretical result is used to construct an H∞ feedback control from the feedforward controlled actuator. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the calculated controller and, therefore, the benefits of the formula concerning the output of the inverse compensation.
Discriminative Feature Extraction via Multivariate Linear Regression for SSVEP-Based BCI

Many of the most widely accepted methods for reliable detection of steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) in the electroencephalogram (EEG) utilize canonical correlation analysis (CCA). CCA uses pure sine and cosine reference templates with frequencies corresponding to the visual stimulation frequencies. These generic reference templates may not optimally reflect the natural SSVEP features obscured by the background EEG. This paper introduces a new approach that utilizes spatio-temporal feature extraction with multivariate linear regression (MLR) to learn discriminative SSVEP features for improving the detection accuracy. MLR is implemented on dimensionality-reduced EEG training data and a constructed label matrix to find optimally discriminative subspaces. Experimental results show that the proposed MLR method significantly outperforms CCA as well as several other competing methods for SSVEP detection, especially for time windows shorter than 1 second. This demonstrates that the MLR method is a promising new approach for achieving improved real-time performance of SSVEP-BCIs.
Optimum receiver design for transmitted-reference signaling

Autocorrelation receiver (AcR) is usually used as the general receiver for transmitted reference (TR) communication systems on a quite intuitive basis. In this paper, we apply the principle of statistical invariance to obtain the optimum TR receiver on a decision-theoretic basis, and it is shown that the autocorrelation receiver is optimal only in a special case. Performance of the optimum receiver and the suboptimum AcR for some important modulation schemes is also evaluated. The results imply that allocating a part of the transmitted energy and bandwidth to reference pulses would not help improve the performance of the system and the optimal performance might be achieved via much simpler non-TR transceiver structures. However, it is shown that differential TR and some other generalizations might be used to boost the performance, and numerical results are provided to assess the degree of performance improvement achieved in each case.
Human Adenovirus and Human Cytomegalovirus Infections in Preterm Newborns: No Association with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Connatal infection with human adenovirus (HAdV) has been recently proposed as a cofactor for the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants [Couroucli et al. 2000 Pediatr Res 47:225–232]. In another study, BPD was associated with an increased incidence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection [Sawyer et al. 1987 Am J Dis Child 141:303–305]. During a 18-mo study period, we investigated tracheal aspirates or pharyngeal aspirates and urine samples collected during the first month of life from 66 preterm newborns with very low birth weight (≤1.500 g) for replication-potent HAdV as well as for adenoviral and HCMV DNA by virus culture and qualitative DNA PCR. Thus, our study included not only prenatal but also peri- and postnatal infections. Thirty-seven percent (24/66) of infants developed BPD1, as defined by persistent oxygen dependency at day 28 of life. Replication-potent HAdV and/or adenoviral DNA could be detected repeatedly in tracheal aspirates/pharyngeal aspirates and/or urine from 20% (13/66) of preterm infants. Seventeen percent (4/24) of infants in the BPD1 group and 21% (9/42) of infants in the non-BPD group had an HAdV infection, indicating that in our study the very recently proposed association between HAdV infection of the lung and BPD could not be confirmed. For comparison, active HCMV infection was diagnosed in 18% (12/66) of infants, 3 of which developed HCMV disease. 29% (7/24) in the BPD1 group and 12% (5/42) in the non-BPD group were positive for HCMV. Again, there was no statistically significant association between HCMV infection and BPD. In summary, our findings indicate that HAdV and HCMV infection are frequent in preterm newborns with very low birth weight; however, a causal association with the development of BPD seems unlikely.
Low-Grade Tubular-Mucinous Renal Neoplasms: Morphologic, Immunohistochemical, and Genetic Features

The current classification system of renal tumors is based on morphologic criteria, as supported by genetic findings. We present a group of previously unclassified tumors with similar morphologic and genetic features, suggesting a new entity within renal neoplasms. Seven renal tumors from five patients (ages 31–67 years) were analyzed. All cases were stained with periodic acid–Schiff, Hale’s colloidal iron (HCI), and Alcian blue (AB) at pH 2.5/1.0 with and without hyaluronidase (HA) digestion. Immunohistochemical (IHC) stains were performed for CK8, CK18, CK19, vimentin, villin, Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP), renal cell carcinoma marker (RCC), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA-1), soy bean agglutinin (SBA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), and MIB-1. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) studies were performed on all cases. All tumors showed circumscribed growth, a tubular growth pattern with focal solid areas, no significant nuclear atypia and absence of necrosis, desmoplasia, or inflammation. Abundant extracellular mucin was present. Immunohistochemistry stains support collecting duct origin (EMA+, PNA+, SBA±, CK 8/18/19+, vimentin±, UEA-1−, RCC−, villin−, THP−). The proliferative rate was low (<1%). CGH showed multiple consistent chromosomal losses (−1,-4, −6, −8, −9, −13, −14, −15, −22). Clinical outcome was favorable, with recurrences but no known distant metastases or death of disease. These findings are distinct from all previously classified renal neoplasms. Our data suggest the presence of a unique tumor entity within tumors of probable collecting duct origin: tubular-mucinous renal tumors of low malignant potential.
Comparison of clustering pipelines for the analysis of mass spectrometry imaging data

