Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust Detection of Moving Vehicles in Wide Area Motion Imagery

Multiple object tracking in Wide Area Motion Imagery (WAMI) data is usually based on initial detections coming from background subtraction or frame differencing. However, these methods are prone to produce split and merged detections. Appearance based vehicle detection can be an alternative but is not well-suited for WAMI data since classifier models are of weak discriminative power for vehicles in top view at low resolution. We introduce a moving vehicle detection algorithm that combines 2-frame differencing with a vehicle appearance model to improve object detection. Our main contributions are (1) integration of robust vehicle detection with split/merge handling and (2) estimation of assignment likelihoods between object hypotheses in consecutive frames using an appearance based similarity measure. Without using any prior knowledge, we achieve state-of-the-art detection rates and produce tracklets that considerably simplify the data association problem for multiple object tracking.
Carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis.

BACKGROUND Severe narrowing (stenosis) of the carotid artery is an important cause of stroke. Surgical treatment (carotid endarterectomy) may reduce the risk of stroke, but carries a risk of operative complications. OBJECTIVES To determine the balance of benefit versus risk of endarterectomy plus best medical management compared with best medical management alone in patients with a recent symptomatic carotid stenosis (i.e. transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or non-disabling stroke). SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (July 2010), MEDLINE (1966 to March 2010), EMBASE (1990 to March 2010) and three other databases, and handsearched relevant journals and reference lists. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently selected studies and extracted the data. MAIN RESULTS We included three trials. As the trials differed in the methods of measurement of carotid stenosis and in the definition of stroke, we did a pooled analysis of individual patient data on 6092 patients (35,000 patient years of follow-up) after reassessment of the carotid angiograms and outcomes from all three trials using the primary electronic data files and redefined outcome events where necessary to achieve comparability.On re-analysis, there were no statistically significant differences between the trials in the risks of any of the main outcomes in either of the treatment groups or in the effects of surgery. Surgery increased the five-year risk of ipsilateral ischaemic stroke in patients with less than 30% stenosis (N = 1746, absolute risk reduction (ARR) -2.2%, P = 0.05), had no significant effect in patients with 30% to 49% stenosis (N = 1429, ARR 3.2%, P = 0.6), was of marginal benefit in patients with 50% to 69% stenosis (N = 1549, ARR 4.6%, P = 0.04), and was highly beneficial in patients with 70% to 99% stenosis without near-occlusion (N = 1095, ARR 16.0%, P < 0.001). However, there was no evidence of benefit (N = 262, ARR -1.7%, P = 0.9) in patients with near-occlusions.Benefit from surgery was greatest in men, patients aged 75 years or over, and patients randomised within two weeks after their last ischaemic event and fell rapidly with increasing delay. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Endarterectomy is of some benefit for 50% to 69% symptomatic stenosis and highly beneficial for 70% to 99% stenosis without near-occlusion. Benefit in patients with carotid near-occlusion is marginal in the short-term and uncertain in the long-term. These results are generalisable only to surgically-fit patients operated on by surgeons with low complication rates (less than 7% risk of stroke and death). Benefit from endarterectomy depends not only on the degree of carotid stenosis, but also on several other factors, including the delay to surgery after the presenting event.
fMRI-Compatible Electromagnetic Haptic Interface

A new haptic interface device is suggested, which can be used for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. The basic component of this 1 DOF haptic device are two coils that produce a Lorentz force induced by the large static magnetic field of the MR scanner. A MR-compatible optical angular encoder and an optical force sensor enable the implementation of different control architectures for haptic interactions. The challenge was to provide a large torque, and not to affect image quality by the currents applied in the device. The haptic device was tested in a 3T MR scanner. With a current of up to 1A and a distance of 1m to the focal point of the MR-scanner it was possible to generate torques of up to 4 Nm. Within these boundaries image quality was not affected
Psychological Disorders and Psychosocial Resources of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Bladder and Kidney Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose Psychological disorders have been proven to be associated with poor physiological, psychological and immune outcomes in cancer patients. However, despite of many challenges of the changed self-image/body image and the altered sexual/urinary function, relatively little is known about psychological disorders of patients with newly diagnosed bladder and kidney cancer. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the associated psychosocial factors among bladder/kidney cancer patients. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted of consecutive inpatients with bladder/kidney cancer in the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University in Liaoning Province, northeast China. A total of 489 early-stage cancer patients eligible for this study completed questionnaires on demographic and clinical variables, depression, anxiety, PTSD, perceived social support and positive psychological variables (hope, optimism and resilience) anonymously during October 2013 and August 2014. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between psychosocial resources and psychological disorders, while controlling for possible covariates. Results The prevalence of depression, anxiety and PTSD was 77.5%, 69.3% and 25.2%, respectively, while 24.9% of patients had psychological co-morbidity. Psychosocial resources together explained more than one-third of the variance on psychological disorders. Under standardized estimate (β) sequence, patient’s perception of social support from family was significantly associated with depression, anxiety and PTSD (p < 0.01). Optimism and resilience showed integrated and independent effects on psychological disorders, and hope represented the significant association with PTSD only (p < 0.01). Conclusions The high prevalence of psychological disorders in newly diagnosed patients with early-stage bladder/kidney cancer should receive more attention in Chinese medical settings. Additionally, in consideration of the different protective effects of psychosocial resources, the present study demonstrated that one complete psychological intervention integrating the associated psychosocial factors are necessary to ameliorate psychological disorders so as to provide patients with a more holistic cancer care.
Molecular characterization of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from diverse sources from India by multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA)

