Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps are Involved in the Innate Immune Response to Infection with Leptospira

NETosis is a process by which neutrophils extrude their DNA together with bactericidal proteins that trap and/or kill pathogens. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of Leptospira spp. to induce NETosis using human ex vivo and murine in vivo models. Microscopy and fluorometric studies showed that incubation of human neutrophils with Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130 (LIC) resulted in the release of DNA extracellular traps (NETs). The bacteria number, pathogenicity and viability were relevant factors for induction of NETs, but bacteria motility was not. Entrapment of LIC in the NETs resulted in LIC death; however, pathogenic but not saprophytic Leptospira sp. exerted nuclease activity and degraded DNA. Mice infected with LIC showed circulating NETs after 2 days post-infection (dpi). Depletion of neutrophils with mAb1A8 significantly reduced the amount of intravascular NETs in LIC-infected mice, increasing bacteremia at 3 dpi. Although there was a low bacterial burden, scarce neutrophils and an absence of inflammation in the early stages of infection in the kidney and liver, at the beginning of the leptospiruric phase, the bacterial burden was significantly higher in kidneys of neutrophil-depleted-mice compared to non-depleted and infected mice. Surprisingly, interstitial nephritis was of similar intensity in both groups of infected mice. Taken together, these data suggest that LIC triggers NETs, and that the intravascular formation of these DNA traps appears to be critical not only to prevent early leptospiral dissemination but also to preclude further bacterial burden.
Equation of motion for multiqubit entanglement in multiple independent noisy channels

We investigate the possibility and conditions to factorize the entanglement evolution of a multiqubit system passing through multi-sided noisy channels. By means of a lower bound of concurrence (LBC) as an entanglement measure, we derive an explicit formula of the LBC evolution of the N-qubit generalized Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GGHZ) state under some typical noisy channels, based on which two kinds of factorizing conditions for the LBC evolution are presented. In this case, the time-dependent LBC can be determined by a product of initial LBC of the system and the LBC evolution of a maximally entangled GGHZ state under the same multi-sided noisy channels. We analyze the realistic situations where these two kinds of factorizing conditions can be satisfied. In addition, we also discuss the dependence of entanglement robustness on the number of qubits and that of the noisy channels.
3D Face Pose Normalization Using Equipartition Fitting Sphere Representation of Shape

Pose normalization is a necessary process of 3D face recognition. Automatic and robust normalization is still a challenge to existing techniques. We propose a novel method called Equipartition Fitting Sphere Representation (EPFSR) for shape representation. Convexes on face are localized firstly based on EPFSR. Then the tip and orientation of nose are identified automatically from convexes by template matching. Extensive experiments are performed on five popular 3D face databases. Results show the high robustness of the proposed methods to expression variations. Accuracy of nose identification is more than 97.7%. Time cost depends on the number of face vertices. It takes averagely less than 9 seconds to localize the nose on a 3D head including around 80000 vertices in the FRGC2.0 database.
Italian QoS monitoring network: Impact on SLA control

This paper shows the state of art of “MisuraInternet” project. Such national project has the aim to monitor the QoS network performances provided by Italian ISPs. A novel infrastructure has been created and distributed on the whole Italian country, beside an open source cross platform software (Ne.Me.Sys.) has been developed. Every Italian user can measure its own wireline access quality, by means of Ne.Me. Sys. , and then can compare its own results with measured values of monitoring network. MisuraInternet project make available to consumers a certified instrument to estimate their own line quality and their own ISP behavior. If SLAs (Service Level Agreements) are not respected users can recede the contract without penalties. The cited project was born two years ago and the most important outcomes will be shown in this paper.
Dynamic texture detection, segmentation and analysis

Dynamic textures are common in natural scenes. Examples of dynamic textures in video include fire, smoke, clouds, trees in the wind, sky, sea and ocean waves etc. In this showcase, (i) we develop real-time dynamic texture detection methods in video and (ii) present solutions to video object classification based on motion information.
NOAA-AVHRR Orbital Drift Correction From Solar Zenithal Angle Data

This paper presents a new method for NOAA's (National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration) orbital drift correction. This method is pixel-based, and in opposition with most methods previously developed, does not need explicit knowledge of land cover. This method is applied to AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) channel information, and relies only on the additional knowledge of solar zenithal angle (SZA) and acquisition date information. In a first step, anomalies in SZA and channel time series are retrieved, and screened out for anomalous values. Then, the part of the parameter anomaly which is explained by SZA anomaly is removed from the data, to estimate new parameter anomalies, and this iteratively until the influence of SZA anomalies is totally removed from the parameter data. This correction has been applied to bimonthly AVHRR data provided by the GIMMS group (Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies), covering Africa from November 2000 to December 2006. NDVI and LST (land surface temperature) have been estimated from raw and corrected data, and averaged over homogeneous vegetation classes. Differences between raw and corrected averaged parameters show an improvement in the quality of the data. In order to validate this method, a whole week (10 to 17 July 2004) of METEOSAT SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager) data have been used, from which LST have been estimated using a similar method to the one used to retrieve LST from AVHRR data. The comparison between both platforms at the same time of acquisition shows good concordance.
Design of stable SRAM cells based on Schmitt Trigger