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is valuable for biomedical applications because it links molecular and morphological information. However, MSI datasets can be very large, and analyzing them to identify important biological patterns is a challenging computational problem. Many types of unsupervised analysis have been applied to MSI data, and in particular, clustering has recently gained attention for this application. In this paper, we present an exploratory study of the performance of different analysis pipelines using k-means and fuzzy k-means clustering. The results indicate the effects of different pre-processing and parameter selections on identifying biologically relevant patterns in MSI data.
Understanding Service Quality and System Quality Success Factors in Cloud Archiving From an End-User Perspective

This study seeks to explain the adoption of cloud storage services as a means of personal archiving thereby focusing on users’ service and system quality perceptions and their drivers. The authors derive and empirically validate a model that incorporates users’ perceptions of service/system quality as well as behavioral factors to explain usage. Finally, the authors highlight important determinants of system/service quality perceptions that cloud providers should pay attention to in their attempts to increase marketshare.
Mathematical Models for Quantitative Assessment of Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer: Application to Seven Transmembrane Receptors Oligomerization

The idea that seven transmembrane receptors (7TMRs; also designated G-protein coupled receptors, GPCRs) might form dimers or higher order oligomeric complexes was formulated more than 20 years ago and has been intensively studied since then. In the last decade, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) has been one of the most frequently used biophysical methods for studying 7TMRs oligomerization. This technique enables monitoring physical interactions between protein partners in living cells fused to donor and acceptor moieties. It relies on non-radiative transfer of energy between donor and acceptor, depending on their intermolecular distance (1–10 nm) and relative orientation. Results derived from BRET-based techniques are very persuasive; however, they need appropriate controls and critical interpretation. To overcome concerns about the specificity of BRET-derived results, a set of experiments has been proposed, including negative control with a non-interacting receptor or protein, BRET dilution, saturation, and competition assays. This article presents the theoretical background behind BRET assays, then outlines mathematical models for quantitative interpretation of BRET saturation and competition assay results, gives examples of their utilization and discusses the possibilities of quantitative analysis of data generated with other RET-based techniques.
Bis(2,6-diaminopyridin-1-ium) hexaaquacobalt(II) disulfate dihydrate

In the title compound, (C5H8N3)2[Co(H2O)6](SO4)2·2H2O, the complete complex cation is generated by crystallographic inversion symmetry, such that the CoII cation is octahedrally coordinated by six water molecules. The organic cation is essentially planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.013 (1) Å. In the crystal structure, the ions and molecules are linked into a pseudo-layered three-dimensional supramolecular network via O—H⋯O and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Weak intermolecular π–π interactions further stabilize the crystal structure [centroid–centroid distance = 3.5231 (4) Å].
Familial interstitial duplication of 11q; partial trisomy (11)(q13.5q21)

We report on a case of an interstitial duplication of 11q in a patient with developmental delay and in his moderately delayed mother. Partial trisomy 11q is well documented in the literature with most cases involving the distal region of the long arm of chromosome 11. In almost all cases, this trisomy is associated with monosomy of the second chromosome involved in the parental translocation. The most common, partial 11q and 22q trisomy syndrome, is observed in offspring of t(11;22)(q23;q11.2) carriers from a 3:1 tertiary trisomic malsegregation. We found only two previous reports of pure partial trisomy 11q in the literature. Comparison of the clinical findings of our patient and another single published report of duplication in the same segment of chromosome 11 suggests that the duplication of this region manifests mild phenotypic abnormalities. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An Investigation of DNN-Based Speech Synthesis Using Speaker Codes

Recent studies have shown that DNN-based speech synthesis can produce more natural synthesized speech than the conventional HMM-based speech synthesis. However, an open problem remains as to whether the synthesized speech quality can be improved by utilizing a multi-speaker speech corpus. To address this problem, this paper proposes DNN-based speech synthesis using speaker codes as a simple method to improve the performance of the conventional speaker dependent DNN-based method. In order to model speaker variation in the DNN, the augmented feature (speaker codes) is fed to the hidden layer(s) of the conventional DNN. The proposed method trains connection weights of the whole DNN using a multispeaker speech corpus. When synthesizing a speech parameter sequence, a target speaker is chosen from the corpus and the speaker code corresponding to the selected target speaker is fed to the DNN to generate the speaker’s voice. We investigated the relationship between the prediction performance and architecture of the DNNs by changing the input hidden layer for speaker codes. Experimental results showed that the proposed model outperformed the conventional speaker-dependent DNN when the model architecture was set at optimal for the amount of training data of the selected target speaker.
A zoom drive noise reduction technique for digital cameras