SUMMARY In a first study from India, a diverse collection of 140 environmental and clinical non-O157 Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli strains from a large geographical area in north India was typed by multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). The distribution of major virulence genes stx1, stx2 and eae was found to be 78%, 70% and 10%, respectively; 15 isolates were enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (stx1 +/stx2 + and eae +). By MLVA analysis, 44 different alleles were obtained. Dendrogram analysis revealed 104 different genotypes and 19 MLVA-type complexes divided into two main lineages, i.e. mutton and animal stool. Human isolates presented a statistically significant greater odds ratio for clustering with mutton samples compared to animal stool isolates. Five human isolates clustered with animal stool strains suggesting that some of the human infections may be from cattle, perhaps through milk, contact or the environment. Further epidemiological studies are required to explore these sources in context with occurrence of human cases.
Wideband Millimeter-Wave Channel Characterization Based on LOS Measurements in an Open Office at 26GHz

This paper presents wideband millimeter-wave channel characterization based on measurements at 26GHz with 1GHz bandwidth carried out in an open office at KeySight Beijing, China, which is a representative of an indoor hotspot scenario. In the time domain measurements, an omni-directional biconical horn is used as the transmitter, while at the receiver a 26dBi horn is applied and rotated with 5o angular step in the whole azimuth plane, and from -10o - 30o in the elevation plane with 10o angular step. Based on the line-of-sight (LOS) measured channel impulse responses at 39 locations, this paper investigates the directional and mean path-loss models and their relevant shadow fading. The channel parameters such as root mean square (RMS) delay spread, RMS angular spread at the azimuth and elevation planes, Ricean factor and power angular profiles (PAPs) etc. are analyzed for the purpose of channel simulations and propagation mechanism studies at 26GHz.
Effects of Several Bioinspired Methods on the Stability of Coevolutionary Complexification

We study conditions for sustained growth of complexity in an abstract model of parasitic coevolution. Previous research has found that complexification is hard to achieve if the evolution of the symbiont population is constrained by the hosts but the evolution of the hosts is unconstrained, or, more generally, if the task difficulty is much higher for the symbionts than for the hosts. Here we study whether three bio inspired methods known from previous research on achieving stability in coevolution (balancing, niching, and reduced resistance) can restore complexification in such situations. We find that reduced resistance, and to a lesser degree niching, are successful if applied together with truncation selection, but not if applied together with fitness proportional selection.
Interrogating planning’s power in an African city: Time for reorientation?

As part of modern government, planning is concerned with ‘acting on others’ actions’ in spatial practices. This necessarily entails the exercise of power. This paper (re)frames planning’s power in the context of particular systems of governance and how this power is exercised in the relationship between planning systems and (ab)users of urban spaces. Using material from field research in Zimbabwe, the paper examines three forms of power exercised through planning in specific socio-economic contexts. The discussion interrogates planning’s handling of violations of spatial controls by two socio-economic groups: the privileged affluent and the marginalized poor. The paper demonstrates that planning exercises direct sovereign power and cruder and more overtly violent forms of disciplinary power in less privileged context while exercising pastoral power and subtler forms of disciplinary power in affluent contexts. The paper argues that planning’s continued affinity to and unbending deployment of sovereign and crude and overtly violent disciplinary techniques in its dealings with marginalized townspeople is counterproductive and ineffective. The paper proposes the cautious appropriation of pastoral power – especially as it relates to the co-opting of individual and group agency – into planning’s operations in less privileged contexts.
Long-Term Frozen Storage of Urine Samples: A Trouble to Get PCR Results in Schistosoma spp. DNA Detection?