The predominant concern for SRAM cell designers is stability for nano-scaled technology due to the reduction in power supply voltages. We propose two novel SRAM cells, based on the Schmitt Trigger at 65 nm feature size in CMOS. This achieves 4–5.35 times higher read static noise margin (VDD = 350 mV) compared to the conventional 6T cell design. It also provides the much desired greater enhancement in stability compared with three other reported SRAM cell designs.
Microelectromechanical-Systems-Based Switches for Power Applications

A new system for switching electrical power using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is presented. The heart of the system utilizes custom-designed MEMS switching device arrays that are able to conduct current more efficiently and can open orders of magnitude faster than traditional macroscopic mechanical relays. Up to now, MEMS switches have been recognized for their ability to switch very quickly due to their low mass but have only been used to carry and switch very low currents at extremely low voltage. However, recent developments have enabled suppression of the arc that normally occurs when the MEMS switch is opened while current is flowing. The combination of the arc suppression with the MEMS switch arrays designed for this purpose enables a breakthrough increase in current and voltage handling capability. The resultant technology has been scaled to handle many amperes of current and switch hundreds of volts. Such current and voltage handling capability deliver improved energy efficiency and the capacity to handle fault current levels that are encountered in typical ac or dc power systems. Fault current interruption takes place in less than 10 μs, almost regardless of the prospective fault current magnitude. The properties of the MEMS switch arrays allow the switching mechanism to operate at temperatures in excess of 200 °C . The switches also have a vibration tolerance in excess of 1000 G. The combination of fast MEMS switching speed, optimized current and voltage handling capacity of the switch arrays, the arc suppression circuitry, and optimized sensing and control enables a single sensing, control, and switching system to operate in a small fraction of a millisecond. This paper will present the basic physics of the MEMS switches together with recent advances that enable the technology. Some illustrative examples of the ways that the devices may be used to provide protection and control within electrical systems will also be presented.
Inducible systemic RNA silencing in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Introduction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) can elicit a gene-specific RNA interference response in a variety of organisms and cell types. In many cases, this response has a systemic character in that silencing of gene expression is observed in cells distal from the site of dsRNA delivery. The molecular mechanisms underlying the mobile nature of RNA silencing are unknown. For example, although cellular entry of dsRNA is possible, cellular exit of dsRNA from normal animal cells has not been directly observed. We provide evidence that transgenic strains of Caenorhabditis elegans transcribing dsRNA from a tissue-specific promoter do not exhibit comprehensive systemic RNA interference phenotypes. In these same animals, modifications of environmental conditions can result in more robust systemic RNA silencing. Additionally, we find that genetic mutations can influence the systemic character of RNA silencing in C. elegans and can separate mechanisms underlying systemic RNA silencing into tissue-specific components. These data suggest that trafficking of RNA silencing signals in C. elegans is regulated by specific physiological and genetic factors.
A Triple Main Sequence in the Globular Cluster NGC 2808

Accurate photometry with HST's ACS shows that the main sequence (MS) of the globular cluster NGC 2808 splits into three separate branches. The three MS branches may be associated with the complexities of the cluster's horizontal branch and of its abundance distribution. We attribute the MS branches to successive rounds of star formation, with different helium abundances; we discuss possible sources of helium enrichment. Some other massive globulars also appear to have complex populations; we compare them with NGC 2808.
Equilibrium Asset Pricing with Leverage and Default

We develop a general equilibrium model linking the pricing of stocks and corporate bonds to endogenous movements in corporate leverage and aggregate volatility. Our equilibrium model with heterogeneous firms making optimal investment and financing decisions under uncertainty connects fluctuations in quantities and asset prices to movements in the cross-sectional distribution of firms. Countercyclical leverage drives predictable variation in risk premia, and debt-financed growth option exercise generates a high value premium. Endogenous default drives countercyclical credit spreads that are propagated into the real economy through their effects on investment. Endogenous leverage comes with higher and countercyclical aggregate volatility, producing large and skewed business cycles, with sharper, more pronounced, recessions. ∗We are grateful to comments from Andy Abel, Hui Chen, Urban Jermann, Aubhik Kahn, Dmitry Livdan, Monika Piazzesi (editor) Neng Wang, three anonymous referees and participants at seminars in Calgary, CarnegieMellon, Duke, Wharton, NY Fed, Richmond Fed, ECB, UBC, UCLA, and Imperial College, as well as the following conferences: AFA, SED, Minnesota Macro Week, NBER Capital Markets, NYU Five Star, Rimini Macro-Finance, UCSB-LAEF, Venice C.R. E.D. I.T, and ESSFM Gerzensee. All errors remain our own. †The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Email: gomesj@wharton.upenn. edu ‡The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University. Email: lukas.schmid@duke.edu
The Relationship between the Law of One Price and Exchange Rate Pass-through