Sound recorded in compact digital cameras includes a zoom drive noise caused by motor driving, gear driving, and so on. The spectral subtraction (SS) method is suitable for removing these noises because it does not require any extra hardware, but the original signal is quite distorted. Therefore we have developed an advanced SS (A-SS) method suppressing the distortion of the original signal. It first subtracts the assumed noise spectrum from an input signal, and then processes the spectrum so as to keep the power constant. In addition, digital cameras have a unique problem that the ratio of noise against a recorded signal varies frequently, which is caused by the lens variability and recording environment difference. To counter this issue, we have developed the two algorithms: the statistically optimized algorithm to pre-compute the noise spectrum beforehand, and the feedback algorithm to automatically control the quantity of subtraction according to the noise ratio. We implement the A-SS method applying the proposed algorithms into a prototype camera and verified the effectiveness on the noise reduction.
A multicore approach to model-based analysis and design of Cyber-Physical Systems

Embedded systems took a leap as combining computational elements with physical systems led to many novel applications, further saw the rise of a new domain - Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). Growing importance for CPS in industry threw down many challenges in a designer's perspective ranging from computational methods, modeling platforms, programming structures, relevant hardware systems, etc. Ptolemy is the platform which is tailor made for such full scale design of networked and real time systems. In an effort to explore the suitability of Ptolemy II platform for CPS design, we chose an Unmanned Aerial vehicle (UAV) application as a case study. In this paper, we model UAV in Ptolemy II in a modular and hierarchical way such that the system meets the requirements of data flows and dependencies. Key parameters of a typical CPS such as schedulability and predictability were analyzed. In the end, to better the performance of UAV, computational tasks were mapped onto a networks-on-chip based multicore system. Our experimental results show the efficiency of our high level analysis and modeling and the extracted system requirements to enhance the system predictability.
Quantitative ultrasound molecular imaging for antiangiogenic therapy monitoring

The link between cancer growth and angiogenesis has led to the development of new techniques for cancer imaging and therapy. Ultrasound molecular imaging permits the visualization of angiogenesis by use of novel targeted ultrasound contrast agents, (tUCA), consisting of ligand-bearing microbubbles designed to specifically bind molecular angiogenic expressions. Discrimination between bound and free microbubbles is crucial to quantify angiogenesis. Currently, the degree of binding is assessed by the differential targeted enhancement, requiring the application of a destructive burst in the late phase (usually 5-10 min after injection) to isolate the signal from bound microbubbles. Recently, we proposed a novel method for quantitative assessment of binding by modeling the microbubble binding kinetics during the tUCA first pass, reducing the acquisition time to 1 min with no need for a destructive burst. The feasibility of the method for angiogenesis imaging was shown in prostate tumor-bearing rats. In this work, we evaluate the proposed method for monitoring the response to angiogenic treatment in human colon cancer xenograft-bearing mice.
"Magnification phenomenon" in chronic renal disease.

THE functional adaptations that occur in the surviving nephrons as chronic renal disease advances are remarkable in their ultimate dimensions and lifesaving in their biologic effects. In an earlier seminar on these adaptations, we presented the hypothesis that there may be undesirable "trade-offs" that are responsible for certain symptoms and signs of chronic uremia.1 This discussion also concerns the adaptations in nephron function in uremia and also presents a new concept, which we have called the "magnification phenomenon. " In contrast to the trade-off hypothesis, the magnification phenomenon deals more explicitly with the phenomenology of the adaptations in themselves. The major .
Fetal dose from emergency CT examination: fetal simulation and dose measurements

Objective : To experimentally simulate a late stage fetus, to measure fetal irradiation dose and to estimate associated risks resulting from an emergency thorax-abdominopelvic CT imaging for a pregnant patient with suspected aorta dissection. Material and methods : To simulate the fetal body with a physics CTDI cylindrical phantom placed into the abdomen of a standard female humanoid phantom. Layers of beeswax were used to make the maternal dimension similar to the pregnant patient. A 10 cm pencil chamber was used to measure the dose at each quadrant location and at the center of the CTDI phantom and the fetal dose was obtained by averaging these measured doses. Stochastic effect of childhood cancer risk induction (0.4% per 10 mGy irradiation) was estimated as reference to monitor the growth the newborn child. Results : The fetal dose was measured as 20 mGy for a single acquisition according to the patient scanning protocol. Since the patient had both pre- and post-contrast CT acquisition, the total fetal dose was therefore 40 mGy. The lifetime risk of developing childhood cancer was estimated as 1.6%. Conclusion: By using readily available equipment in a radiology department, fetal simulation and then dose measurements can be efficiently performed with the moulding technique. Results obtained are useful as reference value to monitor the growth of the newborn.
Endothelial Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Attenuates Cigarette Smoke Induced Apoptosis In Vitro