Background Human schistosomiasis remains a serious worldwide public health problem. At present, a sensitive and specific assay for routine diagnosis of schistosome infection is not yet available. The potential for detecting schistosome-derived DNA by PCR-based methods in human clinical samples is currently being investigated as a diagnostic tool with potential application in routine schistosomiasis diagnosis. Collection of diagnostic samples such as stool or blood is usually difficult in some populations. However, urine is a biological sample that can be collected in a non-invasive method, easy to get from people of all ages and easy in management, but as a sample for PCR diagnosis is still not widely used. This could be due to the high variability in the reported efficiency of detection as a result of the high variation in urine samples’ storage or conditions for handling and DNA preservation and extraction methods. Methodology/Principal Findings We evaluate different commercial DNA extraction methods from a series of long-term frozen storage human urine samples from patients with parasitological confirmed schistosomiasis in order to assess the PCR effectiveness for Schistosoma spp. detection. Patientś urine samples were frozen for 18 months up to 7 years until use. Results were compared with those obtained in PCR assays using fresh healthy human urine artificially contaminated with Schistosoma mansoni DNA and urine samples from mice experimentally infected with S. mansoni cercariae stored frozen for at least 12 months before use. PCR results in fresh human artificial urine samples using different DNA based extraction methods were much more effective than those obtained when long-term frozen human urine samples were used as the source of DNA template. Conclusions/Significance Long-term frozen human urine samples are probably not a good source for DNA extraction for use as a template in PCR detection of Schistosoma spp. , regardless of the DNA method of extraction used.
Urban adolescents' field trip experiences: A phenomenological perspective

Evidence is mounting that field trips are vanishing from school life, as districts across the nation report reductions and eliminations of these outings because of funding concerns. The matter is of special importance in urban areas, where a wealth of museums are situated nearby neighborhoods in which poor and minority children live and attend school. These children are absent from the museum, less likely to visit with family because of the powerful exclusionary effect that educational attainment and income level have on museum socialization, making school the place where a connection to the museum is formed. However, opportunities for learning in museums are diminished in multiple ways for urban students, who receive less arts and humanities instruction and more instruction emphasizing basic literacies intended to improve achievement on high-stakes standardized tests. Further, the social, emotional, and educational value of field trips are underappreciated by the formal education community because of epistemological differences in what constitutes learning, which tend to emphasize cognitive gains that are common to the school environment, while ignoring the motivating and satisfying aspects of learning in out-of-school settings. The purpose of this phenomenological inquiry is to explore what meaning or significance urban students derive from their field trip experiences in the context of educational opportunities provided at school. Using a critical lens, this study problematizes field trips as a curriculum issue to shed light on what is lost to students as learners when these experiences are not offered by school. The participants in this study are nine middleschool students and two teachers from two schools located in a large Midwestern city. Through qualitative procedures of interviews and observations, three key findings emerged that describe students’ field trip experiences: 1) students gain appreciation and empathy from their field trip experiences; 2) students desire more autonomy in their learning experiences and perceive
Improving the significance of probabilistic circuit fault emulations

Recent trends go into the direction to tolerate a certain number of faults in integrated circuits, at locations where the error remains unnoticed by the user, trying to further extend Moore's law. In order to enable such an approach, a comprehensive analysis of the probabilistic behavior of the circuit is required. We focus on FPGA-based probability-aware circuit fault emulation in order to do this analysis. Faults are injected at run-time, based on error probabilities, into the circuit. The influence on the circuit outputs is observed by comparing the fault-free with the faulty circuit. The probability-awareness allows us to model, for instance, different voltage-domains or channel widths, within the same circuit. Previous work is usually restricted to a non-probabilistic treatment of circuit faults, due to its complexity in terms of resource requirements and the difficulty to generate statistical significant results. In this work we will present two fundamental strategies, in order to tackle this latter issue. First, we will present methods to separate the data and control path of the circuit. Errors can only be tolerated in the data path of a circuit. Hence, it is necessary to reliably identify the control path inside the netlist, in order to make it robust against faults. Consequently, the control path hast to be excluded from the emulations. Secondly, we will present algorithms to score the stability of the measured output error probability. We will present ways to determine how many clock cycles have to be emulated in order to get a stable simulation result. By applying those methods we are able to generate trustworthy information about the probabilistic behavior of a circuit.
Image Processing and Machine Learning for Automated Fruit Grading System: A Technical Review