The volatility in exchange rates has brought to the forefront the relationship between exchange rate movements and the prices of traded goods. A vast body of literature examining this important issue exists separately under two general headings, namely tests of the “law of one price” and “exchange rate pass-through” analysis. So far, there has not been any attempt to understand the relationship between the two. This is a serious omission, since it leaves a number of important questions unanswered. This paper clarifies these issues by deriving two fundamental propositions on the inter-relationships between exchange rate pass-through and the law of one price. It also draws out the implications of these inter-relationships for the study of exchange rates and prices, and for policy.
IPv6 support for VANET with geographical routing

IPv6 support is needed in vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) with geographical routing. Basic IPv6 protocols such as address auto-configuration assume multicast capable link. However, in VANET, the definition of link becomes ambiguous and it is difficult to support link-scope multicast. Artificial emulation of multicast capable link like Ethernet is possible but may cause low efficiency and high cost. A new way to efficiently run IPv6 over VANET is needed and this paper proposes such a scheme. Our proposal takes the architecture defined by the C2C-CC (car-to-car communication consortium) as a reference system and exploits its inherent features to perform IPv6 operations without link-scope multicast.
Post-filtering for color appearance in synthetic-image tone reproduction

In the Photorealistic Image Synthesis process the spectral content of the synthetic scene is carefully reproduced, and the final output contains the exact spectral intensity light field of the perceived scene. This is the first important step toward the goal of producing a synthetic image that is indistinguishable from the actual one, but the real scene and its synthetic reproduction should be studied under the same conditions, in order to make a correct comparison and evaluate the degree of photorealism. To simplify this goal, a synthetic observer could be employed to compensate differences in the viewing conditions, since a real observer cannot enter into a synthetic world. Various solutions have been proposed to this end. Most of them are based more on perceptive measures of the Human Visual System (HVS) under controlled conditions rather than on the HVS behaviour under real conditions, e.g., observing a common image and not a controlled black and white striped pattern. Another problem in synthetic image generation is the visualization phase, or tone reproduction, whose purpose is to display the final result of the simulation model on a monitor screen or on a printed paper. The tone reproduction problem consists of finding the best solution to compress the extended dynamic range of the computed light field into the limited range of the displayable colors. We would like to propose a working hypothesis to solve the appearance and the tone reproduction problems in the synthetic image generation, integrating the Retinex model into the photorealistic image synthesis context, including in this way a model of the human visual system in the synthesis process.
Oligodendroglia development in cell culture as monitored with a monoclonal antibody

A new marker for young oligodendrocytes has been identified by a monoclonal antibody (mOg-1, IgM isotype) prepared from cerebellar plasma membrane stimulated mouse lymphocytes. mOg-1 reactive cells in the mouse cerebellum first appear at day 19 of gestation. Future white matter layers of fixed sections of neonatal rat cerebellum were labeled with mOg-1. Although EM analysis has shown cell-surface binding by presumptive oligodendroglia in neonatal cerebellum, the antibody does not bind to compact myelin. In cell cultures prepared from 6-d-old mice, 1.1% of the cells bound mOg-1 after 3 d in culture, but up to 5% of the cells bound mOg-1 after 2 weeks in culture. Of these same Og-1- positive cells, 69% bound anti-galactocerebroside and 65% bound anti- myelin basic protein. After a week in culture Og-1-positive cells often produced lamellar sheets extending a millimeter over the polylysine substratum in the absence of normal myelin formation. mOg-1 recognizes a cell-surface determinant distinct from well-characterized oligodendroglial molecules (galactocerebroside, sulfatide and myelin basic protein) that is expressed early in oligodendrocyte development. The antibody has been used to follow the maturation of oligodendrocytes in cultures of both normal and jimpy mouse cerebellum.
On-line and dynamic estimation of Rician fading channels in GSM-R networks

The on-line and dynamic estimation algorithm for Rician fading channels in GSM-R networks is proposed, which is an expansion of local mean power estimation of Rayleigh fading channels. The proper length of statistical interval and required number of averaging samples are determined which are adaptive to different propagation environments. It takes advantage of the sampling signals and Rician fading parameters of last estimation to reduce measurement overhead. The performance of this method was evaluated by measurement experiment along the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway. When it is NLOS propagation, the required sampling intervals can be increased from 1. 1λ in Lee's method to 3. 7λ of the on-line and dynamic algorithm. And the sampling interval can be set up to 12λ although the length of statistical interval decreases when there is LOS signal, which can reduce the measurement overhead significantly. The algorithm can be applied in coverage assessment with lower measurement overhead, and in dynamic and adaptive allocation of wireless resource.
Academic Relation Classification Rules Extraction with Correlation Feature Weight Selection