Background: Deficiency of the antiprotease alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) and exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) contribute to the development of early onset emphysema. CS-induced apoptosis of alveolar cells including endothelial cells plays critical role in the lung destruction. AAT deficiency is associated with increased lung tissue destruction as well. We hypothesize that AAT protects lung alveoli from noxious environmental stimuli such as CS-induced apoptosis. Methods: Porcine pulmonary artery endothelial cells (PAEC) were exposed to CS in the presence or absence of AAT (20μ M). AAT internalization and markers for apoptosis were assessed by confocal microscopy. Flow cytometry was performed in parallel to quantify the number of AAT-loaded and apoptotic cells. Results: We demonstrated that exogenous AAT accumulated in PAEC and protected cells from CS-induced apoptosis. AAT-loaded CS-exposed cells exhibited increased amounts of chaperone HSP-70 in their cytosol and less apoptosis inducing factor in their nuclei compared to AAT-untreated, CS-exposed cells. Conclusions: Our results suggest that AAT is taken up by endothelial cells via two mechanisms and that intracellular AAT may have a protective role in CS-induced endothelial apoptosis. This may open new insights into the field of endothelial serpins as agents capable of protecting the vasculature from environment-derived noxious substances.
Classification-based algorithms for iris outer edge location

Algorithm design of iris outer edge location is one of keys in iris recognition. It dose ask for an excellent performance as well as an acceptable running time. Low-level technologies and simple classifiers are employed in this paper to meet these needs. First of all, we propose a gradient computation for point detection to ensure a shorter running time. In this part, points can be located as many as possible. Then classifiers distinguish points on fake boundaries and iris boundaries. The number of points will be dramatically cut down. One classifier bases on the characteristic shape of irises, one bases on the distances between points and pupil's center and the other bases on gray gradient of each point. At last, LSE (least square method) is employed to fit a curve of iris boundaries. The algorithm has been verified by experiments. The correct rate exceeds to 99% for public databases CASIA, while the running time is shortened to about 80ms.
SGBD open-source pour historisation de données et impact des mémoires flash. (Open-source DBMS for data historization and impact of flash memories)

L'archivage de donnees industrielles est un probleme complexe : il s'agit de stocker un grand nombre de donnees sur plusieurs decennies, tout en supportant la charge des insertions temps reel et des requetes d'extraction et d'analyse. Pour ce type d'application, des produits « de niche » se sont specialises pour ce segment du marche : les progiciels d'historisation. Il s'agit de solutions proprietaires avec des couts de licence de l'ordre de plusieurs dizaines de milliers d'euros, et dont le fonctionnement interne n'est pas devoile. Nous avons donc dans un premier temps mis en evidence les specificites de ces progiciels d'historisation, tant au niveau des fonctionnalites que des performances. Neanmoins, l'archivage de donnees industrielles peut s'appliquer a des contexte tres differents. L'IGCBox par exemple est un mini PC industriel utilisant MySQL pour l'archivage a court terme des donnees de production des centrales hydrauliques d'EDF. Ce materiel presente quelques specificites, la principale etant son systeme de memoire non volatile base uniquement sur la technologie flash, pour sa fiabilite importante en milieu industriel et sa faible consommation d'energie. Les SGBD possedent pour des raisons historiques de nombreuses optimisations specifiques aux disques durs, et le manque d'optimisation adaptee aux memoires flash peut degrader significativement les performances. Le choix de ce type de memoire a donc eu des repercussions notables sur les performances pour l'insertion, avec une degradation importante par rapport aux disques durs. Nous avons donc propose Chronos, un SGBD dedie a l'historisation de donnees sur memoires flash. Pour cela, nous avons en particulier identifie un algorithme d'ecriture « quasi-sequentiel » efficace pour acceder a la memoire, ainsi que des mecanismes de bufferisation et de mise a jour d'index optimises pour les charges typiques de l'historisation. Les resultats experimentaux montrent un gain significatif pour les insertions par rapport a des solutions equivalentes, d'un facteur 20 a 54. Chronos est donc une solution competitive lorsque les insertions correspondent a une proportion importante de la charge soumise au SGBD. En particulier pour les charges typiques des IGCBox, Chronos se distingue en proposant des performances globales ameliorees d'un facteur 4 a 18 par rapport aux autres solutions.