In India, demand for various fruits and vegetables are increasing as population grows.Automation in agriculture plays a vital role in increasing the productivity and economical growth of the Country, therefore there is a need for automated system for accurate, fast and quality fruits determination. Researchers have developed numerous algorithms for quality grading and sorting of fruit. Color is most striking feature for identifying disease and maturity of the fruit. In this paper; efficient algorithms for color feature extraction are reviewed. Then after, various classification techniques are compared based on their merits and demerits. The objective of the paper is to provide introduction to machine learning and color based grading algorithms, its components and current work reported on an automatic fruit grading system.
Impaired laryngeal voice production in a patient with foreign accent syndrome

We report a Japanese-speaking monolingual woman who developed foreign accent syndrome (FAS) following an infarction in the precentral and premotor cortices (Brodmann Area 6) at and around the inferior frontal sulcus. Her speech sounded Chinese or Korean to our bilingual coauthor who speaks Chinese and Japanese. Quantitative acoustic analyses of words and sentences showed that pitch (fundamental frequency variation) and intensity variances appeared lowered and fully voiced glottal pulses were reduced. These findings suggest laryngeal dysfunction that contributes to the unusual speech production in a case of FAS. This may be caused by damage to a restricted area of the motor and premotor cortices that controls laryngeal function.
An instrument-on-chip for impedance measurements on nanobiosensors with attoFarad resoution

Impedance measurements play a fundamental role in biotechnology, serving both as an investigation tool and as a direct detection technique. Tracking impedance over time is extensively used for spatial monitoring, imaging, counting, sizing (Coulter counter) and sorting cells (flow cytometry) both in macro and microfluidic systems [1]. Other than cellular biology, impedance measurements are largely used also in molecular biology to operate affinity molecular biosensors [2], where impedance measurements are used to detect the binding of a target molecule to highly specific biological macromolecules such as antibodies, receptors, enzymes and DNA strands. Downscaling these systems to nanoscale dimensions would offer tremendous advantages as compared to the currently existing macro and microscale counterparts on three essential aspects, namely sensitivity (detection of single molecule binding events), response time (more efficient diffusion of the analyte) and amount of sample analyte [3]. Monitoring single molecules implies very small absolute impedance variations, on the order of a few attoFarads for the capacitive term, which should be detected by applying only a few tens of millivolts to avoid stressing the macromolecule with high electrical fields.
Knowledge- and optimization-based design of RF power amplifiers

Some of the problems that threaten analog design are the reduction of power supply voltage and the decreasing MOS threshold voltages that are inherent to modern process technologies. At the same time it becomes increasingly difficult to take parasitic effects into account. Yet, it is a common trend to integrate even analog RF circuits in today's systems-on-chip. In this paper we targeted the optimization of an RF power amplifier. To this end, we first derived the state-space model equations. After summarizing the limitations of this approach we then present a sizing tool specifically tailored toward the design of optimal RF circuits. This tool is then used for optimally sizing two class E power amplifiers. The result of one experiment compare favorably to a published and measured design.
Design and implementation of page sharing scheme between guests in virtualization environments

According to the development of virtualization technology and enhancement of hardware performance, there will be more and more guests on a host in virtualization environments. These guests use many common files and each file should be duplicated on each guest filesystem and memory. In order to eliminate these duplications of resources, many corporations and laboratories proposed several resource sharing schemes. However, there are some problems such as overhead and complexity. In this paper, in order to reduce such duplications, we propose a page sharing scheme optimized for executable files and libraries using shadow paging. Also, we validate our scheme with some evaluation results that show improvements in memory utilization and performance, through the implementation of the proposed scheme and experiments.
PolSAR Time Series Processing and Analysis Based on Binary Partition Trees

This paper deals with Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar image time series exploitation. A Binary Partition Tree (BPT) is proposed to process this data. The BPT is a region-based and multi-scale data representation that contains useful information about the data structure at different detail levels. Two different alternatives are proposed for modeling the target behavior in the temporal dimension leading to distinct BPT representations. Both approaches are analyzed and discussed and some examples of possible BPT-based applications are presented. These sample applications are employed to process a real RADARSAT-2 time series dataset to exemplify its capabilities.