For extracting classification rules of academic relations in research project applications, insufficient samples result in deviation because irrelevant features has a impact on decision tree generating. Therefore, this paper proposes a decision tree algorithm combined with correlation feature weight selection to solve this problem. The algorithm selects relevant features at first, which are assigned a prior weight when decision tree is being generated, so that relevant features can be preferentially selected. This paper states the principle of correlation feature weight selection, designing of feature extraction functions of academic relations and the extraction process of classification rules of teacher-student, co-author and co-project. The experiment results show that the proposed method is effective on extraction of academic relations.
Filter-based turbo equalization for TCM signals

In this paper, we presents a novel method of turbo equalization and decoding multi-level trellis coded modulation (TCM) signals over frequency selective channels. Results show that the proposed algorithm achieves better performance with reduced complexity compared to previous work on the MMSE filter-based turbo equalization for non-binary coded modulation scheme. The performance gain is accomplished by passing the refined signal from different paths to the TCM decoder as channel value in addition to the a prior information. While the computational complexity is reduced by avoiding matrix inversion for each symbol estimate.
Two-point discrimination of the upper extremities of healthy Koreans in their 20’s

[Purpose] The present study attempted to measure two-point discrimination in the upper extremities of healthy Koreans in their 20’s. [Subjects and Methods] Using a three-point esthesiometer, we conducted an experiment with a group of 256 college students (128 male and 128 female), attending N University in Chonan, Republic of Korea. [Results] Females showed two-point discrimination at a shorter distance than males at the following points: (i) 5 cm above the elbow joint, the middle part, and 5 cm below the shoulder joint of the anterior upper arm; (ii) 5 cm above the elbow joint and 5 cm below the shoulder joint of the posterior upper arm; (iii) 5 cm above the front of the wrist joint of the forearm; 5 cm below the elbow joint, the palmar part of the distal interphalangeal joint of the thumb, the dorsal part of the distal interphalangeal joint of the middle and little fingers. It was also found that females showed greater two-point discrimination than males in distal regions rather than proximal regions. [Conclusion] The findings of this study will help establish normal values for two-point discrimination of upper extremities of young Koreans in their 20’s.
The Caenorhabditis elegans gonad: A test tube for cell and developmental biology

Sexual reproduction of multicellular organisms depends critically on the coordinate development of the germ line and somatic gonad, a process known as gonadogenesis. Together these tissues ensure the formation of functional gametes and, in the female of many species, create a context for production and further development of the zygote. Since the future of the species hangs in the balance, it is not surprising that gonadogenesis is a complex process involving conserved and multi‐faceted developmental mechanisms. Genetic, anatomical, cell biological, and molecular experiments have established the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a paradigm for studying gonadogenesis. Furthermore, these studies demonstrate the utility of C. elegans gonadogenesis for exploring broad issues in cell and developmental biology, such as cell fate specification, morphogenesis, cell signaling, cell cycle control, and programmed cell death. The synergy of molecular genetics and cell biology conducted at single‐cell resolution in real time permits an extraordinary depth of analysis in this organism. In this review, we first describe the embryonic and post‐embryonic development and morphology of the C. elegans gonad. Next we recount seminal experiments that established the field, highlight recent results that provide insight into conserved developmental mechanisms, and present future prospects for the field. Dev Dyn;218:2–22. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ESTSUM – ESTONIAN NEWSPAPER TEXTS SUMMARIZER

This article describes an experimental software system for automatic summary generation of Estonian newspaper texts called EstSum. EstSum constructs short summaries of text by selecting the key sentences that characterize the document. Sentences are ranked for potential inclusion in the summary using a weighted combination of statistical, linguistic and typographic features like the position, format and type of sentence, and the word frequency. During the testing, a corpus of 10 hand-created summaries of neswpaper articles was used. The summarizer's output was compared to the handmade summaries and the percentage of overlapping sentences was 60% in average.
Genocide and Political Groups

Introduction 1. Defining a Crime Without a Name 2. Conduct Elements 3. Fault Elements 4. Human Groups and Genocide 5. Political Genocide and Customary International Law 6. The Role of Other International Crimes 7. The Case for a Crime of Political Genocide 8. The Way Forward: Rethinking the Crime of Crimes Concluding Thoughts Bibliography Appendix A - Data Tables - State Practice on Genocide Appendix B - Unofficial Translations of Domestic Laws on Genocide from 84 States Index